The Art of the Apology

C1 Advanced · Open Cloze · Cambridge Ready original exercise

For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning.

An apology is (0) ___ far the cheapest way of repairing a damaged relationship, yet many of us are remarkably bad (1) ___ making one. Some people find it almost impossible to admit that they were (2) ___ the wrong, while others say sorry so often that the word ends up meaning next to (3) ___ . Researchers who have studied apologies agree that the most effective ones share a number of features. First, the speaker takes full responsibility (4) ___ what happened, (5) ___ than blaming circumstances or other people. Secondly, they avoid the word 'but', (6) ___ tends to cancel out everything that came before it. Thirdly, a good apology looks forward (7) ___ well as back, offering some reassurance that the same mistake will not be repeated. Perhaps the most common error is to say 'I'm sorry you feel that way'. However politely it is delivered, this is not an apology (8) ___ all, since it expresses regret for the other person's reaction instead of the speaker's own behaviour.

The Art of the Apology

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