Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-15

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 this letter finds you in good health and prosperity. I read the invitation letter for Chris's surprise birthday party. I am so happy for him as he is turning 24 and he has achieved alot in life with his hard work. He deserves all of it. He is going to enjoy the party alot because I read in the letter that you have booked his favourite musical band for the party. He is a big fan of them since we were in high school.

I want to apologize because I would not be able to attend the party because of my visa requirements. I really want to meet Chris and I hope to see you all next summer. I will apply for my visa after I graduate. Our family is planning to see you all next summer and we will spend Chris's 25th birthday together.

Warm regards.

Yours truly,

Muskan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three requested points: you explain that Chris will enjoy hearing his favourite band, give visa requirements as the reason you cannot attend, and suggest meeting next summer. The reason for the party’s appeal is relevant and supported by the detail that he has liked the band since high school. However, the other points are less fully developed: “because of my visa requirements” does not explain the specific difficulty or timing, and the alternative plan remains general, with no proposed date or activity. The reference to celebrating his 25th birthday gives the plan some context, but a clearer arrangement and a more direct explanation of your absence would make the letter more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall sequence: it responds to the invitation, explains why Chris will enjoy the party, gives your reason for declining, and ends with a future plan. Paragraphing separates the positive response from the apology and alternative arrangement, so the reader can follow the main message easily. Linking is generally clear through phrases such as “because” and “and,” although the repeated use of “because” makes the explanation feel somewhat mechanical. The closing also has two sign-offs—“Warm regards” and “Yours truly”—which is unnecessary and slightly disrupts the ending. To strengthen the progression, give the reason for absence and the proposed visit in distinct, more fully connected sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including appropriate expressions such as “I hope this letter finds you” and “I want to apologize.” Details like “favourite musical band” and “big fan” communicate the reason Chris will enjoy the event. There are some word-choice and spelling issues: “alot” should be written as “a lot,” and “achieved a lot in life with his hard work” is not a very natural collocation. “Prosperity” sounds overly formal in this friendly context, while “I read the invitation letter” is less idiomatic than saying you received or saw the invitation. More natural, precise phrasing would improve fluency without requiring unusually advanced vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and more developed sentence forms, and most of the message is easy to understand. For example, “He is a big fan of them since we were in high school” combines a main clause with a time clause, while the future plans are expressed clearly with “I will apply” and “we will spend.” Some grammatical choices need attention. In “He is a big fan of them since we were in high school,” the present perfect (“has been a big fan”) better expresses a situation continuing from the past. “I would not be able to attend” is understandable, but “will not be able to attend” is more direct for a future event. The final punctuation and sign-off could also be handled more consistently.

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