how do you write an apology letter to a teacher for not doing your homework

9 Steps to Write an Apology Letter to Your School Teacher (EXAMPLE)

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I remember sitting in class during my first week in senior high and feeling a little nervous about the year ahead of me. One of my classmates , Robert, had a misunderstanding with our English teacher . We were instructed to take notes during lessons, and our teacher assumed he was doodling .

She reprimanded him , and unfortunately, Robert talked back to the teacher instead of defusing the situation by explaining himself. As a result, the teacher asked him to leave the class, and she was clearly upset for the rest of the lesson.

Even though the situation was disruptive, we all learned something that day. Robert owned up to his mistake a day or two later, and our teacher apologized for the misunderstanding in front of the class. This taught us that we all have feelings and misunderstandings do happen .

Have you ever reacted out of embarrassment or anger toward a teacher, and now you don't know how to make amends ?

If so, stick with us for a while longer… as we’re about to list 9 steps to write an apology letter to your school teacher (with an example) that will give you the guidance you need.

Before we start our lesson, let's first look into why writing an apology letter is important.

Table of Contents

Why Is It Important to Write an Apology Letter? 

The most important aspect of writing an apology letter is showing that the person you wronged is worthy of an apology and you are also worthy of forgiveness (if you ask for it). 

Here's a look at some of the reasons why it's important to write an apology letter:

• Writing an apology letter to your teacher (or anyone for that matter) will open the door to better communication and understanding .
• Apologizing provides peace for the giver and the receiver.
• It teaches you to take responsibility for your actions and to learn from your mistakes.
• Surprisingly, it also boosts your self-esteem and confidence. It takes courage to admit your faults.
• It encourages self-awareness and self-reflection.

Regarding teaching, it's important to remember that kindergarten school children sometimes have big feelings they don't know how to express. Primary school children are often going through an awkward phase and can be disrespectful or shy.

High school and college students have raging hormones and can sometimes be quite rebellious. Even though teachers are equipped to deal with all these emotions, they also have emotions and feelings and sometimes get things wrong .

A Step-by-Step Approach to Writing an Apology Letter to Your Teacher

Realizing that you've overstepped the mark with a teacher can leave an uncomfortable and almost embarrassing feeling in its wake. In that moment, perhaps you felt justified and mature with your response, but now, you’ve had a chance to think and reevaluate, and you realize you need to make amends (or how will you show up at school with your head held high?).

If you're struggling to find the right words , let this step-by-step approach to writing an apology letter to your teacher guide you through the motions .

Step 1: Hold Space for Yourself (and Your Teacher)

Before you rush into an apology, you need to hold space for yourself (and for your teacher). Barging in with an immediate apology isn't likely to go how you'd like it to. In fact, it might make the situation worse .

When you hold space for yourself, you're making the conscious decision to be mentally and emotionally present for yourself without being judgmental (easier said than done, I know).

This gives you (and your teacher) time to calm down and understand why you reacted to the situation the way you did. It's the perfect way to work on some self-reflection and encourages self-awareness .

Try this: Use these simple techniques to hold space for yourself:

• Be kind to yourself. We are all human after all.
• Reflect on why you reacted the way you did.
• Acknowledge your boundaries .
• Be mindful of your feelings , and don't dismiss them.
• Focus on self-regulation exercises (such as writing in a journal).

When you hold space for your teacher , you accept their truth , even if it's not yours. Remember, you are apologizing, meaning you must put your opinions aside while they work through the experience.

Step 2: Decide on a Platform to Write Your Apology

An apology is only as good as its delivery . You can have all the right intentions and words, and then it falls short because the platform may be unreliable or too over the top.

For example, animating an apology into a teddy bear delivering flowers while reading your apology might be perfect for a primary-level student . However, using that platform for a college teacher might not be as well received.

Remember, the platform you use will i nfluence the response you receive , but you also don't want to be too persona l, as this is your teacher and not your friend . So you still want to maintain that respectful relationship .

So let's talk platforms:

1. Sending a message via text is perfect for a short and sweet apology.

2. Sending an email is a great way to ensure your apology is delivered ; plus, you can write a short or lengthy apology on this platform. This is quite a nice option for high school and college students .

3. Sending a message via WhatsApp (or another instant messaging platform) is a fun way for primary or kindergarten students to send voice notes to their teacher. They could also draw a picture and attach it to the message.

4. Handwritten apology letters are a good platform for any student , as it shows you spent time writing the apology letter (and put some thought and effort into it).

Step 3: Take a Deep Breath, Drop Your Defenses and Apologize

It's human nature to jump to your defenses when you're singled out or called out for something. Remember how it felt when you lashed back at your teacher without thinking (for example)? It's not a great feeling . So take a deep breath and drop your defenses .

There is nothing worse than receiving an apology letter that's actually an “if-pology” (apology letter full of ifs and buts ), which shifts the blame right back at your teacher.

Try this: Put yourself in your teacher's shoes for a minute, and try to understand how the situation may have affected them. Now, focus on their feelings when you write your apology and avoid waffling or dragging it out, as it shows you aren't really committed to it.

Above all, don't use sarcasm or over-apologize, as this further irritates the teacher and makes your apology seem shallow .

Step 4: Be Mindful and Acknowledge Your Behavior

Just because you've apologized doesn't mean it ends there . You need to express regret by being mindful and acknowledging your behavior . By doing this, you're showing your teacher that you understand where you went wrong and are willing to learn from your mistakes.

Don't fall into the trap of apologizing and trying to justify yourself in the same breath. This will aggravate the situation and lead to a blame game. You will have an opportunity later in your letter to explain your actions but now is not the time.

You want your teacher to see that you're mature enough to acknowledge your mistakes , admit that you were wrong and accept any consequences . At this moment, it's important to remember that your teacher is also human and has triggers and feelings.

Being mindful of this fact shows that you have empathy and understanding .

Try this: Use “I” statements when you admit your mistake. For example: “I shouldn't have let my temper get the better of me.” Keep it simple and honest . Don't try to look for sympathy by saying things like, “I am the worst person ever. How could you ever forgive me?”

This comes across as condescending and messes with the flow of your apology, as it appears like you are the one who needs consoling .

Step 5: Express Your Gratitude 

Everyone wants to feel needed , and teachers appreciate it when they hear they've made a positive difference in a student's life. You've come so far with your apology letter. Now it's time to let your teacher know how much you appreciate them .

There's a fine line between being authentic and blowing something way out of proportion . Don't oversell your gratitude . This makes you appear smug and sarcastic. Instead, let your teacher know how grateful you are to have them on your educational journey and that you appreciate them and what they do.

It's also a good idea to mention at some point that you're sorry to have disappointed them and that their feelings do matter.

Try this: Mention what you appreciate the most about your teacher. For example:

• A primary school student could list 10 things they love about their teacher.
• A high school student could write a paragraph on a lesson that changed their outlook on a situation.
• A college student could mention how the teacher's teaching style really helps them absorb information .

Step 6: Provide Some (Brief) Insight

Okay, so it's time to provide some brief insight into your side of the situation. You must remain focused on the overall goal of this process. You are apologizing for your behavior. Be careful not to deflect blame onto your teacher or make them feel like part of the problem.

Also, this isn't a platform for you to provide excuses for your behavior. You have already acknowledged that you were at fault, so don't retrace your steps. And yes, this step might make you feel slightly vulnerable , but remember, less is more, and you don't need to go into too much detail.

Be careful how you word this section, as you want your teacher to understand where you're coming from, but you don't want to justify your actions . There is a difference. Ultimately, you are still owning that what happened wasn't okay, and you will work on it .

Step 7: Make the Situation a Teachable Moment

Turning this situation into a teachable moment is a great way to show your teacher how you plan to make amends for your mistake. You want to put your teacher back in a position of respected authority , and there's no better way to do this than by asking them to teach you .

This places your teacher back in a position where they feel needed and appreciated for their knowledge.

Try this: Open the conversion by asking questions like:

• Can you suggest coping mechanisms I can use in the future?
• Do you have any advice for me?
• How can I make this situation better ?

Step 8: Ask for Forgiveness

Let's face it, admitting you were wrong and asking for forgiveness can be quite an intimidating and overwhelming moment . Essentially, you are opening yourself up to the possibility of rejection .

If you are feeling stressed , remember that whatever the outcome is, you are mature enough to acknowledge your wrongs and ask for forgiveness (which is a big deal and will be greatly appreciated by your teacher .)

Let your teacher know that this incident has affected you too, and you are willing to do what it takes to repair any mistrust or disappointment. Keep this section short, as you've already said what you needed to in the body of the letter.

Try this: Show your teacher that you intend to right this wrong by being more mindful of situations and thinking before reacting . It's good to mention that you hope this incident strengthens your relationship and that you have learned a valuable lesson .

Step 9: Sample of an Apology Letter to Your School Teacher

Dear Miss Baldwin, I hope my letter finds you well. I have taken some time to reflect on my behavior in the classroom on Monday. I am disappointed in myself for how I handled the situation and how I spoke to you. You did not deserve that kind of disrespect and embarrassment, especially in front of the class. I realize now that I reacted harshly before taking a moment to think about the situation. In doing so, I made the situation worse and put you in an unfair position. I am also aware of the disruption I caused in the class because of my outburst. Please know that I value you as my teacher and appreciate everything you have done for me and my classmates. I am so sorry , and I am fully committed to being a more mindful student and thinking before I react. I also accept any punishment and consequences for my actions. I know now that I should have explained myself from the start , and all of this could have been avoided. I admit that my ego got the better of me , and that won't happen again. I hope you can forgive me for my disrespect in your classroom, and I know that I still have so much to learn from you . Thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and I hope to hear back from you. Yours sincerely, Robert

Final Thoughts on Writing an Apology Letter to Your Teacher 

When it comes to the current state of educators, and education in general, teachers have had to learn to accept a lot of outbursts and disrespect due to the lack of discipline in classrooms and at home. So when a student , regardless of their age, presents them with a genuine apology … the teacher will be very grateful and, in some cases, surprised .

We are all human, and we all make mistakes or have misunderstandings , and that's okay. The important thing is that you own up to your mistakes and seek to make amends for your actions. 

Writing an apology letter to your teacher and asking for forgiveness is a big deal, but remember, your teacher is worthy of an apology, and you are worthy of forgiveness .

If you enjoyed reading this guide, and would like more examples , why not check out my guides on 6 steps to write an apology letter to your girlfriend or 9 steps to write an apology letter to your friend with an example .

Apology Letter to Teacher: 18+ Templates

Expressing an apology 🙇 with the right choice of words can be quite challenging. An apology must be accurately curated so that it does not complicate things further. 

Writing the right apology letter can be filled with many complicated decisions. Many young students 👨‍💻 struggle to compose an apt apology letter to their teachers. A short and accurate solution to all your worries is mentioned here. 

Save yourself the energy and time to understand the format and content of an apology letter 📄 by giving a read to all the insights given below.

Table of Contents

What to Write in Apology Letter to a Teacher 

How to go about an apology letter? Swipe down 👇 to get your hands on all the content that you can write in your apology letter. 

• Use the right salutation at the beginning of an apology letter. Missing out on the salutations can dampen the situation even more. 
• The apology is the central focus of the 📝 letter. Write about your mistakes clearly and directly. Instead of exaggerating the reasons that led you to make the mistakes, give more emphasis on the apology statements.
• Reflection on your mistakes is another core part of the apology letter. It adds more weight to your apology. This part must show your thorough understanding of the mistake.
• Writing 🖊️ a substantial statement to grow and prevent such mistakes in the future is the right way to close the body of the letter. This can include the moral learning you have derived from this mistake. 
• Therefore, write about your learnings from these mistakes and mention the steps 👣 that you will take for betterment. 

How to Write an Apology Letter to a Teacher (Tips)

Here’s a clear guide to what are the do’s and don’ts for writing an apology letter to the teacher. 

Acceptance and Apology

To begin the content of your apology letter, the first step is to accept the mistake and make a clear apology to the respected 👩‍🏫 teacher. This is undoubtedly the most important step.

Be Straightforward and Formal

A straightforward and formal tone is the right ✅ way to guide this letter in the best direction. It gives clarity and sets the ideal tone. 

Leave No Space for Excuses

There should be no room for excuses or justification in your apology letter. Excuses can form a negative impression on the teacher. Therefore, avoid the mention of any lame excuses.

Take Responsibility for Your Actions

Instead of blaming any third party, take complete responsibility for your actions. This will show your willingness 🫡 to apologize for the better. It also sets a better impression on your teacher. 

Writing in First Person is a Must

The word I will show your dedication to being direct and responsible for your mistakes. It also creates a straightforward line 🖋️ of communication between the student and the teacher. 

Bringing the Teacher into the Courtroom is a Big No

However, the situation may be, a student must not 🚫 question or put allegations on the teacher directly or indirectly. Doing that will kill the main goal of the letter. 

Assurance of No such Mistakes in the Future

A rigid statement to assure the teacher that no such mistakes will be repeated by you in the future is necessary. This part must sound genuine 🔆 and should come out from the heart. 

Promise to Grow 

In an overall context, make a promise to have a better understanding of the situation from now onwards and such your interest to grow ✨ for the betterment of yourself and others. Your teacher should trust that you will no longer be making the mistakes you did. 

Letter Template: 1

Apology Letter to the Teacher

To Ms. Julia Roberts Mathematics Professor Don Bosco School

Date – 9/12/2019

Sub – Apology Letter

Respected Mam,

I would like to take a moment of your to apologize for my behavior in the previous lecture that you took. I am really regretting the way I talked to you but I promise this won’t be repeated. 

I have been really tense because of certain family issues which are going on for a while and hence lost my temper that day. I understand that my behavior is unacceptable and hence I am open to get any punishment for the same and I want to give you in writing that you won’t be hearing any other complaints from my side. 

Kindly forgive me the first time and give me an opportunity to correct what I did wrong and I will make sure I miss no lectures of you and behave properly with all the teachers and students.

Regards & Apologies

Junior College

Download Template : ( pdf, docs, ODT, RTF, txt, HTML, Epub, Etc )

Letter Template: 2

Teacher Apology Letter

To  Alan Jose Principal Houston State School

Sub – Apology for misconduct on the college campus

Respected Sir,

I beg your pardon for the incident that happened last week.

I understand that the behaviors that I and my two batchmates showed were inappropriate and it will lead us to serious issues. I understand that we should have escalated the issue to the school management instead of getting into a physical fight which led to the destruction of school property and also that the watchman had to suffer from the injury which lucky are minor but our action would have caused major ones. I want to apologize for the misconduct and I assure you that anything of this kind will never take place again. We will make sure that we act like adults and think before we act. Kindly revoke your decision to expel us as it will not give us a chance to make things rights that we have ruined. You can suspend us and then also punish us to get started with social work or cleaning, we will bear all this but we don’t want to risk our career. I am really apologetic for our mistake but we promise we will never repeat this.

State College Houston

Letter Template: 3

I understand that I have failed as a student and as a class representative. The students revolting against the Science teacher for a minor mistake is totally unacceptable and we are ready to accept any kind of punishment that you will give us.

The students agitated and started shouting which broke the silence in the lobby and also disturbed the ongoing lectures in the senior classes. This misconduct is not something that will go unnoticed and hence we want to apologize from the bottom of our hearts and request everyone to give us a chance to improve and rectify the mistake that we did. I know this does question our ethics but we want to make sure that we respect the science professor very much and this apology is to her as well for disrespecting her presence in the class and questing her expertise. Kindly give us one opportunity to correct this. 

Looking forward to hearing from you.

With apologies and regards

Class Representative

Letter Template: 4

Dear Teacher,

I am deeply sorry for cheating on the mathematics test that we had in the class the other day.

I am well aware that this behavior is against the school rules and it breaks the discipline and decorum of the school. It is a behavior that lets the whole classroom down. I also portrayed a very bad image or I should say a disobedient image of myself which caused me too much stress and guilt on the last day.

I have realized that I should have studied hard and should have been honest about my status in the exam to avoid this bad behavior and the situation of cheating.

I am asking for your forgiveness and I promise that this incident will not happen again. Moving forward, I will study hard to make sure that I not only sit for the exams without cheating but also pass with the best grades. I will make sure that you don’t regret this decision of yours and I will be 100& honest in the upcoming tests.

Kindly accept my apologies and give me a chance to change.

Jerry Thomas

Letter Template: 5

Apology Letter to Teacher

Respected Sir

I am very apologetic for my absence from class for the last week. I know the days cant be compensated but accept my apologies.

I was very very sick and was on complete bed rest for the last week. I was suffering from food poisoning and it actually was really bad as I was on saline for the last 3 days and hence it made me really weak to step out of the house. I am currently recovering and will be back in the class from mid of the week.

I know that you had mentioned the test which you were planning to take on this Thursday, but as mentioned above I won’t be able to attend it. But the importance of this test was mentioned by you earlier and I don’t want to lose a big chunk of marks soI want to request you to give me a chance to write the exam after I am back in school.

I have been a regular student in the last semester and was amongst one the toppers so kindly accept this as a special case.

Looking forward to knowing your decision. Also please find my reports for reference.

Julia Roberts

Standard 8th

Houston State School

Letter Template: 6

Apology Letter Template for Students

[Name of the sender]

[Designation of the respective person]

[Name of addressee]

Subject: apology letter template for students: Requesting Forgiveness for Misbehaviour

Respected sir/ma’am,

I am [mention the name of the sender] a student of your well-known institute. I am writing this letter to apologize for my miserable behavior inside the school area this morning. As I am new to this school and it has only been [mention a duration] months I was not properly aware of the rules and regulations of the school premises.

I am really sorry for my behavior and the blunder that I have caused and which has created so many problems. I would be very grateful to you if you kindly forgive me and give me one last chance. I know I have caused huge chaos in the school premises which you had to take care of even though you said not to do something that will cause trouble. I am aware that my actions are totally against the school rules and I apologize for the same. 

I know I have ruined my good image in front of you and the whole school and created a bad image of myself for misbehaving which has caused me too much stress. If you forgive this first and last time I promise to never disrespect you or your decision and focus on my behavior more. I understand that for me you had to face so many consequences just because I misbehaved inside the school premises. 

I would be grateful to you if you consider giving me another chance to prove myself. I deeply apologize for my bad behavior and I promise to never do something like that ever again. I will always obey the rules and regulations of the school and I will never indulge myself in such things. Kindly forgive me sir/ma’am.

Thanking you

Yours sincerely,

Letter Template: 7

Apology Letter for Misconduct in School Premises

Subject: apology letter template for students 

I [mention the name of the sender] a student of [mention the name of the institute] currently in [mention the standard] standard am writing this letter to apologize for my behavior inside the school premises. I know I have committed a serious mistake but I promise not to involve myself in such problematic situations ever again.

I am really sorry for my behavior and the mess that was caused by me. I would be very grateful to you if you consider giving me another chance. I know I have caused huge chaos in the school premises which you had to take care of even though you said not to do something that will cause trouble. I am aware that my actions are totally against the school rules and I apologize for the same. 

I know you had a good image of me which ruined me and created a bad image of myself which has caused me too much stress. If you forgive this first and last time I promise to never disrespect you or your decision and focus on my behavior more. I understand that for me you had to face so many consequences just because I misbehaved inside the school premises. 

I would be very thankful if you consider giving me another chance to prove myself. I deeply regret my behavior and I promise it will never happen again. Again I am so sorry sir/ ma’am for my actions. I promise to never repeat them. I will always obey the rules and regulations of the school and I will never indulge myself in such things.

Thanking you,

Letter Template: 8

Apology Letter Template for Misbehavior in School

I am [mention the name of the sender] a student of your well-known institute. I am writing this letter to apologize for my misbehavior inside the school premises today. As I am new to this school and it has only been [mention a duration] months I was not properly aware of the rules and regulations of the school premises.

I know that my behavior in the school was totally unacceptable, and I deeply regret my actions. I promise that was totally unintentional, and I will never do anything like that ever again. I was not at all going to do [mention the mistake that the sender caused] but out of curiosity, I did that. Later I realized that I shouldn’t have done something like that, no matter what.

I am really sorry for my behavior and the mess that I caused. I would be very grateful to you if you consider giving me another chance. I promise never to let you down or let the school’s name down no matter what. Now that I have learned from my mistake, I have realized that we should not do anything without knowledge and guidance. Before doing something, we must have a proper idea or it will cause problems in the future.

I learned that it is against the rules and regulations of the school and I promise never to repeat it. As a new student, I was unaware and I hope you will understand my situation and kindly forgive me this last time for my behavior. I request you to kindly reduce my punishment as I was totally unknown to all the rules and regulations. 

Thanking you 

Letter Template: 9

I [mention the name of the sender] a student of [mention the name of the institute] currently in [mention the standard] standard am writing this letter to apologize for my behavior in the school premises. I know I have committed a serious mistake but I promise not to indulge in such things again.

I will not blame anyone for my misbehavior, what I did was totally unacceptable, and I don’t know how I was being so irresponsible. I know I have caused huge chaos on the school premises, which you had to take care of even though you said not to do something that would cause trouble.

You warned all of us and said you had an important meeting in your office, but because of my irresponsible behavior, you had to leave in between the meeting to solve the problem.

A school is a place where everyone gets to learn something new each day, and as a student, I promise to behave properly and stay in discipline and learn new things. I have learned from my mistake, and you can believe me.

I promise to behave more appropriately and be more responsible. I sincerely regret my behavior, and I hope you will forgive me and give me another chance.

I am so sorry, sir/ ma’am, for my actions. I promise never to repeat them. I will always obey the rules and regulations of the school, and I will never indulge in such things.

I promise to behave properly in the school, and as a student of a well-known institute, I promise never to do something which will hamper the school’s name.

Template: 10

Apology Letter to Teacher for Not Doing Homework

Subject: Letter to Apologize for Not Doing Homework

Respected sir/madam,

This letter is to apologize to Mr/Mrs/Ms [mention the name of your school teacher or the subject teacher according to you] for not submitting my homework on time. I want t to apologize for not doing my given homework by you.

I was not present in the city, after coming from school, I had to go out with my parents to my relative’s house, so I couldn’t do my given homework.

I came home late and after coming back I fall asleep. [Give our reason for not doing the homework; this is an example given by our side]. 

Please forgive me, ma’am, for not doing my homework on time; I promise I will take care of it in the future and will try not to repeat it again. Kindly, consider my problem and forgive me for not doing my homework.

Lastly, I would like to say I hope you will accept my apology for not doing homework and forgive me. 

Yours faithfully,

[Name of the Sender]

Letter Template: 11

[Name of sender]

I [mention the name of the sender] of class [mention the class of the sender] of [mention the name of the school the sender studies] and write this letter to apologize for not doing my homework and submitting it on time.

I am really sorry sir/ma’am for not being able to submit the homework on time even after you said repeatedly to submit it on [mention the date on which the homework was supposed to be submitted].

The reason why I couldn’t submit my homework on time was that on the day on which you gave us the homework, I had to go to [mention the name of another city] to my [mention the name of a relative of the sender’s] house as there was a family issue and I got back from there yesterday.

Because of this, I couldn’t complete the homework you gave us. I know that the homework contained a great portion of our internal marks, yet I didn’t complete it on time. Kindly forgive me, ma’am/sir, for being unable to submit the work.

I promise never to repeat this kind of mistake ever again. I know that I should not give excuses for not completing my homework but believe me, sir/ma’am, just because I was out of the city I couldn’t submit it on time.

Do consider my apology and forgive me this time. I promise I will submit all the homework on time from now onwards. I have attached my application for being absent from [mention the date from which the sender was absent] to [mention the date till which the sender was absent]. Kindly read it. I hope you will accept my apology and take my homework.

Letter Template: 12

Respected Sir/Madam,

I [mention the name of the sender], a student of [mention the name of the sender’s school] of class [mention the class of the sender], am writing this letter to apologize for not being able to complete my homework and submit it on time.

I am extremely sorry sir/ma’am for not being punctual and being able to submit the homework on time even after you repeatedly said to submit it on [mention the date on which the homework was supposed to be submitted].

The day on which you gave us the homework, I had to go to [mention the name of another city] to my [mention the name of a relative of the sender] house as [mention the reason why the sender had to go to his/her relative’s house] and I just got back from there yesterday. After reaching home, I fell asleep and couldn’t complete the homework you gave us.

I know that the homework contained 5% of our internal marks, yet I didn’t complete it on time. Please forgive me, ma’am/sir, for being unable to submit the work. I promise to never repeat this kind of mistake ever again in the future.

I know that I should not give excuses for not completing my homework but believe me, sir/ma’am, just because I was out of the city I couldn’t submit it on time.

Do consider my apology and forgive me this time, as you know that I am a very hard-working student, and this is the first time I cannot submit the homework on time; I promise I will submit all the homework on time from now onwards.

I have attached my application for being absent from [mention the date from which the sender was absent] to [mention the date till which the sender was absent]. Kindly give it a read. I hope you will accept my apology and take my homework.

Template: 13

Apology Letter to Teacher for Fighting in Class

Subject: Letter to Apologize for Fighting in Class/office

Dear [candidate name],

This letter is regarding my apology to [mention the name of the person to whom you are apologizing]. I would like to apologize to you for fighting with you at the office/school. I didn’t mean to do that. I was not in my state when we were arguing, I am genuinely sorry for my action.

You have been a classmate/colleague for so long and one of me very close. I don’t want to break our relationship due to this problem.

I know I have made a huge mistake by fighting with you but I genuinely didn’t mean anything against you. I hope you will understand and accept my apology for this. You are a great friend to me, I remember each and every moment of our class/office.

I promise you I will take care of it from now, and will not repeat it again to any person. I hope you will forgive me, and we will be the same as before. 

Lastly, please accept my apology and forgive me; I will shortly come to meet you. I hope you will forgive me for fighting with you.

Template: 14

Apology Letter for Fighting in Class

[Write the Sender’s Address]

[Write Designation/class of the sender]

[Write Name of the company/ institution]

 [Write Contact details of the sender]

[Write the Date of sending the letter]

[Write the Receiver’s Name]

[Write the Receiver’s Address]

[Write the name of the company /institution]

Sub: To Apologize for Fighting

Dear Mr./ Mrs./ Ms. [Write the name of whomsoever it is concerned to]

The sole purpose of this letter is to express my apology to [mention the name of the person to whom you are apologizing] for my misconduct. I would like to apologize to you for fighting with you at the office/school (Write details). I had no intention to do that in the first place.

I was not in my right state of mind when we were arguing because of (Write details). Hence, I feel much regret my action. You have been a classmate/colleague of mine for so long and one of my close friends.

I don’t want to ruin our relationship due to my misconduct. I know I have made a grave mistake by indulging in a fight with you, but I genuinely didn’t have anything against you. I hope you understand my problem and accept my sincere apology for this.

You are a good friend to me; I remember every moment of our togetherness at class/office.

I can assure you that I will take care of it from now on and will not repeat this again in the future. I hope you will forgive me this time, and we will be the same good friends like before. 

Lastly, please accept my sincerest apology and forgive me; I will come to meet you very soon. I hope you will forgive me for fighting with you.

With regards,

Template: 15

Apology Letter for Fighting in School

Sub: Apologizing for Fighting

Dear Mr./ Mrs./ Ms. [Write the name of the recipient]

First of all, I want to express my heartfelt apology to [mention the name of the person to whom you are apologizing] for my misbehavior (mention the details). I would like to offer my apology to you for fighting with you at the office/school.

I did not intend to behave like that in the first place. But as I was not in my proper state of mind at that time, when we were arguing because of some problems (mention details), therefore, I feel great sorrow for my shameful action.

You are a classmate/colleague of mine for so long and so, I was really wrong of me to behave like that.

I don’t want to ruin our good friendship due to this misbehavior of mine. I know I have made a serious mistake by indulging in a fight with you for no good reason, but I honestly didn’t have any bad intentions against you. I hope you will be able to understand my problem and accept my apology regarding this.

You are a good friend to me for many years, I cherish every moment of our friendship at class/office. Today, I want to assure you, that I will take care of it from now on, and will not behave like this again anymore. I hope this time, you will forgive me, and we will be the same good friends as before. 

Once again, please accept my sincerest apology and forgive me, I will come to meet you in person very soon. I hope you will consider my request and oblige me.

Thank you very much,

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Apology Letter To Your Teacher: Format And Examples

To write an apology letter in the right way to convey the message include saturation, start with appreciation , tell what happened, apologize, promise, close letter.

Misbehaving at school is common. However, sometimes a simple prank or mistake committed by a student can be hurtful for the teacher. School was invented as an institution of knowledge and experience, and for every student there, teachers are their guardians. Learning about a particular subject from your teacher during class sure helps you gain knowledge and do well in exams, but a teacher’s role does not end there. Along with your subjects, they teach you about life and experiences through their own words. They guide us, motivate us, scold us but always try their best to give us the best lessons. But there are times when we fail to understand their worth and take their knowledge and guidance for granted. And over time, we end up disrespecting them. We may do such a thing for selfish reasons, but reflecting on our mistakes and apologizing is also necessary, especially to our teachers.

Remember, school is an institution, and being casual with your teachers, especially in a situation where you have made a mistake, will not be a wise idea. If you have hurt or disrespected your teacher in any way, then you should write an apology letter to them. Writing an apology letter is easy, but you must also make it formal and straightforward.

Format | Apology Letter To Your Teacher: Format And Examples

The format of an apology letter is necessary. You cannot just make it simple, like any other informal letter, and have to be more genuine. If you are not profound with your words, it may leave a bad impression on your teacher. Here is the format you can use while writing an apology letter to your teacher:

1. Saturation:

While writing any letter, saturation is a must. You must also begin with your teacher’s name and remember, do not to forget to address them properly. You should read which of these formats (Mr./Ms./Mrs.) you should use before their name. Try not to make your letter fancy; make it formal. And if your teachers have taught you any other format for an apology letter, this will be the best place to apply your knowledge.

2. Start with appreciation:

Your primary goal should be to apologize properly and begin your letter with a few appreciating words for your teacher . Showing your gratitude and respect towards them will let them know about your genuine feelings for them, and it will also provide you a friendly start. You can then thank them for their help in your studies, their encouraging words and responses, and how they have always provided you with the best lessons.

3. Tell them what actually happened :

Being honest in your apology letter is a must. As you progress writing, explain to your teacher about the incident and what actually happened. Do not go around beating the bush; your teacher is already well aware of your mistake. Instead of stating your fault, if you start making excuses for yourself to get away with your mistake, it will leave a bad impression. Also, your teacher may not take your apology seriously after that.

4. Finally, apolgize :

Accepting your fault can be a tedious task for some people. But in this case, do not let your ego get the best of you. You know you have made a mistake, and if you cannot accept your fault, you are of no good. Your actions must have hurt your teacher and if you are already well aware of it and regret doing such a thing, sincerely apologize. It does not have to long and complicated; try to be as simple with your apology as you can. You can write, “I am very sorry for my actions.” or “Please forgive me for my mistake.”

5 . Promise them:

IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN: Accepting your fault and apologizing is one thing but reassuring your teacher that you will not repeat your mistakes is also compulsory. It would be best if you promised them that you would not do the same thing again and refrain yourself. Let them know that you have learned from your mistake.

6. Close your letter:

After writing everything down, end your letter with a “thank you” or “sincerely yours”. But here is the thing that you may find a little hard to understand: forming your apology properly. Writing something formal and sincere while trying to keep your emotions in check can be a bit complicated at times. Especially in a case where you are apologizing for your mistakes. If you end writing a little too much, then it can be a problem. But if you end up writing nothing specifically, then the apology letter is of no good as well.

To make your letter sound profound and honest, here are a few tips you can look at to form a proper apology in your letter:

1. Acknowledge what you did wrong :

Whether it is something you forgot to do or misbehaved in front of the school, realize your mistake and state about that incident clearly. Your teacher will not be able to understand your sincerity if you keep beating around the bush. Accepting your mistakes can be hard for some people. But try to talk it through with your friends or parents. If you talk to them, you will reflect on your actions and realize what you have done with their help. You may also come to understand how your actions have affected your class and schoolmates.

2. Try to be straightforward:

As I mentioned, beating around the bush won’t help you. While writing an apology letter to your teacher, you will have to sincere and direct. Try to tell them about your actions without twisting your words; it may complicate things even further. For example, you should say, “I am sorry for my actions.” instead of saying , “What I did the other day was wrong.” The latter option can make you sound rude and smug.

3. Focus on yourself instead of your teacher :

This is widespread mistake students make while writing an apology letter. Do not try to shift your focus on your teacher and what they are feeling or going through. It can be misleading, and the teacher may even start thinking that you are not serious. Use sentences like “I know I should not have talked in between the class.” instead of “I know you were getting disturbed because of my actions.” The latter option will definitely give the wrong impression.

4. Try not to justify your mistakes:

Making excuses is common when you are at fault, but it sure is not helpful. Let’s assume that you have been cheating in your exams, and now that you have been caught, you start justifying your actions by stating excuses like “I was not prepared for the exams, that’s why I asked for the answer.” or “I am not very good at this subject.” Your excuses will only end up pouring more fuel into the fire.

5. Don’t blame others:

When you make a mistake, you definitely try to throw it at someone else. It is like making another excuse, but here, it feels more like you are trying to protect yourself and completely deny your fault. If you have gotten yourself into a fight with your classmate and disrupted the whole class’ environment, both of you are at equal fault. You cannot just go on and say, “he/she was the one who started it.” Instead, realize what you have done and accept your mistake. If you don’t do that, then what’ll be the point of an apology letter?

6. Don’t accuse your teacher:

Blaming someone else will leave a bad impression but blaming the teacher will make the situation worse. It’s the same as the previous point, but you will actually be accusing the person you should be apologizing to here. Let’s say that a situation came up where you ended up talking with your teacher in a vulgar manner. While writing the apology letter, don’t end up saying, “because you were the one who said/asked that.” Or something like, “I am sorry if you felt like I was disrespectful.” In both situations, you are trying to blame them or maybe even make them feel guilty. Instead, be more sincere with your apology and say something like, “I am sorry I disrespect you in the class. Please forgive me.”

7. Learn from your mistakes:

While telling them about your actions, let them know how it was a lesson. Every person learns from their mistakes, and if you let your teacher know about it briefly, they will definitely appreciate it. However, if you are having problems writing about your lesson, then try to tell them why what you did was wrong. It may help you figure out what you have learned. For example, you can say, “When I talked to in such a loud voice, I realized I was insulting. I will try to be more polite from now on.”

8. Let them know that you will do better in the future:

Your teacher wants nothing but a bright future for you. And they will always help you to build a better future for yourself. But telling them how you also want to shape your future by learning from your past mistakes is also very important. You can tell them how to plan to do better in the future. For example, let’s say you were talking in the middle of the class. Think about how you could have utilized that time and prepared a few notes in the class, which could have later helped you in the lesson. In another case, you might have pushed your teacher and now feel guilty about your actions. Here you can say, “I sincerely apologize for my rude actions. It was very inconsiderate of me. Instead of getting angry, I could have tried to calm myself down a little.”

9. Make a promise and own up to it :

When you apologize and promise your teacher that you will never repeat your mistakes, you need to make sure that you keep your word. Making a halfhearted promise will not only break your resolve but also destroy your teacher’s restored faith in you. It’s tempting to say something that the other person wants to hear, but you are as good as a liar if you don’t keep your words. You don’t have to promise something which can definitely happen again. For example, you doze off in class. Don’t say that you will never fall asleep again. Instead, promise your teacher that you will sleep early and form your sleeping schedule properly. These promises are completely doable. There are several situations in which you must write an apology letter to your teacher. Don’t think that you can get away with your actions because it will definitely affect your future. So, here are a few examples of apology letters you can take help from:

APOLOGY LETTER FORMAT (A GENERAL EXAMPLE):

Dear (Mr./Ms./Mrs. full name) ,

I am sorry for what I did/said the other day to you. Such an outburst was unnecessary from my side, and I realize how much disrespectful I was towards you and the school.

My actions have brought shame to the school, and I genuinely want to own up to my mistakes. I have learned my lesson, and I wish to become a better person in the future. I will not repeat the same actions and promise to keep myself in check. Please forgive me.

Sincerely ,

(your name)

APOLOGY LETTER TO YOUR TEACHER FOR MISBEHAVING:

These types of apology letters are generally addressed to your teacher or principal. In case you have done something wrong such as gotten into a fight or maybe have disrespectfully talked to your teacher, you can apologize to them for your misbehavior.

I am writing this letter to you with great regret and guilt. I know how much you care for all of us, and instead of being grateful, I replied to you with my rude words. You are such a great teacher who has always been supportive, and I genuinely appreciate you. But I know how much my misbehavior has caused a nuisance and has disturbed our class’s decorum.

I have no excuses, and I genuinely feel guilty for my actions. I am really sorry for my actions. It was wrong of me to (explain the behavior and incident). Please forgive me.

This mistake made me realize how much I still need to improve . And I promise I will work on myself. I want to become a better person, and I genuinely don’t wish to let you down again. Please accept my apology.

APOLOGY LETTER FOR NOT ATTENDING YOUR CLASSES:

These apology letters are written by students who are unable or even deliberately miss their classes. If you have been caught and want to apologize to your teacher, then here is how you can write an apology letter:

Respected (Mr./Ms./Mrs. full name) ,

I am writing this letter to tell you how much I feel sorry for missing your class/classes. I know that by not being responsible and sincere, I am only hampering my future. I know you want the best for me, and I have no excuses to defend myself. I am genuinely sorry for not taking your lectures seriously.

I promise that from now on, I will be punctual and more attentive in class. I, too, want to perform well in my papers, and I will give my best. I will try to cover all the topics properly and prepare my notes to keep up with the class.

APOLOGY LETTER BY A STUDENT’S PARENTS TO THE TEACHER :

In many cases, the situation may go out of control, and receiving only a letter from the student may not help them out. In such a circumstance, parents step in to apologize for their kid’s actions.

I am writing this letter on behalf of my son/daughter for their misbehavior in school. I genuinely apologize for his/her behavior. I am well aware that their actions are completely against school rules, and it was a let down for the whole class.

I acknowledge the efforts that you are making, and I am really grateful that my son/daughter has such a great teacher in his/her life. I know you have always been supporting him/her, and I really appreciate your assistance.

(name)’s mother and I sat down and talked with (name) over this matter, and he/she clearly told us how much he/she is guilty of their actions. He/she wants to improve and wants another chance from you. I hope you will be able to forgive him/her. We also promise to do our part as his/her parents and make sure that he/she keeps good behavior at school.

Kindly accept my apology on the behalf of my son/daughter. I hope the relationship between the school and me will continue towards achieving greatness.

(name of parent)

APOLOGY LETTER FOR CHEATING :

These letters are written by students who are caught cheating in their exams. In case you have been caught in a situation like this, try to owe up to your mistakes and promise to do better in the future. Here is an example:

I am writing this letter to you regarding my shameful act in the recent examination. I am well aware of the school rules, and I have no excuses to defend myself. It is completely my fault that I did not prepare for the exams and decided to cheat in the examination hall.

This ordeal has been very stressful, and I have learned from my actions. I am genuinely sorry for what I have done and humbly request you to lighten my punishment. I promise never to commit such a mistake in my life and give my best in my studies. I will work hard and score good marks on my own. Please forgive me.

So, here you go. Take some help from the given format and examples and write a proper apology letter to your teacher if you have hurt or disrespected them. Because you know, you should.

Also read: How to Say Sorry Without Saying Sorry?

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Apology Letter Template To Teacher/Principal – Sample & Example

Writing an apology letter to Teacher/Principal  is a crucial part of every individual’s student life. The reason for writing a letter of apology to teacher can be for multiple reasons. The aim of writing a letter to the teacher or principal means that you are apologizing sincerely for a mistake and won’t be repeating a similar incident in future.

How to write an apology letter to your teacher

Here are some of the most common tips to keep in mind while writing an apology letter to a teacher,

• Sincerity- The first and foremost solution on being asked how to write an apology letter to a professor or teacher would be to showcase sincerity in your letter.
• Assurance- While drafting an apology letter to teacher for cheating or misbehaving or causing any kind of nuisance, make sure to assure the teacher that it won’t happen again.
• Respect- Make sure to mention that you respect your teacher and your studies.
• Reference material- If you are writing a letter of apology to teacher for absence or missing a class, ensure to provide prescriptions or reports for the teacher to refer. 

Apology Letter to Principal/Professor

From, Anajli Singhal 29 Mill Lane Cockeysville, MD 21030 [email protected]

Date – 10/02/1988

To, Aditi Sharma Prof.  (Advanced Maths) Institute of Advanced Maths, United [email protected]

Dear Sir/Mam,

I am the student of (Your class) for the (Subject name) (Your section). I couldn’t attend your previous class and would like to apologize to you for my absence in the same. You were going to discuss some really important topics and give provide us notes, which I couldn’t be available to access. Due to (cause) my uncle was immediately admitted to the hospital. All the family members especially my cousins were extremely worried and we decided that it would be best to be with the family at such a crucial time. 

Owing to the situation we were in as a family, it wasn’t possible to attend classes for me. I hope you understand my reason for absence and forgive me for the same.  I will commence attending the classes regularly from today.

(Anajli Singhal)

Apology Letter to Teacher for Misbehavior

From, Ajay Singh 7935 NW. 10th St. Halethorpe, MD 21227 [email protected]

Date – 10/02/1990

To, Anjani Sharma Assistant Prof.  (Advanced Maths) Institute of Advanced Maths, USA [email protected]

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I am writing this letter with deepest regrets; I am extremely sorry for being rude to you during your class. My behavior was definitely very disappointing as you have only always done what is right for us students. Misbehaving with you when I was at fault for not paying attention and causing a ruckus deserves you asking me to leave the classroom. My back answers and attitude might have offended you a lot but I promise to behave well from now onwards. Please accept my apology as I assure you that this kind of behavior will not be repeated. 

Yours faithfully,

(Ajay Singh)

Apology Letter to Teacher for Absence

From, Anand Singh 41 South Court Herndon, VA 20170 [email protected]

Date – 10/01/1990

To, Anjali Shukla Assistant Prof.  (Advanced Biology) Institute of Advanced Biology, USA [email protected]

I (Your name), am a student of (your class), (section). I am writing this letter to apologize for my absence for a period of 5 days from school which also led to my absence for the (your subject) test. Due to the viral flu, I was advised by the doctor to stay at home and rest. 

Coming to school could have led to my flu spreading to others surrounding me as well caused severe discomfort to my health. Thus, the only way to handle this situation was by being absent for the few days. I have already taken notes from my friends and will be up to date when I commence the classes. Attached along with this letter are my medical reports and prescriptions for your reference. Hope you allow me to appear for the test as you had said before that these marks are really important for every student.

Looking forward to your humble response.

Yours obediently,

(Anand Singh)

Apology Letter to Teacher for Not Doing Homework

From, Anand Sharma 343 Leatherwood Street Endicott, NY 13760 [email protected]

Date – 11/01/1990

To, Anjali Sharma Assistant Prof.  (Advanced Chemistry) Institute of Advanced Chemistry, USA [email protected]

Subject: -------

Dear Mam/Sir,

I am writing this letter with most sincere feelings to apologize for not doing my (your subject name/topic name) homework. The day you assigned the homework was the day my grandma was flying down/coming to visit me. Since, I hadn’t seen and met her for quite some time, my excitement knew no bounds. Amidst this I forgot about everything else and could only think of spending as much time with her as possible. You are well aware that I have never skipped my homework or lessons in the past and take my studies seriously. I assure you that this won’t happen again and my pending homework will be completed by tomorrow. 

Genuinely apologizing once again, hoping for your forgiveness.

Yours sincerely,

(Anand Sharma)

Apology Letter to Professor/Teacher for Cheating

From, Vicky Sharma 343 Leatherwood Street Endicott, NY 13760 [email protected]

To, vivek Assistant Teacher (Advanced Physics) Institute of Advanced Physics, Columbia [email protected]

I am writing this letter with disappointment, regrets and shame. I want to sincerely apologize for cheating on the test you conducted last week (date & time). My intention to cheat wasn’t preplanned or something I am proud of; this was a one-time thing that I promise to never repeat again no matter what are the circumstances. Due to some issues at home, I couldn’t muster up the energy to study, though I did try very hard but failed to memorize anything. As a last resort, I thought of cheating and now I realize how grave mistake it was.

I am extremely ashamed of my actions and ask for forgiveness for the same. I hope you will keep my past records in mind while taking any action as I hold you in very high regards. 

(Vicky Sharma)

Apology Letter to Professor for Missing Class

From, Romi Singh 78 Leatherwood Ave. Ottawa, IL 61350 [email protected]

Date – 12/01/1990

To, Vicky Teacher (Advanced Physics) Institute of Physics, Columbia [email protected]

I am writing this letter to apologize for my absence in (your class) on (date and time). The day prior to my absence you had mentioned that attending the class on the consecutive day is necessary as you were going to discuss about the yearly project as well as were going to divide groups for the same. Since the beginning of the day, I was feeling uneasy, in the second class I vomited and that is when the (name of the teacher) suggested I take a leave and go home. The school nurse said that I had a stomach infection and resting would help. I also went to the doctor later and have attached my prescriptions for your reference.

I hope you would understand my situation and assign me a group in the next class. Once again sorry for causing you added trouble.

(Romi Singh)

Apology Letter to Teacher for Talking in Class

From, Amit Misra 305 Euclid Dr. Fairfield, CT 06824 [email protected]

Date – 12/01/1991

To, Anjali Teacher (Physics) School of Physics, Meghan [email protected]

I am writing this letter to express my apology for my extremely uncivilized behavior in class. I am sorry for talking and ruining the decorum of the class while you were teaching us about an important topic. 

My intention wasn’t to disrupt the tranquility of the class. I got engaged in a conversation without realizing that the class was still going on. I have understood that my actions were very rude and improper and thus would like to sincerely apologize for the same. I promise you to never repeat this behavior again. Please accept my genuine apology.

(Amit Misra) 

Apology Letter to Professor for Late Submission

From, Ananya Singh 98 Young Dr. Rosemount, MN 55068 [email protected]

Date – 12/1/1993

To, Anni Singh Teacher (Physics) School of Physics, Malaysia [email protected]

I am writing this letter to apologize for the delay in submission of my (name of subject) project. My sister gave birth to a baby girl on (date and time), since I live closest to her house, I was responsible for taking care of any formalities and other extra work. 

I realize that I should have divided my time appropriately and ensured to submit on my time but the circumstances were not in my favor. I hope you understand that my reason for the delay is genuine and my apology sincere. The attached folder consists my assignment that I have worked really hard on and will continue to work hard on my studies and future assignments irrespective of any situation. 

Please accept my assignment as well as my heartfelt apology.

(Ananya Singh)

Apology Letter to Teacher from Parent

From, Amit Singh 233 Race Road Adrian, MI 49221 [email protected]

Date – 12/11/1993

To, Amit Sharma Teacher (Bio) School of Biology, Indiana [email protected]

This letter is to inform you that my son (your name), of (your class) will be unable to attend school for (number of days, from and to date). He is suffering from pneumonia and has been admitted to hospital for the same. The doctor has advised him to rest after getting discharged thus the higher number of leaves. 

His class work and notes will be up to date once he commences class.  Also, attaching his reports from the doctor for your reference.

Thanking you.

(Parent’s signature)

(Amit Singh)

Apology Letter to Teacher for Misbehaving in Class

From, Shivam Singh Parent A-122, Dalas [email protected]

Date – 12/12/1992

To, Shiv Kumar Teacher (Maths) School of Business, Indiana [email protected]

I am writing this letter in regards to my unpleasant and rude behavior in (your class) on (date and time). Being a teacher is not an easy job, especially when you are sick. You weren’t feeling well, yet I kept on creating nuisance in the class. You were forced to shout at the top of your voice with a sore throat which has caused you a lot of discomfort. I would like to sincerely apologize as I didn’t intend on upsetting you and making you feel worse than you already were. I am very ashamed of my behavior and realize that saying sorry won’t change the past. I would like to promise to you that I wouldn’t showcase this type of misbehavior ever again. 

Please try to forgive me as only then will I be able to face you and overcome my guilt.

Shivam Singh

Apology Letter Template To Teacher/Principal in PDF and Word Format

Apology Letter Template To Teacher/Principal in PDF Format

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13+ Teacher Apology Letter & Email Sample Templates

Teacher Apology Letter & Email Teacher apology letters are written by a teacher to his or her students when he or she has done something that has offended them. It could be that the teacher lost his temper in class and shouted at the students, or maybe he gave them a low grade when they deserved a higher one. Regardless of the reason, a teacher apology letter is a way to show your students that you are truly sorry for what you did and that you value their forgiveness. When writing a teacher apology letter, it is important to be sincere, honest, and contrite.

The last thing you want to do is to make excuses for your behavior or try to shift the blame onto someone else. Simply take responsibility for your actions and express your regret in a genuine and heartfelt way. Teacher apology letters can be handwritten or typed, but either way, they should be well-crafted and free of spelling and grammatical errors.

Make sure to sign the letter before giving it to your students, and be prepared to apologize in person as well. Teacher Apology Email If you have offended your students in some way and need to apologize to them via email, follow these same guidelines. Keep your email brief but sincere, and avoid making any excuses for your behavior.

What is a Teacher Apology Letter?

Teacher Apology Letter is defined as a written or oral expression of regret for something that has caused offense or hurt to another person. It is usually addressed to a person who has been wronged in some way. A Teacher Apology Letter might be appropriate if a teacher has said or done something that has caused offense or hurt to a student, parent, or colleague. It might also be appropriate if a teacher feels they have not been fair or consistent in their treatment of students.

A Teacher Apology Letter should:

• Avoid making excuses
• Focus on the future
• Offer to make amends
• Conclude with a positive statement

Although a Teacher Apology Letter can never undo the harm that has been caused, it can help to repair the relationship between the teachers and the person who has been wronged. It can also help to prevent further damage from occurring.

Teacher Apology Letter & email format

The email format for sending a letter is simple and includes just five essential parts:

• Subject line ( How to write a good email subject line That Opened 10x )
• Opening line and body

Teacher Apology Letter & email Templates & Samples

Template 1:

Template 2:

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Best apology letter to teacher for misbehavior

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Template 4:

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Sorry letter to teacher

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Apology letter to teacher for not doing homework

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Template 8:

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Apology letter to teacher for not attending online classes

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Apology letter to teacher from parents

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Letter Template 12:

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Teacher Apology Letter & email subject lines

Teacher Apology Letters are a great way to show your sincerity and regret for any actions that may have caused harm or offense. Although it can be difficult to admit when we’re wrong, taking responsibility is an important part of being an upstanding member of the community. Teacher Apology Letters can help to mend relationships and build bridges between students and educators.

When drafting a Teacher Apology Letters, it’s important to be clear, concise, and honest. The goal is to take responsibility for your actions and to make things right. Teacher Apology Letters can be sent by email, but they should always include a physical copy as well. This way, the recipient can keep the letter as a reminder of your apology.

Teacher apology letters can be very useful. If you are a teacher and you made a mistake, it is important to apologize to your students. By writing a letter or email, you can show your students that you are truly sorry for what you did. Here are 10 Teacher Apology Letters & email subject lines that you can use:

1) I’m Sorry for What I Did 2) I’m Sorry for My Behavior 3) I’m Sorry for yelling at you 4) I’m Sorry for not grades fairly 5) I’m Sorry for being late to class 6) I’m Sorry for not returning your call 7)I’m sorry for missing your game 8 )I’m sorry for what I said in the staff meeting 9)I’m sorry for calling you by the wrong name 10)I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you said you were sick.

Related: 131 Subject line for an apology email that opened

How to Start & End a Teacher Apology Letter & email

A Teacher Apology Letter & Email can help to prevent soil erosion. Grassroots help to hold the soil in place, and the dense network of blades helps to deflect wind and water. In addition, lawns help to slow down the flow of rainwater, giving the ground a chance to absorb the water before it runs off. As a result, a well-tended lawn can play an essential role in preventing soil erosion.

Teacher Apology Letters & Emails also help to keep families informed about school activities and events. By keeping families updated, Also help to create a sense of community and involvement. In addition, it help to build relationships between teachers and families. By taking the time to write an Apology Letter & Email, teachers can show that they value their relationships with families.

We hope you found the apology letter and email templates helpful. If you have any questions or need help crafting your own apology, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We provide expert advice and support for teachers every day, and we would be happy to help you get back on track with your students. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you can stay up-to-date on all of our latest resources!

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About the author

• How to Apologize >
• How to Write An Apology Letter >
• Apology Letter to Teacher

Apology Letter To Teacher / Professor

Writing an apology letter to a teacher or professor is quite common. Since students spend the majority of time at school, it's inevitable that at some point issues will arise.

The most frequent infractions in a school environment that warrant an apology from parents and students include: misbehavior (behavior in general), absence from class, poor performance, cheating or plagiarism, being late, or talking in class.

Obviously, some infractions are more serious than others. For example cheating and plagiarism are certainly more consequential than misbehavior or being absent from class. Nevertheless, both could have serious implications on a student's success.

Regardless of the seriousness of the infraction, learning how to write an apology letter to a teacher and then taking the time to craft a sincere apology letter is an important first step on the road to making things right again.

How To Apologize to A Teacher

Although a verbal apology may be sufficient, an apology letter is always better. It conveys a level of respect towards the teacher and acknowledges the gravity of the matter at hand.

Given that, it's the seriousness of the infraction that will determine the length of the letter.

In other words, a shorter letter is fine for things like late work and missing class, presuming these weren't significant issues. However a longer letter is warranted for plagiarism, misbehaving, or missing major deadlines.

Sample Apology Letter to a Teacher From A Student

This first sample apology letter is from a student to a teacher and can be easily tailored to your own situation. The column labeled 'Notes' will help guide you through the process.

Sample Apology Letter to Teacher

Sample apology letter to a teacher from a parent.

This second sample apology letter is based on a letter from a parent to a headmaster. They titled it Sorry For Our Child's Behavior and posted the letter to our site. It's a great example of letter of apology to a teacher or principal and can be easily tailored to any situation by a parent or guardian.

As a parent, you want to acknowledge your child's unacceptable words or actions while still showing faith in their ability to behave differently and do well by the school in the future.

As before, we provide notes to help guide you.

Apology Letter to Teacher from Parent

Tailoring your own letter of apology to a teacher.

By breaking down both the student's and parent's sample letters and providing notes alongside each section, you can see how easily it can modified to any situation where an apology letter to a teacher or professor is needed.

Use the 'Notes' to guide you while writing your own letter and replace the specifics with your own situation

The order of the statements is not important. What is important is that the teacher understands that you sincerely regret what happened, are taking responsibility for your own, or your child's behavior and apologized. And finally, that you are determined that it will not happen again.

Next step to consider: Your apology letter format . It plays a role in how effective a letter can be and how open the recipient will be to accepting your apology.

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How to write an apology letter for a professor?

A couple of months ago, I defended my Master's thesis and got graduated. One of the referees, a professor of mine with a history of verbal contentions between us, did me an overt injustice and despite all my efforts, attacked me with her unfair judgement. I got angry and sent her an e-mail the other day, one could say explicitly offensive and disrespectful, implying her lack of knowledge and her biased criticisms. I also commented on her wasting too much time in social networks, rather than doing academic research.

I may have gone too far obviously for I heard she burst into tears after reading the e-mail, and has notified almost all other professors about it. As a professor, do you still believe I have a chance to apologize the lady and ask for her forgiveness? If in her shoes, would you expect an apology e-mail or you'd prefer no more words from the arrogant student? If yes, what would you prefer to hear in the regret letter? And do you evaluate my reaction as provocative?

• communication

• 5 do you evaluate my reaction as provocative -- hard to say no, given that everything we know about it is your description which says implying her lack of knowledge and her biased criticisms. I also commented on her wasting too much time in social networks, rather than doing academic research. –  Federico Poloni Jun 16, 2018 at 14:02
• 3 Strongly related question: How should I phrase an important question that I need to ask a professor? –  Nobody Jun 16, 2018 at 14:47
• 7 I am not a full professor yet. But I have met many. In my opinion the best you can do is to leave this matter alone. This person mistreated you and got a normal response. The fact that she is spreading it around means she is now keen at killing your career in retaliation, which is also the typical professoral response. This person now wants you to pay. Apologising will communicate you are desperate which will further stimulate her actions. If your objective is to make it stop, don't make it like it can really affect you. Soon the professor will realise self-inflicted damage of spreading this. –  Scientist Jun 16, 2018 at 16:32
• 10 Yes, it is truly awful that that professor is seeking moral support from her colleagues (and probable friends) after someone sent her an email so offensive and degrading that it made her cry. Do you think before you write, @Scientist? The "normal response" to being mistreated is not to attack back. Two wrongs have never made a right. –  user9646 Jun 16, 2018 at 19:10
• 5 @Scientist Professors are human, too. They do have emotions. While a well-experienced professor is probably used to a lot, especially young/inexperienced professors can be emotionally vulnerable to attacks. Frankly, a student that accuses a professor of not knowing their stuff better be brilliant. And really, commenting on other people's social media usage is never appropriate unless one is their parent or spouse, direct tutor or really good friend. That being said, a sincere and unconditional apology can work wonders (no "if it had been offensive"-apology!). –  Captain Emacs Jun 17, 2018 at 4:55

2 Answers 2

one could say ... implying ... I also commented on... I may have gone too far ... do you evaluate my reaction as provocative?...

Perhaps you're being a bit lenient on yourself?

I think the only right thing to do is to apologize, in person, and own your awful (truly awful!) behavior. You didn't perhaps offend and disrespect her, you absolutely offended and disrespected her. In my opinion, you were completely out of line (and unprofessional to boot.) Regardless of the opinion of others (including my own), I think you need to deal head on with this problem you have of lashing out at others for (real or perceived) slights. Part of dealing with a problem behavior is dealing with the consequences.

People are more likely to forgive an offense if the offender has actually apologized and asked for forgiveness. Though she may continue to harbor some residual ill-will towards you (and deservedly so), it will show the community to whom she belongs that you at least tried to do the civilized thing after exhibiting such poor judgement. Also, it will likely stop her from continuing to bad-mouth you if you have apologized appropriately. It doesn't sound good to the listener if she complains bitterly about you, then ends with, "...and then he apologized appropriately."

Don't send a letter or an email. Have the courage to do it in person, and to allow her the opportunity to tell you what you probably need to hear. It might also help you to read about real apologies lest you continue in the vein which started this.

However, if you want her continued ill-will and bad-mouthing to follow you around the start of your career (it may or may not hurt you, you never know), do nothing, or better yet, continue to ignore the better angels of your nature, and tell people she had it coming to her.

• I guess that's the only right thing to do. Thanks for letting me know how terribly I've misbehaved. –  ye9ane Jun 17, 2018 at 4:30
• 7 Hey, guess what? She responded and her kind words just made me blush to the roots of my hair. I had no idea she was such a nice and reasonable person. I might have misjudged her way out of proportion and am not sure if I can ever find the courage to confront her and look into her eyes again. Boy I'm a terrible judge! –  ye9ane Jun 17, 2018 at 13:40
• @ye9ane Good to hear! Did she finally apologize for attacking you before? (I understand it happened several times.) –  Scientist Jun 17, 2018 at 17:52
• 2 I had made a big deal out of it tbh. I thought the lady was intended to degrade my research efforts and bring me into disrepute in front of everyone. But I was simply being paranoid and delusional. I didn't deserve an apology of course, but to my surprise she didn't hold the slightest grudge against my words, and even asked me to begin a mutual collaboration with her. She's a kind lady really. It was all my fault. –  ye9ane Jun 17, 2018 at 19:43
• @ye9ane - Wow! "...but to my surprise she didn't hold the slightest grudge against my words... kind lady..." That's wonderful to hear! So happy for you that it worked out well. –  anongoodnurse Jun 17, 2018 at 22:54

OK, let's take this apart:

" One of the referees, a professor of mine with a history of verbal contentions between us, did me an overt injustice and despite all my efforts, attacked me with her unfair judgement. " You may be short in your description, but she's a professor and so presumably knows her field. Have you had a moment of introspection in which you have considered that, just possibly, she may have been right? I mean, it's an exam and it's her job to find out how much you know. I have been to my fair share of exams in which the student simply did not know very much. On the face of it, the questions the students then tend to get from professors may sound harsh and are occasionally blunt ("I would have really liked it if you had known the answer to this -- it's second year undergraduate material"), but they're not factually wrong and certainly not "overt injustice" or "unfair judgment".

" I got angry and sent her an e-mail the other day, one could say explicitly offensive and disrespectful, implying her lack of knowledge and her biased criticisms. " So you're saying that she's a professor but does not know very much, and on top of that is biased. Any reasonable outside observer would certainly say that (i) you're out of line here, (ii) that you're offensive, (iii) that you're almost certainly wrong.

" I also commented on her wasting too much time in social networks, rather than doing academic research. " So you're saying here that she's not only unqualified (see above) but also not doing her job. If she's a professor, you're probably wrong on this -- first, how would you even evaluate how much she is or should be working; second, she may spend the occasional minute on social media (heck, I'm doing that too right now!), but she may be making up for it by working late at night or on weekends (of look, I'm doing that too!); and third, this is most definitely not your business.

" I heard she burst into tears after reading the e-mail, and has notified almost all other professors about it ." So someone was completely and unnecessarily awful to her and she went to her peers and friends to talk about this.

" A couple of months ago, I defended my Master's thesis [...] I got angry and sent her an e-mail the other day ." So you've been harboring a grudge for several weeks and finally lost your temper?

As others have pointed out in comments, this question may as well have been asked in the Interpersonal Skills forum, but since you're already here: Can you see how completely inappropriate your original email was? If you can't, then you definitely have a blind spot in your interactions with other people that you need to work on.

Now, about what to do: I suspect that there is really not all that much you can do, and there is really nobody other than yourself you can blame for this. But if you want to try: Be an upright person, take responsibility for having made a mistake, and go apologize in person and with sincere contriteness and regret. The last half-sentence is important.

• 1 I've not been holding a grudge against her for several weeks, actually the opposite, I was filled with a constant feeling of guilt, for I sent her the e-mail right after the defense day. But I thought it's OK to blame the teacher on her poor judgment, or otherwise they'll never doubt the rightfulness of their decisions, which is by the way, full of flaws. I still believe she did me injustice, on purpose, to dispraise my efforts and discourage me. But I sent her an apology e-mail anyways, letting her think that I take all the blame. –  ye9ane Jun 17, 2018 at 4:56
• 4 @ye9ane - I sincerely wish you could read your own words with clear eyes. There is so much blame of others (was her judgement truly poor? Have others on the committee/your advisor acknowledged that you were wronged by this person?), and so little acknowledgement of your own flaws, though your question obviously contains some awareness of your behavior however reserved it may be. Read the above answer again. It's helpful and kinder than mine was. Congrats on getting your masters. Now go be a mencsh ! You'll be happier for it. –  anongoodnurse Jun 17, 2018 at 6:27
• @ye9ane For the record here, I do not support your attitude of being openly rude to others, be it over email or what. As you have seen, you've given a weapon to an abuser of which this person made immediate use. The guilt from reacting against open abuse is another tool which is typically exploited by the abuser. "I still believe she did me injustice, on purpose, to dispraise my efforts and discourage me." -- And I believe she will do it again. As I believe your apologies email will not circulate around, to which a sweet reply may have been written in sarcasm. Let us hope we're both wrong... –  Scientist Jun 17, 2018 at 18:06
• 1 @Scientist - "...you've given a weapon to an abuser..." Is planting seeds of (your) suspicion/doubt/paranoia something you think will help the OP professionally? Assuming that people are in general a decent lot is often the right course. –  anongoodnurse Jun 17, 2018 at 22:58
• @anongoodnurse Recognising moral harassment can be useful to anyone. –  Scientist Jun 18, 2018 at 14:33

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Apologizing Sincerely and Effectively

Apologizing can be intimidating, but it is the first step to rebuilding trust

Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.

Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

• Recognize Reasons

Take Responsibility

Express regret, make amends, reaffirm boundaries.

• Manage Expectations
• Let Go of Results

Choose Your Method

Relationships can be wonderful buffers against stress, but relationship conflicts can also cause considerable emotional pain and stress. Knowing how to apologize—and when—can repair damage in a relationship, but if you don't know how to apologize sincerely, you can actually make things worse.

A sincere and effective apology is one that communicates genuine empathy, remorse, and regret as well as a promise to learn from your mistakes. In other words, you need to really believe you did something wrong and feel sorry for the hurt you caused. Here are some easy steps to help you learn how to apologize sincerely and effectively.

Recognize the Reasons to Apologize

When you've made a mistake or hurt another person, there are many good reasons to apologize. By apologizing, you are able to:

• Acknowledge that you were wrong
• Discuss what is allowed and not allowed in your relationship
• Express your regret and remorse
• Learn from your mistakes and find new ways of dealing with difficult situations
• Open up a line of communication with the other person

A sincere apology can also bring relief, particularly if you have guilt over your actions. An apology alone doesn't erase the hurt or make it OK, but it does establish that you know your actions or words were wrong and that you will strive harder in the future to prevent it from happening again.

Not apologizing when you are wrong can be damaging to your personal and professional relationships. It can also lead to rumination, anger, resentment, and hostility that may only grow over time.

Research suggests that some of the major reasons why people don't apologize are that they aren't really concerned about the other person, apologizing threatens their own self-image, or they believe that an apology won't do any good anyway.

Know When to Apologize

Knowing when to apologize is as important as knowing how to apologize. Generally speaking, if you suspect that something you did—on purpose or by accident—caused someone else hard feelings, it's a good idea to apologize and clear the air.

If what you did would have bothered you if it was done to you, an apology is in order. If you're not sure, an apology not only offers you the chance to "own" mistakes you made, but re-establish what you think was OK. If you feel the other person is being unreasonable, a discussion may be in order. You can decide where you stand on the apology after that.

While a sincere apology can go a long way toward mending a relationship, people are often unwilling or unable to take this step. Admitting you were wrong can be difficult and humbling.

Researchers have found that people who believe that personality is changeable are more likely to apologize for harmful actions. Because they feel that change is possible, they feel that accepting the blame for their mistakes is an opportunity for learning and growth.

Taking responsibility means acknowledging mistakes you made that hurt the other person, and it's one of the most important and neglected ingredients of most apologies, especially those in the media.

Saying something vague like, "I’m sorry if you were offended by something I said," implies that the hurt feelings were a random reaction on the part of the other person. Saying, "When I said [the hurtful thing], I wasn’t thinking. I realize I hurt your feelings, and I’m sorry," acknowledges that you know what it was you said that hurt the other person, and you take responsibility for it.

Don't make assumptions and don't try to shift the blame. Make it clear that you regret your actions and that you are sincerely sorry.

When learning how to apologize effectively, it’s important to understand the value of expressing regret. Taking responsibility is important, but it’s also helpful for the other person to know that you feel bad about hurting them, and wish you hadn’t. That’s it. They already feel bad, and they’d like to know that you feel bad about them feeling bad.

What to Say When You Want to Apologize

• "I wish I could take it back."
• "I wish I had been more thoughtful."
• "I wish I’d thought of your feelings as well."

These are all expressions of regret that add to the sincerity of your apology and let the other person know you care.

If there’s anything you can do to amend the situation, do it. It’s important to know how to apologize with sincerity, and part of that sincerity is a willingness to act.

What to Say When You Make Amends

• If you broke something: "How can I replace it?"
• If you said something hurtful: "I know my words hurt you. I should have never spoken that way to someone I love and respect. I'll do my best to think before I speak in the future."
• If you broke trust: "Is there anything I can do right now to help build your trust?"

Whatever you can do to make things better, do it. If you’re not sure what would help, ask the other person.

One of the most important parts of an apology and one of the best reasons to apologize is to reaffirm boundaries. Healthy boundaries are important in any relationship. 

When you come into conflict with someone, often a boundary is crossed. If a social rule is violated or trust is broken, an apology helps to affirm what kind of future behavior is preferred.

Discussing what type of rules you both will adhere to in the future will rebuild trust, boundaries , and positive feelings. It provides a natural segue out of the conflict and into a happier future in the relationship.

For example, you and your partner, friend, or family member can discuss things you won't tolerate, including:

• Gaslighting

In addition, you can work together to set expectations about how you should treat each other emotionally, physically, and sexually. If you're having trouble agreeing on these boundaries, you and your loved one may benefit from seeing a family therapist or couples counselor.

Own Up to Your Part, Not Theirs

Remember that when you apologize, you're taking responsibility for your part of the conflict. That doesn't mean that you're admitting that the entire conflict was your fault. People are often afraid to apologize first because they think whoever apologizes first is "more wrong" or the "loser" of the conflict.

Giving an apology even when only a small part of the conflict was your responsibility is OK and often healthy. It allows you to establish what you regret about your own actions but confirms your own boundaries as well.

It's important to be fair in your apology, both to the other person and to yourself. Don't accept all the blame if it isn't all your fault.

Apologize for the Right Reasons 

When you apologize for just what you did, you can more easily move forward and put the conflict behind you, regardless of the other person's actions. When we apologize, we're able to more easily maintain our integrity and forgive ourselves.

The other person may be moved to apologize for their actions as well. While getting an apology is often nice, it's important to remember that this doesn't always happen. Trying to evoke an apology from the other person is a manipulative tactic that sometimes backfires.

Apologize for your own peace of mind and the other person may be inspired to do the same. But be sure not to apologize just because you expect an apology in return.

Let Go of Results...to an Extent

Although apologizing can be a way to maintain integrity and move on from actions we're not proud of, most of us also want to repair the relationship and be forgiven. Sometimes this doesn't happen.

If the apology was sincere and included the necessary ingredients, your chances of forgiveness are greater, but sometimes the other person just isn't ready or able to forgive and move on. Or they may forgive you but remain guarded. Or they may not realize their own role in the conflict . You can't control their response, and if you've done everything you can, let it go for now.

Press Play for Advice On Making an Apology

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares ways to apologize effectively and sincerely.

Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

Verbal apologies are appropriate under most circumstances, but making amends in writing can also have its benefits. Many people experience discomfort with a face-to-face apology, and while this discomfort alone isn't a good reason for a written apology, it can be a factor—especially if your discomfort affects your ability to express yourself.

Writing out your apology in a letter, email, or even text can give you the time to thoughtfully craft your apology, making sure to accept responsibility, express remorse, and reaffirm boundaries.

On the other hand, written apologies may be too formal for some mistakes and not personal enough for others. And if the written apology isn't followed by a response, you may be left with an unresolved conflict.

Keep your apology simple and direct. If you overdo it, you'll make it about yourself instead of the person you wronged. This can create resentment and erode trust.

How to Know If Your Apology Was Accepted

In general, you'll be able to tell if your apology was accepted if the person took the following steps:

• Listened to your apology or acknowledged reading your apology
• Thanked you or showed appreciation for your apology
• Responded to your apology, saying "It's OK," or "Please don't ever do that again," or even, "Thanks; but I still need more time to think."

It's important to remind yourself that even if someone accepts your apology, it doesn't necessarily mean that they're ready to forgive you. True forgiveness may take some time, so stay calm and be patient.

A Word From Verywell

Genuine apologies aren't always easy, but that can be an important part of mending or maintaining important relationships. With empathy, an open heart, and a dose of courage, you can take the steps you need to make a sincere and honest apology.

Schumann K. The psychology of offering an apology: Understanding the barriers to apologizing and how to overcome them .  Curr Dir Psychol Sci . 2018;27(2):74-78. doi:10.1177/0963721417741709

Schumann K, Dweck CS. Who accepts responsibility for their transgressions? . Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2014;40(12):1598-1610. doi:10.1177/0146167214552789

By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.

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Simple Apology Letter to a Teacher (Free Sample) Use this sample apology letter to a teacher as a template for your formal apology letter. Last updated on September 25th, 2021

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How to Write an Apology Letter

Last Updated: September 1, 2023 References Approved

This article was co-authored by Tami Claytor . Tami Claytor is an Etiquette Coach, Image Consultant, and the Owner of Always Appropriate Image and Etiquette Consulting in New York, New York. With over 20 years of experience, Tami specializes in teaching etiquette classes to individuals, students, companies, and community organizations. Tami has spent decades studying cultures through her extensive travels across five continents and has created cultural diversity workshops to promote social justice and cross-cultural awareness. She holds a BA in Economics with a concentration in International Relations from Clark University. Tami studied at the Ophelia DeVore School of Charm and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned her Image Consultant Certification. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 53 testimonials and 83% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 2,024,479 times.

While apologizing in person often conveys more sincerity, there are times when a formal, written apology might be your only option or could otherwise be the preferred method. To write an apology letter, you'll need to address your error early in the letter, acknowledge the other party's hurt feelings, and accept full responsibility for your part in the matter. In many cases, you'll also need to offer a solution that will fix any underlying issues related to the original problem. If you want to make sure that your apology is effective and doesn't cause even more hurt, aim for both clarity and sincerity while you write.

Sample Apology Letters

Forming Your Apology

• Say something like: “I wanted to write you a letter to apologize for what i did”.

• Say something like: “What I did last weekend was horribly inappropriate, disrespectful, and wildly selfish . Your wedding is supposed to be all about your happiness and celebrating your love. By proposing to Jessica, I turned that focus on to me. I tried to steal your moment and that was wrong.” [3] X Research source

• Say something like: “Jacob told me that my actions ruined not only your experience of your wedding, but also are now making your honeymoon less than the incredible experience that it should be. I hope you understand that that was never my intention. I wanted you to be able to look back on this time and remember only happy things but I have ruined that with my selfish actions. I've robbed you of those happy memories. While I can't truly know how this feels to you, I can certainly understand that what I did was one of the worst things I could possibly have done to you.”

• Say something like: “This is an especially terrible thing for me to have done to you after how warmly you have accepted me into your family. You have not only shown your incredible, beautiful love to my brother, but you have also shown me support and kindness that I never could have possibly expected. To hurt you in this way was an insult to all the things that you have done for me and I hate myself for that.”

• Say something like: “I would try to offer an explanation for what I did, but there are no excuses. My intentions, though good, don't matter here: only my poor choices. I absolutely take responsibility for my selfish actions and the terrible pain I have caused you.”
• Don't make excuses for your actions but you can explain your reasoning very carefully. If you really feel like it's needed or would make the situation better, you can explain why you made the choice that you made. This should be done only if you think understanding your choices would give the person you hurt some comfort.

• Say something like: “But just being sorry isn't enough. You deserve better. When you come home, Jessica and I would love to throw a big welcome-home party in your honor. This will be the party to end all parties and it will be 100% devoted to celebrating the incredible love you share with my brother. If you would rather not do this, that's fine: I just want to find some way to help you create the incredible, happy memories that I took away from you. ”

• Say something like: “I can’t expect your forgiveness, though I certainly hope for it. All I can say is that I truly want things to be okay between us. I want you to feel okay and eventually even happy when you're around me. I want to earn back the wonderful relationship that we had. Hopefully, in the future, we can find a way to move past this and create happier times together.”

Apologizing Correctly

• "Mistakes were made..."
• "If" statements like "I'm sorry if your feelings got hurt " or "If you felt bad about this..."
• "I'm sorry that you felt that way."

Formatting Your Letter

• You'll also need to adjust the syntax of your letter to sound formal and better fit the situation.

Expert Q&A

Video . By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube.

• Simply say what you mean and mean what you say. Sincerity is key. If you make a promise, stick to it. Thanks Helpful 75 Not Helpful 13
• You may have to bury your pride when you apologize. Pride gets you nothing; good relations can often become priceless. Thanks Helpful 73 Not Helpful 13
• Make sure that your letter is not too short. Just two or three sentences will not do the trick here. Show the person that you put time and effort into this letter. Thanks Helpful 69 Not Helpful 21

• Don't add anything that makes the person feel bad. They will not take the letter to heart, and probably won't forgive you. Thanks Helpful 49 Not Helpful 12
• Remember that sorry doesn't magically fix everything. If the other person decides not to forgive you, move on and know that you tried. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 2

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://gallaudet.edu/student-success/tutorial-center/english-center/writing/how-to-write-letters/how-to-write-apologies/
• ↑ Tami Claytor. Etiquette Coach. Expert Interview. 16 February 2022.
• ↑ https://news.osu.edu/the-6-elements-of-an-effective-apology-according-to-science/
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/apology-letter/
• ↑ https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/making_an_effective_apology
• ↑ https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/write-apology-letter
• ↑ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/making_peace_through_apology
• ↑ https://www.plainlanguage.gov/resources/content-types/writing-effective-letters/
• ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-art-of-a-heartfelt-apology-2021041322366
• ↑ https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/honest-apologies-can-help-leaders-organizations-rebound/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/professional_technical_writing/basic_business_letters/index.html

About This Article

To write an apology letter, start by explaining right away that you're writing to apologize so the recipient isn't confused. Then, go on to explain what you're apologizing for and acknowledge that what you did was wrong. Let the person know that you understand how your actions have affected them, and accept responsibility for what happened. When you're writing your letter, avoid making excuses for what you did or your apology may not seem sincere. Finish your letter by offering to make things right in any way you can. If you want to learn more, like how to correct your actions with promises that you can keep, continue reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Letters in English

Letter Templates, Sample Letters, Letter Formats

Home » Letters » School » Apology Letter to Teacher for Not Doing Assignment – Sample Apology for Not Doing Assignment in School

Apology Letter to Teacher for Not Doing Assignment – Sample Apology for Not Doing Assignment in School

To, The Class Teacher, _________ (Name of the Teacher) _________ (Mention Class), _________ (Name of the School)

Date: __/__/____ (Date)

From, _________ (Name of the Student)

Subject: Apology for not submitting the assignment

Most humbly, I __________ (Name of the Student) a student of your class i.e. ________ (Class) having roll number __________ (Roll Number) write this to apologize for not submitting the assignment for _______ (mention subject).

The mentioned assignment was to be submitted by __/__/____ (date) and due to the reason _______ (mention reason), I failed to submit the mentioned assignment. I apologize for the same and expect your kind forgiveness.

Yours Sincerely, __________ (Name), __________ (Signature), __________ (Roll Number)

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• Sample letter to apologize for not giving assignment
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How to Write An Apology Letter: Tips, Guidelines, and Apology Letter Examples

Are you wondering how to write an apology letter? Maybe your professional relationship with a work colleague has gone sour, or maybe you spoke without thinking in a conversation with a friend or family member. If a simple “sorry” won’t cut it, you can show your sincere regret by expressing your apology in writing.

This article explains how to write an apology letter, including how to craft an effective introduction and conclusion. It also contains apology letters examples that can help you get started on your own.

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What Is an Apology Letter?

An apology letter is a written document or an email that acknowledges a mistake, expresses remorse, and asks the recipient for pardon or patience. It is a relatively formal letter, and it should assure the recipient that the mistake won’t happen again.

What Are the 4 Elements of an Apology Letter?

• Say you’re sorry. When writing a letter of apology, you should include a clear “I’m sorry” statement. Don’t beat around the bush or leave your recipient wondering why you’ve written. Give a direct apology.
• Acknowledge responsibility . In an apology letter, you must acknowledge your mistake. First, explain what occurred: the person you wronged needs to know that you understand what you said or did and why it was hurtful to them. Then take full responsibility for your actions and state that you know that what you did or said was wrong. This can make your apology stronger.
• Explain how you’ll make it better. Saying you’re sorry is a key step because it shows your regret and remorse. But taking proper action to make things right again is just as important. You need to explain what you’re going to do to fix the situation and ensure it doesn’t happen again in the future.
• Ask for forgiveness. One of the last moves in your apology letter is to ask for forgiveness. Remember, before you ask for forgiveness, you need to promise that the unwanted or bad behavior will not happen again.

How to Write an Apology Letter: Beginning and Ending

As in all types of writing, knowing how to begin and end an apology letter is paramount. Here’s some guidance on crafting two crucial parts of any apology letter: the introduction and the conclusion.

How to Begin an Apology Letter

The best way to start an apology letter is by saying you’re sorry. Get it out there right at the start. Saying you’re sorry and acknowledging that what you said or did was wrong are the first two steps in any apology.

How to End an Apology Letter

The best way to conclude an apology is to ask for forgiveness. When you do that, you’re giving the other person the option to accept the apology and restore your relationship. This also shows that you value the relationship and are committed to making it work. Two common closings in an apology letter are “sincerely” and “best regards.”

How to Write an Apology Letter: 5 More Useful Tips

Keep Your Word

Stay true to your word if you claim you won’t repeat your mistake. Be ready to back up your words with action and keep any promises you made. This will show people that your apologies are sincere.

Show Genuine Interest

You can show genuine interest in the other person by writing a sincere, genuine apology. By showing sincere regret and concern, you can mend fences with those you’ve wronged.

Don’t Excuse Yourself

When writing an apology, don’t make it about yourself. Don’t write about why you did what you did. Try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and ask yourself why they would feel the way they do. Definitely don’t justify your actions. This is a common mistake.

Don’t Focus on How You Feel

Similarly, when writing an apology letter, don’t focus on how you feel. You can seem self-centered and make a bad situation worse. A letter of apology should demonstrate your empathy for the other person.

Ask for Forgiveness

Asking for forgiveness is one of the best ways of showing genuine grief. By asking for forgiveness, you show vulnerability. A small amount of vulnerability can go a long way toward demonstrating that you mean what you say.

Apology Letter Examples to Help You Get Better at Apologizing

Apology letter examples can inspire you if you’re not sure where to start. There’s a wide range of different types of apology letters. For example, you may find yourself apologizing to a friend or family member or to upset customers in a customer service role. Your apology may also be handwritten, typed and printed, or sent as an email .

Apology Letter Example 1: Apology Letter to a Boss

Dear Mr. Moran:

I am writing to you to express my regret for my mistake. I emailed our client the wrong materials. I apologize, and I recognize the difficulties that my careless oversight must have caused the company.

I know that an apology cannot undo my error. However, I am writing this letter to express my regret for the mistake I made as a result of my negligence. I had no ill intent when I was carrying out my duties. Please accept my sincerest apologies and rest assured that I will exercise additional caution in the future.

Best regards,

Bruce Paige

Apology Letter Example 2:  Apology Email to a Colleague

I truly apologize for deleting the project files. I want to be clear that it was an accident and happened as a result of my carelessness, and I sincerely regret it.

I accept full responsibility for this event, which caused problems not only for the company but for you as well. I met with the manager and explained that this was my mistake, not yours.

You can be sure that I’ll be extremely careful in my future work. 

I look forward to working with you again.

How to Use Apology Letter Examples to Write Your Own 

By studying these apology letter examples and following their structure and approach, you can improve your apology writing. You’ll know how to write an effective apology letter on your own after a few tries. Remember to incorporate the tips and elements of apology letters discussed in this article.

If you need to improve your writing skills, you can also visit Purdue OWL , where you can find many writing tips. You can also get better at writing if you start writing every day .

Everyone has moments of poor judgment. Letters of apology can mend fences with coworkers, upset customers, friends, family members, and others. We hope this article has helped you learn more about how to write a successful apology.

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How to Write an Apology Letter FAQ

A good apology is a sincere apology. In a genuine apology, you will notice that the person at fault admits to their errors and attempts to correct them if they can. Even if the person can’t do anything to undo the mistake, an effective apology letter will communicate genuine regret.

You can get better at apologizing by practicing self-affirmation. An article published in The Journal of Experimental Social Psychology states that self-affirmation reduces defensiveness and increases the comprehensiveness of apologies . Again, everyone has moments of poor judgment. Making a mistake doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.

People write apology letters to repair relationships with people in their lives they may have wronged. In a high-stress work environment, it can help to develop and maintain effective work relationships .

It’s okay to apologize by text, but it’s better to deliver an apology in person or write a formal apology. It takes more time and effort to apologize in one of these ways, which demonstrates your sincerity and the importance that you ascribe to your relationship with the other person.

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How to Apologize Like a Pro

A partial “sorry” is worse than none.

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I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold

A nd so apologized William Carlos Williams, presumably to his wife, Flossie, in his 1934 poem “This Is Just to Say.” My own apologies tend to be somewhat less elegant, and certainly less worthy of publication. In my defense, however, I don’t directly repurpose my apologies as content for The Atlantic , explaining to my wife before a large audience that although I have been an insensitive jerk for the millionth time, it was totally worth it.

Apologizing well, after all, is tricky. It requires personal strength, a good ear, and a fair bit of psychological sophistication, which is why so many apologies are unsuccessful. If you have something you need to apologize for—or if you would just like to be ready to deal with the fallout from your next screw-up—here is your primer on the art and science of contrition.

Arthur C. Brooks: Make yourself happy: Be kind

F rom a neurocognitive viewpoint, apologies are extremely complex, involving at least three distinct processes . First is cognitive control, because you are making a choice to say you are sorry even though doing so is difficult and uncomfortable, which involves the lateral prefrontal cortex. Second is perspective taking, which involves thinking about how something you have said or done was experienced by another person and putting yourself in their position, implicating the temporoparietal junction. Last is social valuation, the way you calculate how much your apology will help everyone involved as opposed to just yourself, which mobilizes the ventromedial prefrontal cortex.

A sincere apology involves a certain amount of vulnerability and risk. Researchers find apologies between partners—spanning romantic, personal, and professional connections—occur more readily in three circumstances: in a longstanding relationship; between well-matched partners who enjoy a lot of trust; and very early on in a relationship, when there is a premium on fixing problems so that they don’t kill the developing partnership. Scholars have also shown that people who are defensive and uncomfortable being vulnerable—characteristics of attachment avoidance—give fewer and worse apologies than others. This last finding can be a useful tell for people who are dating: A reliable indication of an emotionally avoidant person is an inability to say sorry.

Read: The sociology of sorry

An apology can be completely motivated by contrition. According to evolutionary psychologists, however, many apologies may be motivated instead by a desire to forestall a wronged person’s seeking revenge or retaliation. For example, a 2011 study focused on what happens when physicians who have harmed patients apologize. In general, doctors are advised never to apologize, because doing so may imply an admission of guilt in law. To offset this problem, some states have introduced laws to limit the admissibility of apologies as evidence of culpability in court. By enabling more doctors’ apologies, estimates indicated that these states would see lower malpractice payouts and faster settlement times for cases involving serious injuries.

How you apologize has a huge influence on your apology’s likelihood of success. To begin with, make it fulsome. A partial apology is worse than none at all. In one experiment in which subjects were asked to imagine themselves as a pedestrian who’d been hit by a cyclist (and the cyclist was at fault) and evaluate a settlement, 52 percent said they would definitely or probably accept the proposed cash offer when there was no apology. When there was a partial apology, in the form of sympathy for injuries but no acknowledgment of responsibility, the acceptance rate fell to 35 percent. But with a full apology—sympathy plus responsibility—the rate rose to 73 percent.

Want to hear more from Arthur C. Brooks? Join him and a selection of today’s best writers and boldest voices at The Atlantic Festival on September 28 and 29. Get your pass here .

In other such experiments , the acknowledgment of responsibility proves to be the most important ingredient of a good apology. Next in importance is an offer of repair, followed by an explanation of what happened. All three of these quite practical components are more effective than an apologizer’s more abstract options of an expression of regret, a declaration of repentance, or a request for forgiveness.

This finding might surprise some people, but it shouldn’t. Think of the least effective apologies you have received, perhaps from a repeat offender. It probably featured those exact elements. Consider this version of that sort of apology: “I’m so, so sorry for going on another bender and waking up broke in Vegas. This time I’ll really change— really! Just give me one more chance!” See what I mean?

A rmed with this information, you are now ready to apologize in a way that is most likely to solve the problem you created. Be sure to remember three crucial maxims.

1. Apologizing is less costly and more beneficial than you think. Researchers in 2014 found that when people contemplate an apology, they sometimes make a forecasting error. For example, people commonly imagine looking weak or incompetent for admitting guilt, resulting in their losing trust or losing face. They can imagine being forgiven, but they don’t think much about how being willing to admit fault might raise others’ admiration for them. Experiments show that we tend to overestimate the cost and underestimate the benefit of apologizing.

Of course, you will always find someone who does not admire any admission of guilt or weakness. But such people are generally terrible romantic partners, bad business associates, and toxic social-media trolls—not exactly the jury you should be courting in the first place.

2. Take full responsibility. Think of all the begrudging apologies we hear in public life from politicians and celebrities. Generally, they take the form of “If anyone was hurt or offended by my words, I am sorry.” That is a partial apology, which shows grudging sympathy but no sense of responsibility. When you have offended someone, don’t say, “I’m sorry if your feelings were hurt.” Say instead, “I can see that I hurt your feelings, and I am sorry I did that.”

From the December 2019 issue: Sorry, not sorry

One good way to do this, particularly in a professional context, is what scholars call “self-disserving” admissions by leaders. For example, if a CEO has a public-relations crisis that is not directly of their own making, they should still own it by saying, “I am the leader, so this error is my error, and I am accountable for fixing it.” Scholars found that this kind of attribution was followed by a surge in business success, as measured by a rising stock price during the following year, probably because it inspires confidence in leadership that a problem will be solved.

3. Use contrition as a self-improvement practice. One of the biggest—and most paradoxical—impediments to apologizing is the belief that people, ourselves included, can’t change. What psychologists call “entity theory” can mean that we fail to treat difficult and discomforting situations as the opportunities for improvement that they can in fact be. In contrast, adherents of “incremental theory,” people who believe human traits are malleable, look for ways to better themselves, which includes acknowledging their missteps and showing contrition. So think like an incremental theorist and use your apology as a way of developing your resources of fortitude and virtue.

I f all goes well , what should you hope for after you give an apology? Most likely, you want to be granted a clean slate and for life to return to normal. That brings us back to William Carlos Williams, who ate the prized plums. Did his apology do the trick?

Flossie, it seems, replied in a short note, which Williams opportunistically turned into another poem. (It was in fact published in this very magazine, in November 1982, after their deaths).

Dear Bill: I’ve made a couple of sandwiches for you. In the icebox you’ll find blueberries—a cup of grapefruit a glass of cold coffee. On the stove is the teapot with enough tea leaves for you to make tea if you prefer—Just light the gas— boil the water and put it in the tea Plenty of bread in the breadbox and butter and eggs— I didn’t know just what to make for you. Several people called up about office hours— See you later. Love. Floss. Please switch off the telephone.

Given that she didn’t even mention the plums, she appears to have accepted his apology.