VOA一分鐘英語：用英語道歉的方式（2）

在正式場合應該怎樣用英語道歉？開會時，如果你打斷了上司說話，最好怎樣致歉？做報告時，如果錯誤頻出，可以怎樣表達自己感到非常抱歉？
 
Let's take a minute to look at different ways you can apologise in a formal situation.
Imagine you're in an important meeting at work and you interrupted your boss.
To say sorry, you might say:
Sorry…
Excuse me…
Pardon me…
Apologies…
I sincerely apologise for… interrupting or for the interruption.
Because 'for' is a preposition, you can either use a gerund or a noun.
Now imagine you're in the same important meeting at work and you give a presentation in front of your boss that is incomplete and full of mistakes.
To say sorry, you might say:
I'm afraid I didn't finish the presentation.
Don't be confused – 'afraid' does not mean 'scared' here – it's like sorry, but more formal.
And notice that after 'afraid', we use a full clause or sentence.
 
用法總結(jié)
1. 工作場所時需要道歉，比如開會時需要打斷他人，可以用到下列句式：
Sorry …
Excuse me …
Pardon me…
Apologies…
I sincerely apologise for...
注意，介詞 “for” 后面可以加 “-ing” 動名詞或名詞，比如 “interrupting” 或 “the interruption”。
Sorry for interrupting you earlier.
Pardon me, but may I add one thing to this agenda?
I sincerely apologise for the confusion caused by the miscalculation.
 
2. 我們還可以用 “I'm afraid...” 的句式來為某情況或某事道歉，這里的 “afraid” 不是 “害怕” 的意思，而是相當于更正式一點的 “sorry”。“I'm afraid” 后接完整從句或一個句子。
I'm afraid I didn't finish the presentation.
I'm afraid I won't be able to attend the meeting on time.
I'm afraid the new product is underperforming.