Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-08

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 6.0)

Dear Chris's parents,

I hope you all are doing well and can't wait to be down there to have all the fun in Chris's birthday party. I have a very special surprising and exciting for him and it is the super bike Ninja K2 that he loves so much. Also I want to tell you guys that l won't be able to make for his birthday party.

I know it is a bit sad news for all of you but I have to attend a legal matter, remember the lawsuit I filled against my employer for not paying my salary, I have to appear in court for hearing on the same day so I won't be able to make it up.

I have already booked flight from YYZ to YSSY for September 10th 2026 at 1100 hours and will be landing in Sydney by September 12th [redacted phone] hours.

Give my best wishes to Chris and I will see you all soon.

Cheers,

Sid P.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task. You explained why Chris would enjoy the party, provided a reason for your absence, and detailed a plan to visit later. However, the tone is inconsistent. While you are writing to the parents of a friend, the language used is quite informal and occasionally confusing, such as the opening sentence which suggests you are attending the party despite later stating you cannot. The development of ideas is sufficient, but the explanation regarding the legal matter is a bit abrupt and perhaps overly detailed for a friendly letter to parents.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical. For example, the transition between the surprise gift and the inability to attend is abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly in the first paragraph where the opening sentence is grammatically disjointed, making it difficult to determine the intended meaning. Improved use of linking words such as 'furthermore', 'however', or 'consequently' would help the flow of ideas between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message, but there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation. Phrases like 'make for his birthday party' and 'make it up' are not standard in this context. Additionally, 'surprising and exciting' is used as a noun, which is grammatically incorrect. While you attempt to use specific details like flight times, the overall lexical control is limited, and some phrasing sounds unnatural or informal for a letter addressed to a friend's parents.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. You struggle with sentence structure, particularly in the first paragraph where the opening sentence is a run-on and lacks clarity. There are also errors in verb tense and preposition usage, such as 'lawsuit I filled' (should be 'filed') and 'hearing on the same day'. While you use some complex structures, they are often inaccurate. The punctuation is generally functional, but the overall control of grammar is inconsistent, which occasionally impedes the clarity of your message.

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

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