Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-07

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 6.0)

Dear Mr and Mrs Colline,

I hope you are doing well. Thank you for inviting me on Chris's surprize birthday celebration. I am so glad about you remember me yet.

Chris always enjoys surprises. Especially on his special day, you organised a Bollywood theme, so I am sure he enjoys it a lot. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend this precious moment because on that day I have to give my final presentation at the office. If it were not important, I would surely join you.

It's been a long time since we last met. Therefore, I decided to go for coffee with him. On 12th October, at Urban Chai House. After that, I planned to go to our old school to reminisce about beautiful memories.

I will buy a curious gift for him. Take care, stay in touch

Best wishes,

Almas

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you explain that Chris enjoys surprises, give your work presentation as the reason you cannot attend, and suggest meeting for coffee on 12 October before visiting your old school. These details make the letter relevant and personal. However, some points are only briefly developed: the reason Chris will enjoy this particular celebration could be explained more fully, and the alternative plan would benefit from confirming a time or checking that Chris is available. The response also falls seven words short of the required minimum, so add a little detail while developing these ideas. Overall, the main purpose is clear, though the task points are not equally developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall sequence: greeting and thanks, explanation of the party and your absence, then a proposed alternative meeting and closing. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and linking expressions such as “Unfortunately” and “Therefore” guide the reader. This meets the lower-band expectation of a coherent arrangement and shows some flexibility in connecting ideas. A few links feel abrupt or mechanical, however. “Therefore, I decided to go for coffee with him” does not clearly explain why the long gap since your last meeting leads to this plan, and the date and venue are presented as a sentence fragment. Connect these details in a complete sentence and make the transition to the gift and sign-off smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including relevant expressions such as “final presentation,” “special day,” and “reminisce about beautiful memories.” The meaning is generally clear, and the tone is friendly. However, several spelling and word-choice or collocation errors reduce naturalness: “Colline” should match the prompt’s “Collins,” “surprize” is misspelled, and “I am so glad about you remember me yet” is not idiomatic. “Curious gift” also does not convey the likely meaning of an unusual or thoughtful present. These attempts show some ambition, but more accurate, natural phrasing would improve precision. Check spelling and learn common combinations such as “thank you for inviting me to” and “I’m glad you thought of me.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple sentences and some more complex forms, including “because on that day I have to give my final presentation” and the conditional “If it were not important, I would surely join you.” Most of the message remains understandable, which is consistent with some grammatical errors that rarely impede communication. There are, however, several issues to correct: “I am so glad about you remember me yet” needs a different clause structure, and “On 12th October, at Urban Chai House” is a fragment rather than a complete sentence. The tense in “I am sure he enjoys it a lot” would be clearer as a prediction about the party. Practise complete sentences and consistent tense choices while retaining your complex structures.

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

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