Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I am writing this letter to express my regards to you for inviting me to the birthday party. Its being a long time since we have met. I am glad to hear you have arranged a party based on a theme. I am sure that Collins will love the surprise party you have arranged for her birthday. I still remember that she was extremely excited regarding her birthday party last year and told me that she wanted to keep a theme for the party next year.

I am extremely sorry to inform that it won't be possible for me to attend the party. The reason is that as I am having my final examinations during that whole week. It will not be possible for me to spare time for the party.

Furthermore, I promise that I will definitely visit Chris immediately after my last exam that marks 13th July. I want to arrange a small gathering at my place as a compensation for missing her birthday party. I would love to invite you all for the dinner at my place.

I hope to see you all very soon.

Yours sincerely,

Ayesha

AI examiner evaluation

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 party, provided a valid reason for your absence, and proposed a concrete plan to meet later. 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 the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning. You have fulfilled all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific point from the instructions, which helps the reader follow your message easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore' and 'I still remember that', which help link your sentences. However, the transition between the opening and the first bullet point could be smoother. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'express my regards' and 'small gathering' are used appropriately. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'keep a theme' (better: 'have a theme') and 'compensation' (which sounds a bit formal/legalistic in this context; 'make up for' would be more natural). Despite these minor inaccuracies, your vocabulary is adequate to communicate your intentions effectively without causing any confusion for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there are some grammatical slips, such as 'Its being a long time' (should be 'It has been') and 'I am having my final examinations' (the present continuous is slightly awkward here; 'I have' or 'I will be sitting' is better), these errors do not impede communication. Your control of punctuation is generally good, and the majority of your sentences are clear and understandable. To reach a higher band, focus on refining your use of verb tenses and subject-verb agreement.

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