Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope you are in perfect health. I am very excited for Chris's surprise birthday party, but unfortunately I couldn't attend it as I have an exam on that day in Edmonton.

I am very sure that my buddy will love the surprise, as we were chatting a few days earlier regarding the party. He told me that he would love it if someone would organize the whole event for him. Also, I would recommend that you set up a photo booth, as he wished to take a lot of pictures for the special day.

I know that he will be really angry with me, as I am not attending. But I am pretty sure that I will make it up to him, as he loves my handmade food, especially pasta. I wish I could delay my exam for a few days, but unfortunately it's not possible.

Lastly, I will try to travel back on the same day after completing my test so that I don't waste my half day just sitting in another city rather than being with my friend. I really apologize again for being absence in the party.

Warm wishes,

Yash.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly explain why Chris will enjoy the surprise, provide a valid reason for your absence (an exam), and propose a plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and friendly register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, showing a clear understanding of the task requirements. No parts of the prompt were omitted, and the response is fully focused on the requested scenario.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your train of thought easily. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'also', 'but', 'as', and 'lastly' to link your ideas. The progression of information is smooth, moving from the apology to the explanation and finally to the future plan. The use of referencing is generally clear, and the overall structure is coherent and easy to navigate.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a semi-formal letter. Phrases like 'make it up to him' and 'handmade food' are natural and fit the context well. While the vocabulary is sufficient and conveys your meaning clearly, there is room for more sophisticated or precise word choices to reach a higher band. For example, 'buddy' is a bit informal for writing to parents, and 'waste my half day' could be phrased more naturally. Overall, the vocabulary is accurate and supports the message effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. However, there are some grammatical slips that prevent a higher score. For instance, 'I couldn't attend it' should be 'I cannot attend' or 'I will not be able to attend' given the future context. Additionally, 'being absence in the party' is incorrect; it should be 'being absent from the party'. Despite these occasional errors, your meaning is always clear, and the majority of your sentences are error-free. The punctuation is generally well-handled throughout the letter.

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

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