Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-04

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 6.0)

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Collins,

I hope you are doing quite well. I am an extremely delighted to hear that you are organising a surprise party on Chris's birthday.

As we all are familiar with the fact that Chris is fond of surprises since and unplanned events since his childhood. I firmly believe that he must enjoy the moment. However, unfortunaltely i will not be able to make it work due to my hectic schedule. Since the festival season is coming up, my workplace seems to be quite busy. I really wanted to be a part of his most favourite moment. Anyhow, I am making sure that we will see each other pretty soon as my birthday is coming next month. I am planning to make it worth it make that moment much more memorable.

I would really appreciate it if you could understand my situation.

Yours truly

Manpreet kour

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you explain that Chris enjoys surprises, give a reason for being unable to attend, and suggest meeting another time. The explanation that he has liked surprises since childhood is relevant, and your busy workplace during the festival season gives a plausible reason for declining. However, the alternative plan is not fully clear: saying your birthday is next month does not specify when or how you will meet Chris, and “I am planning to make it worth it” leaves the plan vague. Develop this point with a definite invitation, such as a date and an activity. The letter is appropriate overall, but a more specific plan and fuller development of the ideas would make it more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: an opening, a paragraph explaining the party and your absence, and a polite closing. The sequence is easy to follow, and linking expressions such as “However,” “Since,” and “Anyhow” help connect the ideas. This shows coherent organisation and some effective use of cohesion. At times, though, the connections feel mechanical or the references are unclear. For example, “I am planning to make it worth it make that moment much more memorable” interrupts the progression, while “the moment” could refer either to Chris’s party or to your proposed meeting. Separate the reason for declining from the alternative plan, and use a clear transition and specific reference to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the situation, including “surprise party,” “fond of surprises,” “hectic schedule,” and “festival season.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and the tone is generally suitable for a personal letter. There are also some inaccurate or awkward expressions that limit precision: “make it work” is not the natural way to say you cannot attend, and “his most favourite moment” is unclear in this context. “Extremely delighted” is also an awkward combination here. Check spelling and word forms, including “unfortunately,” and avoid repeating or combining phrases such as “make it worth it” and “make that moment much more memorable.” More natural collocations would make your meaning clearer and more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex forms, including the reason clause beginning “Since the festival season is coming up” and the conditional structure “I would really appreciate it if…”. Most of the message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. In “I am an extremely delighted,” the article is unnecessary; write “I am extremely delighted.” The sentence beginning “As we all are familiar…” is a fragment, and “since” is repeated in “since and unplanned events since his childhood.” The phrase “I am planning to make it worth it make that moment…” also lacks a grammatical connection between its parts. Capitalise “I” consistently and revise these sentences into complete, clearly structured forms.

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

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