Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-21

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 8.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

Thank you very much for inviting me to Chris's surprise birthday party.

I am sure Chris will thoroughly enjoy the celebration, as he loves social gatherings and entertaining people. Knowing how much he appreciates spending time with friends and family, this surprise will mean a lot to him.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend because of a prior commitment. A close colleague asked me well in advance to support his daughter at her dance competition that same evening, and I have already promised him I would be there. Please accept my sincere apologies for not being able to make it.

However, I intend to visit you all next week instead, as I have an upcoming conference in your area and will be staying for two days. I would love to take everyone out for dinner then to celebrate Chris's birthday properly and make up for missing the party.

Hope to see you all soon.

Warm regards,

Tomy

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 9.0

You have fully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the party, provided a plausible reason for your absence, and offered a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is consistently appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and warm register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, showing a clear understanding of the task requirements. There are no omissions, and the purpose of the letter is achieved effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 9.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which makes the structure easy to follow. You have used cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Unfortunately,' 'However,' and 'instead,' to transition between ideas and signal shifts in the narrative. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of information is smooth and natural. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, and the overall structure supports the message perfectly.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the context of a social letter. Phrases like 'thoroughly enjoy,' 'prior commitment,' and 'celebrate... properly' are used accurately and naturally. The language is precise and conveys your meaning without any ambiguity. While the vocabulary is not overly complex, it is perfectly appropriate for the task and shows a good command of collocation and tone. There are no spelling errors, and the word choices are consistently natural and effective.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

Your writing displays a high level of grammatical control. You have used a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences such as 'Knowing how much he appreciates spending time with friends and family, this surprise will mean a lot to him.' The punctuation is accurate, and there are no significant grammatical errors. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the few structures used are handled with confidence. The tone is consistent, and the grammar supports the clarity of your communication throughout the letter.

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

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