Expressing sympathy

Expressing sympathy

Sometimes bad things happen. When we hear about bad things that happen to other people it's a good idea to express sympathy. This can be difficult as we want to express our concern, but don't want to be intrusive. Here are some common phrase to help you express sympathy.

I'm sorry to hear about ...
Please accept my condolences. (used when someone close to another has died)
That's so sad.
I hope things get better soon.
I hope you feel better soon. 

Example Dialogues

1.      Anah          : I've been rather sick lately.
Imu            : I hope you feel better soon.

2.      Asira          : Tim has been having a lot of troubles lately.

  I think he might be getting a divorce.

Nisa            : I'm sorry to hear about Tim's problems. I hope things get better for him soon.

click here to Listen The audio

            Expressions of sympathy in writing:

My heartfelt condolences on your loss.
Our thoughts are with you.
She/he was a lot of things to many people and will be missed tremendously.
Thinking of you in your time of loss.
We are very saddened to hear of your loss. With deepest sympathies.
You have my sincere sympathy.
You have our deepest sympathy.

Note: it is common to use the plural 'we' and 'our' when expressing written sympathy as a way to express that a family

Listening

Listen the dialogue and complete the sentences

Marry : Hello, John, what’s that? You look dejected. What’s wrong

John     : My grandma (1)passed away in New York, Marry.

Marry  : (2)I’m terribly sorry to hear that, John. How old is she?

John     : She’s (3)seventy one... this december.

Marry  : then she isn’t very old. Has she been ailing for (4)sometime?

John     : so she had written in her last letter. She was having a (5)hard time with many complications.

Marry  : when is the (6)funeral?

John     : it must have been (7)over by now.

Marry : I (8)know how you feel...  words cannot (9)comfort you when someone dear to you (10)depart

Click here to listen the Audio

Speaking

Work in pairs. Choose one situation and write a dialogue based on that situation then practice it your dialogue front of the class!

1.      You show your friend whose sister had just passed away three days ago. Conduct a dialogue to show your sympathy to him.

2.      You heard that your friend’s mother is ill. Express your sympathy to your friend.

3.      Your friend’s pet has passed away. Express your sympathy in letter of condolence.

 
Reading
 

Read the letter bellow and answer the questions!

Dear  Isnia,
I can not believe we are at this stage of life. Your grandma cooked for me all the time and treated me like part of the family. I will never forget that. Writing a condolence letter to you feels so strange. I am really sorry for your loss. Please know how much I loved your her and that I will never forget her.

1.      What happen with Isnia’s Grandma?

2.      what is the relation of the writer and Isnia?

3.      What did grandma do for the writer?

4.      How is the treatment of Grandma to the writer?

5.      Why the writer love grandma?

Writing

 Write a story from the chronological picture bellow!