Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope this letter finds you in your prompt health.

My name is Prutha Patel, one of the closest friends of you son Chris. Firstly, I would like to thank you for the invitation of surprise birthday party of Chris. With the heavy heart, I am writing this letter to inform you that I will not be able to attend this event, due to last minute updates from my company to attend an important meeting with our oldest client.

Moreover, I can asure you that Chris will love this party as he once told me about getting a surprise party from his loved once. Also, I would make a suggesion to arrange a Tiramisu cake on the special ocassion as he always wanted to try one.

Lastly, I am sending his birthday present with this letter and would you please convey my sorry and a message on behalf of me that I will surely meet him soon in next week of his birthday.

If you need any help in arrangement for this event, do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully,

Prutha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three required points: you explain why Chris would enjoy the surprise, give a work-related reason for missing it, and propose meeting the following week. The personal detail that Chris has wanted a surprise party, along with the Tiramisu suggestion, makes the letter relevant and thoughtful. The reason for your absence is clear, but the alternative plan is less fully developed: “meet him soon in next week” does not specify a day, activity, or way to arrange it. The apology and request that the parents pass on your message are appropriate, though the present is mentioned without saying what it is. Adding a concrete meeting proposal would make the response more complete and developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall sequence: thanks and explanation for declining, reasons Chris will enjoy the party, then a gift and a future meeting. Paragraphing helps distinguish these points, and the closing offer of help suits the purpose. However, transitions such as “Firstly,” “Moreover,” and “Lastly” make the progression somewhat mechanical, and “Also” adds another point without a particularly smooth link. The reference in “a message on behalf of me” is awkward and makes the relationship between the apology and the proposed meeting less clear. Use fewer signposting words and connect ideas more naturally—for example, link the cake suggestion directly to your explanation of Chris’s preferences, then give a specific plan for meeting.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including expressions such as “with a heavy heart,” “important meeting,” and “convey my sorry.” The details about a surprise party and a Tiramisu cake also make the message specific. Some attempts at less common or formal wording are inaccurate or unnatural, including “prompt health,” “invitation of surprise birthday party,” and “oldest client.” There are also spelling errors in “asure,” “suggesion,” and “ocassion,” which reduce accuracy even though the meaning remains understandable. Aim for natural collocations and check spelling carefully; a warm, straightforward phrase is often more effective than an overly formal expression in a letter to friends’ parents.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the reason clause in “I will not be able to attend … due to…” and the conditional offer, “If you need any help … do not hesitate to contact me.” The main message is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “you son” needs a possessive determiner, and “I will surely meet him soon in next week” has problems with the article and preposition pattern. The sentence beginning “Lastly” also combines several requests and ideas in a way that is difficult to control. Separate these into shorter sentences and check possessives, articles, and time expressions to improve accuracy while retaining sentence variety.

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