Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-18
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. Collins,
Hope You are doing well. I am very glad to get invitation from you to attend a birthday party of my dearest friend. I would love to join for the party of chris birthday, But unfortunately as i started a new job at airport as a screening officer so i could not make it.
As you know the Fifa world cup has started and people are coming from all over the world to watch match live. So my manger strictly told me that before month that all the leaves will be cancelled or if anyone wants to do will be suspended.
But I can help you to make his birthday special. He really likes chocolate cake you can bring it. I promise to you that i will come later but soon. Its been 2 years to meet my friend chris. I will come to you in winter because at that time the tourism is very slow and there are very high chances to get approve my holidays.
Your lovingly,
Brown
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| 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 prompt. You explained why Chris would enjoy the party, 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 the World Cup and your job is a bit repetitive and slightly confusing in its phrasing. To reach a higher band, ensure that your reasons are clearly articulated and directly linked to the context of the letter. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, though it could be slightly more formal in its structure.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For example, the transition 'But unfortunately as i started...' is abrupt, and the connection between the World Cup and your leave cancellation could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences is sometimes disjointed. Improving the use of linking words such as 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' or 'nevertheless' would help create a more natural progression of ideas throughout the letter.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message, but there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors. Phrases like 'get invitation' should be 'receive an invitation,' and 'do will be suspended' is unclear. Additionally, there are minor errors in word form, such as 'get approve my holidays' instead of 'get my holidays approved.' While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focusing on common collocations and more natural phrasing will significantly improve your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
Your writing contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Issues include incorrect verb tenses ('as i started' should be 'as I have started'), missing articles ('at airport' should be 'at the airport'), and punctuation errors, such as the inconsistent capitalization of 'chris' and 'Fifa.' While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement, consistent capitalization, and the correct use of articles to improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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