Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-30
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 5.5)
Dear Uncle,
I hope you are fine and enjoying your life. I'm reaching out to pay my regards and thanks for your invitation to attend the surprised birthday party of Chris. I really appreciate your love and care for me. Chris will enthusiastically enjoy, when he will hear about his birthday celebration. I hope he has finished his exams and will reach home the day of his party. He mill caught in euphoria when he see home well decorated.
It would be my pleasure if could join you, but unfortunately, I have to submit necessary assignments before the deadline. If I would travel to join you the deadline will pass, and will effect badly on my result.
I would be able to meet you and family after my exams. Then I would have a lot of free time to enjoy. I would be a perfect mix and adventure. I you will consider my problem
Yours sincerely,
Sobia.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt: explaining why Chris will enjoy the party, stating why you cannot attend, and proposing an alternative meeting. However, the tone is inconsistent; you addressed the letter to 'Uncle' despite the instructions explicitly stating to begin with 'Dear Mr and Mrs Collins'. Additionally, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation regarding your inability to attend is brief and lacks a natural flow. To improve, ensure you follow all formatting instructions precisely and expand slightly on your reasoning to provide a more complete and polite response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For instance, the transition 'Then I would have a lot of free time' is a bit abrupt. Furthermore, the referencing is confusing at times, such as the shift from 'Mr and Mrs Collins' to 'Uncle'. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'as a result') to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure your paragraphing remains logical throughout.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, though there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors. Phrases like 'he mill caught in euphoria' and 'it would be a perfect mix and adventure' are unnatural and impede clarity. While you attempt to use more descriptive language, the misuse of these terms suggests a need for more practice with collocations and idiomatic expressions. Focusing on learning how words naturally pair together will help you convey your thoughts with greater precision and sophistication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
Your writing contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally affect readability. Examples include 'when he will hear' (should be 'when he hears'), 'if I would travel' (should be 'if I travel'), and 'will effect badly' (should be 'will affect my results negatively'). Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency are areas that require attention. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors prevent the text from reaching a higher band. Proofreading for basic verb forms and conditional structures would significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.