TRANSCRIPT OF THE ABOVE VIDEO: How to Politely Cancel Plans in English: Communication Lesson - Improve Your English Speaking Skills

Hi everyone, it's Nicole again. And I'm here answering a question, a really good question, that one of my students asked me just today.

And it's quite funny, because she needs to cancel something, cancel some plans that her and her friends have made, and she feels really really bad because she's been canceling so often, and she thinks that her friends might be a little bit annoyed with her, or a little bit upset with her, and they might not invite her to things anymore in the future.

So, she asked me What can I say to be polite? What can I say so that they're not angry? And that is such a good question because, you know, we're all busy, we get sick, we get tired, we just don't feel like going out, or our plans change, and we have to cancel or postpone things quite often, but we want to do it in a nice way, we want to do it politely, and kindly, so that they're not offended, or they're not upset with us. 

So look, I'm going to give you a few expressions that you could use, try them out next time you have to cancel something, and see what the reaction is.

So, you might say something like ‘Listen Mary, I am so sorry, but I won't be able to make it tonight after all, something's come up.’

Or you might say ‘I'm really really sorry, but I can't make it tonight. Unfortunately, blah blah blah blah blah blah.’

Or, you might say something like ‘Look, unfortunately something's come up at the last minute and I won't be able to join you tonight. I was really really looking forward to it, and I even bought a new outfit to wear. Um, can we please try and catch up again really really soon because I don't want to miss out on seeing you and having fun.’ That was a long one.

Or you might say something - it sounds like I've canceled quite often before huh? You might say something like ‘I'm so sorry to do this to you, but something's come up and I have to stay at home tonight. I can't join you. I was really looking forward to it. Can we take a rain check and we do the same thing next weekend?’

Or you might say something like ‘Listen Mary, I'm not feeling too well. I think it's better if I stay at home on the couch. I'm really not feeling well at all. I don't know what's happening, but I don't think it's best if I go out tonight.’

You might say something like ‘I have to bail on you I'm afraid.’ Do you know what that means? If you bail on someone it means that you pull out at the last minute, you cancel the plans at the last minute and you don't do them, you don't go. So ‘I have to bail on you. I'm so sorry. My parents have just arrived and I have to spend some time with them.’

You might say something like ‘I'm really really sorry, but I won't be able to make it after all. Can we organise another time and day to meet up? I'd love to see you. Does next Saturday work for you?’

So, look, if you're making an excuse, you have to make it genuine, you have to - you don't have to tell them why you're canceling, I suppose, but you do have to make it genuine, and really show them that, you know, you're sad about it, I suppose, show them that you do still want to see them and do something together.

So, a really good idea is to maybe make a suggestion for a time and a place to go another time somewhere.

You might say something like ‘Can we meet at the same time next week?’ or ‘Look, I'd love to invite you over to my place instead - are you free next Saturday?’

So, just give an alternative to show that you're genuinely sorry and you still want to do something together.

Anyway, I hope that helped, and for the student who asked this question, good luck! Let me know how the reaction is and what your friend says, I'm sure they're not angry with you if you used any of these expressions.

Anyway, thanks for listening everyone. Have a wonderful day. And I hope that next time you have to cancel, you feel a little bit more confident in doing it politely, and kindly, and genuinely. Bye!