Getting Angry

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to stay calm, you still have to express your anger. Here are some phrases to help you do that:

  1. Excuse me, ma’am (sir), would you mind ________________________________.
  2. Excuse me, would you please (stop) ____________________________________.
  3. I wish you would (stop) ______________________________________________.
  4. Please (stop) _______________________________________________________.
  5. I think you should (stop) _____________________________________________.
  6. Hey! Stop _________________________________________________________.

Below are six unpleasant or rude situations. Please match them to the sentences above.

  1. A man is smoking in a no-smoking restaurant. The smoke is blowing across your table.
  2. Your friend keeps talking to you while you’re trying to listen to your exciting English class.
  3. A kid sitting in front of you at the movie theater keeps talking, loudly, on his cell phone. You’ve already asked him to be quiet once.
  4. It’s late at night but your neighbor is playing her music so loud you can’t sleep.
  5. Your friend keeps farting in class.
  6. You’re at a party and everyone is having fun but your friend is drinking too much and starting to act strange. You’re worried about her.

Now, if someone uses one of the phrases above to tell you to stop doing something you can reply by using one of the phrases below.

Polite

Strong

I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was bothering you.

It’s none of your business!

Please excuse me. I’ve had a tough day and I wasn’t thinking.

Excuse me!?! Who are you to tell me what to do?

I’m very sorry. I had no idea it bothered you.

Hey, it’s a free country!

Oh, excuse me! I wasn’t paying attention. I won’t do it again.

Excuse me, but I don’t think it’s any of your concern.

I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.

Too bad. It’s my business, not yours.

Situations

Now, using what we’ve learned so far, act out one of the situations above (or a similar situation you imagine). Use the space below to prepare your dialog.

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