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)
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith,
I hope you are doing well and this letter finds you in high spirt and health. I recently get your invitation about throwing surprise birthday party for Chris.
I think he really enjoys this party because he always like celebrations as well as he like to get together with family and friends. Moreover, it is his eighteen-birthday party which give him more opportunities to do and explore new things in their life.
Unfortunately, I am not able to attend this celebration because I have important meeting related to my work at that time, which is necessary to attend for everyone.
But I plan to meet him next week after his birthday because that time I have days off and I want to give him surprise then as well as I also want to explore new places in Australia. Apart from that, I want to cut cake with Chris at that time to celebrate again which I missed and want to share his happiness.
Best wishes from my side.
Yours loving,
Rupinder Kaur.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
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 concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, the explanation of why he would enjoy the party could be more descriptive. Additionally, you addressed the letter to 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' instead of the requested 'Mr. and Mrs. Collins'. While this is a minor oversight, ensure you follow the prompt's specific instructions carefully in the future to ensure full task coverage.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each addressing a specific requirement of the task. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Unfortunately', and 'Apart from that' to link your ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel slightly repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the birthday party and your plan to visit Australia could be smoother. Overall, the structure is easy to follow, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter format.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use some functional phrases like 'high spirit and health' and 'share his happiness'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'get your invitation' (should be 'received') and 'eighteen-birthday party' (should be 'eighteenth birthday party'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and relies on fairly simple expressions. To improve, try to incorporate more precise adjectives and idiomatic expressions that are natural in a social context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and subject-verb agreement. Examples include 'I recently get your invitation' (should be 'received'), 'he always like celebrations' (should be 'likes'), and 'it is his eighteen-birthday party which give him' (should be 'gives'). There are also minor issues with articles and prepositions, such as 'at that time' used repeatedly. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher band score. Focus on proofreading for tense consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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