My bad! (making and accepting apologies)

Olia | Nov 04, 2024Mar 28, 2025

LESSON OVERVIEW

The main objectives of this lesson on making and accepting apologies are to:

• discuss experiences and ways to apologize;
• work on phrases to apologize, promise solutions and accept apologies;
• listen to a recording of people giving their opinions on making mistakes at work.

In this lesson, students practise making and accepting apologies, listen to a recording on workplace mistakes, and explore phrases with ‘make’ (e.g. make an apology, make a mistake). They learn other useful expressions (e.g. take responsibility, on purpose) and discuss tips for handling mistakes. Students also create dialogues and practise the phrases.

WARM-UP AND VOCABULARY

This lesson on making and accepting apologies starts with a warm-up. Students think about what might make someone say ‘I’m sorry’ in different places (in the street, in a shop and in an English class). After that, they discuss experiences and ways to apologize. Then, students listen to a recording about making mistakes at work and say which opinion they agree with more. They also explain their answer. Next, students listen to the recording again and complete a mind map to create phrases with ‘make’ (e.g. make a poor decision, make a mistake, etc.). Afterwards, they match phrases from the recording with their definitions (e.g. take care of, take responsibility, etc.). Following that, students complete tips about handling mistakes at work with words from the lesson. They then say if they think they are good tips. Subsequently, students complete statements about making mistakes so that they are true for them.  

DISCUSSION AND MORE PRACTICE

Continuing the lesson on making and accepting apologies, students read a situation where a manager apologizes and explains a project delay. They discuss apologizing in professional settings and then sort phrases (e.g. It’s OK, don’t worry about it) into categories (apologize, promise a solution or accept an apology). Then, they put words (e.g. purpose, fault, etc.) into correct sentences. Following that, students look at the phrases again and add them to categories. Next, they look at situations (e.g. forgetting your colleague’s birthday) and discuss how they’d feel and what they’d do. They choose two situations and create dialogues apologizing and accepting apologies, with the first lines and target phrases provided. In the final task, Student A gets cards with things to apologize for (e.g. You broke their phone) and makes an apology without using specific words. Student B guesses what the apology, accepts, and they switch roles.

WORKSHEETS

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