This question has been on the TOEFL since January 21, 2026.
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You are working on a group project in your political science class. Unfortunately, you will not be able to attend the next group meeting because you have an appointment with your dentist at the same time. You are unable to reschedule the appointment because the dentist doesn’t have any time available this month.
Write an email to John Shepherd, who is also in your group. In your email, do the following:
- Clearly explain the problem, including the fact that you cannot change date of the appointment
- Ask John to explain the situation to the other members of the group when the meeting takes place
- Request that John, or another group member, send you a summary of what is discussed at the meeting
Sample Answer
Hello John,
I’m writing to let you know that I will not be able to attend the next meeting of our group. Unfortunately, I was forced to make a last-minute appointment with my dentist to deal with some tooth pain I’ve been experiencing over the past couple of months. The only time the dentist is available to see me is the same time as our group meeting. Would it be possible for you to explain this to everyone else in the group? If they are concerned about my absence, just let them know they can call me at any time. Additionally, it would be great if you could arrange for someone to send me a quick summary of the discussion that occurs during the meeting. It would be best to do that via e-mail, I think.
Thanks for taking the time to help me with this, John. As always, I appreciate your help.
Best wishes,
Tim
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