Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-03

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 got your invitation to a surprise birthday party for Chris. I know that Chris will definitely enjoy the party because he really likes surprises. Moreover, he was talking about his last birthday, which he thinks was not really enjoyable. That would be the reason for him to enjoy his upcoming birthday.

I was also very excited for his birthday, but my final exams are approaching soon, and I have to study for them because they are very important for me to pass the subjects I have picked. I really appreciate your invitation and am really sorry for not coming to the party.

However, I have planned that after my exams I will plan a dinner party with Chris and surprise him. We will visit his favourite cafe in the city, and I know he will love it. I hope you understand my situation.

Yours faithfully,

Kuwerinder Singh.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

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 (final exams), and proposed a concrete alternative plan to meet him. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and respectful register throughout. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands your situation and your intentions clearly. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly on the 'surprise' element of your alternative plan to add more depth to your response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on one of the required points. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the invitation to the refusal and finally the alternative plan. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'because', which help the flow of the text. However, the transition between the first and second paragraph could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall structure is easy to follow, which is a key requirement for this task.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'approaching soon' and 'appreciate your invitation' are natural and appropriate. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it is somewhat basic. To improve, try to incorporate more varied or precise collocations. For example, instead of saying 'not really enjoyable', you could use 'disappointing' or 'underwhelming'. The spelling is accurate throughout, and there are no instances where word choice impedes communication, which is a positive aspect of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good control of basic grammatical structures, and your sentences are generally error-free. You use a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'I know that Chris will definitely enjoy the party because he really likes surprises.' While your grammar is accurate, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more varied sentence patterns, such as conditional sentences (e.g., 'If I were not busy with my exams, I would certainly attend') or passive voice constructions to add variety to your writing.

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

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