Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-06

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,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to let you know that I will unfortunately not be able to attend Chris's birthday party.

I am sure Chris will be over the moon on the event as unbeknownst to him most of our school friends have made plans to travel and are reuniting after a long time.

Let me explain my situation, I have my final exam scheduled in that week making it impossible for me to travel. The exam can not be rescheduled and is crucial for completing my degree.

I am positive that I will make up to him by visiting on 4th of September that is 2 months from today. I have already purchased tickets for our favourite band: The Weekends concert that's happening on the 5th of September.

Would you kindly let him know how bad I feel for not being able to make it and keep my upcoming plan a secret for now?

All the best with the surprise party and I am looking forward to meeting soon

Yours,

Alpa

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

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, and offered a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and friendly register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. No parts of the prompt were overlooked, and the letter flows logically from the initial apology to the final request for secrecy.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is well-organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your narrative easily. You use appropriate paragraphing and transition phrases like 'Let me explain my situation' and 'I am positive that'. While the use of cohesive devices is generally effective, some transitions could be slightly more sophisticated to achieve a higher band. Overall, the structure is logical, and the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, such as 'unbeknownst to him', 'crucial', and 'over the moon'. These choices are natural and appropriate for the context. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise collocations or slightly more varied idiomatic expressions. The vocabulary used is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly and effectively throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There are a few minor punctuation issues, such as the comma splice in 'Let me explain my situation, I have my final exam...' and the missing comma before 'that is 2 months from today'. However, these errors are infrequent and do not cause any confusion for the reader. Your control over tense and sentence construction is strong enough to support clear communication.

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

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