Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-28
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 Mr and Mrs Collins,
I received your invitation regarding surprise birthday party for Chris. He will be delighful on his birthday, as he enjoys surprises. He is the kind of poeple who adores such things.
However, I have my academic exams in that week so I will not be able to join in this amazing surprise plan. I am very greatful that you gave speacial invitation, but I cannot manage to come to australia on that particular day on my way to India.
As his best friend, I will deffenetly come to your place onwards after my exams in the summer vacation. I will make sure he does not get the information regarding this plan to succeed your surprise.
I hope you all enjoy and you kindly share all the photos to me. I am so excited to hear about his reaction to the surprise.
Yours sincerely,
Alex.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You address all three bullet points: you explain that Chris enjoys surprises, give exams as the reason you cannot attend, and suggest visiting after your exams during the summer vacation. However, the ideas are only partly developed. The alternative plan is vague: “come to your place onwards after my exams” does not specify when you will meet Chris or suggest arranging a particular date. The reason for missing the party is also confusing because “on my way to India” is not clearly connected to your exams or travel plans. The response is one word below the required minimum, so it does not meet the length instruction. Add a little detail to clarify your travel situation and propose a definite time to see Chris.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The letter has a clear overall sequence: you acknowledge the invitation, explain your absence, suggest a later visit, and close with a friendly comment. Paragraphing helps separate these stages, and linking expressions such as “However” and “As his best friend” guide the reader through the message. This coherent arrangement is a strength. Some connections are less clear, particularly “I cannot manage to come to Australia on that particular day on my way to India,” which makes the relationship between your travel and the party difficult to follow. The final sentences also move quickly from keeping the plan secret to requesting photos. Clarifying these links and making the proposed visit a distinct, specific plan would make the progression more natural and cohesive.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use a range of relevant expressions, including “surprise plan,” “academic exams,” and “summer vacation,” and the reader can generally understand your message. There are, however, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors that reduce precision: “delighful,” “poeple,” “greatful,” “speacial,” and “deffenetly” are misspelled, while “onwards” is not natural in “come to your place onwards after my exams.” Some phrases are also awkward, such as “succeed your surprise” and “share all the photos to me.” These errors do not prevent understanding, but they make the letter less fluent and idiomatic. Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations for arranging a visit and asking someone to share photographs.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, for example, “I am very grateful that you gave…” and “I will make sure he does not get the information…”. Most of the message remains understandable, but errors in sentence construction and grammatical patterns are noticeable. In “I received your invitation regarding surprise birthday party,” the article before “surprise birthday party” is missing. “I will definitely come to your place onwards after my exams” has an unclear construction, and “I hope you all enjoy and you kindly share…” joins the ideas awkwardly. Use complete, clearly structured sentences, check articles and prepositions, and separate the request for photos from the expression of hope. More accurate control of these patterns would improve clarity.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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