Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope you are doing well. It's been a long time since we last spoke.

I'm writing this to inform you that unfortunately I won't be able to attend Chris' surprise birthday party due to some work obligations.

Firstly, I want to thank you for inviting me. Secondly, I know Chris since my childhood days. He loves surprises a lot! When we were in our 5th grade, we surprised him with a movie party and he liked it so much that he gifted us the most expensive chocolate.

Although I really wish to attend this party and see his reaction, I will not be able to make this time. My boss is out of town and he has given me some extra task for which I have to work on this weekend. So, I will not have time to be present in the party.

While I won't be available on the birthday party, I will visit you on Chris' graduation ceremony which is coming October. I will bring his favorite sweet dish. Just don't tell him! I want to keep this as a surprise.

I hope to see you guys soon.

With love.

Alex

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You successfully covered all three bullet points required in the prompt. You began by explaining why Chris will enjoy the surprise party, mentioning his love for surprises and recounting a childhood anecdote. You then clearly explained your inability to attend due to work obligations, specifically noting that your boss is out of town and you have extra tasks over the weekend. Finally, you provided a concrete alternative plan to see Chris at his graduation ceremony in October, adding a thoughtful touch about bringing his favourite sweet dish. The tone is appropriately polite and friendly for a letter to a friend's parents. All parts of the task are well-developed and clear.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

Your letter demonstrates a clear and logical overall organisation. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving naturally from the purpose of the letter to the thanks, the reasons for absence, the alternative plan, and a warm closing. You used cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Although' to connect your thoughts. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different topics, such as the childhood memory and the work excuse. While some of the transitions are slightly mechanical, the overall structure supports the letter effectively and ensures smooth communication.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You used a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly and appropriately. Phrases such as 'work obligations', 'childhood days', and 'graduation ceremony' show a good grasp of everyday and functional language. You also attempted some less common phrasing like 'keep this as a surprise'. There are occasional slight awkwardnesses in word choice, such as 'birthday party' instead of 'surprise party' later in the text, and 'sweet dish' instead of dessert or sweet, but these do not impede communication at all. The vocabulary is adequate for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrated a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, using structures like 'Although I really wish to attend this party...' and 'When we were in our 5th grade...'. The majority of your sentences are error-free and easy to understand. There are a few minor grammatical lapses, such as 'I know Chris since my childhood days' (which should be 'I have known Chris since my childhood days') and 'present in the party' (which should be 'present at the party'). Punctuation is generally sound, and these minor errors do not cause any difficulty for the reader.

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