Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-25

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 hope you both are doing well. I am writing this letter regarding an invitation of Chris birthday party organized by both of you.

I am very excited to know that it will be a surprise party from your side to Chris as he is in the Montreal and has no idea of it. I believe that he would love his gift as he always dreamt for this kind of huge surprise party gathering for his birthday. In addition, I heard that a star cast of the PK will be attending the event this will give him chance to meet a legendary actor MR Ashok who he admire the most.

Unfortunately, I won't be there because I will be travelling to the Paris for an important business trip. Although I will miss this fun event and will unable to see Chris reactions, we have planned to meet for a bachelors party in the upcoming week.

Yours Sincerely

Deep Ukani

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

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, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are fully developed; for instance, the mention of the 'star cast of the PK' is a bit specific and slightly confusing in context, but it does not detract from the overall task completion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'In addition' and 'Unfortunately' to transition between ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the paragraphing is more distinct. Some sentences feel slightly disjointed, and the connection between the surprise party and the specific actor mentioned could be smoother. Overall, the message is easy to follow, and the progression of ideas is logical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message effectively. Phrases like 'surprise party gathering' and 'important business trip' are appropriate. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'he is in the Montreal' (should be 'in Montreal') and 'he admire the most' (should be 'he admires'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise adjectives and avoid repetitive phrasing. While your vocabulary is sufficient for the task, it lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for a higher band score.

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 several grammatical errors, such as 'invitation of Chris birthday party' (should be 'invitation to Chris's birthday party') and 'will unable to see' (should be 'will be unable to see'). Additionally, there are minor errors with articles and verb agreement. 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.

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

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