【1】
因过失或疏忽做错了事，给别人带来了麻烦或损失，发觉后要立即写信给对方赔礼道歉，这是一种礼貌。道歉信要写得坦率，诚恳。
1、因未能践约赴宴致歉 Unable to keep one''s promise
Dear Miss Nancy，
Much to my regret I was unable to keep my promise to attend your birthday party last Saturday，owing to the fact that my little son was suddenly taken ill early that day.
Hoping to see you soon.
Truly yours，
Tom
【2】
亲爱的南希小姐：
小儿上周六突然生病，因此未能应约赴生日宴，殊觉抱歉，希原谅，再见。
2、因迟复来信致歉 Because of answering one''s letter late
Dear David：
I am afraid that you will think me unpardonably negligent in not having answered your letter dated 7，December sooner，but when I have told you the reason，I trust you will be convinced that the neglect was excusable. When your letter arrived，I was just in Hong Kong. As my family could not forward it to me during my absence，it has been， therefore，lying on my desk until the moment when I took it up. Now the first thing I have to hasten to do is to write to you these few lines to express my deep regret.
I enjoyed many pleasant sights during my trip. I shall be pleased to give you an account to of them when I see you next.
Sincerely yours，
Tom
【3】
Dear Prof. Patent
I am very sorry to inform you that I did not manage to complete the book report you assigned last week, due to a sudden illness falling upon me a few days ago. For the past few days I have been in hospital with a continuous fever, which has thus prevented me from any academic activity. I hereby submit the doctor''s note.
I would be very much obliged if you could grant me another week for the task, as my health is turning better.
Hope you can understand my situation and accept my apology.
Yours faithfully
Li Ming
译文：
尊敬的Patent教授：
我非常遗憾地告知您我没有完成您上周布置的读书报告，因为几天前我突然生病了。过去的几天中我一直持续高烧，住在医院，因此无法进行任何学术活动。随信是医生的诊断书。
如果您能再给一周时间来完成它我将感激不尽，因为现在我的身体正在好转。
希望您能理解我的处境并接受我的道歉。
您真诚的
李明