Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-25

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're in the pink of health! I am glad you consider my presence in the surprise party which you are planning to celebrate birthday of your son. Although Chris celebrates his birthday every year,

As you know, I was moved to another city for further study last month. It will be hard for me to get vacation from university because most of the classes are started. Moreover, I also join the swimming classes which are starting from the next week.

I will get off from my academics this summer. I am planning to visit at your house and want to spend time with chris. Since I have been living in Australia for two years, I didn't grt time to explore the city more. In summer, there is camping area in the city where we can do hiking and other outdoor activities.

I really appreciate you to invite me on Chris's birthday party. I wish he will enjoy his day.

Best wishes,

Dilpreet.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three requested points: you explain that Chris may enjoy celebrating with friends, give university and swimming commitments as reasons you cannot attend, and suggest visiting in summer for hiking and other activities. The alternative plan is the clearest part because it includes a season and possible activities. However, the reason Chris will enjoy the party is only implied; the unfinished sentence, “Although Chris celebrates his birthday every year,” does not explain what makes this surprise especially enjoyable. The apology or regret about missing the event could also be clearer. Develop the birthday point with a specific detail about Chris or the guests, and state directly that you are sorry you cannot be there.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a generally coherent arrangement: it opens with thanks, moves to the reason for your absence, then gives a future plan and closes with good wishes. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these stages. Some connections are less clear, though. “Although Chris celebrates his birthday every year,” is left unfinished and interrupts the opening, while “Moreover” introduces swimming classes without making their relevance to your inability to travel entirely clear. The shift from the party to your wish to explore the city also feels abrupt. Use complete sentences and clearer links between the commitments and your absence, then connect the summer visit directly to seeing Chris.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some varied expressions, including “in the pink of health,” “further study,” and “outdoor activities,” and the reader can generally understand your intended meaning. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “presence in the surprise party,” “celebrate birthday of your son,” and “get vacation from university.” There are also spelling and capitalization slips, including “grt” and “chris.” These issues make the vocabulary less precise and occasionally slow understanding. Aim for natural phrases suited to a friendly letter, such as “attend the surprise party,” “celebrate your son’s birthday,” and “get time off from university,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, for example, “It will be hard for me to get vacation from university because most of the classes are started.” The message remains broadly understandable, but some grammatical errors affect clarity. The opening contains an unfinished clause: “Although Chris celebrates his birthday every year,” and “I am glad you consider my presence” is missing a grammatical construction such as “have considered inviting me.” Tense and verb-form choices also need attention in “most of the classes are started” and “I also join the swimming classes.” Practise completing subordinate clauses and keeping verb forms consistent, while checking articles and sentence punctuation.

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