Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-14

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,

Thank you for the invitation to Chris surprise birthday party. I think she might enjoy it, as she has been stressed lately with some workload.

Unfortunately, on the said date, I have some important family matters that I need to fly overseas for the burial of my mom. Before leaving, I need to assist my other relatives in fixing some legal documents needed for the division among my siblings as heirs.

I apologize for not being there on her special day. I truly wanted to go; however, I need to prioritise this emergency. I already talked to her, and we decided to meet when I get back from my trip on October 6 at eleven in the morning at our favorite restaurant closer to your hometown.

She is lucky to have you as her parents, as making her birthday extra special. See you soon. Take care.

Best wishes,

Amian

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three points clearly: you explain why Chris may enjoy the surprise, give a reason for your absence, and propose a specific alternative meeting. The detail that Chris has been stressed gives a relevant reason the party could cheer her up, while the family emergency explains your inability to attend. The plan to meet on October 6 at eleven at a favourite restaurant is especially concrete. To make the ideas more fully developed and the letter more natural, explain briefly why the surprise itself would appeal to Chris, rather than relying mainly on her recent workload. Also, the closing compliment about her parents is warm, but its connection to the party could be expressed more clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a clear, logical order: you respond to the invitation, explain your absence, apologise, and arrange another meeting. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these stages, and linking expressions such as “Unfortunately,” “however,” and “when I get back” guide the reader through the message. The reference to having already spoken with Chris also makes the proposed plan easy to follow. Some connections could be smoother: “She is lucky to have you as her parents, as making her birthday extra special” does not clearly connect the compliment to the party, and “See you soon” shifts abruptly from the parents to the recipient. Clarifying who you are addressing in the closing would make the progression more consistently polished.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a personal letter, including “stressed,” “workload,” “prioritise,” “emergency,” and “division.” These choices communicate the situation, and the tone is generally warm and appropriate. Some phrases are less natural or precise, however: “Chris surprise birthday party” needs a possessive form, while “some workload,” “the said date,” and “restaurant closer to your hometown” sound awkward in this context. “Fixing some legal documents” is understandable but vague. More natural collocations and precise wording would show greater flexibility and control. For example, describe the family matter directly and use a conventional phrase for the restaurant’s location.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response includes both simple sentences and more complex structures, such as “I think she might enjoy it, as she has been stressed lately” and the sentence explaining the family emergency. Most of the message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors prevent consistently strong control. In “Chris surprise birthday party,” the possessive marker is missing; “I need to fly overseas for the burial” is awkwardly joined to the preceding clause; and “we decided to meet when I get back” shifts tense in a way that could be made more consistent. The final sentence, “as making her birthday extra special,” is also incomplete in structure. Check possessives, clause boundaries, and tense choices, especially in longer sentences.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.