Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-26

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 6.0)

Dear Mr. and Mrs Gill,

I am writing this letter to let you know that I will not be able to attend the birthday party.

I am sure Chris would love this surprise party as I know he enjoy surprises since his childhood. This would be a momorable time for him because he is celebrating his birthday with you.

I really would like to come however, it would be difficult for me to attend the function because I am preparing for my exam and coming to Australia would take few days. I can invest this time in my studies.

I would get spare time next month, and also my whole family is coming to Austalia for a holiday vocation. I will contact Chris and will schedule a time to meet him.

Thank you for inviting me, I would love to see you soon on another day.

Kind regards,

Sarabjeet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You explained why Chris would enjoy the surprise, provided a reason for your absence, and outlined a plan to meet him later. However, the development of these points is somewhat basic. For instance, the explanation regarding your absence is quite brief. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your ideas with more detail or personal context. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, though ensure you consistently use the names provided in the prompt (you addressed the letter to 'Mr. and Mrs. Gill' instead of 'Collins').

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the purpose of the letter to the explanation and finally the future plan. Paragraphing is used to separate these ideas, which helps the reader follow your train of thought. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. You rely on simple transitions like 'however' and 'also'. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect your sentences more fluidly, such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in light of this'.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly. You use some relevant terms such as 'surprise party', 'celebrating', and 'schedule'. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'momorable' (memorable) and 'vocation' (vacation). Additionally, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more precise adjectives and collocations to describe your feelings and plans, rather than relying on basic verbs and nouns.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For example, 'he enjoy surprises' should be 'he enjoys surprises', and 'take few days' should be 'take a few days'. Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article usage issues. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve your accuracy.

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

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