Apologies That Sound Sincere
Explore how to own mistakes, recognize their impact, and offer to make things right—without excuses or pressure to forgive.
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Questions with solutions-
1. Elige la respuesta correcta.
Por accidente, haces caer del mostrador la taza de un amigo. ¿Qué disculpa asume directamente la responsabilidad sin atribuir culpas?
- I'm sorry, but the mug was too close to the edge.
- I'm sorry I knocked your mug off the counter.
- I'm sorry the mug happened to fall.
- I'm sorry you left a breakable mug there.
Busca una relación clara entre la acción de quien habla y el daño.
Show solution
- I'm sorry I knocked your mug off the counter.
Mencionar tu propia acción deja clara tu responsabilidad. Culpar a la ubicación del objeto desvía la atención de lo que hiciste.
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2. Completa el espacio en blanco.
The apology acknowledges the practical effect on your friend.
Friend: I waited outside for half an hour because you didn't tell me the plan had changed.
You: I'm sorry I didn't let you know. I realize ___.- you could have called me instead
- the change wasn't my decision
- that wasted half an hour of your time
- plans don't always work out
Focus on what your friend experienced because they weren't told.
Show solution
Friend: I waited outside for half an hour because you didn't tell me the plan had changed.
You: I'm sorry I didn't let you know. I realize that wasted half an hour of your time.Naming the inconvenience shows that you understand the effect of the mistake, not just that a plan changed.
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3. Elige la respuesta correcta.
Rompiste el cierre de una chaqueta prestada. ¿Qué respuesta posterior cubre el costo de la reparación?
I'm sorry I broke the zipper on your jacket.
- I'll pay to have the zipper repaired.
- I'll be more careful with zippers next time.
- At least the rest of the jacket is fine.
- Maybe you can find someone to repair it.
El dueño no debería tener que pagar la cuenta.
Show solution
- I'll pay to have the zipper repaired.
Un ofrecimiento concreto de reparación vincula la disculpa con una acción y reduce la carga para la persona afectada.
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4. Ordena las palabras.
You volunteered your roommate to help at an event without asking. Your reply welcomes their feedback and acknowledges what you should have done.
- should have checked
- with you
- for pointing that out;
- I
- Thank you
- first.
Show solution
Thank you for pointing that out; I should have checked with you first.
Thanking someone for raising a problem makes room for their concern instead of treating it as an attack.
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5. Elige la respuesta correcta.
El autobús de Owen se retrasó, pero él podría haber enviado un mensaje. ¿Qué respuesta explica el retraso y, al mismo tiempo, asume la responsabilidad por no haberse comunicado?
Nina: You were late, and I didn't know whether you were coming.
- My bus was delayed, so there was nothing I could have done.
- I'm sorry, but you know buses aren't always reliable.
- You should have guessed that my bus was delayed.
- My bus was delayed, but I should have texted you. I'm sorry.
El retraso y no haber enviado un mensaje son asuntos distintos.
Show solution
- My bus was delayed, but I should have texted you. I'm sorry.
Una explicación puede aportar contexto útil sin convertirse en una excusa. Aquí, Owen sigue asumiendo la responsabilidad por lo que estaba bajo su control.
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6. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿En qué se centra esta respuesta en lugar de en la elección de palabras de quien habla?
Friend: Calling my idea "ridiculous" felt dismissive.
Reply: I'm sorry you took it that way.- The speaker's regret about using harsh words.
- The friend's reaction to the comment.
- The reason the speaker made the comment.
- The speaker's plan to avoid similar comments.
Observa en quién se centra "took it that way".
Show solution
- The friend's reaction to the comment.
"I'm sorry you took it that way" desplaza la atención hacia la interpretación de quien escucha. No reconoce que las palabras en sí fueron hirientes.
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7. Completa el espacio en blanco.
La persona que habla acepta que una buena intención no justifica la acción.
I'm sorry I read your message aloud. I didn't mean to embarrass you, but that doesn't ___.
- mean I did anything wrong
- give you a reason to be upset
- make it acceptable
- make your reaction reasonable
Considera si una intención de ayudar o de no causar daño elimina la responsabilidad.
Show solution
I'm sorry I read your message aloud. I didn't mean to embarrass you, but that doesn't make it acceptable.
Las intenciones y los efectos pueden ser distintos. Puedes explicar que no tenías intención de causar daño y, aun así, aceptar que tu acción no estuvo bien.
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8. Completa el espacio en blanco.
Después de varias promesas incumplidas, tu amigo ha pedido conversar sin celulares. La respuesta ofrece una forma concreta de lograrlo.
I'm sorry I kept looking at my phone. Next time we talk, I'll ___.
- keep it in my bag until we're done
- try to pay more attention
- only check messages I think are urgent
- hope there are fewer notifications
Busca un hábito concreto que evite la interrupción.
Show solution
I'm sorry I kept looking at my phone. Next time we talk, I'll keep it in my bag until we're done.
Después de repetir un error, un cambio concreto le da a la otra persona una base más sólida para confiar que otra promesa de esforzarse más.
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9. Escucha y escribe la respuesta.
Un amigo se disculpa después de no asistir a un evento familiar importante.
Show solution
- I'm sorry I let you down. You don't have to forgive me right away.
Una disculpa puede dar espacio a los sentimientos de la otra persona en lugar de pedirle que brinde tranquilidad de inmediato.
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10. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué disculpa reconoce tu parte de responsabilidad sin culpar a tu compañero de equipo ni asumir la responsabilidad por su error?
A shared project was delayed by two mistakes: you left the images out of the file, and your teammate emailed it to the wrong address.
- I'm sorry we made mistakes, but yours caused the real problem.
- I'm sorry I sent the file to the wrong address.
- I'm sorry, but the missing images wouldn't have mattered if you'd used the right address.
- I'm sorry I left out the images. I'll send you the complete file now.
Sé preciso al indicar qué acción realizaste tú.
Show solution
- I'm sorry I left out the images. I'll send you the complete file now.
Asumir la responsabilidad no requiere aceptar la culpa de todo. Una disculpa precisa reconoce tu parte de responsabilidad sin usar el error de otra persona como defensa.
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11. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué disculpa en el chat grupal respeta la petición de Lee?
You announced Lee's moving plans without permission. Lee asks you to apologize to the group without sharing any more personal information.
- I'm sorry I announced Lee's move before explaining the reason.
- I'm sorry I shared Lee's personal news. It wasn't mine to share.
- I'm sorry, but Lee should have told me which details were private.
- I'm sorry I didn't give you the full story about Lee's plans.
Reconocer el error no requiere revelar más detalles.
Show solution
- I'm sorry I shared Lee's personal news. It wasn't mine to share.
Cuando una disculpa tiene que ver con la privacidad de alguien, dar demasiadas explicaciones puede volver a causar el mismo daño. Reconoce el límite sin ampliar la historia.
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12. Elige la respuesta correcta.
Why does "if" weaken Morgan's apology in this exchange?
Avery: You posted the photo after I asked you not to, and you just admitted you saw my message.
Morgan: I'm sorry if I ignored your request.- It makes the apology depend on Avery apologizing first.
- It promises a different response to future requests.
- It treats an acknowledged action as though it might not have happened.
- It asks for permission to post the photo again.
Is the action genuinely uncertain in this exchange?
Show solution
- It treats an acknowledged action as though it might not have happened.
Conditional wording can fit genuine uncertainty. Here, though, "if" casts doubt on an action that the conversation has already established.