Formal Letter to Course Coordinator Requesting Deadline Extension
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 204 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 20 minutes. Write at least 150 words.
You are studying a course at a college and you will not be able to submit a major assignment by the original deadline. Write a letter to your course coordinator. In your letter: - Introduce yourself and explain which assignment you are referring to - Explain why you cannot submit the assignment on time - Suggest a new deadline and ask for the coordinator's approval Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Dr Hassan,
How to approach it
- 01Use 'Dear Dr Hassan' as given and close with 'Yours sincerely' since the name is known
- 02Cover all three bullet points clearly and in order
- 03Be specific: name the module, the original date, and a proposed new date
- 04Strike a tone that is apologetic but professional — avoid sounding desperate
- 05Reference any supporting evidence (medical certificate, supervisor's note)
- 06Keep paragraphs short and well-organised for an examiner to follow
Model answer
204 words in 6 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
Dear Dr Hassan,
I am writing as a second-year student on the Diploma in Business Analytics (student number BA-2025-1184) to request a short extension on the Final Research Report for module BA302, which is currently due on Friday, 22 May.
I have been working steadily on the report for several weeks and had planned to submit it on the original date. Unfortunately, last weekend I was admitted to St Mary's Hospital with a severe case of viral pneumonia and was discharged only three days ago. The attending consultant has advised me to rest for a further week and to avoid prolonged screen time. I have attached a copy of the medical certificate confirming the diagnosis and the recommended recovery period.
In view of these circumstances, I would be very grateful if you could grant me an extension of ten days, with a revised submission date of Monday, 1 June. This would allow me to complete the data analysis section properly and meet the academic standards expected for the module.
I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to your response. Please do not hesitate to contact me on 0412 778 305 if any further documentation is required.
Yours sincerely, Aisha Rahman
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 31 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
20 fewer than the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 40 at the longest
2 fewer than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 20.4 words and vary by 9 words either side of that, running from 4 words to 40. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 3 of the 10 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 87 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 80 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 3 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Achievement
Cover all three bullet points with relevant detail
Coherence & Cohesion
Clear paragraphing aligned to each bullet point
Lexical Resource
Maintain a consistent formal register
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Use accurate formal structures and modal verbs of request
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