I Late Person B Leave Vacation Early Make

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When you work for a company, there are times when you are late or you can't make it to a meeting. Sometimes you are sick, or sometimes you are stuck in traffic. We will study sentences you need to know to say why you are late or can't make it to work.

Late

Some jobs require you to 'punch in' when you get to work. 'Punching in' keeps track of how long you worked. Many hourly jobs use this system. But if you are a salary person and do not have to 'punch in', then you have more flexibility. Let's say you are going to be five minutes late. If you have your own office, then nobody will know. But if you work in a setting where your boss sees you coming in, then you will need an excuse. We'll cover everything about being late here.

Five minutes late

If you are going to be just a little late, then you don't need to call in. However, you will need to tell them why you are late when you get in the office. Here are some examples.

Sorry I'm late. Traffic was unusually bad today."
I apologize for being late. I had to drop off my wife at work. It took longer than I thought."
I had a dentist appointment this morning and it was longer than I expected."
I'm sorry for being late. I got stuck in every light this morning."

If you are the boss, then you might want to ask why your employee is late. Let's see some of these sentences.

Running late this morning?"
What held you up this morning?"
Do you have a reason for being late?"
Why are you late?"

A boss or manager will not be too upset if you are late only once or very rarely. But if this is a constant habit, they might be a little more upset.

You have been late three times in the last two weeks. Is this going to be a continual problem?"
Your tardiness is getting out of hand. You had better start managing your morning time better."
I expect you to be at your desk at eight o'clock. Do you have a problem with this?"

If you hear one of these statements, then you better say something that will calm the boss down. Also, you shouldn't let this happen again so tell him or her it won't happen again.

I am terribly sorry. It won't happen again."
I had a lot of recent changes at home, but it's all taken care of. I will not be late again."
I'm really sorry. It's been one of those weeks. It won't happen again."

Very Late

If you are going to be a lot later than 5 minutes, then you should call your manager and tell them about it.

Hi Barbara, I'm going to be 30 minutes late today. My car is having trouble this morning, so I arranged for a ride with a friend."
Hey Jack, I'm running a little late today. I just got out of my dentist appointment and it was longer than I expected."
Mark? This is Pat. I'm stuck in traffic. I think there is an accident that is holding up traffic. I'm going to be a little late."


When you plan on being late ahead of time, it is much easier. For example, if you have a doctor's appointment in the morning, you can tell them in advance and then you don't have to worry about coming in on time.

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. Remember I told you earlier this week? I'll come in right after my appointment."
My daughter has been sick, so I'm going to take her to see the doctor tomorrow morning. Is it ok if I'm a little late? My appointment is at seven in the morning, so I'll only be an hour late."
I have to take my parents to the airport tomorrow. I shouldn't be too late, but wanted to tell you ahead of time."

Leaving Work Early

This is a little easier than explaining to your boss why you are 10 minutes late. You can think of an excuse ahead of time, or tell them about an appointment so you can leave early. You can use the same excuses as the ones I mentioned earlier. You just have to change the wording a little and make it future tense.

I have to leave a little early today. Is it ok if I finish my work at home?"
I have a dentist appointment at four. I have to leave early today."
I have a dentist appointment tomorrow at four. Is it ok if I leave early tomorrow?"
I have to pick up my wife at the airport tomorrow. Is it ok if I leave at three?"

I have a conference with my son's teacher tomorrow at three thirty. I have to leave at three. Will that be ok?"

I have a terrible headache. Is it ok if I leave early today?"
I think I might be coming down with the flu. I should get some rest and try to fight this thing off early. May I leave early today?"
I'm not feeling well. I think I should get some rest. Will it be ok if I go home early today?"

My son got sick and I have to pick him up from school. Will that be ok?"

Sick day

Martha? This is Jack. I have a fever and I will not be able to come in today."
Hi Mary, I have to use a sick day today. I'm feeling terrible right now."
Hi Steve, this is Mark. I wanted to let you know that I am too sick to come in today."
Hi Andrew, this is Josh. I'm pretty sick so I will not be able to make it in today. I was feeling sick last night and thought I would be better after some sleep, but it just got worse."

Hi Sam, this is Jessica. I have some urgent personal matters I have to deal with. I won't be able to make it in."
Mark? This is John. My dad went into the emergency room this morning. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I don't think I can make it in today. I'll send you an update later."
My son all of the sudden got really sick. I have to take him to the hospital now. I doubt I can make it in today. Will that be ok?"
Jake? Will it be ok if I take the day off? My grandmother just passed away and I don't think I will be able to work today."

Vacation

Taking a planned day off

These are the easiest to request. If you are caught up with your work and you want to take a vacation or personal day, it is as easy as asking for it.

Can I use a vacation day this Friday?"
Will it be ok if I use a personal day this Thursday?"
I have to catch up on a lot of errands, so can I use a vacation day on Monday?"
My parents are coming into town. Can I take Thursday and Friday off?"

I would like to use my vacation days for the first week of June. Will that be ok?"
Will it be ok if I take the last week of July off?"
Can I schedule a vacation for the second week of August?"
I was wondering if I can take a vacation. Can I take the first two weeks off in September?"

Remember that asking for a vacation all depends on the office policies. Some companies do not like an employee taking all their vacation days at once. However, some places are more lenient and allow long vacation days. Before asking for long vacation days, you should first see what other employees are doing.

Late for Work - Interactive Practice

Click on Listen All and follow along. After becoming comfortable with the entire conversation, become Person A by clicking on the Person A button. You will hear only Person B through the audio file. There will be a silence for you to repeat the sentences of Person A. Do the same for Person B. The speed of the conversation is native speed. Use the pause button if the pause between each sentence is too fast for you. After practicing several times, you will be able to speak as fast as a native.