Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-19

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,

I am overwhelmed after receiving your letter stating the surprised party for my beloved friend on his 29th birthday. I know Chris will be astonished and felt loved one by your hard efforts as he always found of surprises and events.

I really want to join this occasion and greet my friend personally on his big day, but due to office restrains and client meetings in that week I will not be able to attend the function.

I have already plan a small trip with Chris in this upcoming winter for a week and already get necessary approvals for my holidays at that time. I have already booked amazing restaurant to give belated birthday party on our trip.

I apologize for being absentee on your wonderful party, hope you and Chris enjoy a lot. Please sent some pictures and videos, I want to see all the happy faces.

Yours loving,

Rahul

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points: you explain that Chris enjoys surprises, give work commitments as the reason for declining, and propose a winter trip with a belated birthday meal. The purpose is clear and the details are relevant. The explanation of why Chris will enjoy the event is brief, however, and the alternative plan would be more convincing if you specified when you expect to go or suggested arranging a separate meeting with the parents. The apology and request for photos also help complete the letter. This covers the task well overall, while some ideas—especially Chris’s likely reaction and the alternative arrangement—could be developed more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter follows a clear sequence: reaction to the invitation, explanation for your absence, an alternative celebration, and a polite closing. Separate paragraphs make these stages easy to follow, and phrases such as “but” and “I have already” connect the ideas. The progression is logical throughout. However, repeating “I have already” in the third paragraph makes the linking feel somewhat mechanical, and the shift from a trip with Chris to a restaurant booking could be connected more smoothly. A clearer transition, such as explaining that the restaurant is part of the trip, would strengthen the flow while preserving the effective overall organisation.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including “astonished,” “beloved friend,” “client meetings,” and “belated birthday party.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and the tone is generally warm. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, though: “office restrains,” “found of surprises,” and “give belated birthday party” do not express the intended meanings naturally. “Overwhelmed” also sounds unusually strong for receiving a party invitation. These slips do not prevent understanding, but more precise, natural phrasing would improve control and flexibility. Pay particular attention to choosing expressions that fit the context rather than translating directly from another language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more developed sentence forms, including the contrast in “I really want to join this occasion … but … I will not be able to attend.” The message remains understandable, and the main time references are generally clear. Some grammatical errors remain, however: “I have already plan” needs a past participle, “I have already get” has the same verb-form problem, and “hope you and Chris enjoy a lot” lacks a clear subject and complete expression. There are also issues with articles and sentence construction in “a surprised party” and “I apologize for being absentee.” Review present-perfect forms and make sure each clause has a complete, correctly formed structure.

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