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 are doing well. I received your invitation yesterday, and I want to thank you for inviting me to Chris's surprise birthday party.

I am sure Chris will really enjoy the party as it would be special for him. I know he enjoys having surprises, specially if it comes from you. He often mentioned about the presents he received given by you.

Unfortunately, I have my final exams coming next week. I won't be able to come on that day as I have mathematics exam on next day, and I am very scared, especially with maths. I wish I could come to the birthday party, but next year surely I would not miss the chance.

I would definitely meet him once my exams are finished and also planning to watch a movie in theatre with him.

I hope you can understand my situation and let Chris know about my circumstances.

Thanks,

Urvesh

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 surprise, provided a valid reason for your absence (final exams), and proposed a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents. To improve, you could expand slightly on the 'why' regarding the surprise party to make the ideas more fully developed, as the current explanation is somewhat brief. However, the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with clear paragraphing for each point. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'However', and 'I would definitely' to transition between ideas. The flow is generally smooth, though some transitions could be more sophisticated. For example, the connection between the exams and the inability to attend is clear, but the final paragraph feels a bit abrupt. Overall, the information is easy to follow and the structure is appropriate for a formal letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You use a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'circumstances' and 'invitation' are used correctly. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'mentioned about' (should be 'mentioned') and 'in theatre' (should be 'at the cinema' or 'at a theatre'). While these errors do not impede communication, using more precise collocations would elevate your score. The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the flexibility of higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'specially if it comes' (should be 'especially') and 'I have mathematics exam on next day' (missing articles and incorrect preposition usage). Additionally, 'next year surely I would not miss the chance' is slightly awkward in phrasing. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning. To reach a higher band, focus on article usage and consistent verb tense control.

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

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