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How To

Criticizing mistakes

Generally, it's not nice to criticize other people's mistakes but when it's a friend or the action directly affects us we may want to say something.

Here are ten possible phrases.

Ten ways to criticise a mistake

casual · neutral · formal

  1. That wasn't very clever.casualYou left the gate open and the dog ran out. That wasn't very clever.
  2. What were you thinking of?casualYou told the boss he was wrong in front of everyone? What were you thinking of?
  3. I bet you wish you hadn't done that.casualYou ate all that chilli? I bet you wish you hadn't done that.
  4. Why on Earth did you go and do that?casualstrongWhy on Earth did you go and paint the wall pink?
  5. You made a right mess of that.casualYou cut your own hair? You made a right mess of that.
  6. I wouldn't do that again (in a hurry).casualDriving to Colombo at rush hour? I wouldn't do that again in a hurry.
  7. Oops...casualOops... I sent the message to the wrong group.
  8. What a total disaster!casualstrongThe cake fell on the floor. What a total disaster!
  9. You put your foot in it (there).casualYou asked her about her ex? You put your foot in it there.
  10. That was a bit uncalled for.neutralShouting at the waiter was a bit uncalled for.

How to use them

  • are quite critical. Depending on the intonation they could be friendly criticism (big changes in pitch) or a harsh scolding (flatter intonation).
  • are quite critical but almost certainly friendly or joking in tone. To achieve this effect, apply strong rise-fall intonation to "bet" in and "Earth" in .
  • is strongly critical and with flat intonation, not at all friendly. Using this phrase wrongly can offend people.
  • are nearly always friendly in tone. In , "that" is stressed with strong rise-fall intonation.
  • In , "to" of "total" is stressed strongly and with flat intonation this can sound quite rude/harsh. A rise-fall intonation on this syllable makes it sound more friendly/humorous.
  • are criticizing something that somebody said. is criticizing indiscretion and is saying that something you said was offensive or rude.

Quick check

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  1. "You put your foot in it" means:

  2. Which phrase is the most polite way to criticise someone's behaviour?

  3. Which phrase is about a small accident, often your own?

See also: Showing disapproval

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