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 would 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 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
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
You have fully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained why Chris would enjoy the surprise, provided a plausible reason for your absence, and offered a concrete plan to meet him later. The tone is consistently appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents, maintaining a polite and warm register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning, meeting all the requirements of the task effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the prompt, which makes the structure easy to follow. You have used appropriate cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Unfortunately', and 'because' to link your ideas smoothly. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the message. The flow between the apology and the alternative plan is natural and well-managed.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
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 'quality time' are natural and effective. While the vocabulary is sufficient and accurate, it stays within a fairly standard range. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate slightly more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions, but the current usage is precise and error-free.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
Your grammar is generally very strong, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, showing good control over tense and punctuation. There is a minor punctuation error in the second paragraph where a period is used instead of a comma after 'Unfortunately', but this is a minor slip that does not impede communication. The use of modal verbs like 'would love' and 'can go' is accurate and fits the context well.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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