🗣️ Function: Making Complaints & Offering Apologies
1ère Bac Sciences et Technologies Elécriques STE
📌 Introduction
Learning how to make complaints and offer apologies helps you communicate politely in school, science labs, and daily life.
📢 Making Complaints (Politely)
Useful Expressions:
- I’m sorry to say this, but… → softens the complaint
- I’m afraid there’s a problem with…
- This isn’t what I expected.
- Could you please fix this? → polite request
- There’s something wrong with…
Example: “I’m afraid there’s a problem with my lab report grade. Could you please check it again?”
🙏 Offering Apologies
Useful Expressions:
- I’m really sorry for…
- I apologize for…
- It was my fault.
- I didn’t mean to…
- Please accept my apologies.
Example: “I’m really sorry for being late to class. My bus was delayed.”
🔬 Science & School Situations
Complaints:
- “The experiment didn’t work because the chemicals were expired.”
- “I didn’t receive feedback on my project.”
Apologies:
- “I apologize for breaking the microscope slide.”
- “I’m sorry I forgot to bring my lab notebook.”
✅ Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Complaint
1. The computer isn’t working. →
2. Your homework was marked wrong by mistake. →
3. The lab equipment is broken. →
4. You didn’t get your test back. →
5. The instructions are unclear. →
✅ Exercise 2: Choose the Right Apology
1. You broke a test tube. →
2. You were late to class. →
3. You forgot your homework. →
4. You interrupted the teacher. →
5. You lost a library book. →
✅ Exercise 3: Complete the Sentence (Complaint)
1. I’m afraid there’s a problem with my ___ .
2. This isn’t what I ___ — the experiment failed.
3. There’s something wrong with the ___ .
4. Could you please ___ this? The data is missing.
5. I’m sorry to say this, but the ___ are unclear.
✅ Exercise 4: Complete the Sentence (Apology)
1. I’m really sorry for ___ late.
2. I apologize for ___ your notebook.
3. It was my ___ — I broke the glass.
4. I didn’t ___ to spill the water.
5. Please accept my ___ for the mistake.
✅ Exercise 5: Match the Situation
1. You dropped someone’s books →
2. The teacher gave you the wrong grade →
3. You forgot your lab partner’s name →
4. The experiment didn’t work →
5. You interrupted a presentation →
✅ Exercise 6: Correct the Mistake
1. “You are wrong!” (to teacher) →
2. “It’s not my problem.” (when you broke something) →
3. “I don’t care about your grade.” (to friend) →
4. “You always make mistakes!” (to partner) →
5. “It’s not my fault!” (when it is) →
✅ Exercise 7: Science Lab Complaints
1. The microscope is dirty. →
2. The chemical label is missing. →
3. The data doesn’t match. →
4. Could you please ___ the equipment? It’s broken.
5. I’m sorry to say this, but the ___ are expired.
✅ Exercise 8: Apology in Context
1. You spilled water on the report. →
2. You forgot to share your notes. →
3. You lost the team’s data. →
4. You didn’t do your part of the project. →
5. Please accept my ___ for the error.
✅ Exercise 9: Fill in the Blank
1. I’m ___ to say this, but my grade is wrong.
2. I ___ for being late.
3. There’s ___ wrong with the computer.
4. Could you please ___ this?
5. It was my ___.
✅ Exercise 10: Write a Sentence
Write polite complaints and apologies:
1. Complaint: The experiment failed. →
2. Apology: You broke the glass. →
3. Complaint: Instructions unclear →
4. Apology: Late to class →
5. Complaint: Missing data →
