Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-05

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 doing well. I'm thrilled to express my emotions about Chris's upcoming surprised birthday party because he really needed after went through tough time which he confront due to his career.

To begin with, I'm completely sure he would love this party,as you guys are arranging everything according to his taste like inviting all his childhood friends, favorite food and so on.

I apologize for not coming on the day of Chris's birthday, since i have neat exam on the next morning which is significantly crucial for my future. As a result, if i attend the party, it would be challenging for me to wake up early morning.

Moving further, i have another plan which i have already discussed with him that he is completely free on next evening then we both would go for movie where we were used to go during the college time.

I really appreciate you invited me on your son's special event and forgive me for not attending the party.

Best Regards,

Sukh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the party, provided a valid reason for your absence (a crucial exam), and proposed a specific alternative plan to meet him. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and appreciative register throughout. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands your situation and your desire to celebrate with Chris at a later date. The response is fully focused on the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each requirement, and a closing. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'As a result', and 'Moving further' to transition between ideas. However, some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. To reach a higher band, ensure that your linking words flow more naturally within the sentences rather than just acting as signposts at the start of paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'thrilled', 'significantly crucial', and 'appreciate'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'express my emotions' (instead of 'share my excitement'), 'neat exam' (likely meaning 'important' or 'major' exam), and 'confront' (which should be in the past tense 'confronted'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise vocabulary usage and better attention to word forms to reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and articles. For example, 'he really needed after went through tough time' should be 'he really needed it after going through a tough time'. Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and missing articles, such as 'on next evening' instead of 'on the next evening'. While the meaning remains clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar prevent the response from reaching a higher band score.

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

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