Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I am writing this letter to thank you for inviting me to the surprise birthday party of Chris. I am feeling unpleasant while writing this, unfortunately, I would not be able to attend this birthday party.

I am happy to share that Chris will be extremely cheerful when he comes to reveal this surprise on the day of his birthday. This is because I know him from the college days. While sharing the same room, whenever I brought something surprising for him, I always found him enjoying that moment. As this birthday party is going to be a bigger surprise of his life from his parents, I am quite sure that he will definitely love it.

I am really upset to write that, due to an upcoming business assignment on the same day as Chris's birthday, I would not be present there. Although it is disheartening to miss my best friend's birthday, I have worked hard to achieve this project, and I do not want to lose this opportunity.

I am planning to come to Australia at the end of August after finishing the project. I will stay there with Chris for a week. I assure you that we will plan a party at the beach and have fun in order to substitute for the missing birthday party.

I hope you will understand and consider me.

Yours Sincerely,

Rosa

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly explain why Chris will enjoy the surprise, provide a valid reason for your absence, and offer 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 well-developed and relevant to the prompt. To reach a higher band, ensure that the opening is more natural; for instance, 'I am feeling unpleasant' is slightly unnatural in this context, as 'unpleasant' usually describes a situation or a sensation rather than a feeling of regret. Overall, the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

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 variety of cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'This is because', and 'In order to' to link your sentences and ideas effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the message. The flow is smooth, and the transition between the apology for missing the party and the alternative plan is handled well. The structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, such as 'disheartening', 'assignment', and 'substitute'. The language used is generally natural and conveys your meaning clearly. There are a few minor issues with word choice, such as 'unpleasant' to describe your feelings, where 'sorry' or 'regretful' would be more precise. Additionally, 'reveal this surprise' is slightly awkward; 'experience this surprise' or 'be surprised' would be more idiomatic. Despite these small inaccuracies, the vocabulary is sufficient to express your thoughts with precision and flexibility, and the errors do not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and you demonstrate good control over punctuation and verb tenses. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'the surprise birthday party of Chris' (better as 'Chris's surprise birthday party') and 'I would not be present there' (better as 'I will not be able to attend'). However, these errors are infrequent and do not affect the clarity of your message. Your control over complex structures, such as conditional and concessive clauses, is solid and contributes to the overall quality of the writing.

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

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