Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

Junkomama · Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 592

Hello, teachers.
Is it OK to use "compensate for" instead of "make it up to" in the following sentence?

"I canceled our date in the last minute, so I bought her a bunch of roses in order to make it up to her."

Thank you in advance!
Junkomama

cgage2 · Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Posts: 192 Location: US

NO.
Compensate is more formal and business-like.
Unless the date was business Shocked

2006 · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 610

Junkomama

In that sentence, you should say 'at the last minute', which means at a very late time.
"in the last minute" literally means in the last minute of a movie or a sports match, for example.

Our team was losing 2-1, but in the last minute we scored two goals and won 3-2.

Junkomama · Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 592

>cgage-san
Thank you so much for your response!
So, if it was a formal or businesslike situation, "compensate for someone" is acceptable?

>2006-san
Thank you very much for correcting my mistake!

Regards,
Junkomama

pugachevV · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2295

I think you can say compensate here.
It means, to give something in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury incurred. It also means, to reduce, or counteract something undesirable by exerting an opposite force or effect.

So, your roses are going to compensate her for her injured feelings.

Junkomama · Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 592

Thank you for your explanation, pugachevV-san!!

Regards,
Junkomama