* 9 Apology and Forgiveness (p.1 of 2)
9.1�� When you apologize for offence or failure
I�m sorry.�� Listen�� <�Oh! Oh!� � �I�m sorry. I didn�t mean to bump into you.�>
I�m so sorry.�� Listen�� <�Ouch! You hit me!� � �I�m so sorry. I didn�t see you there. Excuse me for butting in.�>
I�m very sorry.�� Listen�� <�Aw! You stepped on my toe!� � �I�m very sorry. Excuse me.�>
I�m so very sorry.�� Listen�� <�I was not supposed to ask this question. I�m so very sorry.�>
I�m really sorry.�� Listen�� <�I�m late. I�m really sorry.�>
I�m terribly sorry.�� Listen�� <�I broke a cup. I�m terribly sorry.�>
I�m sincerely sorry.�� Listen�� <�It was my mistake. I�m sincerely sorry.�>
Sorry.�� Listen�� <�Did I tread on your foot? Sorry!�>
You cannot believe how sorry I am.�� Listen�� <�I know I caused you much trouble. You cannot believe how sorry I am.�>
I beg your pardon.�� Listen�� <�Ouch! You stepped on my toe!� � �I beg your pardon. I�m so sorry.�>
I apologize.�� Listen�� <�Did I scare you? I apologize.�>
My apologies.�� Listen�� <�I forgot to bring back your book. My apologies.�>
My sincere apologies.�� Listen�� <�Did I butt into you? I didn�t see you there. My sincere apologies.�>
Please accept my apologies.�� Listen�� <�Unfortunately, I could not attend the ceremony. Please accept my apologies.�>
I offer my most sincere apologies.�� Listen�� <�I was rude with you last night. I offer my most sincere apologies.�>
9.2�� When you apologize for bothering somebody
Excuse me.�� Listen�� A �I�m sorry to trouble you.��� <John belched at the table and said, �Excuse me�.>
Sorry to be a bother.�� Listen�� <Jim entered his father�s study and said, �Sorry to be a bother.�>
Sorry to be a pest.�� Listen�� <�Sorry to be a pest. I need to water the flowers on your balcony.�>
Sorry for the inconvenience.�� Listen�� <�Sorry for the inconvenience. I need to change the sheets on your bed.�>
Forgive me.�� Listen�� <�Forgive me. I need to clean your room.� >
Please forgive the inconvenience.�� Listen�� <�Please forgive the inconvenience. There may be some noise from the street. They are paving it.�>
9.3�� When you may bother somebody by moving about
Could I get by, please?�� Listen�� (used with can or may or could)�� <�I�m sorry to bother you. Can I get by, please?�>
Watch your feet.�� Listen�� <�I�m passing through. Watch your feet.�>
I�m coming through.�� Listen�� <�I�m sorry to bother you. I�m coming through.�>
Excuse me.�� Listen�� A �I�m sorry to bother you, please let me through.��� <�Excuse me. I want to get past you.�>
Would you excuse me?�� Listen�� <When the elevator stopped, Bob said to the man in front of him, �Would you excuse me? This is my floor.�>
Pardon me.�� Listen�� <Harry was moving along the row of spectators occasionally stepping on their feet and saying, �Pardon me�.>
I beg your pardon.�� Listen�� <�I beg your pardon. I need to get past.�>
9.4�� When you apologize sarcastically
Well, excuse me.�� Listen�� <�Oh, you can�t help me because you�re busy? Well, excuse me. Perhaps I need your help because I have nothing to do.�>
Excuse me for breathing.�� Listen�� <�Don�t bother me with questions. I�m busy.� � �OK, OK. Excuse me for breathing.�>
Excuse me for living.�� Listen�� <�Could your business wait? I�ve got work to do.� � �Excuse me for living.�>
Pardon me for being alive.�� Listen�� <�I�ll thank you to keep your opinions to yourself.� � �Pardon me for being alive.�>
9.5�� When you admit your mistake
My mistake.�� Listen�� A �That was my mistake.��� <�That was a bad investment. My mistake.�>
My error.�� Listen�� <�I made a wrong decision. My error.�>
It�s my fault.�� Listen�� A �I am responsible for that mistake.��� <�I�m the one to blame for this accident. It�s my fault.�>
It�s all my fault.�� Listen�� <�We lost a lot of money on that deal. It�s all my fault.�>
I shouldn�t have said that.�� Listen�� <�I�m sorry for my words. I shouldn�t have said that.�>
I shouldn�t have done that.�� Listen�� <�I�m sorry for my actions. I shouldn�t have done that.�>
I should have asked you first.�� Listen�� <�I�m sorry I took your car last night. I should have asked you first.�>
I spoke too soon.�� Listen� A �I had spoken erroneously before I learned all the relevant facts.��� �<I know I promised you to go to the zoo. I�m sorry, I spoke too soon. I have to work this Sunday.�>
I didn�t mean it.�� Listen�� <�My words might have offended you. I apologize. I didn�t mean it.�>
I really didn�t mean it.�� Listen�� <�I said something ugly to you yesterday. I really didn�t mean it.�>
I sincerely didn�t mean it.�� Listen�� <�Please forgive me what I told you. I sincerely didn�t mean it.�>
I didn�t mean to say that.�� Listen�� <�I apologize for my words. I didn�t mean to say that.�>
I didn�t mean to do that.�� Listen�� <�I apologize for my actions. I didn�t mean to do that.�>
I didn�t mean to hurt you.�� Listen�� <�It was I who started the quarrel. Please accept my apologies. I didn�t mean to heart you.�>
I didn�t think that would happen.�� Listen�� <�My actions caused you trouble. I�m terribly sorry. I didn�t think that would happen.�>
I didn�t intend it that way.�� Listen�� <�Unfortunately, it didn�t work out well between us. I�m sorry. I didn�t intend it that way.�>
I don�t know how that could have happened.�� Listen�� <�Boss, I proofread the document several times before sending it out.� � �I believe you. But the client said that there were a lot of spellings errors in the text.� � �I don�t know how that could have happened.�>
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