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 guys are doing well. I am writing this letter to inform you that I won't be able to attend Chris's birthday party, however I have planned something for him.
Well I and Cheris have been friends for long time, so I knew about his likes and dislikes. According to his choice list I have thought to gift him a brand new Football shoes, which he is probably gonna like, because he has been playing football for long time now and he always kept telling me his dream shoes. Therefore, I am gonna order it for him and deliver to you home on his special day.
I know it is very sad that I won't able to see his happy face on his special occasion. Due to medical emergency in my family I have to take care of them and be with them in this hard time. But I promise to see you everyone next month and we will plan something and go out.
Best wishes to cheris,
Your friend
Jaimin Padhiyar
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
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 suggested a plan to meet later. However, the development of these points is somewhat basic. For example, the explanation regarding the gift is a bit repetitive, and the reason for your absence is quite vague. To reach a higher band, ensure your ideas are more fully extended and the tone remains consistently appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents. The tone is currently a mix of informal and slightly awkward, which could be refined to sound more natural and polite.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your message. You use some basic cohesive devices like 'however', 'therefore', and 'but'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'I have to take care of them', where it is not immediately obvious who 'them' refers to. The transition between the gift idea and the reason for your absence could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear pronoun references would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision expected at higher levels. You rely on simple phrasing, such as 'I hope you guys are doing well' and 'I know it is very sad'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'a brand new Football shoes' (should be 'a pair of football boots') and 'deliver to you home' (should be 'deliver to your home'). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary and ensure that your collocations are accurate for the context of a formal or semi-formal letter.
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 distract the reader. Examples include 'Well I and Cheris have been friends for long time' (should be 'Chris and I have been friends for a long time') and 'I won't able to see' (should be 'I won't be able to see'). Additionally, there are issues with capitalization, such as 'collins' and 'cheris'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent punctuation will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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