Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-26
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 8.5)
I hope you’re doing well! I’ve received your invitation email about the surprise birthday party for Chris. He will be thrilled when he sees what you have done for him on his special day.
To be honest, you have arranged a celebration at Dumas Beach, and apparently, it was Chris’s dream to enjoy celebrating his birthday in the same place along with his family and close friends. I can see that dream being accomplished soon.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to join the party due to having an exam during the same time period. Given that I’m preparing for the IELTS to secure my admission in the September intake at Australia’s top university, I have to prepare for the exam and need to get a score soon.
As I’m planning to come there for further study, I have already planned to celebrate his birthday later on. I have already discussed with him meeting in a café along with close friends a week before his birthday, when I will surprise him with a special gift.
Thank you for inviting me on Chris’s special day. I hope Chris likes your surprise and the celebration goes well as you planned.
Yours sincerely,
Milan
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 8.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8.0 |
| Overall | 8.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5
You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the surprise, provided a valid reason for your absence (an exam), and proposed a concrete alternative plan to meet him. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and friendly register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between the 'surprise' and the 'alternative plan' is even more seamless, perhaps by expressing regret more explicitly regarding missing the specific event at the beach.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5
The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which makes the letter easy to follow. You have used cohesive devices such as 'To be honest,' 'Unfortunately,' and 'Given that' to link your ideas effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. To improve further, you could vary your linking words slightly more to avoid repetitive sentence structures, but overall, the flow of information is smooth and the message is coherent throughout.
Lexical Resource — Band 8.0
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the context of a letter. Phrases like 'thrilled,' 'accomplished,' and 'secure my admission' are used accurately. The vocabulary is natural and fits the tone of the letter well. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. To move into the higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions that are suitable for a semi-formal letter, such as 'deeply regret' or 'look forward to catching up'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0
You use a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'when I will surprise him' and the participial phrase 'Given that I’m preparing...'. The grammar is generally accurate, and your control over tense usage is consistent. There are very few errors, and those present do not interfere with the clarity of your message. To achieve a higher score, ensure that you consistently use a wider variety of complex structures and maintain perfect control over punctuation, particularly with comma usage in longer, multi-clause sentences.
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