Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-18
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 6.5)
Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,
I hope you both are doing well. I was informed about a surprise birthday party for Chris last week when you spoke to my parents. I am writing to inform you that unfortunately I could not attend the birthday party due to upcoming scheduled exams and interviews at multi-national companies.
Firstly, it's a great idea to organise a surprise party for Chris on his 18th birthday. Moreover, he will definitely enjoy the decorum and people around him when he will receive gifts and blessings from his grandparents and other friends. Surely, he will be proud of when he will officially turn into adulthood.
However, I will not be able to attend the party on his auspicious day due to last semester's exams as well as I have been preparing for interviews for software developer roles. Additionally, it seems almost impossible to purchase a ticket to Australia from Canada within a week along with packing.
I already had a plan to send an archery set as a gift for him. It is already in transit and he will get the surprise gift on his birthday. Nevertheless, I am planning to visit Australia next month as I will be on summer vacation and hopefully we would enjoy summer days in Sydney and Melbourne beaches playing basketball on sand.
I wish him the very happy birthday in advance. Cheers!
Best Wishes,
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AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
You successfully covered all parts of the bullet points required for the letter. You discussed why Chris will enjoy the party, mentioning the decorum, gifts, and blessings from grandparents. You explained that your absence is due to upcoming exams and software developer interviews, and you provided a clear alternative plan to visit Australia next month during summer vacation. Your tone is appropriate for writing to a friend's parents. However, there is a slight contradiction and logical flaw regarding the travel logistics: in the second paragraph you mention traveling from Canada within a week being impossible, but later state you are planning to visit next month. Despite this minor lapse, all aspects of the task are addressed, and ideas are extended, earning a solid Band 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The letter follows a clear logical organization with appropriate paragraphing for an informal letter. You used some cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'Nevertheless'. However, there are instances of over-use and mechanical linking, particularly repeating ideas across paragraphs regarding your inability to attend. The second and third paragraphs both touch upon the reasons for not attending, which disrupts the logical progression slightly. Paragraphing is generally clear, but referencing could be smoother. Overall, the structure meets the requirements for Band 6.5, providing a coherent overall arrangement with occasional faulty cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts to use less common items such as 'decorum', 'auspicious day', and 'in transit'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, using 'decorum' in this context is unnatural; you likely meant the festive atmosphere or company of guests. Additionally, wishing someone a 'very happy birthday' instead of 'a very happy birthday' contains a minor article error. The range of vocabulary is sufficient for some flexibility, but these occasional slips in precise lexical choice place this performance securely at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You demonstrated a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures. However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'I could not attend' (which should be past or present perfect depending on timeline, or future meaning like 'will not be able to attend' as correctly stated later), 'he will be proud of when he will officially turn' (unnecessary preposition 'of' and redundant future tense), and 'I wish him the very happy birthday'. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the grammar score from reaching Band 7.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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