The pattern
"I was busy" plus a verb ending in -ing explains what filled your time, usually to excuse something you didn't do. "I was busy cooking" answers "Why didn't you pick up?" without an apology speech. The -ing verb is the activity; "was busy" tells the listener the activity was the reason.
It is polite because it blames the schedule, not the person asking. Add "sorry" in front and it becomes the standard everyday excuse. Add "all day" or "all week" at the end and it becomes a small complaint about your life.
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
With a noun instead of a verb, use "with": busy with work, busy with the move.
Check yourself
Practice · 3 min
Explain a missed call or message. Prompt on the left, one natural sentence on the right.
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Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.