Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope you are doing well. I recently received your invitation for Chris'surprise birthday party. However, I regret to inform you that I cannot come because of my recent accident.

As you mentioned the details about surprise party, star wars theme would be perfect for his suprise party. Since childhood he is really fond of star wars.

At first I was excited to come but suddenly I met with an accident two days ago and broke my knee. My doctor strictly advice me to bed rest for next 30 days or else it can go worse. I am feeling disappointed for not there on his best day of his life.

I am sending a surprise birthday gift for Chris. Please told him do not get mad at me. To makeup for this, I am also planning on spending my entire summer vacation with him. We will do lots of fun then.

I hope you understand my situation and forgive me this time.

Love,

Denial

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you explain Chris’s enthusiasm for Star Wars, give your accident as the reason for declining, and suggest spending the summer vacation together. The reason for the party’s appeal is relevant, but “Since childhood he is really fond of Star Wars” could be developed by explaining why a themed surprise would be especially meaningful to him. Your alternative plan is also rather broad: “spending my entire summer vacation with him” does not specify when you will meet or what you will do. The gift and request that Chris not be angry add a personal touch, though the letter could make the proposed reunion more definite. Overall, the main purpose is clear, but some ideas are less fully explained than others.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The letter has a recognisable structure, with an opening, separate paragraphs for the party, your reason for declining, and a future plan, followed by a closing. This helps the reader follow the main points. However, the progression is not always smooth: the first paragraph mentions the accident before the Star Wars idea is introduced, and “At first I was excited to come but suddenly…” repeats information about your inability to attend. Some links, such as “To makeup for this,” are understandable but do not connect the proposed summer visit to a specific arrangement. Use clearer sequencing and avoid repeating the refusal; for example, move from appreciation of the invitation to the party idea, then explain your absence and propose a definite alternative.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the situation and maintain a warm, personal tone, including “invitation,” “surprise birthday gift,” and “summer vacation.” The Star Wars detail makes the letter specific. However, several word choices and spelling errors reduce precision and naturalness: “Chris'surprise” is missing a space, “suprise” is misspelled, and “met with an accident” is an awkward expression in this context. “Do lots of fun” is also not a natural collocation. The vocabulary is generally adequate, but greater accuracy with common phrases would make the message more fluent. Check spelling carefully and learn useful expressions for declining an invitation and arranging a later visit.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple and more developed sentences, including the conditional warning “or else it can go worse” and the contrast in “At first I was excited to come but…”. The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors are noticeable. For example, “Since childhood he is really fond” needs a more suitable tense, and “My doctor strictly advice me to bed rest” has errors in verb form and sentence construction. “Please told him” should use the base verb after “please,” while “I am feeling disappointed for not there” is missing a grammatical structure. Aim to produce accurate sentences with past and present forms, and check that each clause has a complete verb pattern.

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