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Saying Sorry Facts & Worksheets

Saying sorry is a very effective way to show an apology when one person does something wrong to another

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Saying sorry is a very effective way to show an apology when one person does something wrong to another.

See the fact file below for more information on Saying Sorry or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Saying Sorry worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ETYMOLOGY

  • The origins of the word ‘sorry’ can be traced to the Old English word ‘sarig’ which means distressed, grieved, or full of sorrow.
  • Today, saying “sorry” poses a lot of reasons. However, the best reason to say it is because something unpleasant was said or done by one person to another, either physically or emotionally, and either accidentally or intentionally.

IMPORTANCE OF SAYING SORRY (APOLOGIZING)

  • Many people have complex feelings about apologizing, and not all of our thoughts and emotions about apologizing are consistent. Some of us were reprimanded as children when we hurt someone, while others freely apologized and felt instantly better.
  • Some people feel ashamed when they apologize, while others feel ashamed until they do.
  • An apology is more than just a social pleasantry that we do to be polite. It is an important social routine, a way of expressing respect and empathy for the person or persons who have been wronged. 
  • In contrast, failing to offer a genuine apology shows disrespect to the person or people we have harmed. 
  • There are several reasons why apologizing to those we have hurt or harmed is so important, in addition to expressing respect and empathy:
  • Apologizing demonstrates that we are concerned about the other person’s feelings. It also shows our ability to accept responsibility for our actions. 
  • When we apologize to another person, he or she no longer perceives us as a threat to them, and our apology often soothes their anger. 
  • When we apologize to someone we have hurt or harmed, we validate their perceptions and feelings.
  • A genuine apology lets people know you’re not pleased with what you did and will not repeat the behavior.
  • That lets people know you’re the type of person who really is careful and sensitive not to hurt others and emphasizes your better qualities rather than your worst flaws.
  • By recognizing the harm you’ve caused, saying sorry has the added benefit of validating the thoughts and emotions of the person you’ve offended. 
  • It could also reduce stress, improve comprehension and communication, and alleviate the need to always be correct.
  • An apology cannot overturn what has already been done, but it can provide an opportunity to learn from one’s mistakes and chart a course of development in any type of relationship, creating a mutually beneficial dynamic.

SAYING SORRY – CHILDREN

  • Several child experts believe that forcing children to apologize when they make a mistake is inappropriate. This is not to say that children should be excused for bad behavior. 
  • Adults should take advantage of this opportunity to teach children about the consequences of their actions as well as good manners.
  • Experts differ on many issues, but most agree that the best way to approach the situation is to get the child to take into account what they did wrong, why it was incorrect, and the impact the bad behavior had on the other child. 
  • After you’ve given the child time to think about their behavior, ask them what they can do to make amends.
  • Sometimes children don’t know how to improve the situation, and it is the role of an adult to show a better response. 
  • Parents must set a good example and teach their children how to deal with difficult situations. 
  • It is important for a child to see himself as a generous person who can make things right when they have done something wrong or awful to their friends. 

SAYING SORRY – TEENAGERS

  • Because of their vulnerability and insecurity, many young people find it difficult to say the words “I am sorry” for a wrong they have committed.
  • At this age, when the transition from childhood to adolescence has just begun, remorse may be scarce because apologizing can harm fragile self-esteem. 
  • A young person’s sense of inadequacy rules when he or she is no longer content to be defined and treated as a child but is unsure and lacks confidence in how to act more maturely. 
  • The lower a young person’s self-esteem, the less responsibility for a wrongdoing he or she can bear. 
  • Accepting responsibility is often too painfully honest.
  • Teenagers apologize against their will most of the time, and in order for them to say sorry sincerely, one must make amends with them rather than seek an apology from them. 
  • Three procedures must be followed in order to accomplish this: sensitization (to create a sense of empathy), evaluation (to create a moral concept for one’s actions), and reparation (to atone and accept one’s mistakes). 

SAYING SORRY – ADULTS

  • Adults must know when to admit their mistakes and apologize for what they have done wrong; they must be role models for both teens and children.
  • Adults must learn how to say sorry in a way that will allow them to continue in the future having some form of interaction with the person they have wronged. 
  • It’s a good idea for adults to create “homework” for themselves by trying to shape their personalities in order to learn the most from their experience of doing something wrong and turn a negative event into a positive one. 

WHEN TO SAY SORRY

  • There are several reasons to consider why a person should apologize, whether to a friend, family member, acquaintance, or co-worker. The reasons or situations are as follows:
    • When you truly feel sorry for someone or something and know that an apology will make you feel better or at the very least relieve your guilt.
    • When you truly feel sorry for something important or when you know you did something wrong that you regret, such as stealing your friend’s favorite pen.
    • If you’re sorry for losing your temper and saying things you didn’t mean to say to someone.
    • If you’re sincerely apologetic for hurting someone’s feelings without having to admit that they’re right to be hurt
    • When both parties are at fault, it is appropriate for you to apologize. In such a situation, apologizing and admitting your mistakes may relieve tension while also resolving the issue.

“A sincere and warmly expressed apology can produce the same effects as morphine on a suffering soul.”

Richelle E. Goodrich, Author
  • A person apologizes to admit they made a mistake, even if no malice was originally meant or they simply irritated another person. 
  • We may even say it without fully comprehending what we are saying in order to openly discuss an argument or conflict.
  • It’s critical to understand the importance of expressing regret when learning when and how to apologize to someone. 
  • Accepting responsibility is essential, but it’s also beneficial for the other person to know that you regret hurting them and wish you hadn’t. 

Saying SorryWorksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Saying Sorry across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Saying Sorry which is a way of showing an apology when we have done something wrong.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  • Saying Sorry Facts
  • The Languages of Sorry
  • A Complete Sorry
  • Saying Sorry
  • Write the Apology
  • Action Speaks
  • When You don’t Apologize
  • When You Apologize
  • Quotes About Apology
  • Letter of Apology
  • Let’s Ponder
  • No Sorry?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is saying sorry important?

Apologizing demonstrates that we are concerned about the other person’s feelings. It also shows our ability to accept responsibility for our actions.

What does saying sorry mean?

A genuine apology means we admit that we have made a mistake and more importantly, that we are not pleased with what we have done. Furthermore, we recognize that we had wronged someone and harmed them and that we do not like what we did.

How should we say sorry?

There are various different ways people express remorse for something wrong that they did. But the simplest form is always most effective, by just coming out and saying it, admitting what we have done wrong, recognizing that we had hurt someone, and most importantly, learning from this mistake to prevent it from happening again.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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