Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-28
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 peter,
I am writing this letter to inform you that i sincerly apologize for not attending my best friend surprise birthday party.
I already got your invitation card today and i see that you arrange a birthday party at grand hotel which is five star hotel in which you book a hall for the birthday party .I am definitely sure that my friend loves this birthday party because he like surprises and on top of that he also like folk music which you already arrange it .
I miss this moment because i had an important interview on that day in apotex which was 200km away from my home so i had a plan to stay in hotel on that day because i was unable to reach home early because my interview is between 4:00 pm- 5:00 pm .
However, i had a plan to see my friend chris on next day which i already book a cafe for his belated birthday and i also invited our old college friends to meet on my surprise birthday party.
I hope you accept my apology and understand my situation for not able to attend a birthday party .Give my regards to my friend and click a lots of pictures .
Your sincerly,
Om Patel
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response addresses all three bullet points required by the task. You clearly explain why Chris will enjoy the party, provide a reason for your absence, and propose an alternative meeting. However, the tone is somewhat inconsistent for a letter to a friend's parents. While the content is relevant, some details, such as the specific location of the interview or the hotel name, are slightly underdeveloped in terms of natural flow. To improve, ensure the tone remains consistently polite and formal, as you are addressing parents, and avoid overly repetitive phrasing regarding the party details.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. You use some cohesive devices like 'However' and 'on top of that' to connect ideas. However, the transitions between sentences can feel a bit mechanical or abrupt. For example, the jump from the hotel description to the interview explanation lacks a smooth connector. Additionally, the use of referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the pronoun 'it' in 'which you already arrange it', which is grammatically redundant. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message, such as 'sincerely apologize', 'invitation card', and 'belated birthday'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'click a lots of pictures' (should be 'take many photos') and 'I already book a cafe' (should be 'I have already booked'). Some vocabulary is repetitive, and the phrasing is occasionally unnatural. Expanding your range of collocations and focusing on more precise word choices would help you reach a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses (e.g., 'I already got' instead of 'I have already received') and subject-verb agreement. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing capital letters for proper nouns like 'Chris' and 'Apotex', and incorrect spacing around punctuation marks. These errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for tense consistency and basic capitalization rules.
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