So, you are wondering why it’s important to know how to ask for an extension on an assignment. We know, students are constantly struggling to get all their school chores done on time. And if you want to get top grades on all of them, things can get very complicated very quickly.
It’s true that professors assign way too much homework to students. On top of this, you have to write essays and research papers, not to mention study for your tests and exams.
There are times when you simply don’t have enough time to get everything done. And this is why you need to learn how to ask for extension. In this article, we will tell you about the best ways to ask for more time, as well as give you two how to ask for an extension example emails. Finally, we’ll show you another way to get the best grades without having to ask for an extension – not even in one class. Read on!
Top Reasons to Request an Extension
What is an extension? You probably already know, so we won’t get into details. Do you know exactly when you should request an extension? Probably not! Let’s take a look at some of the circumstances that should prompt you to start writing your teacher a nice email:
- The moment you realize you will not be able to complete your homework or the research paper on time is the moment you need to start composing the email. If you know you won’t be able to get it done on time, you probably won’t be able to perform a miracle.
- You have too many essays to write in just one week. It’s clear that you can’t focus on each one of them as much as you should. Instead of getting a few Bs or even Cs, we would advise you to get more time on some of the assignments.
- You have one or two tests in one week, but you also need to do your homework or write one or two essays. We recommend you to focus on studying for the tests and try to get more time for the essays.
- You are dealing with a real personal problem or you’ve fallen ill. It happens. You should immediately let your professors know that you need a bit more time to get the essay written or to do your homework.
- Keep in mind that you really need to learn how to request extension if you don’t know whether you’ll pass the class or not. A day or two can make a huge difference.
Learn How to Ask for an Extension From Our Experts
Want to learn how to ask for an extension in just a couple of minutes? You can rely on our expert advice. After all, we have a team of academics who write content for students of all ages. They know exactly what your professor wants to see. You will most probably ask for the extension via email, so here is our advice:
- First things first. Try to determine if your professor would be willing to extend the deadline. Is the professor a stickler for the rules? If he is, it may be difficult to convince him to give you more time. Do you have more than one day before you need to turn in the paper? As a rule of thumb, you should never ask for an extension a few hours before the deadline.
- If you think you have a chance, it’s time to work on the email. Start your email in a polite way. A simple “Dear Mr. Professor X” or “Hello Mr. John Doe” works very well.
- Get to the chase immediately and tell your professor why you are contacting him.
- Explain why you should get an extension as clearly as possible. Don’t exaggerate and don’t lie. It’s always best to tell the truth because you can always support your statements with evidence if your professor demands to see it.
- Tell your professor exactly when you plan on having the homework or essay ready. Keep in mind that you will not be able to change this deadline if it is approved.
- You can ask your professor if he wants to meet with you face to face at school so you can provide him with more details. It’s up to you.
- You can attach some proof that you’re really working on your homework or essay to improve your chances of getting your request approved.
- End your email with a nice ending. Something like “Sincerely, Student Y” or “Kind regards, Kyle” should work just fine.
It wasn’t that difficult, was it? It’s pretty easy to learn how to get an extension on a paper email. Now let’s take a look at two examples. One sample will focus on homework and the other will be related to an essay.
Sample Homework Extension Request
If you are asking your professor for a homework extension, you could write an email that looks something like this:
Dear Mr. John Doe,
I am contacting you because I have run into a problem with my homework. Specifically, it took me longer than expected to understand how to resolve the shortest path problem correctly. (Alternatively, you can say that you’ve lost a lot of time with trial and error before you figured it out)
I would like to kindly ask you for an extension on my homework because I need some extra time to solve all the math problems correctly. Would it be possible for me to submit my homework next Monday (this would allow me to work on it over the weekend) instead of this Friday?
I realize you may be reluctant to believe me, so I am attaching two photos of the homework I have completed so far. Also, I would be more than happy to meet with you at school, during your office hours.
Kind regards,
Student X
Keep it short and to the point. Make it sound like you really need the extension, but never beg for it to avoid putting your professor in an awkward position. Also, always remember to convey the information in a somewhat formal manner. Professors really like to see a student who knows how to write an email properly.
How to Ask for an Extension on a Paper?
Now, it’s time to show you how to ask for an extension on a paper. Let’s assume you’ve fallen behind on your macroeconomics research paper or that you simply want to focus on something else. Here is an example of what you could write in your email:
Hello Mr. John Doe,
My name is X and I am a student in your macroeconomics class. I am writing this email to kindly ask for an extension on my essay “Your Essay Name Goes Here.” The reason for this is that I have had some trouble doing the math in the expenditure approach to measuring GDP section. Also, I’ve been having a hard time linking to two sources that provide accurate US GDP data.
I am working hard to finish the research paper, but I am afraid I won’t be able to do turn it in this Friday. Could you please extend my deadline to next Monday? This would allow me to do the editing and proofreading over the weekend.
I am attaching a copy of my research paper so you can check the progress. If you’d like, I could meet with you at school to discuss any problems that you may spot.
Thank you,
Student X
Be polite at all times, explain why you are writing the email, and ask for a new deadline (a firm one). Provide proof of the work you’ve done and thank your professor for considering your request. It’s not difficult to ask for an extension once you’ve mastered the art of writing a great email.
When Shouldn’t You Be Asking for Extension on Assignment?
As you might have guessed, there are times when asking for extension on assignment is simply not a good idea. Here are some of the circumstances when you should not go ahead with the request for extension:
- You have just a couple of hours left before you need to submit the paper or your homework. Requesting an extension only shows your professor that you’ve waited until the last possible minute to start working on your essay.
- Don’t request an extension if you don’t have anything to show. Even if you don’t show your professor what you’ve done so far, he may ask you to show some proof that you actually are working on your essay or homework.
- Don’t ask for extension during the night. This is extremely important because let’s face it: who likes getting emails at 3 in the morning? Your professor may take it as a sign of disrespect. Also, keep in mind that some teachers won’t read their emails during the weekend.
- Don’t request an extension on your academic paper or homework if you’ve already done it. A second extension is extremely likely to get rejected. Even worse, your teacher may consider that you’ve tricked him and are just trying to buy more time.
- Don’t request extensions too frequently. Maybe once a month would work, but asking for an extension every week is simply going to annoy your teacher. And the consequences won’t be pleasant, as you can imagine.
Is Asking for an Extension Dangerous?
Help me, I think I’m going to get in trouble! We agree that even if you follow our guide and tips, you can sometimes still run into trouble. This is because some professors are extremely strict about deadlines. Even asking for a one day extension can make your teacher penalize you or, worse, not accept your paper or homework at all. And unfortunately, this can happen in both high school and college.
You may think it’s pointless to learn how to ask a teacher for an extension when asking for an extension can get you in serious trouble. It’s not! Our studies show that over 90 percent of professors accept their students’ requests for extensions. Even if 1 out of 10 professors does not accept your request, our methods will still work with the other 9. However, keep in mind that asking for an extension when the due date is a less than 24 hours away is dangerous no matter how understanding and flexible your teacher may be. This is why we recommend that, instead of asking for an extension, you give our company a try.
Don’t Know How to Ask Professor for Extension?
Don’t know how to ask professor for extension? Well, there is an easy workaround this problem. Instead of asking for an assignment extension and potentially get in trouble for being late, we recommend you to get in touch with us. We can get your essay assignment or homework done for your in record time. How? With the help of our ENL writers, all of whom are PhD degree holders. These experts have years of academic writing experience, so you can rely on them for last minute help.
Can you guys really do my assignment for me? Yes, we can provide any student of any age – anywhere in the world – with high quality custom academic content on a very short notice. You can get quick help with a research paper anytime – even during the night. We have a 24/7 customer support department that is online even during holidays. Now, you don’t even have to learn how to ask for a deadline extension. We’ll write your essays and do your homework for you in as little as 3 hours. Give it a try!