Letter

Band 6+: You promised to help a neighbor with their garden but failed to do so due to unforeseen circumstances. Write a letter to your neighbor apologizing for not keeping your promise. You should include details about: - what prevented you from helping - why you are particularly sorry for letting them down - how you intend to make it up to them

See all user-written answers on this topic

Skyrocket your IELTS band score by 1-2 points in under a month with our premium plan!

Note: Both the topic and the answer were created by one of our users.

Hello, my dear Anderson.

Sorry, but i can’t help you with your garden. I don’t expected this, but I suddenly got sick. Bad sick. I lie in bed all day. And I feel weak myself. I’m coughing and spitting every few minutes. It feels really bad. The temperature rose to 38. I think I’ll even call a doctor to my house today. Because with each passing hour the condition is actually getting worse.

I really apologize, buddy. And I feel regret for failing to keep my promise. This is not what I wanted. But unfortunately, I can’t come either.

Let’s do it this way: Next weekend, after you get back from work, we’ll meet and do this job.

I think I’ll feel better by then. And I can help you with this.

I hope you understand. I’m truly sorry, my friend. Take care, there are a lot of viruses going around right now.

Hugs to you!

Word Count: 156

Check Your Answer On This Topic?

Check My Answer

Generate A Band-9 Sample Answer?

Generate A Sample

Overall Band Score

(+/- 0.5)

Vocabulary Complexity:
A1 - Beginner
Aim to use more advanced language.

Grammar Mistakes: N/A

Vocabulary Repetition:
No noticeable repetition! Great job!

Task Response

The letter adequately addresses all the requirements of the task, including the reason for not being able to help, expressing regret, and suggesting an alternative. The tone is appropriately apologetic and friendly. To improve, consider providing more specific details about the alternative solution or rescheduled time, and ensure the language is consistently formal or informal, avoiding abrupt shifts.

Coherence & Cohesion

The letter is generally coherent, but the organization could be improved. The progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. Consider grouping related ideas into paragraphs for better flow. For example, the details about your illness could be consolidated into a single paragraph. Using more formal transition words would also enhance the connection between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary used is simple and repetitive. While it conveys the message, it lacks sophistication. Try to use a wider range of vocabulary to express your ideas more precisely and avoid repetition. For instance, instead of saying 'Bad sick,' you could use 'suddenly became quite ill' or 'experienced a sudden and severe illness.' Boost vocabulary complexity to elevate the overall score.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The letter contains several grammatical errors, including incorrect verb tenses, subject-verb agreement issues, and awkward phrasing. While the meaning is generally clear, these errors detract from the overall quality of the writing. Focus on using a wider range of sentence structures and ensuring grammatical accuracy. For example, 'I don't expected this' should be 'I didn't expect this,' and 'I feel weak myself' could be improved to 'I feel very weak.'

Answers On The Same Topic:

See All