Admitting Mistakes and Making Promises

Admitting mistakes is someone's consciousness who’s doing something wrong or on purpose. 

•       The word which usually use is ‘sorry, forgive me, etc’.

Why we must admitting mistakes?

Maybe you thinking that if Admitting your  mistakes, it can make you seems "losing face“.  However, in the eyes of other people, a person who can admit to mistakes and move on from them is more likely to garner respect than someone who blusters and pretends they weren't responsible. Ultimately, continued refusal to face up to being wrong or causing a problem can take a toll on your reputation, relationships, and your work or professional life.

Admitting mistakes can also be expressed to represent the person who made ​​a mistake. Thus, You can help solve the problems of others so that many people would love to be friends with you. This skill can liberate you and allow you and others to move on to better relationships and outcomes.

The example expressions of Admitting Mistakes:

• I’m sorry. It’s my fault.
• I admit what I have done is wrong.
• Sorry, I didn’t mean to.
• Yes, I take the blame.
• It’s my mistakes. Please forgive me.
• I know. I shouldn’t have done that. Sorry.
• I never intended it that way.
• You’re right. I’m fully responsible for this matter.
• I'm sorry that I've ignored your opinion.
• This has been my terrible mistake.
• Sorry, I was rude to you.

Dialogue:

Vidya        : Who should be responsible to this?

Alpred       : Sorry miss, I have to admit that it is my fault.

Vidya        : So, what will you do now??

Alpred       : Yes miss, so I will replace the food with the new one. 

 Making Promises (berjanji)

Make promise is important in some condition, for example when you have just made a mistakes, you must make a promise to someone else to don't make same mistakes twice to her/him or when you have schedule that must you do with your friends, like doing homework, employment contract, etc.

Make promises is important when you want to do something to convince someone, but the promise must be fulfilled so that people can trust you.

Make Promises to yourself !

In addition to making promises to others, you can make an appointment for yourself. In this case, for example, promises to be a better person, or a promise to meet the targets that you have make in  the future.

The example expressions of making promises:

Making Promises	Responding
I promise I will help you.	Thank you
Keep my promise. I won’t do it again.	All right. Keep your promise.
I swear I will not let others know this problem.	O.K. Thanks.
I assure you that I will return the book on time.	Really? Let me be assured.
Don’t worry. I’ll see you before I leave.	O.K. I’ll wait for you.
I swear I don’t do it again.	Keep your promise.
I will not be careless again.	Yes, you do.
I promise to manage my time well.	I trust you.

Dialogue…

Aziz     : Would you accompany me to visit Linda. She is hospitalized.

Uje      : What time?

Aziz     : At 9 o'clock. By the way, are you sure Doni will join us next week?

Uje      : I'm sure he will. He promised to join us next week. 

Blaming and Accusing Someone

Blamming (Menyalahkan)

Blame is the act of censuring, holding responsible, making negative statements about an individual or group that their action or actions are socially or morally irresponsible, the 

 opposite of praise.

 

EXPRESSING BLAMING

•   It was your own fault.
•   What did you expect?
•   You should have/shouldn't have...
•   I told you but you wouldn't listen.
•   It's no use crying over spill milk.
•   It serves you right.
•   Perhaps that'll teach you a lesson.
•   You're the one to blame.
• You're the only person we could have done it.

Someone who blamed usually declines it. The following are the responses used :

•  It's not true.
• It wasn't me
• You are wrong, I didn't do it
• I am not the one to blame

ACCUSING

•       In interpersonal conversation we often exprience many kinds of situation. Making mistake is one of the examples. When we make a mistake, sometimes we fell difficult to confess it. It's good thing if we want to admit our mistake. The following are expresions of accusing.

EXPRESSING ACCUSING

•       It must have been you who did it

•       I think you're the only person who could have done it

•       You must be doing something wrong

 Responses of Expressing Accusing

•  I'm sorry. It's my fault.
• Sorry for my fault.
• I'm sorry fro the things I've done. 
• It's my responsibility. I'm sorry.

 

2nd and 3rd conditional sentences

Conditional Clause and Main Clause

If I have enough money, conditional clause	I will go to Japan.     main clause
I will go to Japan, main clause	if I have enough money     conditional clause

First, Second, and Third Conditional

1. First conditional:	If I have enough money, I will go to Japan.
2. Second conditional:	If I had enough money, I would go to Japan.
3. Third conditional:	If I had had enough money, I would have gone to Japan.

Conditional clause	Main clause
1. If + Present Tense	will + inf / present tense / imperative
If you help me with the dishes (if + pres), I will help you with your homework. (will + inf) If the sum of the digits of a number is divisible by three, the number is divisible by three (Pres. tense) If you see Mr Fox tonight, tell him I am ill. (imperative).
2. If + Past Tense	would + inf
3. If + Past Perfect Tense	would have + past participle
We do not normally use will or would in the conditional clause, only in the main clause.

Uses of the Conditional

1. First conditional
   1. Nature: Open condition, what is said in the condition is possible.
   2. Time: This condition refers either to present or to future time.
      e.g. If he is late, we will have to go without him.
      If my mother knows about this, we are in serious trouble.
   
   
2. Second conditional
   1. Nature: unreal (impossible) or improbable situations.
   2. Time: present; the TENSE is past, but we are talking about the present, now.
      e.g. If I knew her name, I would tell you.
      If I were you, I would tell my father. Compare: If I become president, I will change the social security system. (Said by a presidential candidate)
      If I became president, I would change the social security system. (Said by a schoolboy: improbable)
      If we win this match, we are qualified for the semifinals.
      If I won a million pounds, I would stop teaching. (improbable)
   
   
3. Third conditional
   1. Nature: unreal
   2. Time: Past (so we are talking about a situation that was not so in the past.)
      e.g. If you had warned me, I would not have told your father about that party.(But you didn't, and I have).

Remember!

1. The conditional construction does not normally use will or would in if-clauses. EXCEPTION: If will or would express willingness, as in requests, they can be used in if-clauses.

e.g. If you will come this way, the manager will see you now.
I would be grateful if you would give me a little help.
(= ± please, come this way; please, give me...)

2. For the second conditional, were replaces was:

If I were a rich man...

3. After if, we can either use "some(-one, -where...)" or "any(-one, -where...).

If I have some spare time next weekend....or :
If I have any spare time...

4. Instead of if not, we can use unless.

e.g. I'll be back tomorrow unless there is a plane strike.
He'll accept the job unless the salary is too low.

5.There is a "mixed type" as well, for the present results of an unreal condition in the past:

If + Past Perfect - would + inf.
If you had warned me [then], I would not be in prison [now].

Making Suggestion and Requesting Something

1. Making Suggestion

    a. Definition

Making Suggestion is how you express your suggestion to someone.

    b. There are a number of ways used when making suggestions:        

1) WHAT ABOUT/HOW ABOUT ... + Base form + -ING

•  What about going to the swimming pool tomorrow?
•  How about going to the swimming pool tomorrow?

2) WHY + Negative

• Why don't we go to the swimming pool tomorrow?

3) IMPERATIVE: Let's + Base form

• Let's go to the swimming pool tomorrow! 

4) COULD

• We could go to the swimming pool tomorrow.

5) DO YOU WANT + the infinitive

• Do you want to go to the swimming pool tomorrow?

Making a Suggestion	Responding
•          I suggest that … •          I would suggest that … •          My suggestion is … •          What about … •          Perhaps we should … •          We’d better/ we must … •          A possible solution  to your problem is …	•          That’s a good idea •          It’s a good suggestion, thanks. •          You are right. •          Yes, let’s do it •          I think so •          Yes, you’re right. •          That’s what is in my mind.

2. Requesting Something

    a. Definition

Requesting Something is what we say when we want to ask someone to do something for us.

    b. Ask Someone To Do Something For You

• Requesting

•          Would you mind …, please?

•          Can/Could you …?

•          Will/Would you …?

•          Please …

• Accepting Requests

•          Sure, I’d be glad/happy to …

•          Of course/Certainly.

•          No problem.

•          Sure. Just a moment.

•   Refusing Requests

•          I’d loved to, but …

•          It sounds great, but …

•          I’m/sorry, but …

•          Sorry to say that …

•  Example making polite request :

•          Could you open the window for me, please?

•          Would you mind closing the door for us, please?"

•          Can you close the door for me, please?

•          Could you possibly show me the way to the post office, please?

•          Would you help me with this exercise, please?

• The responses for that polite request can be

•          Sure.

•          Certainly.

•          Why not

•          With a pleasure.

•          I'd be glad to.

•          I am afraid I can't.

•          I am sorry I can't.

The pattern : Would you mind is followed by the verb and -ing.

    c. Asking If You Can Do Something

•          Asking polite permission to do something

•          "Can I use your phone, please?"

•          "Could I borrow some money from you, please?"

•          "Do you mind if I turn on television?"

•          "Would you mind if I turned off the lamp?"

•          The responses can be

•          No. I don't mind

•          Not at all

•          No, of course not

•          No, that would be fine

•          I am afraid, yes

•          Yes, I do mind

•          The pattern

•          Could is more polite than can.

•          Do you mind if…" is followed by the verb in the present tense.

•          would you mind if… is followed by the verb in the past tense.

Complaining and Giving Intructions

Complaining 

Complaints are expressions of "displeasure or annoyance" in response to an action that is seen by the speaker as unfavorable.

Making a Complain:

Here are useful expressions you can use when complaining:

·         I’m afraid I have to make a serious complaint.

·         Look, I’m sorry to trouble you, but….

·         Excuse me, I’m afraid…

·         Excuse me, there seems to be something wrong with…

·         Excuse me, there appears to be something wrong…

·         I wonder if you could help me…..

·         I’ve got a bit of a problem here, you see……

·         Do you think you could……?

·         I’m sorry to have to say this, but….

·         Would you mind (doing)….?

·         I wish you wouldn’t mind….

·         I do wish you could….

·         Wouldn’t it be a good idea to/ not to….

• I have a complaint to make. ...
• Sorry to bother you but...
• I'm sorry to say this but...
• I'm afraid I've got a complaint about...
• I'm afraid there is a slight problem with...
• Excuse me but there is a problem about...
• I want to complain about...
• I'm angry about...

Responding to complaints

Accepting a Complaint:

·         Oh, I’m sorry about that.

·         I can’t tell you how sorry I am

·         I wish it never happened

·         Oh dear, I’m really sorry

·         I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize

·         I just don’t know how to say.

·         I just don’t know what to say

• I'm so sorry, but this will never occur / happen again.
• I'm sorry, we promise never to do the same mistake again.
• I'm really sorry; we'll do our utmost/best not to do the same mistake again.

Delaying a Complaint

·         I suggest you leave it with us and we’ll see what can be done.

·         I suggest you leave it with us and we’ll see what we can do.

·         I’m afraid the manager/boss isn’t in at the moment. Could you call later?

·         I’m afraid we can’t help you at the moment. Could you leave your contact phone number and address? We will contact you soon.

Rejecting a Complaint

·         Well, I’m afraid there is nothing we can do about it actually.

·         Well, I’m afraid there isn’t much we can do about it.

• Sorry there is nothing we can do about it.
• I'm afraid, there isn't much we can do about it.
• We are sorry but the food is just alright.

 

Giving Instruction
 

Giving instruction is an expression that is used in order that order that other person does what we instruct or request, or giving imperative to other people for to do or not to do something, Giving instruction sometimes called comperative/prohibition.
NOTE:
The tense used in giving instruction is “SIMPLE PRESENT”

Forms of Giving Instruction

There are two form of giving instruction, those are:

1)     Command

There are some giving instruction in command form that usually we use in the dialy life, those are:

Verb + object

• Examples:
• Watch out, come here.
• Eat your meal.
• Switch off the phone in class.
• Please + verb + object
• Examples:
• Please clean your room now.
• Please wash your hand first.
• Please press the button gently.
• Please read the rules first.
• Please read the direction for use first.

Verb + object + please

• Examples:
• Wash this towel, please.
• Sit down, please.
• Close the window, please.
• Open the door, please.
• Remove the pan from the heat, please.

Be + adjective

• Examples:
• Be yourself.
• Be a good boy/girl.
• Be strong.
• Be happy.
• Be polite.
• Be careful.
• Be gentle.

 2)     Prohibition

There are some giving instruction in prohibition form that usually we use in the dialy life, those are:

Don’t + verb infinitive without to

• Examples:
• Don’t eat the fried chicken in the cupboard.
• Don’t close it!
• Don’t open the door!
• Don’t eat that!
• Don’t approach!
• Don’t disturb me now!
• Don’t touch my hand!

Don’t + be + adjective

• Examples:
• Don’t be noisy.
• Don’t be lazy.
• Don’t + verb + object + please
• Examples:
• Don’t close the window, please.
• Don’t make me sad anymore, please.
• Don’t treat me bad, please.

Would you mind not + verb-ing + object

• Examples:
• Would you mind not reading my diary.
• Would you mind not enter my room.
• Would you mind not use my gadget.

No + verb-ing

• Examples:
• No smoking!
• No swimming!
• No parking.
• No fishing.