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?
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this communityIs 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?
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.