Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-17

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 7.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

Thank you for inviting me to Chris's surprise birthday party. I know he always likes to spend quality time with his loved ones and he would be delighted to see everyone together, including his friends, to celebrate his birthday. This surprise will make his special moments, well, more special.

I would love to be a part of this celebration, , however I have work commitments that day that I need to attend. I apologise; I would miss the chance to join in, especially as I know how much effort you have put into it.

However, I would love to see Chris at a different time as I am planning to see him next month. I would take him to dinner and give him his birthday present.

I hope you understand and enjoy the special occasion. Please give my best wishes to my dear friend.

See you soon!

Yours lovingly,

Navjot

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly explain why Chris would enjoy the party, provide a valid reason for your absence, and propose a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and warm register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements, ensuring the reader understands the situation and your intentions clearly. No parts of the task were omitted, and the response maintains a consistent focus on the requested information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with clear paragraphing, where each paragraph corresponds to one of the bullet points in the instructions. The progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'however', 'as', and 'in addition' effectively to link your thoughts. The referencing is clear, and the overall structure is coherent. The transition between the apology for not attending and the alternative plan is handled naturally, contributing to the overall flow of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for this task. Phrases like 'quality time', 'delighted to see everyone', and 'work commitments' are used accurately and naturally. While the vocabulary is sufficient and conveys your meaning clearly, it remains somewhat standard. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise or sophisticated collocations. For example, instead of 'make his special moments more special', you could use 'enhance the significance of his special day'. Overall, the lexical range is adequate and there are no errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is generally good. There is a minor punctuation error in the second paragraph with an unnecessary comma after 'celebration'. However, this is a minor slip and does not affect the clarity of your message. You use a variety of verb tenses correctly to discuss past efforts and future plans. The grammatical accuracy is high, and the structures used are appropriate for the context of a friendly letter.

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

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