Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-12

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. Sehgal,

I hope you are in radiant health and high spirits. Thank you for inviting me to Chris's surprise birthday party. May god bless Chris with healthy and successful life.

I believe Chris would really enjoy the surprise party on his birthday, as he loves and respect even a little effort of someone towards him. This party would make her birthday more enjoyable and memorable, which will give him a beautiful memory of his life.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the party because I have some important work on the same day that I cannot cancel in any circumstances. However, I really feel sad to not to become a part of this amazing party and enjoy my friend's special day.

I have made a different plan to meet Chris. I would invite Chris for a special dinner on his favorite restaurant and bring birthday gift for her. I'm sure she will be very happy to have this little surprise.

Once again, thank you for inviting me on such wonderful moment. I hope you will have a successful party.

Best wishes,

Harmeet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly explain why Chris would enjoy the surprise, provide a valid reason for your absence, and propose a concrete alternative plan to meet. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and appreciative register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. To reach a higher band, ensure consistency in pronouns, as you switch between 'he' and 'she' when referring to Chris, which creates slight confusion regarding the subject's gender.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the task, which helps the reader follow your points easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'However' and 'Once again' to link your thoughts. To improve, try to vary your transition words further and ensure that referencing is precise; for example, the transition between the reason for absence and the regret could be smoother to avoid repetitive sentence structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'radiant health and high spirits' and 'memorable' are used effectively. There are some minor errors in collocation and word choice, such as 'invite Chris for a special dinner on his favorite restaurant' (should be 'at') and 'not to become a part of' (should be 'not to be a part of'). While these do not impede communication, more precise control over prepositions and idiomatic expressions would elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is generally accurate. However, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'May god bless Chris with healthy and successful life' (missing articles: 'a healthy and successful life') and the inconsistent use of gender pronouns ('he' vs 'she'). Additionally, 'not to become a part of' is slightly awkward. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning. Focusing on article usage and pronoun consistency will help improve your accuracy.

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

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