Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-29

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)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

Thank you very much for inviting me to Chris's surprise birthday party. I am delighted to hear that you are organizing such a special celebration for him. I am sure Chris will love the surprise because he enjoys spending time with friends and family, and he has always appreciated thoughtful celebrations. It will certainly be a memorable birthday for him.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the party because I have an important business trip that weekend, and my travel arrangements cannot be changed. I am really disappointed to miss such a wonderful occasion.

However, I would still like to celebrate Chris's birthday. I am planning to visit him the following weekend after I return. I thought we could go out for dinner at his favorite restaurant and then watch a movie together. I have also bought him a birthday gift, which I will give him when we meet.

I hope you all have a fantastic time at the party. Please give Chris my warmest birthday wishes, and I look forward to seeing him soon.

Yours sincerely,

Smithy

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

You have fully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the party, provided a plausible reason for your absence, and offered a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is consistently appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and warm register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. You have successfully met all the requirements of the task.

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 task, which makes the letter easy to follow. You have used appropriate cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'However', and 'The following weekend' to link your thoughts smoothly. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the message. The flow between the apology for missing the party and the alternative plan is particularly well-managed.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message with precision. Phrases like 'delighted to hear', 'thoughtful celebrations', and 'memorable birthday' are natural and appropriate for the context. The language is accurate and fits the semi-formal tone required for writing to a friend's parents. While the vocabulary is functional and effective, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions could elevate the response further, though the current level is perfectly adequate for this task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

Your grammar is very strong, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have demonstrated control over various tenses, such as the present perfect ('have always appreciated') and future forms ('will not be able to', 'I am planning to'). Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The sentences are well-constructed, and the overall accuracy is high, reflecting a solid command of English grammar.

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