Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-26

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 are doing well. I am writing this to inform you that I won't be able to attend Chris's birthday party. Although, I really appreciate that you invited me to his birthday party.

I spoke to Chris's other friends and they are going to be there in the event. Generally, Chirs likes surprises. Moreover, he was so stressed for last few weeks regarding final exams therefore I believe that Chris will defenately enjoy his birthday party.

However, I planned to attend the event but my uncle is very sick and right now he is in hospital so I have to take care of him. Nevertheless, I am planning a trip with Chris and other friends together in next month so we will surely have fun soon.

I hope Chris will celebrate his birthday with full of joy and happiness. Lastly, I will miss him on that day.

Warm regards,

Neel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You successfully covered all parts of the prompt required for a General Training Task 1 letter. You mentioned why Chris will enjoy the surprise party by noting that he generally likes surprises and needed cheering up after stressful final exams. You clearly explained why you cannot attend due to your uncle's hospitalisation, and you provided details about an alternative plan to take a trip with Chris and other friends next month. The tone is polite and appropriate for a letter to a friend's parents. Your ideas are relevant and well-developed, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

Your letter is logically organised with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and the overall progression is easy to follow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different points, such as your inability to attend, the reasons for Chris enjoying the party, and your alternative plans. You made use of cohesive devices like 'Although', 'Moreover', and 'However', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or are punctuated incorrectly, such as starting a sentence with 'Although'. Referencing is generally clear throughout the text, placing your performance comfortably at a Band 6.5.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You demonstrated an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms such as 'appreciate', 'stressed', and 'hospital'. However, there are some lexical inaccuracies and spelling errors, such as 'Chirs' instead of Chris and 'defenately' instead of definitely. You also attempted some less common phrases, but occasional awkwardness in word choice prevents a higher score. Overall, your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly, fitting the Band 6.0 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You used a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and causal clauses like 'therefore I believe that Chris will definitely enjoy his birthday party.' There are several grammatical errors and punctuation slips present, such as missing commas after introductory clauses ('for last few weeks') and a spelling mistake in 'defenately'. Furthermore, sentences like 'I am writing this to inform you that...' are somewhat basic. The majority of your sentences are understandable, and communication is not impeded, aligning with Band 6.0.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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