Excuse

Run out of excuse

I think I've run out of excuses for not doing my homework, so I'd better get started!

Make up excuse

So, why was Ted late again this morning?

> Who knows? As usual he made up some excuse about his car breaking down, but nobody believes a word he says any more.

Use as excuse

Football teams always blame the referee when they lose a game, but everyone knows they only use  him as an excuse for their poor playing.

Have excuse

I'm sorry I have no excuse for being late. It was my own stupid fault. I slept in.

Look for excuse

Our son, Josh, is really lazy. He's always looking for an excuse to avoid doing any work around the house.

Provide with excuse

My father's illness provided me with an excuse not to have to go to Mary's leaving party. was glad to see her go!

-------------------------------

No, he didn't come and help us after promising to. He gave some poor excuse about falling asleep in front of the TV and expected us to believe it.

Dad will be absolutely furious! We'll have to think up a pretty good excuse for staying out so late.

He's always making the same old excuse for not finishing his work on time. I'm becoming sick and tired of listening to them. Can't we just fire him?

Fortunately, I have a convenient excuse for missing the meeting. My son's been taken ill at school and I've got to take him home.

--------------------------------

 You missed the bus! That's a lame excuse - you should have left the house a bit earlier.

I'm afraid I can't come - I've got to go home and feed my dog.

> Oh, come on, that's a pathetic excuse!

He said he couldn't play because he had hurt his finger. What a feeble excuse!

You won't come out with me because you're planning to wash your hair! That's not much of an excuse!

 

Notes

• Note the following expressions:

There's no excuse for that kind of behaviour. The guilty players should be thrown out of the team.

She only needs the slightest excuse to go shopping.

Don't encourage her!

I'm tired of listening to your excuses.

• Notice the structures that can follow excuse:

It's just an excuse to do nothing.

It was just an excuse for doing nothing.

• Note this common question:

So what's your excuse?

• Note this common structure:

There's no excuse for what he did.

There's no excuse for such rudeness.

There's no excuse for arriving late.