Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
to think over; to ponder; to contemplate; to heat and spice for drinking
taste
mull
own
railroad
TOEIC vocab test: Free word games: Online Verb  Adjective Noun Game Answer
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

The verb EXCUSE



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Trouble and Stop with optional prepositions | Using an indefinite article with an adjective+noun
Message Author
The verb EXCUSE Tue Jun 20, 2006 17:27 pm  The verb EXCUSE
 

Hi, How is it going? Thanks in advance!

E.X. You excuse , 'I?ll be ruined if I do that'

Is that right?

Should I use 'yourself' with
the verb excuse?

Thanks.

See you!
Jesus1
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Posts: 193

The verb EXCUSE Wed Jun 21, 2006 17:30 pm  The verb EXCUSE
 

Hi Jesus

As I understand your question, you want to know if you can use the word excuse similarly to the way you'd use say when you quote someone.

That's a bit tricky. In your example, yes, you would need "yourself". You excuse yourself would mean that "you make an apology".

But if you wanted to use this with a direct quote, I think you would need to say:
You excuse yourself by saying, "......."

In other words, using excuse this way isn't normal. I wouldn't do it.

I think it would be more typical to say:

"I?ll be ruined if I do that," he apologized.

Just my opinion...
Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 7868
Location: USA

Can you find all the prepositions in this story?Read these English anecdotes and maybe smile today? Subscribe to free email English courseAre you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!English grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skills
The verb EXCUSE Wed Jun 21, 2006 18:23 pm  The verb EXCUSE
 

I agree with Yankee. You can't use excuse to directly indicate someone said something like that. You would actually have to fully describe the act of excusing and then tie it to what you are saying. As Yankee gave an example.
rockytop
New Member


Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 1

The verb EXCUSE Wed Jun 21, 2006 18:29 pm  The verb EXCUSE
 

Hi! Thanks a lot, Amy. I understand, but, if that?s
not normal, isn?t that right?. Why should I use
that "by saying"?. Isn?t it understood that
someone who excuses himself/herself is going
to 'say' something? Can?t I omit it?

Thanks a lot again!

Jes?s
Jesus1
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Posts: 193

The verb EXCUSE Wed Jun 21, 2006 19:24 pm  The verb EXCUSE
 

Hi Jesus

Using "excuse" with the sense of "say" is just not a way that "excuse" is used. And that's why I say, if you really, really, really must use "excuse" that way (with a direct quote and despite what I say Wink), I think you would have to add "by saying" in order to make it half-way normal. In my opinion, if you omit "by saying", it won't be even half-way normal. It will just be weird. Shocked

Another difficulty is that the sentence "He excused himself" often means or is understood as "He left the room".

The next difficulty is that the word excuse is also the word you would use when you want to give a "half-baked" reason (usually a lie or a half-truth) for something you did or didn't do that made somebody else unhappy or angry.
"He didn't apologize, he just made a lot of stupid excuses."

However, you can use apologize (British spelling: apologise) instead of "excuse". That would work the way you want to use it.

You could also use many other words, for example:
"I?ll be ruined if I do that," he stressed/explained/complained/whined/pointed out/etc.

Using excuse is really is not a good idea.

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 7868
Location: USA

The verb EXCUSE Wed Jun 21, 2006 19:29 pm  The verb EXCUSE
 

Thanks a lot again, Amy!!

I have been asking myself the following question
because of it all.

Can I use 'you apologize' at the
beginning of the quote?

You apologize, 'I?ll be ruined if
I do it'

Thanks again and again!

Jes?s
Jesus1
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Posts: 193

The verb EXCUSE Wed Jun 21, 2006 19:35 pm  The verb EXCUSE
 

Hi Jesus

It's much more standard to have it after the quote (when you're writing a story or reporting the news, for example).

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 7868
Location: USA

Display posts from previous:   
Trouble and Stop with optional prepositions | Using an indefinite article with an adjective+noun
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms The verb EXCUSE All times are GMT + 2 Hours
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on English Forums
Words 'leave and famous' and the usage of 'that way'My or The? My or Me?How to use Hypens?ME or MYSELFCan I use both: names list OR list of namesThe phrasal verb 'Pull out' and Think versus BelieveQuestion Tags: You are well-off, aren't you?Should I omit the INDEFINITE ARTICLE?The football team will never has its dayImprove or Improving?Expression: Try as I might, I could not convince herExplanation of inviting, to be held and being heldLite vs. lightExpression: 'Know beyond comfort zone'Can I use the term 'crime' in a figurative way?Courage and determination (is/are)Meaning of "is to pull" and "foray"Difference between TO, AND, IN ORDER TOThe verb EXCUSE

Discover English-test.net
Meaning of "change of heart"Funny englishexports make its route/way "TO"Does this conversation sound natural?MCAT practice test: Vocabulary Quizzes: Example of NounsMCAT practice test: Online word games: Free Noun GameMeaning of edema, exoskeleton, zymosis, lip, digestive system, blood pressure, blastula, lacrimationDefinition of firm, deep, human, bad, natural, clean, live, smooth, main, equalWhats a pronoun: Great expectations...Un Extranjero en el Espejo A Stranger in the Mirror audiobook download

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Subscribe to FREE email English course written by Alan Townend
First name E-mail