excuses for not submitting homework online

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How to Make Up a Good Excuse for Your Homework Not Being Finished

Last Updated: February 11, 2023

Choosing an Excuse

Delivering the excuse, potential consequences, moving forward.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 351,105 times. Learn more...

If you did not finish your homework, you may want to find an excuse to avoid being penalized. There are a variety of excuses, from blaming technology to your busy schedule, that sounds like a plausible reason for failing to complete an assignment. When you settle on an excuse, work on delivering the excuse in a believable fashion. However, try to be careful moving forward. You do not want to lie habitually, as this reflects poorly on you as a student. In the future, try to make sure your assignments are done on time.

• This is a great excuse if you had a paper you needed to type and print. It may also work if you have homework you had to do online. You could say you did the whole assignment, but then your internet cut out and you couldn't save anything.
• It might be a bad idea to claim your printer stopped working. Your teacher may request you e-mail him/her the assignment instead, which you won't be able to do if you never did it. Teachers may also suggest you should have printed an assignment at a local library or FedEx instead of coming in with nothing.

• If your parents are divorced, for example, you can claim you were at your mom's last night but left your textbook with your dad this weekend. Many teachers are sympathetic to children from divorced homes. Your teacher may take pity on you if you use an excuse like this. [2] X Research source
• Do you have any younger siblings? You could claim you had to babysit your little sister and she got sick, resulting in your being distracted from your homework. [3] X Research source

• You can try running around in the playground or hallways before class. This can help you look flushed and warm. If you look sick, your teacher will be more likely to believe you.
• However, keep in mind some teachers may require a note from your parents in the event of illness. If your teacher typically demands proof of sickness, you may want to avoid using this excuse.

• Avoid saying you left your homework at home. Your teacher may request you call your mom or dad to have it delivered to the school. This will reveal you are lying.
• Try not to use this excuse more than once or twice a term; otherwise, your teacher may see you as disorganized and be less sympathetic towards you if you need to make other excuses in the future.

• Be careful using this excuse if you're not busy. If you're usually late for classes and do not engage in many extracurricular activities, your teacher may catch onto the fact you're lying.

• Never lie you were absent on the day the homework was set. One glance of the register is all it takes for your teacher to see right through this excuse.

• If your teacher is particularly strict, be prepared to answer a lot of questions. A stricter teacher is likely to grill you, poking holes in your excuse. For example, say you claim you couldn't turn in your online math homework because your internet cut out. A strict teacher might respond with something like, "Then why didn't you go do your homework at a coffee shop?" Have a response ready. Try something like, "My mom was working and there was no one to drive me." [7] X Research source
• Do you know anything about your teacher's personal interests? This can help you gauge what excuse may work for this person. For example, you know your chemistry teacher is the oldest of 7 children. He may be more sympathetic to a story about how watching your younger siblings kept you from getting your work done. [8] X Research source

• Stick to only the important details. For example, say you're planning on claiming your piano recital got out late, and this is why you didn't finish your math homework. Do not go overboard with the details. Simply say, "A few students played their solos too long, so we didn't get done until 9:30 and it was a 45-minute drive home." Do not say, "Chester Mifflin spent 25 minutes on his routine when we were only given 10, and then Lisa Gregory was a little late getting up on stage..." The longer your lie, the more unbelievable it sounds. Most people would not remember this much detail.
• If your teacher presses you for specifics, you can improvise as needed but avoid excessive detail. For example, your teacher might ask, "How long did the recital run over?" Do not say, "It was supposed to run until 8:30 but it was 9:23 when we got out." Instead, say something somewhat vague, like, "I'd say about 45 minutes."

• Take a few deep breaths before going into the room to help yourself stay calm.
• Make eye contact with your teacher most of the time.
• Be conscious of what you're doing with your body. Try to avoid fidgeting excessively.

• Refer to the syllabus for that class. There may be a section about honesty that goes over the consequences of lying to a teacher.
• You should also look at your school's handbook if you have a copy. See if there are any sections about what happens if you breach academic honesty policies.
• Consequences can vary from teacher-to-teacher. In some cases, you may only get a strict talking to. However, some teachers may be required to report these kinds of behaviors to the principal and your parents. This could land you in more serious trouble both at home and at school.

• It may depend on the assignment. Late work may not be accepted, but if the assignment is only worth 10 points, is this really a big deal? However, if the assignment is worth 15% of your grade, it may be worth it to ask for an extension.
• Talk to other students who've had this teacher in the past. How has this teacher reacted to late or missing work? Some teachers may accept late work for lower points. Some teachers may allow you to turn in work late if it's your first time. If this is the case, it may be a good idea to simply admit you didn't do the assignment.

• You can make a pro and con list for each scenario. Write down the possible benefits and possible drawbacks of each option. For example, you can write on the top of a piece of paper "Lying To My Teacher" and then have two columns, one for "pro" and one for "con." Under "pro," you may write something like, "Assignment is worth a lot of points - an extension could help my overall grade." Under "con," you could write, "If Ms. Davies finds out I'm lying, she will report it to the principal and I'll get detention for a week."
• Weigh the pros and cons. If the pros outweigh the cons heavily for one option, this may be the right choice for you.

• Do your homework every day after school. Do not do anything else, like playing video games or playing outside, before finishing your work.
• Write down all the assignments you have to do. Make sure to write down an assignment after a teacher mentions it. This way, you won't forget.

• If you habitually struggle to get your homework done and have an overall inability to concentrate, this can be a symptom of Attention Deficit Disorder. Talk to your parents about getting tested for ADD.

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• ↑ https://helpfulprofessor.com/homework-excuses/
• ↑ http://www.brighthubeducation.com/study-and-learning-tips/51072-10-best-homework-excuses/
• ↑ https://www.truthaboutdeception.com/lying-and-deception/how-to-lie.html
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/extreme-fear/201005/top-ten-secrets-effective-liars

About This Article

While lying too often could reflect badly on you as a student, if you need a good excuse for your homework not being finished, say you lost it. Just don’t use this excuse often, since your teacher will think you’re unorganized. If the homework was on the computer, try blaming technology. Say your computer crashed or your internet was down. Alternatively, claim you were ill last night and had to rest. Only do this if you don’t think your teacher will call your parents to check or ask for a sick note. If you have a sibling that doesn’t go to your school, you can say they were ill and you had to look after them. Or, if you do a lot of things outside of school and have lots of homework to do, pretend you were too busy and ran out of time. For more tips, including how to make your excuse more convincing, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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20 Good Excuses for Late Assignment Submission Your Teacher won’t Refuse

The topmost priority for any student is to stay up-to-date with their studies and assignments. Failing to submit work by the allotted time is a constant dread during the academic years. While students try their best to keep up with their studies, sometimes certain unfortunate occurrences can force them to go off-track.  

There are times when the stress of keeping up with everything can prevent them from meeting assignment deadlines. Often enough this is also the result of being careless but there are genuine cases when a student is unable to finish his or her work on time. In such a scenario the student can request for an extension. Though, the reason for the delay in submission has to be substantial in order to get the necessary extension period.

Be careful about making excuses for late assignment submission as it has to be backed by good reasoning. Often students actually end up forgetting when the submission was due and turn up at the last moment with lame reasons. You can avoid that situation by writing a proper application for late submission. This creates a good impression in the eyes of the professor and shows your sincerity towards the task at hand.  

In case you are wondering, ‘what I can say when I did not meet the deadline to submit assignment’ then here are some genuine reason to convince your teacher to accept your late work.

1. I got my backpack stolen:  use rampant crime among high school students to your advantage. No teacher in his right mind would expect you to turn in that big assignment if it got stolen the very day it was due. Although most teachers won’t follow through, filing a missing backpack report might not be a bad idea. 

2. My mom and dad got in a huge fight last night  and the cops came and I couldn’t concentrate on the assignment: Domestic violence isn’t something to lie about…unless it’s done to save your grade. This excuse works on so many levels: (1) Your teacher will never bring this up to your parents; and (2) you will garner sympathy for the rest of the year. The only way this could go wrong is if your teacher reports this to your guidance counselor and your counselor contacts your parents. That’s probably not going to happen. 

3. I stayed at my dad’s this weekend  and left it there and my mom refuses to let me go back and get it: Teachers are suckers for dysfunctional family stories. This is an all time classic. 

4. I left my binder in my mom’s car and she’s at work across town:  This is a twist on the easy to see through “I left it at home” excuse. A teacher can reasonably expect someone from home to bring your homework, but not even the meanest teacher would expect your mom to leave work. 

5. I was really sick yesterday and unable to do anything.  The only reason I came is because I didn’t want to miss any more work: Teachers will admire your perseverance and give you the extra day. 

6. It’s that “time of the month”:  If you’re a boy, don’t try this. This only works for females on male teachers. 

How about you avoid submitting your assignment late? Hire our assignment experts!

7. Grandma died:  Even if the teacher doubts the veracity of your grandma’s death, he’s not gonna call you out on it just in case it’s true. There are obvious problems with this excuse, including the guilt you’ll feel if your grandma does die that week. 

8. My dog died  and I was too upset to do my homework: This is rarely used, but effective, especially if your teacher has a dog. Only a heartless task master would not cut you a break over losing your best friend. 

9. I had to take care of my baby sister who was up last night throwing up:  Another underused classic. Be careful your teacher isn’t an e-mailer or he just might e-mail your parents for an update on your baby sister who doesn’t exist. 

10. Tell the truth:  This is a revolutionary excuse. Often if you just go to your teacher in the morning and tell him or her the truth, you’ll get some additional time.

11. Your Team Members screwed you Over in a Group Assessment.

Teachers  hate  group work assignments, too. We usually set them because we have to embed it into a degree as an ‘employability skill’.

12. You’ve had Writer’s Block

This extension excuse gets points for honesty. If you come to your teacher and say “Look, I’ve read  all  of the readings, but the creativity just hasn’t come” then your teacher might just give you a little extra time.

13. Work called you in for Extra Shifts

When explaining that work has called you in for extra shifts, make sure your teacher knows you needed that money. You don’t need to cry poor or ask for the sympathy card. But let them know: I pay my own way through life, so the extra money meant a lot to me.

14. Computer Issues

This can get an eye roll.

Blaming technology issues is a cliché excuse that teachers tend not to take too seriously.

It’s used too often and we expect that more often than not it’s a lie rather than a genuine problem.

If you want to get sympathy for this excuse, provide evidence. Here’s some valuable forms of evidence, in order from best to worst:

• A receipt or quote from a computer repairman that contains the current date;
• Evidence you’ve been to see the university’s IT department to see if your data can be recovered;
• A photograph of the broken computer equipment.

These are some additional excuses you can give.

15. Illness : In case you genuinely are not physically fit to do your homework. This reasoning must be authentic and you are required to provide your doctor’s note. Even in case if someone in your family needs your immediate attention or the student has had a mental breakdown. All of them can be strong reasons to ask for an extension in submission date.

16. Other paper due:  In case the student has to prepare for another important paper in the same time frame, he or she can take it up with the professor and request for a late submission. This makes for a valid reason and one can put in an application informing the teacher about the circumstances.  

17. Job interview : If a student has to appear for a job that is directly related to their subject or area of study then they can be excused for late submission.  

18. You have a Learning Disability

If you have a learning disability, you need to tell your university in advance. There’s really no other way around this one.

Nearly every university these days has support plans for students with learning disabilities.

The most common one is dyslexia. This is the condition in which students struggle with accurate and speedy reading and spelling. It can make university really tough, but universities try to be accommodating for students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia.

19. You are a carer

Something that has blown me away as a university teacher is just how many students care for their chronically sick or disabled parents, partners or children.

Carers are, frankly, inspiring people, and you’ll get sympathy from your teacher.

I’d recommend letting your teacher know in advance about your situation.

20. Others : There are other unforeseen circumstances that can range from a natural disaster or even an unfortunate incident like an accident. In all such scenarios, students are excused.  

Although Late submission is a common situation during school or college days, there must be a good excuse for the same. Here is an email (or application) format you can use to request your teacher to accept your late submission.

A sample apology letter for being late in assignment submission

Dear Sir/Madam,

This letter is to present my sincere apologies for late submission of my assignment that was due (Insert Date). I understand the inconveniences my lateness might have caused you.

The delay occurred because (Insert your excuse for lateness). I have completed my assignment and can guarantee you that no such mistake will ever happen.

Please accept my sincere apologies.

(Student Name)

Avoid late submission ever happening again. Use our services by placing an order for cheap essay.

9 Excuses for Late Assignments: Turning Online Homework Late

It is a common scenario to fail to submit the assignment within the timeframe during your academic years. With many reasons for late assignment submission, there are a number of excuses you can give and they soften the stance of your professor.

In that case, here is a comprehensive list and explanation of the excuses you can give for late submissions.

9 Excuses for Late Submission of Assignments

1. blaming illness for late homework.

For example, your parent or a sister may be highly sick, prompting you to leave what you are doing and take care of him or her. Such is a strong reason that can compel one to ask for a late submission.

2. Domestic Violence for undone assignment

3. writers block.

A teacher should listen to your story and grant you leave of some days before you recollect and work on your assignment before submitting it as agreed.

4. Other Paper Due

5. job interview, 6. learning disability.

One should inform the university in advance in case you have a learning disability. The most common issue is dyslexia which is an abnormal condition that makes a student struggle in making speedy and accurate spelling and reading.

7. Lost a Family Member

8. you are a caretaker.

A student may be caring for a disabled person like a sick partner or a disabled parent. You have to let your teacher know in advance about that situation for you to enjoy the window of late submissions.

9. Blaming a Lazy Group Member

Reasons and excuses for turning in late online homework.

Online assignments present a little bit different excuses on top of the ones discussed above. However, ensure that you back your excuse with sound reasoning.

1. Computer Issues

You can provide a receipt from your technician indicating the service quotation. Alternatively, you can take it to the university’s ICT department to see if they can assist in data recovery.

2. Wi-Fi Failed to Work

3. never understood the assignment.

If you are in the category of slow learners, it may take you a while before completing the same assignment leading to late submission.

4. Sickness

5. had an exam, consequences of being late with assignment.

In most universities, a late assignment submission penalty is taking 5% off the total allocated marks for that assignment. Such would be deducted for the first seven days, after which the professor will not accept the assignment again. While the late submission penalty varies, most universities follow a similar plan to deter lateness.

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Late Assignment Excuses That Don’t Fail

Students need late assignment excuses all the time. Ideally, it’s common for learners to fail to submit their assignments within the duration the educator stipulates. For instance, the stress of keeping up with everything that happens to the student’s academic life can hinder them from meeting the deadlines.

Although some learners are careless, some cases are genuine, and educators consider them. However, a learner must request a submission deadline extension. Also, the teacher expects a substantial reason for delaying the assignment submission. This article highlights some of the homework excuses that students give for late assignment submission.

Table of Contents

Top reasons for late submission of assignments, what to do when handing in a late paper, how to ask for an extension, consequences for late assignment submission.

Something simple like the inability to keep up with the environment can be a reason for late submission. Ideally, a learner can develop stress that prevents them from keeping up with the assignment deadlines. However, a student must analyze their scenario carefully to determine whether they should request a deadline extension. That’s because educators expect students to provide compelling reasons for turning in assignments late in college, university, or high school. Here are the primary reasons students give for assignments’ late submission.

• Lost Homework Losing homework is a common reason that some learners give for not submitting their assignments on time. For instance, a learner can claim that somebody stole the work from their bag. Crime is rampant among college and high school students. And you can blame this on your inability to meet the assignment submission deadline. If somebody stole your assignment, the teacher may allow you to submit it late, provided your case seems genuine.
• I Forgot to Submit My Assignment You can tell the teacher that you didn’t remember to submit the assignment on time, but you have already done it. For instance, you can tell the educator that you had many things going on in your life and forgot to bring the assignment to class or their office. That way, the educator might allow you to submit the work at a later date or time. Some students give this excuse when they are yet to finish the assignment, but they can complete it within the allowed extension.
• Domestic Violence Domestic violence is typical in modern marriages. Since this is a sensitive issue, most educators consider it when learners blame it for late submission. However, your teacher might bring the subject up to your parents or guardians. Additionally, the educator might report the issue to the guidance and counseling office. Consequently, the office can contact your guardians or parents to discuss the ordeals. And this will ensure that your parents understand the effects of their actions on your school life.
• Blame it on Sickness Sickness is something natural, and it can happen to anyone at an unexpected time. Ideally, avoiding an illness is almost impossible. A sick student might lack the emotional and physical strength to work on their homework or assignment. Therefore, the disease is one of the good excuses for late homework submission. However, ensure that you have a good backing for this excuse. For instance, you can provide a doctor’s note when using this excuse. Also, you can give this excuse if it’s your immediate family member that was ill, thereby hindering you from completing the assignment. For instance, you might not write your assignment if you have a highly sick sister or parent. You can even stop working on your academic task to take care of your loved one. And that’s a solid reason to compel the educator to extend your assignment submission deadline.
• Writer’s Block When working on homework, a student might read several books, leading to writer’s block. This situation can be overwhelming, and it may affect the student’s productivity. Even after taking short breaks, the leader might still find the assignment almost impossible to complete. Most teachers listen to students that fail to submit assignments due to writer’s block. The educator might even grant you a leave of several days before recollecting and working on the homework. Nevertheless, you must apologize and acknowledge your action’s consequences. Also, accept responsibility, show regret, and promise the educator that it won’t happen again.
• Overwhelming Assignment Having too many writing assignments with tight deadlines is also among the good homework excuses. In most cases, academic papers require ample time to prepare and write. Therefore, you can request the professor to allow you more time to work on your assignments. And this is undoubtedly a valid reason for justifying late assignments. But don’t wait to request the extension at the last minute. Instead, tell the educator early that you have other projects, probably when they assign you a new task.
• Job Interview Perhaps, you’re applying for a job while pursuing your education, and you’re lucky to land an interview. In that case, you can request an extension for your assignment deadline. Your educator will listen and most likely accept your apology. They will also grant you ample time to prepare for the interview and attend it on the specified date. After that, you can submit the assignment late without penalties.
• My Computer Crashed Maybe the educator specified that you should type and print your assignment. Some schools also require learners to submit homework via web-based platforms. In that case, you can blame a crashed computer for a late assignment. That’s because a computer can crash with your complete homework in it. Also, you can tell the educator that your younger siblings or pets broke your laptop. You can even say power failure or hackers damaged your computer. And this is a reasonable excuse for not turning in homework, especially for a serial assignment offender. The teacher might contend that you might have used other methods like loading the assignment to a USB, but you can say that the incident happened abruptly.

On realizing that you will miss the assignment deadline, prepare to submit it late without facing disciplinary actions from your educator. If you don’t acknowledge and apologize, the educator can even penalize you on the ground that you submitted assignment 1 minute late. Therefore, don’t panic or ignore your delay in handing in the homework late. Instead, follow these steps to handle the situation safely.

Talk to the educator early: Telling your professor or teacher that you can’t complete the homework on time shows that you’re not a lazy student waiting to give late submission excuses at the last minute. The educator will appreciate your efforts to share the unforeseen problems with them beforehand. Meet with the educator: Be calm and try everything possible to convince the educator of the validity of your reason to be late with your assignment. Also, show the educator that you won’t be late due to lack of motivation or laziness. Email your professor or teacher: If the assignment’s due date is very close, write your professor an email. In the email, explain your circumstance, the reason for your situation, and apologize for the delay. Take responsibility: No professor likes students that keep requesting deadline extensions. But if your situation hinders you from meeting the deadline, request its extension and take responsibility. Don’t blame your school or the teacher for providing insufficient time. Instead, be mature and explain why you can’t meet the deadline. Promise the educator that it won’t happen again: You won’t be lucky whenever you fail to submit your assignment within the deadline the educator stipulates. Nevertheless, promise the educator that this won’t happen in the future and follow through.

Follow these steps, and your educator might accept your excuses for not doing homework within the stipulated timeframe.

Even if you have the best homework excuses, the educator might ask you to write an apology letter or email. In some institutions, students fill out a deadline extension form to apply for a new one. If this is an option in your school, consider it if you have a genuine reason. But if the educator asks you to write an apology letter or an email requesting a deadline extension, take the time to do it.

In your late assignment email, express your remorse or regret for the inability to submit the work on time. Also, explain how you found yourself in the situation. Additionally, promise the educator that this won’t happen in the future.

Here is a late assignment submission email sample to guide you:

Ref: Late Assignment Submission (Full name and class) Dear Sir/Madam, I’m contacting you because I won’t manage to submit my (assignment title) on (date) due to (give reasons). I undoubtedly understand my mistake, and I sincerely apologize. I should have been meticulous in the first place. I kindly request you allow me to hand it in on (date). I sincerely apologize for this, and it won’t happen again. Warm regards, (Your name and class)

Your email to professor about late assignment should be formal. Thus, don’t sound like you’re addressing a family member or friend. Instead, be polite, mature, and official in your email. Also, keep it brief.

Even after providing late excuses in your email, your professor could penalize you for missing the deadline. Different learning institutions deal with assignment extension excuses uniquely. For instance, most universities penalize learners by taking off 5% of the assignment’s marks. After seven days, the professor won’t accept your request again. What’s more, different universities have measures for deterring lateness among students.

If you continue being late with assignments, the university can postpone your studies. Failure to submit work within your semester’s schedule can also prevent the faculty from compiling your marks. Thus, you will not appear in the graduation list if in the final year.

In some cases, failure to submit the assignment on time can lead to expulsion or suspension. Therefore, understand the individual policies that govern assignment submission when joining a learning institution.

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What to Say When You Didn't Do Your Homework

8 minutes reading time

• 01. The Dog Ate It
• 02. I Don’t Remember Getting any Homework
• 03. I Thought it Was in My Bag
• 04. I Didn’t Understand the Homework
• 05. My Computer Crashed
• 06. Too Much Homework from Another Class
• 07. I was Absent When the Homework was Assigned
• 08. Busy with Extra-curricular Activities and Volunteering
• 09. I Was So Sick!
• 10. Tell the Truth
• 11. Bonus Excuses

Have you ever stumbled to class, filled with dread and wondering how you're going to explain why you don't have any work to turn in?

Surely most - if not all students have handed in a homework assignment late, at least a few times (or more!). Equally likely: just about every learner had no assignments ready to turn it, late or otherwise. When that happens, so as not to get into trouble, pupils cook up excuses why they couldn’t complete their homework when scheduled or at all.

If these assertions leave you feeling like we're speaking directly to you... we are. Your parents, professors, teachers and, yes, even your Superprofs were once pupils, too. We know how school life is and how, sometimes, learners have no desire to do homework. Or, in some cases, how any inkling of that work should be done.

A Superprof homework help tutor would render all of those points moot. With such a mentor, you would have no trouble understanding  your study materials or what is expected of you. You would not need any excuses because your work would get done on time, every time.

Maybe you don't have a Superprof tutor (yet). Maybe, for you, excuses remain the order of the day. If that's the case, you need some pretty good reasons to not have completed your assignments. Here again, your Superprof rides to the rescue by providing you with a list of excuses - some with a proven track record of credibility and others adapted to our computer-driven era.

The Dog Ate It

We head our list up with the classic - who hasn't heard about that homework-hating dog that must eat every assignment? Or maybe it's a homework-loving dog who craves the taste of graphite and ink...

The original dog who ate homework was allegedly Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise's pet fox.

The legend, written by Forrest Wickman, recounts that, back in the 6th Century, when the saint's tame fox was tasked with taking Ciarán's writings to the monastery Master. These papers were bound in a leather strap. One day, the fox chewed through the strap, allowing the papers to fly away with the wind.

Over the centuries, dogs have been accused of eating everything including, in one story published in 1808, a playing card that would have lost its master the high-stakes game he was playing.

Bringing the narrative full-circle, another religious man, in this instance an Anglican priest whose sermons tended to go on and on, reportedly had to cut his preaching short one Sunday because a dog had gotten into his study and had eaten several pages of the sermon. The worshippers were reportedly delighted at spending less time in the pews.

The bottom line: despite its lengthy history, perhaps this is not the most subtle or workable of excuses. However, should you, in all actuality, have a dog… If all else fails, you could bring a few chewed-on pages as proof.

I Don’t Remember Getting any Homework

The trouble with you supposedly having a Swiss cheese memory about homework assignments is today's technology.

Upon any claim of faulty memory on your part, your teacher will certainly ask if you checked with your mates. Even direr for you: what if your homework was assigned online , through your school's online learning portal - and you logged, in clearly indicating you knew there was work to be done?

If your teacher uses no web-based learning platforms ... You probably DO remember getting your homework, but s/he can't be sure of that, right?

This particular excuse would work best if the whole class - or, at least a majority of your classmates proclaimed the same.

I Thought it Was in My Bag

This particular excuse works for just about anything, from the money you owe a friend to the book you promised to return. And, of course, undone homework .

It is particularly effective if you first dig into your backpack as you normally would - nothing to see here, Teacher! Just another diligent pupil, whipping out last night's work. .. And then, more frantically, your fingers scrabble and scour every pocket, even as you cast panicked glances around the room.

If you could work up an embarrassed flush, that would be the icing on the cake. " Of course you thought you packed it !", your teacher will think.

This one is a great excuse, it’s worked for students everywhere, especially those who can work up a sweat or a few tears on demand.

I Didn’t Understand the Homework

This excuse works better for science, maths or questions-based homework rather than essays. That doesn't mean it won't fly if the assignment called for you to write at length; you might simply explain how you didn't quite get the idea of what you were supposed to write about.

This excuse hits two birds with one stone when you combine it with 'could you explain it to me?' because you'll get help with your homework and a deadline extension , especially if you actually don’t understand the homework assignment.

Beware of this pitfall: Teacher might ask if you talked with any of your classmates to see if they could explain what you were supposed to do. You might say that you asked your parents or an older sibling for help but avoid mentioning any mate your teacher might know, just in case s/he tries to verify your story.

My Computer Crashed

With more schools turning to web-based platforms to assign and turn in homework, a whole new spectrum of excuses has opened up to the desperate, homework-lacking learner.

Besides computer crashes, you might invoke pets and/or younger siblings breaking your laptop, hackers, power failures and even that your printer ran out of ink. Of course, that last will be the least effective excuse, especially if you are a serial homework offender . Your teacher may contend that you could have loaded your work onto a USB drive and taken it to a print shop.

Beware too that, if no other student suffered a power outage , invoking that reason may force to veer into the 'parents didn't pay the bill' territory - the only other reason that only you had no electricity to power your devices.

Too Much Homework from Another Class

This excuse would work best for college and university students.

Elementary, Middle, and High school  teachers usually have an idea of how much homework their colleagues assign and, if they didn't, it would be a snap for them to check. They may start by asking your classmates; their responses might prove embarrassing for you.

Even if you lay out everything you did for that supposed other class, this story puts you and your teacher in a difficult position.

On one hand, they might think: "Poor you, clearly you’ve been given far too much homework!" but, on the other, they may well contend that other teachers' assignments aren't their concern and, being a college/university student, you should manage your schedule and workload more efficiently.

This excuse might work if your professor is too inexperienced to know better or a bit on the negligent side. Best to not underestimate them, though. Keep this one in reserve for when you truly have nothing else to offer.

I was Absent When the Homework was Assigned

Despite your attendance tick in the register, this story could still fly if you could convince your teacher you were in the loo when the assignment was announced. It would work particularly well if you are, indeed, a frequent visitor to the loo during class.

If you don't routinely excuse yourself from class, you may try to convince your teacher that s/he marked you present by mistake on that day.

Here again, your classmates would have to vouch for you. Failing that, you might rope your parents into providing a note explaining that, of course, you were absent on that day because you had to do something far more important than attending class.

Busy with Extra-curricular Activities and Volunteering

If you want to polish your civic, duty-bound image , saying you couldn't do any homework because you were helping others would be a sure bet.

Especially in these COVID times, if you're too busy doing senior citizens' shopping or helping out in your local clinic to solve equations or write dissertations, you will be nothing but a star in your teacher's eyes.

For the same reason - the coronavirus, it will be less believable if you claim team sports or group activities as your extracurricular activity. Even rowing, playing chess and singing in the church choir would be suspect.

Choose the reason you're too busy for homework wisely. If volunteering is your excuse, it would be best to actually volunteer because, if you get found out, your fall from grace would be twice as far.

I Was So Sick!

Not so long ago, in the halcyon, pre-COVID days, being sick was a classic homework excuse . One could claim a 24-hour bug, food poisoning or come to class looking convincingly wan and plead a fever the night before.

Not only would you be excused from turning in your assignments but you might have garnered a bit of sympathy... to say nothing of a handy extension on your deadline for turning work in.

These days, if you claim you've been bedridden, feverish and unable to distinguish your cat from your sheet of homework, you're likely to land yourself in quarantine , missing out on classes and leisure activities alike.

If pleading illness is your go-to move to excuse yourself from turning in assignments on time, you would do best to stick with food poisoning... and even that claim is no guarantee you won't be sent home posthaste, driven by the worry that you're suffering from something far graver than a revisit of the pizza you had last night.

Tell the Truth

If you typically dole out excuses for why your homework is never done on time, perhaps it’s time to pull out your ace in the hole – the truth.

Honesty is still the best policy, after all, and your teacher will appreciate your telling the truth. It should be a refreshing change from the usual bombardment of (only somewhat believable) excuses.

Use truth-telling when you’re feeling especially sincere (and desperate). Or, the best yet: tell the truth all the time .

Of course, you wouldn't have to worry about recycling excuses if you knocked your homework out like the champ you are...

Bonus Excuses

In case the all-time favs listed above don't suit you or you've used them all at least once this school year, here are a few extra excuses to try that might save you from the wrath of Teacher :

• I left it at home
• I dropped it in the sewer on the way to school
• I left it in my other satchel/bookbag/binder/notebook
• I was looking it over and left it on the bus
• I let (insert name of classmate) borrow it and s/he didn't give it back  you may even claim that the treacherous friend turned your work in as theirs
• My little brother/sister drew all over it (or used it to make a paper aeroplane, a boat, a nest for their guinea pig...)
• My mother/father accidentally shredded it, along with other important documents
• My parents were looking it over and forgot to give it back
• My tutor accidentally packed it away with his papers
• I spilled (insert name of a document-ruining food or beverage) all over it

Admittedly, for all that they are plausible, some of these excuses are quite funny. Your teacher may give you props for your inventiveness and, if the assignment wasn't critical, might give you a pass... this time.

If chronic homework neglect is your study style, be careful not to use the same excuse too many times. Otherwise, your teacher may not be sympathetic towards you should there ever be a legitimate reason for not doing your homework.

We hope these excuses have been helpful - or, at least, entertaining. Just remember that the more you use them, the more unbelievable they’ll become to your teacher.

In fact, it may just be more advantageous (and easier) for you to do your homework and hand it in on time.

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This helped my 9 year old daughter so much with her work many thanks!

Omg these are great except some of them are a little bad but most of them were EPIC

I put my homework on your desk yesterday because I finished it early. I don’t know what you did with it.

I once told my teacher I accidentally used it as fuel for the fire at home.

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Home / News / Top 10 homework excuses from students ranked

Top 10 homework excuses from students ranked

We’ve all gone through the schooling stage. We were all once kids and teenagers, and we all thought at some point that there has to be more to life than getting stuck with a big homework assignment over the weekend.

The average person isn’t a fan of homework but we all had to do it growing up. It didn’t come without hesitation and a few creative excuses, however. Counting down from 10 all the way to one, these are the top homework excuses teachers and parents from around the United States  hear each and every day.

10. I didn’t want to do it

This will teach you a lot about your student and/or child. If they don’t hesitate to say they just didn’t want to do the assignment then you know they’re being serious. And brutally honest. You might get away with it from the teacher but prepare for at least a week without your cell phone if your parents hear you say this.

9. Family pet ate it

Obviously this is a horrible and overused excuse but sometimes it’s legit. Whether it was a dog, cat, bunny or guinea pig, the family pet doesn’t know nor does it care what you’re doing or how important it may be. Just make sure you keep an eye on what you’re working on at all times or put it in your notebook or binder . The best part about this excuse is it could get you off the hook with your parents. Your teacher, however, is another story.

8. Left it at school over the weekend

Tough. Leaving your homework at school over the weekend isn’t a good excuse. Organization can be tough to learn especially throughout the teen stages but learning young can result in better results in the later stages of life.

7. I don’t know where it is

Again. Tough luck. It’s the students responsibility to know where their homework is and that it’s done by the due date. Keeping everything organized in binders or folders is an easy task to complete.

6. I was gone when it was assigned

99.9% of the time teachers get homework assignments to those that are gone. Either they make arrangements prior or they put their trust in another student (a friend) to deliver the assignment to them. Now with technology students will have those assignments sent directly to them regardless of the reason they’re not in school.

5. I’m sick

The oldest excuse in the book. Or second oldest. If nobody falls for the “my dog ate it” excuse then this is always next on the list. And very rarely will it work especially with the teachers.

4. Blame the siblings

Because why not?

3. Don’t understand the assignment

Everyone learns differently. Some are quick learners and just need to hear directions once. Some not so quick, ultimately requiring another lesson or two to get a good grasp on the subject. But sometimes you need to take a shot in the dark and learn from the mistakes.

2. Night filled with extra-curriculars

From sports practice to an after-school job to attending school-related events, nights are often packed tight. Sometimes from the minute school gets out until it’s time to crawl into bed and start all over again. Nobody wants to do homework at 10pm but sometimes that’s the only option. Otherwise the basketball game that went into overtime can be your excuse.

1. The WiFi wasn’t working

With the evolution of technology and the convenience of the Internet eventually comes the issues. Schools have the option to provide their students with their own laptops or tablets for school use and thus require assignments on the devices out of school. Technology problems, such as a device or WiFi issue, is a real excuse for missing a due date.

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7 Best excuses for not doing homework

Every once in awhile, one fails to complete their homework in time . To get away with it, you need a proper excuse that will be convincing enough to your teacher. While some teachers may be more gullible than others, here are some of the excuses you could use.

1. Stolen Backpack

It is possible that your backpack can be stolen on the day the assignment is due. Trying to trace who stole your backpack or how true that is could be too much work for the teacher. This could help you get away with it.

2. Sickness

You could say you fell ill and were unable to complete any of the tasks given. While some teachers could demand a medical report indicating so, most teachers will not follow through. However if you always use this excuse, you could get caught some day.

3. Forgot my backpack in my Dad's car and he is out of town

This could be a good idea since it is highly unlikely the teacher could expect your Dad to leave work in order to bring your assignment to school

4. Fake period

For ladies you can easily get away by saying it's that time of the month. If you are a boy and you decide to say this, trust me you will be in bigger problems than not completing homework.

5. A close relative died

You could say one of your relative, like Grandpa just died. Well any right thing teacher would not debate about that. However, using this excuse too many times will also get you caught too.

6. Computer crashed

If this was a typed assignment, you could say your computer crashed. Everybody including your teacher knows these stuff happens every now and then so it won't look odd.

7. Be honest and tell the truth as it is.

While it is a good option to lie about it, sometimes just saying the plain truth could get you off the hook. Tell the teacher what exactly happened. Some teachers will actually understand that you didn't choose to use homework doers to pass in your assignment and were honest about that.

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15 Best Excuses for Late Assignments

After a tough day at school, having a good number of assignments to complete is not a pleasant experience. However, if you ignore it, you risk getting into problems if you don’t have valid justifications. It would be best if you thought of good explanations to persuade your instructor to award you a pass rather than settle for a zero.

Frequently, failure to complete assignments on time is the consequence of being negligent. However, there are true instances where students cannot complete their work before the deadline. Nevertheless, whether the reason you want to give is legitimate or not, there is a need for the excuse to sound and feel convincing.

This article has prepared the 15 best excuses for late assignments. Read on and learn the tricks to keep you out of trouble with your teachers and help you have a smooth stay at school.

The Occurrence of an Illness

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One of the oldest but still among the best excuses for skipping assignments is being ill. One may make up a 24-hour illness, food poisoning, or show up to class appearing sickly with a fever from the previous night. Most educators are fairly considerate, particularly when the excuse seems sincere. As a result, you may not only be spared from submitting your homework, but you might also win some compassion.

Death of a Family Member

It’s absurd to pretend that a relative has died. Unless you need to keep your grades, that is. Even the brightest individuals would then give it some thought. Ultimately, the teacher won’t ever know if you were lying. This is unless they are friends with your mother and plan to attend the burial.

Also see: What happens when I submit my assignment late? 

Some learners are experts at coming up with this defence. They frequently mention the passing of a grandparent, distant uncle, or aunt. Nevertheless, please be mindful not to abuse this excuse if you choose to use it.

Faking Periods

This is the ideal justification for female students. It works remarkably well with male tutors. They will be so uneasy and sad for you, and they might be forced to extend the deadline for your assignment submission.

Remember, do not even attempt to use this excuse if you are a male student. You will have more issues than not doing the schoolwork as a result.

Hindrance from a Technological Failure

The simplest and most plausible defence is to blame technology. You can cite any issues, such as a broken printer, a crashed laptop, or a disrupted internet connection. The majority of people, including your teacher, have encountered difficulties as a result of technology flaws.

This is a wonderful explanation if you have a document that needed to be typed and printed. Similarly, if you had to complete your assignment online, it might also be effective.

Forgetting the Assignment Notebook

You will receive a lecture about the risks of being irresponsible for using this argument, but you may get away with not turning in your work. It works best if this is your first instance of missing the deadline for submitting your homework.

Ensure, though, that this doesn’t end up being the excuse you typically employ. If not, the instructor can disregard your explanation and award you a dismal zero.

Failure to Understand the Assignment

In contrast to essays, this rationale is more effective for assignments that consist of questions, arithmetic, or science. However, if the assignment requires you to write extensively, you can still get away with it. This is if you only explain that you struggled to understand what the professor expected you to write about.

A Sibling Messing with the Assignment

The excuse of a younger sibling messing with your notebook is a good one, though not so convincing. They may have chosen your notebook to play with without realizing how essential it might be. This means that even if your teacher may correct you for being irresponsible, you will ultimately avoid being punished for your unfinished assignment.

Absenteeism on the Assignment Issuance Date

You could not complete the assignment if you weren’t aware of it. This excuse is a good one when the teacher delegated the task, but you were not made aware of it because you were away.

Yet again, you would need the support of your peers. If that doesn’t work, solicit your parents to write a note outlining why you were missing that day.

Obstruction from the Death of a Pet

This justification is rarely utilized since some teachers could not understand the value of pets. But it works, particularly if your instructor owns a dog or a cat. The only teacher who wouldn’t give you any leeway for mourning your best friend is a ruthless one.

Babysitting a Younger Sibling

You may have duties at home if you are an elder brother or sister. One of them might be looking after a younger sibling, particularly if your parents are working. This is a reasonable rationale because babysitting a younger sibling makes concentrating difficult.

Too Much Homework from Another Class

It’s a fact that sometimes you’ll have a lot of homework from various teachers. When you get home, you won’t know which to focus on and which to ignore.

Select a lecturer who has a reputation for being understanding if this is the reality. Suppose you can demonstrate that you actually began working on your assignment but could not complete it. In that case, there is a decent possibility they will consider your request and grant you an extension.

Hindrance from Volunteering or Co-Curricular Activities

Claiming you couldn’t complete an assignment because you were serving others would be a solid bet if you wanted to enhance your humanitarian, moral responsibility image. An excellent justification might include helping at the neighborhood clinic, cleaning the streets, or performing other noble deeds. Another acceptable justification is participation in extracurricular activities like school debates, sports, choir practice, or other school-related endeavors.

Interference from Family-Related Conflicts

It can be pretty stressful to have parents who fight often. Focusing on your assignments can be difficult while arguments or physical fights are going on, and sometimes it is preferable to ignore them or get some rest by going to sleep.

Teachers are aware that not every student has ideal circumstances at home. If you are telling the truth, you won’t likely suffer any repercussions for using this explanation.

Forgetting About the Homework

This excuse might not be the best because your teacher may label you as not serious. Nevertheless, it is worth trying, especially when it is really the case. Here, it would be ideal if everyone in the class, or at least most of your peers, cite the same reason.

Telling the Truth

As fantastic as it is to make up an excuse for missing schoolwork and get away with it, there are occasions when being honest is preferable. Some instructors will allow you more time to complete your assignment in addition to applauding and understanding your sincerity.

As promised, this article has covered the 15 best excuses for late assignments. Above all other considerations, it’s crucial to put out your best effort and complete your assignment by the due date. It is preferable to submit the work on time rather than wasting time, effort, and strain trying to find the ideal explanation.

15 Good Excuses for When You Forgot to Do Your Homework

By: Author Hiuyan Lam

Posted on Published: May 23, 2021

Categories Etiquette & advice

Having to do a ton of homework after a long day at school isn’t a great feeling. But, if you don’t do it, you’ll get in trouble if you don’t have good excuses not to do homework.

Instead of settling for a zero, you need to come up with good excuses to convince your teacher to give you a pass. These excuses not to do homework must be rock solid or else you might end up in even more trouble.

Saying the dog ate it is not a good excuse not to do homework, so don’t even think about using that one. Here are 15 of the best excuses not to do homework that are guaranteed to work:

Things to pay attention to before making up excuses not to do homework

  Before you go ahead and make up your excuses not to do homework, there are some things you must pay attention to. This will let you know if the excuse will work or not.   The main things are:  

4 excuses about blaming family when you forgot to do your homework

  Sometimes family can come in the way of getting your homework done on time. This can be because of a toxic home environment, or simply because a lot is going on at the moment.   Here are 4 good excuses not to do homework that can be blamed on your family:  

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3 excuses that blame technology

  As reliable as technology is these days, certain things may happen that will make it difficult for you to complete your homework assignments.   Here are 3 excuses not to complete homework that you can blame on technology:  

15 Good Excuses to Miss Class without Being Caught Lying

3 excuses for when you have conflicts

  Unfortunately, teachers can sometimes put too much pressure on students to complete homework.   Students might end up with a ton of homework that has to go in the same day, or experience scheduling conflicts with their extracurriculars.   If this is your experience, here are 3 excuses not to do homework:  

5 excuses for when you blame yourself

  If there isn’t anyone to blame but yourself, it’s always a better idea to go with the truth than a lie. Being able to hold yourself accountable says a lot and it is obvious to seasoned teachers when students are grasping at straws.   Here are 5 excuses not to do homework when it’s all your fault:  

  Now that you have your excuses not to do homework, please don’t take advantage of them.   Sure, homework might be no fun, but it will be helpful in the long run and you’ll find that when test time comes, you’ll have an easier time recalling what you have learned!