Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-14
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 Mr and Mrs Collins ,
I Hope this email finds you well
It has been such a long time since we last met , I hope everything is good with you . I am really excited for Chris's 25th birthday and I can imagine how massive it is going to be .
Firstly , Thanks for inviting me to the party. Since , we are planning something for his day , I know that he likes racing cars and his favourite model is John smith . In my opinion we should arrange something with John smith as Chris will be on cloud nine after meeting him . However, I can arrange this for you guys ,I have a reliable friend who can make this possible.
Moreover, I am really sorry but I won't be able to attend his birthday party as I have to go for my departmental meeting to USA for a week . Therefore, I will make sure when I am back I ll throw a short party for his special day and will love to spend a quality time with you guys.
Yours truly
Reet
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You explained why Chris would enjoy the party (his interest in racing cars), provided a reason for your absence (a business trip to the USA), and proposed a plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents. However, the development of the ideas is slightly uneven; the suggestion about arranging a meeting with 'John smith' is a bit confusing and lacks clarity regarding how this relates to a surprise birthday party. Overall, the task is fulfilled, but the content could be more logically connected to the specific context of a birthday celebration.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. You use some cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'Therefore' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward punctuation, such as spaces before commas (e.g., 'Collins ,', 'met ,'). Additionally, the transition between the party invitation and the suggestion about the racing car driver is somewhat abrupt. Improving the use of linking phrases and ensuring consistent paragraph structure will help your writing feel more natural and cohesive.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'on cloud nine' and 'quality time' are used effectively to add a natural tone. However, there are some issues with word choice and capitalization, such as 'John smith' (should be capitalized) and 'departmental meeting to USA' (should be 'in the USA'). You also rely on some repetitive structures. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to social arrangements and professional commitments to demonstrate greater flexibility.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, including missing articles ('to USA' should be 'to the USA'), incorrect verb forms ('I ll throw'), and punctuation errors (unnecessary spaces before commas). Some sentences are slightly disjointed, such as 'Since , we are planning something for his day'. To improve, focus on consistent subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and standardizing your punctuation. The majority of your sentences are understandable, but these frequent minor errors prevent a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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