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 Mr and Mrs Santos,
I am wirting this letter to inform you that Chris will be happy on his birthday because you give him that kind of surprice.Anyone would love that especial occasion not just because of any gift but because his family are able to get together just for him.
I Thank you for inviting me,but sad to say I cant do it to appear on Chris birthday.Because I have some important schedule on that day and I cant cancel it because my client had waited so long for that day of our tattoo session.
I promise that I will make a schedule for me and Chris to have a separate celebration of his birthday.Thank you again and I wish that Chris will enjoyed his special day.I am looking forward on the day that we both come together on the next celebration of his birthday.
Respectfully yours,
Jeffrey
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You address the three requested points: you explain that Chris will appreciate having family together, give a reason for missing the party, and suggest celebrating with him separately. The explanation for your absence is specific—the client has waited for a tattoo session—but the alternative plan remains vague: “make a schedule” does not say when or what you will do together. The reason Chris will enjoy the surprise is relevant, though it is expressed generally rather than developed with a personal detail about him. There is also a mismatch with the required opening: the task specifies “Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,” but you address “Mr and Mrs Santos.” Make the plan more concrete and check the names and details against the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The letter has a clear overall sequence: you explain the appeal of the party, decline the invitation, and then propose a separate celebration. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these points, and expressions such as “Thank you for inviting me” and “Thank you again” support the letter’s purpose. However, some links between ideas are awkward or incomplete. For example, “Because I have some important schedule on that day” is a sentence fragment, and “I promise that I will make a schedule” does not clearly specify the next step. The closing repeats the idea of celebrating Chris’s birthday. To strengthen progression, connect the reason for declining to a specific alternative, such as proposing a day or activity, and avoid repeating the same intention.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use enough relevant vocabulary to communicate the main message, including “surprise,” “special occasion,” “client,” and “tattoo session.” The wording also shows an attempt to express warmth and appreciation. However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, including “wirting,” “surprice,” and “especial,” and some phrases are unnatural or imprecise: “appear on Chris birthday” and “make a schedule for me and Chris.” These choices can make the reader pause, even though the overall meaning is generally recoverable. Aim for accurate, natural collocations suited to a friendly letter—for example, “attend Chris’s birthday party” and “arrange another time to celebrate”—and proofread spelling before submitting.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
Your message includes both simple statements and attempts to combine ideas, but control is uneven. Several errors affect sentence structure and verb forms: “Because I have some important schedule on that day” is a fragment, “I wish that Chris will enjoyed” uses an incorrect verb form, and “I am looking forward on the day” has an incorrect preposition pattern. There are also problems with agreement and sentence boundaries, as in “his family are able” and the run-on construction “I am wirting this letter … surprice.Anyone would love…”. These errors sometimes make the reader work to follow the message. Use complete sentences, check subject–verb agreement and verb forms, and review punctuation between sentences. A wider range of accurately controlled sentence patterns would improve clarity.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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