Making Excuses ESL Activities and Worksheets
In this useful making excuses speaking activity, students practice giving excuses, starting with I'm sorry... Student A looks at a diary of their partner's behaviour last week and asks for reasons for their actions, e.g. 'Why were you late for class last Monday?' Student B uses the picture prompt for that day and gives an excuse with I'm sorry..., e.g. 'I'm sorry I was late for class. There was a traffic jam'. Student A listens to each excuse and writes the corresponding day next to the appropriate picture. Afterwards, students swap roles and repeat the process with Student B asking for reasons for Student A's actions and their partner responding with excuses. When the students have finished, they compare worksheets to check their answers.
In this comprehensive making excuses worksheet, students learn how to make excuses for different transgressions. First, students read about the naughty acts of the four Robinson children and complete each excuse with an appropriate statement. Students then complete common excuses with vocabulary from a box. Next, students match transgressions with excuses and decide whether the excuses are good or bad and sort them accordingly. After that, students underline the phrases for making excuses. Finally, students write their own excuses for different transgressions using the phrases.
In this free making excuses speaking activity, students make excuses in response to requests, invitations and accusations using a variety of phrases. First, students match requests, invitations and accusations with the correct excuses. Next, students underline the phrases from the first exercise that are used to make excuses. After that, in pairs, students take it in turns to read out the requests, invitations and accusations listed to their partner who gives an excuse for each one. Students then write their partner's excuse in the space provided. Finally, review the excuses students gave for each item as a class.
In this fun making excuses game, students race to match and complete excuses in response to requests, invitations, and accusations. In groups, one student turns over the first situation card and reads it to the group, e.g. 'Would you be able to cover my shift this Saturday?' All the students then race to find a matching excuse card to fit the situation and complete the excuse in their own words, e.g. 'I'd love to, but unfortunately, I already promised to take my kids to the beach this weekend.' The first student to make a suitable match and complete the excuse prompt appropriately wins, keeps the pair of cards, and sets them aside. If a student makes an incorrect match or doesn't complete the excuse appropriately, they are out of the round, and the other students can try to answer. The next student then turns over a situation card from the top of the pile, and so on. The first student to get rid of all their excuse cards is the winner.
