Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope you are doing well. I recently receive a birthday party invitation of Chris. I was really excited to attend my friend's surprise party but unfortunately I will unable to come.

I think Chris will love this surprise party because he always talk about getting surprise on birthday with a grand party.

I really want join in birthday party but my Australia's visa got expired last month and to renew the visa it will take 3 months. Due to that I will unable to enter the Australia.

I am very impatient to meet my best friend so, I am trying my best to get an Australian visa as soon as possible. When I will get visa I will make a plan to meet Chris. I will love to give him a surprise visit at your house.

I think Chris will be happy to see me. Also, I am really apologizing for not attending birthday party.

Please give my birthday wishes to my friend. See you soon.

Thank you

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task: explaining why Chris will enjoy the party, stating why you cannot attend, and proposing an alternative plan to meet. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation regarding your visa status is a bit repetitive, and the plan to meet Chris could be more specific. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more natural detail, such as suggesting a specific month or season for your future visit.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your message. You use basic cohesive devices like 'because', 'also', and 'when'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes a bit mechanical. For example, the transition between the reason for not attending and the plan to meet could be smoother. Using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in the meantime') would improve the overall cohesion of the text and make the progression of ideas feel more natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. You use phrases like 'surprise party' and 'birthday wishes' correctly. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'I recently receive' (should be 'received') and 'I am very impatient to meet' (which sounds slightly unnatural; 'eager' would be better). You rely on fairly simple vocabulary throughout. To improve, try to incorporate more precise adjectives and idiomatic expressions suitable for a friendly letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and articles. Examples include 'I will unable to come' (missing 'be'), 'my Australia's visa' (incorrect article/possessive usage), and 'When I will get visa' (should be 'When I get my visa'). These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of modal verbs will help you achieve a higher score.

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