Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-19
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)
Hello Mrs. Patel,
I hope you are doing well. I was thrilled to receive your invitation for Chris surprise birthday party. Chris will definitely rejoice this wonderful surprise. I remember how much excited Chris was when we gave him surprised party on his 15th birthday couple of years ago in high school. Being 18th birthday it would be more memorable event for him and he will cherish those moments through out his life.
Unfortunately, i wont be able to attend his birthday party as i have my elder sister wedding on the same date and it is in states so i wont be in the country for couple of weeks. I wish i could be the part of his birthday celebration. I will leave a present for him and i would be glad if you could give him on his birthday.
However, iam planning to meet him once iam back we will go for a movie and dinner with all other friends that would be second celebration for him. I know, it wont be same as it could be on birthday. I really wish it would have been possible attend his birthday. I will miss him.
Regards
Shabnam
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt effectively. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the party, provided a valid reason for your absence, and proposed a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, although the salutation was inconsistent with the instructions provided (you addressed Mrs. Patel instead of Mr. and Mrs. Collins). Despite this minor error in following the prompt's specific instruction, the content is well-developed and fully satisfies the requirements of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The letter is logically organized into three clear paragraphs, each corresponding to a specific requirement of the task. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'However', and 'I hope', which help the flow of ideas. However, the transition between sentences is sometimes a bit abrupt, and the use of punctuation is occasionally inconsistent, which affects the overall fluidity. Improving the variety of linking words would help move your writing towards a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. You use some appropriate phrases like 'cherish those moments' and 'thrilled to receive'. However, there are some word choice errors, such as 'rejoice this wonderful surprise' (rejoice is usually intransitive) and 'in states' (should be 'in the States' or 'in the USA'). Additionally, there is some repetition of basic vocabulary. Expanding your range of collocations and ensuring correct usage of prepositions will improve your score in this area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Common issues include missing articles (e.g., 'Chris surprise birthday party', 'on same date'), capitalization errors ('i' instead of 'I'), and tense inconsistencies (e.g., 'I really wish it would have been possible attend'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles will significantly enhance your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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