COMPLAINING
I have a complaint to make. ..............
I'm sorry to say this but .................
I want to complain about ...................
I'm afraid I've got a complaint about ...............
I'm angry about ................
Responding to a complaint
I'm so sorry, but this will never occur again.
I'm sorry, I promise never to .................
I'm really sorry, I'll do my atmost/best not to ...............
I do apologize for ___ing ..........
I must apologize for ___ing .........
I am so sorry for ___ing .........
I shouldn't have ...........
It's all my fault.
I'm ashamed of ___ing .........
Please, forgive me for ___ing .......
I'm terribly sorry for ___ing ..........
Pardon me for this ............
Please, forgive me for my ........
Please, accept my apologies for ____ing .........
Accepting the apology
That's all right.
Never mind
Don't apologize.
It doesn't matter.
Don't worry about it.
Don't mention it.
That's OK.
I quite understand.
You couldn't help it.
Forget about it.
Don't worry about it.
No harm done.
PRACTICE:
Karim: Oh here you are! I’ve been standing here since eight o’clock! Where on earth have you been?
Samir: I’m terribly sorry I’m late, Karim, but I just couldn’t help it. I got here as soon as I could.
Karim: Well, it’s not soon enough. It’s too late to audition for the show.
Samir: I know, and I am sorry, but…
Karim: It’s all very well saying you’re sorry but you know how much I was looking forward to being in this show.
Samir: I know and…
Karim: We’ve been practising all month! Do you realize that? All month!
Samir: Look, Karim, just give me a chance to explain, please! You’ll see it wasn’t really my fault.
Karim: All right, then, explain!
Samir: Well, my dad and I were ready to leave the house when our neighbour called. He hit my dad’s car while he was backing up his car.
Karim: Go on.
Samir: So they went to see the damage and call the insurance companies. It took them almost two hours to settle everything.
Karim: Oh… I see.
Samir: I am sorry, Karim.
Karim: But you could have phoned me at home.
Samir: I tried, but you’d just left.
Karim: Well, never mind. We had much fun practising anyway.
Samir: We sure did.
Karim: And Samir… I’m sorry for the way I snapped at you.
Samir: Oh, that’s all right. I understand.
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