Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I am so happy to hear that you are throwing surprise party to Chris , thank you for the invitation. I have some sad news to share I don't think I will make it for the party.

I have known Chris from the college, she always love to give surprise for everyone. But this time it's quite opposite , she is the one to get surprised which makes it more interesting.

I really want to be there for her but on Wednesday, the day of party I have a business conference to attend in New York, as a manager of the company it's mandatory for me to be there and look after things.

I am planning to see her on Thursday and take her to the restaurant which she was waiting to try. I have made three prior reservation since it is newly opened and always a busy place from the start.

I am looking forward to hear all the details of the party.

Kind regards,

Srija

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the surprise, provided a valid reason for your absence (a business conference), and proposed a specific alternative plan to meet. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents. To reach a higher band, ensure you expand slightly more on the 'why' regarding Chris's enjoyment; for example, you could mention her love for social gatherings or her appreciation for thoughtful gestures to add more depth to your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the task. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'but this time' and 'as a manager', to link your thoughts. However, the transitions between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the jump from the party details to the business conference is a bit abrupt. Using more varied linking words or phrases would help the flow of the letter feel more natural and less mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases like 'mandatory for me' and 'look after things' are functional and clear. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'known Chris from the college' (should be 'at college') and 'give surprise' (should be 'throw a surprise' or 'surprise people'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. Your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly, but it lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is good. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'throwing surprise party to Chris' is missing articles and the correct preposition ('a surprise party for Chris'). Additionally, 'she always love' should be 'she always loves' (subject-verb agreement), and 'I have made three prior reservation' should be plural ('reservations'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for articles and pluralization.

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

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