Letter

Band 7+: You successfully passed a job interview. You are expected to start on November 15, but you will not be available on that date. Task: Write a letter to your new boss, explaining your situation, expressing your concern and suggesting a solution.

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Dear manager xx

Thank you so much for offering me the digital marketing specialist position at xx company. I am thrilled to join in the team!

Regarding my start date on November 15, I wanted to discuss a quick scheduling conflict. Unfortunately, I am unable to start on that day for two main reasons. First, my current employer requires a full 30 day notice period for a smooth handover. Second, I have a long standing family commitment during that week.

I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this might cause, as I am eager to contribute to the team. As a solution, could we adjust my start date to December 1? In the meanwhile, I am happy to complete any preliminary paperwork or onboarding materials online beforehand.

Thank you for your understanding, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Your Faithfully,

Cynthia

Word Count: 142

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Overall Band Score

7.5

(+/- 0.5)

Vocabulary Complexity:
B2 - Upper Intermediate
Opt for even more advanced words when appropriate.

Grammar Mistakes: N/A

Vocabulary Repetition:

start: 3

Try using synonyms for the above words

Task Response

The letter effectively addresses the task by explaining the situation, expressing concern, and suggesting a solution. The tone is polite and professional, and the content is relevant and sufficient. However, there is a minor lapse in the closing: 'Your Faithfully' should be 'Yours faithfully' for formal letters. Additionally, the letter could be slightly more specific about the family commitment to enhance clarity, though this is not essential. Overall, the response is well-structured and meets the requirements appropriately. The letter falls short of the required 150 words.

Coherence & Cohesion

The letter is well-structured and easy to follow. The message flows logically from expressing gratitude, explaining the conflict, apologizing, suggesting a solution, and closing politely. Paragraphing is appropriate. To achieve a perfect score, consider using more cohesive devices to link ideas more smoothly, such as 'In addition' or 'Furthermore' when listing reasons.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary is appropriate and clear, with good use of phrases like 'scheduling conflict', 'smooth handover', and 'preliminary paperwork'. However, there is room for more sophisticated and varied lexical choices. For example, instead of 'quick scheduling conflict', you could say 'minor scheduling issue'. Also, 'long standing family commitment' could be rephrased as 'a pre-existing family obligation' for a more formal tone.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The grammar is mostly accurate, with a good range of structures. However, there are a few errors and awkward phrasings. 'I am thrilled to join in the team' should be 'I am thrilled to join the team' (remove 'in'). 'Your Faithfully' should be 'Yours faithfully'. Also, 'In the meanwhile' is less common; 'In the meantime' is more standard. These minor issues prevent a higher score.

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Band 7+: You successfully passed a job interview. You are expected to start on November 15, but you will not be available on that date. Task: Write a letter to your new boss, explaining your situation, expressing your concern and suggesting a solution.

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Overall Band Score

Task Response

Coherence & Cohesion

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Answers On The Same Topic:

You successfully passed a job interview. You are expected to start on November 15, but you will not be available on that date. Task: Write a letter to your new boss, explaining your situation, expressing your concern and suggesting a solution.

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