Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-31

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 and chris are doing well. I am glad that you invited me to his surprise birthday party which is happening in next week. I am writing this letter to inform you that I will be not able to attend the event.

As this is his 19th birthday, he will be more excited about the future and also for crossing the tennage. Chris always used to discuss about celebrating his last birthday as teen with both of you and I am sure that he will be more excited.

Firstly, sorry for not able to attend the party as I will be travelling to Canada for attending a seminar on the same day which I booked last year. Moreover, I was eagerly waiting to meet a few professional speakers and I cannot miss that chance.

Once I am done with the conference, I will be back in 2 weeks. I am planning to give a surprise visit to Chris on the same day of landing.

Thank you for your understanding and support. Looking forward for your response.

Yours faithfully,

Max James

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points: you explain that Chris may enjoy celebrating his final teenage birthday, give a clear reason for your absence (a seminar in Canada booked last year), and propose visiting after you return. These details make the letter relevant and purposeful. The explanation of why Chris will enjoy the party is the least developed: the reference to his past discussions is useful, but “more excited about the future” is vague and does not clearly show what he would enjoy about the surprise itself. The alternative plan is also quite brief; specifying a date or suggesting that you arrange a meal together would make it more definite. The main ideas are clear, with some room to extend and clarify them further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall sequence: an opening, reasons Chris may enjoy the party, an apology and explanation, and a plan to meet later. Paragraphing helps distinguish these points, and expressions such as “Moreover” and “Once I am done” guide the reader through the message. Some links feel mechanical or do not express the relationship precisely: “Firstly” introduces the apology without a corresponding sequence, while “Moreover” adds a second reason for missing the event but could be connected more smoothly. The final plan is understandable, though “the same day of landing” leaves the timing slightly unclear. More natural transitions and clearer references would make the progression more consistently smooth.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including relevant terms such as “surprise birthday party,” “seminar,” “professional speakers,” and “surprise visit.” These choices communicate the main message, and the tone is generally appropriate. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, however: “crossing the tennage” is not a natural expression, “discuss about celebrating” uses an unsuitable pattern, and “give a surprise visit” is less idiomatic than “pay a surprise visit.” There are also spelling and capitalization slips, including “tennage” and “chris.” Aim for more natural collocations and check spelling and proper names carefully; this would make the vocabulary more precise and fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and more developed sentence forms, including the reason clause in “as I will be travelling to Canada” and the time clause beginning “Once I am done with the conference.” The message remains clear despite some grammatical errors. Examples include “I will be not able” (more naturally, “I will not be able”), “in next week” (use “next week”), and “sorry for not able to attend” (use “sorry for not being able to attend”). The sentence about Chris’s birthday also shifts awkwardly between “will be” and “used to discuss.” Review auxiliary placement, verb patterns after prepositions, and tense consistency. Greater accuracy in these areas, alongside your existing sentence variety, would strengthen control.

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

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