Letter

Band 5+: You were supposed to attend a friend's birthday party last weekend, but you didn't show up without any notice. Write a letter to your friend apologizing for your absence. You should include details about: - why you couldn't attend the party - why you didn't inform them beforehand - how you plan 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.

Dear Pooja,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to express regret for missing the birthday party. I know how much you were excited to celebrate your birhday with everybody, and I feel terrible that I couldn’t make it.

Unfortunatley, I had last-minute family emergency. My niece was suddenly unwell. I had to take her to the hospital. everything happend so quickly. I didn’t even get a chance to sent you a text message or give you a call. Thankful that she feels better now.

I felt so disappointed about misiing the celebration. I had been excited to celebrate the birthday with you and our friends and spend some quality. I heard that the party was amazing and you guys enjoy alot. I am really sorry that I couldn’t be part of that wonderful memories.

I am planning to take you for a lunch this weekend. I also has a small gift for you. i can’t wait to celebrate your birthday.

Once again, I am really sorry. I think you forgive me. I look forward to see you soon.

Best wishes,

Ramandeep kaur

Word Count: 185

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:
B1 - Intermediate
Using more sophisticated words could be beneficial.

Grammar Mistakes: N/A

Vocabulary Repetition:

celebrate: 3

Try using synonyms for the above words

Task Response

The letter appropriately addresses the task by explaining the reason for missing the party, expressing feelings about the absence, and suggesting a way to make amends. The tone is apologetic and friendly, which suits the context. However, there are some minor omissions and lapses in detail. For example, the emergency explanation could be slightly more specific, and the plan to make it up could be elaborated. Additionally, there are a few spelling and grammatical errors (e.g., 'birhday', 'Unfortunatley', 'misiing', 'enjoy alot', 'I also has', 'I think you forgive me') that detract from the overall quality. To improve, ensure proofreading for accuracy and consider adding more detail to the apology and the plan to make it up, such as mentioning a specific restaurant or activity.

Coherence & Cohesion

The letter has a clear structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, the flow is sometimes disrupted by abrupt transitions and missing connectors. For example, the shift from describing the emergency to expressing disappointment could be smoother. Consider using linking words like 'Unfortunately,' 'Moreover,' or 'As a result' to improve cohesion. Paragraphing is adequate but could be more skillfully managed to separate ideas more clearly.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, with some good choices like 'express regret' and 'last-minute family emergency.' However, there are several spelling errors (e.g., 'birhday,' 'Unfortunatley,' 'misiing,' 'alot') and some awkward phrasing (e.g., 'spend some quality,' 'you guys enjoy alot'). To improve, use a wider range of vocabulary and ensure correct spelling. For example, instead of 'I think you forgive me,' you could say 'I hope you can forgive me.'

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The letter contains frequent grammatical errors that affect clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('everything happend,' 'I also has'), incorrect verb tenses ('I had to take her to the hospital. everything happend so quickly'), and missing articles ('I had last-minute family emergency'). Punctuation is inconsistent, with run-on sentences and missing capital letters (e.g., 'everything,' 'i'). To improve, focus on basic grammar rules, such as using past tense consistently and checking subject-verb agreement. Proofreading for punctuation and capitalization would also help.

Answers On The Same Topic:

See All