Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-26
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 4.5)
In cotemporary epoch, there is an argument over issue that, there is fleck doubt over the issue that, the parents of my good friend chris have invited me, they want take a good surprise for my birthday party, becuse my good friend of parents lot of love whith me, and i also want to go there, but i am very busiest in my work, because i am working as hotel management in a hotel, if I come in birthday party maybe very lose of hotel, where i am working there, yes I can manage another time for come to bithday party as well, you know I will come next month, in that I am also felling not good, but that time I can not come on my birthday party, so I will come definitely next month in house, and I will meet you with your parents, because your parents also a very impotant part of my life.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 3.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
You attempt to address the three requested points: you suggest Chris may appreciate the party, explain that work prevents you from attending, and propose meeting the following month. However, the reasons are difficult to follow and are not developed clearly. For example, “I am very busiest in my work” gives a basic explanation, but the claim that attending could cause a “very lose of hotel” is unclear. The plan to meet “next month in house” also lacks a specific date or arrangement. The response therefore only partially fulfils the task, and the reader has to infer important details. State directly why Chris would enjoy the surprise, give a clear reason for your absence, and suggest a definite alternative meeting plan.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5
There is a basic sequence from the invitation to your inability to attend and then a possible future visit, so the main points can be identified. However, the response is presented as one long sentence-like paragraph, with ideas joined repeatedly by “and,” “because,” and “but.” This makes the progression difficult to follow, especially where you move from being busy at work to feeling unwell and then to visiting next month. Some references, such as “that time,” are unclear. Organise the letter into short paragraphs, use full stops to separate complete ideas, and make the links between the reason for missing the party and your alternative plan explicit.
Lexical Resource: Band 4.5
You use a few task-relevant expressions, including “surprise,” “birthday party,” “hotel,” and “next month,” which help convey the general situation. However, vocabulary is often inaccurate or unnatural, and several spelling errors make the message harder to understand. Examples include “cotemporary epoch,” “fleck doubt,” “bithday,” and “impotant”; phrases such as “take a good surprise” and “very lose of hotel” do not express the intended meaning clearly. Aim for straightforward, natural wording rather than formal phrases that do not fit a personal letter. For instance, say “I’m sure Chris will love the surprise” and “I can’t leave the hotel during my shift.” Check spelling and common word combinations carefully.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
The response communicates a few basic ideas, but sentence structure and grammatical control are limited. Most of the writing is joined into one extended sentence, and clauses are often formed inaccurately, as in “they want take a good surprise for my birthday party” and “if I come in birthday party maybe very lose of hotel.” There are also problems with articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries; for example, “I will come next month” is repeated without a clear connection to the preceding idea. Use short, complete sentences first, then add a few accurate clauses with “because” or “although.” Check that each sentence has a clear subject and verb, and use punctuation to separate the main points.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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