Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-23
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The parents of your Australian friend Chris have invited you to a surprise birthday party for him/her. Write a letter to Chris's parents. In your letter:
- say why you think Chris will enjoy the surprise party
- explain why you won't be able to attend the party
- give details of a plan to see Chris at a different time
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,
Student answer (Band 7.5)
Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing this to thank you for inviting me to Chris's birthday party.
It's been a long time since we last caught up. I know he is always curious about celebrations, and now it's his special day. He would be over the moon to see the surprise birthday party.
Unfortunately, I am not able to attend it due to an urgent office meeting. However, I was waiting for a long time to see him and have some chit-chat about our college days, but my presence at the meeting is mandatory.
Undoubtedly, I will come next weekend to give a surprise visit. I already have a plan to make his day special during my visit. That would be a surprise for all of you. I will bring a beautiful present for him.
My blessings are always with him.
See you soon,
Rimple Rani
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain why Chris would enjoy the party, state your inability to attend due to a work commitment, and propose a follow-up visit. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents. However, the development of ideas is somewhat brief. For instance, the explanation of why Chris would enjoy the party is a bit generic. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific details about Chris's personality or interests to make the letter feel more personal and engaging.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each requirement, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a single idea, which helps the reader follow your message easily. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Unfortunately', and 'Undoubtedly' to link your sentences. While the flow is clear, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. The structure is functional and appropriate for a personal letter, meeting the requirements for a coherent response.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You use a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'over the moon', 'mandatory', and 'caught up' are used correctly and fit the context well. There is an attempt to use some less common collocations, though some phrasing, such as 'curious about celebrations', feels slightly unnatural. The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but incorporating a few more sophisticated synonyms or idiomatic expressions would enhance the quality of your writing and help you achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
You demonstrate a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is generally accurate. There are minor issues, such as 'I was waiting for a long time to see him', which would be more naturally expressed as 'I have been looking forward to seeing him'. Despite these small slips, your meaning is always clear, and the grammatical errors do not impede communication. You show a solid grasp of basic and intermediate structures.
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