Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-01
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 7.0)
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Collins,
Hope you are doing well and that Chris is enjoying his college trip. I am glad to hear about the birthday surprise, which is being planned by both of you for Chris.
Since childhood, I have known Chris; she is a nature lover. She will definitely be happy to see her birthday arrangements near the lake. Especially since you invited her entire friend circle, she will be extremely happy to enjoy her birthday party with her school and college friends.
I am grateful to you for inviting me and sharing her surprise details with me. I feel very sorry to you because I will not be able to attend her birthday party. On 26 September, I have an official meeting regarding my business opportunity.
While visiting Australia for the wedding of my cousin, I will surely make a plan to spend time with Chris and both of you. Now, I am sending my best wishes and a precious gift to him.
Regards,
Aman.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt effectively. You explained why Chris would enjoy the party by highlighting her love for nature and the presence of her friends. You provided a clear reason for your absence due to a business meeting and proposed a future meeting in Australia. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents. However, there is a slight inconsistency regarding the gender of the friend, as you refer to Chris as 'he' in the first and last paragraphs but 'she' in the second and third. Maintaining consistency is important for clarity.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the task. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Since childhood', 'Especially since', and 'While visiting' to link your ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. To improve, you could use a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly, as some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Overall, the message is easy to follow and the structure supports the purpose of the letter well.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases like 'nature lover', 'official meeting', and 'precious gift' are used correctly. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'sharing her surprise details' which sounds slightly unnatural; 'sharing the details of the surprise' would be more precise. You also have a recurring issue with pronoun consistency (he/she), which affects the overall lexical accuracy. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and ensure consistent terminology throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'While visiting Australia... I will surely make a plan'. Most sentences are clear and grammatically sound. However, there are some minor errors, such as 'I feel very sorry to you' (should be 'I am very sorry to inform you') and the aforementioned pronoun confusion. Punctuation is generally accurate. While the grammar is sufficient to communicate your message without difficulty, increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement would enhance your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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