HOW TO MAKE EXCUSES IN ENGLISH

Did you forget to do the homework for the second time this week?
Did you leave your flute at home — again?

Don't worry, you can explain the situation to your teacher if you learn this vocabulary.

Apologising and making excuses (= pedir disculpas y dar excusas)

I'm sorry,
[insert your teacher's name here],
but 		I couldn't do the homework during the weekend because...
I wasn't able to practise with the flute yesterday because...
I haven't been able to finish the project because...

Remember:


...because
I forgot the book in the classroom (yesterday).
I had a temperature
my father needed my help
my mother needed me to help her 		yesterday
all		 evening.
I had to look after my baby
little		 sister.
brother.
my family and I went on a trip last weekend.
my dog
my baby brother		 tried to eat
chewed up
tore
destroyed		 my notes
my draft
my project		 yesterday.
last weekend.
my Internet connection stopped working
wasn't working
my computer broke down
packed up
stopped working
wasn't working
my computer has broken down.
is not working.
I have forgotten
I have left		 my homework
my notebook
the project		 at home.
N.B.: The following are really bad excuses.
         Use them only if you haven't got a better one.

I didn't know how to do it. (You should have asked your teacher for help.)
I forgot I had to do it. (You should have written it down in your school diary.)
I wasn't aware the deadline was today. (The same as above.)
I was feeling really lazy. (That is no excuse!)
There was a really good film on at the cinema. (That is not a valid excuse!)
I didn't want to miss the football match on TV. (That is a really pathetic excuse!)


Now, put yourself to the test!

Download a flash test template (for teachers)