Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-16

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. Thank you for inviting me to Chris's birthday party. That is so sweet of you for planning such an amazing theme.

Chris always enjoys playing with clay and try to make some thing creative from it. He will definitely going to love this theme. The efforts you made to arrange all the things will touch his heart. I know he will get emotional.

I am extremely sorry that I will not be able to attend the party. As you know that recently I joined a new company and I work evenings. It will be hard for me to request a leave in the first week of joining.

I bought a special gift for Chris so I am coming to visit your home next week most probably. I will let you know when I will be coming.

I hope you accept my apology and understand my concern.

Wishing a Happy Birthday to Chris in advance.

Best regards,

Anjali

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully covers all three bullet points required in the task instructions. First, you clearly explain why Chris will enjoy the surprise party by mentioning his love for playing with clay and making creative things. Second, you provide a clear and logical explanation for why you cannot attend due to starting a new job and working evening shifts. Finally, you give details of a plan to see Chris at a different time next week to deliver a special gift. The tone is appropriate for a friendly letter to a friend's parents, starting correctly with 'Dear Mr and Mrs Collins'. All aspects of the task are fully addressed with relevant ideas, demonstrating strong achievement for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into short, readable paragraphs that separate the different points of the letter effectively. Ideas flow naturally from thanking the parents, explaining Chris's interests, stating the inability to attend, and proposing an alternative meeting time. Paragraphing is used appropriately throughout. Cohesive devices such as 'As you know that' and 'so I am coming' are generally used well, though referencing could be slightly smoother in places. Overall, the organization is clear and easy to follow, supporting the message well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a general correspondence task. Words and phrases like 'surprise birthday party', 'creative', 'emotional', and 'apology' communicate your ideas effectively. However, there are a few minor lexical inaccuracies, such as 'try to make some thing' (trying) and 'understand my concern' where 'situation' or 'circumstances' might be more natural. There are also occasional phrasing choices that are slightly unnatural, but these do not impede communication. Overall, the vocabulary is sufficient for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The letter includes a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'As you know that recently I joined a new company and I work evenings.' There are, however, a few noticeable grammatical errors, including 'try to make' instead of 'tries to make', 'He will definitely going to love' instead of 'He is definitely going to love', and 'As you know that' where 'As you know' is more grammatically precise. Punctuation is generally fine, and these errors do not impede overall communication. The majority of simple sentences are clear and accurate.

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