B2 Collocation Formel 2 min de lecture

offer apology

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Use `offer apology` when you need to be professional, sincere, and take full responsibility for a mistake.

En 15 secondes

  • A formal way to say you are sorry for a mistake.
  • Commonly used in professional emails and serious personal talks.
  • Shows high respect and takes full responsibility for an error.

Signification

This phrase is used when you officially say you are sorry for a mistake or a problem you caused. It is more deliberate and polite than just saying 'sorry' in passing.

Exemples clés

3 sur 6
1

Writing a business email

I wish to offer my sincere apology for the technical issues during the presentation.

I wish to offer my sincere apology for the technical issues during the presentation.

💼
2

Talking to a hurt friend

I came here to offer an apology for what I said last night.

I came here to offer an apology for what I said last night.

💭
3

A public statement by a company

The airline offered a public apology to the passengers for the 12-hour delay.

The airline offered a public apology to the passengers for the 12-hour delay.

👔
🌍

Contexte culturel

The phrase reflects the Western value of personal accountability in social and professional spheres. Historically, 'offering' an apology was a formal social ritual, almost like a peace treaty between individuals. In modern times, it remains the gold standard for repairing professional reputations after a public mistake.

💡

The Power of 'My'

Saying `offer MY apology` sounds more personal and sincere than just `offer AN apology`.

⚠️

Don't Overuse It

If you 'offer an apology' for every small thing, you'll sound like a robot or someone who is too insecure.

En 15 secondes

  • A formal way to say you are sorry for a mistake.
  • Commonly used in professional emails and serious personal talks.
  • Shows high respect and takes full responsibility for an error.

What It Means

To offer apology is to present a formal expression of regret. Imagine you are handing someone a gift, but the gift is your sincere 'I am sorry.' It is not just a quick word. It is a conscious act of admitting you were wrong. It shows you value the relationship more than your ego.

How To Use It

You usually use it with a possessive pronoun like offer my apology or offer an apology. It often appears in professional emails or serious conversations. You can say, 'I would like to offer an apology for the delay.' It sounds much more polished than saying 'My bad!' Use it when the situation has some weight to it.

When To Use It

Use this when you have missed a deadline at work. Use it if you accidentally offended a friend at dinner. It is perfect for business letters or when speaking to someone in authority. If you spill coffee on a stranger's laptop, you definitely need to offer an apology. It bridges the gap between a mistake and forgiveness.

When NOT To Use It

Do not use this for tiny, everyday accidents. If you bump into someone on the bus, just say 'Sorry!' Offering an apology there sounds way too dramatic. It would be like wearing a tuxedo to a grocery store. Also, avoid it if you aren't actually sorry. People can smell a fake 'offered' apology from a mile away.

Cultural Background

In English-speaking cultures, the act of 'offering' something implies a choice. The other person can choose to accept it or not. This phrase comes from a tradition of formal etiquette. It shows that you are taking full responsibility for your actions. It is a sign of emotional maturity and professional respect.

Common Variations

You will often hear offer a sincere apology or proffer an apology (which is very fancy). Sometimes people say offer my deepest apologies when they really messed up. In the UK and USA, adding an adjective like 'heartfelt' or 'formal' helps set the right tone for the situation.

Notes d'usage

This is a 'collocation,' meaning these words naturally live together. It sits firmly in the 'formal' to 'neutral' range. Avoid using it in very casual slang-filled conversations unless you are being intentionally funny.

💡

The Power of 'My'

Saying `offer MY apology` sounds more personal and sincere than just `offer AN apology`.

⚠️

Don't Overuse It

If you 'offer an apology' for every small thing, you'll sound like a robot or someone who is too insecure.

💬

The British Factor

In the UK, people might offer an apology even when they didn't do anything wrong, just to keep the peace!

Exemples

6
#1 Writing a business email
💼

I wish to offer my sincere apology for the technical issues during the presentation.

I wish to offer my sincere apology for the technical issues during the presentation.

Uses 'sincere' to add weight to the professional tone.

#2 Talking to a hurt friend
💭

I came here to offer an apology for what I said last night.

I came here to offer an apology for what I said last night.

Shows the speaker made a special effort to apologize in person.

#3 A public statement by a company
👔

The airline offered a public apology to the passengers for the 12-hour delay.

The airline offered a public apology to the passengers for the 12-hour delay.

Used in a third-person context for official news.

#4 Texting after being late
🤝

Hey, I'm so sorry! I offer my humblest apologies for making you wait in the rain.

Hey, I'm so sorry! I offer my humblest apologies for making you wait in the rain.

The word 'humblest' adds a touch of dramatic sincerity to a text.

#5 A humorous social blunder
😄

I offer a formal apology to your cat for accidentally sitting on its favorite toy.

I offer a formal apology to your cat for accidentally sitting on its favorite toy.

Using formal language for a silly situation creates humor.

#6 In a courtroom or legal setting
👔

The defendant was advised to offer an apology to the victim.

The defendant was advised to offer an apology to the victim.

High-stakes formal environment.

Teste-toi

Choose the most natural word to complete the formal sentence.

Please accept this letter as I wish to ___ my deepest apologies for the oversight.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : offer

While 'give' is okay, 'offer' is the standard collocation for formal apologies.

Complete the phrase used in a professional context.

The CEO decided to offer a ___ apology to the staff.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : public

A 'public apology' is a common phrase when a leader addresses a large group.

🎉 Score : /2

Aides visuelles

Ways to Say Sorry

Casual

Quick and informal

My bad!

Neutral

Standard everyday use

I'm sorry.

Formal

Serious and professional

I offer my apologies.

Very Formal

Official or legal

We proffer a formal apology.

When to Offer an Apology

Offer Apology
💼

Work Mistake

Emailing a client

❤️

Serious Argument

Talking to a spouse

🍕

Customer Service

Fixing a bad order

📢

Public Error

Social media post

Questions fréquentes

11 questions

It depends on the setting. Use offer apology for work or serious matters, and say sorry for friends or small accidents.

Yes, but only if the situation is serious. If you just forgot to buy milk, it might sound a bit too formal.

You can say offer my apologies. The plural often sounds even more formal and sincere than the singular.

Yes, you usually need a determiner. For example: offer an apology or offer my apologies.

Both! You offer an apology TO a person FOR a specific mistake. Example: I offered an apology to Sarah for the late reply.

Not at all. It is still the standard way to handle professional mistakes in modern offices.

Yes, it is very common for organizations to offer a public apology when they make a mistake that affects many people.

It means you truly feel bad. Adding sincere before apology makes the phrase feel much deeper.

You can, but proffer is extremely formal and rare. Stick with offer for 99% of situations.

You can say 'I accept your apology' or 'Thank you, I appreciate that.' It completes the social interaction.

Yes, they are very similar, but offer sounds slightly more like a gesture of goodwill.

Expressions liées

Extend an apology

Similar to offer, often used in very formal business correspondence.

Owe an apology

When you realize you should say sorry but haven't done it yet.

Accept an apology

The act of forgiving someone after they offer their apology.

A heartfelt apology

An apology that is deeply emotional and very sincere.

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