Giving and Responding to Bad News

When you have bad news, there are ways to do it correctly, and ways to make a mess of it.  It is always not easy to deliver bad news. But at least you know the appropriate words when you have to do it.

First, before you deliver the bad news, you can say: “Hey, I’m afraid…”  Example: “Hey, I’m afraid your cat’s died.”

Or you can also say in a longer sentence: “Hey, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news for you.” Example: “Hey, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news for you. Your cat’s died.”

Or you can exchange the words: “Hey, I’ve got some bad news for you, I’m afraid your cat's died.”

Alternatively, you can say: “Unfortunately, I’m afraid…” So, the sentence is: “Unfortunately, I’m afraid your cat’s died.”

Don’t forget, at the end you have to say something positive. Example: “it’s better for your cat. He was terribly sick, right?”

Now, what if someone gives you some bad news? How do you respond?

For example: “Hey, I’m so sad. My cat's died."

For expressing shock, you can say: “Oh my God! That’s awful/terrible!”

Or, you can imagine how your friend feels: “You must be feeling absolutely terrible/awful.”

If you have heard the news from someone, you can say: “I’ve heard about it. I’m so sorry to hear that.”

Last, show your support by saying: “Anytime you want to talk, just call me.”

Otherwise, you can also say: “If you ever need to talk to someone, you know where I am.”

You can also offer help: “If there’s anything I can do, just let me know.”

That is all about giving and responding to bad news, hope you can remember the ways to give and respond the bad news.

References :

http://englishtips4u.com/2013/07/09/engtalk-giving-responding-to-bad-news/