Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-01

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 7.0)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I am delighted that you invited me to Chris surprise birthday party. Not only Chris would love the surprise birthday party you are going to give him, but does he will be grateful that you arranged it for him.

I would say, I won't be able to attend the party because on the day of his birthday I have my IELTS exam. As you know that I am international student, it is vital for me to clear the exam to extend my stay in Australia. I feel bad that I would not be able to attend the birthday party of my first friend in Australia.

But next week if you all were free, I will be happy to come and see Chris and will give him the wishes for his birthday. I know he felt sad when he came to know that I am not there on his birthday but please explain him my situation. I hope he will understand and I will see him on next weekend.

Once again thank you for inviting me, I would be grateful if you accept my apology for not coming on his birthday.

I look forward to hearing from you for the next week plan.

Yours lovingly

Sam

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the party, provided a valid reason for your absence (the IELTS exam), and proposed a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and appreciative register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning. To reach a higher band, ensure that your explanations flow more naturally and avoid minor logical inconsistencies, such as assuming Chris's reaction before the event has occurred.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Not only', 'But', and 'Once again' to link your ideas. However, the progression between some sentences is slightly mechanical, and the use of referencing could be more precise. For example, in the third paragraph, the transition 'But next week if you all were free' is a bit abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between your explanation of the exam and your proposed meeting would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using appropriate phrases like 'delighted', 'grateful', and 'apology'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'clear the exam' (usually 'pass the exam') and 'give him the wishes' (usually 'wish him a happy birthday'). While these errors do not impede communication, they show a need for more precise usage. To improve, try to incorporate more natural collocations and idiomatic expressions suitable for a semi-formal letter to parents.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical inaccuracies that occur throughout the text, such as 'Chris surprise birthday party' (missing possessive 's'), 'does he will be grateful' (incorrect auxiliary verb usage), and 'explain him my situation' (missing preposition 'to'). While these errors are frequent, they rarely impede the reader's understanding of your message. To move to a higher band, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions and auxiliary verbs in complex sentences.

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