We use apologies when we want to say that we are sorry for a mistake, a problem, or something that caused inconvenience to another person.
A. Common Expressions of Apology
| Expression | Use |
|---|---|
| I’m sorry. | General apology |
| I’m really sorry. | Stronger apology |
| I’m terribly sorry. | Formal/strong apology |
| I’m sorry for… | Apologizing for something |
| I’m sorry that… | Apologizing for a situation |
| I apologize for… | Formal apology |
| Please forgive me. | Asking for forgiveness |
| Excuse me. | Minor interruption or polite apology |
| Pardon me. | Polite/formal apology or asking someone to repeat |
Examples
- I’m sorry I’m late.
- I’m really sorry for breaking your phone.
- I apologize for the inconvenience.
- Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to hurt you.
- Excuse me, can I ask you a question?
2. Responding to an Apology
When someone apologizes, we can accept the apology.
| Apology | Possible Response |
|---|---|
| I’m sorry. | That’s OK. |
| I’m really sorry. | Never mind. |
| I apologize for being late. | Don’t worry about it. |
| Please forgive me. | I forgive you. |
| Sorry for the inconvenience. | No problem. |
| I’m sorry. | It doesn’t matter. |
Example Dialogue
A: I’m sorry I’m late. The bus was delayed.
B: That’s OK. Don’t worry about it.
3. Important Structures
A. Sorry for + noun / verb-ing
I’m sorry for + noun / verb-ing
- I’m sorry for the mistake.
- I’m sorry for being late.
- She apologized for forgetting the meeting.
B. Sorry + to + infinitive
Used especially when giving bad news.
- I’m sorry to hear that.
- I’m sorry to tell you that the meeting has been cancelled.
C. Sorry + that + clause
- I’m sorry that I forgot your birthday.
- We are sorry that we caused this problem.
