didn't you do your homework yet

• Write My Essay
• Essay Writing Help
• Custom Essay
• Dissertation Writing
• Assignment Help Australia

 IS HERE TO PAMPER STUDENTS WITH ESSAYS OF EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY

20 Cheeky reasons you didn't do your homework

1 - My dog got sick from drinking toilet water with bleach in it

He was just throwing up everywhere. I was up with him most of the night and only managed three paragraphs before the horror started. I stayed up with him whilst waiting for the vets to open at 8:30am. By 5am he was okay and started walking around again so I went to sleep. My sister just took him to the vets and I am really worried. This idea was based on a real-life example from when a college student marched half an hour late into a chemistry class and announced, “Sorry I'm late, my dog got sick from drinking toilet water with bleach in it.”

2 - I heard that teachers have a heavy workload

So I thought I would lower the amount of marking you had tonight.

3 - I let my sister copy it and she never gave it back

This works great if someone has already handed in the work and had it marked because you can claim you lent your work to them and have not had it back yet.

4 - I had no food in the house

Your teacher will reply, “How or why would that stop you doing your homework?” To which you reply, “I can't work on an empty stomach, can you?”

5 - Your said do your homework, you never said to hand it in

This is cheeky and you won't get away with it, but say it loud enough in class and you may get a few cheap laughs.

6 - I lost my dog, so I had to eat it myself

The old gag is that your dog ate it, so this is a play on that.

7 - A psychic told me I would lose a leg if I did my homework last night

At some point when your teacher is questioning, you could also say, “Well if I had done my homework then you still wouldn't have got it because I couldn't have walked to class.”

8 - I've been having memory problems

It's true, these days I have such a bad memory that I can't even finish a…

9 - It said write your name on the front/back

Tell the teacher the page was blank and you couldn't figure out which side the front or back was.

10 - The kid I am bullying was off sick

You can also try this with, “My mum doesn't know how to do xxx.”

11 - I suffer from Ergasiaspitiouphobia (Ergasia Spitiou Phobia)

Your teacher will probably give you a nasty look, but may forgive you when he or she Google's it and finds out what it means (it is a phobia of work of any kind).

12 - I noticed it got dark outside and I spent the night worrying why

You can try this one a number of ways such as, “Water started falling from the sky and I was worried the sky was leaking,” and “The sun went missing in the evening and I was on the phone all night with the milk carton company trying to list a missing advert.”

13 - It was so good I sent it off to be framed first

There are other variations on this such as, “It was so good that my mum is having it laminated.”

14 - I have not seen it since my trip to Mensa

You are implying that is was so good that the people at Mensa took it from you.

15 - I made the mistake of telling my mum it was for extra credit

The punchline is, “So she sent it off to the bank to try and increase her overdraft.”

16 - My butler threw it away

The most common version is, “My cleaner threw it away”, but saying butler has a sweeter sarcastic edge to it.

17 - I didn't want to make the other students feel bad

Your excuse for not bringing it in is that it is so good that the other students would feel bad that theirs was not as good as yours.

18 - I know you have a heavy workload so I marked it myself

You claim that you did it, marked it and kept it at home so that the teacher had a lower workload (because you are just a nice person).

19 - My Internet went down

Your teacher will reply with how you could have printed it off and brought it in, but you then reply with, “Oh no, that wasn't the problem, without the Internet I had no way of copying the answers.” It prods nicely at the fact that the school structure has broken down because all answers to all homework questions can be found online.

20 - I gave it to the substitute teacher

This is a nasty trick to pull and there are lots of students that still use this old excuse. You could always say you were just being cheeky and that you will hand it in tomorrow.

Also seen on EssayMama:

• Student Pranks! Attention!
• Wise Tips from the Current Student: How to Buy Cheap Essay Online
• How to Prepare for SAT Exams: Study Schedule
• Research Papers
• Term Papers
• Thesis Writing
• Essay Editing
• Proofreading Service
• Custom Essay in Hours
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Pay For Essay Online
• Case Study Help
• College Papers Help

FOLLOW US ON

WHY CHOOSE US

• 100% unique custom academic papers
• Direct communication with your writer
• Non-stop customer support
• Secure payment
• Papers written within the deadline at reasonable prices
• Discount options
• Satisfaction and total confidentiality are guaranteed!

OUR DISCOUNTS

TESTIMONIALS

Wendy J. on Feb 2021

James L. on Jan 2021

• Other services
• WordCounter
• Terms & Conditions
• Affiliate program

We use cookies. What does it mean? OK

51 Best Homework Excuses (Serious, Funny, Strict Teachers)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

Homework. No one wants to do it. But no one wants to get in trouble either. So, here are some of the best homework excuses that are serious, funny, and might even work for strict teachers!

As a teacher myself, I’ve heard most of these excuses. I laughed at a few and rolled my eyes at most.

At the end of the day, you’re only going to get away with not doing homework if you’ve got a solid excuse and a bunch of evidence to back it up. Good luck!

Read Also: 27 Pros and Cons of Homework

Cliché Homework Excuses

These are terrible homework excuses that, really, students should avoid. They might be fun to use, but most of them have been over-used. Your teacher won’t believe you unless you’ve brought some evidence along with you.

1. My Dog ate my Homework. Look, no one’s ever going to believe this one. Maybe avoid it unless you want to spend lunch time inside catching up.

2. My Computer Broke. This one’s more believable but it’s been over-used. Thanks to all the liars out there, this homework excuse is well and truly ruined.

3. My Mom Forgot It. Nothing like blaming your mother for your own failures. Most teachers would probably tell you to take a little personal responsibility and send you on your way.

4. The Internet was Out. As believable as any excuse, your teacher might tell you that you’d better buy yourself an old hardback encyclopedia.

5. My Grandma Died. Again. The oldest excuse in the book, I always ask for evidence of this. Some people seem to have 15 grandmas.

6. The Older Kids Took it off me and Tore it Up. Chances are, your teacher’s going to be very concerned by this. They might even escalate this to a disciplinary issue!

Related: A List of Extension Excuses for College Students

Funny Homework Excuses

These ones might get a laugh out of your teacher and your classmates. But, you’re not likely to get out of trouble in the long run.

7. My Mother wanted to Display it on the Fridge. You might get a few laughs from your friends out of this one. But, your teacher is going to tell you to go home, take it off the fridge, and bring it to class!

8. The Police Confiscated it as Evidence. This one might make your teacher pause and wonder. Why is it confiscated? Is it so poorly written that the police consider it an outrage? Maybe your joke will deflect them from punishing you, though.

9. I was Abducted by Aliens and They took It. If your teacher believes this one, let me know. I’ve got some air guitars to sell them.

10. I sent it to you in the Post. In this day and age, you might have to tell your teacher they should wait a few months to it arrive. The postal service isn’t what it used to be.

11. My Dad mistook it for a Letter and Posted it to China. Funny, but clearly not true. Your teacher is going to ask one simple question: why is your dad sending letters to China?

12. I had to burn it in the Fireplace to keep myself Warm. Like Pablo Escobar burning cash, you’ve thrown caution to the wind and thrown your homework book into the fire because, well, if you didn’t, you wouldn’t have survived the freezing cold night.

13. It flew out the Window of the Car. Just picture it. You’re frantically doing your homework on the drive to school. Your dad winds down the window and – woosh – the homework’s gone for good. And class is in just 15 minutes!

14. I thought I’d do it Tomorrow because I’ll be Older and Wiser Then. A clever joke, but you’re probably going to be known as the class clown from that moment onwa rd!

15. I did my Work. It’s all Up Here in my Head. Be prepared for your teacher to give you a snap quiz on the spot if you’re bold enough to say you’ve got it all in your head! But, if you pull it off, maybe you’ll get away without too much trouble.

16. I didn’t do it because I didn’t want to add to your Workload. Sure, it sounds nice, but your teacher will see right through this cheeky response. But hey, when you’ve got nothing to lose it’s worth a try.

17. My Hand fell Asleep and I didn’t want to Wake It. Imagine you were trying so hard to do your homework and write down those answers. But, your hand just wouldn’t obey your command!

18. My Cat ate it knowing that I’d Blame the Dog. This one’s a funny twist on “my dog ate my homework” that might just get a laugh out of your teacher (and a little bit of leniency).

Related: Excuses for Skipping Class in College

Excuses For Strict Teachers

Okay, here’s where things get serious. If you’ve got a teacher who you know is going to be mad, you need to come into this with a plan. Usually, that means providing evidence to support your excuse.

19. I was Sick. And I have a Sick Note. Being sick (genuinely!) is one of the few reasons for not doing your homework that might actually work. You’re going to want to be able to present a note from your parent and maybe even a doctor.

20. My Mother or Father went to Hospital. And here’s the Sick Note. If your mom or dad is in hospital, chances are you’re going to get a free pass. Bring evidence, even if it’s a photo of dad in the hospital bed with tubes coming out of his nose!

21. My Computer Screen Broke. And here’s a Picture. I’ve actually gotten this one from students a few times and it really took me back. I thought: “is this legit, or is this image from 3 years ago?” A receipt from the computer repair store with a date on it is usually a better piece of evidence. But then again, why didn’t you go to the library?

22. The computer broke, but here are my hand-written notes. I’m usually pretty impressed by this excuse. Your computer broke, but you still made the effort to give the homework a go anyway. Great resilience!

23. The wi-fi didn’t work, but here are my hand-written notes. This excuse is very similar to the previous one. If you turn up with nothing and say the wi-fi broke, the teacher probably won’t accept that excuse. But if you actually tried to write some notes anyway, well done!

24. I wasn’t here when the work was assigned. This is an excellent homework excuse for strict teachers. It’s really quite legitimate. How were you supposed to know you had homework!?

25. I tried, but I didn’t understand the Instructions. This puts the onus back on the teacher. Why didn’t they provide clearer instructions? It’s usually a good idea to show some evidence that you at least gave it a go, though.

26. I volunteer at the soup kitchen on Monday Nights. Everyone loves a good Samaritan. If it gets you out of homework, well, that’s just the universe giving you good karma.

27. I’m so sorry. I thought it was right here in my Bag! This one helps show that it at least is a genuine mistake.

28. I had way too much Homework for my other Class. Follow this one up with “You should talk to that teacher about how their overbearing homework requirements are impacting your students!”

29. The Library was Closed and I don’t have Internet at Home. This one might get you a little more sympathy. The fact you don’t have internet at home means you’re not as privileged as many other kids, so your teacher might let you off lightly.

Related: Fun Things to do when Bored in Class

Truthful Homework Excuses

30. I was too busy doing something more important. Your teacher is instantly going to say “what was more important than your education?” Don’t respond with “video games.”

31. My parents kept me really busy on the weekend. But I promise I’ll do it tonight. One thing I would say about this excuse is that you’re saying “Hey, take it up with my parents. I wanted to do some homework!” But, you’re also saying you’ve got a plan to get it done asap.

32. I was at football practice all night. Many teachers will still say “learning comes before sports” (which, as a teacher, I agree with). But, you’ve got a leg to stand on here. You don’t want to let your team down, which is fair.

33. I did my homework, but I left it at home. This excuse does show that you at least put the effort in. But, you failed at the finish line! Come to class tomorrow with the homework and you’ll win back some respect from your teacher.

34. I forgot I even had homework. Hey, it’s truthful. But you’re not going to get any sympathy for this one.

35. The computer didn’t break. It was the Printer this time! An excuse that’s almost as bad as “my computer broke”, the printer issues excuse at least needs some photographic evidence to back it up. And, why didn’t you email the homework to your teacher?

36. I had a Headache. Headaches are the worst. As a teacher myself, I’d probably have a little sympathy for this excuse if it’s a one-off. But, I’d expect my student to bring a note from the parent to corroborate the story.

37. The homework was far too Easy. This isn’t a good reason not to do homework. Your teacher is going to expect you to absolutely ace your next test.

38. My tutor accidentally took it home with them. Nothing like blaming your tutor for your own problems. As a teacher, I’d probably roll my eyes and tell you that you need to keep better track of your things.

39. I accidentally squished it in the bottom of my bag and now it’s got rotten apple juice all over it. This one’s funny to me because, well, as a kid this always used to happen to me. Rotten bananas were usually the culprit.

40. I spilled cereal all over it because I was doing it over breakfast. This sounds believable. I would tell my student the should at least show me the ruined homework as evidence. And, I’d also tell them that breakfast isn’t the best time to do your homework.

See a List of 11 Homework Statistics

Blame the Parents

41. My parents don’t believe in homework and won’t let me do it. There are some parents like this. If a student said this to me, I’d be on the phone to the parents. So, if you don’t want your teacher to call your parents, don’t use this excuse.

42. My mother said band practice was more important. It’s really hard for teachers to argue with parents via the student. But in my experience the teacher usually responds with: “you need to have better organization skills to get all of these things done in your own time!”

43. I help my father at work on a Tuesday afternoon. I just can’t get it done on Tuesdays. Once again, the teacher is likely going to tell you to have more organization skills. But, you might occasionally get an extension out of this. Especially if you let the teacher know in advance.

44. My father looked at it, said it was outrageous government indoctrination, and told me not to do it. While I think this is hilarious, it’s also something that happens a lot these days. Why is this world so divided? Science isn’t controversial, people!

45. My mother was looking over my homework and forgot to give it back to me. Okay, time for me to put my teacher voice on: “She didn’t forget to give it back to you. You forgot to ask for it back.”

46. My mother threw it in the trash. This must have been frustrating to you! A teacher with a quick wit will respond: “it shouldn’t have looked like trash then. You must have done a bad job!” Or, a more serious teacher might just tell you that you need to be more organized net time.

Blame the Teachers

47. You give too much Homework. There are plenty of people out there in this world who think teachers do give too much homework. They believe it’s not fair and it’s preventing children from leading a balanced and healthy life.

48. Your instructions are impossible to understand. This one really puts the pressure back on the teacher because you’re basically telling them that they’re bad at their job.

49. This was way too hard for me. You need to give me more guidance. Sometimes, it’s true, teachers do assign homework that’s way too hard. You do need to be resourceful and find ways to learn yourself. But at the same time, the teacher really should know better.

50. The homework is too easy. It’s a complete waste of my time. Assigning homework is like playing Goldilocks. It can’t be too hard, can’t be too easy.

51. Between you and all my other teachers, you’re assigning hours of homework every night. You all need to get together and resolve this. This one’s surely going to set a cat amongst the pigeons. The teachers are going to talk about this at their next staff meeting. But, they might coordinate and come back at you as a united front!

FAQ: How to Get Out of Doing Homework?

The best ways to get out of doing homework are to:

• Let the teacher know in advance that you won’t be able to do it. Teachers respond better when you give them an excuse before time, not after.
• Bring evidence of why you didn’t do it. If you want your teacher to truly believe your excuse, you need evidence. This can be notes, photos, receipts, or anything else proving your story is true.

Really, the best way to avoid any issues is to just do the homework in the first place. But if you’re reading this article, chances are the horses have left the stable. You’re at a stage where you’ve got to come up with an excuse because in 10 minutes your teacher is going to be asking you why you haven’t done anything!

Well, good luck with that! I hope you don’t get into too much trouble, but I also hope you learn that next time the best solution is to just get that homework done in advance.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Green Flags in a Relationship
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Signs you're Burnt Out, Not Lazy
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Toxic Things Parents Say to their Children

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What to Say When You Didn't Do Your Homework

8 minutes reading time

• 01. 1. The Dog Ate It
• 02. 2. I Didn’t Understand the Homework
• 03. 3. I Thought It Was in My Bag
• 04. 4. I Was Sick!
• 05. 5. Too Much Homework From Another Class
• 06. 6. My Computer Crashed
• 07. 7. I Was Absent When the Homework Was Assigned
• 08. 8. Busy with Extra-curricular Activities and Volunteering
• 09. 9. I Don’t Remember Getting Any Homework
• 10. 10. Tell the Truth
• 11. Bonus Excuses

Have you ever stumbled into class, filled with dread, wondering how you're going to explain why you don't have your homework? Most students have handed in an assignment late or had no work to turn in at all. When that happens, to avoid trouble, pupils often come up with excuses for not completing their homework.

If these scenarios sound familiar, you're not alone. Your parents, teachers, and even Superprof tutors were once students too. They understand how school life can sometimes leave you unmotivated to do homework. With a Superprof tutor, you'd find it easier to grasp your study materials with homework tips and meet your deadlines, eliminating the need for excuses.

However, if you don't have a Superprof tutor yet, excuses might still be your go-to solution. In that case, you'll need some convincing reasons for not completing your assignments. To help you out, we've compiled a list of the 10 best excuses for not getting your homework done, some with a proven track record and others tailored for our digital age.

1. 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.

2. I Didn’t Understand the Homework

This excuse works better for science, math 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. If you plan ahead of time there are many pointers on the best ways to complete homework assignments .

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 classmate your teacher might know, just in case s/he tries to verify your story.

3. 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.

4. I Was Sick!

Not so long ago, in the 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.

5. 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.

Prioritizing which homework to complete is always a good excuse. 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 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.

6. 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.

7. 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 restroom when the assignment was announced. It would work particularly well if you are, indeed, a frequent visitor to the restroom during class.

If you don't routinely excuse yourself from class, you may try to convince your teacher that they 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.

8. 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.

If you're too busy doing senior citizens' shopping or helping out in your local animal shelter to solve equations or write dissertations, you will be nothing but a star in your teacher's eyes.

For the same reason, 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.

9. I Don’t Remember Getting Any Homework

The trouble with you not remembering your 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 classmates. 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 they 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.

You can effectively get homework done by simply setting up a calendar on your phone to avoid this sort of issue.

10. 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 you telling the truth. It should be a refreshing change from the usual bombardment of (only somewhat believable) excuses.

Use honesty when you’re feeling especially sincere (and desperate). Or, the best yet: tell the truth all the time. Maybe to avoid all this, all you need is to focus more on your homework assignment .

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 a teacher:

• I thought it was due tomorrow
• I forgot to check my planner
• I forgot my computer password
• My parents were looking it over and forgot to give it back
• My tutor accidentally packed it away with his papers

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.

Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating.

Maria Rodriguez

Online contact creator for Superprof. I am passionate about coffee, blogging, and exchanging ideas through online mediums.

Frequently asked questions

❌ what is an excuse for not doing your homework.

A student can tell their teacher that their computer crashed , they didn’t understand the homework , they thought it was in their bag , or countless other excuses.

📄 What is a good excuse for missing your homework?

A student can say that their dog ate it , they were absent when the homework was assigned , or that they were too busy with extra-curricular activities .

Cancel reply

Your comment

Current ye@r *

Leave this field empty

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.

BEST WEBSITE EVER

These are pretty good! You practically saved my life here.

how about i found it to hard

Hello! If you are finding your homework challenging, I suggest checking out the many expert tutors on Superprof.com to find the right tutor for you!

The 100 FUNNIEST Excuses For Not Doing Homework, Courtesy of My Students

Posted on Published: November 19, 2023

By: Author Jane Morris

Students throw out all kinds of excuses for not getting their homework done! From believable excuses to the tried and true classic “ my dog ate it” , teachers hear a lot of excuses every damn day.

It doesn’t help that by now, the behavioral expectations for students have become so loose that students can pretty much say whatever they want without consequence. These days, the excuses are that much more interesting. (And honest.)

Over the course of nearly two decades of teaching, I heard every homework excuse in the book. Better yet, I’ve saved my favorites! And rounded them up here for your viewing pleasure.

So let’s share in the giggles together! I’ve rounded up 100 of the BEST homework excuses I’ve ever heard. The laughs are good for the soul.

And probably your patience too! Some of these you’ve likely heard before. There might not be a lot of foolproof excuses for not doing your homework, but there sure are a lot of fools that come up with some real stinkers!

So for your enjoyment (and definitely not to be actually used in a real-life classroom), here are 100 odd, creative, nonsensical, and hilarious excuses from students for not doing their homework!

100 Funniest Excuses for Not Doing Homework: A Story of Student Shenanigans

If it’s your first day in the teaching profession , you might think homework excuses are few and far between. At the very least, you might think students bother making good excuses.

Well, you’d be wrong on both counts! You will be fed excuse after excuse from students for not having finished their homework, and very few of them will sound believable.

So new teachers, pay attention! Here is some of the ludicrousness you can expect from your class. And it WILL be on the test.

As for all my kindred season educators, sit back and enjoy the ride! Maybe grab a moist towelette…

Cause it’s about to get juicy.

Get the Books That Started It All

Before the blog, the podcast, the merch store… there were the best-selling books.

If you like the content on this site, then you’ll LOVE the Teacher Misery books. They’re jam-packed with teaching insanity, ridiculous true stories, and all the commiseration about the profession you’ve come to know, adore, and respect.

Follow the links below to get your copies today!

Homework Excuses That Are Pure Nonsense!

Man, kids say the silliest things to teachers . From being arrested by the FBI to simply having a gross pimple, the excuses for not having done homework often make no sense…

But they are highly entertaining!

• I got this thing where I can’t read.
• I was arrested by the FBI but it was a case of mistaken identity!
• The microwave was erasing all of my work and that’s why it was all turned in blank.
• I swear I did the work but the answers kept falling off my paper!
• My homework ate my dog!
• The elf on the shelf erased it.
• I had a crusty pimple.
• An electrostatic spark tore a hole in the space-time continuum. My paper was transported back through time and was found and published by a random person. Now I have to redo my assignment because it would be plagiarism to hand in my original.
• I care about trees too much to use paper.
• A gang broke into my house and stole the bag it was in.
• The military accidentally blew it up.
• My water bottle spilled in my backpack and it turned my homework into a brick of ice overnight.
• I did all my other homework and at that point, I needed personal time.
• I died in a car crash.
• I don’t care about homework because I don’t care about education.
• I was cooking grilled cheese and it was the last two pieces of bread and I burnt it and then I was really sad and I couldn’t do anything.
• I kept sneezing and picking the wrong answers because of that and I got frustrated so I just stopped doing it.

Excuses, Accidents, and Bathroom Mishaps

Look, we’ve all had a “little accident” . Only the worst teacher in the world would deny a student the facts of life.

But personal issues that maybe should stay personal are a go-to for slackers. Some funny homework excuses concern the crapper, and now we’re going to laugh at them. Take that, slackers!

• I was dealing with the ghost in the bathroom.
• I was taking a phat shit and it took forever.
• I had Taco Bell so I was in the bathroom the whole night.
• I took a crap and it stunk so I had to take a shower but then I had to crap again and then I showered again.
• I was really constipated.
• My mom forgot to buy toilet paper so I had to use my homework.
• I was doing it in my jacuzzi and it fell in.
• I had too many Hot Cheetos and had to ravage my toilet all night.

Mysterious Illnesses and TMI Reasons for Not Doing Homework

Your student’s poop schedule is one bit of TMI you could probably do without. Look, the uncomfortable truth of the teaching profession is that there will be poops, pees, spews, and TOO much information. The funniest homework excuses usually overspecify…

It comes with the territory. So whenever one of these incredibly questionable yet incredibly funny excuses for not doing homework rolls your way, the best thing you can do is jot it down.

So that, one day, you can put it in a blog post on the internet. Guilty!

• I was eating Takis in the car on the way here and I rubbed my eyes and had to pull over.
• My part was really itchy and I needed a shower.
• I dropped it in the toilet after I had gone to the bathroom.
• I was in intensive care having fluid drained from my lungs because I had pneumonia that I got when I was hit by a car.
• I had heart surgery last night (1st grader).

Excuses About Family Issues, Problems, and EMerghencies

We, as teachers bound to our duty, MUST be sensitive to the family issues and home lives of our students…

Unless they’re just making up excuses to get out of doing their homework! A solid fib about family issues is a classic reason students use to skip homework.

Now, will parents ever take responsibility for their kids not doing their homework? No, of course not! Parents will blame teachers. It’s their go-to M.O.

So next time you hear one of these clankers, note it down and feed it back to the parents. That’ll throw a spanner in the wheels of the little turds!

• I had to take my Nana out for cigarettes.
• I had to help my mom put the cucumbers in the fridge.
• I was practicing playing guitar so I could play a song for my mom’s birthday.
• My mom needed help putting cucumbers in the fridge.
• My sister broke my Chromebook screen because I wouldn’t give her a hug.
• My parents had diarrhea.
• My mom didn’t have time to do it.
• My dad said he doesn’t believe in homework so I don’t have to do it.
• My stepmom died again last night (for the 10th time).
• My dad made me watch TV instead.
• My dad ran it over with his truck.
• My mom drank too much beer to help me with it.
• My mom has radiation poisoning from Chernobyl and it messed up my brain.
• My grandma got lost at the mall and it took us hours to find her.
• My stepdad had a hook in his arm.
• My grandmother wouldn’t give me back my textbook which she had taken in retaliation for the theft of her wooden leg.
• My grandma accidentally took it with her to Mexico.
• I did the homework the day you gave it to us, except then my dad sold all of our notebooks.
• My grandpa said the work is stupid and you’re a moron.

Making Excuses About Special Events

“Damn, Miss, I was in Europe over the weekend.”

“Oh, you went for a weekend trip abroad as a 14-year-old? My apologies, allow me to rescind your homework requirements then.”

I honestly don’t know what some students are thinking with these reasons. But the stupidest homework excuses are my favorite. You can just let the kid talk and dig their own hole!

Perhaps, eventually, one of these definitely totally believable excuses will be the final straw for your inevitable nervous breakdown. But until then, just keep quoting them verbatim as teacher comments on their report cards .

Maybe one day someone will actually bother to read those things.

• I was getting married in the Sims and completely lost track of time.
• It was my birthday and I just wanted to get my hair done and get a cake.
• I was planning a funeral for my frog.
• I had to take down Halloween decorations.
• I had to get my nails done for prom.
• It was my bird’s birthday.
• I had to travel to Europe to stop WW3.
• I was at the beach and they didn’t have good WiFi.
• I was packing for the vacation I’ll be on for the next three weeks. Can I have the work I’ll miss?
• I had to brush my hair.

Extremely Honest Reasons to Not Do Homework

Look, sometimes all you really need to do is be honest . Did you not do your homework because you smoked a bowl and got marooned on the sofa with cartoons?

Screw it! Just tell the teacher that. Maybe they’ll give you a pass for your winning smile alone!

Much like all the ridiculous reasons to visit the school nurse , sometimes, the best reasons for not doing your homework require honesty.

What could possi-blye go wrong!

• I have no time management skills. On the bright side, I watched all of season 1 of Stranger Things today!
• I was eating Toaster Strudels.
• My 24-hour ban from Call of Duty ended today and I need to get some rounds in.
• My favorite soccer team lost.
• I was smoking weed with my friends and the next thing I knew it was morning and I had to come to school again.
• It just didn’t fit into my schedule today.
• I’m just, like, really lazy.
• I had better things to do.
• We thought it was Saturday yesterday.
• I don’t need to do homework because NCAA scouts have been coming to see me play and I’m gonna get a scholarship.
• I had to go to church but I’m pretty sure God will understand.

Animal Problems – “My Dog Ate My Homework” and Other Variants

I’m not saying your students are animals (though they certainly behave like animals ).

I AM saying that students will make excuse after excuse for not doing their homework courtesy of their pets. They’re the perfect culprit! Who’s ever going to interrogate your furry friend for cross-examination?

Only the teachers who are crazy enough. ;)

• My dog peed on my laptop and it took a few days to dry.
• My cat ran over the keyboard and deleted the whole thing.
• My dog doesn’t like going to the bathroom alone so I had to watch him and he took forever.
• We had a cow in labor, and it was stuck in the hips of the cow, and I couldn’t get it out myself.
• I was with my new guinea pig and it was really distracting.
• The dog pooped and my baby brother fell in it.
• I accidentally locked my cat with my brother’s cat, and I don’t know if my cat got pregnant, but I think she is because she tried to go under my bed, and she never does that.
• There was a roach on the floor so I couldn’t get down off the bed the whole afternoon.
• My dog had puppies on top of my book bag and it was gross so my dad threw my book bag away.
• My cat threw up on it.
• My duck pooped on it.
• My dad accidentally threw my project away and a raccoon went into the trash can and destroyed it.
• My friend’s cat is having an abortion.
• A donkey ate it.
• The squirrels on the roof were distracting me.
• My dog died three years ago.
• I was doing a photo shoot with my bunny.
• My dog looked sad.
• I was doing my homework outside and a bird grabbed it and flew away.
• I got attacked by a raccoon on the way to school and he only went for the homework and ate it in front of me.
• My pet parrot flew into the fireplace and caught on fire. It then proceeded to fly around the room, and his dad tried to hit it with a frying pan because he was afraid the curtains would go up in flames if the parrot went close to them. With all the drama, I forgot to do my homework.
• My grandmother’s potbelly pig ate my homework.
• I got distracted shopping online for furniture for my turtle.

Funny Homework Excuses and Technical Difficulties

Oh, man – I saw some whoppers of excuses in the remote learning era of COVID-19!

Technical difficulties are the perfect excuse students make to skip out on their homework. They think they’re more tech-savvy than teachers…

Little did they know that a teacher’s BS-meter is far more finely calibrated than their excuses will ever be!

• Google erased my work.
• I don’t have internet access (sent in an email).
• I just kept hitting the submit button over and over and over and it didn’t make a click sound or anything.
• My mom threw my “lab top” out the window and when I went outside to get it, it was gone.
• I accidentally lit my Chromebook on fire
• My dog peed on my Chromebook

Buy Some Merch · Support the Site!

Teacher Misery is by the teachers and for the teachers. Our mission to improve the lives of teachers everywhere.

If you’d like to support the cause, buy yourself (or the burnt-out educator in your life) a gift from our merch store. And, YES, they are all as sarcastic as you’d hope. 😉

Every dollar supports the commiseration!

The Final Excuse for Not Doing Your Homework…

Reason #100:

• “But, Miss! You said to do questions 1-10. You didn’t say bring them in!”

Check and mate.

Thus concludes our list of the 100 funniest excuses for not doing their homework, all thanks to the countless students who skipped out on their work.

Stay on guard though. With the rise of AI and homework excuse generators , the excuses only get more advanced!

So stay switched on out there! If it’s not funny excuses for not doing homework, it’s straight-up silly reasons for being absent and everything else under the sun.

Jot them down, collect them, and then (if you’re feeling spicy), post them in the comments down below. Why stop at 100? Gotta catch ’em all!

Stay miserable out there, teacherinos. The excuses and excuses never stop coming! So maybe come up with your own…

“Oh, no, sorry, Lucy. I CAN’T return your confiscated phone. My dog ate it.”

What to Say When You Didn't Do Your Homework

23 March 2023

12 minutes to read

• 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
• 12. Excuses for Not Going to Work

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 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. But if you did need a good excuse, this article delivers:

• time-tested untruths with a proven track record
• updated stories to keep up with the times
• a few completely novel tales you can tailor to your needs

Maybe you don't have a Superprof tutor (yet). Maybe, for you, excuses remain the order of the day. Here again, your Superprof rides to the rescue by providing you with a list of excuses. And be sure to read to the end, where you'll find some handy excuses to get out of work - because it's not just students who sometimes aren't prepared for the day's challenges.

The number one excuse for not doing your homework is "my computer crashed" or similar, tech-related issues. A teacher may still be annoyed with you, but we all know that technology can be unreliable and most of us have fallen foul to this at some point. You may get a sympathetic teacher.

If not, the following methods may work:

The Dog Ate It

The go-to excuse for not doing homework has to be the one about the dog laying waste to students' carefully penned essays. Or carefully calculated equations. Even those whose school days are far behind them likely remember invoking this mythical beast, on occasion.

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. Did you know this excuse is grounded in fact? 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, 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 is the tale of an Anglican priest whose sermons tended to go on and on. Reportedly, he had to cut his preaching short one Sunday because a dog had gotten into his study and had eaten several pages of the sermon. As the story goes, the worshippers were 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

Oh, no! You forgot to write your assignment into your work planner and now, you have nothing to turn in! Forgetting to write down your assignments doesn't ranks among the best excuses but you can still make it work if you have decent acting chops.

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?

On the other hand, 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. Just don't use this excuse while waiting for exam results because your teacher will know that you're fibbing.

I Thought it Was in My Bag

Leaving your assignment on your desk at home is one of the more believable excuses for not having any work to turn in. Or maybe you had to change bags at the last minute because the other satchel's strap broke. How unfortunate that you didn't check all of the compartments!

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, for not doing homework. It is particularly effective if you first dig into your backpack as you normally would. Nothing to see here, Teacher, just a 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. 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

Confusion is always a good excuse for not doing homework. Even the best students need clarification on particularly tough assignments sometimes. So saying you didn't do your homework because you didn't understand it is perfectly reasonable.

Admittedly, 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, though. 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?' . You'll get help with your homework and a deadline extension. That would be particularly helpful if you genuinely didn’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

If you were looking for excuses for not doing homework, you could hardly do better than a computer crash. Since COVID, more schools have continued the trend of using web-based platforms to assign and turn in homework.

Thus, 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 could also serve you well.

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. That would be the only other reason that only you had no electricity to power your devices.

Too Much Homework from Another Class

Doing homework assigned in every class can be an hours-long proposition. So it's understandable that you might cut corners, particularly in assignments for classes you don't like. This lays the groundwork for one of the best homework excuses.

This excuse would work best for college and university students. Primary and secondary 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; those worthies' 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!". On the other hand, they may well contend that other teachers' assignments aren't their concern. They might not even care if you're preparing for your exams .

They might clap back by saying that you're a college/university student so you should manage your schedule and workload more efficiently. Still, 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

Classroom overcrowding is a huge problem in the UK. But it lays the groundwork for one of the best excuses for not doing homework. Does your teacher waste precious class time calling the roll? If so, how do they know it's really you who answered?

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. And 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. 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 image , saying you couldn't do any homework because you were helping others would be a sure bet. Especially in these post-COVID times! If you're too busy helping out in your local clinic to solve equations, you will be a star in your teacher's eyes.

You might even use this excuse if you're late to school but you might find less favour 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 excuse for not doing homework . 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 not doing your homework, perhaps it’s time to pull out your ace in the hole – the truth. Honesty is still the best policy. Your teacher will appreciate the refreshing change from the usual bombardment of 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. And you wouldn't have to worry about failing exams , either.

Bonus Excuses

In case the all-time best excuses 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, these are funny excuses for not doing homework. Your teacher may give you props for your inventiveness and, if the assignment wasn't critical, might give you a pass... this time. But 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 for no homework 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. But before you go, you might also need a few good excuses to get out of doing PE .

Excuses for Not Going to Work

Finally, we get to the best excuses to miss work. As our excuses for no homework show, everyone needs a day off sometimes, even students. But then, students may also have jobs so they need believable excuses for missing work, too.

Whether that's the spot you're in or your school days are long past, it's always a good idea to have few good excuses to miss work at the ready. Obviously, being sick is the best excuse to miss work. COVID changed everyone's mind about flu-like symptoms so if you call in to tell your boss that's how you'll feel, you'll likely not catch any flack. Everyone wants you to stay away if, indeed, you are incubating that pesky virus.

You might also cite a family emergency as your excuse not to go to work. Here, too, pandemic echoes make the excuse believable. But if you worry about jinxing your family, say you have a home emergency, instead. Warm weather will make a burst waterpipe less believable but you could squeak by with a broken window or door that you can't leave unattended.

Does your workplace offer mental health days? If so, needing a mental health break is the best excuse for not going to work, provided you don't take half the week off. If your job doesn't offer that perk, citing your mental health could be just the thing for your boss to make mental health days a thing.

Transportation troubles is a good excuse for missing work but not if you live in an area with public transportation or if you live close enough to bike or walk to work. However, if you say you had some sort of accident on the way to work... Not that anyone got injured, thank goodness, but you have to take your ride in for an estimate. And if you do bike to work, you could say your bike was stolen.

If these perfectly reasonable excuses for not going to work are out of step with your character, you might need a few outrageous reasons for not going to work. Did a goose or duck bite you? Did pigeons use you for target practice on the way to work? Or you might have been in a hurry to start your shift but your uniform was still wet so you put it in the microwave and it caught on fire.

It's easier to understand needing an excuse for not going to work than one for not doing homework for school. Still, as you can see, the range of excuses is limited only by your imagination and, of course, how willing your teacher or boss is to believe them. So use your stock of excuses wisely so they'll have maximum effect.

Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!

Joseph Philipson

Joseph is a French and Spanish to English translator, language enthusiast, and blogger.

Frequently asked questions

How do i get out of doing homework.

Tell your parents you’ll study at your mate’s house. Take your bookbag with you!

But then, you can go anywhere you want. If you do go to your mates’, you can play games or anything other than doing homework.

Is not doing homework illegal?

There is no law that says you have to do homework. However, you could get into trouble if you never do any because the school might decide to lower your marks for lack of participation.

Cancel reply

Your comment

Current ye@r *

Leave this field empty

Thanks! My teacher totally got pranked! ⛔ 📝🤩

you are going to get in trouble and fail school if you use these

O.M.G. I ALWAYS USE THESE AND THE OTHER DAY MY TEACHER CAUGHT ON TO ME AND THE CLASS SNITCH TOLD HIM THAT THERE IS A WEBSITE THAT GIVES YOU EXCUSES TO USE IF U DONT TURN IN YOUR HOMEWORK ON TIME. MY TEACHER CHECKED IT OUT AND REALISED THAT I HAVE BEEN TAKING EXCUSES FROM HERE. HE GAVE ME 7 DAYS WORTH OF DETENTION, HE SAID THAT IT WILL MAKE UP FOR ALL 78 HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS THAT I HAVENT HANDED IN. IM SO ANNOYED. 😡😡😡😭😭😭🤬🤬🤬

good ones I wood love some more good ones

I forgot do my science project and these helped a lot 😁

Thank my deputy head who is a geography teacher actually believed these

thats goooooooooooooood

Thanks ill defo try some! tell me it if works people in the comment sections pls!

I didn’t attempt my tests during online classes due to COVID. Now colleges are going to be open. What reason should I give to the teacher for not attempting tests. I am very scared.😓

maybe say you got covid?

Computer crashed, wouldn’t load or your having internet problems. If ur still doing it..

Funny excuses you find in comics… deffo gotta try them tho

I used it for my English assignment it really helped me!😁

I tried the “tell the truth” excuse and my teacher caned me! In future I will be informing her of the death of my late hamster. Rip Hammy. I will also try my own excuse, my pen decided to be transgender and for that reason I couldn’t touch it in case of sexual assault claims. Thank you Penina

😂😂that pen one is brilliant

I love this, it will work so good these days :)

Great to hear that, thank you!

Nice bro Thx

most of them will probably still get me a detention in my school, but i think the shredder and the bus one is good

it is good excuse but it did not work . and by the way Allah will not forgive me that i lie

You should just tell the truth never lie

Just do your H/W on the date it is given.

it aint that easy, i wish it was tho

yea so um i have tis HUGE assignment due tm but its lik 11 pm i need to go to sleep on top of that i have an exem tomorrow and lost my locker keys so im just gonna say “i did it but i left it at home i will bring it tomorow” but the problem is that i have to do it tomarow

Nice for every time excuse bro

Thanks so much to this website. It has been AMAZING!!! 😁😁😁

There’s one if you have a sibling I thought up if you don’t do your hw and it’s bin two days, my (brother/sister) accidentally put it in (his/her) rucksack. The next day you can say, when you get to school tell your teacher my (brother/sister) binned it. If it was printed say your printer broke.

thank my teacher didnt understand

Or you could say that you were working on it in your room or at your house and that you forgot to bring it (worked for me several times)

Loved it wow

I used tell the truth she was not very happy and she told me to do it tonight- I haven’t done it 😰😰😰

live-saving excuses lol🤣but it would be better to have work done anyway

Suggestions

12 of the Funniest Excuses for Not Doing Your Homework

Homework is something that a lot of students choose not to do, even though they know they can get into a lot of trouble for skipping it. If you’re an educator, you’ve probably heard an unlimited number of excuses from your students, and some of them might have been absolutely hilarious.

Who’s going to want to do that math homework or write college papers when a new Marvel comic book has just been released, right?

1. “My brother’s friend , who came to our house yesterday, said he could eat paper, and I didn’t believe him. So he decided to show how much paper he could eat and grabbed my homework right out of my desk. I didn’t see that it was my homework and realized that it was too late.”

2. “ My dad needs a paper shredder for work, and it was delivered to our house yesterday. He wanted to show us how it works and mistakenly took my homework and destroyed it.”

4. “ I didn’t do my homework because I figured I’d do it tomorrow, because I’ll be older, and therefore be wiser, then.”

5. “ Yesterday, I didn’t have time to complete the homework because I was at the rally all day. The rally was calling for an increase to teacher pay, so I had to be there.”

7. “ Well, incredible story. I was going to school this morning and it was very windy. I carried the homework in my hands, but it slipped out of them and blew away. I tried to chase it for a couple of blocks, so that’s why I’m late to class.”

8. “ While I was getting ready for school this morning, I was putting some books inside my backpack. When it was time for my homework, my mom said she needed to see me in the kitchen right away. I went there, and when I came back, my homework wasn’t there. Clearly, my dad accidentally took it to work because his briefcase was next to my backpack.”

9. “ I was in the school yard when I heard some student saying bad things about you. I felt like that should let him know that he was wrong. It would be wrong to hurt him, so I thought a good way was to throw something at him. I quickly looked through my backpack, but the only thing I could find was the homework I had to submit today. After hesitating a bit, I let him have it. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find it afterward; someone must have taken it.”

12. “ I was sunbathing near the pool yesterday and doing the homework at the same time. When I was about done, something pushed me forward and I dropped my work right into the pool. It was so wet I couldn’t put it together, so I don’t have it right now.”

Just a Drop in the Ocean

The amount of homework is steadily increasing , so more and more students are finding creative excuses to avoid it. We collected just a small amount in this article, but there are literally thousands of excuses like these, and students keep coming up with new ones.

Daniel Reed

Leave a reply, related posts, positive procrastination — never heard of it well now you have, 5 tips to study better at university, how to stay motivated with college coursework, homework hacks: how to do college assignments faster, studytubers may be more harmful than helpful for college students, ‘psychology of learning’ offers winning strategies for studying and acquiring knowledge, watch these 4 youtube channels to be more productive this semester, youtubers on ‘studytube’ share homework for a living, it’s time to talk about filipino food, spanish rock band airú sparkles on their first u.s. tour, exploring the “obsessed artist” trope in film, the wonders of weeki wachee, taylor swift and the maritime superstition of football fans.

Daniel Wong

11 Excuses for Not Doing Homework (And How to Stop Making Them)

Updated on August 6, 2024 By Daniel Wong 6 Comments

If you’re like many students, you’d rather take a nap, talk to your friends online, or play video games.

As you already know, finding reasons not to do your homework will prevent you from succeeding in school .

I’m sure you want to do well in school, and homework is definitely a part of that process.

In this article, I’ll go over 11 of the most common excuses for not doing homework and offer solutions to ensure that you stay engaged in school.

But first, make sure to download your free quick action guide…

FREE  QUICK ACTION GUIDE:  

Get your FREE copy of

12 Guaranteed Ways for Students to Improve Focus and Reduce Procrastination .  

The guide has already been downloaded thousands of times, so don't miss out!

Excuse #1: You lack the required knowledge

Let your parents and teacher know if you’re taking a class and feel as if you lack the necessary skills or knowledge to complete the homework.

Ask your teacher for extra guidance so you don’t fall too far behind. See if your parents can find the time to help you, or you can look for a tutor.

Your teachers are there to help you develop the skills you need to do well in their classes.

You’re not alone in feeling that you lack the necessary skills, so don’t be too embarrassed to ask for assistance. You might even find some great study buddies who feel the same way.

Excuse #2: You lack confidence

Many students compare themselves to their peers, which can lead to a lack of confidence. When that happens, it’s easy to make excuses for not doing the homework.

But here’s what you need to know…

Everyone lacks confidence about something.

You might be good at math but need extra help with English. Perhaps you excel at geography but find biology confusing.

Give yourself a break.

If you lack confidence in your ability to learn a particular subject, get the support you need. Your teachers, parents, and even friends will help you out and give you a needed morale boost.

Excuse #3: Your home life is too hectic

The excuses for submitting assignments late are numerous, but one that I hear often is that it’s too busy or noisy at home to focus.

Finding a quiet space and using earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones can help reduce distractions. This will make it easier for you to finish your homework.

If that doesn’t work, try finding an alternative location to do your work, like the library or a friend’s house.

You can also talk to your parents about it. They might not even be aware of all the interruptions that are preventing you from completing your schoolwork.

Excuse #4: You don’t know where to start

Feeling anxious and overwhelmed are often the main reasons that cause students to not know where to start on their homework.

If you ever feel this way, here’s what I suggest you do:

• Take a deep breath.
• Create a space where you can get organised.
• Make a list of all your assignments and deadlines.
• Work on one assignment at a time.
• Start with an easy assignment to get a quick win, or tackle the most challenging assignment to get it out of the way.

Excuse #5: You have poor study habits

Many students develop bad study habits over their years in school.

Not everyone learns the same way or at the same pace. As such, every student will have different study habits. If what you’re doing isn’t working, try a different approach.

If you’re trying to do your homework as soon as you get home from school but can’t focus, try having a snack and taking a power nap before getting to work instead.

If you’re staying up too late studying, set a rule for yourself that you’ll start doing your homework within one hour of getting home.

Establish a routine where you do your work at roughly the same time each day. Developing routines like this will improve your study habits , which will make you a more effective student.

Excuse #6: School isn’t important to you

A common misconception is that school isn’t important, that what you learn won’t be relevant once you leave school.

This isn’t completely true.

Of course, the education system can be improved. But the knowledge you acquire in school will help you to understand and appreciate the world better.

And the process of becoming a more effective student will lead you to develop traits like self-discipline and responsibility. These are the types of traits you’ll need in order to find success at any stage of life!

Excuse #7: You’re overloaded with after-school activities

I know it can be tough to balance schoolwork and extracurricular activities.

Maybe you’re on a sports team or you spend several hours each week volunteering.

Finding the right balance to ensure you have enough time for homework can be challenging.

When too many afterschool activities get in the way of completing your assignments on time, it’s time to review your schedule. Decide how you can prioritise the activities that are the most important.

You may need to put some activities on hold until you’re consistently staying on top of your schoolwork.

Speak with your coach, teachers, or parents about the ideas they have to help you manage your schedule more effectively.

Excuse #8: Studying is boring for you

If you find that doing your homework is uninteresting, it may be time for you to change your point of view.

I always encourage students to cultivate a growth mindset . This is a mindset where you focus more on the learning process instead of on getting good grades.

Rather than seeing a particular subject as boring, develop a sense of wonder. Decide that you’re going to be intellectually curious, and you’ll discover that we live in a fascinating world.

And while you’re on that journey, remember that the students who succeed in school find ways to get the work done even when they find the subject boring.

For example, if you don’t like math, consider that it isn’t just about numbers – it’s a way of thinking.

Reframing how you think about a subject will enable you to see it as more interesting. In turn, you’ll become a better student over time.

Excuse #9: Your teachers assign too much homework

Sometimes, it may seem like your teachers assign more homework than you can keep up with. You might even believe that what you’re required to do is unreasonable.

If you find yourself in this situation, take a moment to think about everything else you’re doing.

Are you managing your time well?

Are you struggling with a particular class?

Do you use memory techniques to enable you to learn faster ?

Instead of allowing homework to overwhelm you, try talking to your teacher, tutor, or parents to figure out the best way forward for you.

Excuse #10: You already have so much overdue homework

Procrastinating on your homework can lead to a significant pile-up of assignments. This will affect your confidence in being able to complete them.

What’s more, once you get a set of new assignments, you probably won’t know how to do them because you didn’t do the previous assignments.

This creates a vicious cycle where you tell yourself that there’s no point in completing your newly assigned homework because you still have the old ones to do.

When this happens, the likelihood of completing any of the work decreases.

If you’re in this situation, set a reasonable goal of keeping up with all the newly assigned homework while completing, say, one overdue assignment a day, or one overdue assignment every two days.

Excuse #11: You don’t believe you can get good grades

If you hate school, there’s a chance that it’s because you feel the pressure to be a straight-A student .

Here’s the good news: You don’t need to be perfect. After all, there’s no such thing as a perfect student.

But you do have to put in the effort and get the work done. The rest will then fall into place.

If you’re doing your best, you’re doing great! Celebrate your progress and keep moving forward.

Take it one step at a time, and don’t worry too much about what grades you’re getting at the moment.

In closing…

There are many possible reasons for you not to finish your homework.

No matter what those reasons are, it’s important to know that the people around you want to help you succeed.

From teachers to parents to coaches, you have a support network to provide solutions to almost any obstacle you face.

Identify the excuses listed in this article that are relevant to your situation, and apply the suggested solutions.

If you do that, you’ll become a better and happier student who makes far fewer excuses related to homework!

July 7, 2022 at 12:13 pm

Thank you so much for this article. These were the problems I was struggling with. Now that i know the solutions to it ,I’m sure I’ll do better than before.

July 7, 2022 at 1:05 pm

You’re very welcome.

July 7, 2022 at 6:20 pm

I pray that may Almighty God grant you long life, more knowledge, sound health, rest of mind, wealth and happiness, so that you can witness your good impact in this World 🌍. GOD has made you a useful tool for every students and parents that is actually seeking success.

July 7, 2022 at 7:42 pm

Thank you, God bless you too!

July 27, 2022 at 9:29 pm

Thank you so much for this. I have found a couple of solutions for excuses I’ve made in the past. I needed this.

July 27, 2022 at 9:42 pm

You’re welcome.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

49 Best Excuses For Not Doing Homework

No, you can’t use ‘I’d a fever’ as the best excuse for not doing homework. 

Also, blaming a dog for biting out your assignment book is totally unbelievable.

Well, don’t worry to help you out in such a situation, we provide you with all the fresh, believable excuses to give. 

( Note: This is just for entertainment purposes. Please don’t make a habit of relying on these excuses every day. Better if you do your homework on time.) 

Good Excuses For Not Doing Homework

Have these good reasons to convince your teacher why you came to school without the homework. 

3. “We have surprised guest visitors and they stay the whole day.” 

6. “I was about to do homework, but I don’t understand a thing.”

10. “There was a rumor that you were on leave today.”   

13. “After school, I have to work at our family business. My dad already trained me for it.”  

16. “My entire day went into doing some extracurricular, and I didn’t get time for homework.”

Funny Reasons For Not Doing Homework

But because it’s a hilarious and creative reason, it might still work in your favor. 

2. “My parents brought a pet for me. So I played with him the whole day.”

5. “I was lost in the mall while going shopping with my mum and found it in the evening.”

8. “My family wants me to go to a boarding school, so I’m just getting ready for it.”  

9.  “I was looking for the right time to get it done, but I didn’t get it .” 

11. “My grandparents visited our home yesterday, and I’ve been busy with them.” 

14. “I accept that I didn’t do my homework now, but I promise to complete it tomorrow.” 

17. “This is the first time I forgot the lesson, and you have to understand that I have some reason for that.”

Believable Excuses For Not Doing Homework

Be careful with your reasons or excuses before saying why you didn’t do your homework. 

2. “I’ve saved my assignment, but I don’t know where it is now. The file is lost on the PC.” 

5. “My computer just got hacked and I must delete everything including homework.” 

8. “I thought today was a holiday. So I didn’t do it.”

11. “It was my sister’s marriage, so I was not able to complete my homework.” 

14. “I was helping other kids in school to complete assignments, but I forgot mine.” 

READ NEXT:  Smart Responses To Every ‘Why?’ Question

We all agree that we have the entire day to do it, but the best time to do homework is ‘the last hour’ before submission. 

When you fail to do or submit your assignment last time, you need some good excuses for not doing homework that your teacher could believe and accept. 

This list covers last-minute excuses to get you another chance. 

But, promise us, that you will do your homework on time from now on. We don’t want you to use these excuses anymore, too.

Hi, there ! It’s nice to meet you.

Sign up to receive upcoming content, as we post., you may also like..., 8 (sarcastic and) funny answers to “what do you do”, 11 funny comebacks for “age is just a number” joke, (9 clever replies) when someone says “you have issues”.

15 Good Excuses for When You Forgot to Do Your Homework

By: Author Hiuyan Lam

Posted on Last updated: October 20, 2023

Categories Social Responses

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:  

You May Also Like:

11 of the Best Excuses to not Video Call Someone

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!  

• EXPLORE Random Article
• Happiness Hub

How to Survive in School When You Forget Your Homework Regularly

Last Updated: September 18, 2022 References

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 16 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 24,424 times.

Homework is an important part of your education and thus, in a modern world, a key to a happier and more prosperous future. If you are having trouble with homework, you should take action immediately. Seek support from your friends and family. Reconsider how you spend your time. Perhaps, most importantly, organize your work so that you know exactly what you need to do and when you need to have it down.

Creating an Environment Conducive to Your Success

• Ask your parents. They know you well enough to diagnose the issue. They also might be able to help you organize your time and remind you of homework assignments. You should however, refrain from getting them involved in actually completing your homework. [1] X Research source
• For more perspectives, ask friends who know you well or people close to you at school who have experience with your study habits. If you are involved in extracurricular activities, ask peers in the same groups if they have trouble with homework and how they manage it.

• If you set aside this time and you find yourself constantly distracted by your computer or a video game, your problem might be a bad habit. Focus your energy on trying to break the habit.
• If you find it impossible to set aside this time, the problem might be your schedule. Take some time to make a schedule. You might find that you will need to drop some of your activities to make time for homework.
• Try to get your parents involved in homework time. Encourage them to be quiet to minimize distractions. Ask them for help, but don’t get them to do your homework for you.

• If this does not work, try set up some sort of external motivation. Ask your parents to reward—or punish—you according to your performance in school. [3] X Research source

• If you are forgetting homework, try to participate in class and do well on quizzes to bring up your grade.

Organizing Your Homework

• Sometimes we procrastinate because we are afraid of failure. You need to conquer these fears. Even great writers have terrible first drafts. The process of editing is how bad writing becomes good. If you are too afraid of failure to start early, failure is precisely what you will get.
• If procrastination is a problem, consider creating a designated work space, free of distractions. Leave your books and other work material around. If your environment is telling you to work, your brain might just get the message. [7] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

Community Q&A

• Seek advice and accept help. Remember that a wise man becomes wiser because he listens. Do your best to listen to your family's advice or your friend’s advice as this might help you in tight spots. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• It's best you stay healthy as much as possible. It's time to eat those yummy vitamins and minerals. You need as much energy as you can to do your tasks at school. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Maintain a suitable environment. The people around you count! It's hard to progress when your "friends" constantly get you into unnecessary trouble. Surround yourself with people that understand you, and like you for who you are, and of course you are comfortable with. Your friends will be there to back you up and support you and better yet if you made the right choices your friends will be a great support in school. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/11/12/should-parents-help-their-children-with-homework
• ↑ http://mom.me/parenting/5940-tips-kids-remember-turn-their-homework/?p=2
• ↑ http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/5951.html
• ↑ http://mom.me/parenting/6133-ideas-kids-not-forget-homework-school/
• ↑ http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/5951-2.html
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/procrastination/

About this article

Did this article help you.

• About wikiHow
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

• Rules/Help/FAQ Help/FAQ
• Members Current visitors
• Interface Language

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

• English Only

Have/Haven't you finished your homework yet/already?

• Thread starter sitifan
• Start date Oct 8, 2021

Senior Member

• Oct 8, 2021

1. Have you finished your homework yet? 2. Have you finished your homework already? 3. Haven't you finished your homework yet? 4. Haven't you finished your homework already? Are the above interrogative sentences all grammatically correct?  

They are all potentially correct, depending on the implications and the context.  

sitifan said: 1. Have you finished your homework yet? 2. Have you finished your homework already? 3. Haven't you finished your homework yet? 4. Haven't you finished your homework already? Are the above interrogative sentences all grammatically correct? Click to expand...

Keith Bradford

No.3 is the normal question expressing suprise that the homework is taking too long. No.4 is the same question as 3, put by an American of Jewish origin (to my ear).  

"Haven't you finished your homework already?" might be an alternative to "Didn't you finish your homework already?," where the expected answer is "yes" and the speaker is befuddled by the fact that the student is acting as if it weren't finished.  

#4 doesn't work for me.  

sitifan said: 1. Have you finished your homework yet? 2. Have you finished your homework already? 3. Haven't you finished your homework yet? 4. Haven't you finished your homework already? Click to expand...

Moderator Emeritus

sitifan said: Is the adverb "already" used in questions that expect or encourage the answer "yes"? Click to expand...

DonnyB said: In (2), it expresses surprise that the person apparently has: in (4), it doesn't work in standard English. Click to expand...

sitifan said: 5. Do you have any questions? 6. Do you have some questions? 7. Don't you have any questions? 8. Don't you have some questions? In (8), does it work in standard English? Click to expand...

• Oct 9, 2021

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Study Skills
• Homework Skills

How to Get Homework Done when You Don't Want To

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden . Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 251,571 times.

Homework can be a drag, but it's got to be done to keep your grades up and stay on track during school. Going somewhere quiet, making a plan, and giving yourself breaks can all help you stay focused and on task to get your work done quickly. Try to keep your assignments organized and give yourself credit for completing hard or boring work, even if you didn’t want to.

Getting Motivated

• Keep a list of your assignments and check them off as you finish them. This can give you a sense of accomplishment that can motivate you to keep going.

• Make it the rule that you work for a certain amount of time, or until a certain amount of work has been accomplished. Afterward, you can hang out. Stick to this schedule.
• Try this out and see if it works. If you're too distracted by having friends around, make a date to hang out after homework instead.

• Make sure you keep the competition to yourself. Competing with your friends isn’t fun, especially over homework assignments and grades.

• Learning something that will probably help with future assignments, even if you don't know what they are yet.
• Proving to your teacher that you understand the homework so that they don’t keep assigning it over and over.
• Improving your GPA.
• Getting a good grade.

• Try not to reward yourself with food, as that can lead to snacking when you aren’t really hungry.

Staying Focused

• For instance, tell yourself that if you finish your first assignment in 20 minutes, you can go on your phone for 5 minutes.

• Make sure you stand up and do something when it's your break, or you won't get your wiggles out.
• Set a timer on your phone or use a kitchen timer to let yourself know when it's time to switch tasks.

• If you don't have control over the subject, try to find connections between the topic and something you care about. Find aspects of the subject that interest you.
• For instance, if you have to study History but you care the most about fashion, investigate the styles of the times and places you are studying. Learn how political and economical developments changed the way people dressed.

• You can find playlists on Spotify and YouTube that are made for studying and doing homework.

• When you're struggling to focus, sign out of your email and all social media so you don't check them as a reflex.

Creating Good Study Habits

• If you have many textbooks and worksheets, stack them and put them to the side.
• Get things like pencils, erasers, calculators, rulers, and paper.

• Having a planner will make it less tempting to procrastinate, as long as you have broken up your studying into manageable chunks.
• Your planner can be paper, or you can get one on your phone. Just make sure it has space for task lists as well as events.
• Once you have completed a task, cross it off or put a check next to it. Seeing that you're getting your work done will make you feel better, which in turn will motivate you to keep up the good work.
• Don't put more than you can do in one day on a list! Split up your week's work so that every day has a manageable amount.

• If you have a job or extracurricular activities that change your daily schedule, determine a weekly schedule that you stick to as much as possible.

• Sometimes just explaining what you have to do will help you understand it better.
• Talking to another person is a great way to brainstorm ideas. They may ask you questions or provide comments that can help you organize your ideas.
• Other times, the person you are talking to will notice something about the prompt that you overlooked.

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

• Try asking a family member to help you remember when to start your assignments so you don’t forget. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2
• If you’re really struggling with a topic, consider going to a tutor for extra help. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2
• Getting motivated can be tough. Just try your best, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2

Tips from our Readers

• Set up a dedicated study area at home with your needed supplies, to establish a consistent homework routine. Having everything in one prepared place helps minimize distractions.
• Use a planner to schedule out all your assignments. Break them into small, manageable pieces so it's less overwhelming. Checking tasks off as you finish motivates you along.
• If completely stuck on an assignment, reach out and talk it through with someone. Verbalizing it can provide new insights to move forward.
• Take short activity breaks every 45 minutes. Get up, stretch, grab some water. It refreshes your mental focus so you stay engaged.
• Incorporate a fun personal interest into an assignment when possible. Writing about something you care about keeps you absorbed.
• When you really need to concentrate, eliminate enticing distractions like your phone. Logging out keeps you on track.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://hwpi.harvard.edu/files/comm/files/smarttalk_staff_guide.pdf
• ↑ http://www.wcsu.edu/housing/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2018/05/Handout-V6N6.pdf
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/worry-wise/201410/how-prevent-homework-procrastination
• ↑ Ashley Pritchard, MA. Academic & School Counselor. Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/organize-focus.html?WT.ac=p-ra#
• ↑ https://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/sites/default/files/homework_tips.pdf
• ↑ https://childmind.org/article/strategies-to-make-homework-go-more-smoothly/
• ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html#

About This Article

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Jan 10, 2019

Did this article help you?

Emily Chambers

Oct 8, 2018

Hermione Granger

Apr 11, 2016

Skylar Baird

Nov 29, 2016

Oct 28, 2016

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Develop the tech skills you need for work and life

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

Which is the right response for the question "Did you do your homework?"

I am trying to refresh my grammar and I want to remember what was the right past tense for this question

Did you do your homework? Yes I did it Yes I have done it Yes I had done it

Which is correct and when should I use others ?

3 Answers 3

“Yes, I did it” is the right answer to “Did you do your homework?”. But it would be more likely for the question to be “Have you done your homework?”, to which the answer is “Yes, I have done it” (or in speech, nearly always “Yes, I’ve done it”).

The difference is that “Did you do your homework?” is asking about the past —— did you, at some time in the past, do your homework? “Have you done your homework?” is asking about the present situation — are you, right now, in a state of having done your homework?

• I think "Did you do your homework?" would be idiomatic in American English, but I'll leave it to the Americans to suggest what the natural reply would be. –  Kate Bunting Commented Sep 9, 2020 at 7:52

Yes I did it

Yes I have done it

are correct and good responses to the question. It would be normal to reflect the form of the question, so if asked "Did you do your homework?" you would normally say "Yes, I did it." If asked "Have you done your homework?" (which means the same thing) you would answer "Yes, I have done it."

"Yes I had done it" is pluperfect tense and incorrect here.

Did you do your homework?

Have you done your homework?

Yes I have.

You must log in to answer this question.

• Featured on Meta
• Bringing clarity to status tag usage on meta sites
• We've made changes to our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy - July 2024
• Announcing a change to the data-dump process

Hot Network Questions

• Jacobi two square's theorem last step to conclusion
• How would I make an agent noun out of the word "autodice -es f" or "autodicia"
• Postdoc supervisor has stopped helping
• Idiomatic alternative to “going to Canossa”
• Would it take less thrust overall to put an object into higher orbit?
• How can I push back on my co-worker's changes that I disagree with?
• Does gluing two points prevent simple connectedness?
• Why did Jesus choose to pray after they tried making him king?
• Chord definition misunderstanding
• Book about a colony ship making an unscheduled stop in a star system with no habitable planets
• Do cities usually form at the mouth of rivers or closer to the headwaters?
• Why are the titles of certain types of works italicized?
• Capitalization and Proper Nouns
• Multi Wire Branch Circuit for Kitchen Small Appliances Circuit, AFCI and GFCI required
• Are chord inversions determined solely by the lowest note, even in a broken chord?
• Are there any virtues in virtue ethics that cannot be plausibly grounded in more fundamental utilitarian principles?
• Miracle Miracle Octad Generator Generator
• How to ensure a BSD licensed open source project is not closed in the future?
• Does my AC vent air from the room to outside?
• What's the Matter?
• Can pedestrians and cyclists board shuttle trains in the Channel Tunnel?
• What (if any) pre-breathes were "attempted" on the ISS, and why?
• Efficiently tagging first and last of each object matching condition
• One IO to control two LEDs. When one is lit, the other is not

___ you ______(finish) your homework yet?

A. Did / finished

B. Have / finished

C. Did / finish

D. Have finish

Select your answer:          

Next Quiz >

Other quiz:

I was so angry that I accidentally …………..(kick) the cat who ……………….(sleep) under my desk!

A. was kicking / slept

B. kicked / was sleeping

C. kicked / slept

The doctors _______ a treatment to everyone who was sick from the virus and soon most recovered.

C. reactivate

D. rendered

How to use : Read the question carefully, then select one of the answers button.

GrammarQuiz.Net - Improve your knowledge of English grammar, the best way to kill your free time.

Get the Reddit app