Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-13
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 6.0)
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Collins,
I am writing this letter to thank you for the Chris's birthday invitation. Chris love to get surprises. This birthday will be the most memorable for him as both of his parents going to give him big surprise. Moreover, He seems very excited for his birthday this year as he is going to turn eighteen.
I am feeling very sorry to inform you that I am unable to make it for the surprise party as I and my mom visiting my grandfather's hometown on the same day. We made this plan before a month. I it not possible to cancel because my grandfather's health is not very well.
I am planning to see you both and Chris on following week of the birthday. I have surprise for him too. First I was planning to give in school but as I am not able to make it. I would like to meet him personally and apologize for my absence. I hope to see you soon.
Best Wishes,
Krupa
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response successfully covers all three bullet points required by the task prompt. You clearly explain why Chris will enjoy the surprise by mentioning that he loves surprises and is excited to turn eighteen. You also adequately explain why you cannot attend by stating that you and your mom are visiting your grandfather's hometown due to his poor health. Finally, you provide a clear plan to see Chris and the family on the following week to deliver your own surprise and apologize in person. The ideas are relevant and appropriate for a semi-formal letter to a friend's parents. However, some points could be slightly more extended to reach a higher band level, but all necessary communicative functions are present and fulfilled effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter has a coherent overall arrangement and is divided into logical paragraphs that separate the different bullet points. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Moreover', 'to inform you', and 'First I was planning'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical, as seen in phrases like 'on following week of the birthday' and 'I it not possible to cancel'. Paragraphing is generally appropriate, but the transitions between sentences within paragraphs could flow more naturally. Overall, the organization is clear enough for the reader to follow your message without difficulty.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this general task, using appropriate terms such as 'memorable', 'apologize', and 'absence'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as writing 'the Chris's birthday invitation' instead of 'Chris's birthday invitation', 'Chris love' instead of 'Chris loves', and 'going to give him big surprise' missing an article. Additionally, phrases like 'on following week' show limitations in collocation and preposition usage. While these errors do not impede communication, they reflect a limited and developing lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'I am writing this letter to thank you...' and 'I am planning to see you both...'. However, there are several grammatical errors throughout the letter. For example, 'both of his parents going to give him' is missing a verb, 'I it not possible' contains a typo/grammatical slip, and 'grandfather's health is not very well' should use 'is not very good' or 'is in poor health'. Punctuation and capitalization also have minor issues, such as extra spaces and missing articles. These errors occur frequently enough to keep the score at this level.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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