ENGL 1010 FINAL EXAM PREP
Writing With Confidence and Purpose
ANSWERED
2023/2024
, Write an email (in the form of an essay) to your professor explaining why your English
assignments have been late, presenting three or four kinds of original excuses for your
tardiness in submitting assignments. Before you present your own superior types of
categories of excuses, be sure to acknowledge the inadequacies of the excuses Segal
lists, quoting a few and including parenthetical documentation and a works-cited page
Dear Professor,
I am writing to apologize for the late submission of my English assignments. I understand that this is
unacceptable and that it affects my academic performance and your evaluation of my work. I would like to
explain the reasons for my tardiness and ask for your understanding and leniency.
As you may know, Segal (2012) has identified some common excuses that students use to justify their late
assignments, such as illness, family problems, computer issues, or heavy workload. However, these excuses
are not very convincing and often fail to elicit sympathy from the instructors. Segal argues that "students
who resort to these excuses are either lazy, dishonest, or irresponsible" (p. 34). He also suggests that
"instructors should not accept these excuses and should impose strict penalties for late submissions" (p. 36).
However, I would like to present some different kinds of excuses that are more original and valid than the
ones Segal lists. These excuses are based on my personal circumstances and experiences, and I hope that
you will find them more reasonable and acceptable.
The first kind of excuse is related to my cultural background. As you may know, I am an international
student from China, and English is not my native language. Therefore, I face many challenges in writing
academic papers in English, such as grammar, vocabulary, style, and citation. I have to spend more time and
effort than the native speakers to complete the assignments, and sometimes I need to seek help from the
writing center or online resources. This means that I often cannot finish the assignments on time, even if I
start working on them early.
The second kind of excuse is related to my financial situation. As an international student, I have to pay a
higher tuition fee than the domestic students, and I also have to cover the living expenses in a foreign
country. Therefore, I have to work part-time to support myself and my family. However, finding a suitable
job is not easy, and sometimes I have to work long hours or irregular shifts. This affects my ability to
manage my time and prioritize my tasks. Sometimes I have to choose between working to earn money or
studying to complete the assignments.
Writing With Confidence and Purpose
ANSWERED
2023/2024
, Write an email (in the form of an essay) to your professor explaining why your English
assignments have been late, presenting three or four kinds of original excuses for your
tardiness in submitting assignments. Before you present your own superior types of
categories of excuses, be sure to acknowledge the inadequacies of the excuses Segal
lists, quoting a few and including parenthetical documentation and a works-cited page
Dear Professor,
I am writing to apologize for the late submission of my English assignments. I understand that this is
unacceptable and that it affects my academic performance and your evaluation of my work. I would like to
explain the reasons for my tardiness and ask for your understanding and leniency.
As you may know, Segal (2012) has identified some common excuses that students use to justify their late
assignments, such as illness, family problems, computer issues, or heavy workload. However, these excuses
are not very convincing and often fail to elicit sympathy from the instructors. Segal argues that "students
who resort to these excuses are either lazy, dishonest, or irresponsible" (p. 34). He also suggests that
"instructors should not accept these excuses and should impose strict penalties for late submissions" (p. 36).
However, I would like to present some different kinds of excuses that are more original and valid than the
ones Segal lists. These excuses are based on my personal circumstances and experiences, and I hope that
you will find them more reasonable and acceptable.
The first kind of excuse is related to my cultural background. As you may know, I am an international
student from China, and English is not my native language. Therefore, I face many challenges in writing
academic papers in English, such as grammar, vocabulary, style, and citation. I have to spend more time and
effort than the native speakers to complete the assignments, and sometimes I need to seek help from the
writing center or online resources. This means that I often cannot finish the assignments on time, even if I
start working on them early.
The second kind of excuse is related to my financial situation. As an international student, I have to pay a
higher tuition fee than the domestic students, and I also have to cover the living expenses in a foreign
country. Therefore, I have to work part-time to support myself and my family. However, finding a suitable
job is not easy, and sometimes I have to work long hours or irregular shifts. This affects my ability to
manage my time and prioritize my tasks. Sometimes I have to choose between working to earn money or
studying to complete the assignments.
