You have been invited to attend an interview for a place studying a course at a college. Unfortunately, because of a previous appointment, you cannot come at the time they wish. Write a letter to the admission tutor. In your letter explain your position apologise and offer to come on another day or later the same day also ask how long the interview will be, and whether there will be any tests during it
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I have received your invitation for an interview on 14th May at 11.00 in the morning to finalise my admission to the MBA programme at your college and I profoundly thank you for that. Unfortunately, I cannot come at the specified time because of another commitment. I am hoping that you would allow me to meet you on a different date. I am working with a multinational company for the last three years and they have scheduled a seminar on the same day at 10.30 am. The company has designated me to attend the seminar and I can not skip it. It will start in the morning and continue till 4.00 pm in the afternoon. This makes it impossible for me to meet you in the interview at the scheduled time. Please accept my apology for not being able to attend the interview as planned. However, I can meet you any other day whichever is convenient for you. Meanwhile, I would appreciate it if you could tell me the duration of the interview. Also, will it be an oral interview only or do I have to take a test as well? Once again my sincere apology for not attending the interview at the scheduled time. I look looking forward to hearing from you soon. Yours faithfully, Mansoor Afzal
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Natural thanks Original: I profoundly thank you for that Suggested revision: thank you very much for the invitation Why it matters: This sounds more natural and suitably formal than "profoundly thank you".
- 2. Modal match Original: I am hoping that you would allow me Suggested revision: I hope that you will allow me Why it matters: Use a simpler present form with "will" for a polite request.
- 3. Present perfect Original: I am working with a multinational company for the last three years Suggested revision: I have been working for a multinational company for the last three years Why it matters: Use the present perfect continuous for an action that began in the past and continues now.
- 4. One-word form Original: can not Suggested revision: cannot Why it matters: The one-word form is more standard in formal writing.
- 5. Formal preposition Original: continue till 4.00 pm Suggested revision: continue until 4.00 pm Why it matters: "Until" is more formal and precise than "till" here.
- 6. Preposition choice Original: meet you in the interview Suggested revision: attend the interview Why it matters: This is the more natural phrase for going to a scheduled interview.
- 7. Cleaner link Original: However, I can meet you any other day whichever is convenient for you. Suggested revision: I would be happy to attend on any other day that is convenient for you. Why it matters: The sentence is clearer without "However" and with a tighter relative clause.
- 8. Formal noun Original: do I have to take a test Suggested revision: will I have to take any tests Why it matters: This better matches the task wording and sounds more formal.
- 9. Plural expression Original: my sincere apology Suggested revision: my sincere apologies Why it matters: "My sincere apologies" is the usual fixed expression.
- 10. Duplicated verb Original: I look looking forward Suggested revision: I look forward Why it matters: Remove the extra verb so the closing is grammatical.
- 11. Formal date style Original: on 14th May Suggested revision: on 14 May Why it matters: This is a cleaner formal date style for a letter.
- 12. Concise time Original: at 11.00 in the morning Suggested revision: at 11:00 am Why it matters: The shorter time expression is clearer and avoids repeating "morning" after "am".
Suggested Rewrites
- I profoundly thank you for that thank you very much for the invitation
- I am hoping that you would allow me I hope that you will allow me
- I am working with a multinational company for the last three years I have been working for a multinational company for the last three years
- can not cannot
- continue till 4.00 pm continue until 4.00 pm
- meet you in the interview attend the interview
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
The letter clearly explains the clash with the college interview, apologises, offers another date, and asks about interview length and tests. The purpose is fully achieved, though the offer could include the option of later the same day, as the task specifically allows that.
Add one sentence offering a later time on 14 May as well as another date, so every part of the prompt is explicitly covered.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas follow a logical order from invitation details to the scheduling conflict, apology, alternatives, and questions. Cohesion is generally smooth, but the whole response is presented as one block and a few links are repetitive.
Use clear paragraphs for reason, apology and alternatives, and interview questions to make the letter easier to scan.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is appropriate for a formal college letter, with phrases such as "specified time" and "duration of the interview". Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as "profoundly thank you" and "designated me".
Choose natural formal collocations, for example "thank you very much" and "asked me to attend", rather than overly heavy wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
There is a good range of sentence forms and meaning is clear throughout. Errors with tense, modality, word form, and a repeated word reduce grammatical control.
Check verb tense around current work and scheduled events, and proofread the closing sentence for duplicated words.