Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-22
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 Collins,
I received an invitation letter and I was very excited to meet Chis but unfortunately due to my exams I would not able to attend the birthday party.
Chris will enjoy the surprise party as this would be the first time as your whole family will celebrate his birthday together after five years. As this is his 18th birthday and his dream will become true of having a racing car which you planned to give him.
I would not be able to attend his party as I have final exam on same date. I asked my professor if they can take my exam first but he disagree as this will be against the rule of the college. Therefore, I will not able to come this time but I will plan to visit on any other event.
I am planning to visit on the graduation ceremony on chris as it is held in october10, 2026. I will surprise and will spend about week with him. I will try my best to recreate all the memories which will make that event more special.
I hope you will understand my situation and see you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Supreet 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 addressed all three bullet points required by the task. You explained why Chris would enjoy the party, provided a clear reason for your absence, and proposed a specific alternative plan to meet him. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, the explanation regarding the college rules is a bit repetitive, and the transition between the birthday party and your future visit could be smoother. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are fully extended with more natural justifications.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific requirement of the prompt. You use some cohesive devices such as 'therefore' and 'as', which help the flow of information. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the unclear reference to 'Chis' (a typo) and the slightly awkward phrasing in the final paragraph. The overall progression is clear, but the use of cohesive devices could be more varied and sophisticated to improve the natural flow of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, allowing you to convey your message clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'invitation', 'graduation ceremony', and 'recreate memories'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'his dream will become true' (should be 'come true') and 'visit on the graduation ceremony' (should be 'visit for'). Additionally, there are spelling errors like 'Chis' instead of 'Chris'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring accurate spelling of names and common phrases.
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 throughout the text. For example, 'I would not able to' (missing 'be'), 'he disagree' (should be 'disagreed'), and 'it is held in october10' (should be 'on October 10th'). These errors occur frequently but do not impede overall communication. To achieve a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of modal verbs in complex sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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