Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-20
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 7.0)
Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,
I hope you both are doing well. I believe Chris is also fit and healthy. I am writing to thank you for inviting me in his surprise brithday party. Unfortunately, I would not able to join you all at the party.
I strongly believe Chris would love his birthday party. Since the graduation, he was telling me and other in our friend circle that he wish to have a big grant birthday party on his birthday. Therefore, he will be so happy and excited when he will see the surprise event.
Since my brother from Canada with his family are coming to visit India, I would not be able to come and enjoy Chris’s birthday party. After a long time, my whole family is uniting in India for a vacation, we have planned to have tour Fort Kochi for family vacation.
Since I have booked my flight back to Australia, I will definitely come to meet Chris and you both. At that time, I will tell you about markets, places, activities, and types of dishes I enjoyed with my family in the vacation.
I hope you would not be upset from my absence in the party. I look forward to seeing Chris and you both Mr. and Mrs. Collins.
Yours sincerely,
Manpreet Singh Bawa
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. 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, maintaining a polite and friendly register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. No parts of the prompt were omitted, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific point from the prompt, which helps the reader follow your narrative easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'Since', and 'At that time' to link your sentences. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that transitions between sentences are smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sections of the letter.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, allowing you to convey your message clearly. There are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'brithday' and 'grant' (likely meant 'grand'). Phrases like 'fit and healthy' and 'friend circle' are understandable but slightly informal or non-standard. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations and ensure accurate spelling of common words. The vocabulary used is sufficient to communicate your intentions effectively without causing confusion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'I would not able to' (missing 'be'), 'my brother... are coming' (subject-verb agreement), and 'upset from my absence' (preposition error). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage will help improve your accuracy. Your control over basic structures is good, but more attention to detail in complex sentences is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.