Are you looking for a good way to own up to a mistake you made?
Perhaps you’re worried that “it’s my fault” is unprofessional or insincere.
Well, it’s a good thing you came across this article! Because there’s a whole world of alternatives out there waiting for you.
We will teach you how to say “it’s my fault” professionally.
Is It Professional to Say “It’s My Fault”?
It is professional to say “it’s my fault,” but it’s not often the most popular way to accept responsibility for something.
With that said, it’s still a great way to show that you made a mistake.
For the most part, this phrase will allow you to accept the consequences of your actions. It will also impress your boss, as it’s not often they’ll see people owning up to their errors.
Feel free to review this email sample to learn a bit more about how to use it:
Dear Miss Lakewell,
It’s my fault, and I take full responsibility for the issue.
Please let me know what I need to do to fix these problems.
All the best,
Arianne Davis
Pros
- It’s honest and shows you’re happy to take responsibility.
- It’s a direct and polite phrase.
Cons
- It’s a bit abrupt and blunt.
- It often requires an explanation as to why you think something is your fault, so it’s not always useful on its own.
While there’s nothing wrong with using “it’s my fault” in an email, we think there are better ways to accept responsibility for a mistake.
So, keep reading to learn how to say “it’s my fault” politely. We’ve gathered a list of some fantastic synonyms to show you what’s going to work best in your emails.
What to Say Instead of “It’s My Fault”
- I take full responsibility for this issue
- The fault lies with me
- I bear the responsibility
- I accept the blame for this situation
- This mistake is on me, and I apologize
- I realize that I’m to blame for this
- I take ownership of the error
- Since this is my mistake, I will work on fixing it
- I would like to admit this was my mistake
1. I Take Full Responsibility for This Issue
You can start with “I take full responsibility for this issue” as a professional way to say “it’s my fault.”
Generally, this works really well when you want to own up to a mistake you made.
It’s honest and direct. So, it leaves nothing up to the imagination when emailing your boss.
After all, it often looks better on you if you can own your mistakes. It shows you have integrity and are willing to learn.
You can also review this email sample to learn more about how it works:
Dear Mr. Treacle,
I take full responsibility for this issue.
I’ll do what I can to correct any mistakes I make moving forward.
Yours,
Tristan King
2. The Fault Lies With Me
If you’re worried about how to admit fault professionally, try “the fault lies with me.”
After all, it’s a great formal synonym that shows you’re trying to make up for what you did.
Generally speaking, this allows you to politely apologize for a mistake at work. You can use it when apologizing to a coworker who might be on the same project as you.
For the most part, your coworker will be able to forgive you. As long as you can quickly and easily fix the problem, there should be no long-term harm done.
Also, you can review this example to learn a bit more about how to use it:
Dear Mica,
The fault lies with me, and I want to correct this!
Do you have any ideas that’ll help us all move forward?
Best wishes,
Sam Stock
3. I Bear the Responsibility
Next, we highly recommend using “I bear the responsibility” instead of “it’s my fault.”
This is an honest and formal way to show you’ll take responsibility for a mistake in the workplace.
It suggests you had the biggest input into a project; therefore, the blame is on you if it’s incorrect.
You can use something like this to own up to your boss. It’ll go a long way to improving your working relationship with them if that’s what you’re interested in.
You can also check out this email sample to learn more:
Dear Mr. Shearer,
I bear the responsibility for the mistakes in this project.
Please let me know what you’d like me to do to correct these issues.
Yours,
Duncan Antony
4. I Accept the Blame for This Situation
You may also benefit from writing “I accept the blame for this situation.” This is an excellent way to be formal and sincere when you know you’ve gone wrong.
For instance, it can work well when apologizing to a client.
Perhaps you made a simple mistake in a project you worked on for them.
Whatever the case, this is an honest and straightforward way to admit fault. It shows you’re not ashamed, but you’re willing to do what you can to correct matters.
You can review this email sample if you still need help:
Dear Miss Grevious,
I accept the blame for this situation.
Rest assured, I’m doing everything I can to make this better for you.
My best,
Ron Jones
5. This Mistake Is on Me, and I Apologize
Also, it’s good to write “this mistake is on me, and I apologize.” It’s a direct apology, which goes a long way in most formal writing.
Generally, you can use this when writing to a teacher.
It shows you’ve spotted a mistake in an assignment, and you’d like to own up to it before they notice.
This shows integrity and is often a great way to show your teacher you mean business.
Here’s a helpful example to explain more about it:
Dear Mr. Stryder,
This mistake is on me, and I apologize.
Please give me a few more hours to correct it.
All the best,
Joey Swanson
6. I Realize That I’m to Blame for This
Another way to say “it’s my fault” is “I realize that I’m to blame for this.”
Generally, this is an excellent phrase to use in more formal contexts.
It shows that you own your mistakes honestly and openly. So, it’ll work well when you realize you’ve made an error and need to come clean.
You may want to use this when writing to your employer.
If they contacted your team asking who was at fault, you can use this to take sole blame for the situation in question.
Also, you can check out this example to learn a bit more:
Dear Miss Hills,
I realize that I’m to blame for this, not the rest of my team.
Please let me know what I can do to correct it.
Yours,
Damian Grieve
7. I Take Ownership of the Error
Feel free to use “I take ownership of the error” instead of “it’s my fault.”
It’s an excellent option that keeps things formal and civil. So, you can use it when you don’t want to offend the recipient and simply need to take ownership of something.
Feel free to try it out when writing to your boss.
After all, it’s a useful way for you to tell them that you realize there are a few mistakes in a project you may have recently given to them.
If you still don’t get it, you can check out this example:
Dear Mr. Henley,
I take ownership of the error.
What would you like me to do to correct this?
Yours,
Freya Hard
8. Since This Is My Mistake, I Will Work on Fixing It
We also recommend “since this is my mistake, I will work on fixing it” when you’re wondering what to say instead of “it’s my fault.”
The key difference with this synonym is the inclusion of “I will work on fixing it.”
It shows you not only own your mistake but you have a plan to correct it.
This shows you are proactive and trying to find a solution already.
It works really well when writing to a client. After all, it’s a great way to fill them with confidence in your abilities.
Feel free to check out this example if you still need guidance:
Dear Mr. Kirkland,
Since this is my mistake, I will work on fixing it.
Leave it with me, and I’ll have it sorted by Friday.
Yours,
Kayla Geohagen
9. I Would Like to Admit This Was My Mistake
Finally, you can write “I would like to admit this was my mistake.”
This is a friendly and honest way to take responsibility for something.
Also, starting the phrase with “I would like to” keeps things more personal in your emails. So, it’s a good way to show that you really mean it and want to correct and issue.
For the most part, this works when contacting customers. Even if you made an error, taking responsibility is a great way to get customers back on your side when they’re complaining about it.
Also, you can review this example before you leave:
Dear Miss Duncan,
I would like to admit this was my mistake.
Therefore, I will do whatever I can to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
All the best,
Ryan Tomlinson