Band 8+: You recently borrowed a book from your colleague and accidentally damaged it. Write a letter to your colleague explaining the situation. You should include details about: - how the book was damaged - why you didn't notice the damage immediately - what you plan to do to make amends

The letter fully addresses all three bullet points: it clearly explains what happened (spilling cola on the book), why it couldn't be returned in good condition (the stain obscures text), and how the writer plans to make amends (offering to replace it). The tone is appropriately apologetic and sincere. The only minor lapse is that the offer to replace the book is slightly conditional ('if you prefer it'), which could be more decisive, but this does not detract significantly from the overall task achievement. To reach a band 9, you could make the offer more concrete and perhaps add a specific action, such as 'I will order a new copy today' or 'I will buy a replacement and give it to you next week.' The letter falls short of the required 150 words.

The letter is well-organized and easy to follow. The apology is clear, and the sequence of events (what happened, why it was damaged, and how to make amends) is logical. The use of cohesive devices is natural, though a few transitions could be smoother. For example, the sentence 'I know you already had some notes and scribbles on it, so I am leaving it to you to take your old book or leave it for me to keep' could be rephrased for clarity. Overall, the message is coherent and the paragraphing is appropriate.

The vocabulary is appropriate and generally precise. The letter uses a good range of words and phrases, such as 'accidentally spilled,' 'left a dark mark,' and 'make amends.' There is a minor issue with the phrase 'the new one' which could be more naturally expressed as 'a new copy.' Additionally, 'I am leaving it to you' is slightly awkward; 'I'll let you decide' would be more natural. Overall, the lexical resource is strong and conveys the message effectively. Boost vocabulary complexity to elevate the overall score.

The letter demonstrates a good range of grammatical structures with only minor errors. For example, 'I could not return it' should be 'I cannot return it' to maintain present tense consistency. Also, 'I know you already had some notes' could be 'I know you have some notes' for better tense control. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. The overall grammatical accuracy is high, and the minor issues do not impede understanding.