Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-12

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 7.0)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope you are doing well.

Thank you for inviting me for the surprise birthday party for Chris. However, I am writing to let you know that I won't be able to attend the party because I had planned to visit my grandmother in Sri Lanka as she is not feeling well. I will be staying there for few days with her. So, will miss the party this year.

I believe that Chris will really enjoy this ocean themed surprise party for his 21st birthday as he is so much into marine life. He was so stressed lately with his academic work. So, this will be a perfect getaway for him.

I am planning to meet him as soon as I come back from Sri Lanka. In the meantime, let me know if there is anything that I can help beforehand.

I am sorry to let you know at the last minute. But I hope you understand the situation.

Kind regards,

Sumitha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three required points: you explain why Chris would enjoy the ocean theme, give a clear reason for your absence, and suggest meeting after your return. The detail that Chris is “so much into marine life” supports the party idea, while mentioning his academic stress adds a personal reason he may appreciate it. Your apology and thanks also suit the purpose and audience. The alternative plan, however, remains quite general: “as soon as I come back” does not say when you expect to return or propose a specific activity or date. Giving the parents a clearer timeframe and a concrete plan to celebrate with Chris would make this part more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information is arranged in a clear, sensible order: you acknowledge the invitation and explain your absence, describe why Chris will enjoy the party, then suggest a later meeting and close politely. Paragraphing helps distinguish these points, and links such as “However,” “So,” and “In the meantime” guide the reader through the letter. The progression is easy to follow, although some transitions are a little abrupt—for example, “So, will miss the party this year” follows the travel explanation without a complete sentence. The repeated use of “So” also makes the linking slightly less flexible. Smoother connections and a more explicit transition into the proposed future meeting would strengthen the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use vocabulary appropriate to a friendly but respectful letter, including “surprise birthday party,” “ocean themed,” “marine life,” and “academic work.” These choices communicate the main ideas clearly, and “perfect getaway” adds some personal expression. The range is adequate, but several phrases are broad or not quite natural in this context, such as “visit my grandmother” and “help beforehand.” More precise collocations would make the message sound more fluent and polished. For instance, you could specify that you are travelling to visit your grandmother, and ask whether you can help with any party preparations. This would show greater control of word choice while preserving the warm tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The letter includes a mix of simple sentences and more developed clauses, such as “I won't be able to attend … because I had planned to visit my grandmother … as she is not feeling well.” Most of the message is understandable, and the closing is appropriately punctuated. Some grammatical errors remain: “for few days” needs an article, and “So, will miss the party this year” lacks a subject. The tense in “I had planned” is also less suitable for a future visit; “I have planned” or “I am planning” would be clearer. These are local errors rather than barriers to understanding. Checking articles, complete sentence structure, and tense consistency would improve accuracy.

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