Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-29
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 collins,
i hope you are fine aand enjoy your good health.i am overjoyed and thirlled to see your letter which i received yesterday.I really want to participate in the
surprized birthday party which you planned for Chris.But i apologise you from chore of my heart that due to my assignment in office which was scheduled to be held on
birthday day on 25th december it bis impossible ffor me vto attend the birthday party
I know Chris is very pragmatic person,he will reallly enjoy the gathering of friend and family .you have also mention in your letter about arrangment of special music programme its really fantastic and worth listening for Chris .as Cris is music lover and has very optimistic approach towards good poetry and music.
I will definitely come after my busy routine and will meet Chris and we shall have good time in winter holidays after my office assignment.
your f
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You address the three main points: you explain that Chris enjoys music and being with friends and family, give an office assignment as the reason you cannot attend, and suggest meeting during the winter holidays. These details are relevant, but the explanation of Chris’s likely enjoyment is somewhat repetitive and the alternative plan is vague: “after my busy routine” and “in winter holidays” do not specify a day or activity. The apology is clear in intention, though the wording makes it difficult to understand. To develop the response more fully, explain what makes the surprise especially suitable for Chris and propose a definite time and plan for meeting. A suitable closing and the requested form of address would also make the letter feel complete.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a generally understandable sequence: it reacts to the invitation, explains the absence, describes Chris’s interests, and proposes a later meeting. Paragraph breaks help separate these points. However, the progression is not consistently smooth, and some connections between ideas are unclear. For example, the sentence about the music programme moves from the parents’ arrangement to Chris’s love of music and poetry without clearly linking those details. The opening and final lines are also incomplete, which weakens the letter’s overall shape. Use clear paragraphing for each purpose in the task, connect supporting details explicitly, and finish with a complete closing and sign-off.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You attempt a range of vocabulary, including “overjoyed,” “pragmatic,” “optimistic approach,” and “gathering,” and you include relevant terms such as “assignment” and “music programme.” However, several choices or combinations are inaccurate or unnatural, which sometimes makes the meaning harder to follow: “apologise you from chore of my heart” and “worth listening for Chris” are examples. Spelling errors such as “surprized,” “thirlled,” and “arrangment” are also noticeable. Aim for accurate, natural phrases rather than using elaborate expressions; for instance, say that you are “very sorry” you cannot attend and that Chris “will enjoy” the music programme.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, including a reason for your absence and a description of Chris’s interests. However, control is uneven, and errors in sentence construction, verb forms, articles, and punctuation sometimes make the message difficult to read. For example, “which was scheduled to be held on birthday day” has an unclear grammatical structure, while “you have also mention” uses an incorrect verb form. Several sentences run together without appropriate punctuation, particularly the opening and the paragraph about the music programme. Practise building clear sentences with one main idea, check subject–verb forms and articles, and use full stops to separate complete thoughts.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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