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 been accepted to join the Masters of Science programme in the winter semester at your college. I am supposed to meet you in an interview next Monday morning but I am afraid the timing contradicts another important meeting. I am hoping that you would allow me to meet you sometime later on that day or on a different day. I work with Optus Telecom and they have scheduled a general meeting on 27th November which contradicts my interview with you. The meeting in the office will start at 9.00 am whereas my interview with you is set at 10.00 am on the same day. I understand how important it is for me to meet you to finalise my admission and hoping that you would allow me to alter the timing as I really cannot make it at 10 am on 27th November. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and I request you to kindly reschedule my interview for another day or after 2 pm on the same day. For this, I shall always be thankful to you. Also, kindly let me know if I need to take any tests as part of the interview process and how long the interview might continue. I am looking forward to hearing from you soon. Yours faithfully, Namrata Roy
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Degree wording Original: Masters of Science programme Suggested revision: Master of Science programme Why it matters: The standard degree name is usually singular: Master of Science.
- 2. Unnatural collocation Original: the timing contradicts another important meeting Suggested revision: the time conflicts with another important meeting Why it matters: Times conflict with each other; contradict is normally used for statements or claims.
- 3. Time expression Original: sometime later on that day Suggested revision: some time later that day Why it matters: Some time is the clearer phrase when referring to an amount of time.
- 4. Wrong verb Original: which contradicts my interview Suggested revision: which conflicts with my interview Why it matters: Conflicts with is the natural choice for clashing appointments.
- 5. Missing subject Original: and hoping that you would allow me Suggested revision: and I hope that you will allow me Why it matters: This clause needs a clear subject and finite verb.
- 6. Formal request Original: alter the timing Suggested revision: change the interview time Why it matters: This is more direct and natural in a formal letter.
- 7. Over-formal phrase Original: For this, I shall always be thankful to you. Suggested revision: I would be very grateful for your help. Why it matters: The original sounds old-fashioned and less natural for modern formal writing.
- 8. Natural question Original: how long the interview might continue Suggested revision: how long the interview is expected to last Why it matters: Interviews last for a period of time; continue is less precise here.
- 9. Interview phrase Original: I am supposed to meet you in an interview Suggested revision: I am supposed to attend an interview with you Why it matters: Attend an interview is the standard phrase.
- 10. Add contrast comma Original: The meeting in the office will start at 9.00 am whereas my interview with you is set at 10.00 am Suggested revision: The meeting in the office will start at 9.00 am, whereas my interview with you is set at 10.00 am Why it matters: A comma before whereas makes the contrast easier to read.
- 11. Specific alternative Original: another day or after 2 pm on the same day Suggested revision: another day, or after 2 pm on 27th November Why it matters: Repeating the date makes the proposed alternative clearer.
- 12. Sentence rewrite Original: I have been accepted to join the Masters of Science programme in the winter semester at your college. Suggested revision: I have been invited to attend an interview for the Master of Science programme at your college for the winter semester. Why it matters: This keeps the opening closer to the task: the issue is an interview invitation, not final acceptance.
Suggested Rewrites
- Masters of Science programme Master of Science programme
- the timing contradicts another important meeting the time conflicts with another important meeting
- sometime later on that day some time later that day
- which contradicts my interview which conflicts with my interview
- and hoping that you would allow me and I hope that you will allow me
- alter the timing change the interview time
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
The letter fully addresses the purpose: it explains the clash, apologises, offers alternative times, and asks about length and tests. The tone is suitably formal, though a few details are repetitive.
Keep all four task points, but make the request more direct and remove repeated explanation about the same meeting clash.
Coherence and Cohesion
The message is logically ordered and easy to follow, but it is written as one long paragraph and relies on repeated wording such as timing and contradicts.
Use separate paragraphs for the reason, apology/request, and questions, and vary linking phrases to avoid repetition.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is generally appropriate for a formal request, with some strong phrases, but several word choices sound unnatural in context.
Replace awkward collocations such as timing contradicts and interview might continue with more natural formal expressions.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Meaning is clear, but there are recurring sentence-structure problems, especially missing subjects or awkward noun-verb combinations.
Check every long sentence for a complete subject and verb, and use simpler clauses when making formal requests.