Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Dear Mr and Mrs. Smith,
I’m writing this letter to say thank you for inviting me to Chris’s surprise birthday party. It means alot to me.
I’m pleased that Chris is turning 16 this year and many congratulations to you. As his friend, I know that he loves surprises. Last weekend, we were making many plans for his birthday and he seemed very excited for his 16th birthday. I’m sure, he will like your surprise birthday event.
I’m feeling sorry to inform you that I would not able to come on birthday party.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response fails to address all parts of the task. While you mention why Chris would enjoy the party and explain your inability to attend, you completely omit the third requirement: providing details of a plan to see Chris at a different time. Furthermore, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which severely limits the development of your ideas. To improve, ensure you address every bullet point in the prompt and expand your writing to meet the length requirement by providing more detail and context for each point.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is very brief, making it difficult to assess the overall flow. The paragraphing is present, but the lack of content means there is little opportunity to demonstrate a range of cohesive devices. The transition between the opening and the explanation of your absence is abrupt. To improve, use linking words such as 'furthermore', 'however', or 'consequently' to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure each paragraph has a clear purpose.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'I’m writing this letter to say thank you' and 'I’m feeling sorry to inform you' are functional but lack variety. There is a spelling error ('alot' should be 'a lot') and some awkward phrasing. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to social invitations and expressing regret, and ensure you check for common spelling mistakes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains several grammatical errors that hinder clarity. For example, 'I would not able to come on birthday party' is missing the verb 'be' and the article 'the'. Additionally, 'many congratulations to you' is slightly unnatural in this context. The sentence structures are simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and practice using a wider variety of sentence structures, such as conditional or relative clauses.
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