Use the greeting, sign-off and paragraph plan below for this formal letter, write it on a 20-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model letter.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Your child missed several days of school last month.
Write a letter to Mrs Holland, your child's teacher. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Mrs Holland,
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
A letter to a named person ends Yours sincerely, followed by your full name.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 150 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
Dear Mrs Holland,
I am writing to explain why my son Daniel was away from school for six days last month, from 12 to 19 October.
Daniel caught a severe case of flu, and he had a high temperature for several days. The doctor advised him to stay at home and rest completely, and he was too weak to do any schoolwork. He returned to class on Monday and is feeling much better now. I have a letter from the doctor, which I can send to you if you need it.
I understand that Daniel has missed lessons in mathematics and science, and I am concerned that he may fall behind, especially with the project his class started last week. Could you please let me know what work he has missed and send me copies of the notes or exercises?
I would also be grateful for your advice on how he can catch up, perhaps through extra help after school or a few additional exercises at home.
Thank you for your understanding.
Yours sincerely,
Karen Phillips
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I am writing to explain the circumstances surrounding | formal opening for an explanation |
| As a result of | show a consequence |
| I hope this explains the situation. | polite way to finish an explanation |
| Please let me know if you require any further clarification. | offer to explain more |
| I would like to clarify that | make something clear |
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