工作或生活中，我们经常会遇到突然有事要找同事或朋友帮忙，但是他们却碰巧有事，无法提供帮助，甚至根本联系不到。当然，也有可能正好相反，你的同事或朋友找你有事，你却因为种种原因“辜负”了他们的期望。这时，一份“迟来的道歉”就必不可少了。
此类信件的写法也比较有规律，一般开头段就要开门见山地表达歉意。第二段具体说明自己没能及时提供帮助的原因，也可以适当地询问对方的问题怎么样了，以及自己现在还能做什么等。第三段则是再次道歉，以示真诚。
下面有两封信，第一封是John写给他的同事Marianne的求助信，主要是询问她有没有读过关于台湾和中国内地文化差异的文献或相关作品
等，他做演讲时需要。但是Marianne却由于私事没能及时回信，因此她事后特地写了一封道歉信，也就是后文的第二封信。信中，Marianne多次进
行了真诚的道歉，并解释了原因——她的女儿生病了，需要照顾。加之本已繁忙的工作， Marianne就难有闲暇了。
1. reach sb. by phone：通过电话联系某人，即打电话给某人。这个表达比call sb.正式。
2. literature 指的是某一科目的文献资料，不能理解为“文学”。
3. do a short presentation：做一次简短的演讲。其实presentation的精确含义和“演讲”还是有区别的'，尤指那种一边放PPT(幻灯片) 一边给一群人讲解一个主题或一个项目等。
【范文一】
Dear David:
I am afraid that you will think me unpardonably negligent in not having answered your letter dated 7, December sooner, but when I have told you the reason, I trust you will be convinced that the neglect was excusable. When your letter arrived, I was just in Hong Kong. As my family could not forward it to me during my absence, it has been, therefore, lying on my desk until the moment when I took it up. Now the first thing I have to hasten to do is to write to you these few lines to express my deep regret.
I enjoyed many pleasant sights during my trip. I shall be pleased to give you an account to of them when I see you next.
Sincerely yours,
Tom
译文：
亲爱的戴维：
请原谅我收到您12月7日的来信后迟迟未复，现将原因告诉您，相信您一定会谅解的。您的来信到来时，我正巧在香港，家人无法及时转递。你的信一直放在我写字台上，直到我回到才看见，拖至今天才回信，深表歉意。
这次出去旅行饱览了许多美丽景色，下次见到您时，将告诉您一切。
【范文二】
Dear Miss Nancy,
Much to my regret I was unable to keep my promise to attend your birthday party last Saturday, owing to the fact that my little son was suddenly taken ill early that day.
Hoping to see you soon.
Truly yours,
Tom