Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I'm writing this letter to inform you about that I will not be able to join the party this time.

Although, I'm so delighted for her to have a patrents like you. She loves present on every occassions. But this time, it's her Birthday. This year will be unforgettable for her.

However, I'm not happy for not attending this beautiful day with her. One of the reason is my grandparents came last week from backhome. So, we all are going out of city for two weeks to celebrate my parent's anniverssary. But I will make sure to call her on that day.

After coming back from vacation, I will plan a post birthday date for her to cherish her mood. Also, I'll bring a best gift from here.

At last, best wishes for you and her. I hope she will love the surprise and enjoy every littke momemt. I'll miss you guys.

With Love,

Manpreet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three main points: you explain that Chris enjoys presents and that the occasion will be memorable, give a reason for missing the party, and suggest meeting after your holiday. The reason for your absence is understandable, but the explanation of why Chris will enjoy the surprise is brief, and the alternative plan is not specific about when or where you will meet. There is also some confusion in referring to Chris as “her” and “you,” which makes the intended recipient and relationship less clear. Develop each point with a little more detail—for example, suggest a particular day or activity and explain what makes the surprise especially suitable for Chris.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable sequence: you announce that you cannot attend, explain the circumstances, propose a later celebration, and close with good wishes. Paragraph breaks help separate these stages. However, connections between ideas are sometimes mechanical or unclear. “Although” begins a sentence without a contrasting main clause, while “But” and “However” repeat the same contrastive function. The shift between “her” and “you” also weakens the clarity of references. Use linking words only where their relationship is clear, and keep Chris’s pronouns consistent. A more direct progression from your regret, to the reason, to a concrete alternative plan would make the letter easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough everyday vocabulary to communicate the main message, including “unforgettable,” “celebrate,” and “surprise.” However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors make the letter sound less natural. Examples include “a patrents like you,” “on every occassions,” “going out of city,” and “post birthday date.” These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the overall message, but they sometimes cause hesitation. Aim for accurate, natural phrases rather than adding ambitious wording: for instance, say that Chris “loves receiving presents” and that you will “take her out to celebrate” after returning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt some longer sentence forms, such as explaining your absence with “One of the reason is my grandparents came last week…” and linking ideas with “Although” and “However.” The message remains broadly understandable, but errors in sentence construction and grammatical forms are noticeable. “Although” is left without a main clause, and “One of the reason is…” has a number-agreement problem; the tense sequence in “my grandparents came last week” also does not clearly express that they are still visiting. The sentence “After coming back from vacation, I will plan…” is understandable but could be expressed more precisely. Practise complete clauses, consistent tense choices, and agreement, then proofread punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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

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