Dissecting Gender-Based Differences In Apology Strategies Among EFL Learners At UIN Ar-Raniry

This study aims to find out the types of apology strategies used by male and female students and to see how they express those strategies differently. This research used a qualitative descriptive method. The data were collected through a discourse completion test (DCT) and semi-structured interviews with students of UIN Ar-Raniry. The results show that both male and female stents use several apology strategies, such as saying sorry, giving explanations, admitting mistakes, offering repair, and showing concern. Saying “sorry” is the most commonly used strategy and usually appears at the beginning. The findings also show that students often combine more than one strategy in their responses. In addition, the difference between male and female students is not in the types of strategies they use, but in how they express them. Female students tend to give more detailed and expressive apologies, while male students are more direct and simple. Overall, both groups are able to use apology strategies properly in communication.