Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-10

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 you are doing great. I am writing this letter to provide you more precise information regarding to chris's birthday party.

I would definitely say that chris enjoy his day very well and love your surprise regarding his birthday. You plan a day, with most of the fascinating activities and Chris love to play these games like truth or dare; and musical chair turning games. Moreover, he must be thrilled that you called his childhood friend to be a part of this special occasion. As, he has been working so hard lately, this kind of uplifting surprise he deserves.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the celebration. I have a long-standing family commitment out of town that same weekend which I simply cannot change. I am truly sorry to miss the big moment, as I would have loved to see the look of total surprise on his face.

However, I definitely still want to celebrate his birthday with him. I was hoping I could take Chris out for a nice dinner the following Thursday evening instead. There is a new Italian restaurant downtown he has been dying to try, so it would be a perfect opportunity for us to catch up & celebrate properly.

I hope you all have a fantastic time, & please give Chris a huge hug from me.

Warm Regards;

Surpreet

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 party, provided a valid reason for your absence, 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 friendly register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. To improve further, ensure that you proofread for minor slips in names and punctuation to maintain a professional standard of communication.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, and you have used appropriate cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Unfortunately', and 'However' to transition between ideas. The paragraphing is logical and helps the reader follow your narrative easily. The use of referencing is generally clear, though ensure that names are consistently capitalized to avoid minor distractions in the flow of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for this task. Phrases like 'long-standing family commitment' and 'uplifting surprise' show a good command of language. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'turning games' or 'provide you more precise information', which could be more natural. However, these do not impede communication. Expanding your use of idiomatic expressions or more precise collocations would help you reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. While the majority of your sentences are clear, there are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'regarding to chris's' (should be 'regarding Chris's') and 'You plan a day' (should be 'You have planned a day'). Additionally, there are some minor punctuation errors, such as the misuse of semicolons and the use of the ampersand (&) which should be avoided in formal or semi-formal letter writing. Despite these, your meaning is always clear.

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

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