Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-23

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 5.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope you are doing great. I am truly greatful for the invitation to Chris's birthday party. However, I am unable to join the occasion due to some personal reasons.

I have known Chris from last 5 years. He always loves who give's surprise on special occasions. Moreover, I have good bond with Chris. So, When he saw me hw will definitely shocked.

Unfortunately, i have exams for my fourth semester starting next week. I need some time for revision because i got less grades in my last semester. So, if this time I do not get good marks then might my requirements for graduation not be complete.

I have break for two months after my exams. I am sure we will make plan and we spent quality time togeter

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: explaining why Chris would enjoy the party, stating why you cannot attend, and proposing a future meeting. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. The explanation regarding why Chris would enjoy the surprise is somewhat simplistic, and the reason for your absence is clear but lacks depth. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your ideas with more detail and ensure the letter meets the required length to fully satisfy the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. For instance, the transition between the reason for the surprise and your personal bond with Chris is abrupt. While the paragraphing is appropriate for a letter, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect ideas more naturally. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas feels a bit disjointed due to the brevity of the content.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You use common phrases like 'doing great' and 'good bond', which are acceptable but lack the sophistication expected at higher levels. There are also some minor errors, such as 'greatful' (grateful) and 'who give's surprise' (who enjoys surprises). To improve, try to incorporate more precise adjectives and idiomatic expressions suitable for a friendly letter. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to communicate your message, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility or precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. You have several grammatical errors, such as 'I have known Chris from last 5 years' (for the last 5 years), 'When he saw me hw will definitely shocked' (he will be shocked), and 'might my requirements... not be complete' (which is awkward phrasing). Punctuation and capitalization errors, such as the lowercase 'i', are also present. While the meaning is generally clear, these frequent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the writing from reaching a higher band.

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

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