Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-16

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 6.5)

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

Good evening, I hope you are doing well and in great spirits.

I am writing this letter in the reponse of your letter, and I really regret that I will not be able to attend Chris's birthday party, as I already have a medical appointment in another city on that day.

I am glad to know that you guys held a surprise birthday party for him. Moreover, the birthday present you mentioned in the letter is the same thing my friend wishing from a long time. He would really be amazed by this wonderful surprise. I am sure this would be one of the best days of his life, and he would cherish these beautiful memories forever.

I am extremely disappointed that I will miss this special occasion. If possible, could you please record a short video of him cutting the cake and opening his presents? I would love to watch his reaction when he discovers the surprise. Additionally, please convey my warm birthday wishes to him and give him my best regards.

However, I would love to meet Chris on another day. I am planning to visit him next weekend, once I return from my medical appointment. We could go to his favourite restaurant for dinner and spend some quality time together.

Yours loving,

Rakesh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address all three points clearly: you explain that Chris will enjoy the surprise and gift, give your medical appointment in another city as the reason you cannot attend, and suggest meeting next weekend for dinner. The letter also maintains a warm, appropriate tone and includes a useful request for a video. The explanation of Chris’s likely reaction is supported by details such as his being “amazed” and cherishing the memories, although these predictions are somewhat general. The alternative plan is clear, but could be made more definite by suggesting a specific day or asking whether Chris is available. Overall, the task is fully covered, with some room to develop the details more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter is organised into clear paragraphs, moving from the reason for writing and your apology to the party, your message for Chris, and the alternative meeting plan. This gives the reader a logical progression, and linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “Additionally,” and “However” help connect ideas. Some transitions feel slightly mechanical or do not express the relationship precisely: “Moreover” introduces another detail about the gift, while “However” is not needed to contrast the final plan with the preceding paragraph. The opening also combines a greeting and a formal statement before the main purpose, making the start a little less direct. More natural transitions and clearer links between related details would make the cohesion more flexible.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of vocabulary for a friendly letter, including “cherish these beautiful memories,” “special occasion,” and “spend some quality time together.” These phrases convey warmth and help communicate your intentions clearly. There are, however, several inaccurate or unnatural choices: “in the reponse of your letter” is not the right expression, “the same thing my friend wishing from a long time” is awkward, and “Yours loving” is not a natural sign-off. “You guys” is also rather informal when addressing Chris’s parents. These issues do not prevent understanding, but they limit the precision and naturalness of the vocabulary. Aim for familiar, accurate collocations and a consistent level of formality.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the reason clause in “as I already have a medical appointment” and the conditional request, “If possible, could you please record…?” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, and the paragraphing and sentence boundaries are generally clear. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in the sentence about the present: “the same thing my friend wishing from a long time” needs a finite verb and a corrected tense pattern, such as “the same thing my friend has wanted for a long time.” The phrase “I am glad to know that you guys held” also uses a tense that may not fit a party that is still planned. Review verb forms and tense choices, while continuing to use varied sentence structures.

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.