Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)
Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,
I hope you are well. I know that you are preparing for a surprise party for Chris on his birthday, and he loves surprises. Not only his best friend is invited, but also his girlfriend is coming to his surprise party with presents. I am pretty sure Chris will enjoy and he will feel like over the moon.
However, there are multiple medical issues in my own family right now, my mother has been admitted in the hospital for a month, so I have to take care of her. Due to that specific reason I will not be able to be a part of his surprise birthday party.
Although, I have sent his favorite remote control car for his birthday gift via Fedex courier company. I know you will understand my situation and I apology for that, but For sure I will visit your place after a week to see Chris. I hope Chris will enjoy his birthday party.
See you soon!
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
You have successfully addressed all three bullet points required by the task. You explained why Chris would enjoy the party, provided a clear reason for your absence, and proposed a follow-up visit. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and respectful register throughout. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented, ensuring the reader understands your situation and your intentions. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly on the 'why' regarding Chris's enjoyment, perhaps by mentioning specific personality traits or past experiences that make him a fan of surprise celebrations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each focusing on one of the required points. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the acknowledgement of the invitation to the explanation of your absence and finally to the alternative plan. You use some cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Although', and 'Due to that', which help guide the reader. However, the use of 'Although' at the start of the third paragraph is slightly misused as it functions as a conjunction rather than a transition word here. Improving the variety of linking phrases would enhance the flow further.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases like 'admitted in the hospital' and 'over the moon' are used effectively to convey meaning. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'apology for that' (should be 'apologize for that') and 'admitted in the hospital' (usually 'admitted to the hospital'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over common collocations to reach a higher band. The vocabulary is sufficient to express your thoughts clearly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Not only his best friend is invited, but also his girlfriend is coming' (which requires inversion: 'Not only is his best friend invited...'), and 'I apology for that' (incorrect verb form). Additionally, there are some punctuation and run-on sentence issues, such as the comma splice in '...right now, my mother has been admitted...'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct verb forms will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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