Apology

Apologizing

To apologize is to tell someone that you are sorry for having done something that has caused him inconvenience or unhappiness:

Examples:

I must apologize to Isabel for my late arrival.

I'd like to apologize for my touble making.

Trains may be subject to delay on the northern line. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Here are some expressions you can use to make and respond to apologies

Expressing apology:

v  I do apologize for...

v  I must apologize for...

v  I apologize for...

v  I'd like to apologize for...

v  I am so sorry for...

v  I shouldn't have...

v  It's all my fault.

v  I'm ashamed of...

v  Please, forgive me for...

v  Excuse me for ...

v  I'm terribly sorry for...

v  Pardon me for this...

v  Please, forgive me for my....

v  Please, accept my apologies for...

Accepting apology:

v  That's all right.

v  Never mind.

v  Don't apologize.

v  It doesn't matter.

v  Don't worry about it.

v  Don't mention it.

v  That's OK.

v  I quite understand.

v  You couldn't help it.

v  Forget about it.

v  Don't worry about it.

v  No harm done.

Remember:

"I'd like to apologize" is the short form of "I would like to apologize"

EXERCISE

1. Match the following apologies with the appropriate response.

Expressing Apology		Accepting apology
Please accept my apologies for the mistakes in the report.		a)   That's quite all right. Yesterday you were really in a hysterical state!
I would like to apologize for shouting at you yesterday. I was very nervous. I completely lost control on myself.		b)    Don’t worry about that.
Excuse me! I didn't realize this was your seat.		c)No problem. I won't need it until next semester.
I'm ashamed of not coming to your wedding ceremony!		d)It doesn't matter. Next time try to make sure there are no spelling mistakes.
Please, accept my apologies for stepping on your foot!		e)Never mind. I’ll try to find another one.
I must apologize for not bringing your book.		f)Don't worry about it. All my friends came. It was a fantastic ceremony!
I’m really sorry, Pete, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.		g)That's OK! I think there is another bottle in the refrigerator.
I’m really sorry for taking your DVD!		h) That's all right. In fact, the bus is very crowded
Sorry for drinking all the milk!		i)No harm done. I have got another new DVD.

2. Fill in the blank with the appropriate words to make an apology.

a)     I must ...................... to Richard for my late arrival. (Sorry – apologize – pardon)

b)    I’m.......................... for my bad results at Mathematics. (Happy – ashamed – forgive)

c)     It’s me who was responsible for that problem. It’s all my..................... (Work – plan – fault)

The passive voice - Corrected exercises

Exercises

Type the verbs in the correct tense, in the passive.

1. I don’t have to go to the newsstand because the paper is delivered to our house every day.
2. When Kylie went to school, she was picked up by her parents every day.
3. You need not clean the bathroom. It has already been cleaned by someone else.
4. Relax! From now on everything will be done for you.
5. When I came home, dinner had not been cooked yet.

Change the active sentences into passive sentences. Use the same tense as in the active sentence.

1. He invents silly things.
   → Silly things are invented.
2. I am reading a book.
   → A book is being read.
3. She has signed the contract.
   → The contract has been signed.
4. A car hit me.
   → I was hit.
5. My neighbours will take care of my plants.
   → My plants will be taken care of.

Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.

1. He opens the door. - The door is opened by him.
2. We set the table. - The table is set by us.
3. She pays a lot of money. - A lot of money is paid by her.
4. I draw a picture. - A picture is drawn by me.
5. They wear blue shoes. - Blue shoes are worn by them.
6. They don't help you. - You are not helped by them.
7. He doesn't open the book. - The book is not opened by him.
8. You do not write the letter. - The letter is not written by you.
9. Does your mum pick you up? - Are you picked up by your mum?

Construct sentences in the impersonal passive.

1. They think that he earns a lot of money.
   → He is thought to earn a lot of money.
2. Visitors say that these museums have wonderful exhibits.
   → These museums are said to have wonderful exhibits.
3. Everybody knows that this sculpture is the artist’s greatest work.
   → This sculpture is known to be the artist’s greatest work.
4. The police assume that the arrested man has robbed the bank.
   → The arrested man is assumed to have robbed the bank.
5. Experts suppose that this jewellery belonged to Cleopatra.
   → This jewellery is supposed to have belonged to Cleopatra.

The passive voice

Subject and Object pronouns

When construsting a passive sentence from an active sentence with two objects, we have to pay special attention to pronouns. If the object of the active sentence is a pronoun and this pronoun is used as the subject of the passive sentence, we must change it from an object pronoun into a subject pronoun.

Exercises

Type the verbs in the correct tense, in the passive.

1. I don’t have to go to the newsstand because the paper (deliver)  to our house every day.
2. When Kylie went to school, she (pick up)  by her parents every day.
3. You need not clean the bathroom. It (clean/already)  by someone else.
4. Relax! From now on everything (do)  for you.
5. When I came home, dinner (cooked/not)  yet.

Change the active sentences into passive sentences. Use the same tense as in the active sentence.

1. He invents silly things.
   → 
2. I am reading a book.
   → 
3. She has signed the contract.
   → 
4. A car hit me.
   → 
5. My neighbours will take care of my plants.
   → 

Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.

1. He opens the door. - 
2. We set the table. - 
3. She pays a lot of money. - 
4. I draw a picture. - 
5. They wear blue shoes. - 
6. They don't help you. - 
7. He doesn't open the book. - 
8. You do not write the letter. - 
9. Does your mum pick you up? - 

Construct sentences in the impersonal passive.

1. They think that he earns a lot of money.
   → 
2. Visitors say that these museums have wonderful exhibits.
   → 
3. Everybody knows that this sculpture is the artist’s greatest work.
   → 
4. The police assume that the arrested man has robbed the bank.
   → 
5. Experts suppose that this jewellery belonged to Cleopatra.
   → 

Link to corrected exercises