Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-10

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,

I hope you are doing great.

I want to thank you for inviting me to Chris's birthday party. I am sure it would be lovely and fun.

I believe Chris would enjoy the surprise birthday party because he talked with me about his birthday and that he wants it to be special. Surprising him with his birthday party would make him very happy, because he is not expecting it at all. The fact that you are making it a pool party is fantastic as the weather is too hot and Chris likes to swim.

Unfortunately, I would need to run some errands on this day and I will not be able to make it to the surprise party, but I am sure it would be wonderful.

However, I am planning to see Chris during the next weekend and we will go on a trip to California with our friends that we have not seen for a long time. In California, we will be staying in a hotel by the see, where we will enjoy surfing and the night life there.

Again, I hope I could make and thank you again for inviting me.

Yours Sincerely,

Ahmed Bahie

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the surprise, provided a plausible reason for your absence, and detailed a future plan to meet him. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and friendly register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, showing a clear understanding of the task requirements. You have maintained a consistent focus on the purpose of the letter from start to finish, ensuring the reader understands both your gratitude for the invitation and your regret regarding your inability to attend.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the task. You have used appropriate paragraphing to separate your ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'However', and 'Again' are used effectively to guide the reader through the text. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving naturally from the initial thanks to the explanation of your absence and finally to the alternative plan. The referencing is clear, and the overall structure is coherent, making the letter easy to follow and professional in its presentation.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for this informal yet polite context. Phrases like 'run some errands' and 'night life' are used correctly. There is a minor spelling error ('see' instead of 'sea'), but this does not impede communication. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items. For example, instead of 'lovely and fun', you might use 'delightful and memorable'. Overall, your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message with precision and naturalness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control over tense usage is generally strong. There are a few minor slips, such as 'I hope I could make' (should be 'I hope I could make it') and the aforementioned spelling error. However, these errors are infrequent and do not cause any confusion for the reader. Your punctuation is generally accurate, and the grammatical control is consistent throughout the letter, which is indicative of a high level of proficiency.

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

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