Download lesson 3 in a PDF file.
WARM UP
THINK:
- Do you often have to apologize for something?
- How do you feel when you have to apologize?
REMEMBER!
TO APOLOGIZE
Or to APOLOGISE (UK)
WE APOLOGIZE FOR SOMETHING
AND TO SOMEBODY
SPEAKING
- – your colleague apologized for being late to your boss,
- – your colleague apologized to you for not having completed the project task on time,
- – your colleague apologize to another colleague from Accounting Department for not having delivered an invoice on time
LISTENING AND WATCHING
WATCH the VIDEO
http://www.englishcentral.com/video/11344/how-to-apologize-politely
And answer the questions:
- In which countries people are used to use polite language on every day basis?
- In which countries people apologize rather rarely?
- What does apologizing in the western countries indicate?
- Why do we have to be careful when we want to apologize while working with people from different cultures?
- What are the four steps of apologizing?
REMEMBER!
WE SHOULD ALWAYS APOLOGIZE IN A POLITE WAY!
USEFUL PHRASES FOR APOLOGIZING
1. Sorry. | A. In this phrase, we use additional words like for example: ?so? to make the meaning stronger. If we use the additional words, they are stressed. The last word is the strongest. | |
2. I’m (so / very / terribly) sorry. | B. We use this phrase to criticise ourselves and the mistake that we have just made. | |
3. Ever so sorry. | C. This phrase is a general short apology. We use this when we bump into people on the street. At other times, it sounds too weak. | |
4. How stupid / careless / thoughtless of me. | D. This phrase is used to ask the other person not to get angry. The tone is quite informal. | |
5. Pardon (me). | E. This phrase is often used in formal letters. The word in brackets makes the apology very strong and very formal. | |
6. That’s my fault. | F. We use this phrase to take all the responsibility for what happened. | |
7. It was all my fault. | G. This is a politephrase used for asking someone to repeat what they have just said. | |
8. Please excuse my (ignorance). | H. This phrase we use to apologise for our lack of knowledge or ability. We can replace the word in brackets with other nouns, e.g. carelessness, forgetfulness. | |
9. Please don’t be mad at me. | I. This phrase is quite formal but it’s a stronger apology than just 'sorry'. | |
10. Please accept our (sincerest) apologies. | J. We use this phrase to take the responsibility for what happened but it is a little stronger than phrase number 6. |
[key]
ANSWERS:
1. C
2. A
3. I
4. B
5. G
6. F
7. J
8. H
9. D
10. E
[/key]
MORE PHRASES FOR APOLOGIZING
- I (really) must apologize
- I hope you can forgive me (one day)
- I’d like to apologize
- I accept (full) responsibility
- I am/feel (so) ashamed
- I can understand how you feel (about…)
- I do apologize
- I take (all) the blame
- Please accept my/our apologies
- Please excuse my behaviour/thoughtlessness/…
- (I now realise that/I know) I shouldn’t have done that
- (I’m sure) you must be (very) disappointed in me
- (Please) don’t be mad (at me)/don’t kill me
- I accept that I am to blame/that it’s my fault
- I am sorry to have disappointed you
- I apologize wholeheartedly/unreservedly
- I cannot say/express how sorry I am
- I have reflected on my actions and…
- I know it was wrong (of me) (to…)
- It was (a bit) insensitive of me (to…)
- Please accept my sincere/sincerest apologies
- There is (really/absolutely) no excuse for my actions/behaviour/inaction/laziness
- You are right to blame me
- (I know) I have let myself/you (all) down (by…)
- (I know) it was thoughtless (of me)
- I don’t know what got into me
- I just want the ground to swallow me up
- I think I went a bit too far
- I would like to express my regret
- I’m happy to take (my share of) the blame
- If I could take it all back, I would
- It was inexcusable
- It’s unforgivable, I know
- Please don’t hold a grudge/don’t hold this against me
Source: https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/fl-apologizing.htm
SPEAKING
- You have arrived late for a business meeting. Apologize.
- You have arrived late for a business lunch. Apologize.
- You have arrived late for a meeting with your new client. Apologize.
- You have to tell your employee that you have to fire him / her. Show your empathy and apologize.
- You have to tell your colleague that he had not been invited for an important tender.
- You have to tell your colleague that his / her client had gone to another supplier.
- You are a waiter / waitress. A customer has just shown you a dirty glass. Apologize.
- You?ve taken by mistake your friend?s pen. Apologize.
- You behaved badly on a company?s party last night. Apologize to your colleagues and your boss.
- You are at your friend?s party. You?ve spilt red wine on their new sofa. Apologize.
PAIR WORK
Work with your friend / colleague and practice the phrases in situations above. Try to keep the conversation going for a bit longer. Improvise.