4 Regrets… I

UNIT

have a few

• To talk about wishes

OBJECTIVES

and regrets
A | No regrets
• To learn about
different ways of B | Saving the Earth
showing condolence

THAT’S ENGLISH!
B2
UNIT
4 Regrets … I have a few

OBJECTIVES
• To talk about wishes and regrets
• To learn about different ways of showing
condolence

A No regrets
BEFORE YOU WATCH 4 Cats give Julia … .
a a cough and headaches
1 Do you agree with the following statements?
b sneezing fits and a rash
Why/why not?
5 Aunt Flora took offence because Julia asked
1 I regret wasting opportunities I had when I her to … .
was younger. a give away her cats
2 I don’t regret anything I’ve done. b put the cats outside
3 I regret things I haven’t done more than things 6 Julia makes up with Aunt Flora … .
I have done.
a because of what Anthony says about his
grandfather
WHILE YOU WATCH b because Bridget asks her to
2 Answer the questions.
4 Are the statements true (✔) or false (✗)? Correct
the false ones.
1 Bridget is sad that Julia didn’t spend much
time with Aunt Flora before she died.
2 Julia is sad that Aunt Flora had so few friends.
3 Julia wishes she had had the time and the
money to travel on the Orient Express.
4 Aunt Flora has had a happy life.
1 Why did Julia and her Aunt Flora fall out? 5 Aunt Flora leaves Bridget enough money for a
trip on the Orient Express.
6 Anthony doesn’t admire Aunt Flora.

5 Complete the extracts from the video with the

correct form of regret and the verb in brackets.
Bridget: I really 1… (do) that. I felt ill for days!
Anthony: I really 2… (not have) made the effort
to visit him.
2 What does Aunt Flora want Julia to do and why? Bridget: It’s much nicer to have good
memories instead of 3… the bad
AFTER YOU WATCH ones.
Aunt Flora: I hope that, like me, you 4… never …
3 Choose the correct answer. a thing!
1 Anthony brings … . Anthony: If you don’t, you 5… (live) to … it.
a a box of things Julia wants to throw out
b a box of things Bridget is going to sell NOW YOU!
2 If she had room, Bridget would keep … . 6 What advice (concerning things to do and not
a the roller-skates do) would you give about living a life without
b the head-massager regrets?
3 Julia says that if she gets rid of the cat ... . It’s really easy to do or … things you might
a she will regret it later … when you’re …. . So if possible,
b she won’t regret it avoid it, …

38 THAT’S ENGLISH!
 STREET INTERVIEWS
7a The eight speakers below were asked the following question: Are you the kind of person who
regrets things or do you believe that what’s done is done?
1 Do you think the majority were philosophical in their answers or do they admit to having regrets?
2 Watch and check your answer.

Kristen Glenn Chelsi Victor David Nicholas George Borislav

7b Which speakers … ?

1 repeat the question, or part of it, in their answer

2 admit to having feelings of regret even if they don’t believe they are a good thing
3 talk about how thinking in a certain way helps them move on and feel better
4 mention learning from mistakes
5 think that regret is the worst of feelings

8 Watch again and complete the sentences with three words in each gap.
Chelsi: You might feel bad about it but you 1… .
David: Part of the healing process is thinking 2… .
David: What’s done is done and you need to 3… it.
Nicholas: If a decision’s been made, then 4… . No regrets.
George: It’s better for the soul and the psyche to 5… .
George: I often have to work hard to 6… of the day.

ACTIVATE YOUR ENGLISH!
9a Complete the text about regret with the correct
form of the phrasal verbs from the box.
make up with get rid of
take offence throw out fall out
One of the things my father most regrets
is 1… with his sister when they were in
their teens. Their original quarrel was
about the stupidest thing. My aunt 2… my
father’s collection of model aeroplanes
by accident! My father accused her of 3…
them on purpose because she was always
complaining about them. My aunt 4… at
being called a liar and they didn’t really
speak to each other for years. They only 5…
each other at their father’s funeral, which
made them realise how important and
precious family relationships are.
9b Match the first part of the pieces of advice (1-5)
about overcoming regret to the second part
(a-e). Fill in the gaps with words from activity 8.
1 Part of the process of overcoming regret
2 Don’t keep worrying about all you have and
haven’t done:
3 You can’t live in the past,
4 Don’t doubt yourself.
5 Learn to let go of
a just let things d… .
b you have to m … on
c the l … of the day.
d Stand b... your decisions.
e is adapting the right m… .
NOW YOU!
10 Are you the kind of person who regrets things
or do you believe that what’s done is done?
Even though I’ve got some big … in my life,
I tend to spend less time … about the … as I
grow … .

THAT’S ENGLISH! 39
Regrets … I have a few

READING
1a Match the photos (1-3) to the death rituals from 3 Read the whole text. What are Jessica Mitford’s
different cultures (a-c). main criticisms of the American funeral industry?
1 2

The American Way of Death

Jessica Mitford
The American Way of Death is a fascinating
3 and, considering the subject, surprisingly
funny piece of investigative journalism
which provoked a scandal in the American
funeral industry when it was first published
in 1963. The author, J. Mitford, was a British
aristocrat who became a communist and
went to live in the USA. She was shocked that
a embalming the dead in Ancient Egypt
undertaking – burying the dead and organising
funerals – seemed to be such big business in
b sky burial in Tibet
her new home country. She observed how
c turning the bones in Madagascar
undertakers took advantage of the shock
1b Complete the notes with the words from the and grief of the families of the deceased, e.g.
box. Listen and check. by putting pressure on them to choose the
29
embalmed bury remains soul most expensive funeral arrangements, and
next life crypt decided that the whole industry needed to be
investigated.
➜ Ancient Egyptians
The average cost of an American funeral today
> 1… or mummified the dead.
> also prepared food and objects for the 2… . is around $7,800, which makes it, after a house
and a car, one of the most expensive purchases
➜ Tibetan Buddhists
> believe the 3… leaves the body when you die. most Americans ever make. Whilst feelings
> don’t 4… bodies: cut them up and take to mountain – of guilt and regret are part of the mourning
eaten by vultures. process, people regret not having done more
> 5… are broken down by weather.
for the dead person when they were still alive
➜ Madagascan ritual famadihana : families and often subconsciously believe that if only
> take the bones of dead relatives out of the family 6…
> spray with wine or perfume and dance with them.
they had done something differently, perhaps
the person would have lived longer or been
1c Complete the definitions with the words from happier. What fascinated Mitford was how
the box in activity 1b. professional undertakers convinced people
that spending lots of money on the dead
1 To … something is to put it in the ground and
cover it with earth. demonstrated how much they loved them. The
2 A … is a building in which the bones or bodies range and choice of luxurious coffins – known
of dead people are kept. as caskets in American English – available in
3 When a body is … , it is preserved so that the expensive materials such as marble, bronze
person looks as much as possible as they did and ebony with silk and satin linings is only
when they were alive.
the beginning. The tradition of open casket
4 … are what is left of your body after you die.
funerals where people can see the body of the
5 The … is the human essence or spirit.
dead person makes necessary the expensive
6 The … refers to life after death.
business of embalming.
2 Read the title and the first paragraph of the text.
What kind of text is it?

40 THAT’S ENGLISH!

Buccaneer Books, 1963
Mitford’s ‘exquisitely disgusting’ chapter on
embalming was nearly cut by her editors, but
it is probably the most fascinating in the book.
The corpse must, of course, be made to look as
good as possible. The blood is replaced with
a mixture of preservative chemicals and dyes,
the teeth are cleaned with nail polish and
make-up is used on the face and hands. Mitford
recorded many examples of the so-called grief
counsellors or grief therapists in the corporate
funeral home chains persuading families that
embalming is better for public health or that
viewing the embalmed body is therapeutic.
Since other practices such as cremation are
much cheaper, the funeral homes have tried
to discredit them and even lied to families by
claiming that they are illegal.
By exposing the worst dishonest practices of
the funeral industry, Mitford’s book obliged
the government to make new laws to protect
the public. The cost of her own simple funeral
was $533.33. At her request, her body was
cremated – she didn’t want a grave – and
the ashes scattered in the ocean. Also at her
request, the bill was sent to the director of
one of the biggest corporate funeral home
chains, but he never paid it.
TRACK 30
THAT’S ENGLISH!
UNIT 4
4 Read the text again and answer the questions.
1 Considering her background, why do you
think Jessica Mitford was so against treating
funerals as a business?
2 What practices did undertakers employ at that
time to persuade people to spend a lot?
3 What made the coffins so expensive?
4 What arguments did the undertakers use to
encourage embalming?
5 What effect did Mitford’s book have on the
funeral industry?
5 Find the words in bold in the article for these
definitions.
1 a dead body corpse
2 a ceremony when someone has died
3 the burning of a dead body
4 boxes in which you put a dead body
5 the place where a dead body is put under the
ground
6 people whose job it is to organise funerals
7 a feeling of great sadness
8 the process of feeling sad after someone has died
9 a word to refer to the person who has died
6 Complete Siobhan’s account of funerals in
Ireland with the correct form of the words from
activities 1b and 5.
People tend to look forward to 1… in Ireland since
we see them as an opportunity to celebrate the life
of the 2… and not just be sad. Traditionally, the 3…
is laid out in the home the night before and family
and friends stay there all night 4… and crying. The
next day, the 5… collect the body and, if the family
is religious, there is a funeral mass. In the past,
everyone used to follow the 6… with the body in it to
the side of the 7… and watch as it was 8… . However,
now more people are choosing to be 9… because it’s
more environmentally friendly. After that, there’s a
party with food, drink, music and dancing where
people tell funny anecdotes about the person.
7 Discuss the questions.
1 What is on your bucket list (things to do before
you die)?
I have an exceptionally long bucket list,
so I’d better get started soon! Anyway,
my bucket list includes doing at least one
extreme sport, maybe paragliding … but
just the once, definitely not twice!
2 What are funerals like in your country?
3 How would you like your life to be celebrated?
4 What kind of funeral would you like?
41
Regrets … I have a few

LANGUAGE STUDY
1a Look at the example sentences. Which ones:

1 describe regrets related to finished events in

the past?
2 describe wishes related to the present or an
ongoing situation?
a I seem to work all the time. I wish I didn’t have
so much to do.
b I wish I’d spent more time with him while he
was still alive.
c He finds ageing difficult. He wishes he was/
were younger and stronger.
d I don’t mind looking after my father. If only he
didn't complain so much.
e If only my friends could see me now.
f I don’t miss him much. If only we hadn’t had
such a terrible relationship.
I wish and If only page 127
1b Choose the correct answers to complete the rules.
Present − to talk about wishes related to ongoing
situations, use:
• I wish/If only + 1present simple / past simple
Past − to talk about regrets related to past
time, use:
• I wish/If only + 2had / have + past participle
2 Complete what James and Emma think about
their relationship. Use the correct form of the
verbs in brackets.
James
7 I wish I … about her cooking so much. (not
complain)
8 If only we … more time together. (spend)
9 I wish my mother … with us. (not move in)
Emma
10 If only I … kinder to his mother. (be)
11 I wish I … to cook. (learn)
12 If only I … more and … less. (listen / talk)
3a Read the sentences and choose the correct
answers to complete the rules.
regret + having + past participle
They regret not having done more for him when
he was still alive.
regret + -ing
I regret spending so much time with him: he was
so horrible to me.
• Both structures refer to 1past / present events,
but the second one feels 2less / more immediate.
Expressing regret page 127

3b Complete the top five regrets of the dying with

the expressions from the box.

not having let not expressing

working not having been missing
not staying in touch not having tried

An Australian nurse, Bronnie

James Ware, who spent a lot of
1 I wish she … so much. (not talk) time with people at the end
2 If only she ... cook! (can) of their lives, recorded the
3 If only she ... better … my mother. (get on things they most regretted.
with) 1 Many people regretted …
brave enough to follow
Emma
their dreams and … to do what they really
4 I wish we … more to talk about. (have) wanted.
5 If only his mother … with us! (not live) 2 Many of the men regretted … so hard and
6 If only he … so much time at work. (not spend) … time with their families.

42 THAT’S ENGLISH!

3 Many regretted … their true feelings. They
regretted the things they never said.
4 Most people regretted … with old friends.
5 Lots of people regretted simply … themselves
be happier: they finally realised happiness is
a choice.
3c Complete the sentences so that they are true
for you.
1 I regret not having taken up running sooner
because it helps me relax. I wish I didn’t worry
so much.
2 I regret having …
3 I wish I didn’t/hadn’t …
4 I sometimes I think, if only I was …
4a Read the text about expressing condolences
in English. Are the traditions similar in your
country?
When a person dies, it’s hard to know what to
say to the bereaved. It’s not easy to comfort
a grieving person, so it’s tempting not to. But
when someone’s lost a loved one, it’s good to
show support, and there are many expressions
you can use when someone passes away.
The custom in the UK and the USA is to send
condolence cards with sympathy messages
such as ‘Our deepest condolences to you on
the passing of (name of the deceased)’, or
‘Please accept our heartfelt sympathies for
your loss’. ‘We are thinking of you at this sad/
difficult time’ is another common message.
4b Match the words in bold in activity 4a to the
definitions.
1 a phrasal verb and noun which are synonyms
for die and death
2 a way to refer to the dead person
3 the name for the people who are mourning a
dead person
4 another word for mourning
5 what people send in the UK and the USA when
someone has died
6 what you should do for someone who has lost
someone they love
7 the noun form of to lose
8 good wishes ‘from the heart’ you send to
show your support
4c Complete the dialogues with the correct form of
the words in activity 4a.
A: Mr Parsons 1… in his sleep last night.
THAT’S ENGLISH!
UNIT 4
B: I’m so sorry to hear that. Please pass on our
2
… to Mrs Parsons. Is there anything we can
do to 3… ? We’ll send a 4… of course.
C: Is that the 5… over there?
A: Yes. That’s the widow of the 6… .
C: Someone should visit her every day. When
you’re 7… you shouldn’t be alone. People
mourning the 8… of a loved one need lots of
support.
5a Listen to two versions of the condolences.
Which sounds more sincere: version 1 or 2?
31
1 Please accept our heartfelt sympathies for
your loss.
2 We are thinking of you at this difficult time.
3 I’m so sorry to hear about your loss.
5b Listen to the sincere version again and ... .
32 1 underline the most heavily stressed word(s) in
each sentence
2 notice if the intonation goes up ➚ or down ➘ at
the end of the phrase
3 listen and repeat. Copy the word stress and
intonation
Pronunciation Guide page 145
6a Listen and say what bad news the four speakers
are giving.
33
1 sacking someone 3…
2… 4…
6b Listen again and use one or two words to
complete the expressions for giving bad news.
33
1 I … to … you that we … require your services.
2 I am … to have to tell you that your application
has been … this time.
3 … we have to let you know your rental contract
will not be renewed.
4 It is … that we have to inform our customers
that the store will be closing.
7 Work with a partner. Choose one of the
situations from the box and give each other bad
news. Use a variety of expressions.
you haven’t won the lottery after all
the concert’s been cancelled
your request for a bank loan is denied
you haven’t got the promotion
I regret to …
You mean …
43
Regrets … I have a few

B Saving the Earth

DOCUMENTARY SAME LANGUAGE, DIFFERENT LIVES
1a Complete the definitions about the survival of 3 Which decisions made by your government do
animal species with the words below. most people regret in your country?

4 Watch the video and answer the questions.

climate cut down deforestation
destroyed dominate environment fur
grow habitat hunting invasive
patterns poaching species
1 … change is the alteration in weather ... due to
human activity.
2 … destruction is when the places where
animals live or plants ... are ... .
3 … species are foreign animals or plants that
have been introduced into an ... and begin to
attack or ... the ... that already live there.
4 … is the illegal ... and killing of animals often
for their ... or horns.
5 … is when forests are ... and destroyed.
1b Watch the documentary. What ‘success story’ is
mentioned?
2 Watch again. Complete each sentence with a
statistic from box A and a phrase from box B.
A 4 Both the settlers and the Native Indians … .
half 10,000 more than half
97% one million
B past 40 years go extinct single year
wildflower meadows next 100 years
1 Scientists predict that we will lose … of all
species on Earth in the ... .
2 The number of extinctions has accelerated to
as many as … in a ... .
3 The number of mammals, birds and fish has
declined by ... in the ... .
4 At the current rate, for every … species on
Earth every year, we expect 73 species to … .
5 Over the last 60 years in the UK, we’ve lost …
of our ancient ... .
1 What two different regrets do people express
with regard to immigration? Which countries
do the speakers come from?
2 In which two countries is the regret the
speakers expressed linked with money and
economics? How are their concerns different?
3 Which speaker talks about shame as well as
regret?
4 In which culture is the question of language a
cause for regret? Why?
THAT’S THE USA
5a You are going to watch a video about Virginia,
the first state in America to be settled by
Europeans. Tick the kind of problems you think
the first settlers had.
food supplies water supplies hot weather
disease Native Americans wild animals
5b Watch the video and check your answers.
6 Watch again and choose the correct answer.
1 Jamestown was founded in … .
a 1610 b 1607
2 The early colonists had problems with … .
a bad food b diseases
3 The climate was … than in England.
a hotter and wetter b more extreme
a committed war crimes which both sides still
regret
b felt uncomfortable about having to fight
5 Glassblowing became an important industry
in Jamestown because … .
a there was a high demand
b there was enough fuel and resources
NOW YOU!
7 Comment on something that you regret about
what’s happened in the world over the last 20
years.
I regret how much everybody …

44 THAT’S ENGLISH!
 UNIT 4
SKILLS WORK
1 Read the quote about regrets. Do you agree that regrets about things you didn’t do are the
‘
‘
worst? What things do you regret not doing?
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you
didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines*. Sail away from
the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
*ropes Mark Twain

2a Listen to three people talking about their biggest regret. Complete the speakers’ regrets.

34
Rock musician, Systems analyst, Retired fashion
Nashville, Glasgow, designer, Osaka,
USA. Earle Scotland. Maeve Japan. Emi
Petersson (59) Bethune (32) Sakamoto (68)

1 Earle’s biggest regret is … 2 Maeve regrets … 3 Emi regrets …

2b Listen again and decide if the statements are true (✔) or false (✗). Correct the false ones.

34 1 Many of the specific regrets Earle mentions are related to people and relationships.
2 Earle regrets having lived such a wild life.
3 Maeve wishes she had listened to other people’s advice.
4 Maeve feels she has lost her freedom.
5 What Emi regrets happened a long time ago.
6 Emi was frightened of the girl’s scruffy appearance.

3a Read the text. What do you think the main message is?

1 We can’t avoid regrets, so we must just accept them.

2 You can only avoid regret by being true to yourself and even then you will make mistakes.
3 You can use your regrets to help you change your life.

How to live a
life without regret
According to web-based research
company Happify, regret is the second
most commonly expressed emotion after
love. It is obviously a powerful negative
force in our lives so, can we learn to be
more successful in avoiding it?
As far as the big practical decisions
in life are concerned – job, money,
house –, Happify’s research showed that
accepting a job which doesn’t interest
or satisfy you just for the money is a
universal cause for regret. Furthermore,
25% of people who take the big financial
step of buying their own homes suffer
from ‘buyer’s remorse’. ‘Follow your
heart, don’t follow the money’ seems
to be the lesson here. Most researchers
conclude that people are more satisfied
at the end of their lives if they have
lived a way that feels meaningful to
them and not based on the expectations
of others.
Be warned, however. Happify researchers
say that it is impossible to avoid regret
entirely since it is inevitable that, as
humans, we will make mistakes. On the
positive side, they rank regret as the
most beneficial of 12 negative emotions
including anger, guilt, fear and sadness.
Regret can help us make sense of past
experiences and avoid making similar
mistakes in the future. Because we regret
things more when it is still possible to
change the situation or put things right
(rather than rationalise them), it is also
a powerful agent of change. Their advice
is that we shouldn’t try to avoid regrets
but, on the contrary, welcome them,
learn from them, and act on them.
TRACK 35

3b Read the article again and find what the numbers and figures refer to.

a 12 b 2nd c¼

4 Think about some of your personal regrets that might serve as learning experiences. Discuss
them with a partner.

When I was a teenager, I had a huge argument with my best friend and we’ve never spoken
since. Really it was mainly my fault we argued, but I was just too proud to apologise.
Stupid really. But at least I’ve learned my lesson since then and now …

THAT’S ENGLISH! 45
Regrets … I have a few

WRITING
1 Discuss the questions about apologising.
1 Do you find it difficult to apologise even if you
know you’re in the wrong? Why?
2 Can you think of an occasion where you had to
apologise to someone? Why? What happened?

2a Read the two emails and answer the questions.

1 Why is Jack apologising to Nigel? What happened?

2 How does Jack justify his behaviour? What
reason does he give for thinking it was OK to
invite Camilla to the party?
3 Which email is the least formal in style?
Email 1

Dear Nigel
I am writing to you in the hope that we can put
this misunderstanding about Camilla behind us.
Please let’s try and resolve the problem since I
never intended to hurt anyone. I realise that my
behaviour was possibly insensitive and I owe
you an apology. I thought that you had got over
Camilla — although admittedly this is probably
because this is what I wanted to believe — and I
didn’t realise that you would be so upset when I
asked her to come to the party with me. Looking
back now, it seems incredible that I could have
been so unaware of your feelings, but nevertheless
this is true. It wasn’t a proper date; neither of us
took it seriously. Despite what other people might
have said, I haven’t been out with her since. You can
ask Camilla herself if you don’t believe me.
I am most truly sorry and I hope you will be able to
forgive me for my thoughtless behaviour. I really
value our friendship and I would hate to lose it
because of what happened.
Yours
Jack
Email 2
Dear Nigel
Sorry I haven’t been in touch, but I decided to
drop you a line and see if we can make up after
the incident with Camilla. I hope we can sort
out this mess. I really wish I hadn’t invited her
to that party. Perhaps I was a bit tactless, but
the thing is, I just didn’t realise that you were
still so into her. On the other hand, maybe
that’s what I wanted to believe. So, I admit I
should have realised how you felt, but I just
didn’t. In reality, it wasn’t a proper date. We
just went to one party together. I haven’t seen
her since and we are not going out.
Anyway, I’m really sorry if you think I was
out of order. Hope we can catch up soon and
talk. Our friendship means a lot to me, as you
know.
Cheers
Jack

2b Read the text again and find ... .

1 three expressions of apology in email 1 and two expressions in email 2

2 two phrasal verbs used in both emails which mean:
a to make friends again b to forget about something bad that happened in the past
3 two examples where the writer has omitted the subject pronoun in email 2
Omitting the subject pronoun page 127

3a Find informal expressions in email 2 that mean the same as these expressions from email 1.

1 although admittedly 6 I am most truly sorry.

2 I really value our friendship.
3 Forgive me for my thoughtless behaviour.
4 put this misunderstanding behind us
5 I am writing to you
7 My behaviour was possibly insensitive.
8 Please let’s try and resolve the problem.
9 I thought that you had got over Camilla.
10 it seems incredible that I could have been
so unaware of your feelings

46 THAT’S ENGLISH!
 UNIT 4

3b Complete the expressions for informal emails with words from the box.

all going sorry things touch thinking up note get

Beginning Dear + name Hi/Hello (+ name)

How’s it … ? How are you? How are 2… ?
1

I thought I’d get in 3… to …

Opening phrases
I was 4… of you the other day and this is just a quick 5… to …
I’m 6… I haven’t been in touch for a while.
Anyway, that’s 7… for now. I hope we can 8… together soon.
Closing phrases
I hope we can catch 9… soon.
Ending Bye for now. Speak/Talk soon. Very best. Cheers.

4a Look at the four connectors highlighted in email 2. Which one ... ?

1 is a synonym for ‘in fact’

2 is an informal expression for introducing an explanation or excuse
3 is often used at the beginning of the sentence to change the subject
4 is used to introduce a contrast with/change of direction from what has gone before

4b Link the pairs of ideas using the connectors in brackets.

1 that wasn’t what happened / people say that I treated her badly (in reality)
2 I think it was inevitable / given the circumstances / it’s terribly sad that it had to end like this
(nevertheless)
3 it wasn’t entirely my fault / I deeply regret what happened (on the other hand)
4 because I thought it might upset you / Freddie wants to go out with me / I didn’t tell you
before (the thing is) Connectors of contrast page 128

Writing an informal email of apology

5a You are going to write an email of apology to a friend. Complete the table.

Event to apologise for Describe what happened Reasons to justify your behaviour
I said some terrible
things to my friend.

5b Make notes using the headings.

• Give your reason for writing and say what you hope the
outcome will be: I am writing/getting in touch because … I
hope we can …
• Say what you regret doing or what you regret that happened:
I wish (If only) I had/hadn’t … / I regret having …
• Explain or justify what happened: The thing is … I didn’t
realise …
• Admit you were in the wrong: but admittedly this is no
excuse … I should have realised …
• Apologise: Awfully/Really/Terribly sorry for/about … I owe
you an apology … Please accept my apologies
• End by expressing your hopes for the future: Hope we’ll be
able to …

6 Write your email (160-180 words). Use your notes from activity 5b. Remember to include:
• expressions for
apologising Hi Dave,
• expressions of regret I’m getting in touch to apologise for my atrocious
• connectors of contrast behaviour last Saturday night at Cindy’s party. Writing Reference page 141

THAT’S ENGLISH! 47
SELF TEST
1 Complete the text with the words from the box.
coffin undertakers cremation funeral
graves mourn buried deceased
When someone’s cremated, their corpse
is burnt, rather than 1… in the ground in
a 2… . This is popular since it’s better for
the environment, and also as there isn’t
enough space for 3… for everyone. A firm
of 4… will take care of the practical details
of the 5… and will also help the family of
the 6… decide what kind of 7… they want.
Increasingly, funerals are occasions not just
to 8… somebody but to celebrate their life.
2 Complete Eric’s wishes and regrets with the
correct form of the verbs in brackets.
Eric’s wishes as a young man:
I wish I 1… (be) richer. If only I 2… (have) a car
like his. I wish I 3… (earn) a bigger salary. If
only we 4… (not live) in such a small house.
Eric’s regrets as an old man:
I wish I 5… (spend) more time with my
family. If only I 6… (not work) so hard. I wish
I 7… (not wait) so long to retire. If only we 8…
(travel) more.
3 Bob is in prison for stealing from work. Complete
the regrets with the correct form of the verbs
from the box. More than one form is possible.
disappoint not be have to be trust
Bob’s parents: We regret 1… stricter with Bob
as a child.
The judge: I regret 2… send a young man to
prison.
Bob’s boss: We regret 3… this young man.
Bob: I regret 4… so stupid. I regret 5… my
parents.
THAT’S ENGLISH!
UNIT 4
4 Make expressions of condolence from the
prompts.
1 heartfelt sympathies / loss
2 thinking of you / difficult time
3 so sorry / hear / loss
5 Complete the sentences with the correct form
of the words in brackets.
1 When a … one dies, you don’t want to have to
organise a funeral. (love)
2 When you are … over your loss, it’s difficult to
think practically. (grief)
3 I’m sorry to hear that old Mr Robinson has …
away. (pass)
4 The … is often physically exhausted,
particularly if they’ve been looking after a sick
person. (bereave)
5 The family of the … are sitting at the front of
the church. (decease)
6 Choose the correct option.
1 We regret / sorry to inform / informing you that
we have closed your account.
2 I am sorry / regret to tell / say you that you
have not been selected for the post.
3 Unfortunately, we have to let / allow you
know / find that …
4 It is with regret / regretting that we have to
inform / informed our tenants that the lifts are
not working.
7 Match the beginnings of the sentences (1-6)
to the endings (a-f) and complete them with a
suitable connector from the box.
admittedly on the other hand despite
nevertheless the thing is in reality
1 … , I could have called you more,
2 … the sadness of the occasion,
3 She says she’s happy where she is,
4 I wish I’d never started,
5 I hate my job, it’s so boring,
6 I know I promised you a new bike;
a but … she regrets having left her old job.
b but I was always thinking about you.
c he couldn’t help smiling.
d … , I shall see it through to the end.
e … , I’m a bit short of money right now.
f but … the pay is excellent.
115
Grammar Reference Unit 4

1 I WISH AND IF ONLY

• We use wish/if only + subject + past simple to talk about situations in the present that we
would like to change or see change.
I wish I had more time to study but I have so much to do at work!
If only she lived closer to me! That would make things much easier.
If only you didn’t have to work at weekends! My Sundays are so boring!

• With the verb be, we can use were with I, he, she, it or the usual past simple form was.
We wish our son were/was a bit tidier. His room is a mess.

• For situations that depend on someone else’s decisions and we find irritating, we use:

subject + wish + subject + would + infinitive if only + subject + would + infinitive

I wish you wouldn’t annoy me all the time. It’s If only they would listen to our proposal! I’m
very irritating! sure they would change their minds.

• Wish/If only + subject + past perfect is used to express regrets about past actions (i.e. we
would like to change the past).
He wishes he had never run for President. It was the end of his political career.
I wish you had told them the truth. Now we both need to keep on lying.
If only I hadn’t had that last drink! I was so sick when I got home!

2 EXPRESSING REGRET
Besides using wish and if only, we can express that we are sorry about something that we did
or didn’t do in the past with regret + (not) -ing or regret + (not) having + past participle. There
is no difference in meaning between using one structure or the other, but regret + -ing feels
more recent and regret + having + past participle is normally used to emphasise that the action
was completed in the past.
I regret not buying/not having bought a bigger house when the prices were low.
She regrets quitting the course. She would be qualified by now!
She regrets having left school when she was 17 because now she can’t get a job.

3 OMITTING THE SUBJECT PRONOUN

• We often leave out the subject when it is repeated over several clauses linked by and, but or
then, or when we have a list of actions. We can omit the subject as long as there is nothing
between the subject and the verb that could be interpreted as a new subject.
She was badly hurt in the crash but (she) still found the courage to help other passengers.
We usually leave work at 6, then (we) meet up with friends for a drink.
Every morning, I get up, (I) take a shower, (I) have breakfast, and (I) leave for work in less
than an hour.

• In informal English, both written and spoken, the pronouns I and we are often omitted when
they are the subjects.
(I) Hope you had fun last night.
We didn’t do anything special. (We) Had dinner, (we) watched some TV, and (we) went
straight to bed.

• Sometimes both the subject and the auxiliaries be and have are omitted if the main verb is
in the -ing form or a past participle.
(We are) Only trying to help here, OK? Don’t get upset!
Where are you? (I have) Been phoning you all morning!
(I have) Been there and done that already!

THAT’S ENGLISH! 127

Grammar Reference
• In very informal English, other pronouns (+ auxiliary) can also be omitted as long as the
subject is clear from the context.
I don’t know why they’re not at home. (They) Left for a walk, I suppose.
(You have) Been shopping, have you?
4 CONNECTORS OF CONTRAST
As a clause within a sentence
whereas, while
Many young adults are afraid of making mistakes,
whereas older people normally regret not having
been more daring.
While some people regret many of the things
they did when they were young, I’m very proud
of my past.
although
Although he won’t admit it, he has some regrets
about his past behaviour.
She cares about what other people think of her
although she won’t tell them.
in spite of, despite, notwithstanding
In spite of being/the fact that he is my best friend,
he doesn’t understand how I feel.
They won the race despite having stopped/the
fact that they stopped to help another team.
Notwithstanding her illness/the fact that she was
feeling ill, she managed to win the match.
128
Unit 4
Starting a new sentence (after a strong
pause, i.e. semicolon or full stop)
however, nevertheless
She’s got a very successful career. However, she’s
not overly proud of her accomplishments.
You were always afraid of taking risks;
nevertheless, you had the courage to start your
own business.
on the other hand, in contrast, by contrast
I’d probably enjoy a less stressful life. On the
other hand, I’m sure I’d get dreadfully bored.
They didn’t help us with our project. In/By
contrast, they were very supportive of our
competitor’s proposal.
on the contrary, in fact, as a matter of fact,
actually, in reality
We’re not saying you shouldn’t sell the house.
On the contrary, we think it would help you
financially.
They say I always agree with her decisions. In fact/
As a matter of fact/Actually, I often oppose them.
His agent pretends to like his paintings. In reality,
she only likes the money she makes with them.
THAT’S ENGLISH!
Writing Reference Unit 4

Writing an informal email of apology

Informal emails are written to friends or family. Informal expressions and abbreviations are
used, information must be organised and appropriate salutations should be used.

Hi Uncle Joe,

I decided to drop you a line because I think I need to tell you I’m sorry. I Start by explaining
know you probably think I hate you after what happened at Christmas why you are writing.
dinner. In reality, you’re very important to me and I hope we can sort
out this mess.

You may not even remember how it all started, but you made a very
critical comment about the new leader of the Labour Party. The thing
Describe the details
is, I have high hopes for the potential changes he could make in this of what happened.
country — as I told you. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the best mood to Mention the reasons
appreciate the humour in the sarcastic remark you made after that, for your behaviour and
and I got furious with you. I know that was a big mistake. If only I anything that might
had kept my mouth shut and not talked about politics. After all, you’ve justify it.
always been my favourite uncle.

I am truly sorry for what I did and hope you’ll forgive me. You really
do mean a lot to me. How about coming to dinner on Sunday so I can
make it up to you?
Apologise and suggest
Bye for now. ways in which things
can be sorted out.
Your nephew,

Alex

Writing tips:
➜ Use informal salutations to begin and end the email.

➜ Be clear, sincere and direct.

➜ Admit that you were wrong, say you regret what happened, apologise and
express your hopes for a peaceful resolution.

➜ Use expressions for apologising (I’m awfully/terribly/really sorry about

… , please accept my apologies) and expressions of regret (I regret
having … , I wish I hadn’t said/done … , I regret what happened).

➜ Use contractions.

THAT’S ENGLISH! 141

Pronunciation Guide
WORD STRESS
• Stressed syllables generally sound louder, longer, clearer and have a higher pitch than the
rest. In contrast, unstressed syllables, or words, tend to be pronounced /ə/ (schwa).
permanent /ˈpɜː(r)mənənt/, comfortable /ˈkʌmftəb(ə)l/

• Knowing where the stress falls is an essential part of learning a word. Word stress is marked
in dictionaries by placing the symbol /ˈ/ in front of the stressed syllable.
infringement /ɪnˈfrɪndʒmənt/, harassment /ˈhærəsmənt/*
*Sometimes a word can have alternative pronunciations and this is also reflected in the dictionary (in this
case, /ˈhærəsmənt/ or /həˈræsmənt/).

• Some long words have two stressed syllables with the main stress marked with /ˈ/, and the
secondary stress marked with /ˌ/.
assassination /əˌsæsɪˈneɪʃn/, intimidation /ɪnˌtɪmɪˈdeɪʃn/, manslaughter /ˈmænˌslɔːtə(r)/

• Compound words also have a main stress and a secondary stress. In noun + noun compounds
the stress usually falls on the first element.
community service /kəˈmjuːnətɪˌsɜː(r)vɪs/, cyber bullying /ˈsaɪbə(r)ˌbʊlɪɪŋ/,
death penalty /ˈdeθˌpen(ə)lti/, but suspended sentence /səˌspendɪdˈsentəns/
Note: For more information on word stress, see Module 10, Pronunciation Guide.

SENTENCE STRESS: EMPHASIS

The words that carry more meaning in a sentence, like nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs,
are always stressed. Grammar words, like affirmative auxiliary verbs, prepositions and articles,
are usually not stressed.
They didn’t know what was going to happen.

• We can emphasise a word by making a sudden jump in pitch when we get to it.
You should never do this again.

• When we put negative adverbials at the beginning of a sentence, we also emphasise them
with a jump in pitch.
Not only are they excellent scientists, but they are also very friendly.

• We can also use a series of jumps to emphasise every word in a sentence. For example, in
strong agreements.
I couldn’t agree more.
That’s perfectly true.

WORD GROUPS
• When we speak, we use intonation to group together words that form a unit of meaning. This
helps the listener make meaning out of what they hear.
The woman walking towards us seems interested in you.

• The way we group words can change the meaning of what we say.
You need a car or a bicycle and a helmet. (You need a helmet in both cases.)
You need a car or a bicycle and a helmet. (You only need a helmet with the bike.)

• A good example of the importance of word groups is the distinction between defining and
non-defining relative clauses:
The bombing which ended the war is considered a crime against humanity. (defining)
The bombing which ended the war is considered a crime against humanity. (non-defining)

THAT’S ENGLISH! 145