Sorry, I Can't Make It
Write a message to your teacher or group to say you can't come to a meeting, explain why and say what you will do instead.
- Time
- 15 min
- Length
- 50-70 words
Writadia · A2 · Notes & messages
NameClassDate
The situation
Your project group has a meeting at the library on Thursday at 4 pm. You can't go.
Your task
Write a message to your group. Say:
- sorry, you can't come and why
- what you have already done for the project
- how you can help after the meeting
Writing toolkit
Open these only when you need them. Try the first draft on your own.
Plan it in steps
- Apologise in the first sentence.
- Give a clear reason.
- Tell the group what you have done.
- Offer to help in another way.
Useful phrases
Apologising
Reasons
What you have done
Offering help
Tap a phrase to add it to your text. Gaps (…) are selected so you can type over them.
Vocabulary
- appointment
- a fixed time to see a doctor, dentist, etc.I have an appointment at 3.
- look after
- take care ofI look after my grandma on Tuesdays.
- already
- before now, sooner than expectedI've already done my part.
- notes
- short written pointsPlease send me your notes.
Model answer (62 words)
Read it after you’ve written your own version. Notice the highlighted parts. The numbers explain why they work.
Hi everyone,
Sorry, I can't come to the meeting on Thursday.1 I have a dentist appointment at 4 and I can't change it.
I've already finished the three slides about recycling in our school.2 I've put them in our shared folder.
Can someone send me the notes after the meeting? I can do the final slide at the weekend.3
Sorry again! Burak
- Start with the main message.
- Present perfect + already: what is done.
- Offer something so the group isn't worried.
Teacher notes
Present perfect with already/just: natural context for this tense. Contrast with past simple: I finished it yesterday.
Extra challenge
Write a reply from a group member. They are a bit annoyed. Keep it polite!
Lesson plan
- 5 minWarm-up
Show the situation on the classroom screen and ask: “What would you write in this situation?” Take two or three quick answers.
- 6 minWord pool
Open “Word pool” on the classroom screen. Students make one sentence each with: appointment, look after, already, notes.
- 7 minModel text
Reveal the model sentence by sentence in “Model text” mode. At each sentence ask: “What job does this sentence do?” Write these phrases on the board: “Sorry, I can't come to the meeting on Thursday.”, “I'm really sorry about this.”, “I have a dentist appointment at 4.”.
- 15 minWriting
Start the timer. Students write their own text; anyone stuck can use the plan in the toolkit. (50-70 words)
- 5 minPeer review
Students swap texts and fill in the peer-review sheet.
- 2 minWrap-up
Set the extra challenge as homework.
The task’s own teacher notes give extra ideas for the warm-up and focus.
Assessment rubric
| Criterion | 4 · Excellent | 3 · Good | 2 · Developing | 1 · Beginning | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task | All the requested information is there. | One point is missing. | Several points are missing. | Little connection to the task. | |
| Organisation | Sentences in order; and, but, because used well. | Mostly in order. | Order is confusing. | Unconnected sentences. | |
| Vocabulary | Topic words used; most spelled correctly. | Simple but enough. | A lot of repetition and spelling errors. | Words do not carry the meaning. | |
| Grammar and mechanics | Capitals, full stops and basic tenses correct. | A few errors, meaning clear. | Frequent errors, meaning sometimes lost. | Hard to understand. | |
| Total | / 16 | ||||
Each criterion scores 1–4 (total 16). Use the task checklist below to tick what the student actually did.
Task checklist
- I apologised and gave a reason.
- I said what I have done.
- I offered to help.
Teacher comment
Peer-review sheet
Students swap texts and give each other feedback with this sheet.
Before you finish
Before you finish
- I apologised and gave a reason.
- I said what I have done.
- I offered to help.
Writadia · A2 · Notes & messages
Assessment rubric: Sorry, I Can't Make It
| Criterion | 4 · Excellent | 3 · Good | 2 · Developing | 1 · Beginning | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task | All the requested information is there. | One point is missing. | Several points are missing. | Little connection to the task. | |
| Organisation | Sentences in order; and, but, because used well. | Mostly in order. | Order is confusing. | Unconnected sentences. | |
| Vocabulary | Topic words used; most spelled correctly. | Simple but enough. | A lot of repetition and spelling errors. | Words do not carry the meaning. | |
| Grammar and mechanics | Capitals, full stops and basic tenses correct. | A few errors, meaning clear. | Frequent errors, meaning sometimes lost. | Hard to understand. | |
| Total | / 16 | ||||
Each criterion scores 1–4 (total 16). Use the task checklist below to tick what the student actually did.
Task checklist
- I apologised and gave a reason.
- I said what I have done.
- I offered to help.
Teacher comment
Writadia · A2 · Notes & messages
Peer-review sheet: Sorry, I Can't Make It
WriterReviewer
Read your partner’s text carefully. Be kind and specific: say why, not just “good”.
Task checklist
| Yes | Partly | No | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I apologised and gave a reason. | |||
| I said what I have done. | |||
| I offered to help. |
Questions
- Does the text give all the information asked for?
- Does every sentence start with a capital and end with a full stop?
- Did the writer use and, but or because? Copy one example.
Two stars and a wish
★ Something I liked
★ Another thing I liked
→ One suggestion
Writadia · A2 · Notes & messages
Lesson plan: Sorry, I Can't Make It
- 5 minWarm-up
Show the situation on the classroom screen and ask: “What would you write in this situation?” Take two or three quick answers.
- 6 minWord pool
Open “Word pool” on the classroom screen. Students make one sentence each with: appointment, look after, already, notes.
- 7 minModel text
Reveal the model sentence by sentence in “Model text” mode. At each sentence ask: “What job does this sentence do?” Write these phrases on the board: “Sorry, I can't come to the meeting on Thursday.”, “I'm really sorry about this.”, “I have a dentist appointment at 4.”.
- 15 minWriting
Start the timer. Students write their own text; anyone stuck can use the plan in the toolkit. (50-70 words)
- 5 minPeer review
Students swap texts and fill in the peer-review sheet.
- 2 minWrap-up
Set the extra challenge as homework.
The task’s own teacher notes give extra ideas for the warm-up and focus.
Did you use this task in class?
If you used it, tell us. It helps us see which tasks work.