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 hope this letter finds you in the best shape of your life. I felt very pleased and happy after reading your invitation letter. I can assure you that Chris will enjoy the best time of his life after receiving this surprise party. However, I am feeling very unfortunate to inform you that I will not be able to show up in this occasion.

I have to attend a very important meeting regarding my job promotion level. Nevertheless, I had already informed Chris about my promotion situation and we have arranged a meetup just day after his birthday. As per the plan we are going on a cruise in Australia on Sunday at 4pm. I have arranged the catering and drinks party for him. I am sure that Mr Collins will enjoy Mrs Collins singing at the surprise party. "Oh" i forgot to mention that i parceled a gift to your address which you can pass to Chris for me.

Have a great party and we will meet very soon!

Your well wisher,

Inder

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task effectively. You explained why Chris would enjoy the party, provided a reason for your absence, and detailed a future plan to meet him. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, although some phrasing is slightly unnatural. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented, ensuring the reader understands the purpose of your communication. To reach a higher band, ensure that all parts of the prompt are developed with a slightly more natural flow, as some transitions between the explanation of your absence and the future plan feel a bit abrupt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the task. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Nevertheless', and 'As per the plan' to link your ideas. However, the paragraphing is somewhat inconsistent, as the letter is split into many short segments. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the overall structure. The use of referencing is generally clear, though some transitions could be smoother to avoid a slightly mechanical feel.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'job promotion level' and 'parceled a gift' are functional, though some word choices are slightly awkward, such as 'show up in this occasion' (should be 'at this occasion') and 'best shape of your life' (which is an unusual greeting for parents). You attempted to use some less common vocabulary, but there is room for more precise collocations. Focusing on natural idiomatic expressions suitable for a semi-formal letter would help elevate your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'meetup just day after' (missing an article), 'catering and drinks party' (slightly redundant), and the incorrect use of 'i' instead of 'I'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are minor slips throughout. To improve, focus on article usage and subject-verb agreement. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will help you move toward a higher band score.

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