Is one of these sentences used more than the other?
(I'm) sorry I'm late.
(I'm) sorry for being late.
Or is one more formal than the other?
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4The former can only be said at the moment of being late whilst the latter can be said any time after the fact.– DomJan 21, 2014 at 13:37
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Agree. "Sorry I'm late" is usually said when you arrive.– starsplusplusJan 21, 2014 at 13:41
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Agree. Otherwise it would be "Sorry I was late".– Peter ShorJan 21, 2014 at 14:06
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4And "I'm sorry for being late" connotes more contrition than "Sorry I'm late", in my view.– Edwin AshworthJan 21, 2014 at 15:10
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That's also a good point.– starsplusplusJan 21, 2014 at 15:15
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1 Answer
Neither expression is really that formal, in my opinion. A more formal expression could be,
"I sincerely apologize for being late."
Or,
"I sincerely apologize for having been late."
Or possibly,
"I apologize; I'm late."
Or,
"I'm late; I apologize."
Actually, I prefer the latter over the former.
answered Jan 21, 2014 at 15:34
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Taking the other comments into account, could the first two sentences be said to be a belated apology and the last two an on-the-spot one? Jan 21, 2014 at 15:53
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@user58319: Yes, the first two could be uttered belatedly, but the second of the two even more so. In each case, the words "this morning" (or something similar) added to the sentences, say, later in the day (e.g., at 3:00 PM) would make them belated apologies. Yes, the last two are appropriate for an on-the-spot apology in the present. Jan 21, 2014 at 16:37