Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-20
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 Chris's Parents,
I hope you' re doing well. I am glad to know that you are inviting me to a birthday party.
Recently, I got your letter where you mentioned that you are organised a suprise birthday party for Chris. I can surely say that Chris will enjoy the party because when we were studing at school, he used to say that he desire a suprise party once in his life. He will not only enjoy the party but also will feel extremely delighted.
I eagrely want to attend the party. Unfortunately, I would not come because I suffered from leg and arm injuries. A couple of days ago, I had accident and a doctor suggested me the bedrest for a month.
Undoubtedly, I have plans for Chris birthday. After recovering from my injuries, I will give a brand new watch as a suprise gift to Chris. I know, he would definitaley like a watch.
I would appreciate it if you could send me pictures after party as I would feel happy to see Chris expressions during the party. Ihope you will understand my situation.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
kaur
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
You address all three points: you explain that Chris has wanted a surprise party since school, give your injury as the reason for not attending, and propose giving him a watch after you recover. These are relevant and the reader can understand your intentions. The explanation of why Chris will enjoy the party is supported by a personal memory, which is effective. However, the alternative plan is less fully developed: you do not suggest a specific time or activity to meet Chris, and giving him a gift is not quite the same as arranging to see him. To strengthen the letter, propose a clear plan, such as meeting for lunch after your recovery, and make the reason for the party’s appeal a little more specific.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The letter has a clear overall sequence: you respond to the invitation, explain Chris’s likely reaction, give your reason for declining, and then discuss a later plan. Paragraphs help separate these points, and expressions such as “Unfortunately” and “After recovering from my injuries” guide the reader through the message. Some connections are less smooth or precise, however. “Undoubtedly, I have plans for Chris birthday” does not clearly introduce a plan to meet, and the request for pictures shifts the focus away from the proposed future arrangement. The opening and closing are appropriate in form, but the salutation should follow the task’s specified wording. Make the later-meeting plan the focus of its paragraph and use clear references to connect it to your recovery.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “delighted,” “injuries,” and “recovering,” and you attempt some expressive phrasing such as “eagerly want to attend.” However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, including “suprise,” “studing,” “eagrely,” and “definitaley.” Some combinations are also unnatural: “give a brand new watch as a surprise gift” is understandable but repetitive, while “I suffered from leg and arm injuries” is less natural than a more direct description of being injured. These slips do not prevent the reader from understanding the letter, but they limit precision and naturalness. Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations for invitations, injuries, and making arrangements.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You use a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including the reason clause “because when we were studying at school…” and the conditional time phrase “After recovering from my injuries…”. The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors occur in verb forms, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “you are organised a surprise birthday party” should use a suitable tense such as “you are organising” or “you have organised”; “I had accident” needs an article; and “a doctor suggested me the bedrest” has an incorrect verb pattern. The sentence about Chris’s past wish also shifts awkwardly between past and present forms. Review verb patterns and articles, and proofread each sentence for tense consistency while retaining your attempts at complex structures.
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