Page 98 - Basic English Usage

121 -— 122 98

121 excuse me, pardon and sorry

1. Weusually say excuse me before we interrupt or disturb somebody; we
say sorry after we disturb or trouble somebody. Compare:
Excuse me, could! get past? ... Oh, sorry, did | step on your foot?
Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the station?

| beg your pardon is a more formal way of saying sorry.
! beg your pardon. |'m afraid | didn't realize this was your seat.

2 _!f we do not hear or understand what people say, we usually say Sorry?
What? (informal) or (/ beg your) pardon?
Americans also say Pardon me?
‘Mike's on the phone.’ ‘Sorry?’ ‘| said, ‘“Mike’s on the phone.” ’
‘See you tomorrow.’ ‘What?’ ‘I said, “See you tomorrow.”
‘You're going deaf.’ I beg your pardon?’

122 expect, hope, look forward, wait, want and wish

1. Meaning

expect
Expecting is a kind of thinking: it is not an emotion. If | expect
something, | have good reason to think that it will happen.
We expect to leave here in three years.
I'm expecting a phone call from John today .
hope
Hoping is more emotional. If | hope for something, | want it to happen,
but | am not sure that it will happen, and | can do nothing about it.
| hope she writes to me soon.
| hope they find that poor woman’s child.
{ hope we don't have a war.