English speaking lesson · Social & Connection
Apologising for being late
You're twenty minutes late meeting a friend, and they've been waiting at the café. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
A café, twenty minutes late · you talk to the forgiving friend
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Apologise properly, explain what happened, make it up to them, and agree how to use the time you have left. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.
How it opens
Hey! There you are — no worries at all, I've been people-watching.
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the forgiving friend.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Apologise
Apologise for being late.
“I'm so sorry I'm late!”
- 02
Explain what happened
Explain briefly why you're late.
“The bus was late, and there was a lot of traffic.”
- 03
Make it up to them
Offer to buy them something to make up for it.
“Let me buy you a coffee.”
- 04
Check the time left
Say whether the time left works for you.
“I have one hour — is that enough time?”
- 05
Agree what to do
Say what you'd like to do with the time left.
“Let's just talk. Thanks for waiting!”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the forgiving friend.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- sorry
- used to apologise
- “I'm so sorry I'm late!”
- late
- arriving after the agreed time
- “Sorry I'm late.”
- bus
- a large vehicle carrying passengers
- “The bus was late.”
- traffic
- cars slowing the road
- “There was a lot of traffic.”
- buy
- to pay for something
- “Let me buy you a coffee.”
- coffee
- a hot drink made from beans
- “Let me buy you a coffee.”
- hour
- sixty minutes
- “I have one hour.”
- enough
- as much as is needed
- “Is that enough time?”
- talk
- to speak with someone
- “Let's just talk.”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks for waiting!”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- apologies
- a formal way of saying sorry
- “Apologies for keeping you.”
- kept
- made someone wait
- “Sorry to have kept you.”
- delayed
- happening later than planned
- “My train was delayed.”
- nightmare
- a very difficult experience
- “The traffic was a nightmare.”
- least
- the minimum — 'the least I can do'
- “It's the least I can do.”
- insist
- to say firmly you'll do something
- “I insist, it's on me.”
- remaining
- still left
- “We've got an hour remaining.”
- rush
- to hurry
- “There's no need to rush.”
- catch
- to talk and share news — 'catch up'
- “Let's just catch up properly.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for something
- “I appreciate you waiting.”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- unforgivable
- too bad to be excused (used lightly)
- “That's almost unforgivable of me!”
- sincerely
- genuinely and honestly
- “I'm sincerely sorry.”
- held
- delayed or stopped — 'held up'
- “I got held up at work.”
- unavoidable
- impossible to prevent
- “It was completely unavoidable.”
- amends
- something done to put things right
- “Let me make amends.”
- gracious
- kind and forgiving
- “You're being very gracious.”
- salvage
- to rescue something from a bad situation
- “We can salvage the hour.”
- leisurely
- unhurried and relaxed
- “Something leisurely would be nice.”
- genuinely
- truly, sincerely
- “I genuinely appreciate it.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- shocking
- very bad (used lightly about yourself)
- “My timekeeping is shocking.”
- grovel
- to apologise very humbly (often joking)
- “I'm here to grovel, honestly.”
- snarled
- badly jammed with traffic
- “The road was completely snarled up.”
- swamped
- very busy (informal)
- “I got swamped at work.”
- penance
- something done to make up for a fault
- “Consider this my penance.”
- gracious
- kind and forgiving
- “You're far too gracious.”
- salvage
- to rescue something from a bad situation
- “Let's salvage what's left.”
- natter
- a friendly chat (informal, British)
- “Time for a proper natter.”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged for waiting.”
- sorted
- dealt with and settled
- “Right, we're sorted.”
More Social & Connection lessons
- Small talk at a party
- Making a new friend
- Catching up with an old friend
- Inviting someone
- Declining an invitation
- Congratulating someone
- Hosting a guest
- Meeting your partner's parents
- A first date