You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You missed an important meeting at work.

Write a letter to your manager apologizing for the absence. In your letter include:

  • An apology for missing the meeting
  • Why you missed it
  • What you will do to avoid this happening again

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Mr. Peterson,

 

Dear Mr. Peterson,

I hope this letter finds well. I am writing to sincerely apologize for missing the important meeting last Friday regarding the plans for opening a new office in Europe. I understand that this was a crucial discussion, and I deeply regret not being there.

The reason for my absence was due to a sudden family emergency. My daughter had a medical situation that required my immediate attention, and unfortunately, I was unable to notify you in time. I completely understand the inconvenience this has caused and take full responsibility for my absence.

To ensure this does not happen again, I have set up notifications on my calendar for all upcoming meetings and will make sure that there is a contingency plan in place in case of any emergencies. I will also make it a priority to review the minutes from the meeting and catch up with my colleagues on any key decisions that were made.

Once again, I apologize for my absence, and I appreciate your understanding.

Kind regards,

Philip Jennings

172 words

 

Band Score:

  1. Task Achievement (9/9):

This letter fully addresses all parts of the prompt:

  • The writer opens with a clear and sincere apology, specifying the meeting and its importance.
  • The reason for missing the meeting is explained in detail, emphasizing the unavoidable nature of the family emergency.
  • The writer concludes by outlining steps to avoid this happening again, such as using notifications and setting up a contingency plan.

Each point is expanded with appropriate details, and the response is well-developed with a respectful tone, making it a strong Band 9 for Task Achievement.

  1. Cohesion & Coherence (9/9):

The letter follows a logical structure, with each paragraph clearly addressing one part of the task (apology, reason, and solution). Cohesive devices such as “I understand that,” “To ensure this does not happen again,” and “Once again, I apologize” help to smoothly transition between ideas.

The letter is well-organized, making it easy for the reader to follow. The use of appropriate linking words contributes to the overall clarity and flow.

  1. Grammatical Range & Accuracy (9/9):

The letter demonstrates a wide range of grammatical structures:

  • “I am writing to sincerely apologize for missing the important meeting last Friday.”
  • “My daughter had a medical situation that required my immediate attention.”
  • “I completely understand the inconvenience this has caused and take full responsibility for my absence.”

There are no grammatical errors, and both simple and complex sentences are used correctly. The writer demonstrates excellent control of sentence structure and punctuation.

  1. Lexical Resource (9/9):

The vocabulary used is appropriate for a semi-formal letter and is varied:

  • Phrases such as “sincerely apologize,” “family emergency,” and “contingency plan” show a high level of precision.
  • Words like “notify,” “inconvenience,” and “priority” reflect the professional tone needed for a letter to a manager.

There is no repetition of key terms, and the use of both formal and slightly informal phrases (e.g., “catch up with my colleagues”) suits the semi-formal nature of the letter.

 

Summary of Scores:

Criterion

Score

Task Achievement

9

Cohesion & Coherence

9

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

9

Lexical Resource

9

 

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