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 you are doing well. I'm writing to let you know that I'd not be able to attend the surprise birthday partly because of sudden change in my office meeting.

Chris love the surprises from the college time and your plan to surprise him with a birthday party will impress him the most. He didn't expect this from you specially. Also the present you both have decided to give him on this special day.

I was very much excited to attend the occasion but due to sudden change in the meeting plan, I wouldn't. Also, I made the all arrangements of the meeting but my seniors need me on the meeting for presentation. Even I have purchased the gift for him but bad luck this time for me.

X'mas is coming and I am thinking to take off for that whole week till new year and planning to come to Australia to meet Chris. For a week holidays, I would have the ample time to spend with you both and Chris. Give wishes to Chris.

Best Wishes,

Mike.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You explained why Chris would enjoy the surprise, provided a reason for your absence, and proposed a future meeting. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation regarding why Chris would enjoy the surprise is a bit repetitive and lacks depth. While the task is fully addressed, the tone is occasionally informal to the point of being slightly disjointed, which affects the overall impact of your message. To improve, ensure that your explanations are more clearly linked to the context of the party.

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 and occasionally awkward. For example, the transition 'Also the present you both have decided...' feels abrupt. Furthermore, some sentences are poorly connected, such as 'Even I have purchased the gift for him but bad luck this time for me.' Improving the flow between sentences using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'however') would significantly enhance the readability and logical progression of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing, such as 'bad luck this time' and 'made the all arrangements'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'partly' instead of 'party' and 'college time' instead of 'college days'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary and ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'I'd not be able to' (should be 'I will not be able to'), 'Chris love the surprises' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'need me on the meeting' (preposition error). Additionally, there are issues with article usage and tense consistency. While these errors do not completely prevent understanding, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

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