Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-23
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 5.5)
Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,
I hope you are doing doing. I am really happy you invited me at Chris's birthday party. Which is Surprise for him. As you know that he is my best friend from school time.
Moreover, I would like to tell you Chris really likes surprises beacuse he is really social person he loves to meet the friends. I would to give some suggestions for surprise party.
Firstly, arrange a chocolate cake because he really likes it. Secondly, make sure decorations done by fresh beautiful flowers inside of any balloons. Finally, we also need good music system to play his favourite songs.
Unfortuntainly, I am unable to attend this surprise party by dint of my final exam on that day, actually I have Business Correspondence presentation at my University. So it is really hard for me to come on party. However, I make a plan to see the Chris at a different time. I already make plan I will see u soon in my winter vacations in 2026.
I hope you understand my problem why I am not coming. But my best wishes always with him. I hope you will enjoy his birthday with pomp and show.
Best wishes,
Sandy
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The candidate addresses all bullet points required by the prompt. First, you successfully explain why Chris will enjoy the party by stating that he is 'really social person' who 'loves to meet the friends' and providing party suggestions like a chocolate cake. Second, you clearly explain why you cannot attend by mentioning your final exam and Business Correspondence presentation at university ('by dint of my final exam on that day'). Finally, you provide a plan to see Chris at a different time, specifying 'my winter vacations in 2026'. Although the tone is generally appropriate for a semi-formal letter to a friend's parents, some ideas are slightly repetitive or informal, which places this firmly at a Band 6.0 level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The letter exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, separating the greeting, reasons for enjoying the party, reasons for absence, future plans, and sign-off. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Finally', but some transitions feel forced or are grammatically awkward, such as 'Unfortuntainly'. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as 'see the Chris' and 'I already make plan I will see u soon'. Paragraphs are functional, but overall progression is slightly disjointed due to frequent short, simple sentences and mechanical linkers.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your message, but it remains basic and limited in range. You attempt some less common phrases, such as 'by dint of' and 'pomp and show', though 'pomp and show' is slightly unnatural in this context (usually 'pomp and circumstance'). There are noticeable spelling and word choice errors throughout the text, including 'doing doing' for doing, 'beacuse', 'Unfortuntainly', and informal shorthand like 'u'. These errors do not completely impede communication, but they restrict the lexical score to a Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'As you know that he is my best friend from school time' and 'Unfortuntainly, I am unable to attend this surprise party by dint of my final exam on that day'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and punctuation issues throughout the response. Examples include missing prepositions and articles ('invited me at Chris's birthday party', 'decorations done by fresh beautiful flowers inside of any balloons'), run-on sentences ('Which is Surprise for him'), and tense inconsistencies ('I already make plan'). While communication is generally maintained, the frequency of errors prevents a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.