Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-05

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 6.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope you are doing well. I got really excited when I heard about a surprise birthday party organised for Chris but I am writing to inform you that I will not be able to attend the party.

The idea of having a party is good as we know how much Chris loves birthday parties. I remeber the last year when we had fun while celebrating his special day.

However, I am afriad I would not be able to make it to the event as I have college exams scheduled on the same week. I need to finish the exams with good grades as I am in the final year of my program.

Lastly, I have already made a plan to see Chris right after completing the exams. Though he is not aware about but he would love that surprise.

Thank you for inviting me for a surpeise party. I look forward to your response.

Your sincerely,

Smit Surti

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

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 (college exams), 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 respectful register throughout. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands your situation and your intentions clearly. You have fulfilled the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each point, and a closing. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Lastly', and 'Though' to connect your ideas. While the progression is clear, the use of linking words is somewhat mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different requirements of the task. To reach a higher band, you could aim for more varied and sophisticated transitions between sentences to improve the overall flow of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. There are some minor spelling errors, such as 'remeber' (remember), 'afriad' (afraid), and 'surpeise' (surprise). Additionally, the phrase 'Though he is not aware about but' is slightly awkward and redundant. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading. Using more precise vocabulary, such as 'academic commitments' instead of 'college exams', would enhance the professional tone of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear, though there are some grammatical slips, such as 'organised for Chris but I am writing' (missing a comma before 'but') and 'scheduled on the same week' (should be 'in'). The closing 'Your sincerely' is also incorrect; it should be 'Yours sincerely'. Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the grammar does not interfere with the reader's understanding of your message.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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