Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-13

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 Sir,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to inform you that I recently received your letter, and after reading it, I was very emotional because you treat me like a family member. Moreover, I am so happy that you invited me to a surprise birthday party for Chris.

Firstly, I am pretty sure that Chris definitely likes this surprise party because I remember when I was in Australia at that time, Chris always shared his experiences and things that he loves most. Furthermore, he also shared some memories of his 10th birthday, when you guys gave him a surprise birthday party and his dream Apple video game player. When he shared this moment with me, I was able to see the happiness on his face. That is the reason I am 100 per cent sure he will definitely love this surprise birthday party.

Unfortunately, I have an important business meeting on that day, and I won't be able to attend the party because some overseas clients are visiting my company; they are from France, they do not speak English, and I am the only one in the company who knows French very well. Because of this, my boss wants I am present at the meeting so that everything runs smoothly without any problems.

But I promise, after that meeting, I will definitely make a plan to see Chris at a different time. I am planning to take a flight at 12:00 AM on the same day after my meeting, and I will reach there around 1:00 PM the next day to give him one more surprise.

I hope you understand my situation. I can't wait to see you and Chris.

Kind Regards,

Sargun

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you explain why Chris may enjoy the party, give a reason for your absence, and propose seeing him later. The memory of his childhood surprise party is relevant support, and the French-speaking clients make your work commitment understandable. However, the explanation of the later visit is less fully developed: the flight time and arrival time are given, but the destination and how you will arrange to meet Chris are not clear. The claim that he will “definitely” enjoy this party is also repeated rather than explored further. Use the requested opening, “Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,” and make the alternative plan more specific so each part is equally clear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a coherent overall arrangement: it opens with thanks, then explains Chris’s likely reaction, your absence, and a later visit. Paragraphing helps the reader follow these separate purposes, and links such as “Unfortunately” and “But” signal changes in direction. This already gives the response a clear progression. Some cohesion is nevertheless mechanical or repetitive: “Firstly,” “Furthermore,” and “That is the reason” make the party paragraph feel like an essay, while “definitely” is repeated several times. The final travel plan also moves quickly from the meeting to the flight without explaining the connection. Use more natural letter transitions and clarify how the proposed visit follows from your work commitment.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task and includes relevant expressions such as “overseas clients,” “runs smoothly,” and “memories,” which communicate the situation clearly. You also attempt more specific language when describing Chris’s childhood birthday. Some choices and collocations are less natural, however: “I was very emotional” is vague in this context, “Apple video game player” is an unclear description, and “make a plan to see Chris” is less idiomatic than a direct arrangement. Repeated use of “surprise birthday party” and “definitely” also limits flexibility. Choose precise, natural phrases for the gift and the later meeting, and vary repeated wording while keeping the warm, personal tone appropriate for a letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “because,” “when,” and “so that,” and the main message remains clear. Some sentences are controlled, such as “I hope you understand my situation.” There are also some grammatical errors that rarely obstruct meaning. For example, “my boss wants I am present” needs a different clause pattern, such as “my boss wants me to be present,” and “I will reach there” has an incorrect verb pattern. The sentence about the French clients is joined with commas where clearer sentence boundaries would help. Review verb patterns after “want” and “reach,” and check punctuation in longer sentences to improve accuracy.

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