Letter

Band 6+: You were supposed to meet a close friend for their birthday dinner, but you completely forgot and missed it. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: - Apologize sincerely for missing the dinner - Explain why you forgot and why you didn't contact them sooner - Suggest a way to make it up to them.

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Hello, my friend Lisa.

Hopefully, you are fine. I am writing you this letter for our meeting. I am really sorry for missing the lunch. I totally forgot about the meeting because I was too busy with work and overwhelmed. As I had plans with my family for dinner on the same day, I just focused on dinner, and woke up late. I believe that I can make this up to you. I just want to let you know that I am aware that it was a big mistake. Moreover, I assure you that it will not happen again. If you accept my apology, I would like to reschedule a lunch with you. I am available this weekend. The lunch will be on me. I made a reservation at 2:00 pm on Saturday at the Sunny Bakery Coffee Shop. Let me know if you are also free during that time and if not but still want to join, I can change the reservation date.

Take care, love.

Hilal Yavuz

Word Count: 169

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Overall Band Score

6.5

(+/- 0.5)

Vocabulary Complexity:
A2 - Upper Beginner
Consider using more varied and advanced words.

Grammar Mistakes: N/A

Vocabulary Repetition:

lunch: 3

Try using synonyms for the above words

Task Response

The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the task. The explanation for forgetting is clear, the feelings regarding the mistake are expressed, and a specific suggestion for rescheduling is provided. To improve and reach a higher band, the writer could expand more on the emotional aspect (how they feel about letting the friend down) to make the apology feel more sincere and less transactional. Additionally, some phrasing could be more natural; for example, 'I am writing you this letter for our meeting' is slightly awkward and could be replaced with 'I am writing to apologize for missing our lunch.' The tone is generally appropriate for a friend, though 'Hello, my friend Lisa' is a bit formal for a close relationship.

Coherence & Cohesion

The letter follows a logical progression and addresses all parts of the prompt. However, the transitions between sentences are somewhat abrupt, making the flow feel a bit 'choppy.' To improve, try using more sophisticated cohesive devices. For example, instead of starting several sentences with 'I...', you could use linking words like 'Because of this,' 'Consequently,' or 'To make up for it.' Additionally, the opening 'I am writing you this letter for our meeting' is slightly awkward; a smoother transition would be 'I am writing to apologize for missing our lunch meeting.'

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary used is appropriate for an informal letter to a friend, and the meaning is clear throughout. However, the range of vocabulary is somewhat limited. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more idiomatic expressions or more precise synonyms. For instance, instead of saying 'I was too busy with work and overwhelmed,' you could say 'I was completely snowed under with work.' Instead of 'it was a big mistake,' you might say 'I feel terrible about my oversight.' Boost vocabulary complexity to elevate the overall score.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The grammar is generally accurate, and the reader can understand the message without difficulty. However, there is a reliance on simple sentence structures. There are also some minor phrasing issues, such as 'Hello, my friend Lisa' (which sounds unnatural in English; 'Hi Lisa' or 'Dear Lisa' is better) and 'if not but still want to join' (which is grammatically clunky). Aim to use more complex sentence structures, such as conditional sentences (e.g., 'If you are busy at that time, please let me know so I can reschedule') to demonstrate a higher level of control.

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Coherence & Cohesion

Lexical Resource

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Overall Band Score

Task Response

Coherence & Cohesion

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

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