Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-12
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 absolutely love the celebration because he has always enjoyed spending time with his family and close friends. A surprise party would be a wonderful way to make his birthday memorable, especially as he is not expecting anything special.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the party because I have an important family commitment on that day. I am really disappointed to miss such a special occasion, and I hope you will pass on my best wishes to Chris.
However, I would love to meet Chris at another time. I am planning to visit Sydney next month, so I could arrange to meet him for lunch at his favourite restaurant. We could also spend the afternoon exploring the city together and celebrate his birthday then. I will contact him after the party to arrange a suitable date and time.
Thank you again for thinking of me. I hope you have a fantastic celebration and that the surprise goes perfectly.
Yours sincerely,
Venus
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 8.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response fully and effectively addresses all three bullet points required in the task instructions. First, you clearly explain why Chris will enjoy the surprise party by noting that he has always enjoyed spending time with his family and close friends and that a surprise is a wonderful way to make his birthday memorable. Second, you provide a clear reason why you cannot attend by stating you have an important family commitment on that day. Third, you give specific details of an alternative plan to see Chris next month in Sydney for lunch and to explore the city together. The tone is entirely appropriate for a friendly letter to parents, and all ideas are well-developed and fully supported.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The letter demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression from opening pleasantries to the reason for writing, the apology for non-attendance, and finally the alternative arrangement. Paragraphing is used logically, with each paragraph dedicated to a distinct purpose and supported by effective cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'However', and 'Thank you again'. Referencing throughout the letter is clear and precise, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the narrative flow without any confusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 8.0
Your vocabulary range is more than adequate for this general training task, demonstrating a natural and fluent control of everyday language alongside appropriate functional phrases. You successfully incorporate less common vocabulary items and collocations, such as 'important family commitment', 'memorable', and 'suitable date and time'. Word choice is precise throughout the response, and there are no spelling or lexical errors that impede communication. The tone strikes the exact right balance of warmth and politeness expected in this scenario.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The writing exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures, successfully blending simple sentences for clarity with complex constructions such as 'especially as he is not expecting anything special' and 'I am planning to visit Sydney next month, so I could arrange to meet him for lunch'. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, showing very strong control over verb tenses, modal verbs, and clause subordination. Punctuation is accurate throughout, contributing to the overall polish and readability of the letter.
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