Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-09

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 7.5)

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Collins,

I hope you are both doing well. Thank you very much for inviting me to Chris's surprise birthday party. I am sure he will be delighted by this wonderful celebration because he always enjoys spending quality time with his family and close friends. He will also appreciate the effort and love everyone has put into arranging it.

Unfortunately. I will not be able to attend the party because I have an important family commitment on that day which I cannot cancel. I am truly sorry for missing such a meaningful occasion, and I appreciate it if you could pass my best wishes to Chris.

However, I would love to meet Chris at another time. I am planning to visit him next weekend, and we can go out for a dinner, or spend some time together. I will also bring a small birthday gift for him and celebrate with him personally.

Please give Chris my warm regards and wish him a very happy birthday.

Yours Sincerely,

Alex James

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain why Chris will enjoy the party, provide a valid reason for your absence, and propose a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and warm register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and directly relevant to the task, ensuring the reader understands the situation and your intentions clearly. No parts of the task are omitted, and the purpose of the letter is achieved effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the task. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving naturally from the invitation to the regret of absence and finally to the alternative plan. You use cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'However', and 'because' effectively to link sentences and ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sections of the letter. The flow is natural, and the relationship between the ideas is clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the context of a personal letter. Phrases like 'delighted by this wonderful celebration', 'meaningful occasion', and 'family commitment' are used accurately. The vocabulary is natural and fits the tone well. While the range is sufficient for the task, incorporating a few more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions could elevate the score further. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede meaning, and the language used is consistently precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The letter displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, showing strong control over grammar. There is a minor punctuation error in the second paragraph where a period is used instead of a comma after 'Unfortunately'. However, this is a minor slip and does not affect the clarity of the message. The use of verb tenses is consistent and accurate, and the overall grammatical control is high, contributing to the professional yet friendly tone of the correspondence.

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

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