Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-30

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 6.0)

Dear Mr and Mrs. Collins,

I hope you are all doing well, It is so nice to see that you are planning a birthday party for her. As, she like surprises and get together with friends and family.

unfortunately, I wouldn't able to come because of my business trip lie between the same date and it was already a pre-planned trip. Therefore, I can't postpone it.

I will apologise here after coming back and even I, will meet her at her favourite cafe with some special arrangements. I know she will love it.

Please give my wishes to her.

Thankyou for inviting me.

your faithfully

Priya

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt: explaining why Chris would enjoy the party, stating the reason for your absence, and proposing an alternative meeting. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of your ideas. To improve, you should expand on your points—for example, by describing specific aspects of the party that Chris would enjoy or providing more detail about your upcoming trip. Because the length requirement was not met, the task is only partially addressed, resulting in a lower score for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition 'Therefore, I can't postpone it' is used correctly, but other sentences feel disjointed. The punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and sentence fragments (e.g., 'As, she like surprises...'). To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that your sentences flow more naturally into one another to create a more cohesive piece of writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use some relevant phrases like 'pre-planned trip' and 'special arrangements.' However, there are some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'I wouldn't able to' (should be 'wouldn't be able to') and 'give my wishes' (usually 'send my best wishes'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic structures. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise and varied vocabulary to express your ideas with greater sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('she like' instead of 'she likes'), incorrect verb forms ('I wouldn't able to'), and punctuation errors (e.g., 'Mr and Mrs. Collins,' where the period is unnecessary). Additionally, there are sentence fragments that should be connected to main clauses. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your sentences are complete and correctly punctuated.

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