WRITING TASK 1 — Letter to Lecturer (Missed Deadline)
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Shadi
- Writing Task.1 General
IELTS Writing Task 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task
You are taking a course at a local college. The deadline for your project was last week but you haven’t finished it.
Write a letter to your lecturer. In your letter
- introduce yourself
- explain why you haven’t handed in the project yet
- request more time to do it.
Write at least 150 words.
✍️Task Analysis & Step-by-Step Response Strategy
1. STRUCTURE & OUTLINE
A formal letter should follow this layout:
- Greeting: Dear [Title + Last Name]
- Opening: State who you are and why you’re writing
- Body Paragraph 1: Explain the problem (missed deadline)
- Body Paragraph 2: Give the reason for the delay
- Body Paragraph 3: Make a polite request (extension)
- Closing line + sign-off: Thank the reader & close politely
2. USEFUL VOCAB & PHRASES
- I’m a student in your [course name] class
- I’m writing to explain why…
- I was unable to submit my project on time due to…
- I would be very grateful if you could…
- Thank you for your understanding
- I sincerely apologize for the delay
- I hope to hear from you soon
3. USEFUL SENTENCE STRUCTURES
🔸 Past causes for delay:
- I had intended to complete the project, but I was unexpectedly…
- Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was unable to meet the deadline.
🔸 Requesting politely:
- Would it be possible to have a short extension?
- I would appreciate it if you could allow me a few extra days.
🔸 Concluding formally:
- Thank you for your consideration.
- I look forward to your response.
🎯 Band 7+ Model Response
Word Count: 154 ✅
Dear Professor Taylor,
My name is Sarah Jones, and I’m currently enrolled in your Academic Writing course. I’m writing to explain why I was unable to submit the final project by the deadline last week.
Unfortunately, I became quite unwell a few days before the due date. After visiting my doctor, I was advised to take complete rest and avoid using screens, which made it impossible for me to finalize and submit the assignment.
I had already completed most of the research and drafting, but I needed additional time to revise, edit, and properly format the final version.
I sincerely apologize for the delay and any inconvenience this may have caused. I value this course and the opportunity to improve my academic writing. I would appreciate it if you could grant me a one-week extension so I can complete the project to the best of my ability.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Yours sincerely,
Sarah Jones
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