Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Mr. and Mrs Collins,

I hope you are doing well. It's been a long time since I met Chris and I am very excited to meet him. I really want to join all of you for the party and celebrate in the same way, we did last year. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend his surprise birthday party this year, as I have my exams during that week.

But I am certainly sure that he would love the surprise, because in college, our friend group gave him a surprise gift and he really loved it. He feels special when his loved ones care for him.

I am free for one month after my exams in June. In this vacation, I have already planned to explore the whole of Australia and would love to stay with you guys during my stay in Brisbane. I am planning to stay for a whole week in Brisbane, so I can have some quality time with Chris.

I am really sorry for my absence. I hope the surprise party goes well.

Kind regards

Rajveer

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

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 (exams), and proposed a concrete plan to visit him in Brisbane later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and friendly register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. You have maintained a consistent focus on the purpose of the letter from start to finish, ensuring the reader understands your situation and your desire to reconnect with Chris.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your train of thought easily. You use appropriate paragraphing and cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'But', and 'In this vacation' to link your ideas. The transition between the apology for missing the party and the proposal for a future visit is smooth. The overall structure is coherent, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a high band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly and naturally. Phrases like 'quality time', 'explore the whole of Australia', and 'celebrate in the same way' are used effectively. While the vocabulary is generally accurate and appropriate for the context, it is mostly functional rather than sophisticated. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise or varied collocations. For example, instead of 'I am free', you could use 'I will have a break from my studies'. Overall, your word choice is precise enough to avoid any confusion and fits the informal yet respectful tone required.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is good. There are minor slips, such as 'I am certainly sure' (which is slightly redundant; 'I am certain' or 'I am sure' would be better) and 'It's been a long time since I met Chris' (which should ideally be 'since I have seen Chris'). However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. Your use of tenses is generally accurate, particularly when discussing future plans and past experiences.

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

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