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 Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope you both are doing well. I just got your letter and I am glad to hear that you both are planning a surprise birthday party for him.

From his childhood, I know his character very well, as he is a person who likes to enjoy surprises and unforgettable moments in life. For that reason, he will definetely enjoy this party and thankful to your effort in every piece of work.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the function. It's because my father is bed-ridden, due to a sudden car accident. He currently needs someone to take care of him. As a result, I had taken a two-month vacation from my job.

Moreover, I have a business meeting in the Australia after two months. Likewise, I am planning to meet chris at your home. This way i can make some unforgettable memories with him and your family.

I kindly apologise for not being able to make it. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards

Sree

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points: you explain that Chris enjoys surprises, give a reason for your absence, and propose meeting later. The explanation about your father’s accident and care needs is relevant, and the apology suits the purpose of the letter. The response also shows some development beyond a bare list of points. However, the reason Chris will enjoy the party is stated rather generally, and the alternative plan is not fully clear: “I have a business meeting in the Australia after two months” does not explain when you will meet Chris or how the meeting will be arranged. Give a definite time and plan, and develop the party-related reason with a specific example of what Chris enjoys.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter has a clear overall progression: an opening, an explanation of Chris’s likely reaction, your reason for not attending, and a later meeting proposal. Paragraphing helps separate these points, and connectors such as “For that reason,” “Unfortunately,” and “As a result” guide the reader. The main weakness is that some links are mechanical or do not clarify the relationship between ideas. “Moreover” and “Likewise” do not make the connection between the business meeting and the proposed visit clear, while “This way” refers vaguely to the plan. State the sequence explicitly—for example, that you will be in Australia in two months and would like to visit Chris at their home then. This would make the progression more precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including phrases such as “unforgettable moments,” “bed-ridden,” and “take care of him.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and the tone is generally polite. There are, however, several inaccurate or unnatural choices that limit precision: “thankful to your effort in every piece of work,” “attend the function,” and “in the Australia.” “Definetely” is also misspelled, and “chris” should be capitalised. Choose more natural collocations and check spelling and proper nouns. For example, you could say Chris will “appreciate all the effort you have put into organising the party,” and refer to “the party” rather than “the function.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex forms, including the reason clause “It’s because my father is bed-ridden, due to a sudden car accident” and the result link “As a result, I had taken a two-month vacation from my job.” Most sentences remain understandable, but some errors in tense, articles, and sentence construction reduce accuracy. “I was unable to attend” suggests the event has already happened, although the invitation appears to concern a future party; “I had taken” is also not the appropriate tense for describing your current leave. “I look forward to hearing from you” is accurate, but the sentence beginning “Likewise” is awkwardly constructed. Use consistent future or present forms for the upcoming event and check article use, as in “in Australia” and “at your home.”

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

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