TICKET 2 English: UNIT VI: FUNCTIONS

Define your concepts!

X can be defined as….

X refers to….

X designates….

X means….

X can be described as….

Examples:

Multilingualism means the ability of an individual speaker or a community of speakers to use multiple languages.

Values can be defined as principles or standards of good beheaviour.

Patrimony refers to property inherited from one’s father or male ancestor.

Apology:

I'm (so/terribly/awfully) sorry I .... / for / about what I ...

I'm afraid I...

I apologize for+gerund...

Forgive me for+gerund...

Excuse me for+gerund...

Please, accept our sincere apology.

Forgive me. I didn’t mean it.

I deeply regret that.

I’m sorry, sir for this delay.

I’m terribly sorry for…

We sincerely apologise for…

Oh, sir! I didn’t mean it.

Examples:

I'm so sorry I missed the wedding.

Forgive / Excuse me for not being at your wedding.

I apologize for not being at your wedding./being late.

Apologizing:

Phrase 1 is a general short apology. We use this when we bump into people on the street. At other times, it sounds too weak.
In phrase 2, we use 'so', 'very' and 'terribly' to make the meaning stronger. 'Terribly' is the strongest. If we use one of the words in brackets, it is stressed.
Phrase 3 is quite formal but it's a stronger apology than just 'sorry'.
We use phrase 4 to criticise ourselves and the mistake that we have just made.
We use phrases 6 and 7 to take all the responsibility for what happened. Phrase 7 is a little stronger.
We use phrase 8 to apologise for our lack of knowledge or ability. We can replace the word in brackets with other nouns, e.g. carelessness, forgetfulness.
Phrase 9 is asking the other person not to get angry. The tone is quite informal.
Phrase 10 is often used in formal letters. The word 'sincerest' makes the apology very strong and very formal.

TICKET 2 English