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,

Hope you`re doing well! Thank you so much for inviting me to Chris`s birthday party. Its great idea to throw a surprise party to Chris as he will really love this party. I know its long time we didn`t get time to catchup.

Firstly, I`m really sorry not to coming in party because my cousin is coming from Canada after 6 years. And I`ve to go to pick him from Airport. If it wouldn`t the same day, definitly I would come to attend this party.

Not to mention, I have planned that coming weekend, I will arrange a surprise party for him in tandoori restuarent. He have talked about this place alot. I`m sure that He wpuld love this surprise and food over there. Once again, I am extermetly sorry not to able to attaend party.

Hope the party goes well and give chris loads of love and good vibes,

Khushdeep

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You explained why Chris would enjoy the party, provided a clear reason for your absence, and proposed a specific alternative plan to meet him. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and friendly register throughout. The ideas are relevant and clearly communicated, fulfilling the requirements of the task effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure that the development of ideas is slightly more detailed, such as elaborating on why the specific restaurant is significant to Chris.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on one of the required points. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly' and 'Not to mention' to guide the reader. However, the transitions between sentences are sometimes a bit abrupt, and the paragraphing could be more distinct. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the flow between sentences is smoother. The use of referencing (e.g., 'this place', 'this surprise') is generally clear, which helps maintain the progression of your ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your message clearly. You use some topic-specific vocabulary such as 'surprise party' and 'catchup'. However, there are several spelling errors (e.g., 'restuarent', 'extermetly', 'attaend') and some awkward phrasing like 'give chris loads of love and good vibes'. To improve, focus on accuracy in spelling and try to incorporate more precise collocations. For example, instead of 'give love', you might use 'send my best wishes'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles, verb forms, and punctuation (e.g., 'Its great idea', 'I`m really sorry not to coming', 'He have talked'). These errors are noticeable but do not impede communication. To achieve a higher band, you need to improve your control over basic grammar, specifically subject-verb agreement and the use of articles. Proofreading for common slips like missing apostrophes would also significantly improve the quality of your writing.

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

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