TEACHER’S NOTES
ESL / EFL RESOURCES I'm sorry
Activity Type Introduction
Matching and speaking In this fun pelmanism card game, students practice apologizing
activity, group work and using expressions with 'sorry'.
Procedure
Language Focus
Divide the class into groups of three. Give each group a set of
Apologizing and
white cards and a set of grey cards.
expressions with 'sorry'
Tell the students that they are going to play a game where they
practice apologizing and using expressions with 'sorry'. Ask the
Aim
students to spread out the cards face down on the table, keeping
To match statements the white and grey cards separate.
and questions with an
appropriate response Explain that the white cards are statement or question cards, and
using the word 'sorry'. the grey cards are response cards. The students' task is to collect
matching pairs of grey and white cards that make a statement or
question and response using the word 'sorry'.
Preparation
Example:
Make one copy of the
cards for each group
A: I failed my English exam. (statement)
of three and cut as
B: Sorry to hear that. Better luck next time. (response)
indicated. Keep the white
and grey cards separate.
One student begins by turning over one card from each set. If the
statement/question and response make a logical pair, the student
Level keeps the two cards.
Low intermediate For each matching pair, the word 'sorry' must appear either in the
statement/question or response.
Time If the cards don't match, the student turns the cards over again.
25 minutes
Play then passes to the next student, and so on.
Students should try to remember where they put each card so
that they can pick matching cards when their turn comes around.
The winner is the student with the most cards at the end of the
game.
As an extension, one student takes all the white statement/
question cards and says each one in turn.
The group members then race to give an appropriate response.
The first student to do this wins the card.
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APOLOGIZING
ESL / EFL RESOURCES I'm sorry
Sorry to hear that. Better luck
I failed my English exam.
next time.
I'm sorry, but I have to go.
Do you want to stay for lunch?
Maybe next time.
Where have you been? You’re very late. Sorry. The traffic was terrible.
I'm sorry. She's not here at
Can I speak to Carrie?
the moment.
My number is 084-130-1234. Sorry, I didn't quite catch that.
Excuse me please. Sorry, I didn't see you there.
Sorry. What did you say your
My name’s James Dixon.
name was?
I can’t believe you forgot my birthday. I'm really sorry. It won't happen again.
I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure it will turn
I can't find my phone.
up soon.
I'm sorry to hear that. I had no idea you
We have split up.
weren't getting along.
Sorry. I must have dialled the
Good morning. ABC company.
wrong number.
Can I come in? I'm sorry. We are closed.
My cat died last month. Oh dear. I'm so sorry. I didn't know.
Forget about it. I'm as much to
I'm really sorry about last night.
blame as you are
Did you know Thomas is leaving? Yes, I'll be sorry to see him go.
Sorry to keep you waiting. That's OK. I haven't been here long.
[Link] © 2017 Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.