Please accept my apology / apologies.

[Tan Elaine]

Please accept my apology.

Please accept my apologies.

Which is the correct sentence?

Thanks.

[Nehushtan]

Both are correct.

[Tan Elaine]

Thanks, Nehustan.

Is there a difference in meaning between the two sentences?

[emsr2d2]

No discernible difference, no. You don't have to make more than one apology in order to use "apologies".

[BobK]

But if you do use the singular there can be the implication that you're referring to a particular sorry-saying event: 'I told him I was sorry and assured him that it won't happen again. He seemed to accept my apology at the time - but we'll see.'

This sort of 'dummy plural' (not an official term, as far as I know ) tends to happen with social exchanges of various kinds. At the end of a party you 'say your goodbyes'. You might think that a plural makes sense there, because you say goodbye separately to a number of people. But children at b8rthday parties are often told to 'say their thank-yous' - referring to only one thank-you, to the host/hostess. When you 'make your excuses and leave', there's usually only one excuse: 'Well, early morning for me. I can't go on to the club.'

So I think, in most cases that involve apologies, I'd use the plural unless I wanted to be specific about its one-ness.

b

[Tan Elaine]

Thanks, Emsr and Bob.

What about "My apology" and "My apologies"?

I wonder if the first implies a particular sorry-saying event. Or is the second used regardless of the number of apologies?

[Islands]

In most cases I would use 'Please accept my apology'

Examples:
1. Please accept my apology for arriving late today.
2. Please accept my apology for arriving late, disrupting the class & forgetting to bring my homework.

I may use 'Please accept my apologies' if I am referring to several apologies that I have made in the past.
Example:
I have apologized to each of the students that I had upset. Teacher, please accept my apologies.

[Tan Elaine]

Thanks, Islands. But you have not replied to the post above yours, which I have reproduced below.


What about "My apology" and "My apologies"?

I wonder if the first implies a particular sorry-saying event. Or is the second used regardless of the number of apologies?

[Islands]

I apologized to the teacher & to each of her students.
My apology was not accepted by the teacher however, my apologies were accepted by her students.

[BobK]

Thanks, Islands. But you have not replied to the post above yours, which I have reproduced below.


What about "My apology" and "My apologies"?

I wonder if the first implies a particular sorry-saying event. Or is the sedocond used regardless of the number of apologies?

b

PS I used this 'pseudo-plural' here (just an example - nothing new).