Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)
Dear uncle and aunt,
I hope you are in pink of your health! I was delighted to receive your letter with the invitation of surprise event for my best friend's birthday. I am pretty sure that he will be astonished with this and little bit emotional by your love. As we know he had gone through a tough time during his health crisis and this is an amazing way to cheer him.
Unfortunately, I can't attend the party due to my work commitments as I am going on an official conference. I was planning the visit from last month but was unaware of this sudden meeting. Trust me, I tried my best to postpone my work event so that I can see Chris, but I won't make it happen.
However, there's always a next time and I assure you to attend his grandma's birthday next month. I have already booked my vacations for that so that I can't miss it. I am sending this apology letter with a present. Please give it to my friend on his birthday.
I hope you'll understand my situation and don't forget to write me back with some lovely birthday pictures.
Yours lovingly,
Tom
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the surprise, provided a valid reason for your absence, 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 warm register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements, ensuring the reader understands your situation and your intentions clearly. You have successfully fulfilled the communicative purpose of the letter.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your narrative easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately,' 'However,' and 'As we know' to link your thoughts. While the flow is generally smooth, the transition between the apology and the plan to meet could be slightly more refined to improve the overall cohesion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different sections of the letter.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, such as 'astonished,' 'commitments,' and 'official conference.' However, there are some minor inaccuracies in collocation and idiomatic usage. For example, 'in pink of your health' is a slight misuse of the idiom 'in the pink of health,' and 'won't make it happen' is not the most natural way to express an inability to attend. Despite these minor slips, your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly and appropriately for the context of a personal letter.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'I was planning the visit from last month' (should be 'since last month') and 'I assure you to attend' (should be 'I assure you I will attend'). Additionally, 'so that I can't miss it' is slightly awkward in this context. While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, focus on refining your use of verb tenses and ensuring that complex sentence structures are grammatically precise.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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