Learn how to apologise and give reasons so people actually believe you (and forgive you)
Quick revision of the two tenses from the previous lesson. You’ll need them when you tell stories about being late.
Choose the correct tense. You’ll see the explanation right after each answer.
When you apologise, you often:
Collocations with get and make, the structure of a good apology, and the right intonation.
Learn these as fixed phrases — this is how natural English sounds.
Also useful: get the time wrong, make other plans, I had to clean it up.
A good apology usually has 4–5 steps:
| Step | Useful phrases |
|---|---|
| Saying sorry | Sorry I’m late. / Sorry to keep you waiting. I apologise. / I’m really sorry. |
| Giving a reason | There was a delay / problem with… My train/flight was delayed/cancelled. I got the date/day/time/address wrong. The traffic was terrible. / I got held up at work. I got lost. |
| Accepting responsibility | I made a mistake. / It was my fault. |
| Taking action | I’ll be there as soon as possible. I’ll call you back. / Never mind — I’ll… |
| Responding (the other person) | Don’t worry. / No problem. / It’s fine. / That’s OK. |
When someone apologises sincerely, their voice usually starts high and goes down (falling intonation). It sounds calm and serious.
If your voice goes up at the end, it can sound like a question or as if you’re not serious. Practise the falling pattern out loud.
Some excuses sound believable. Others sound like “A likely story!”
Interactive tasks with instant feedback. You can repeat them as many times as you like.
Click a meaning first, then the matching expression.
Put the correct form of get or make (and the particle if needed).
Spin and do whatever comes up. Perfect warm-up before speaking.
Write a natural apology. Then compare with a model answer. Focus on collocations and polite structure.
These tasks are designed to get you talking. Speak out loud — in front of a mirror, into your phone, or just to yourself. The timer stops you from overthinking.
Want to continue? Answer these questions out loud. Use the new collocations and both tenses (Past Simple + Present Perfect) where it feels natural.
Record a 60–90 second voice note and listen to it once. Notice one or two places where collocations or tenses could be better — then stop. No harsh self-criticism.