Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-07

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 both are well. How is Mrs. Collins recovering from her hand surgery?

I have known Chris for two decades and it is not a secret to the world that Chris would cross oceans just to make someone's day. He would be over the moon to see all his closed ones gathering in Sydney to celebrate him. I had been planning to join as well but urgent work commitments have popped up, not allowing me to travel next week.

However, I have planned to take 4 days off from work next month coordinating with Chris' work schedule to make up to him in Melbourne. I am making reservations for my stay and getting hands on the amusement park tickets to have a blast with my best friend. Moreover, I got him an Apple watch which will aid in his fitness journey.

Give my love to Wolf.

Yours sincerely,

XYZ

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the surprise, provided a valid reason for your absence, and outlined a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a balance between warmth and formality. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the context. To reach a higher band, ensure that the transition between the explanation of your absence and the future plan feels slightly more integrated, but overall, you have fulfilled the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the opening pleasantries to the explanation of the situation and finally the future plan. You use cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Moreover', and 'In addition' (implied) effectively to link your thoughts. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. The flow is natural, and the relationship between the ideas is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using idiomatic expressions like 'over the moon' and 'have a blast' appropriately for the context of a personal letter. Phrases such as 'urgent work commitments' and 'fitness journey' show a solid command of collocation. While the vocabulary is natural and fits the tone well, it remains largely within the expected range for this type of task. To achieve a higher score, you could incorporate slightly more sophisticated or precise vocabulary to describe your plans or feelings.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

Your grammar is generally accurate, and you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. For example, 'I had been planning to join as well but urgent work commitments have popped up' is a well-constructed complex sentence. There are very few errors; however, there is a minor punctuation issue in 'Chris' work schedule' (should be 'Chris's') and 'closed ones' is slightly unnatural (usually 'loved ones'). These are minor slips that do not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, reflecting a strong command of English grammar.

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

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