Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-29
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 all doing well! First of all, I am really thankful to you for inviting me to Chris's birthday party. However, as you already know, my visa is still in process, and I am not sure when it will be approved. I have contacted Australian immigration a few times, but they informed me that I should wait for several weeks. Since his birthday will be in a couple of weeks, I do not think I will be able to visit.
Nevertheless, I am sending a beautiful gift for his birthday that I bought in my hometown. Moreover, I have also arranged a birthday party at my friend's restaurant, and he will happily give a 40% discount on the total bill. I am sure you will love that.
Although I cannot come to the birthday party, as soon as I receive my visa, I will come and surprise you all. I am not sure at this time, but I think the visa will be processed by next month.
I will be waiting for your response about the party and surprise gift.
Once again, happy birthday to Chris.
Best Regards,
Manish
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
The response successfully covers all three bullet points required in the task instructions. First, you mention why Chris will enjoy the party, noting that you have arranged a birthday celebration at your friend's restaurant with a special 40 per cent discount, which you are sure they will love. Second, you clearly explain why you cannot attend due to your visa still being in process. Finally, you provide details of a plan to see Chris at a different time, stating that as soon as you receive your visa by next month, you will visit and surprise everyone. The tone is appropriately friendly and polite for a letter to a friend's parents. All parts of the prompt are fully addressed with relevant details.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The letter is logically organised with a clear beginning, middle, and end, following standard letter-writing conventions. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different ideas, such as your inability to attend, the gift and restaurant arrangement, and your future plans. Cohesive devices like 'However', 'Nevertheless', and 'Moreover' are utilised effectively to link sentences and paragraphs, though referencing is sometimes slightly mechanical. Overall, progression is clear and easy to follow from start to finish.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
The vocabulary used is adequate and generally appropriate for a general correspondence task. You successfully attempt some less common vocabulary items such as 'in process', 'Australian immigration', and 'surprise gift'. Word choice is mostly natural, although there are some minor collocation slips, such as 'arranged a birthday party at my friend's restaurant' when you likely mean hosting a gathering or meal. Spelling and word formation are accurate throughout, allowing the message to be communicated clearly and without confusion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5
The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Since his birthday will be in a couple of weeks, I do not think I will be able to visit' and 'as soon as I receive my visa, I will come and surprise you all.' There is a high proportion of error-free sentences, and grammar and punctuation are controlled well. Minor errors do occur, but they do not impede communication or strain the reader, reflecting solid command over sentence patterns.
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