Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-06
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,
It feels like an eternity since we last spoke! I hope you have been keeping well.
Being a best friend of chrish for the last 10 years, I am extremely excited for his birthday party next week. Additionally, considering the fact that chris literally loves surprises, I am absolutely confident that he will be amazed by your planning.
Despite living at a walking distance from your residence and having a day off on sunday, unfortunately, I would not be able to attend the event owing to already committed plans. However; I will make sure to call chris on that day to wish him personally.
Apart from that, although his birthday will be concluded by the end of next sunday, I will schedule an alternative event for chris and I am also planning to invite you two as well. Moreover, I have purchased a special gift for him that I will handover when I meet him next time.
Sending lots of love to you and chris!
With Regards,
Tejas
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly explain why Chris would enjoy the surprise, provide a plausible reason for your absence, and propose a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a friendly and polite register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, ensuring the reader understands the situation clearly. To reach a higher band, ensure that all proper nouns are consistently capitalized, as the inconsistent capitalization of 'chris' and 'sunday' slightly detracts from the professional presentation of the letter.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your narrative easily. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'Despite', 'However', and 'Moreover' to link your sentences and paragraphs. While the use of a semicolon after 'However' is technically incorrect in that context, the overall flow remains smooth. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the transition between the explanation of your absence and the future plan is handled effectively.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message with precision. Phrases like 'feels like an eternity', 'owing to already committed plans', and 'concluded by the end of' show a good command of language. There are some minor issues with capitalization, such as 'chrish' (a typo) and 'sunday', which are minor slips rather than a lack of vocabulary range. The word choice is generally natural and appropriate for the context of a personal letter. To improve, focus on proofreading for small spelling errors and consistent capitalization of names and days.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. For example, the use of 'Despite living at a walking distance... I would not be able to attend' shows good control over complex grammatical structures. While there are occasional errors, such as the incorrect use of a semicolon after 'However' and the capitalization issues mentioned previously, these do not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are clear and grammatically sound. To achieve a higher score, ensure that punctuation marks are used correctly and that proper nouns are always capitalized to maintain a high standard of accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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