- Have you ever wondered if you should “make” an excuse or “give” an excuse?
- Do you struggle to find the right words when you need to justify a late arrival or a missed deadline?
- Are you unsure which prepositions to use after the word “excuse” in professional vs. casual settings?
Mastering Excuse Collocations is a vital step toward achieving natural English fluency. In English, words rarely travel alone; they exist in “blocks” or collocations. For learners, using the wrong combination (like saying “do an excuse”) can trigger language anxiety and lead to misunderstandings. This guide will help you understand how to use “excuse” as both a verb and a noun, ensuring you sound professional and confident in any situation.
Common Collocations with EXCUSE as a Verb
When used as a verb, excuse (/ɪkˈskjuːz/) generally means to forgive someone, to allow someone to leave, or to justify a behavior. Here are the most common ways native speakers use it in 2024.
1. Social Formulas and Politeness
These are “fixed” phrases used to navigate social interactions politely.
- Excuse me: Used to get attention or move past someone. “Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the station?”
- Excuse the mess: A common phrase used when welcoming guests to a slightly untidy home or office. “Please come in and excuse the mess; we’re currently remodeling.”
- Excuse my ignorance: Used before asking a question that you feel you should perhaps already know the answer to. “Excuse my ignorance, but what does that acronym stand for?”
2. Releasing from Obligations
In academic or professional contexts, “excusing” someone means giving them permission to be absent.
- Excuse someone from (something): To allow someone to miss a duty. “The doctor excused her from physical education classes for two weeks.”
- Excuse yourself: To politely leave a room or a conversation. “He excused himself from the meeting to take an urgent phone call.”
3. Justifying Behavior
This refers to providing a reason for an action to make it seem less wrong.
- Nothing can excuse…: Used to state that a behavior is completely unacceptable. “Nothing can excuse such rude behavior toward a customer.”
- Excuse someone’s conduct: To provide a justification for how someone acted. “We cannot excuse his conduct simply because he was stressed.”
Essential Collocations using EXCUSE as a Noun
As a noun, excuse (/ɪkˈskjuːs/) refers to the reason or justification given for a fault or a failure. This is where most English learners make mistakes with verb-noun pairings.
1. Common Verb + Noun Pairings
These are the action words we use with the noun “excuse.”
- Make an excuse: The most common way to say you are inventing or giving a reason. “Stop making excuses and just finish the report!”
- Offer/Give an excuse: Slightly more formal than “make.” “He offered a lengthy excuse for his absence, but no one believed him.”
- Accept an excuse: To agree that a reason is valid. “The manager accepted her excuse for being late due to the train strike.”
- Invent/Fabricate an excuse: To create a false reason (a lie). “She had to invent an excuse to avoid going to the party.”
2. Adjectives Used with Excuse
These words describe the quality or believability of the excuse.
- Lame/Feeble excuse: A very weak, unconvincing, or poor reason. “Saying you forgot your alarm is a bit of a lame excuse, don’t you think?”
- Legitimate/Valid excuse: A reason that is officially acceptable or true. “Illness is considered a legitimate excuse for missing an exam.”
- Plausible excuse: A reason that sounds like it could be true. “We need a plausible excuse for why the project is behind schedule.”
- Poor excuse for: Used to describe something that is a very bad example of its kind. “This cold coffee is a poor excuse for a breakfast.”
The Master Summary Table
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Make an excuse | Verb + Noun | To give a reason for a mistake or failure. |
| Excuse someone from | Verb | To allow someone to skip a duty or task. |
| Lame excuse | Adjective + Noun | A weak or unconvincing reason. |
| Excuse the mess | Verb + Noun | A polite phrase used when a place is untidy. |
| Valid excuse | Adjective + Noun | A reason that is acceptable and true. |
| Excuse yourself | Verb + Pronoun | To politely leave a conversation or room. |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| Do an excuse | Make an excuse |
| He was excused of the meeting | He was excused from the meeting |
| A small excuse | A lame or feeble excuse |
| Accept my excuse me | Please excuse me |
Note from the Applied Linguist: Learners often confuse “Excuse me” with “I’m sorry.” Use “Excuse me” before you disturb someone (proactive), and “I’m sorry” after you have made a mistake (reactive).
“When Sarah realized she was going to be late for the board meeting, she knew she couldn’t just make an excuse about traffic again. That would be a lame excuse. Instead, she decided to excuse herself from her current call early and offer a legitimate excuse regarding the technical failure in her office. Fortunately, the CEO accepted her excuse and excused her from the first ten minutes of the presentation.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Excuse Collocations
What is the difference between “Excuse for” and “Excuse to”?
We use “excuse for” followed by a noun or gerund (e.g., “an excuse for being late”). We use “excuse to” followed by a verb (e.g., “an excuse to leave early”). Both are common in 2024 English.
Is “lame excuse” considered rude?
It is informal and slightly critical. While not a “bad word,” saying someone has a “lame excuse” implies you don’t believe them or think their reason is stupid. Use “unconvincing” or “weak” in formal business reports.
How do I pronounce the noun vs. the verb?
This is a common learner challenge. The noun (an excuse) ends in a soft ‘s’ sound like “ice.” The verb (to excuse) ends in a ‘z’ sound like “eyes.”
Can I say “Please excuse my English”?
Yes, this is a very natural collocation used by ESL speakers to lower their language anxiety. It signals to the listener that you are aware of potential errors, which often makes the listener more patient and helpful.
What does “a poor excuse for” mean?
This is an idiomatic collocation meaning something is a very bad version of what it’s supposed to be. For example, “This weather is a poor excuse for a summer” means the summer is very cold or rainy.
Can I say 'Excuse me from the table' when I want to leave dinner early?
Very helpful guide. I especially liked the part about 'Excuse the mess.' It’s a great phrase to use when guests arrive unexpectedly!
Glad you found it useful, Karin! It’s a very 'native' thing to say, even if the house is already clean—it’s a way of showing modesty!
I heard the phrase 'He's just making excuses for his behavior.' Why is it plural here?
In the phrase 'Excuse me, do you have the time?', is 'Excuse me' acting as a verb or a formula?
Technically it is an imperative verb, Olga, but in modern English, we treat it as a fixed 'Social Formula.' You don't even think about the verb meaning; you just use it as a polite 'ping' to start a conversation!
Is there a difference between 'excuse' and 'alibi' in a legal context? I'm a law student.
That's a very specific and helpful distinction, Arjun! An 'alibi' is a specific type of excuse where you prove you were somewhere else when a crime happened. All alibis are excuses, but not all excuses are alibis!
I love these 'word blocks' guides. It helps me stop translating word-for-word from French. More collocation posts please!
If I sneeze in a quiet office, should I say 'Excuse me' or wait for someone to say 'Bless you'?
Hi Noor! Usually, you should say a quiet 'Excuse me' after you sneeze. If someone says 'Bless you,' you can simply reply with 'Thank you.' It keeps the office atmosphere polite and professional!
I'd like to see more examples of 'excuse' as a noun in a sentence. Is 'That is a poor excuse' a common collocation?
I'm moving to London next month. Do British people use 'Excuse me' differently than Americans? I heard they say 'Sorry' more often.
Spot on, Isabella! In the UK, people often use 'Sorry' where Americans might use 'Excuse me' (like getting someone's attention). Both are understood, but 'Sorry' is the ultimate social lubricant in British culture!
What does 'No excuses!' mean when a boss says it? It sounds very strict.