Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope you are well. I am writing to inform you that I would not be able to attend the birthday party of Chris this weekend. I really appreciate your invite though.

Chris has been a party person since childhood, and I know the fact that he loves these kind of surprises; therefore, it goes without saying that he would definitely be delighted during the event.

I really wanted to join this party particularly, for Chris because we have not met each other since a very long time. My sister is getting married on this weekend, that is why I am unable to visit you all.

Be that as it may, I would like to visit you and Chris next month for sure. By the next month, I will be completely free from these social responsibilities, and I could certainly enjoy more and have fun together while my trip to Australia in September.

Thank you for your understandings. Let me know this works for you or do you have other plans.

Yours sincerely,

Rutvi Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points: you explain that Chris enjoys surprises, give your sister’s wedding as the reason you cannot attend, and suggest meeting next month during your September trip to Australia. The reason for the party’s appeal is relevant, and the apology and appreciation make the purpose clear. This fully covers the task, while the explanation of the alternative plan is less developed: “next month” and “in September” do not identify a specific date or activity, and the closing question about their availability is awkwardly phrased. To strengthen the letter, propose a definite day or outing and make the arrangements clear. The response already shows some development, but greater specificity would make the plan more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: it opens with the purpose, explains why Chris would enjoy the party, gives your reason for declining, and ends with an alternative plan. Paragraphing helps distinguish these points, and expressions such as “therefore” and “Be that as it may” signal relationships between ideas. However, some linking feels mechanical or does not fit the relationship precisely; “Be that as it may” is an unnecessarily formal contrast here. The final sentence also combines a request for confirmation with a choice of other plans, making the intended question less clear. Use simpler transitions and make the proposed meeting the focus of the closing.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including phrases such as “surprise party,” “social responsibilities,” and “delighted,” and your meaning remains clear. There are also attempts at more expressive language, such as “it goes without saying,” though this sounds overly emphatic in context. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “party person” is vague, “these kind of surprises” has an agreement problem in the phrase, and “Thank you for your understandings” is not idiomatic. “Enjoy more and have fun together while my trip” also does not express the intended idea naturally. Aim for familiar, precise collocations rather than formal-sounding phrases, especially in a friendly letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a subordinate clause in “I know the fact that he loves these kind of surprises” and a reason clause explaining your absence. The message is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors remain. In “I would not be able to attend,” the conditional is less suitable for a definite future arrangement than “will not be able to attend.” The sentence beginning “My sister is getting married on this weekend, that is why…” joins two independent clauses incorrectly; separate them or use “so.” There are also issues with “we have not met each other since a very long time” and “Let me know this works for you or do you have other plans.” Use accurate time expressions and form the final question directly.

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

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