Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-30

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 6.5)

Dear Sir and Madam,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am very delighted to receive your invitation for a surprise birthday party party of your son and my dear friend "Chris".

I believe Chris will enjoy this birthday party, because he is back home after a long time from studies and he has missed almost five birthday anniversaries due to his studies and busy routine, when he was abroad. Additionally, he will meet his old friends which will rewind it's past memories.

It is very unpleasant for me to inform you that I won't be able to attend this party because I have an important exam on the same day, which is crucial for my promotion. Additionally, I am back home in my country and can't meet the expenses of travelling.

I hope you will make it memorable for him and I have a different plan to meet Chris in the coming year on the occasion of his convocation. I am very excited to meet him soon.

I hope Chris will enjoy the party and accept my apology for not being there.

Yours sincerely,

Asad.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points: you explain why Chris may enjoy seeing old friends, give two reasons for being unable to attend, and suggest meeting at his convocation. The explanation that he has missed birthdays while studying abroad is relevant, and the exam and travel costs make your apology understandable. This fully covers the task, while the detail about the alternative plan is less developed: “in the coming year” and “on the occasion of his convocation” do not specify a proposed date or activity. The opening also does not follow the requested “Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,” and “Dear Sir and Madam” is less personal for this letter. A specific invitation to meet for lunch after the ceremony would make the plan clearer and more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter has a clear progression: greeting and thanks, reasons Chris will enjoy the event, your apology, and a future meeting plan. Paragraphing helps the reader distinguish these purposes, and connectors such as “Additionally” make relationships between ideas clear. The closing also returns to the party and your apology, giving the letter a suitable sense of completion. Some linking is a little mechanical, particularly the repeated “Additionally,” and the final paragraph repeats the hope that Chris will enjoy the party. The reference in “rewind it's past memories” is also not immediately clear, which briefly interrupts the flow. Use a wider range of natural transitions and make references explicit—for example, say that the gathering will bring back memories of their time together.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including “crucial for my promotion,” “missed almost five birthday anniversaries,” and “accept my apology.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and the reader can understand your reasons and plans. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “birthday party party,” “birthday anniversaries,” “busy routine,” and “rewind it's past memories.” “Very delighted” is also less natural than a simpler expression of thanks. These slips do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Aim for familiar, accurate combinations such as “birthday celebrations,” “busy schedule,” and “bring back memories,” and proofread for accidental repetition and apostrophe errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a reason clause with “because” and a relative clause in “friends which will rewind…” The main message remains clear, and several sentences are structurally sound. Some grammatical and punctuation errors remain, however. In “he has missed … due to his studies and busy routine, when he was abroad,” the time clause is awkwardly attached; separating it would make the relationship clearer. “I have a different plan to meet Chris” is also unclear in structure, and the quotation marks around “Chris” are unnecessary. Check sentence boundaries and punctuation, and practise forming clear clauses when explaining past events and future arrangements. More consistently accurate complex sentences would strengthen control.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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