You recently missed some classes on a course you are attending. Write a letter to your tutor explaining your absence.
This letter has to explain an absence convincingly while asking a tutor for two separate things: catch-up material and possibly more time.
The question
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You recently missed some classes on a course you are attending. Write a letter to your tutor explaining your absence.
In your letter,
explain why you were unable to attend
ask what you missed and how you can catch up
ask about any upcoming deadlines and request more time if necessary
You do not need to write your own address. Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Ms Fenwick,
Write at least 150 words.
What this letter needs
What makes this scenario tricky is combining an apology with two practical requests, and keeping them in proportion. The explanation for missing class needs just enough detail to justify the absence without over-explaining, and the letter then has to shift smoothly into asking what was covered and whether a deadline can be extended, all while sounding responsible rather than as though excuses are being made.
Structure
Salutation — Dear Mr/Ms [Surname], — your course tutor, someone you see regularly but who isn't a personal friend.
Opening — Apologise briefly and state which sessions you missed, before giving the reason.
Body 1 — Explain the reason for your absence concisely, without over-justifying it.
Body 2 — Ask specifically what was covered and request any materials you need to catch up.
Body 3 — Raise the assignment deadline and ask politely for an extension if the timing is tight.
Closing — Thank the tutor for their understanding and confirm you are ready to get back on track.
Model answers
Band 6.0 model answer
175 words
Dear Ms Fenwick,
I am writing to explain why I was not able to attend the last two sessions of the Tuesday evening Spanish course. Unfortunately, I had to travel abroad quickly because of a family emergency, and I only returned yesterday.
I am sorry that I missed these two important classes without telling you in advance. I understand that this is not ideal, especially since the course is quite short.
Could you please tell me what topics were covered in these two lessons? I would also like to know if there are any handouts or homework that I need to complete before the next class, so that I do not fall behind the other students.
I also remember that there is a small written assignment due soon. If the deadline has already passed, or if it is very close, I would be grateful if I could have a short extension, since I have had very little time to prepare because of the situation.
Thank you very much for your understanding.
Yours sincerely, [Your Name]
Why this is Band 6.0
Covers all three points but simply, with the requests stacked as separate short questions: 'Could you please tell me...' and later 'I would be grateful if I could have a short extension.'
Vocabulary is basic, using general phrases like 'important classes' and 'very little time'.
Some repetition of 'I would' across sentences rather than varied phrasing.
The explanation for the absence is minimal: 'I had to travel abroad quickly because of a family emergency.'
Band 7.0 model answer
192 words
Dear Ms Fenwick,
I am writing to explain my absence from the last two sessions of the Tuesday evening Spanish course. I had to travel abroad at very short notice due to a family emergency, which meant I was unable to let you know beforehand, and I only returned to the country yesterday.
I appreciate that missing two consecutive classes is far from ideal, particularly given how much ground the course covers in each session, and I apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Would you be able to let me know what material was covered while I was away? I would also be grateful for any handouts or exercises I have missed, so that I can catch up before rejoining the group next week.
In addition, I believe there is a short written assignment due around this time. If the deadline has already passed, or falls within the next few days, I would appreciate the possibility of a brief extension, given the circumstances I have just outlined.
Thank you for your understanding, and please let me know if there is anything else you need from me.
Yours sincerely, [Your Name]
Why this is Band 7.0
Content is fully covered and logically sequenced — explanation, then catch-up request, then extension request, each in its own paragraph.
Uses less common vocabulary accurately, such as 'at very short notice' and 'consecutive classes'.
Combines clauses smoothly, e.g. 'which meant I was unable to let you know beforehand, and I only returned to the country yesterday' links cause and result naturally.
Register stays consistently polite and controlled, softened by hedges like 'I would appreciate the possibility of'.
Band 8.5 model answer
207 words
Dear Ms Fenwick,
I am writing to explain my absence from the last two sessions of the Tuesday evening Spanish course. A family emergency required me to travel abroad at extremely short notice, leaving me no real opportunity to notify you beforehand; I only returned to the country yesterday evening.
I am conscious that missing two consecutive classes is a significant gap, particularly given the pace at which the course moves, and I apologise for any disruption this may have caused to your planning.
If it is not too much trouble, I would be grateful if you could outline what was covered in my absence, along with any handouts, vocabulary lists or exercises I ought to work through before rejoining next week. I would rather arrive prepared than ask the rest of the group to slow down on my account.
I am also aware that a short written assignment is due around now. Should the deadline already have passed, or fall within the next day or two, I would appreciate being granted a brief extension, given how little time I have had to prepare amid everything else.
Thank you for your understanding, and I very much look forward to being back in class.
Yours sincerely, [Your Name]
Why this is Band 8.5
Content covered with precision — the catch-up request is the most developed section, specifying 'handouts, vocabulary lists or exercises' rather than a vague 'materials'.
Natural idiomatic phrasing, such as 'leaving me no real opportunity to notify you beforehand' and 'I would rather arrive prepared than ask the rest of the group to slow down on my account.'
Handles complex grammar with no strain, e.g. the semicolon-linked clause 'leaving me no real opportunity to notify you beforehand; I only returned to the country yesterday evening.'
Wide, precise vocabulary without padding: 'disruption', 'granted' and 'amid everything else' are all used naturally.
Ends on a genuinely warm note, 'I very much look forward to being back in class', which shows full register control to the last line.
Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.
This is a semi-formal letter question. The answers above show you what each band looks like when it is finished. What they cannot show you is how to get there from a blank page in twenty minutes.
That is what our Writing Study Library is for: the structure we teach for this exact question type, the paragraph pattern that goes with it, and the sentence openers for each stage — so the letter is planned before you start writing rather than assembled as you go.
Answers checked here may be published on this page, without your name, to help other learners. Nothing else about you is stored.
Common questions
How much should I explain about the reason for missing class?
One or two sentences are enough — something like 'a family emergency required me to travel abroad at extremely short notice' gives the tutor what they need without turning the letter into an explanation of the whole situation.
Should I ask for the missed material and an extension in the same letter, or keep them separate?
Combine them, but in a clear order — deal with what you missed first, then raise the assignment deadline afterwards, so the letter reads as one connected request rather than two unrelated ones.
What if I'm not actually sure there's a deadline coming up?
Phrase it conditionally, as the model letters do with 'Should the deadline already have passed, or fall within the next day or two' — this covers the possibility without claiming something you're not sure of.
Is it necessary to apologise, given the absence wasn't really my fault?
Yes, briefly — a short apology like 'I apologise for any disruption this may have caused' shows professionalism regardless of whose fault the situation was, and costs the letter very little space.
