Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-27
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,
How are you doing?I read your message that you invited me to surprsise birthday party of my friend,but I am sorry because I am unable to join it.
Chris likes surprise and giving him a surprise party makes his day special and memorable.Moreover,he is thinking to plan a party on his birthday and spending time with his loved ones.Thats fantastic that you already planned it.
I have a job interview in other state and I am practising for this interview for a long time.That is the reason that I am unable to join the party and I am really sorry about it. I hope you understand my situation.
I promise you to catch you this weekend and we will surely spend a lot of time together.Also, I will tell you about my job interview results.
Hopefully you will enjoy the party.
Kind rewards,
Taran Brar.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You address all three requested points: you explain that Chris enjoys surprises, give your job interview as the reason you cannot attend, and suggest meeting at the weekend. The apology and friendly tone also suit a personal letter. However, the reasons Chris would enjoy the party are only briefly stated, and the proposed alternative meeting is vague: “catch you this weekend” does not specify a time or activity. There is also some uncertainty about who “you” refers to in that plan, since the letter is addressed to Chris’s parents but the plan is to see Chris. Develop these details more clearly and directly to make the response fully effective.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The letter has a generally clear sequence: an opening, an explanation of the party’s appeal, your reason for declining, and a proposed later meeting. Paragraph breaks help separate these points, and connectors such as “Moreover,” “That is the reason,” and “Also” show how ideas relate. Some cohesion is mechanical or unclear, however. “I promise you to catch you this weekend” makes the reference to the person you will meet confusing, and “Hopefully you will enjoy the party” repeats the earlier point without adding much. Use clearer references and connect each paragraph’s ideas more naturally, while keeping the overall structure.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main message, including relevant expressions such as “surprise party,” “memorable,” “job interview,” and “loved ones.” The tone is mostly appropriate for a friendly letter. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “surprse birthday party,” “makes his day special,” “catch you,” and “Kind rewards.” Spelling errors such as “surprse” and “Thats” also reduce accuracy. These choices do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, but they make the letter less natural. Practise common phrases for declining an invitation and arranging a future meeting, and check spelling before submitting.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You communicate using a mixture of short statements and some longer sentences, for example, “I have a job interview in other state and I am practising for this interview for a long time.” The main message remains understandable, but there are several errors in sentence formation, articles, and punctuation. In “How are you doing?I read,” a space is needed after the question mark; “in other state” needs an article, and “I promise you to catch you” has an incorrect grammatical pattern. The sentence about Chris “thinking to plan a party” also needs a more suitable verb construction. Aim to produce accurate simple sentences first, then add complex structures with careful checking.
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.