I'm Really Sorry...

Learning Objectives:

• To develop verbal improvisation skills
• To learn to apologise - and to accept apologies (in a fun way)
• Good for language learners

Age Group:  Children, young people and adults

Recommended time for activity: 10 minutes

In pairs. The aim of the game is for one partner to apologise to the other and for the recipient of the apology to make the first person feel alright about what they've done, regardless of how bad it may seem! The first person (A) begins by saying "I'm really sorry...." and then adds, "... I've crashed the car", for example.

B replies with something reassuring like, "Don't worry, I've decided to travel by bike." B then thinks of something she is sorry for:

B: I'm really sorry, I've just dropped your mobile phone in the water.
A: That's OK, It needed a wash/I'm sure it's waterproof.

It's important that the recipient of the apology works hard to make the other person feel that they have been forgiven!  After they have worked in pairs you could ask them to choose two of the conversations to share with the class.

Thanks to Johanna Stirling for helping me think this one up.