1.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF FORMALLY

Id like to introduce myself

Id like to introduce myself. Im Rajankumar Gupta
fromWalplast/Hindustan unilever.
Let me introduce myself
Let me introduce myself. Rajankumar Gupta.
How do you do?
How do you do? My name is Rajankumar Gupta. I run the Quality
division.
Nice to meet you
Nice to meet you. John Bloor. We spoke on the phone last week,
I'm delighted to meet you
Im delighted to meet you. My name is Jeffers.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF LESS FORMALLY
Im
Im Rajan, Susans cousin.
Hi
Hi. Nice to meet you. Im Susan but everyone calls me Sue.
Hello
Hello. Rajankumar Gupta from Quality department.
My name is
My name is Rajan ,Rajan Gupta.
REPLY TO A FORMAL INTRODUCTION
Nice to meet you
Nice to meet you, Colonel Wrigley.
Pleased to meet you
Pleased to meet you, Angela. Im Dr Slithers.
Im delighted to meet you.
Im delighted to meet you. Welcome to Walplast
My pleasure
My pleasure. Have you had a good trip?
Its an honour
Its an honour, ambassador.
REPLY TO AN INFORMAL INTRODUCTION
Hi
Hi. Im Rajankumar

Hello
Hello. Andrew Damson.
Nice to get to meet you too
Nice to get to met you too. Im Sarah.
Lovely to meet you
Lovely to meet you. Would you like a drink?
How are you?
How are you? Its good to get to know you at last!
INTRODUCE YOURSELF BEFORE A SPEECH
I am
I am Rajankumar Gupta from Walplast. I work at our R&D facility.
Id like to introduce myself
Id like to introduce myself. I am Rajankumar Gupta, Manager Quality
assurance.
Let me introduce myself
Let me introduce myself. Rajankumar Gupta.
My name is
My name is Rajankumar Gupta. I run Riversofts European operations.
Im called
Im called Roberta Woodall. Robbie to my friends.
INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO THE PUBLIC
This is
This is Amy Stevens.
May I introduce?
May I introduce Sally Young? Sallys our PR officer.
Let me introduce
Let me introduce John Oats. He will be joining our sales team.
Id like you to meet
Id like you to meet Dr Li. Shes the Head Surgeon at BC Hospital.
Have you already met Maria Jones?
Have you already met Maria Jones? She runs the Moscow office.
SAY HELLO
Hi
Hi, John.
Hello
Hello. May I come in?
How are you?
How are you, Betsy?
Good morning

Good morning, Mr Hendricks.

Nice to see you
Nice to see you again, Paul
SIGNAL THE START OF A SPEECH
Right. Shall we start?
Right Ladies and Gentlemen. Shall we start with our presentation?
OK. Lets get going.
OK everybody. Lets get going. We only have twenty minutes.
Right then. We are ready
Right then. We are ready. The first point in the agenda is cost-cutting.
Is everybody already here?
Fine. Is everybody here? Lets get on then.
Time to begin
Well, time to begin. Well set off with an outline.
START A MEETING
Let's get started.
Lets get the meetings started. John, would you like to begin?
We need to discuss
We need to discuss whether this company needs two factories.
We will to talk about
We will talk about the hazards involved in our Gulf of Mexico drilling.
What brings us here?
What brings us here today? The hope of finding solutions.
We will study
We will carefully study all the projects that were brought forward.
INTRODUCE A SUMMARY
To put it briefly
To put it briefly, we have a problem with sales.
In a few words
In a few words, Chandler is leaving the company.
In a nutshell
In a nutshell, the contract will be finished next month.
To summarise
To summarise, we face an imminent strike in our Heathrow facilities.
It all comes down to
It all comes down to Sams behaviour at the warehouse.
EXPLAIN YOUR PURPOSE FORMALLY
The reason

The reason I travelled here is to discuss productivity.

My aim
My aim now is to increase sales in Britain.
What Id like
What Id like to do is appoint a new CFO.
My objective
My objective is to reduce advertising costs by at least ten percent.
We intend
We intend to redefine our marketing campaign.
EXPLAIN YOUR PURPOSE INFORMALLY
I want to
I want to let you know Ill stand by you.
Id just like to
Id just like to tell you that well do what we can.
Im here to
Im here to talk about plant organization.
Were going to
Were going to spend all day reviewing our techniques.
Ill put it simply.
Ill put it simply. We must decide on what to do about Alex.
PRESENT THE FIRST ITEM
Lets start by the beginning
Lets start by the very beginning. France is our top priority.
First things first
First things first. Now well discuss this weeks problem.
Item one
Item one in our agenda will be corporate responsibility.
Point A
Point A is our relationship with the government.
The opening issue
The opening issue today is worker benefits.
PRESENT THE NEXT ITEM
Lets move onto
Let's move onto item two.
We can now
We can now discuss the next topic.
We need to go on
We need to go on. Chapter B deals with economics.

The next item

The next item on my list will only take a few minutes.
Shall we continue?
Shall we continue? The second subject concerns our own future.
PRESENT EVIDENCE FORMALLY
Id like you to see
Id like you to see this graph.
Let me show you
Let me show you our new product line.
Please observe
Please observe how the new design is more aerodynamic.
If you watch
If you watch this video closely youll see it was filmed lat year.
Have a look
Have a good look at this chart.
PRESENT EVIDENCE LESS FORMALLY
Look here
Just look over here. This is the new tractor.
Can you see?
Can you see Joe? Hes the third from the left.
Watch this
Watch this scene. Can you spot our product in the background?
We want you to see
We want you to see the difference from the old to the new edition.
Here you have
Here you have the first picture of my wedding.
PRESENT DATA IN ORDER
Firstly
Secondly
To end
To start with
Then
To conclude
Initially
Next
Finally
In first place
Following on from
To finish
Let us begin by
Afterwards
Last but not least
Firstly, secondly and to end
Firstly well tackle costs; secondly well view the balance sheet
and, to end, well discuss this years sales.
To start with, then and to conclude
Henry will start with a presentation. Then hell answer questions
and, to conclude, we will walk round the grounds so you can see
the building.

Initially, next and finally.

We had initially planned to visit France. The next idea was to go to
Spain
though we finally travelled nowhere.
In first place, following on from and to finish
In first place, we never asked her to represent us so following on
from that we decided to take her to court. Anyhow, we finished it all
by reaching an agreement.
Let us begin by, afterwards and last but not least
Let us begin by setting the goals. We can talk about the budget
afterwards and last but not least name a project coordinator.
PRESENT APPARENTLY CONTRASTING DATA
Although A seems fine, B is better
Although your proposal seems fine, Johns is better.
In spite of the evidence, Id like to say
In spite of the evidence, Id like to say that you could be wrong.
We could opt for A. On the other hand
We could opt for option A. On the other hand, option B is also
interesting.
I like your idea. However, I prefer
I like your new idea. However, I prefer to continue with the same plan.
Instead of praising
Instead of praising Jim we should be worrying about his future.
ASK FOR INFORMATION
Could you please?
Could you please give me all the data you have?
Would you mind?
Would you mind informing me of the consequences?
I wonder if you could
I wonder if you could hand me the fact sheet on Dynacore.
What do you know about?
What do you know about Peters background?
Do you have?
Do you have any information on the Lambeth Square project?
ASK FOR EVIDENCE
Could you provide?
Could you provide us with the hard facts?
Why dont you?
Why dont you give us an example?
Can you illustrate that?
Can you illustrate that with a real-life case?

What evidence?
What evidence do you have?
How will you back that up?
How will you back up your proposal?
ASK FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
May we have?
May we have further details?
Could you elaborate on?
Could you elaborate on how you intend to make this work?
Is there any additional?
Is there any additional aspect to consider before we vote?
We need more
We need more data. One projection is just not enough.
Could you provide?
Could you provide some extra information on the touch-screen market?
ASK FOR FURTHER DETAILS
Could you add?
Could you add more details to the second point, please?
Could we have more particulars?
Could we have more particulars on your experience is mecatronics?
Could you give us further details?
Could you give us further details on this scheme?
What else?
What else can you add to convince us better?
Any more information?
Do you have any more info or have you already shown us everything?
ASK ABOUT MEALS
Is it included in the price?
Is breakfast included in the price?
What time?
What time is dinner served?
Do you have a special menu?
Do you have a vegetarian menu at the restaurant?
Jim is intolerant to gluten
Jim is intolerant to gluten. Is there anything for people with celiac
disease?
Im allergic to
Im allergic to nuts. Do you have any nut-free ice cream?

ASK HOW TO CONTACT

Could I contact you?
Could I contact you at the agency later on?
How do I get in touch with you?
How do I get in touch with you if I have a problem with the system?
How can I reach you?
How can I reach you at the weekend? I dont have your home number.
Whats your?
Whats your e-mail?
Could I have your?
Could I have your office address please?
CORRECT MISUNDERSTANDING
Theres a misunderstanding
Im afraid theres been a misunderstanding. I said Mrs Figgs, not Mrs
Pigs.
This isnt what I meant
This isnt quite what I meant. Sales diminished but didnt plummet.
I dont think youve understood
I dont think youve actually understood me. I am not against you.
It was not my intention
It was not my intention to offend you. I am sorry.
Im sorry about the confusion
Im sorry about the confusion. I thought Taylor was only a womans
name.
CORRECT WHATS WRONG
That is not right
Sorry, that is not quite right. Toronto is not the capital of Canada.
Its wrong
Its all wrong. Cant you see the formulas incorrect?
Youve made a mistake
Youve made a mistake so its your turn to set matters right.
That needs correction
Those figures need correction. We need to add variable costs.
This is different to
This is different to what we had agreed. You must change it.
KEEP A MEETING IN ORDER
We cant all speak at once.
We cant all speak at once. Heather, you start.
Lets concentrate on

Lets concentrate on the agenda for the day.

Shall we take turns?
Shall we take turns? We can vote one by one.
Please lower your voice.
Please lower your voice. You wont convince anyone by shouting.
Will you let Maria speak?
Jason, will you let Maria speak? She has important things to say.
KEEP A MEETING IN TRACK
Thats another subject
Finance is another subject altogether. Now well just talk about sales.
We cant discuss that issue
We cant discuss that issue today. Its not on the agenda.
That's outside the scope
Thats outside the scope of our meeting so well leave it for now.
Let's get back on track
Lets get back on track. Were wasting too much time.
Were digressing
Were digressing. I want to stick to the main subject.
COME BACK TO A TOPIC
Now, where were we?
Now, where were we? Yes, prime time ratings.
What were we saying?
What were you saying when Carol interrupted us?
As I was explaining
As I was explaining before lunch, higher prices dont always deter
buyers.
Return to
Lets return to point five: Clay Corporation.
This leads us back to
This leads us back to the subject we were discussing yesterday.
POSTPONE AN ISSUE
Well defer
Well defer the matter till we have all relevant information.
Lets leave
Lets leave this issue aside for the time being.
Its too late to
Its too late to discuss advertising today. Well have more time tomorrow.
Shall we leave it for?
Shall we leave the final decision for this afternoons session?

Lets postpone
Lets postpone the discussion till everyone has arrived.
FOCUS ON THE MAIN ISSUE
The major
The only major problem we need to solve is absenteeism.
Our primary concern is
Our primary concern isnt only increased sales but better quality as well.
What is the real issue?
Whats the real issue? Managers are not committed to their jobs.
The most important
The most important hurdle of this negotiation is to convince Mr Lewis.
We really need
We really need to look after our workforce.
EMPHASISE ON A POINT
This is a key issue
Labour relations are a key issue now.
Id like to emphasise on
Id like to emphasise on point three of my presentation.
This is highly significant
Norahs attitude is highly significant. Shes certainly against us.
This is vital
Turning a profit this year is vital if we wish to survive.
Its imperative
Its imperative to solve this problem now.
PLAY DOWN A POINT
This is a minor issue
This is a minor issue. Price is the main concern.
This is of secondary importance
This is of secondary importance if we compare it with our real problem.
Who cares?
Who cares about PR when the companys on the brink of bankruptcy?
Its irrelevant
His view is irrelevant, completely worthless.
Its not significant
This matter is not significant at all. Lets move onto what is crucial.
SLOW DOWN A MEETING
Before we move on
Before we move on I believe we should hear Jackies point of view.

Wait a minute
Wait a minute. We haven't discussed the forecast yet.
Shouldnt we postpone?
Shouldnt we postpone the decision till Lindsay is back from her office?
Not so fast
Not so fast. We havent finished our coffee yet!
Take it easy
Take it easy. Whats the hurry? We have the whole weekend ahead of us.
MOVE THE MEETING FORWARD
Shall we proceed onto the next point?
Shall we proceed onto the next point? There are ten items on the
agenda.
We need to solve it today
We do need to solve it today. Tomorrows Sabbath in Israel.
Let's move on
Lets move one. Time is money.
I dont have all morning
I dont have all morning. Make up your minds now!
Hurry up
Hurry up please. We cant waste more time on this.
CHANGE TOPICS FORMALLY
Incidentally, may I mention that?
Incidentally, may I mention that Hutchinson called today?
An alternative to consider
An alternative point to consider is the effect of this decision on our
image.
While we are on the subject
While we are on the subject, Id like to inform you that Jo is ill today.
On quite another matter
On quite another matter, battery life is still a major concern.
Could we now deal with?
Could we now deal with our plans for the Geneva summit?
CHANGE TOPICS LESS FORMALLY
By the way
By the way, it rained quite a bit yesterday.
Can we move onto?
Can we move onto our plans for dinner?

To bring up something else

To bring up something else, Max came to the office yesterday.
Now is time to
Now is the right time to talk about the new site. Tomorrow will be too
late.
Theres another issue we have to deal with
Theres another issue we have to deal with losses in the chemistry
area.
CHANGE TOPICS INFORMALLY
I dont want to
I dont want to talk about football anymore. What are the plans for
tonight?
It has just crossed my mind
It has just crossed my mind that Billy wont be able to come.
Changing subject
Changing subject, did you see Dudley yesterday?
Before I forget
Before I forget, how did Jack and Edith get on?
Weve had enough
Weve had enough of you talking about golf. Whats the next point?
INTERRUPT VERY POLITELY
Er
Er, I think Joan is already here.
Sorry
Sorry, I never meant that.
Actually
Actually it was Geraldine who arrived late.
Excuse me
Excuse me, that seems taking matters too far.
May I have a word?
May I have a word? Nothing will stop the Mirror from running the story.
INTERRUPT POLITELY
Can I make a comment?
Can I make a comment? Mike was never involved in this.
May I come in here?
May I come in here? In fact, new laptops tend to be lighter, not heavier.
May I interrupt?
May I interrupt? I do have something relevant to disclose.
Could I say something?
Could I say something? If we want lower costs we need other suppliers.

Sorry to interrupt
Sorry to interrupt, but someones phone is ringing.

INTERRUPT STRONGLY
Please listen to me
Please listen to me. It is important.
Do you mind if I jump in here?
Do you mind if I jump in here? I have to
leave in five minutes.
I don't mean to intrude, but
I dont mean to intrude, but Stephen is
not exactly reliable.
Can I add something?
Can I add something here? WTR Ltd
should be able to supply us.
What are you trying to say?
What are you trying to say? I never accepted
that.

42. INTERRUPT VERY STRONGLY

What are you getting at?
What are you getting at? Cant you see youll only cause trouble?
Will you let me speak?
Will you let me speak? You are not the only person here.
Wont you let me give an opinion?
Wont you let me give my own opinion? I demand the right to speak.
Will you shut up for a minute, please?
Will you shut up for a minute, please? Dont you see everyones fed up?
Cant you be quiet?
Cant you be quiet for a moment, for goodness sake?

AVOID INTERRUPTION
Perhaps we could leave that for later on?
Perhaps we could leave that for some other moment.
Will you let me finish?
Will you let me finish? You can object when your turn comes up.
Id rather go on with
Id rather go on with the current subject as were a bit pressed for time.
Would you so be so kind as to let me finish?
Would you be so kind as to let me finish? I never interrupted your speech.
Would you mind not interrupting?
Would you mind not interrupting all the time?
ALLOW INTERRUPTION
Lets hear
Lets hear what Virginia has to say.
You may speak
Of course you may speak, Sylvie.
Please go ahead.
Please go ahead, Diana. What is so urgent?
Wed be delighted
Wed be delighted to hear your doubts, Paul. Please go ahead.
Youre not interrupting
Youre not interrupting at all. Everyone is free to share their opinions.
CHECK FOR CONSENSUS
Do we agree?
Do we agree that suing Dynacore is the only solution?

Do we all share?
Do we all share the same belief?
Are you all with me?
Are you all with me? We need unanimity to approve this rule.
Is there anyone who?
Is there anyone who has a different point of view?
Shall we pass?
Shall we pass the motion? Good.
AGREE WITH OPINIONS
Exactly!
Exactly! You couldnt have used better words.
That's how I feel
Thats exactly how I feel as well.
I have to agree
I have to agree with you. There seems to be no other possibility.
I never thought about it that way before
I never thought about it that way before. Its an excellent idea.
Youve found
I think youve found the right solution.
DISAGREE PARTIALLY
I see your point of view, but
I can see your point of view, but winter is very cold in Montreal.
You might be right. However
You might be right. However, how can we tell for sure?
You have a good point, though
You have a good point, though Anthony is also right.
You could say that, but
You could say that, but who buys ice cream in winter?
Up to a point I agree. Nevertheless
Up to a point I agree. Nevertheless, I feel James has a sounder approach.
DISAGREE STRONGLY
I dont agree
I dont agree with you at all.
Youre not right.
Youre not right. Everything you said is wrong.
Its not what I believe
Its not what I believe and I will not back you.

I dont think so
I dont think so. Why dont you change strategy?
Thats not such a good idea
Thats not such a good idea. Fiona tried it and it never worked.
49. DISAGREE LESS STRONGLY
Ive got another
Ive got another point of view.
I wouldn't do that
I wouldnt do that. I would never sell a car to buy a motorcycle.
I'm afraid I cant see it
Im afraid I cant see it that way.
Don't get me wrong
Dont get me wrong but no one here shares your views.
Im not so keen
Im not so keen on your strategy. It seems too complicated.
DISAGREE POLITELY
I don't mean to be rude
I dont mean to be rude but Bahia is north of Rio, not south.
This may sound
This may sound offensive but it is not my intention to hurt anyone.
Correct me if I'm wrong
Correct me if Im wrong but I think cell phone sales have remained flat.
I hate to bring this up
I hate to bring this up, but Brigitte never studied Marketing.
Theres another way
Theres another way round this. Why not try the Beta system?
51. SOFTEN DISAGREEMENT
Im afraid
Im afraid your models are a bit dated.
Im sorry
Im sorry but I cant agree with you.
Even though I respect your
Even though I respect your position I must dissent.
I know youve tried your best
I know youve tried your best, but your assumptions are wrong.
Its a great idea
Its a great idea but we theres another way to do it.

EXPRESS RESERVATION
I have some reservations
I have some reservations. How much is all this going to cost?
Maybe we should reflect
Maybe we should reflect on this a bit more.
Im worried
Im rather worried about the rate of return.
I cant help
I cant help feeling that weve forgotten something.
Id like to express my doubts
Id like to express my doubts. You dont even have a business plan!
GIVE INSTRUCTIONS - START
Before beginning
Before beginning make sure the mains are turned off.
The first step
The first step is find out where the short-circuit happened.
I would start by
I would start by analysing the charts.
Well set off
Well set off by working at the far end of the garden.
To begin with
To begin with, write a business plan.
GIVE INSTRUCTIONS - CONTINUE
After that
Immediately after that you should ask for an appointment with Dr Thayne.
The following stage
The following stage is to make sure you have enough cash.
The next thing
The next thing will be to ask Horace to help you.
Once you've
Once youve gone through the first step you must tackle the second one.
When that is over
When the introduction is over youll be ready to continue with the rest.
GIVE INSTRUCTIONS
FINISH
The last stage
The last stage is the easiest.
At the end
At the end you should check that the cables are well connected

To finish
To finish you just need to turn the switch on.
The closing step
The closing step is the easiest. Just lock the latch.
Well wrap up
Well wrap up the whole process by resetting the system.
INTRODUCE GOOD NEWS
I am delighted
I am delighted to inform you that youve won the first prize.
We are pleased
We are pleased to announce that ClaraVision will be our new ad agency.
Youll be thrilled
Youll be trilled to hear that Gretel is returning next week.
Its a pleasure
Its a pleasure to let you know that our company has grown substantially.
I have good news
I have good news. Hopper has accepted our proposal!
INTRODUCE BAD NEWS FORMALLY
We regret to
We regret to inform you that your programme has been discontinued.
I'm sorry
Im sorry but I have to let you know that we will not participate.
I'm afraid it
Im afraid it wont be possible for us to finance your venture.
Unfortunately
Unfortunately we are not allowed to take on such high risk.
After careful consideration
After careful consideration we have decided not to publish your novel.
INTRODUCE BAD NEWS INFORMALLY
I have some bad news
I have some bad news for you. Hans is leaving.
I hate to tell you
I hate to tell you this, but theyve given your project to Enid.
I don't know how to say
I dont know how to say this, but Heather insisted I should.
I feel sorry
I feel sorry but theres little we can do.
Its a shame

Its a shame but nobody will be there to receive you.

EXPRESS CONDOLENCE
I was sorry to hear
I was sorry to hear about Mr Sloan. He will be missed by all of us.
Id like to extend my sympathy
Id like to extend my sympathy to you and to your family.
We were sad to learn
We were sad to learn that Mrs Finn passed away.
Id like to express my bereavement
Id like to express my bereavement for the loss of such a valued person.
My condolence
Our condolence over the death of such an esteemed member of your team
your manager.
60.

Im not satisfied
Im not at all satisfied with your attitude.

COMPLAIN
STRON
GLY

We deserve better
We deserve a better service.
Im not used to
Im not used to such impolite behaviour.

Id like to file a
complaint

I'm sorry to have to

Id like to file a
complaint with

Im sorry to have to say this but food today

wasnt good at all.

COMPLAIN LESS STRONGLY

I dont want to sound critical but
I dont want to sound critical but your employees should be better trained.
I'm sorry to bother you
Im sorry to bother you but I must tell you something you wont like.
Excuse me if I seem out of line
Excuse me if I seem out of line but I think you should change your attitude.
There may be a misunderstanding
There may have been a misunderstanding. I said ham, not jam!
Don't get me wrong
Dont get me wrong but I do believe you should improve the packaging.

REPLY TO A COMPLAINT
We are sorry
Id like to say we are sorry for the inconveniences. Heres your
refund.
Id like to apologise
Id like to apologise for Jims behaviour. We will take disciplinary
action.
I regret
I regret to inform you that we cannot return your money.
Well do our best to settle the matter
Well do our best to settle the matter to your satisfaction, sir.
Well solve this affair
Well solve this affair once and for all. Please come with me.
EXPRESS SOMETHING SURE
Surely
This will surely happen.
Definitely
Daphne will definitely replace Ethel next month.
Without any question
There is no question that Dynacore will be taken over by Riversoft.
Doubtlessly
The building will doubtlessly be finished this November.
Certainly
We will certainly increase our turnover within the next quarter.
EXPRESS SOMETHING PROBABLE
Probably
It will probably take place next summer.
Likely
The festival is not likely to happen.
It seems
It seems that Sean will be joining us after all.
Apparently
Apparently the prototype will be ready by Monday.
On the face of it
On the face of it, everything seems to be running smoothly.
EXPRESS SOMETHING POSSIBLE
Possible
It is, of course, possible to give you a discount if you increase
volume.

Conceivably
Can we conceivably believe that you will not make another
mistake, Tom?
Feasible
The project is perfectly feasible. We only need financing.
Viable
We do agree that it is viable. Now, is it possible with only three
men?
Doable
The plan is doable. Ask Mr Danton, who has all the figures.
EXPRESS SOMETHING IMPROBABLE
Improbable
It is improbable that she will finish before the deadline.
Doubtful
Success seems doubtful. Who would back this adventure anyway?
Unlikely
A deal looks unlikely.
I have my doubts
I have my doubts about this business ever happening.
Im unsure
Im unsure. There are less than thirty percent chances of winning.
EXPRESS SOMETHING IMPOSSIBLE
Impossible
Its impossible for Greg to arrive on time. His plane is delayed in
Paris.
Undoable
This project is just undoable. Who drew the plans?
Out of the question
Buying a new car is out of the question. Why dont we lease one?
Unreachable
The goals Rachel set are unreachable.
Unattainable
Total quality will be unattainable without a well-trained workforce.
ADD FURTHER INFORMATION
In addition
In addition, Id like to mention that Saras generally right.
We might also
We might also deduce that bonuses will be affected too.
As well

Corn, as well as wheat, is produced in Brazil.

Furthermore
Furthermore, they insisted we should join them.
Moreover
Moreover, the fine must be paid within seven days.
PROVIDE MORE DETAIL
To elaborate
To elaborate on what Ms Finch exposed we will use a chart.
Here I have further information
Here I have further information. As you see, the weather has
changed.
Let me expand
Let me expand on Robbies plan. It will entail a drastic change.
Let me tell you a little more
Let me tell you a bit more about Dynacore. Theyre not so reliable.
What's more
Whats more, ClaraVision will also promote our merchandise.
GENERALISE
On the whole
On the whole, we cant really say A is better than B.
In general
In general people prefer longer, less expensive holidays.
By and large
By and large, the process was successful.
All things considered
All things considered, the match didnt turn out so badly.
Broadly speaking
Broadly speaking, women follow fashion more closely than men do.
DESCRIBE CURRENT PROJECTS
We are working on
Were now working on the new model.
We have started the process of
We have started the process of designing another prototype.
The projects under development
The projects under development are secret so we will not discuss
them.
We are involved in
We are already fully involved in phase B.

We remain occupied with

We remain occupied with the installation of the wiring system.
DESCRIBE FLUCTUATION
Fluctuate
Stock prices fluctuated throughout the session.
Unstable
The system is unstable and it might crash any minute.
Irregular
Growth patterns are irregular in Europe.
Erratic
His behaviour is erratic. Hes happy one day and sad the next.
Vary
Figures vary all the time. Its impossible to draw a working model.
DESCRIBE STABILITY
Stable
Prices will be stable for the whole season.
Remain unchanged
Nothing remains unchanged for very long.
Steadily
If we are lucky, sales will move steadily for the next couple of
months.
Constant
If the number of unemployed people remains constant we will face
trouble.
The same
Things are the same as one year ago. Does nothing ever change
here?
DESCRIBE INCREASE
Increase
Salaries should increase according to productivity.
Improve
Sales have improved and reached almost a million.
Raise
The government need to raise taxes to lower the deficit.
Rise
If inflation rises we will need to raise our prices.
Go up
The rates will not go up until the Central Bank decides they should.
DESCRIBE GRADUAL INCREASE

Accumulate
We have accumulated around ten percent.
Escalate
Costs have escalated by a very small factor.
Accrue
Interest has accrued in my savings account.
Grow
The economy will grow this year.
Develop
Sales have developed more slowly than we had expected.
DESCRIBE SUDDEN INCREASE
Boost
The advertising campaign boosted donations by twenty percent.
Shoot up
The cost of raw materials has shot up because of the increased
demand.
Spring up
Absenteeism always springs up when theres an epidemic of flu.
Surge
Interest rates surged to twenty-five percent because of inflation
fears.
Multiply
We need to multiply output by two within the next semester.
TALK ABOUT CAUSES
Caused by
The decrease in productivity was caused by lack of innovation.
Result from
The fall in passengers resulted from a misguided marketing policy.
Due to
Our failure was due to disorganization.
Conclusion
Her success was the logical conclusion of hard work.
Bring about
The change was brought about by our mistakes last year.
TALK ABOUT CONSEQUENCES
Lead to
The rise in sales led to more R&D.
Result in
Our failure resulted in the loss of the contract.

Mean that
Rachels decision to fire David means that I have to work harder.
Imply that
If she arrives late every day it implies that shes not happy with
her job.
Entail that
Lengthening the lunch hour will entail hiring at least one more
worker.
WARN ABOUT CONSEQUENCES
Unless we
The company wont survive, unless we stop the problem now.
If we dont
If we dont audit our accounts we will face problems with the
shareholders.
Only if
Ill give you both my support only if you promise to solve your
differences.
Watch
Watch your cash flow and be careful with bank clearing dates.
Otherwise
She needs to be there today. Otherwise, well lose the contract.
CONVINCE
Im convinced
Im convinced this is the best way to do it.
I assure you
I assure you our machine will work in every type of weather.
There is no doubt
There are no doubts Sandra is the best candidate.
You have my personal guarantee
You have my personal guarantee this will not happen.
Id like to reassure you
Id like to reassure you. Every aspect of the operation has been
revised.
DESCRIBE ADVANTAGES
It will help you
This programme will help you keep your accounts more easily.
It will improve
The stationary bicycle will improve your health.

The benefits are

The benefits to the company are twofold: lower cost and better
yield.
It will allow you
Our cleaning service will allow you to have every morning to
yourself.
It stands out
The GRS stands out among its competitors because its less noisy.
GET PEOPLE TO ACT
Nows the time to apply
Nows the time to apply what we have learnt.
Wed better move before
Wed better move before the competition does.
Lets get going
Lets get going. Time is golden.
We must act now
We must act now if we want immediate results.
Tomorrow will be too late
Tomorrow will be too late. Today is the beginning of a new life.
PROPOSE SOLUTIONS
Maybe we should
Maybe we should call Gerald
How about
How about setting up a meeting with their purchasing department?
Why dont you
Why dont you call the help line?
The best way is to
The best way to find a job is to look for one!
I would
I would change your old computer for a newer one.
EXPLORE OPTIONS
Let's look at
Lets look at option A.
Why dont we consider?
Why dont we consider Ninas suggestion?
How about?
How about this last alternative? Shall we review it?
We have several choices
We have several choices. Managua, Shanghai or Hanoi.

We could either
We could either invest in gold or silver.
PROPOSE WHAT IS NEEDED
You might need
You might need an architect to sign the blueprints.
It would be a good idea
It would be a good idea to take a couple of spare ropes.
It might be better
It might be better to include a colour photograph along with the
letter.
You would better add
Youd better add another person to the team.
You shouldnt forget
You shouldnt forget to carry your passport.
REQUEST WHAT IS NEEDED
We need
We need at least $10,000 for the next round of financing.
We cant do without
We cant do without Edith. Shes our leader!
It is essential
Working all night is essential. We wont meet targets otherwise.
It is compulsory
Wearing a tie is compulsory at this office.
We require
We require a deposit of at least twenty percent of the final price.
RECOMMEND A PERSON OR FIRM
Recommend
I can surely recommend ClaraVison. Theyre a reliable agency.
Put in a good word
Of course I can put in a good word for Kate. She is a brilliant
teacher.
Say good things
I can only say good things about DT. Its an excellent detergent.
Vouch for
Yes, Ill vouch for Jacqueline. Why do you want to know about her?
Endorse
Yes, Im ready to endorse Miss Low. Shes an exemplary worker.
RECOMMEND AN ACTION

We urge you to
We urge you to continue with the programme.
We recommend you
We recommend you prepare your managers for a shakeout.
We think you should
We think you should confront gossip with facts.
You ought to
You ought to conduct quality audits every year.
If I were you
If I were you Id keep my mouth shut.
DESCRIBE A PRODUCT
Let me describe
Let me describe our latest engine.
Can I tell you?
Can I tell you about our schools services? We teach English.
Here you can see
Here you see why we call the TXR our star drier.
This model
This particular model was designed by our people in Geneva.
It is priced
It is priced at $ 3,499 and we pay for shipping!
DESCRIBE FEATURES OF A PRODUCT
It is made of
It is made of wood and aluminium.
It features
The team features two Nobel Prize winners.
It comes with
It comes with a calculator and a pocket translator.
It measures
It measures ten feet in width, two in height and one in depth.
It weighs
It weighs close to a ton.
REFER TO WHAT HAS BEEN SAID
If we go back
If we go back to the chart well see how fabric design has changed.
As I said before
As I said before, its never too late to start exercising.
Returning to point one

Returning to point one, fixed assets are undervalued in you

accounts.
As has already been mentioned
As has already been mentioned, we cannot guarantee supply.
As you no doubt remember
As you now doubt remember, we started this chat with a quote by
Drucker.
SUMMARISE
To sum up
To sum up, we are in deep trouble.
To recapitulate
To recapitulate, this has been our best year ever.
The conclusion is
The conclusion is that all our efforts have finally proven successful.
In a few words
In a few words, Karen would like to congratulate you all.
It all boils down
It all boils down to a simple truth: money brings money.
FINISH A SPEECH
Id like to conclude
Id like to conclude by thanking everyone.
Let me end
Let me end by reminding you that we are at the top because of
your work.
Ill finish
Ill finish with the words of Julius Caesar: Veni, vidi, vici.
Finally
Finally, I want to say Im delighted to have had the chance to meet
you.
To conclude
Before concluding, Id like to invite Alice to say a few words.
CLOSE A MEETING
Thats all
Well, thats all for today. Any comments?
Could we make a decision right away?
Could we make a decision right away? Im hungry!
Well have to leave it for now
Well have to leave it for now. I have another appointment.
Time to finish!
Time to finish! Does anyone need a ride back to the hotel?

Shall we call it a day?

Shall we call it a day? We can adjourn the meeting till tomorrow.
CLOSE A CONVERSATION
It's been nice to talk to
It's been nice to talk to you, Alexandra.
I enjoyed meeting you
I really enjoyed meeting you, Mr Brown.
I have to leave
Im afraid I have to leave now. Im double-parked!
We have to move on
We have to move on, sorry!
Its getting late
Its getting late. We should be going home now.
SAY THANKS
Thanks
Thanks for everything.
Thank you
Thank you for your kind cooperation.
Im thankful for
Im thankful for all your efforts.
I appreciate
I appreciate your interest in my situation.
Im grateful for
Im grateful for your support in securing the bank loan.
THANK PEOPLE FOR COMING
Thank you
Thank you for coming.
Its been a pleasure
Its been a pleasure to meet you.
Ive been delighted to
Ive been delighted to be able to speak to you.
Id like to show my thanks
Id like to show my thanks by inviting you to my house for drinks.
I have enjoyed
I have enjoyed your company today.

THANK FOR LETTING YOU SPEAK

Thank you, John.
Thank you, John. I want to stress on the fact Jo is irreplaceable.
Thanks for allowing me
Thanks for allowing me to speak at this forum.
Thanks for calling on
Thanks for calling on me. Its a great chance to share my ideas.
I appreciate the opportunity to address
I appreciate the opportunity to address such a distinguished group.
Its a pleasure to
Its a pleasure to be able to talk about the MX project.
SAY BYE FORMALLY
Good night
Good night, everyone.
Goodbye
Goodbye. Please send my regards to Miss Burkes.
It was nice to
It was nice to talk to you.
Its been a pleasure to
Its been a pleasure to get to play golf with you.
Hope we meet
Hope we meet again before next summer.
SAY BYE INFORMALLY
See you
See you later.
Take care
Take care. Till tomorrow.
Cheers
Cheers. Give my love to Jeannette.
Bye
Bye Charlie.
So long
So long. Lovely to see you again.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF FORMALLY
Id like to introduce myself
Id like to introduce myself. Im Rajankumar Gupta from
Let me introduce myself
Let me introduce myself. Rajankumar Gupta

How do you do?

How do you do? My name is Rajankumar Gupta. I run the QA department.
Nice to meet you
Nice to meet you. NOP. We spoke on the phone last week,
I'm delighted to meet you
Im delighted to meet you. My name is Jeffers.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF LESS FORMALLY
Im
Im s cousin.
Hi
Hi. Nice to meet you. Im Rajan but everyone calls me Raj.
Hello
Hello. Rajankumar Gupta from QA.
Jack
Rajankumar Gupta, from Mumbai.
My name is
My name is Liz, Liz Trevor.
REPLY TO A FORMAL INTRODUCTION
Nice to meet you
Nice to meet you, Colonel Wrigley.
Pleased to meet you
Pleased to meet you, Angela. Im Dr Slithers.
Im delighted to meet you.
Im delighted to meet you. Welcome to London.
How do you do?
How do you do? Have you had a good trip?
Its an honour
Its an honour, Ambassador.

REPLY TO AN INFORMAL INTRODUCTION

Hi
Hi. Im Sam.
Hello
Hello. Andrew Damson.

Good to meet you too

Good to meet you too. Im Sarah.
Lovely to meet you
Lovely to meet you. Would you like a drink?
How are you?
How are you? Its good to get to know you at last!
INTRODUCE YOURSELF BEFORE A SPEECH
I am
I am Dr. Jack Smith from Barcelona. I work at our R&D facility.
Id like to introduce myself
Id like to introduce myself. I am Steve Platt, Chief of Maintenance.
Let me introduce myself
Let me introduce myself. Tom Salinger.
My name is
My name is John Styles. I run Riversofts European operations.
Im called
Im called Roberta Woodall. Robbie to my friends.
INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO THE PUBLIC
This is
This is Amy Stevens.
May I introduce?
May I introduce Sally Young? Sallys our PR officer.
Let me introduce
Let me introduce John Oats. He will be joining our sales team.
Id like you to meet
Id like you to meet Dr Li. Shes the Head Surgeon at BC Hospital.
Have you already met Maria Jones?
Have you already met Maria Jones? She runs the Moscow office.
SAY HELLO
Hi
Hi, John.
Hello
Hello. May I come in?
How are you?
How are you, Betsy?
Good morning
Good morning, Mr Hendricks.

Nice to see you

Nice to see you again, Paul
SIGNAL THE START OF A SPEECH
Right. Shall we start?
Right Ladies and Gentlemen. Shall we start with our presentation?
OK. Lets get going.
OK everybody. Lets get going. We only have twenty minutes.
Right then. We are ready
Right then. We are ready. The first point in the agenda is cost-cutting.
Is everybody already here?
Fine. Is everybody here? Lets get on then.
Time to begin
Well, time to begin. Well set off with an outline.
START A MEETING
Let's get started
Lets get the meetings started. John, would you like to begin?
We need to discuss
We need to discuss whether the campaign is aimed at the right target.
We will to talk about
We will talk about the hazards involved in our Gulf of Mexico drilling.
What brings us here?
What brings us here today? The hope of finding solutions.
We will study
We will carefully study all the projects that were brought forward.
INTRODUCE A SUMMARY
To put it briefly
To put it briefly, we have a problem with sales.
In a few words
In a few words, Chandler is leaving the company.
In a nutshell
In a nutshell, the contract will be finished next month.
To summarise
To summarise, we face an imminent strike in our Heathrow facilities.
It all comes down to
It all comes down to Sams behaviour at the warehouse.
EXPLAIN YOUR PURPOSE FORMALLY
The reason

The reason I travelled here is to discuss productivity.

My aim
My aim now is to increase sales in Britain.
What Id like
What Id like to do is appoint a new CFO.
My objective
My objective is to reduce advertising costs by at least ten percent.
We intend
We intend to redefine our marketing campaign.
12. EXPLAIN YOUR PURPOSE INFORMALLY
I want to
I want to let you know Ill stand by you.
Id just like to
Id just like to tell you that well do what we can.
Im here to
Im here to talk about plant organization.
Were going to
Were going to spend all day reviewing our techniques.
Ill put it simply.
Ill put it simply. We must decide on what to do about Alex.
PRESENT THE FIRST ITEM
Lets start by the beginning
Lets start by the very beginning. France is our top priority.
First things first
First things first. Now well discuss this weeks problem.
Item one
Item one in our agenda will be corporate responsibility.
Point A
Point A is our relationship with the government.
The opening issue
The opening issue today is worker benefits.
PRESENT THE NEXT ITEM
Lets move onto
Let's move onto item two.
We can now
We can now discuss the next topic.

We need to go on
We need to go on. Chapter B deals with economics.
The next item
The next item on my list will only take a few minutes.
Shall we continue?
Shall we continue? The second subject concerns our own future.
PRESENT EVIDENCE FORMALLY
Id like you to see
Id like you to see this graph.
Let me show you
Let me show you our new product line.
Please observe
Please observe how the new design is more aerodynamic.
If you watch
If you watch this video closely youll see it was filmed lat year.
Have a look
Have a good look at this chart.
PRESENT EVIDENCE LESS FORMALLY
Look here
Just look over here. This is the new tractor.
Can you see?
Can you see Joe? Hes the third from the left.
Watch this
Watch this scene. Can you spot our product in the background?
We want you to see
We want you to see the difference from the old to the new edition.
Here you have
Here you have the first picture of my wedding.
PRESENT DATA IN ORDER
Firstly
Secondly
To start with
Then
Initially
Next
In first place
Let us begin by

Following on from
Afterwards

To end
To conclude
Finally
To finish
Last but not least

Firstly, secondly and to end

Firstly well tackle costs; secondly well view the balance sheet
and, to end, well discuss this years sales.

To start with, then and to conclude

Henry will start with a presentation. Then hell answer questions and,
to conclude, we will walk round the grounds so you can see the
building.
Initially, next and finally.
We had initially planned to visit France. The next idea was to go to Spain
though we finally travelled nowhere.
In first place, following on from and to finish
In first place, we never asked her to represent us so following on
from that we decided to take her to court. Anyhow, we finished it all by
reaching an agreement.
Let us begin by, afterwards and last but not least
Let us begin by setting the goals. We can talk about the budget
afterwards and last but not least name a project coordinator.
PRESENT APPARENTLY CONTRASTING DATA
Although A seems fine, B is better
Although your proposal seems fine, Johns is better.
In spite of the evidence, Id like to say
In spite of the evidence, Id like to say that you could be wrong.
We could opt for A. On the other hand
We could opt for option A. On the other hand, option B is also interesting.
I like your idea. However, I prefer
I like your new idea. However, I prefer to continue with the same plan.
Instead of praising
Instead of praising Jim we should be worrying about his future.
ASK FOR INFORMATION
Could you please?
Could you please give me all the data you have?
Would you mind?
Would you mind informing me of the consequences?
I wonder if you could
I wonder if you could hand me the fact sheet on Dynacore.
What do you know about?
What do you know about Peters background?
Do you have?
Do you have any information on the Lambeth Square project?
ASK FOR EVIDENCE
Could you provide?
Could you provide us with the hard facts?

Why dont you?

Why dont you give us an example?
Can you illustrate that?
Can you illustrate that with a real-life case?
What evidence?
What evidence do you have?
How will you back that up?
How will you back up your proposal?
ASK FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
May we have?
May we have further details?
Could you elaborate on?
Could you elaborate on how you intend to make this work?
Is there any additional?
Is there any additional aspect to consider before we vote?
We need more
We need more data. One projection is just not enough.
Could you provide?
Could you provide some extra information on the touch-screen market?
ASK FOR FURTHER DETAILS
Could you add?
Could you add more details to the second point, please?
Could we have more particulars?
Could we have more particulars on your experience is mecatronics?
Could you give us further details?
Could you give us further details on this scheme?
What else?
What else can you add to convince us better?
Any more information?
Do you have any more info or have you already shown us everything?
ASK ABOUT MEALS
Is it included in the price?
Is breakfast included in the price?
What time?
What time is dinner served?
Do you have a special menu?
Do you have a vegetarian menu at the restaurant?

Jim is intolerant to gluten

Jim is intolerant to gluten. Is there anything for people with celiac disease?
Im allergic to
Im allergic to nuts. Do you have any nut-free ice cream?
ASK HOW TO CONTACT
Could I contact you?
Could I contact you at the agency later on?
How do I get in touch with you?
How do I get in touch with you if I have a problem with the system?
How can I reach you?
How can I reach you at the weekend? I dont have your home number.
Whats your?
Whats your e-mail?
Could I have your?
Could I have your office address please?
ASK FOR CLARIFICATION
What do you mean?
What do you exactly mean when you say taxes will be raised?
Could you clarify?
Could you clarify whether coffee is or isnt good for you?
I didnt understand
I didnt quite understand that last step. Could we go over it again?

Could you explain?

Could you explain to me how that is going to work?
I don't follow you
I just dont follow you. Why do you insist on discontinuing the line?
ASK FOR INSTRUCTIONS
How do you?
How do you operate this machine?
What is the best way?
What would you say is the best way to start this letter?
Can you show me?
Can you please show me how to fill this form?
Do you know?
Do you know anything about taxes? Could you help me fill out my return?
How should I go about it?

How should I go about asking for a raise? Shall I speak to Jack first?
ASK FOR QUESTIONS
Would you like to ask?
Would you like to ask anything?
Do you have any query?
Do you have any query on my presentation?
Is it clear?
Is everything clear?
Im ready to answer
Im ready to answer any question you might have.
Is there anything youd like?
Is there anything else youd like me to explain?
ASK SOMEONE TO SPEAK
Would you like to come to the stand?
Lenny, would you like to come over to the stand?
Allow me to give the floor to
Allow me to give the floor to our next speaker.
I would like to invite
Id like to invite Reverend Reynolds to give us his opinion.
Id like to call on
Id like to call on Dr Richards. Are you here, Doctor?
I believe someone would like to make a point.
I believe James would like to make a point. What is it, James?

ASK SOMEONE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS

Could you reply to that?
Edith, could you reply to that, please?
Would you care to question?
Would you care to question Mr Jones? Hes better qualified.
Id rather she answered to that
Id rather Lorna answered to that. Would you mind, Lorna?
Why dont we ask?
Why dont we ask Peter? He is the expert in shipping.
Lets address this query to
Lets address this query to Sam. Are you ready, Sam?
ASK FOR OPINION

Can we get your input?

Can we get your input, Alex?
How do you feel about?
How do you feel about lengthening the contract?
Whats your opinion?
Whats your opinion on wearing loafers to the meeting?
What do you think?
What do you think we should do with the Carnegie affair?
Do you have any suggestions?
Do you have any suggestions for this committee?
ASK ABOUT A COMPANY
What does your company do?
What exactly does your company do?
What are your main products?
What are your main products in the detergent category?
Which do you specialize in?
Which sector do you specialise in?
Which services do you provide?
Which services could you provide for us?
Where are you located?
Where are your headquarters located in Europe?
ASK ABOUT A PRODUCT OR SERVICE
Could you give me some information?
Could you give me some information on your services?
What can you tell me about?
What can you tell me about this dynamo?
What features does it have?
What features does this hydraulic press have?
What are the specifications?
What are the specifications of the switchboard?
Where can I buy it?
Where can I buy the MXC lava lamp?
ASK ABOUT PRICE
Whats the price?
Whats the price for one thousand units?
How much does it cost?
How much does the whole system cost?

What do you charge?

What do you charge for a hundred grams?
Could you give me your fees?
Could you give me your fees for the high season, please?
What are you asking for this?
What are you asking for this vase? It cant be very much
ASK ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY
Who is in charge?
Who is in charge of operations?
Who is running?
Who is running the Saudi Arabia division now?
Who is accountable for this?
Who is accountable for this mistake?
Who will be blamed?
Who will be blamed? Im sure it will be me!
Under whose responsibility?
Under whose responsibility was the test conducted?
ASK SOMEONE TO WAIT
Would you mind waiting?
Would you mind waiting outside, please? Theres a couch by the window.
Could you hold on?
Could you hold on? Ill finish this and shall be with you in a minute.
Just a second, please
Just a second, please. Yes, how can I help you?
Could you remain?
Could you remain here for minute, please? Ill get the manager.
Just hang around
Just hang around for a while. Ill try to sneak you in through the back door.
ASK ABOUT WAITING TIMES
How long will?
How long will it be before you fix the leak?
Is he going to take a long time?
Is the Doctor going to take a long time?

How delayed?
How delayed is the flight?
Do you think we should wait?
Do you think we should wait? Its eleven and nothing has happened yet.
When will?
When will the speech end? Im tired of sitting here!
ASK ABOUT DELIVERY TIMES
When could we receive?
When could we receive the goods?
What are your shortest delivery times?
What are your shortest delivery times for Madagascar?
How long will it take to arrive?
How long will it take to arrive at our factory?
When can we count on having it?
When can we count on having it ready for shipping?
Could we get it by?
Could we get it into port by next Tuesday?
ASK ABOUT PAYMENT TERMS
What are your payment conditions?
What are your standard payment conditions?
Could we talk about payment terms?
Could we talk about payment terms later? Im in a hurry now.
How do you normally get paid?
How do you normally get paid? We generally send a cheque.
Would a letter of credit be all right?
Would a letter of credit be all right? Its the best method.
What about paying in instalments?
What about paying in instalments? We do need some financing.
ASK FOR PAYMENT
When is your next payment date?
When is your next payment date? I cant wait forever.
When will my cheque be ready?
When will my cheque be ready? On Monday?
According to our records
According to our records you still owe us 4,500.

Your instalment is past due

Your monthly instalment is past due. Do you have any problem?
When shall I pass by to collect?
When shall I pass by to collect? I do need the cash.
ASK FOR A PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
What does it look like?
What does the building look like?
How big is it?
How big are the offices?
How much does it weigh?
How much does this container weigh?
How high is it?
How high is the whole structure?
Whats it made of?
What are the pens made of? Metal or plastic?

ASK ABOUT FACILITIES

What does it include?
What does the rental contract include?
Is furniture provided?
Is furniture for the stand provided or do we have to bring our own?
Is there?
Is there a crane we could rent? Our machines are very heavy.
Do the facilities have?
Do the facilities have a parking lot?
What features?
What special features does the venue have?
ASK FOR DIRECTIONS
Where is?
Excuse me, where is the market?
How can I get?
How can get from Bloor Street to Lambeth Square?
Could you give me directions?
Could you give me direction to the Royal Albert Hall?
Whats the best way to get reach?
Whats the best way to reach London? On the M1 or the M40?

Which route do you recommend?

Which route do you recommend from Burlington to Boston?
ASK ABOUT ABILITIES
Could he?
Could he lead a team of ten experienced salesmen?
Are you able to?
Are you able to work under pressure?
How well do you?
How well do you know the UNIX system?
What about her?
What about her experience in public relations? Could she handle the
press?
Do her skills include?
Do her skills include touch typing?
ASK FOR STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
What are their strengths?
What are their mains strengths? Marketing? We can beat them there.
What do you do best?
What do you do best? I need to know before I help you write your CV.
Dont they have any weak point?
Doesnt this team have any weak point? Are they all great players?
What is she good at?
What is Betsy good at? Selling. Shes a pro at that.
Arent they vulnerable at all?
Arent they vulnerable at all? What if we reduce all our prices?
ASK ABOUT WHAT IS NEEDED
What do you need?
What do you need a new plotter for?
What are the requisites?
What are the requisites? For instance, can a foreigner buy property here?
What is required?
What documents are required for the whole importation process?
Is this necessary?
Is it necessary to spend so much money in new equipment?
Is it a must?
Is a coffee machine a must? Cant we just all have tea at the office?
ASK TO BORROW

Could you lend me?

Could you lend me $100? Im broke!
May I borrow?
May I borrow your ski clothes? Im going to Aspen this weekend.
Do you mind if I use?
Do you mind if I use the Jeep this evening?
Will you let me have?
Will you let me have your boat over the weekend?
I would need to use
I would need to use a Mac for the presentation. Do you have one?
ASK FOR PERMISSION Could I?
Could I have a look at the new designs?
May I?
May I use your washroom?
Do you mind?
Do you mind if we borrow your printer for a couple of hours?
Is it okay?
It is OK to bring Lenny with me the next time?
Would it be all right?
Would it be all right for Dan to use your car tomorrow?
ASK FOR HELP POLITELY
Could you help me?
Could you help me with this report?
Would you mind helping me out?
Would you mind helping me out? My math skills are not that good.
Could you possibly assist me?
Could you possibly assist me? I cant understand this ATM.
Can you spare a few minutes?
Can you spare a few minutes? I need a bit of support here.
Could I ask you for a favour?
Could I ask you for a favour? How does this programme work?
ASK FOR HELP LESS POLITELY
I could use your help.
I could use your help. Cant you see Im carrying heavy boxes?
I need some help

I need some help. I know you understand this better than I do.
Help!
Help! Can anyone explain Economics to me?
I need a favour
I need a favour. Do you see those books? Can you bring them down?
Could you lend me a hand?
Could you lend me a hand? I tried to fix this by myself but couldnt.
ASK ABOUT PROJECTS
What are your?
What are your current projects in the solar energy sector?
What are you developing?
What is the R&D department developing nowadays?
What are your initiatives?
What are your initiatives in the field?
What are you up to?
What exactly are you up to? A new type of windmill?
Have you come up with anything?
Have you come up with any exciting new idea recently?
ASK FOR THE PURPOSE
Why?
Why do we need another flavour? We already manufacture forty-one!
What can you use this for?
What can consumers use this product for?
What does it do?
What does this new engine do that makes it more efficient?
What the purpose?
Whats the purpose of hiring new salespeople if demand is slow?
Could you explain the object?
Could you explain the object of calling for yet another meeting?
ASK ABOUT JOBS
What do you do?
What do you do? Im a teacher.
What business are you in?
What business are you in? Stocks? Bonds? Mutual funds?
Whats your line of work?
Whats your exact line of work? All I know is that youre an engineer.

Whats your job?

Whats your job? Are you in the advertising world too?
Where do you work?
Where do you work? Also at Dynacore? Well, this is a coincidence!
ASK ABOUT PRESENT ACTIVITIES
What's up?
Whats up? Why have the lines stopped production?
What's happening?
Whats happening in Detroit? Havent they finished the assignment yet?
What are you working on?
What are you working on now? Still on the MRT routine?
Anything new?
Anything new in the merchandising world?
Whats the current situation?
Whats the current situation in the metrology field?
ASK ABOUT THE FUTURE
What are your plans?
What are your plans for next year?
Whats your projection?
Whats your projection on developments in the field?
Whats your forecast?
Whats your forecast for this coming season?
What do you expect?
What do you expect will happen once Murphy takes office?
What do you anticipate?
What do you anticipate? Will the new model outsell the old one?
ASK FOR A SUBSTITUTE
Could you replace me?
Could you replace me tomorrow? Ive got an appointment with the
dentist.
Would it be possible for you to take over?
Would it be possible for you to take over from me? I dont feel well.
You might have to stand in for
You might have to stand in for Colum. He has to travel to Ireland.
We need a substitute
We need a substitute teacher for a few days. Could you come in?

Can you take my place?

Can you take my place for an hour? Im meeting Ian at the station.
ASK FOR AN EXPLANATION
Could you explain?
Could you explain your reasons for delivering the goods late?
How can you justify?
How can you justify this price increase?
I don't understand why
I dont understand why we always have problems with quality.
Why is it that?
Why is it that youre charging us a commission?
How come?
How come your cheque always gets lost in the post?
ASK FOR REPETITION
Sorry, I didn't catch that
Sorry, I didnt catch your last sentence. Its too noisy here.
I missed that. Could you repeat it, please?
I missed your explanation. Could you repeat it, please?
Pardon?
Pardon? I didnt get what you said about Harvey.
Excuse me
Excuse me. Could you read that once again please?
What did you say?
What did you say? I think I understood you wrongly.
What was that again?
What was that again? Im afraid Im a bit deaf.
ASK FOR SOLUTIONS
What should we?
What should we do now?
How can we work it out?
How can we work it out? Do you think you have the answer?
Whats the way?
Whats the best way to solve this crisis?
What is the solution?
What is the solution? Shall we reset the system?
How do we?

How do we fix the engine?

ASK FOR CONFIRMATION
Do you actually mean that?
Do you actually mean that Dynacore will be taken over?
Is it true that?
Is it true that Jo is leaving?
Are you certain about this?
Are you completely certain that these figures are right?
Is it sure?
Is the takeover sure?
Are you one hundred percent positive?
Are you one hundred percent positive? If so, well buy the stock.
ASK TO COMMENT
Could I make a point here?
Could I make another point here? Apart from expensive, the car is ugly.
Id like add
Id like to add that Malone has generally been right in his forecasts.
Could I say something?
Could I say something about Hughs proposal?
May I interrupt?
May I interrupt you for a minute, Jessica?
Id like to make a comment.
Id like to make a quick comment. We need to finish in ten minutes.
ASK FOR CONTRIBUTION FROM OTHERS
What do you think?
What do you think about this proposal?
Would you like to add?
Would you like to add anything, Cynthia?
Has anyone else got anything?
Has anyone else got anything to contribute?
Are there any more?
Are there any more comments?
How do you feel?
How do you all feel about this issue?
ASK FOR PRONOUNCEMENT
Where do you stand?
Where do you stand regarding Liams attitude? Are you for or against

him?
Whose side are you on?
Whose side are you on? Ours or theirs?
Who do you intend to back?
Who do you intend to back? Frank or Russ?
Which one do you agree with?
Which line of thought do you agree with, Malcolm?
Make up your mind, please.
Make up your mind, please. You have to choose between Eric and me.
CORRECT MISUNDERSTANDING
Theres a misunderstanding
Im afraid theres been a misunderstanding. I said Mrs Figgs, not Mrs Pigs.
This isnt what I meant
This isnt quite what I meant. Sales diminished but didnt plummet.
I dont think youve understood
I dont think youve actually understood me. I am not against you.
It was not my intention
It was not my intention to offend you. I am sorry.
Im sorry about the confusion
Im sorry about the confusion. I thought Taylor was only a womans
name.
CORRECT WHATS WRONG
That is not right
Sorry, that is not quite right. Toronto is not the capital of Canada.
Its wrong
Its all wrong. Cant you see the formulas incorrect?
Youve made a mistake
Youve made a mistake so its your turn to set matters right.
That needs correction
Those figures need correction. We need to add variable costs.
This is different to
This is different to what we had agreed. You must change it.
KEEP A MEETING IN ORDER
We cant all speak at once.
We cant all speak at once. Heather, you start.
Lets concentrate on
Lets concentrate on the agenda for the day.

Shall we take turns?

Shall we take turns? We can vote one by one.
Please lower your voice.
Please lower your voice. You wont convince anyone by shouting.
Will you let Maria speak?
Jason, will you let Maria speak? She has important things to say.
KEEP A MEETING IN TRACK
Thats another subject
Finance is another subject altogether. Now well just talk about sales.
We cant discuss that issue
We cant discuss that issue today. Its not on the agenda.
That's outside the scope
Thats outside the scope of our meeting so well leave it for now.
Let's get back on track
Lets get back on track. Were wasting too much time.
Were digressing
Were digressing. I want to stick to the main subject.
COME BACK TO A TOPIC
Now, where were we?
Now, where were we? Yes, prime time ratings.
What were we saying?
What were you saying when Carol interrupted us?
As I was explaining
As I was explaining before lunch, higher prices dont always deter buyers.
Return to
Lets return to point five: Clay Corporation.
This leads us back to
This leads us back to the subject we were discussing yesterday.
POSTPONE AN ISSUE
Well defer
Well defer the matter till we have all relevant information.
Lets leave
Lets leave this issue aside for the time being.
Its too late to
Its too late to discuss advertising today. Well have more time tomorrow.
Shall we leave it for?

Shall we leave the final decision for this afternoons session?

Lets postpone
Lets postpone the discussion till everyone has arrived.
FOCUS ON THE MAIN ISSUE
The major
The only major problem we need to solve is absenteeism.
Our primary concern is
Our primary concern isnt only increased sales but better quality as well.
What is the real issue?
Whats the real issue? Managers are not committed to their jobs.

The most important

The most important hurdle of this negotiation is to convince Mr Lewis.
We really need
We really need to look after our workforce.
EMPHASISE ON A POINT
This is a key issue
Labour relations are a key issue now.
Id like to emphasise on
Id like to emphasise on point three of my presentation.
This is highly significant
Norahs attitude is highly significant. Shes certainly against us.
This is vital
Turning a profit this year is vital if we wish to survive.
Its imperative
Its imperative to solve this problem now.
PLAY DOWN A POINT
This is a minor issue
This is a minor issue. Price is the main concern.
This is of secondary importance
This is of secondary importance if we compare it with our real problem.
Who cares?
Who cares about PR when the whole business is in danger?
Its irrelevant
His view is irrelevant, completely worthless.
Its not significant

This matter is not significant at all. Lets move onto what is crucial.
72. SLOW DOWN A MEETING
Before we move on
Before we move on I believe we should hear Jackies point of view.
Wait a minute
Wait a minute. We haven't discussed the forecast yet.
Shouldnt we postpone?
Shouldnt we postpone the decision till Lindsay is back from her office?
Not so fast
Not so fast. We havent finished our coffee yet!
Take it easy
Take it easy. Whats the hurry? We have the whole weekend ahead of us.
73. MOVE THE MEETING FORWARD
Shall we proceed onto the next point?
Shall we proceed onto the next point? There are ten items on the agenda.
We need to solve it today
We do need to solve it today. Tomorrows Sabbath in Israel.
Let's move on
Lets move one. Time is money.
I dont have all morning
I dont have all morning. Make up your minds now!
Hurry up
Hurry up please. We cant waste more time on this.
74. CHANGE TOPICS FORMALLY
Incidentally, may I mention that?
Incidentally, may I mention that Hutchinson called today?
An alternative to consider
An alternative point to consider is the effect of this decision on our image.
While we are on the subject
While we are on the subject, Id like to inform you that Jo is ill today.
On quite another matter
On quite another matter, battery life is still a major concern.
Could we now deal with?
Could we now deal with our plans for the Geneva summit?

75. CHANGE TOPICS LESS FORMALLY

By the way
By the way, it rained quite a bit yesterday.
Can we move onto?
Can we move onto our plans for dinner?
To bring up something else
To bring up something else, Max came to the office yesterday.

Now is time to
Now is the right time to talk about the new site. Tomorrow will be too late.
Theres another issue we have to deal with
Theres another issue we have to deal with losses in the chemistry area.
76. CHANGE TOPICS INFORMALLY
I dont want to
I dont want to talk about football anymore. What are the plans for
tonight?
It has just crossed my mind
It has just crossed my mind that Billy wont be able to come.
Changing subject
Changing subject, did you see Dudley yesterday?
Before I forget
Before I forget, how did Jack and Edith get on?
Weve had enough
Weve had enough of you talking about golf. Whats the next point?
77. INTERRUPT VERY POLITELY
Er
Er, I think Joan is already here.
Sorry
Sorry, I never meant that.
Actually
Actually it was Geraldine who arrived late.
Excuse me
Excuse me, that seems taking matters too far.
May I have a word?
May I have a word? Nothing will stop the Mirror from running the story.
78. INTERRUPT POLITELY

Can I make a comment?

Can I make a comment? Mike was never involved in this.
May I come in here?
May I come in here? In fact, new laptops tend to be lighter, not heavier.
May I interrupt?
May I interrupt? I do have something relevant to disclose.
Could I say something?
Could I say something? If we want lower costs we need other suppliers.
Sorry to interrupt
Sorry to interrupt, but someones phone is ringing.
79. INTERRUPT STRONGLY
Please listen to me
Please listen to me. It is important.
Do you mind if I jump in here?
Do you mind if I jump in here? I have to leave in five minutes.
I don't mean to intrude, but
I dont mean to intrude, but Stephen is not exactly reliable.
Can I add something?
Can I add something? WTR Ltd should be able to supply us.
What are you trying to say?
What are you trying to say? I never accepted a gift from a client.
80. INTERRUPT VERY STRONGLY
What are you getting at?
What are you getting at? Cant you see youll only cause trouble?
Will you let me speak?
Will you let me speak? You are not the only person here.
Wont you let me give an opinion?
Wont you let me give my own opinion? I demand the right to speak.
Will you shut up for a minute, please?
Will you shut up for a minute, please? Dont you see everyones fed up?
Cant you be quiet?
Cant you be quiet for a moment, for goodness sake?
81. AVOID INTERRUPTION
Perhaps we could leave that for later on?
Perhaps we could leave that for some other moment.
Will you let me finish?
Will you let me finish? You can object when your turn comes up.

Id rather go on with
Id rather go on with the current subject as were a bit pressed for time.
Would you so be so kind as to let me finish?
Would you be so kind as to let me finish? I never interrupted your speech.
Would you mind not interrupting?
Would you mind not interrupting all the time?
82. ALLOW INTERRUPTION
Lets hear
Lets hear what Virginia has to say.
You may speak
Of course you may speak, Sylvie.
Please go ahead.
Please go ahead, Diana. What is so urgent?
Wed be delighted
Wed be delighted to hear your doubts, Paul. Please go ahead.
Youre not interrupting
Youre not interrupting at all. Everyone is free to share their opinions.
83. CHECK FOR CONSENSUS
Do we agree?
Do we agree that suing Dynacore is the only solution?
Do we all share?
Do we all share the same belief?
Are you all with me?
Are you all with me? We need unanimity to approve this rule.
Is there anyone who?
Is there anyone who has a different point of view?
Shall we pass?
Shall we pass the motion? Good.
84. AGREE WITH OPINIONS
Exactly!
Exactly! You couldnt have used better words.
That's how I feel
Thats exactly how I feel as well.
I have to agree
I have to agree with you. There seems to be no other possibility.

I never thought about it that way before

I never thought about it that way before. Its an excellent idea.
Youve found
I think youve found the right solution.

85. DISAGREE PARTIALLY

I see your point of view, but
I can see your point of view, but winter is very cold in Montreal.
You might be right. However
You might be right. However, how can we tell for sure?
You have a good point, though
You have a good point, though Anthony is also right.
You could say that, but
You could say that, but who buys ice cream in winter?
Up to a point I agree. Nevertheless
Up to a point I agree. Nevertheless, I feel James has a sounder approach.
86. DISAGREE STRONGLY
I dont agree
I dont agree with you at all.
Youre not right.
Youre not right. Everything you said is wrong.
Its not what I believe
Its not what I believe and I will not back you.
I dont think so
I dont think so. Why dont you change strategy?
Thats not such a good idea
Thats not such a good idea. Fiona tried it and it never worked.
87. DISAGREE LESS STRONGLY
Ive got another
Ive got another point of view.
I wouldn't do that
I wouldnt do that. I would never sell a car to buy a motorcycle.
I'm afraid I cant see it
Im afraid I cant see it that way.
Don't get me wrong
Dont get me wrong but no one here shares your views.

Im not so keen
Im not so keen on your strategy. It seems too complicated.

88. DISAGREE POLITELY

I don't mean to be rude
I dont mean to be rude but Bahia is north of Rio, not south.
This may sound
This may sound offensive but it is not my intention to hurt anyone.
Correct me if I'm wrong
Correct me if Im wrong but I think cell phone sales have remained flat.
I hate to bring this up
I hate to bring this up, but Brigitte never studied Marketing.
Theres another way
Theres another way round this. Why not try the Beta system?
89. SOFTEN DISAGREEMENT
Im afraid
Im afraid your models are a bit dated.
Im sorry
Im sorry but I cant agree with you.
Even though I respect your
Even though I respect your position I must dissent.
I know youve tried your best
I know youve tried your best, but your assumptions are wrong.
Its a great idea
Its a great idea but we theres another way to do it.
90. EXPRESS RESERVATION
I have some reservations
I have some reservations. How much is all this going to cost?
Maybe we should reflect
Maybe we should reflect on this a bit more.
Im worried
Im rather worried about the rate of return.
I cant help
I cant help feeling that weve forgotten something.
Id like to express my doubts
Id like to express my doubts. You dont even have a business plan!

91. REASSURE
Theres no cause for concern
Theres no cause for concern. The pilot is very experienced.
Let me assure you
Let me assure you that your money is safe at our bank.
We have no fears
We have no fears. Our team will win.
There will be no problem
There will be no problem. Ive made bookings for every night.
Nothing can go wrong
Nothing can go wrong, Mr Murphy. Everythings under control.
92. OFFER COMPROMISE
Only if
Were ready to go along only if Wren leads the project.
On condition that
Well keep the factory open on condition there are no more strikes.
Unless
They wont let us import the machine, unless we can prove we need it.
Provided
The product is guaranteed, provided you make regular use of it.
As long as
We will accept as long as you sign all the papers today.
93. REPEAT IN OTHER WORDS
In other words
In other words, he is not fit enough to run the business.
What I mean is
What I mean is that production cant increase without overtime.
What I'm trying to say
What Im trying to say is that, unfortunately, well have to pay a fine
What I wanted to explain
What I wanted to explain was that the auditors were misinformed.
Let me put this another way
Let me put this another way: you are not welcome in this club.
94. CHECK UNDERSTANDING FORMALLY

Do you understand?
Do you understand what I mean?
Do you know?
Do you know what Im saying?
Can you see?
Can you see what Im trying to get at?
Have I made that clear?
Have I made that clear enough?
Are you following?
Are you following me?
95. CHECK UNDERSTANDING INFORMALLY
Do you get the picture?
Do you now get the picture? Its not so difficult after all.
Are you with me?
Are you with me? I thought you were not listening.
Is it crystal clear?
Is it crystal clear? You dont have any doubt, do you?
Got it?
Got it? Its very easy once youve heard the explanation.
Have you figured it out?
Have you figured it out? I can re-read the formula if you wish.
96. SHOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND FORMALLY
I see
I see. First you lift the lever and then you turn the knob.
I understand
I understand. Assets and liabilities must all add up.
Thats clear
Thats clear, Susanne. No need to repeat it.
I get it
I get it. Algebras so logical.
Ive grasped
Ive grasped the explanation from beginning to end.
97. SHOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND INFORMALLY
I follow you
I follow you. It isnt very hard.

I get the picture

I get the picture. You walk in first and Ill go in afterwards.
Understood
Understood. Whats next?
I catch it
I catch it. It isnt difficult at all.
Clear
Clear as water. Lets go on.
98. SHOW THAT YOU DONT UNDERSTAND FORMALLY
I don't understand
Sorry, I dont understand anything you say.
What do you mean?
What do you mean when you say time is just another dimension?
I cant follow you
I cant follow you. Could you speak more slowly, please?
I'm not sure I get what you mean
Im not sure I get what you mean. Is branding part of promotion?
Let me check if I heard you correctly
Let me check if I heard you correctly. Jack is selling his company?
99. SHOW THAT YOU DONT UNDERSTAND INFORMALLY
I don't get it.
I dont get the advantage. What makes it different to ours?
I'm not following you
Im just not following you. I always get lost when you speak about rugby.
What was that?
Sorry, what was that? I wasnt paying attention.
I cant get the hang of
I cant get the hang of this game. Bridge is so complicated!
Its double Dutch to me
Its double Dutch to me. Youd better explain it to Pauline.
100. GIVE INSTRUCTIONS - START
Before beginning
Before beginning make sure the mains are turned off.

The first step

The first step is find out where the short-circuit happened.
I would start by
I would start by analysing the charts.
Well set off
Well set off by working at the far end of the garden.
To begin with
To begin with, write a business plan.
101. GIVE INSTRUCTIONS - CONTINUE
After that
Immediately after that you should ask for an appointment with Dr
Thayne.
The following stage
The following stage is to make sure you have enough cash.
The next thing
The next thing will be to ask Horace to help you.
Once you've
Once youve gone through the first step you must tackle the second
one.
When that is over
When the introduction is over youll be ready to continue with the rest.
Giving Instruction -Finish
The last stage
The last stage is the easiest.
At the end
At the end you should check that the cables are well connected
To finish
To finish you just need to turn the switch on.
The closing step
The closing step is the easiest. Just lock the latch.
Well wrap up
Well wrap up the whole process by resetting the system.
103.

INTRODUCE GOOD NEWS

I am delighted
I am delighted to inform you that youve won the first prize.

Its a pleasure
Its a pleasure to announce that ClaraVision will be our new ad agency.
Youll be thrilled
Youll be trilled to hear that Gretel is returning next week.
Im very pleased
Im pleased to let you know that our company has grown substantially.
I have good news
I have good news. Hopper has accepted our proposal!
104.

INTRODUCE BAD NEWS FORMALLY

We regret to
We regret to inform you that your programme has been discontinued.
I'm sorry
Im sorry but I have to let you know that we will not participate.
I'm afraid it
Im afraid it wont be possible for us to finance your venture.
Unfortunately
Unfortunately we are not allowed to take on such high risk.
After careful consideration
After careful consideration we have decided not to publish your novel.
105. INTRODUCE BAD NEWS INFORMALLY
I have some bad news
I have some bad news for you. Hans is leaving.
I hate to tell you
I hate to tell you this, but theyve given your project to Enid.
I don't know how to say
I dont know how to say this, but Heather insisted I should.
I feel sorry
I feel sorry but theres little we can do.
Its a shame
Its a shame but nobody will be there to receive you.
106.

EXPRESS CONDOLENCE

I was sorry to hear

I was sorry to hear about Mr Sloan. He will be missed by all of us.
Id like to extend my sympathy

Id like to extend my sympathy to you and to your family.

We were sad to learn
We were sad to learn that Mrs Finn passed away.
Id like to express my bereavement
Id like to express my bereavement for the loss of such a valued person.
My condolence
Our condolence over the death of such an esteemed member of your
team
107.

COMPLAIN STRONGLY

Id like to file a complaint

Id like to file a complaint with your manager.
Im not satisfied
Im not at all satisfied with your attitude.
We deserve better
We deserve a better service.
Im not used to
Im not used to such impolite behaviour.
I'm sorry to have to
Im sorry to have to say this, but food today wasnt good at all.
108.

COMPLAIN LESS STRONGLY

I dont want to sound critical but

I dont want to sound critical but your employees should be better
trained.
I'm sorry to bother you
Im sorry to bother you but I must tell you something you wont like.
Excuse me if I seem out of line
Excuse me if I seem out of line but I think you should change your
attitude.
There may be a misunderstanding
There may have been a misunderstanding. I said ham, not jam!
Don't get me wrong
Dont get me wrong but I do believe you should improve the packaging.
109. REPLY TO A COMPLAINT
We are sorry
Id like to say we are sorry for the inconveniences. Heres your refund.

Id like to apologise
Id like to apologise for Jims behaviour. We will take disciplinary action.
I regret
I regret to inform you that we cannot return your money.
Well do our best to settle the matter
Well do our best to settle the matter to your satisfaction, sir.
Well solve this affair
Well solve this affair once and for all. Please come with me.
110.

EXPRESS SOMETHING SURE

Surely
This will surely happen.
Definitely
Daphne will definitely replace Ethel next month.
Without any question
There is no question that Dynacore will be taken over by Riversoft.
Doubtlessly
The building will doubtlessly be finished this November.
Certainly
We will certainly increase our turnover within the next quarter.

111.
EXPRESS SOMETHING PROBABLE
Probably
It will probably take place next summer.
Likely
The festival is not likely to happen.
It seems
It seems that Sean will be joining us after all.
Apparently
Apparently the prototype will be ready by Monday.
On the face of it
On the face of it, everything seems to be running smoothly.
112.

EXPRESS SOMETHING POSSIBLE

Possible
It is, of course, possible to give you a discount if you increase volume.
Conceivably

Can we conceivably believe that you will not make another mistake, Tom?
Feasible
The project is perfectly feasible. We only need financing.
Viable
We do agree that it is viable. Now, is it possible with only three men?
Doable
The plan is doable. Ask Mr Danton, who has all the figures.

113. EXPRESS SOMETHING IMPROBABLE

Improbable
It is improbable that she will finish before the deadline.
Doubtful
Success seems doubtful. Who would back this adventure anyway?
Unlikely
A deal looks unlikely. Neither party wants to give in.
I have my doubts
I have my doubts about this business ever happening.
Im unsure
Im unsure. There are less than thirty percent chances of winning.
114.
EXPRESS SOMETHING IMPOSSIBLE
Impossible
Its impossible for Greg to arrive on time. His plane is delayed in Paris.
Undoable
This project is just undoable. Who drew the plans?
Out of the question
Buying a new car is out of the question. Why dont we lease one?
Unreachable
The goals Rachel set are unreachable.
Unattainable
Total quality will be unattainable without a well-trained workforce.
115.

ADD FURTHER INFORMATION

In addition
In addition, Id like to mention that Saras generally right.
We might also
We might also deduce that bonuses will be affected too.

As well
Corn, as well as wheat, is produced in Brazil.
Furthermore
Furthermore, they insisted we should join them.
Moreover
Moreover, the fine must be paid within seven days.
116.

PROVIDE MORE DETAIL

To elaborate
To elaborate on what Ms Finch exposed we will use a chart.
Here I have further information
Here I have further information. As you see, the weather has changed.
Let me expand
Let me expand on Robbies plan. It will entail a drastic change.
Let me tell you a little more
Let me tell you a bit more about Dynacore. Theyre not so reliable.
What's more
Whats more, ClaraVision will also promote our merchandise.
117.

GENERALISE

On the whole
On the whole, we cant really say A is better than B.
In general
In general people prefer longer, less expensive holidays.
By and large
By and large, the process was successful.
All things considered
All things considered, the match didnt turn out so badly.
Broadly speaking
Broadly speaking, women follow fashion more closely than men do.
118.
DESCRIBE CURRENT PROJECTS
We are working on
Were now working on the new model.
We have started the process of
We have started the process of designing another prototype.
The projects under development
The projects under development are secret so we will not discuss them.

We are involved in
We are already fully involved in phase B.
We remain occupied with
We remain occupied with the installation of the wiring system.

119. DESCRIBE FLUCTUATION

Fluctuate
Stock prices fluctuated throughout the session.
Unstable
The system is unstable and it might crash any minute.
Irregular
Growth patterns are irregular in Europe.
Erratic
His behaviour is erratic. Hes happy one day and sad the next.
Vary
Figures vary all the time. Its impossible to draw a working model.
120.

DESCRIBE STABILITY

Stable
Prices will be stable for the whole season.
Remain unchanged
Nothing remains unchanged for very long.
Steadily
If we are lucky, sales will move steadily for the next couple of months.
Constant
If the number of unemployed people remains constant we will face
trouble.
The same
Things are the same as one year ago. Does nothing ever change here?
121. DESCRIBE INCREASE
Increase
Salaries should increase according to productivity.
Improve
Sales have improved and reached almost a million.
Raise
The government need to raise taxes to lower the deficit.

Rise
If inflation rises we will need to raise our prices.
Go up
The rates will not go up until the Central Bank decides they should.
122.

DESCRIBE GRADUAL INCREASE

Accumulate
We have accumulated around ten percent.
Escalate
Costs have escalated by a very small factor.
Accrue
Interest has accrued in my savings account.
Grow
The economy will grow this year.
Develop
Sales have developed more slowly than we had expected.
123.
DESCRIBE SUDDEN INCREASE
Boost
The advertising campaign boosted donations by twenty percent.
Shoot up
The cost of raw materials has shot up because of the increased demand.
Spring up
Absenteeism always springs up when theres an epidemic of flu.
Surge
Interest rates surged to twenty-five percent because of inflation fears.
Multiply
We need to multiply output by two within the next semester.
124.
DESCRIBE FALL
Fall
The accident rate fell substantially the last decade.

Decline
No one can stop the decline of newspaper advertising.
Descend
When will the cost of steel descend?
Climb down
Profits will continue to climb down if we dont control expenses.

Decrease
The decrease in productivity is due to mismanagement.
125.

DESCRIBE GRADUAL FALL

Diminish
If we diminish the amount of this component we might get a better
mixture.
Weaken
Demand will surely weaken once everyones heard the news.
Shrink
Advertising income will continue to shrink in the near future.
Wane
Roberts influence in the company will wane once people get to know him.
Slip
Why did revenue slip in the third quarter?
126.

DESCRIBE SUDDEN FALL

Dive
If the price of copper dives further well be out of business.
Plunge
Look at the curve. Deliveries plunged in May but recovered in December.
Plummet
Our reputation will plummet if the press find out that we made a mistake.
Sink
Can fees sink any deeper? I dont think so.
Collapse
The market has collapsed and it wont improve for a while.
127.

DESCRIBE HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIOS

If we choose
If we choose option A we could face problems with the workforce.
If you select
If you select the second alternative Ill leave the company.
By picking
By picking Model H instead of X well assure a supply of spare parts.
If we go with

If we go forward with Joels proposal we might face trouble later on.

Opting
Opting for any of the alternatives would be much better than doing
nothing.
128.

TALK ABOUT CAUSES

Caused by
The decrease in productivity was caused by lack of innovation.
Result from
The fall in passengers resulted from a misguided marketing policy.
Due to
Our failure was due to disorganization.
Conclusion
Her success was the logical conclusion of hard work.
Bring about
The change was brought about by our mistakes last year.
129.

TALK ABOUT CONSEQUENCES

Lead to
The rise in sales led to more R&D.
Result in
Our failure resulted in the loss of the contract.
Mean that
Rachels decision to fire David means that I have to work harder.
Imply that
If she arrives late every day it implies that shes not happy with her job.
Entail that
Lengthening the lunch hour will entail hiring at least one more worker.

130.

WARN ABOUT CONSEQUENCES

Unless we
The company wont survive, unless we stop the problem now.
If we dont
If we dont audit our accounts we will face problems with the
shareholders.

Only if
Ill give you both my support only if you promise to solve your differences.
Watch
Watch your cash flow and be careful with bank clearing dates.
Otherwise
She needs to be there today. Otherwise, well lose the contract.
131.

CONVINCE

Im convinced
Im convinced this is the best way to do it.
I assure you
I assure you our machine will work in every type of weather.
There is no doubt
There are no doubts Sandra is the best candidate.
You have my personal guarantee
You have my personal guarantee this will not happen.
Id like to reassure you
Id like to reassure you. Every aspect of the operation has been revised.
132.
DESCRIBE ADVANTAGES
It will help you
This programme will help you keep your accounts more easily.
It will improve
The stationary bicycle will improve your health.
The benefits are
The benefits to the company are twofold: lower cost and better yield.
It will allow you
Our cleaning service will allow you to have every morning to yourself.
It stands out
The GRS stands out among its competitors because its less noisy.
133.

GET PEOPLE TO ACT

Nows the time to apply

Nows the time to apply what we have learnt.
Wed better move before
Wed better move before the competition does.
Lets get going
Lets get going. Time is golden.
We must act now

We must act now if we want immediate results.

Tomorrow will be too late
Tomorrow will be too late. Today is the beginning of a new life.

134.

PROPOSE SOLUTIONS

Maybe we should
Maybe we should call Gerald
How about
How about setting up a meeting with their purchasing department?
Why dont you
Why dont you call the help line?
The best way is to
The best way to find a job is to look for one!
I would
I would change your old computer for a newer one.
135.

EXPLORE OPTIONS

Let's look at
Lets look at option A.
Why dont we consider?
Why dont we consider Ninas suggestion?
What about?
What about this last alternative? Shall we review it?
We have several choices
We have several choices. Managua, Shanghai or Hanoi.
We could either
We could either invest in gold or silver.
136.

PROPOSE WHAT IS NEEDED

You might need

You might need an architect to sign the blueprints.
It would be a good idea
It would be a good idea to take a couple of spare ropes.
It might be better
It might be better to include a colour photograph along with the letter.
You would better

Youd better add another person to the team.

You shouldnt forget
You shouldnt forget to carry your passport.
137.

REQUEST WHAT IS NEEDED

We need
We need at least $10,000 for the next round of financing.
We cant do without
We cant do without Edith. Shes our leader!
It is essential
Working all night is essential. We wont meet targets otherwise.
It is compulsory
Wearing a tie is compulsory at this office.
We require
We require a deposit of at least twenty percent of the final price.
138.

SUGGEST STRONGLY

You should
You should just sell the whole division!
You must
You must act now if you dont want to regret it later.
You ought to
You ought to take disciplinary measures.
Youd better
Youd better listen to my advice.
I suggest
I suggest you deposit our money immediately.
139.

SUGGEST GENTLY

I guess you might

I guess you might be better off without her.
Why dont we try?
Why dont we try to find another supplier?
Maybe we should
Maybe we should cut R&D spending.
We could
We could attempt to call her. She might be available now.

How about
How about only translating the introduction?
140.

SUGGEST PREFERENCE

Id rather
Id rather buy a Harley Davison than a Kawasaki.
I prefer
I prefer to invest in gold.
I would favour
I would favour Owenss proposal over Richards.
As opposed to
Id open a branch in Vietnam as opposed to one in Cambodia.
Im keener on
Im keener on reducing bonuses than on firing people.
141.

SUGGEST AN ALTERNATIVE

Not everything has been said

Not everything has been said. We also need to consider wind power.
Theres another alternative
Theres another alternative: not doing anything.
The third possibility
The third possibility implies a more drastic change.
Other options
Other options include sowing wheat, corn or barley.
No one thought of
No one thought of relocating the office to Monterrey. Why?
142.

ACCEPT SUGGESTIONS

We accept
We accept your conditions, Mr McCoy.
We have chosen
We have chosen Bettys specifications because they suit the product.
We have selected
We have selected the second paragraph only.
We will adopt
We will adopt the necessary measures, as proposed in the last meeting.

Well go along with

Well go along with your plan, Lucca. I hope it works out!
143.

DISCARD SUGGESTIONS

We eliminate
Weve decided to eliminate the fifth clause. Its too problematic.
We have rejected
We have rejected all solutions put forward. What shall we do now?
We must rule out
We must rule out the expansion plan for the moment.
We refuse
Well refuse any idea that implies noncompliance with the law.
We discard
We discard buying another truck. One is more than enough.
144.

EXPRESS AN OPINION FORMALLY

We consider
We consider Tonga to be a safe destination for our cruisers.
It is our view
It is our view that only research can bring success to this laboratory.
My opinion is
My opinion is clear. Its either her or me.
I am convinced
I am convinced of Dynacores trustworthiness,
We are certain that
We are certain that the new variety of maize will yield higher crops.
145.

EXPRESS AN OPINION LESS FORMALLY

The way I see it

The way I see it, Wayne should have never confronted his boss.
I think
I think youre all wrong in your forecasts.
I believe
I believe computers will never replace handheld calculators.
I would say
I would say Champagne has a wider market than Cava.
It seems that

It seems that well have to reprimand Mr Banks. Hes late again!

146.

COMMENT ON AN OPINION

Regarding what
Regarding what you say, I want to add we will never allow discrimination.
On hearing your words
On hearing your words I recalled what our Chairman used to repeat.
Your point of view
Your point of view is only shared by a few.
Her ideas
Her ideas lack accuracy. Approximate figures? We need exact figures!
Id like to make a comment
Id like to make a comment on your opinion.
147.

SUPPORT YOUR IDEAS WITH EXAMPLES

Let me illustrate
Let me illustrate this with a picture of the product.
For example
For example, John couldnt start the engine last Friday.
For instance
Any liquid water for instance can be used to dilute this powder.
Let me show you a real
Let me show you a real situation. Here youll see Will using the product.
Heres a case in point
Heres a case in point. AST needed a designer and we found one for them.
148.
SUPPORT SOMEONE
I agree
I agree with Damian. Lets close the deal.
I recommend
I recommend we follow Stuarts option.
See eye to eye
We all see eye to eye with each other. Good.
Have the same opinion
I have the same opinion as McAllister.
Share point of view
I do share your point of view, Mr Page.

149.

SUPPORT ON CONDITION

My initial reaction is favourable

My initial reaction is favourable. However, we need to know Als opinion.
Putting aside some reservations, Id
Putting aside some reservation related with terms of payment, Id agree.
Ill support it on condition
Ill support your plan on condition you get at least two more investors.
I would share
I would have shared your idea if you had already checked it out.
Only when
Ill recommend your program only when we see the details.
150.

CHALLENGE AN OPINION

I wonder if that is justified

I wonder if that is justified in light of the latest events.
I dont think youve taken it into account
I dont think youve taken VAT into account.
Have you considered?
Have you considered the implications of all this?
What if?
What if the government changes?
Id like to question
Id like to question your estimate. Is it one-hundred percent reliable?
151.
DENY SUPPORT POLITELY
Initially it seemed a good idea but
Initially it seemed a good idea but I think we need to think more about it.
Im not sure
Im not so sure about the feasibility of the project.
Im not totally convinced
Im not totally convinced we can do it with todays technology.
Its not certain
Its not certain that it will work immediately, is it?
Im not absolutely confident
Im not absolutely confident. Have you done any more research?
152.

DENY SUPPORT LESS POLITELY

I would eliminate
I would eliminate options nine and ten. Theyre a waste of time.
We should reject
We should reject Wandas scheme to gain market share. Its dishonest.
We must rule out
We must rule out Vanessas idea. We just dont have the money.
We ought to discard
We ought to discard buying Dynacore. The board wont approve it.
Lets refuse
Lets refuse any option that implies breaching the law.
153.

RECOMMEND A PERSON OR FIRM

Recommend
I can surely recommend ClaraVison. Theyre a reliable agency.
Put in a good word
Of course I can put in a good word for Kate. She is a brilliant teacher.
Say good things
I can only say good things about DT. Its an excellent detergent.
Vouch for
Yes, Ill vouch for Jacqueline. Why do you want to know about her?
Endorse
Yes, Im ready to endorse Miss Low. Shes an exemplary worker.
154.
RECOMMEND AN ACTION
We urge you to
We urge you to continue with the programme.
We recommend you
We recommend you prepare your managers for a shakeout.
We think you should
We think you should confront gossip with facts.
You ought to
You ought to conduct quality audits every year.
If I were you
If I were you Id keep my mouth shut.
155.
DESCRIBE A PRODUCT
Let me describe

Let me describe our latest engine.

Can I tell you?
Can I tell you about our schools services? We teach English.
Here you can see
Here you see why we call the TXR our star drier.
This model
This particular model was designed by our people in Geneva.
It is priced
It is priced at $ 3,499 and we pay for shipping!
156.

DESCRIBE FEATURES OF A PRODUCT

It is made of
It is made of wood and aluminium.
It features
The team features two Nobel Prize winners.
It comes with
It comes with a calculator and a pocket translator.
It measures
It measures ten feet in width, two in height and one in depth.
It weighs
It weighs close to a ton.

157.
REFER TO WHAT HAS BEEN SAID
If we go back
If we go back to the chart well see how fabric design has changed.
As I said before
As I said before, its never too late to start exercising.
Returning to point one
Returning to point one, fixed assets are undervalued in you accounts.
As has already been mentioned
As has already been mentioned, we cannot guarantee supply.
As you no doubt remember
As you now doubt remember, we started this chat with a quote by Drucker.
158.

SUMMARISE

To sum up
To sum up, we are in deep trouble.
To recapitulate
To recapitulate, this has been our best year ever.
The conclusion is
The conclusion is that all our efforts have finally proven successful.
In a few words
In a few words, Karen would like to congratulate you all.
It all boils down
It all boils down to a simple truth: money brings money.
159.

FINISH A SPEECH

Id like to conclude
Id like to conclude by thanking everyone.
Let me end
Let me end by reminding you that we are at the top because of your work.
Ill finish
Ill finish with the words of Julius Caesar: Veni, vidi, vici.
Finally
Finally, I want to say Im delighted to have had the chance to meet you.
To conclude
Before concluding, Id like to invite Alice to say a few words.
160.
Thats all

CLOSE A MEETING

Well, thats all for today. Any comments?

Could we make a decision right away?
Could we make a decision right away? Im hungry!
Well have to leave it for now
Well have to leave it for now. I have another appointment.
Time to finish!
Time to finish! Does anyone need a ride back to the hotel?
Shall we call it a day?
Shall we call it a day? We can adjourn the meeting till tomorrow.
161.
CLOSE A CONVERSATION
It's been nice to talk
It's been nice to talk to you, Alexandra.
I enjoyed meeting you
I really enjoyed meeting you, Mr Brown.
I have to leave
Im afraid I have to leave now. Im double-parked!
We have to move on
We have to move on, sorry!
Its getting late
Its getting late. We should be going home now.
162.

SAY THANKS

Thanks
Thanks for everything.
Thank you
Thank you for your kind cooperation.
Im thankful for
Im thankful for all your efforts.
I appreciate
I appreciate your interest in my situation.
Im grateful for
Im grateful for your support in securing the bank loan.
163.

THANK PEOPLE FOR COMING

Thank you
Thank you for coming.

Its been a pleasure

Its been a pleasure to meet you.
Ive been delighted to
Ive been delighted to be able to speak to you.
Id like to show my thanks
Id like to show my thanks by inviting you to my house for drinks.
I have enjoyed
I have enjoyed your company today.
164.

THANK FOR LETTING YOU SPEAK

Thank you, John.

Thank you, John. I want to stress on the fact Jo is irreplaceable.
Thanks for allowing me
Thanks for allowing me to speak at this forum.
Thanks for calling on
Thanks for calling on me. Its a great chance to share my ideas.
I appreciate the opportunity to address
I appreciate the opportunity to address such a distinguished group.
Its a pleasure to
Its a pleasure to be able to talk about the MX project.
165.
Really
Of course
Surely

USE THESE WORDS WHEN YOU NEED TIME TO THINK

Well
Undoubtedly
Certainly

Clearly
OK
Luckily

Really, well & clearly

Really, I dont know what to say about, well, Lee is clearly wrong.
Of course, undoubtedly & OK
Of course, I undoubtedly believe that, OK, we need to change.
Surely, certainly & luckily
Surely, certainly, education needs to improve though, luckily, not at this
school.
166.

USE THESE PHRASES WHEN YOU NEED TIME TO THINK

Thats an interesting question

Well, thats an interesting question. Tom, would you care to answer it?
Im glad you asked that
Im certainly glad you asked that. What do you think?

Youve raised an important point

Undoubtedly, you have raised a very important point.
That is a complex issue
That is a complex issue. Luckily we have an expert here. Linda?
Let me tell you that
Let me tell you that you are clearly on the right way.
167. OFFER HELP FORMALLY
Is there anything I can do?
Is there anything I can do for you?
Would you like some help?
Would you like some help with the setup?
May I offer my assistance?
May I offer my assistance? I do have experience with foreign trade.
If we can aid you
If we can aid you in any way we will.
Im at your disposal
Im at your disposal. Just tell me what you need.
168. OFFER HELP LESS FORMALLY
Shall I help you?
Shall I help you? Here, give me those boxes.
Do you need any assistance?
Do you need any assistance with the wiring?
Just ask if you
Just ask if you want anything.
Can I lend you a hand?
Can I lend you a hand with the wheelbarrow?
We would be happy to
We would be happy to help you anytime.
169. REPLY YES TO AN OFFER OF HELP
That would be great
Thanks, that would be great.
Much obliged
Thank you, much obliged.
It is so kind
Thanks, its so kind of you to offer.

Im grateful
Thanks, Im grateful for your help.
I appreciate it
Thank you, I appreciate your collaboration.
170. REPLY NO TO AN OFFER OF HELP
Im OK
Thanks but Im OK.
Ill call you if I need
Thanks. Ill call you if I need anything.
Not for the moment
Thanks, not for the moment.
I think Ill manage
Thank you. I think Ill manage by myself.
Theres no need
Theres no need. Thank you anyway.
171.

REPLY YES TO A REQUEST FOR HELP

Of course
Of course. What do you need?
No problem.
No problem. Where shall I push?
Sure
Sure. Its always a pleasure to help you.
I'd be glad to
Id be glad to be of assistance. What is the problem?
My pleasure
My pleasure, Madam. Are these the boxes you need to lift?
172. REJECT A REQUEST FOR HELP POLITELY
I'm busy now
Sorry, Im busy right now.
Im afraid I cant
Sorry, Im afraid I just cant.
I wouldnt be of much assistance
Sorry, I wouldnt be of much assistance. I cant understand computers.
Its out of my reach
Sorry, this is out of my reach. You need someone whos taller.

Id like to but I cant see how I can

Id like to but I cant see how I can be of any help. Sorry!
173. REJECT A REQUEST FOR HELP LESS POLITELY
No
No. Im not your servant!
No way
No way. You never help me.
Forget it
Forget it. I wont do it.
Why should I?
Why should I? Its none of my business.
Not in a hundred years
Not in a hundred years. You got into it alone; you get out of it alone!
174. REPLY YES TO A REQUEST TO BORROW
My pleasure
My pleasure. How much do you need?
Sure, go ahead
Sure, go ahead. Here are the keys for the Jeep.
Help yourself
Help yourself. Which tools will you need?
Of course
Of course. Just make sure you return everything in order.
No problem
No problem. Ask Sam to give you one.
175. REPLY NO TO REQUEST TO BORROW
I need it myself
Sorry, I need the van myself.
I am not allowed to
Sorry, I am not allowed by IT to lend my computer to anyone.
We dont have
Im sorry but we dont have what you need.
Its against regulations
Sorry, its against regulations for tools to leave the workshop.
Im afraid I cant afford
Im afraid I cant afford to lend you any money. Im also broke!

176.

REPLY EVASIVELY

Its rather hard

Its rather hard to decide on that right now.
Im afraid
Im afraid we do not have enough information yet.
Im in no position to
Unfortunately I am in no position to comment on that issue.
Its a secondary matter
I believe this is a secondary matter. The actual problem lies in Mumbai.
We dont have enough time
I dont think we have enough time to deal with that today.
177.

REPLY YOU DONT KNOW

I dont know
Im sorry but I just dont know what you are talking about.
I cant tell
Im afraid I cant tell the difference between a lion and a lioness.
I can't answer
Unfortunately I cant answer that question. I do not have authorization.
Its not within the scope
Your question is not within the scope of this meeting so I cant reply.
I am not allowed
I am not allowed to discuss salaries in public.
178.
REPLY YOULL ANSWER LATER
Can I get back to you?
Can I get back to you on that? I have to check some facts.
We'll come to that later
Well come to that later, when Hank makes his presentation.
Can we save that until?
Can we save that till this afternoon? Ill have more time then.
Well tackle it
Well tackle the advertising budget in our next meeting.
Lets leave that
Lets leave that for the time being. We have more urgent matters today.
179.

INVITE SOMEONE FORMALLY

Would you like to?

Would you like to visit the factory workshop?
Are you free on?
Are you free on Monday? I know a fantastic restaurant.
Id like to invite you to
If you have time, I'd like to invite you to our presentation.
Would you care to join?
Would you care to join us for drinks tonight?
We'd be delighted
Wed be delighted to have you as a guest at our weekend cottage.
180.

INVITE SOMEONE LESS FORMALLY

Do you want?
Do you want to go for a coffee?
How about?
How about a glass of wine down at the bistro?
What do you say to?
What do you say to dinner and a movie tonight?
Would you come along?
Would you come along if we organised a skiing trip?
Why dont we?
Why dont we quit work now and take a stroll in the park?
181.

ACCEPT AN INVITATION FORMALLY

That would be wonderful

That would be wonderful, thank you very much.
It sounds perfect
It sounds perfect. Will casual clothes be fine?
How kind
How kind of you. Of course well be there.
Id be delighted
Id be delighted to accompany you.
Its so nice
Its so nice of you to ask. Of course Im coming.
182.

ACCEPT AN INVITATION LESS FORMALLY

Sounds good
Sounds good. Shall I bring the wine?
I'd love to
Sure, Id love to come to the concert.
Good idea
OK, good idea. Can I also ask Sam?
All right
All right. Is half-past eight fine?
Great
Great. Ill wear my new dress.
183.

DECLINE AN INVITATION FORMALLY

I don't think
I dont think Ill be able to come. Sorry!
Thanks for asking but
Thanks for asking but I just cant handle Thursday evening.
Im already committed
Sorry but Im already committed. Theres a trade fair I have to attend.
I have a previous engagement
Unfortunately I have a previous engagement. Would Friday be fine?
It doesnt suit me
Sorry but next week doesnt suit me right. Could we leave it for later?
184.
DECLINE AN INVITATION LESS FORMALLY
Cant make it
Cant make it, sorry!
Id rather not
Id rather not. I cant stand ballet.
No can do
No can do; I have a wedding on Saturday.
Its impossible
Its impossible. Im fully booked.
Its out of the question
Its out of the question. Im not at all interested in dating Hubert.
185.

THANK AFTER AN INVITATION

Thanks for your hospitality

Thanks for your hospitality. You made us feel at home.

I enjoyed
I enjoyed the party. Thanks a lot!
It was wonderful
It was wonderful to be here. Thank you.
What a pleasure
What a pleasure it was to have dinner at your club. Thank you so much!
I loved
I loved seeing you all. Thank you for a delightful night.
186.

GRANT PERMISSION

Sure
Sure. Youre free to do as you wish.
Fine
Fine. Just be careful with the machinery when you walk by.
Go ahead
Go ahead. Smoking is permitted here.
No problem
No problem. Just tell the warehouse manager I gave you permission.
Help yourself
Help yourself. How many nails do you need?
187.DENY PERMISSION
Sorry but no
Sorry but we wont let you wear a bathing suit in the dining room.
I cant let you
I just cant let you through.
The answer is no
The answer is definitely no.
We cant give you permission
Regrettably, we cant give you permission to fly out on Monday.
Well have to deny
Im afraid well have to deny authorisation to work at night.
188.

APOLOGISE

I'm sorry
Im sorry. It wont happen again.
Please accept my apologies
Please accept my apologies. I wasnt paying attention.

I didn't mean to
Im sorry. I didnt mean to call you a fool, Ms Garca.
I regret
I regret having you sent to Moldavia, Steven. Will you ever forgive me?
I would like to apologise
I would like to apologise for our companys lack of transparency.
189.

PROHIBIT

Prohibit
Smoking is prohibited in the whole building.
Ban
Guns should be banned in this county.
Forbid
It is forbidden for the staff to discuss company matters outside the office.
Not allow
Im afraid we are not allowed to wear jeans at work.
Not permit
Regulations state that dogs are not permitted at the hospital premises.
190.

CONGRATULATE

Well done!
Well done! Im sure youll be a brilliant ambassador.
Congratulations
Congratulations on your promotion to division manager.
Im happy to
I was happy to hear that the deal went through.
Youre the best!
Youre the best! No one could have done it better than you.
Id like to compliment
Id like to compliment you on this years results. Theyre excellent.
191.
REPRIMAND
Unfortunately I have to tell you off
Unfortunately I have to tell you off. Your work is substandard.
We are not satisfied
We are not satisfied with your performance, Samuel.
Reprimand
Reprimands for unauthorised strikes will involve suspensions.

I am disappointed
I am disappointed at your behaviour. Well take disciplinary measures.
No one is pleased
No one is pleased with the results and you are all to blame.
192.

GIVE A VERBAL ORDER

Would you please?

Would you please call Cynthia?
Could you?
Could you replace Lola until Wednesday?
Would you mind?
Would you mind coming to my office now?
Please
Please start the project as soon as possible.
Do it
Do as Ive told you.
193.
TRANSMIT A VERBAL ORDER
She has instructed us
The boss has instructed us to finish our shift at six today.
He has directed you
Mr Carpenter has directed us to paint the wall blue.
Theyve ordered you
Theyve ordered you to prepare the presentation. Im leaving now!
He has commanded we should
The captain has commanded we should wait here till he comes back.
Say you should
Belinda says you should bring her a cup or hot coffee and a muffin.
194.
ACCEPT A VERBAL ORDER
Of course
Of course. When do you need it for?
Will do
Will do, madam. Ill start right now.
No problem
No problem. Where do you keep the tools?
Certainly
Certainly. Id be delighted to head the team.
Sure

Sure. Is there anything else I can do for you?

195.

REJECT A VERBAL ORDER

No way
No way. Look for someone else.
Why should I?
Why should I? Its not my job.
Of course not
Of course not. Youre not my boss.
I refuse to
I refuse to work overtime. Ill contact the trade union.
I will not do that
I will not do that. Its dangerous.
196.
BOOK
Would you have that free?
Would you have a meeting room free for tonight please?
Id like to book
I'd like to book the hall for our Annual General Meeting.
Id like to reserve
Id like to reserve some booth space, if theres still any vacant.
Could you set aside?
Could you set aside stand eleven for us? Ill send you the deposit today.
We would need
We would need at least three thousand feet of floor space.
197.
SET A DATE FOR THE NEXT MEETING
We'll meet you again
Well meet you again on Friday.
See you next week
See you next week. Same time, same place.
I'll have my secretary schedule
Ill have my secretary schedule another appointment for October.
Sunday morning, then
Sunday morning, then. Well come by right after breakfast.
Its all set
Its all set then. Ten at night near the pier.
198.

REFER TO FUTURE RELATIONSHIP

We look forward to
We look forward to a successful relationship when you settle in China.
It would be a pleasure
It would be a pleasure to enter into a joint-venture with your company.
I would be happy for
I would be happy for any opportunity to supply your corporation.
Our boss would be delighted
Our boss would be delighted to do business with you.
We are open
We are fully open to any type of collaboration with your partnership.
199.

EXPRESS YOUR WISH TO FOLLOW UP

I'll give you a call

Ill give you a call sometime after the convention.
Why dont I send you an e-mail?
Why dont I send you send you an e-mail once a decision has been made?
I look forward to
I look forward to seeing you again. Maybe in Taipei next year?
Let me give you my
Let me give you my business cards. You can get hold of me at any time.
We'll keep in touch
Well keep in touch on Facebook.
200.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

I'd like to make an appointment

Id like to make an appointment with Captain Terrence.
I'd like to schedule a meeting
Id like to schedule a meeting with the boss. Is he in tomorrow?
Is she available?
Is the lawyer available next Wednesday?
Does he have any opening?
Does OSullivan have an opening this week? I only need five minutes.
Does she have any time?
Does the engineer have any time today? I can handle most of the morning.
201.
TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE
Our plans
Our plans include buying another Airbus to start serving Yokohama.

I anticipate
I do anticipate problems if the Minister continues with her policies.
We forecast
We forecast two-digit inflation.
I expect
I expect our department to be downsized after the merger.
I anticipate
I anticipate a satisfactory Christmas campaign this winter.
202.

WISH GOOD LUCK

Good luck
Good luck and have lots of fun.
Hopes of the best
Hopes of the best in your mission.
Our best wishes
Our best wishes for success in your new career.
May it run well
May the course run well.
Break a leg
Break a leg! Im sure youll be superb at the performance tonight.
203.

BRING UP A TOPIC

Can I talk to you for a second?

Can I talk to you for a second? Something needs our immediate attention.
Do you have a minute?
Do you have a minute for me?
Got some time?
Got some time? Sandra and I would like to thank you for what you did.
Theres something I need to tell you
Theres something I need to tell you privately.
Id like to have a word with you
Id like to have a word with you. Theres a problem in Tower Seven.
204.
OFFER SOMETHING
Would you like some pie?
Would you like some more apple pie? Its home made.
How about?
How about a glass of wine?

What will you have?

What will you have today, sir?
Can I get you anything?
Can I get you anything else?
Would you care for?
Would you care for some tea?
205.

CONFIRM

I would like to confirm

I would like to confirm your appointment with Dr McCall.
Could you please verify?
Could you please verify if this source is reliable?
Can this be corroborated?
Can this information be corroborated?
Can you assure?
Can you assure me that this rumour is absolutely false?
Is it firm?
Is your order firm? We will need a deposit then.
206.

NOTIFY

I would like you to know

I would like you to know that weve decided to change suppliers.
We want to notify you
We want to notify you that Celina Smith is no longer our representative.
I have to inform you that
I have to inform you that your project has been rejected.
I have to give you notice
Ill have to give my tenant notice to leave the flat by the end of May.
Its my duty to tell you that
Its my duty to tell you that we follow strict non-discrimination policies.

207.

EXPLAIN

Id like to explain
Id like to explain what happened. The duct exploded and the oil escaped.
Let me tell you why
Let me tell you why I arrived late to the appointment.
It happened because

It happened because quality control is in the wrong hands.

The reason is
The reason for all the turmoil is that taxes have increased.

It was caused by
The mistake was caused by a faulty transmission line.
208.

EXPLAIN THEY MUST WAIT

He will be late
The Doctor will be late today, unfortunately.
Its delayed
The plane is delayed in Boston because of a snowstorm.
Youll have to wait
Youll have to wait for at least an hour. Theres a long queue.
Itll only be a minute
Itll only be a minute. Hes just about to arrive.
Cant say how long
Im afraid I cant really say how long this will take.
209.

EXPLAIN THAT SOMEBODY'S NOT AVAILABLE

He's not in
Sam is not in today.
He's not available
Rebecca is not available now, Im afraid.
I cant see her at her desk
I cant see Elizabeth at her desk. Do you wish to wait for her?
He's busy
Hes busy at the moment.
He will be out
Don will be out the whole afternoon.
210.

EXPLAIN YOUR JOB

I work at
I work at General Motors.
I work in
I work in the aviation business.
I work for
I work for the government. I collect taxes.

My line of work includes

My line of work includes selling houses and offices too.
Im a
Im an Economist. Ive just joined the World Bank.
211.

PLACE AN ORDER

Id like to place an order

Id like to place an order for twenty condensers.
Id like to purchase
Id like to purchase three tons of each metal.
Do you have any in stock?
Do you have any linseed oil in stock?
Could we buy?
Could we buy another tractor?
Can you sell us?
Can you sell us twenty dynamos and three rotors?
212.

ACCEPT AN ORDER

We are delighted
We are delighted with your order. How much sugar do you need?
Of course
Of course. The delivery will be at your factory on Wednesday.
Perfect
Perfect. The total is 35,500 FOB.
Fine
Fine. Ill pass your order to our production department.
Certainly
Certainly. Its always a pleasure to work with you.
213.

REJECT AN ORDER

We cant take it
Unfortunately we cant take your order. These articles are out of stock.
Well have to reject
Well have to reject that. Our CFO says your credit has run out.
We cant fill it
Sorry but we cant fill it today. Maybe tomorrow well have enough.
We are no able to accept
Its a pity but we are not able to accept requests from your company. Sorry!

Its not possible

Its not possible to sell you these bolts because they are not made anymore.
214.

CANCEL AN ORDER

Id like to cancel
Id like to cancel order No 277/34.
Can we stop?
Can we stop our most recent order? We made a mistake with the colour.
Ill withdraw
If you do not give us the customary discount Ill withdraw our order.
I want to revoke
I want to revoke all our outstanding orders.
Are we in time to call off?
Are we in time to call off our last request? I would like to change the size.
215.

SAY BYE FORMALLY

Good night
Good night, everyone.
Goodbye
Goodbye. Please send my regards to Miss Burkes.
It was nice to
It was nice to talk to you.
Its been a pleasure to
Its been a pleasure to get to play golf with you.
Hope we meet
Hope we meet again before next summer.
216.

SAY BYE INFORMALLY

See you
See you later.
Take care
Take care. Till tomorrow.
Cheers
Cheers. Give my love to Jeannette.
Bye
Bye Charlie.
So long
So long. Lovely to see you again.

217.
ANSWER THE PHONE FORMALLY
Sydney Rubber Co.
Young speaking.
Paul Lewis.
Good morning. Can I help you?
Extension 107.

218.
ANSWER THE PHONE INFORMALLY
Hello.
Yes?
Hi.
Sally, is that you?
Morning.
219.
ASK FOR SOMEONE ON THE PHONE
May I speak to Chris?
I'd like to talk to Andy.
Could you put me through to Sid?
Is that you, Karen?
Is Maria May in?
220.

ASK FOR CALLERS INFORMATION

Who's calling, please?

Who's speaking?
Whats your name, please?
Where are you calling from?
Who gave you our number?
221.
ASK FOR THE PURPOSE OF A CALL
What is it about, sir?
Can you please tell me why you need to speak to him?
What shall I say is the purpose of your call?
Why are you phoning our factory, madam?
Youll have to explain the reason of your call before I put you through.
222.
SAY SOMEONE IS NOT AVAILABLE
He's not in today.
He's not available now.
Tims outside the office.
He's busy at the moment.
I cant see where he is.

223.
EXPLAIN WHY SOMEONES NOT IN
I'm afraid he's in a meeting at the moment.
Unfortunately, Mr Samuelson will be out of the office all day. I cant
see Amber at her desk. Do you want me to look for her?
I dont know where Rebecca is right now.
Linda is not in today. She took the day off.

Explain the Line is Busy

I'm afraid the line's engaged. The

line is busy.
Shes now talking to someone else.
Sorry but I cant get through to her extension.
Her voice mail message keeps on coming through. She must be talking.
225.

CONNECT SOMEBODY

I'll connect you.

I'll put you through. Hold on please.
Ill put your call through to Mr Hynes immediately.
Hold on please. You can speak now.
Ill pass your call onto his extension.
226.

ASK SOMEBODY TO HOLD ON

Hold on, please.

Can you wait, please?
Hold the line, please.
Could you wait a moment?
Just a minute, please
227.

WRONG NUMBER OR NAME!

I'm afraid we don't have a Mrs Campanella at this company. There's

nobody here by that name.
I think youre trying to reach someone else.
You've dialled the wrong number.
Are you sure you have the right number?
228.

LEAVE A MESSAGE

Could you ask her to call me back, please?

Would you take a message, please? Have you got a pen? Could
you leave Charles a note on his desk?
Could you tell him I called?
Would you mind letting Mr Jones know that I will be late for the meeting?
229.

OFFER TO TAKE A MESSAGE

Can I take a message?

Would you like to leave a message?
Would you like me to write a note for him?
Shall I ask her to return your call?
Should I tell Mrs Lamb that you phoned?
Ask for spelling
Would you mind spelling that for me, please?
Could you spell it, please?
Sorry, how do you spell the name of your company?
Is that double m double s?
Is that B for Bravo or V for Victor?
Ask for Repetition
Could you repeat that please?
Sorry, I didn't catch your last name.

Could you explain the end of the story again, please?

I missed the last figures. What were they?
Pardon, what was that about Karen?
232.

RECTIFY WHAT WAS SAID

Theres a misunderstanding
That isnt what I meant.
I dont think youve understood
I didnt say blue. I said green.
I think you heard me wrong.
EXPLAIN A PROBLEM WITH SOUND
The line is bad. Could you speak up please?
Theres a background noise.
The signal is weak. Im almost out of range.
I'm afraid I can't hear you.
Coverage is not very good here.
DESCRIBE OTHER PROBLEMS

My batterys almost flat.

I need to charge the phone.
Im running out of credit. Im on a pay-as-you-go plan.
Its too noisy here. Ill go outside.
Cant speak now. Im driving.
ASK WHERE SOMEONE IS

Do you know where I can find Simon?

Is he still abroad?
Can you tell me where I could reach Lou?
Is she going to be long?
Do you know when theyre due back?
236.

CHANGE TO ANOTHER SUBJECT

Incidentally, Rosemary called today.

On quite another matter, Mark does seem to be interested. By the
way, who won the match yesterday?
Id rather not talk about that.
It has just crossed my mind that I wont be able to phone you next week.
Before I forget, how did you arrive back home?
Interrupt
Sorry, I have to leave you right now.
Actually, it was Dan, not Sam.
Could I say something?
Sorry to interrupt, but the other phone is ringing.
Please listen.
Avert Interruption
Will you let me finish?
Let me go on.
Why do you keep on interrupting me?
Cant you wait till Im done?
Stop butting into my conversation, please.

239.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Im calling to make an appointment. Im

phoning to schedule a meeting.
Will Sandrine be available for an interview on Monday?
Im calling to ask if Mr Gardiner has any opening next week. Does
she have any time free this afternoon?
240.

PLACE AN ORDER

Im calling to place an order.

Im contacting you because wed like to purchase ten units.
Mr Jenkins has told me to ask you if you have any pins in stock.
Im phoning to ask if we can buy another set of pliers.
I wonder if you could sell us twenty copies of your new book.
241.

ACCEPT AN ORDER

We are delighted with your order. Ill just make a note. Of

course. Can you confirm that by e-mail, please?
Perfect. Well deliver it by truck.
Fine. Ill pass your request to our production department.
Certainly. Its always a pleasure to work with you.
242.

REJECT AN ORDER

Unfortunately we cant take orders by phone. Could you e-mail us? Well
have to reject that. We dont work tomorrow!
Sorry but we cant fill it today. Monday should be OK.
Its a pity but I am not allowed to take orders. Why dont you speak to Ed? Its not
possible to sell you these glasses. We have new models now.
243.

CANCEL AN ORDER

Im phoning to cancel all outstanding orders.

Who do I have to speak to if I want to stop an order?
My boss says we will withdraw the order if we dont get a discount. Im
calling because Rob wants to stop our order.
Are we in time to call off our last order?
244.
THANK SOMEONE FOR CALLING
Thanks for calling.
Its been very nice to talk to you.
It has been a pleasure to speak with you.
Youre welcome to call back anytime.
Its been lovely to chat with you.
245.

POSTPONE A CALL

Ill call you back.

Will you be there in an hour? Why dont you ring me then? Its a bit
late now. Ill give you a buzz tomorrow morning. Shall we leave it
for now? I have many things to do.
Ill get back to you later on.
246.
SET A DATE FOR THE NEXT CALL
We'll talk to each other again tomorrow.

Call you next week same time.

I'll have my secretary schedule our next call.
Friday morning, then.
Ill phone you at nine.
247.
EXPLAIN YOU HAVE TO CUT OFF
Sorry but I have another call coming in.
Sorry but I have to leave you. The boss has just walked in.
Sorry but theres a funny noise in the line. Bye. Im
afraid I have to cut off. Talk to you.
I cant speak now. Ill return your call later.
248.
CLOSE A PHONE CONVERSATION
It's been nice talking to you, Alexandra.
I really enjoyed our chat.
Its a pity we have to cut off!
I have to keep on working. Sorry!
I think Ive said everything there is to say.
249.

SAY GOODBYE

Talk to you.
Goodbye.
Bye.
See you.
So long.
250.

SAY THAT SOMEONE PHONED

Mr Goodman phoned this morning.

Gus from Letterman wants to talk to you. Cynthia
said shell be expecting your call.
I have a message for Mr Freeman from Jules.
Would you mind returning Huberts call? He said it was urgent.
Thats right.
Correct
No, thats not right.
No, thats not correct.
Are you unhappy?
Is he sick?
Are we winning?
Are they leaving?
Yes, I am.
Yes, he is.
Yes, we are.
Yes, they are.

Are you unhappy?

Is he sick?
Are we winning?
Are they leaving?
Do you eat meat?

No, Im not./No, I am not.

No, hes not./No, he isnt./No, he is not.
No, were not./No, we arent./No, we are not.
No, theyre not./No, they arent./No, they are not.
Yes, I do./No, I dont./No, I do not.

Does he like school?

Do we wait in line?
Do they live here?

Yes, he does./No, he doesnt./No, he does not.

Yes, we do./No, we dont./No, we do not.
Yes, they do./No, they dont./No, they do not.

I just arrived.
They just finished.
We just ate.
He just called.

I have just arrived.

They have just finished.
We have just eaten.
He has just called.

What
What
What
What

Im a lawyer.
Hes a painter.
Shes a banker.
Theyre professors.

do you do?
does he do?
does she do?
do they do?

What does he do?

What do you do?
What
What
What
What

do you do?
does he do?
does she do?
do they do?

Hes the president of ABC Enterprises.

Im the school secretary (the only one).
I work for a large firm.
He drives a delivery truck.
She works at Atlas Bank.
They teach French at Loyola.

Thanks so much for fixing my tire.

No problem.
I really appreciate it.
Thank you very much for helping us. Youre welcome.
Do you like ice cream?
Do you like to go shopping?
Would you like to dance?
Who is she?
What are you doing?
What do you do?
Where do they go?
When does he get in?

Yes, I love it!/No, I dont like it.

Yes, I love it!/No, I dont like to.
Id love to!/Im sorry; I promised someone else.

Tell me who she is.

Tell me what you are doing.
Tell me what you do.
Tell me where they go.
Tell me when he gets in.

Dont tell me youre sick! (Im afraid youre sick!)

I tell you, the dorm is really gross!
He always tells (me) the truth.
What did he say to you?/What did he tell you?
You could/might say indicates a suggested conclusion.
You could say shes in love.
You might say the cafeteria food is gross.
At last Ive found them!
Ive found them at last!
So this is your new car. Will you take me for a ride?
So youre getting married! Congratulations!
To be honest with you
Grab a bite
I cant wait to get there. Im so excited.
To be like

Any time.

Whats his wife like?

Whats your new house like?

Is she nice? Yes, shes very nice.

Its big, with four bedrooms and three baths.

Ill go to the store for you.

Well wash the dishes.
Well
Basically
Actually the truth is
Really
Hardly ever
At least
What about you
I mean
In the first place
Come on
Before you know
As soon as
Used to
Try
There is /There are(Location)
Ill Bet
No way
On the
Trendy
The thing is
A step in the right direction
Be about it
Which remind me
Me , too
In/on/at to indicate events
Can you help me ?
Wiil you please ?
Please will you ?
Could you
Could you please ?
Would you
Would you please ?
Would you mind
Can I help you ?
How can I help you ?
What can I do for you ?
Is there any way I can help you ?
Is there anything I can do for you?
Is there anything I can do to help?
let me know if I can help you.
Ill be glad to help you.
How was school?:
I did great on the test:
I feel great
What a relief!
Enjoy lifeIt is a piece of cake
It looks inviting
It is delicious
Go ahead!
So do I:
Be crazy about something:
In the afternoon
Get home from school
Dont worry!
Lets not overdo it

No more, no less
It is a deal
It has been a long time since
Do you need any help?
Leave the cooking to me:
Just kidding!
May I help you?
Have problems with
Let me connect you to
One moment please
What kind of problems are you having?
I am not sure
Display the different features
That will be extra
Covered by warranty
About fifteen months ago
Insurance coverage
Options
Otherwise
Send out a reminder
Confirm the appointment
Accept credit card payment
Need services
Thank you for your help
Have a nice day!
Isnt it neat?
Keep on dreaming
Cost a fortune
Set high expectations
Heavy traffic
Arrange my schedule
Start the tradition
It sounds like fun
Sit in the shade
Food stand
Nothing for me
Save my appetite for the steak
For the last time
I am doing fine
Save me a seat
Get together
It sounds like a good idea
Beforehand
Come up with
She is in town
Bring someone along
What is she doing these days?
Have a good rapport with
Once the routine is set
Look forward to
A variety of things
It is around the corner
EXPRESSIONS
The atmosphere is nice
I will most likely be working

The schedule is neither convenient nor easy

Hopefully it will be easy
Hang out at home
Plan a trip
There are pretty good conditions for skiing
Stay at someones place
For the duration of the trip
In case my schedule permits
You are welcome to join us
Give someone an update
EXPRESSIONS
Have an appointment with
Pull somebodys record
In the meantime
Have a seat, please
Here we are
Persistent cough
Upset stomach
Symptom
Long before
Take somebodys vital signs
The doctor will be with you in a moment
run a fever
Physical checkup
Diet
Suffer from insomnia
Change of ownership
It looks like
Sleeplessness
It may solve your problems
If the symptoms persist
Give a prescription
Be allergic to
Not to my knowledge
Blood test
Stop by the laboratory on the way out
Draw somebodys blood
The results will be available in two weeks
Dont stress yourself!
EXPRESSIONS
Go grocery shopping
Leave for work
I guess I can
I am done with my homework
Enough for the whole week
Frozen food
I want to see how it tastes
Run out of something
By the time
Take care of something
Right!
Marinate
Cut down on our intake of sugar
Loaf of bread
Besides
Dont tempt me!

You need to get going

Shopping cart
I am all set to go
I will be back
It would be wise to
Subject matter
Lend a hand to
What is up?
Accidentally
Broken into pieces
How clumsy of you!
How did she take it?
Me neither
Dont worry!
Have you thought about
Who says that
I dont see anything wrong with it
Do you mind to
I am sure
Complicate
Used to be
Have free time
Finish in no time

EXPRESSIONS
Look at different options
Live on a tight budget
Watch every dime
Work full-time
Work part-time
Cut down on
Start the process
It is beyond my reach
That could solve our problem:
Talk over
Come up with some set of rules
It is my turn to
Have somebody over
Take a look at something
EXPRESSIONS
Pass the salt, please
Here you are
Would you mind if
On our way to
I would be glad to
May be some other time
That would be great
What would you recommend?
Just a moment, please
A very clever suggestion:
Would anybody care for some?
Certainly
A fast reader
A slow reader

Finish in no time
On the other hand
At your earliest convenience
Catch a movie
So am I

It is good to see you

Same here
It has been a long time since I last saw you
Recruit somebody
Heavy work-schedule
I did not make it
Besides, the job market is pretty good
Look closely
Do some homework
Come up with a solution
If/When the situation arises
I need to work on that question
Give a bad impression
Good decision!
You are well prepared
Find a good job in no time:
I need to run
EXPRESSIONS
I am so glad
Lets start the interview
First of all
As soon as possible
Entry-level position
Work closely
On a daily basis
I am willing to
That is great!
Work part-time
What are you looking for in a job?
Put into practice
Hard-working person
Fast learner
I get along fine with everybody
I do not mind
Work long hours
I can handle the situation
Have an opportunity
Nice meeting you

Accommodate
I better give a copy to
Run on a tight schedule
As soon as possible

Work overtime
Appreciate
Quick response
Jump through hoops
It pays to
Please people
Take pride in a job well done
Everything is set
Thanks for your help
You will do fine
Coaching people
Lead to victory
Build a good team
It is not quite the same
Yes, it is in a way
It will be chaos
Job requirement
Work environment
If the need arises
Motivate people
Put in extra effort
Reinforce
Sell your ideas
Convince people of their value
Set yourself out as an example
Be alert of changes
Thanks for the note of confidence
EXPRESSIONS
Strike a conversation
Break-time
Deliver very good seminars
Well-known
Knowledgeable in the subject matter
Tons of information
How to deal with
Attend a seminar
I am very interested in
Be promoted to the position of Manager
It is the reason why I am here
Sign up
Manage a staff of ten people
Pull ones hair out
Create harmony
Cooperation
Workload
Run out of time
Free time
Business trip
Produce
Office equipment
Specialize in
Be affected by
Keep ones mind sharp
Sitting idle
Business should pick up
Bring out the best

Get back to ones seat

EXPRESSIONS
Come over to somebodys house
Upcoming exam
I am not confident about
Be adequately prepared
Work ones way up
You got it!
Good job!
Precisely
Quiz somebody
Thats correct!
Feel good about something
Take a break
School of thoughts
It might be better to
As part of the exam
Putting ones thoughts on paper
Overcome a problem
Have a tendency to
Anxiety
Try to relax and take it easy:
I cant help it
Have a clear mind
EXPRESSIONS
It was so boring
I am done for the day
Since early this afternoon
The legal system
Characters of the novel
Old beyond his years
Streetwis
Sense of humor
Entertaining
Give an insight on
Somber
Serious tone
Put a lot of emphasis on
Have a collection of
Have free time
Fascinating
Expertise
Writers block
Weave all sorts of stories
Have it in me
My mind is completely blank
EXPRESSIONS
Are we almost there yet ?
Not quite!
Reach somebodys house
I suppose I can wait until
What is so special about
The focus

Survive
Show their appreciation
Appreciate somebody
Business trip
Make it to somebodys house on time
Pick up somebody at the airport
1. Good morning !
2. Good afternoon!
3. Good evening!
4. Good night!
5. Good day !
6. Wish you a good day
7. Wish you a good afternoon!
8. Wish you a good evening!
9. Wish you a good night!
10. Wish you a good day!
11. Wish you a good morning!
12. Wish you a good afternoon!
13. Wish you a good night!
14. Wish you a good day!
15. Have a good morning
16. Have a good afternoon.
17. Have a good evening.
18. Enjoy a good night.
19. Enjoy a good day.
20. Sweet dream!
21 I wish you sweet dreams.
22. Have/Enjoy sweet dreams.
23. Good bye/ Bye!
24 I say a good bye to you.
25 Let me leave you.
26 Ta-ta! to you.
27 I say a ta - ta to you.
28 Let me leave you.
29 Cheerio!
30 I say a cheerio to you.
31 Let me leave you.
GREETINGS
3
32 Many happy returns of the day/your birthday!
33 I wish you many happy returns of the day / your birthday.
34 Enjoy many happy returns of the day/ your birthday.
35 Wish you a comfortable and safe journey!
36 I wish you a comfortble and safe journey!
37 Enjoy a comfortable and safe journey.
38 Happy married life!
39 Wish you a grand succes in your examinations!
40 Wish you a grand victory!
41 Wish you a good eating!
42 Wish you a great prosprity in your newly built house!
43 Wish you happy times abroad!
44 Wish you a record yield!
45 Wish you grand promotions in future!
46 Wish you a joyous picinic!
47 Wish you a nice outcome in the business conference!

48. Wish you get over your troubles!

49. Wish you a speedy recovery from illness!
50. May you prosper in life!
51. I pray to God that you may prosper in life.
52. Let God bless you that you may prosper in life
53. God give you courage and strength to over come the
sudden shock in your father's death!
54. I pray to God that He may give you courage and strength
to over come the sudden shock in your father's death.
55. Let God give you courage and strength to overcome the
sudden shock in your father's death.
56. May his soul rest in peace!
57. I pray to God that He may bless your child with a good
education
4
58. Let God help his soul rest in peace.
59. God bless your child with a good education!
60. I Pray to God that He may bless your child with a good
education.
61. Let God bless your child with a good education.
62. May you get along cheerfully!
63. I wish that you may get along cheerfully.
64. Get along cheerfully.
Commands
i. Get out.
ii. Shut up
iii. Quit my room.
iv. Sit Down.
v. Go straight.
Orders :
i. Go and get me water.
ii. Shoot the enemy.
iii. Bring my bycle at once.
iv. Stand in a line.
v. Keep quiet.
Requests
i. Please sing a song.
ii. Kindly allow her in.
iii. Please get seated.
iv. Please listen to me.
v. Kindly shut the door.
Pleadings
i Advise me Mr. Lawyer.
ii. Help me get acquitted.
iii. Allow me to plead please.
iv. Render Service to the poor.
v. Help the needy
Suggestions
i Read well.
ii. Work hard.
iii. Marry only once.
iv. Be regular.

v. Do not postpone your work.

Expression for offering help:
Format:
Would you like me to do it for you?
Shall I do it for you?
Informal:
Can I do it for you?
How about my doing it for you?
Ill do it for you.
n Responding to offer of help:
Positive responses:
Thats very kind of you.
Thanks a lot.
Negative responses:
No, dont bother.
No, thanks. I can manage.
Agreeing in English
"I think you're right."
"I agree with you."
Strong agreement
"I couldn't agree with you more."
"You're absolutely right."
"I agree entirely."
"I totally agree."
Partly agreeing
"I agree with you up to a point, but"
"That's quite true, but"
"I agree with you in principle, but"
Disagreeing
"I'm not sure I agree with you."
"(I'm afraid) I don't agree."
"(I'm afraid) I disagree."
"(I'm afraid) I can't agree with you."
"(I'm afraid) I don't share your opinion."
Disagreeing strongly

"I don't agree at all."

"I totally disagree."
"I couldn't agree with you less."
The reply to this question is normally positive.
"Fine thanks, and you?"
"Fine thanks, what about yourself?"
"Not bad." Or "Can't complain."
Introducing people
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.

What's your name?

Who are you?
My name is ...
I am ...
My friends call me ...
You can call me ...
Haven't we met (before)?
Yes, I think we have.
No, I don't think we have.
I think we've already met.
I don't think we've met (before).
This is ...
Meet ...
Have you met ...?
Yes, I have.
No, I haven't.
Yes, I think I have.
No, I don't think I have.
Hello, ... (name)
Nice to meet you. (informal)
Pleased to meet you.
How do you do? (formal)
Nice to see you.
Nice to see you again.
tend to
"I tend to agree with you."
(I agree with most of what you say.)
"I tend to go to bed early in winter." (I normally
go to bed early in winter.)
tend to
"I tend to agree with you."
(I agree with most of what you say.)

"I tend to go to bed early in winter." (I normally

go to bed early in winter.)
Generally speaking
"Generally speaking, more men than women use the internet."
In most cases
"In most cases, wars are caused by land disputes."
In some cases
"In some cases, English beaches are unsafe for swimming."
In a large number of cases
"In a large number of cases, obesity is caused by over-eating."
Mostly, often, sometimes
(These words go before the main verb, or after the verb to be)
"We are mostly concerned with costs."
"They mostly go to the cinema at weekends."
"Eating chocolate sometimes causes migraines."
"He is sometimes difficult to work with."
"English people often complain about the weather."
Making invitations
How to make and accept invitations in English.
"What are you doing next Saturday? We're having some people over for a meal.
Would you like to come?"
"Are you free next Thursday?"
"Are you doing anything next weekend?"
"Would you be interested in coming to the cinema with me tonight?"
"How do you fancy going out for a meal at the weekend?"
Accepting
"Would you like to"
"I'd love to, thanks."

"That's very kind of you, thanks."

"That sounds lovely, thanks."
Do you fancy coming to the cinema tonight?
"What a great idea, thanks."
Declining
"Would you like to come over for dinner on Saturday?"
"That's very kind of you, but actually I'm doing something else on Saturday."
"Well, I'd love to, but I'm already going out to the cinema."
"I'm really sorry, but I've got something else on."
"I really don't think I can - I'm supposed to be doing something else."
Making offers
Can I ?
Shall I ?
Would you like me to ?
Using these common English phrases - and being able to accept and reject offers
- will make you sound polite and helpful.
"Can I help you?"
"Shall I open the window for you?"
"Would you like another coffee?"
"Would you like me to answer the phone?"
"I'll do the photocopying, if you like."
Shall, can and will are followed by the verb without to.
Shall is more formal than can. Would you like is followed either by a noun,
or by the verb with to.
Responding to offers

"Can I help you?"

"Yes please. I'd like to know what time the train leaves."
"Can I help you?"
"No thanks, I'm just looking." (In a shop.)
"Shall I open the window for you?"

"Yes please. That would be very kind of you."

"Would you like another coffee?" "No
thanks." Or, "No thank you."
"Would you like another coffee?"
"Yes please, that would be lovely." Or, "Yes please, I'd love one."
"Would you like me to answer the phone?" "If you
wouldn't mind." Or, "If you could."
(Don't answer "Yes, I would", as this sounds like you expect someone to do it
for you.)
"I'll do the photocopying, if you like."
"It's OK, I can do it." Or, "Don't worry, I'll do it.
"Or, "Thank you, that would be great."
"What do you think will happen next year?"
"Next week is going to be very busy, I think."

"There won't be a rise in house prices next year."

"He isn't going to win the election."
Predictions based on what you know now
For example:
"Watch out! You're going to hit that car in front."
"It's going to be a lovely day today - not a cloud in the sky."
Asking someone to do something for you
"Could you open the door for me, please?"
"Would you mind opening the door for me, please?"
"Can you open the door for me, please?'
Asking if you can do something
"Can I use your computer, please?"

"Could I borrow some money from you, please?"

"Do you mind if I turn up the heating?"
"Would you mind if I turned up the heating?"
Hopes
I'm hoping for (noun) ("I'm hoping for a new cell phone.")
I'm hoping to get ("I'm hoping to get a new phone.")
I would like
I really want (Using "want" can be impolite unless you are talking to a
close friend or family member.)
Something I've always wanted is
I'd be delighted / over the moon if ("I'd be delighted if you gave me a new
watch.")
What I'd like more than anything else is
On my Christmas wish list is
Preferences
I'd rather have (noun) ("I'd rather have tickets to the opera.")
I'd rather you (simple past) ("I'd rather you saved your money.")
I'd prefer (noun) ("I'd prefer some money for the new house.")
I'd prefer it if you (simple past) ("I'd prefer it if you gave some money to
charity.")
.. would be more suitable / would be better
If I had a choice, I would go for
If it's all the same to you, . ("If it's all the same to you, I'd like some book
tokens.")
Suggestions in English

should
"You should try to practise English." "You
shouldn't translate too much."

Why don't you

"Why don't you join an English club?"
ought to
"You ought to read more."
If I were you, I'd
"If I were you, I'd watch more television."
"I suggest visiting the Eiffel Tower." (We should all go.)
"I suggest that you visit the Eiffel Tower." (I'm not going.)
OR use a noun
"I recommend the lasagne." (It's a very good dish to choose in this restaurant.)
advise
"I advise you to buy a good dictionary."
"Let me give you some advice."
"She gave me a very useful piece of advice: to buy a good dictionary."

"You could always"

"Have you considered"
"Perhaps we could"
"Do you think it's a good idea to"
Talking about fear
afraid: "Are you afraid of the dark?" frightened: "Im
frightened of spiders." scared: "Hes scared of
making mistakes."
feel uneasy: "I felt a bit uneasy when I walked home in the dark."
spooked: My cats are easily spooked before a thunderstorm. terrified: She
was absolutely terrified when she heard the
noise.
petrified: The building began to shake and we were all petrified.
If you love something

"I love eating ice-cream."

"I adore sun-bathing."
If you like something a lot
"She's fond of chocolate."
"I like swimming very much."
If you like something
"He quite likes going to the cinema." "I like
cooking."
If you neither like nor dislike something
"I don't mind doing the housework."
If you don't like something
"She doesn't like cooking very much." "He's not very
fond of doing the gardening." "I dislike wasting time."
If you really dislike something
"I don't like sport at all." "He
can't stand his boss."
"She can't bear cooking in a dirty kitchen." "I hate
crowded supermarkets."
"He detests being late."
"She loathes celery."
Things to remember
Dislike is quite formal.
Probable
bound to = certain: "They are bound to succeed!" sure to =
certain: "He is sure to win the championship."
likely to = probable: "We are likely to win the contract." definite = sure: "He's

a definite frontrunner for the job!" probable: "It's probable that we will be on
holiday around then." likely: "An election is likely next year."
will definitely happen: "There will definitely be a storm later." will probably
happen: "They will probably take on more staff."
Possible
may: "We may be able to help you."
might: "There might be a holiday next month - I'm not sure." could: "There
could be a bug in the system."
8. is possible: "Do you think he will resign?" "Yes, that's possible."
9. is unlikely: "It's unlikely that she will move."
will possibly: "She'll possibly tell us tomorrow."
probably won't: "They probably won't hear until next week."
definitely won't: "I definitely won't go to the party."
is highly unlikely: "It's highly unlikely that the company will expand."
Note: Be careful of the word order.
"Definitely" and "probably" come after "will" (in positive sentences)
and before "won't" in negative sentences.
Variations
You can add words to alter the strength of probability:
highly likely / unlikely (= very likely / unlikely)
quite likely / probable / possible (= more likely, probable or possible)
could possibly / probably
most definitely won't (= even more unlikely)

Talking about the weather

Some examples of conversation starters
"Lovely day, isn't it!"
"Bit nippy today."
"What strange weather we're having!"
"It doesn't look like it's going to stop raining today."
Attitude to weather
"Never mind - it's good for the garden."
If someone complains that it's too hot, you could hear:
"At least my tomatoes will be happy."
If the conversation has been about general bad weather, perhaps someone will
say:
"Well, I've heard it's worse in the west. They've had terrible flooding."
Predicting the weather
We can make predictions about the weather, using a range of forms - not just
the "will" or "going to" form:
"I think it'll clear up later."
"It's going to rain by the looks of it."
"We're in for frost tonight."
"They're expecting snow in the north."
"I hear that showers are coming our way."
Human attributes
We also attribute human features to the weather, almost as if the weather can
decide what to do:
"The sun's trying to come out."
"It's been trying to rain all morning."
"It's finally decided to rain."

Types of family

nuclear family = mother, father and children: "The traditional British family
unit is a nuclear family."
single-parent / one-parent family = a family which only has one parent
(because the parents are divorced, or because one of the parents has died):
"There are more and more single-parent families in the UK."
immediate family = your closest relatives: "Only immediate family members
attended the funeral."
extended family = your entire family: "The wedding invitations were sent to the
entire extended family."
close-knit family = a family where the members have close relationships
with each other: "They are a close-knit family."
dysfunctional family = a family where the members have serious
problems with each other: "He comes from a rather dysfunctional family."
blood relative = a relative connected to you by "blood" rather than through
marriage: "She's not a blood relative, but we're still very close."
Expressions with family
family gathering = a meeting / celebration of family members: "There's a small
family gathering next week."

family resemblance = where members of the family look / act similar: "You can
see a distinct family resemblance between the father and the son."
to start a family = to start having children: "They want to wait a couple of years
before starting a family."
to run in the family = a characteristic that is common among family
members: "Baldness runs in his family."
to bring up / raise a family = to have and look after children: "It's difficult to
raise a family on one income."
a family car = a car big enough to transport a family: "The Volvo Estate is a
popular family car."
family-size = large quantity item: "We need to buy family-size packets of
biscuits!"
family-friendly = a policy that favours families: "This hotel is family-friendly."
family doctor = a doctor who looks after general medical needs: "There are a
number of good family doctors in this area."
family man = a man who prefers to spend his time with his family: "John is
a family man."
family values = traditional ideas about what a family should be: "Some political
parties often emphasise family values and the importance of marriage."
family name = surname: "What's your family name?"

Most people feel loyalty to their family, and will defend family members saying
"He / She's family". There's also a saying "Blood's thicker than water" which
means that your family ties are stronger than any other relationships.
First of all, I (packed my suitcase)
Secondly, I . (made sure I had all my documents) Previously
(before that) .. I changed some money. Then I (called a taxi
for the airport)
Later (on) (when we were stuck in traffic, I realised) But before al
that (I had double checked my reservation)
Finally (I arrived at the wrong check-in desk at the wrong airport for a flight that
didn't go until the next day)

Words that describe behaviour

active = always doing something: "She's an active person and never wants to
stay in."
aggressive = being angry or threatening: "He's aggressive and starts
arguments."

ambitious = wanting to succeed: "He's ambitious and wants to lead the

company."
argumentative = always arguing with people: "He won't accept what you say he's argumentative and loves to disagree!"
arrogant = thinking you are better than anyone else: "He always behaves as if
nobody else's opinion is important - "I find him very arrogant."
assertive = being confident, so people can't force you to do things you don't
want to do: "It's important to be assertive at work."

bad-tempered = in a bad mood: "What's got into him lately? He's so badtempered."

big-headed = thinking you're very important or clever: "I've never met

anyone so big-headed!"
bossy = telling people what to do all the time: "He's so bossy - he never lets me do
things the way I want to do them."

careless = not taking care: "He's a careless driver - "I'm sure he'll have an
accident."
caring = wanting to help people: "My boss is caring and often asks me how
things are going."
catty = saying nasty or spiteful things about other people: "I know you don't
like her, but calling her names is a bit catty."
cautious = being careful, so that you avoid mistakes: "He's cautious about
investing money in the stock market."
charming = pleasant and likeable: "What a charming man!"
cheeky = being rude or disrespectful: "It was a bit cheeky of him to ask for more
money."
clever = intelligent: "She's a clever student and picks things up quickly."
conceited = thinking you're very clever, or better than others: "He's so
conceited - he thinks everyone should admire him."
conscientious = doing something carefully, because you want to do it well: "She's
a conscientious student and always does her homework."
considerate = thinking and caring about others: "My neighbour brought me
flowers when I was in hospital - he's very considerate." ("That was considerate of
him.")
coy = pretending to be shy so that you don't have to give information: "He's
very coy about his qualifications - maybe he doesn't have any."
creative = someone who can make or design things, or can think of solutions to a
problem: "She's creative and artistic."

curious = wanting to know things: "I'm curious to find out what you think of the
situation."

deceitful = trying to make people think something, so that you get what you
want: "He lied to get this job - he's so deceitful."
docile = quiet and submissive: "She's a docile child and always does what she's
told."
dogmatic = wanting others to accept your ideas without discussion: "He's a
dogmatic politician and always thinks he's right."
domineering = trying to control other people: "He's loud and domineering in the
office - it's difficult to get him to listen to us."

enthusiastic = having a lot of interest in something: "He's an enthusiastic

supporter of equal rights."
excitable = someone who easily gets excited: "He gets very excitable about
politics - it's one of his passions in life."
extroverted = outgoing and lively: "She's extroverted and loves going out with
people."
faithful = being loyal to someone or something: "She's a faithful friend."
fickle = changing your mind and being unpredictable: "Politicians can be fickle
when it suits them!"
flaky = slightly unstable and unreliable: "She's a little flaky at times, but
otherwise she's a good worker."
full of himself = acting proud of yourself: "He was full of himself after he got the
promotion - it got annoying after a while."
funny = making other people laugh: "He can be extremely funny when he's in the
mood."

fussy = only liking certain things: "She's fussy about what she wears."
good-natured = kind and thoughtful: "She's good-natured and always tries to
help."
grumpy = someone who tends to be in a bad mood: "He's always grumpy in the
morning and never says 'hello'."
happy-go-lucky = not worrying about what might happen in the future: "He's a bit
happy-go-lucky and doesn't think about the future."

impulsive = doing things without thinking first: "If he sees something he likes,
he just buys it - he can be so impulsive at times!"
inconsiderate = not considering other people or their feelings: "It was a little
inconsiderate of him not to give you a get-well card."
introverted = opposite of extroverted: "He was introverted as a teenager, but
became more confident as he got older."
inventive = able to think up new ideas: "As head of Marketing, he can often
think of inventive ways to keep his customers happy."
irritating = annoying others: "He can be very irritating to work with."

jokey = making jokes: "You're in a jokey mood today, but we've got work to do!"
jolly = happy and cheerful: "It was the weekend and everyone was in a jolly
mood."
kind = thoughtful and caring: "My neighbour is kind - she looked after my cat
when I was on holiday."

loud-mouthed = someone who talks a lot and often says offensive things:
"Don't worry about what he said - he's loud-mouthed at times."
loyal = someone who is faithful and stands by you: "His colleagues were loyal to
him when he was having problems with his boss."

manic = behaving in a slightly crazy way: "We're a bit manic at the moment we're rushing to finish the work before our deadline."
manipulative = trying to get people to do what you want, by influencing or
deceiving them: "She's very manipulative when she wants something."
moody = having unpredictable moods: "Some people think he's moody - you
never know if he's happy or grumpy."
nervous = uncomfortable with a situation: "I'm always nervous before an

exam."

old-fashioned = behaving or thinking in a way that isn't modern: "He's a bit oldfashioned and thinks women shouldn't work."
opinionated = having strong opinions: "He's opinionated and dogmatic - the
last person you want to negotiate with."
passive = not assertive - doing what other people want you to do without arguing:
"He's passive at work, but domineering at home."
perfectionnist = someone who wants perfection: "Her boss is a perfectionnist no spelling mistakes are allowed."
persuasive = being able to persuade people to do things or to accept your
ideas: "He's a persuasive talker."
picky = only liking certain things or people: "She's picky about her friends."
playful = someone who likes to play and have fun: "You're in a playful mood
today!"
pleasant = nice and polite: "The bank manager was pleasant to me today."
polite = showing good manners: "She's polite and never forgets to say 'please' or
'thank you'."
pragmatic = being practical and aware of your limitations: "She's pragmatic at
work and only does what she can."

quick-tempered = getting angry quickly: "He was quick-tempered when

he was young, but he's more relaxed now."

reserved = keeping your ideas and thoughts to yourself: "He's reserved, but
polite."
rude = impolite: "He's very rude and never says 'please' or 'thank you'."

scatter-brained / scatty = someone who often forgets things: "Don't you

remember where you put your wallet? You're so scatter-brained!"
serious = not light-hearted: "He's a serious student and always does his
homework."
shy = quiet, because you are not very confident: "He's so shy and hates saying
anything to people he doesn't know."
sincere = saying what you believe (opposite of insincere): "He's sincere in his
beliefs."

slapdash = doing your work quickly and carelessly: "He's got a very slapdash
attitude - I doubt he'll ever become a lawyer."
slimy = trying to get what you want by being over-friendly: "That man is so slimy he makes me feel sick!"
sly = doing things in a secretive way: "You never know what he's up to - he's sly
and manipulative."
spiteful = trying to hurt other people because you didn't get what you wanted: "If
she doesn't get what she wants, she can be quite spiteful."

thoughtful = someone who thinks a lot: "He's a thoughtful person and

won't do anything unless he has considered the consequences."
thoughtless = not thinking about people or the consequences of your actions:
"I'm sure he didn't mean to be rude - he can be thoughtless at times."
trustworthy = someone you can trust: "My accountant is really trustworthy."
volatile quickly changing moods: "He's easily excitable and pretty volatile."

witty = being able to make other people laugh by what you say: "He's witty and
charming - the perfect person to invite to a party."
Rephrasing expressions
"What I meant to say was"
"Let me rephrase that"
"Let me put this another way"
"Perhaps I'm not making myself clear"
Back to the beginning
If you're explaining something, and you realise that the other person doesn't
understand, you can use the following phrases:
"If we go back to the beginning"
"The basic idea is"
"One way of looking at it is"
"Another way of looking at it is"
If you forget the English word

If you forget the word you want to use, you can say:
"I can't find the word I'm looking for"
"I'm not sure that this is the right word, but" "What I
want to say is"
Giving advice in English
"If I were you, I would" "Have
you thought about"
"You really ought to" ('ought' is pronounced 'ort') "Why don't
you"
"In your position, I would" "You
should perhaps" "You could
always"
Examples
If someone says "I'm having problems learning English", you could say:
"If I were you, I'd sign up for an English course."
"Have you thought about going to the UK for a couple of weeks?" "You really ought
to watch English television."
"Why don't you read more English books?"
"In your position, I would try and practise speaking English." "You should
perhaps look at the english-at-home.com website." "You could always get a
penpal."
Giving your opinion neutrally
"I think"
"I feel that" "In my
opinion"
"As far as I'm concerned" "As I see
it"
"In my view"

"I tend to think that"

Giving a strong opinion
"I'm absolutely convinced that"
"I'm sure that"
"I strongly believe that"
"I have no doubt that"
English expressions for asking someone's opinion
"What do you think?"
"What's your view?"
"How do you see the situation?"
Asking clerks or at help desks
(Hello.) Can / Could I have .. please? (Falling intonation)
(Good morning.) Can / Could you give / get me .. please?
(Good evening.) A table for two, please.

Interrupting people to ask them for something

Excuse me
19.Do you know if?
20.Do you have?
21.Do you accept . (credit cards)?
22.Is this the right way for. (the Post Office)?
23.Could you tell me if . (there's a Post Office near here)?
In more formal situations
Excuse me
25.Would you mind . (keeping an eye on my luggage?)
26.I wonder if you could . (move your suitcase a little.)
Say hello
A "hello" and a smile go a long way! Say "hello" at the beginning of your request.
"Hello. (I'd like) a travel card, please."

In more formal situations, you can say "Good morning", "Good afternoon" or
"Good evening". (Remember, we only say "Good night" if we're saying "Good
bye" at the end of the day.)
"Good evening. We've booked a table for four."
Remember "please" and "thank you"
"Please" normally goes at the end of the sentence:
"Two tickets please."
"Can you give me directions to Oxford Street, please."
Say "thank you" after you have received something:
"Here's your change."
"Thank you."
You can use "Yes, please" or "No, thank you" in response to a question:
"Would you like salad with your pizza?" "Yes,
please" or "No, thank you."
Say "excuse me"
If you ask someone who is doing something else, remember to say "excuse me":
"Excuse me, do yo have this dress in a smaller size?" (In a shop) "Excuse me, do you
know where the nearest bank is?" (On the street)
Structure of an example conversation
1. Clerk greets you
(Good morning.) How can I help you? What can I
do for you?
2. You ask for something
Hello. I'd like some information about
Can I have.
Three stamps for Europe, please.
3. Clerk asks you a question
Single or return?
Air-mail or surface mail?
4. You answer
Oh, er, single thanks.
Um, let me see. Air-mail please.

5. Clerk asks you if you need anything else

Will that be all?
(Is there) anything else?
6. You answer
Ah, actually I'd also like
No, that's it thanks / thank you.
Shock
I was shocked to hear
The news came as a complete shock.
We're all in complete shock.
Everyone's reeling from the shock of
It happened out of the blue.
Who could have predicted it?
I (just) can't get over .
We were completely taken aback by
I was just stunned by
Disbelief
I just can't believe It's
unbelievable.
I / You just can't imagine
Words can't describe (how I feel about / the terrible devastation etc)
There's no way it could have happened.
Saying how bad something is
It's so awful.
It's terrible / What terrible news. It's a
tragedy.
It's a catastrophe (pronounced "ca - tas - tra - fee" with the stress on "-tas")
This is the worst thing that could have happened.
Making comments
"No!" - to show surprise.
"I don't believe it!" - to show surprise.
"Wow!" - to show admiration or surprise.
"That's incredible / amazing / unbelievable" - to show great interest in the
subject of conversation.
"How awful / terrible" - to show sympathy with someone else's bad news.
Asking questions
"Really?" - to show surprise.

"And you?" - when someone asks you how you are.

"Did you?" - can be used to encourage someone to tell their story.
For example, "I saw her last night", "Did you?" "Yes, she was with one of her friends,
and she."

27.book a double room (for two nights from Monday 2 August to)
28.book a table (for two at 9 pm tomorrow night)
29.book a flight (from London to Paris on Tuesday 10 November)
30.book seats (tonight for "Phantom of the Opera")

You can also reserve a room, a table or seats.

Responding to questions
How many people is the booking for? It's for
two people.
How would you like to pay? Can
I pay by credit card?
Can you spell your surname? Yes,
it's B - R - O - W - N.
Can you give me your credit card number and expiry date? Yes, it's .
Travel bookings
What time do you want to leave / arrive / check-out?
I'd like to arrive in London by 6 pm.
Would you like to take advantage of our special insurance / extra facilities?
No thank you / Could you give me extra information?
Asking for more information
Does this price include all taxes? (for hotels and flights)
Is there a booking fee? (for flights, theatre tickets)
How much is the baggage allowance? (for flights)
Could you confirm my booking?
What time should I arrive? (for theatres, restaurants)
What time do I have to check in / do I have to check out? (for flights, hotels)
Is there an ensuite bathroom? (for hotels)

Tips
Remember the essential information:
35.how many nights (at a hotel)
36.how many people (at a restaurant or the theatre)
37.what time (for a flight or at a restaurant)
38.how much does it cost (for a flight, theatre tickets or a hotel room)
Research the vocabulary you need before you make a call:
36.what type of theatre seat you need
37.what type of hotel room you want
38.where you want to sit on the plane
Congratulations!
Well done!

Before an exam or something difficult

If someone has failed at something, you can say Bad luck!
Here's to Let's
drink to
Ladies and Gentlemen, "The Bride and Groom". Please
raise your glasses to
Writing to someone who has passed an exam

Well done! It's a fantastic result.

Congratulations on passing! You deserve it after so much hard work.
Writing wedding cards

Congratulations! Wishing you many happy years together.

Wishing you the best of luck in your future together.

Writing in sad situations

In difficult situations you can write I was so sorry to hear that
.
If you are writing to the relatives of someone who has died, you can
also write
I was deeply saddened to
hear or
Please accept my deepest condolences on the death of
(You can replace "I" with "We", such as "We were very sad to hear
that")

In a job interview
"The most important thing for me is that the job is challenging."
"What's really important to me is being able to learn something
new."
"The most crucial thing for me is to be valued by my colleagues."
"The most vital thing is knowing that I am doing a good job."
"What really motivates me is learning about new ways of doing
something."
"I'm extremely interested in learning more about the market."
"In terms of priorities, I am most interested in getting results. In
addition, I would like to develop my marketing skills."
"As far as my priorities go, getting results is the most important."
"At the top of my list of priorities is feeling appreciated."
"The least important thing is salary."
General aches and pains
"I feel a bit under the weather."
"I'm not feeling very well."
"I think I'm going down with a cold. I've got a sore throat."
"I've got a slight headache." (Or toothache / stomach ache /
backache) Pronounced "ake" as in "cake".
"I'm not sleeping very well at the moment."

"I feel a little faint."

"I've got a nagging pain in my shoulder." (nagging = a pain that won't
go away)
"I've got a splitting headache - I hope it's not a migraine."
Sympathetic responses
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"You don't look very well."
"You look a little pale."
"Maybe you're going down with something. There's a bug going
around."
"Maybe you should go home and get some rest."
"Why don't you go home and have a lie-down."
Mild illness
"I have a bit of a stomach bug."
"I think I've got a bit of a temperature."
"I have a touch of flu." (Flu =
influenza)
"I've got a nasty cough." (pronounced "coff")
Don't worry if you don't understand everything
Asking to meet
"Are you available on the 17th?"
"Can we meet on the 16th?"
"How does the 3rd sound to you?"
"Are you free next week?"
"Would Friday suit you?"
"Is next Tuesday convenient for you?"
"What about sometime next week?"
Agreeing on a date

"Yes, Thursday is fine."

"Thursday suits me."
"Thursday would be
perfect."
Suggesting a different date
"I'm afraid I can't on the 3rd. What about the 6th?"
"I'm sorry, I won't be able to make it on Monday. Could we meet on
Tuesday instead?"
"Ah, Wednesday is going to be a little difficult. I'd much prefer Friday,
if that's alright with you."
"I really don't think I can on the 17th. Can we meet up on the 19th?"
Setting a time
"What sort of time would suit you?"
"Is 3pm a good time for you?"
"If possible, I'd like to meet in the morning."
"How does 2pm sound to you?"
Changing the arrangement
"You know we were going to meet next Friday? Well, I'm very sorry,
but something urgent has come up."
"I'm afraid that I'm not going to be able to meet you after all. Can we fix
another time?"
"Something has just cropped up and I won't be able to meet you this
afternoon. Can we make another time?"
Telephone:
Who is calling?
Who does he/she want to speak to?
Does he/she get through?
If not, why not?
What will happen next?
Giving your name
Gail jones speaking.
This is Robert Smith from ABC Enterprises.
Hello, jane. It's Elena Gonzalez here.
Getting through to the right person
Could/Can I speak to Mark, please?
I'd like to speak to Ellen Baker, please.
I actually wanted to speak to Pat.

Is Pascal there at the moment?

Making the connection
Shall I put you through to him/her?
Can I just ask what it's about?
Cou ld you please hold?
just hang on a moment while I make the connection .
When the person isn't available
I'm afraid his/her line is engaged.
I'm afraid Pat isn't available at the moment.
I'm afra id she is in a meeting.
Can I take a message?
Would you like to call back later?
Opening the call
I'm calling about ...
I have a question about ...
I wanted to ask about ...
Are you the right person to ask?
Exchanging information
What was your question?
What would you like to know?
Could you tell me ... ?
Checking information
Would you like me to spe ll
Did you say ... ?
Sorry, I didn't catch that.
Let me just read that bac
Let me just check tha .
Taking a message
I'm afraid [name] isn't here at the moment.
Would you like to leave a message for her/him?
Let me just check (that) I've got that right.
Shall I tell [name] to call you back?
Does [name] have your number?
I'll make sure [name] gets your message.
I'll tell him/let him know that you called.
Leaving a message
This is [name]. I'm calling about ...
[name] asked me to call her/him (back).
I just wanted to check/confirm/ask if ...
Could you ask her/him to call me back?
I'll be in the office today until ...
Making an arrangement
I was wondering if you might have time to
meet next week.
What day/When would suit you?
Can we fix a meeting for Tuesday?
How about Monday morning?
Shall we say nine o'clock at my office?
Changing an appointment
I'm calling about our appointment.
I'm afraid something has come up.

Saying you will be late

I'm afraid my meeting has taken longer than I expected.
I might be a few minutes late.
I should be there by 3.15 at the latest, but I'll call you again if
there are any more delays.
I wanted to ask you if we could postpone/bring forward our
meeting.
Could we possibly rescheding
ule/cancel our appointment?
Explaining a problem
There seems/appears to be a problem with ...
I'm afraid there's a problem with ...
Unfortunately, you/we ...
Apologizing
I'm (really/very) sorry about that.
I have to say I'm extremely sorry about this.
Please accept my apologies.
Explaining what you will do
This is what I'm going to do.
I'll send/revise/prepare ...
I'll make sure it doesn't happen again.
Simple greetings
HI
Hello
Hello There
Hey
General greeting
How are you ?
Hows its going ?
Hows it been
How is everything ?
How have you been ?
Whats new ?
Whats up ?
Whats Happening ?
Whats going on ?

Welcoming someone who has returned

Welcome back
Welcome back strange
Where you have been
Where did you go
Expressing surprise at meeting someone
What a surpise to meet you here
What are you doing in the part of this town
What are you doing out of office
After you have greeted someone
We seem to keep running into each other
Havent we met before
Didnt we meet at that part last week
Im sorry I have forgotten your name
Concerning a journey or vaction
How was that
How did it go?
Did everything go ok?
Greeting:
When you meet people (formal) :
Good morning !
Good afternoon !
Good evening !
When you meet people (informal) :
Hello !
Hi !

Your name and company

My name is / Im
I work for (not am working for)
Im sales manager for (you are the only sales manager)
Im an account manager at (you are one of several ac_
count managers)
The company produces software / machines /
We develop (or: we market)
Im a freelance consultant / journalist.
Your work and responsibilities
Im responsible for European operations / I look after
I work in banking. (alternatives: marketing, sales, account_
ing, product development, research, HR etc.)
I manage a team of 8 people.
I support our sales team.
My job involves
I report to the Business Development Director.
How long you have been with your current company
I have been working for Whitehouse Electronics since
2003 / for 4 years.
I have worked at Whitehouse Electronics since 2003. (not
am working at)
I joined Whitehouse Electronics in 2003.
About you personally
In my free time I enjoy reading, cooking and playing the piano.
Outside of work I enjoy in_line skating and Nordic walking.
Im very keen on football and support our local team.
Im married with two children and live in Kiel.

On phone
Identifying yourself
Good morning / afternoon my name is from
This is Anton Mller from GBS in Munich.
Speaking to a particular person
Could I speak to Gill Morris please?
Could you put me through to
Please could I speak to
Is it possible to speak to your Managing Director please?
Purpose of the call
Im calling about (or: Im calling with regard to )
I would like to speak to someone about
Leaving a message
Please could you ask her/him to call me? My number is
Please could you let him/her know that I called?
I would appreciate it if someone could call me back as soon as
possible.
The person you are trying to call is not there or is busy
When would be the best time to reach him/her?
When would it be convenient for me to call back?
To find out who is calling

Sorry, could/may I ask who Im speaking to please?

Im sorry; I didnt catch your name.
Please could you give me your name?
Who am I speaking to please?
May I ask whos calling

Getting to speak to the right person

I would like to talk to someone about
I have a technical question concerning
I need some general information about
Id like to speak to someone who can give more information about
Im not sure who I need to speak to, but I need some information about

Answering a call
Hamtek Autoteile, Peter Schneider speaking; how can I help you?
Good afternoon, Peter Schneider speaking.
Asking for clarification
Could you tell me what its about please?
May I ask what its concerning?
Could you give me a little more information?
Checking information
Im sorry; I didnt catch that. Please could you repeat it?
Please could you repeat that?
Im sorry; the line is very bad and I cant hear you very well.
Im sorry; I didnt catch your name. (Could you repeat it for me
please?)
Please could you spell that for me?
May I just check that Ive understood you correctly? Is it a technical or
sales enquiry?
Arranging to call back
Is it OK if I call you back in a few minutes/this afternoon /tomorrow?
Please can I give you a call back later?
Can I get back to you on that?
When would be the best time for me to call you back?
When is the best time to call her/him?
Keeping people waiting
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Thank you for holding.
Im sorry to have kept you waiting. How can I help you?
Would you mind holding the line while I get the file out?
Rather than keep you waiting, would it be OK if I call you back in a few
minutes?
Peter Schneiders line is busy at the moment. Would you like to hold?
I would like to begin by asking everyone to introduce themselves.
Please do not use the loudspeaker on your phone. The background
noise makes it difficult to hear what is being said.
Sorry, Im having trouble hearing you please could you repeat that?
The line is very bad Im going to hangup and dial in again.

 Sorry, could I ask the last speaker to identify himself again. Im not
sure who was speaking!
Has someone got their loudspeaker on, Im getting feedback.

Thanks for coming today; how was your journey?

Did you manage to find us OK?
How was your flight?
May I offer you a coffee before we start?
Can I get you anything before we start coffee, water ?
Hows the weather in Sweden at the moment?

Function Expression
1 Greetings
A very warm welcome to you all.
Firstly, Id like to thank everyone for coming.
Ill try and keep the meeting as brief as possible so that we can finish
on time.
2 Making general comments
Just a few formalities before we begin
A couple of general points: ...
Please turn off your mobile phones, toilets are at the end of the
corridor
Does anyone have a problem if we speak English?
3 Introductions
Before we start, let me begin by introducing myself
So that we all know who everyone is, can we quickly go round the
table and introduce ourselves
4 Explaining what the meeting is about
The purpose of todays meeting is to
This mornings meeting is about
We are here today to discuss
The aim of this afternoons meeting is to
5.Getting down to business
Does anyone have any questions before we start?
Does everyone have a copy of the agenda?
OK, lets get down to business.
Lets begin with the first item on the agenda, which is
Turning to the first item on today's agenda, we need to discuss
To start with, I'd like to discuss ...
During the meeting:
1 Keeping to the agenda
I think we should move on to the next point.
I think were getting sidetracked here.Can we please stick to the point?
Im not sure thats relevant to the issue in question. Perhaps we can
discuss this outside of the meeting?

2 Discuss something later on

That's a very good point, but can we talk about it at the end of the
meeting?
I think thats really a separate issue.Can we leave that until the end?
I think youve made a very good point: can we come back to it later?

 Can we deal with that off line?

3 Before a break
Just before we break for lunch, I'd just briefly like to talk about ...
Before we have coffee, can I just say
To finish off this morning's session, lets discuss item .
4 A new point
I think we also need to talk about
We also need to consider
5 Having your say
If I may just say something:
Could I just add that
I would just like to point out that
6 Getting agreement / reaching a decision
Lets try and reach agreement on this. Can I have a show of hands
from those of you who are in agreement with the proposal?
Are we all agreed that this is the right way forward?
Do I have everyones agreement on this?
Do we have consensus on this?
7 Bringing the meeting to a close
Just before we finish, does anyone have anything else they wish to
raise?
I think weve covered everything and would suggest we now finish the
meeting.
I think that's all we need to discuss this afternoon. Let's call it a day!
If you dont understand or follow something
Im sorry, but would you mind repeating that again please?
I didnt catch the last point you made: Please could you explain that
again?
Would you mind explaining that again a little more slowly please?
Could you explain that in more simple terms please?
Is it possible for you to explain it again for the benefit of the nonnative
English speakers present?
Expressing agreement with / support for something or someone

I
I
I
I

I totally agree with

Im in total agreement with this proposal / idea.
think its a really good idea.
agree with Angela on this one.
also think this is a good idea.
dont see any problems

Expressing disagreement with / opposition to something or

someone
I dont really mind either way on this one.
I think this proposal is OK, but I would like to see
Im not entirely happy with this. I like the idea, but
perhaps we should look at
Although I think this is a good idea, Im not convinced that this is the
best way forward. It may be better to
I dont think this is a good idea at all. My suggestion would be

 Im not really in agreement with any of this. Why dont we look at

Im not in favour of this proposal at all.

Having your say

I would just like to add that
We need to talk about
I think its more important to consider
I think we are getting sidetracked here. Returning to the issue in
question
In my opinion
I would like to point out that
Im sorry but I have to stop you there
Sorry to interrupt you, but
May I just stop you there for a moment?
May I just add something before you continue?
Indicating you would like to negotiate
Can we talk about the price / delivery date(s) / volume / quantity?
Do you have any flexibility with regard to price?
Is this offer negotiable?
I think there are one or two issues that we need to discuss.
How much room for negotiation is there?
Indicating you would like to negotiate
Can we talk about the price / delivery date(s) / volume /
quantity?
Do you have any flexibility with regard to price?
Is this offer negotiable?
I think there are one or two issues that we need to discuss.
How much room for negotiation is there?
Indicating you are willing to negotiate
Im sure we can come to an agreement on this.
We might be able to meet you halfway.
We do have some room to manoeuvre.
Negotiating
We could (probably) reduce the price if you were to take a minimum
number of 50 units.
We can offer you a discount for large orders over 100 units.
If we ordered a larger quantity, would you be able to reduce the unit
price?
Closure
Is that your very best offer?
The best we can do is
This is our final offer we really cant go any lower on price.
Do we have a deal?
Buying Time (Delaying)
I think we need time to think about this.
Can we come back to you on this?
I will need to discuss this with my colleague(s) first.
Accepting
I think we can live with this offer.
Im sure we can do business on this basis.

 Now I think were talking business!

Shall we shake on this? (meaning: to shake hands)
Declining
Im sorry but we cant accept your offer.
I dont think we can work on this basis.
Sorry, but we cannot accept these conditions.
Im afraid the offer is still not acceptable.

Presentation
If you are a presenter
Introducing a topic
Id like to start by talking about
Id like to begin by presenting an overview of
Finishing a topic
Just one final point on this: ...
Before we move on, I'd just like to say ...
Moving to the next topic
Moving on to sales / technical issues / staffing implications etc.
Turning to the next point
Lets now take a look at
Giving more detailed information
Looking at this in more detail
Lets take a closer look at this.
Ill talk about this in more detail in a moment.
Background information
Just to give you some background information about
A little bit about the history of the project
Some general information about
Difficult /complicated information
Although this diagram looks very complicated, the main point to note
is
Dont be put off by this slide. The important thing here is ...
Dealing with difficult questions
Thats a very good question. May I come back to that at the end?
Thats a good point. Can I come back to you on that?
Would you mind if we deal with all questions at the end?
I dont have the answer to that now, but Ill certainly look into it and
come back to you.
Finishing the presentation
Lastly, Id just like to talk about
And finally, a summary of the main points: ...
Finally, just to summarise the main points: ...
If you are listening to a presentation
Problems hearing or seeing

 Im sorry, but I cant hear you properly from here. Is it possible to do

something
about sound quality?
Im having trouble reading the slides / figures. Is it possible to make
them any bigger / sharper?
Clarification
Im not sure I understood the last point. Please could you explain that
again?
Im having trouble following your argument. Would you mind going
through
that once more?
If I have understood you correctly, youre saying that
I dont understand why
Challenging something
Why do you say that
Why is it that
How come there is/are
Can you explain why
Is there any reason for the

Telling the speaker what you would like to hear

Thats all very interesting, but what Id really like to know is
Please can you tell us something about
One thing I dont think youve covered so far is
Positive feedback
I found the presentation very interesting. Is it possible to get a copy of
it?
Thanks for the excellent presentation.
Beginning a conversation
Can I help you at all? Would you like some more informa_
tion about our products and services?
Would you like to know more about our company and
what we do?
How can I help you today? Are you looking for anything in
particular?
Talking about your company
We have offices in
The company employs 5,000 people worldwide.
Our European headquarters is in
The groups head office is in
We have four manufacturing plants in Germany.
The company was established in 1985.
We are a small family run business.
We have subsidiary companies in
We are part of the UPC Group.
Our product range includes
Expressing opinions about an event

 I thought the last presentation was really excellent!

I think the standard of the speakers is extremely high this year.
The programme is very interesting.
The conference is OK, but I would prefer to see more
Im disappointed that there
is no time for questions.
are so few practical examples.
is too much emphasis on
Im not at all impressed by the speakers.
I think the conference is very disappointing indeed.

What is the purpose of your visit?

Im looking for new suppliers.
Im interested in the latest developments and new trends in the
industry.
We hope to find new business.
Im hoping to make some new business contacts.
What sort of events do you prefer?
I prefer smaller and more specialist trade fairs.
I would rather attend one big exhibition a year than spend
time travelling to lots of other events.
Its important to have lots of international companies.
I like events that have certain days for trade visitors only:
I dont like public days at all.
For me, its important to see the big names and market leaders.
I dont like really big events because its often difficult to find ones
way around the exhibition.
What made you apply for this job? / Why did you apply for this
job?
Im looking for a new challenge.
The job description is very interesting and I believe I have all the
necessary skills and experience that you are looking for.
I would like to work for a well_known international company like
Im looking for a job with more responsibility.
Id like to work in an English_speaking country.
Why do you want to change your job / employer?
Im looking for a new challenge.
Im ready to take on more responsibility.
Im looking for a more senior position.
I would like to work for an international company.
For personal reasons I would like to move to Boston.
What can you do for us?
I believe that my skills and experience would be of value to your
company, particularly my knowledge of
I am sure that I can make a significant contribution to the (continuing)
success of your company.
As well as meeting the requirements given in your job advertisement, I
also have experience in
What are your strengths and weaknesses?

 Im a very well_organised person and good at time management.

Because of my enthusiasm and motivation, I can sometimes be a little
impatient.
Im a good team player but also capable of working on my own. Im
sometimes a perfectionist and therefore try to avoid spending too much
time on any one task.
Im good with people and have the ability to motivate others. I set
myself high standards and expect the same from colleagues.
Im a very logical person and do not usually panic. Im good at
remaining calm under pressure.
What do you like most about your current job / company?
I enjoy the contact with customers.
I particularly enjoy the contact with international suppliers.
I like working in a team.
I like the open and unbureaucratic atmosphere.
Everyones personal input and contribution is valued.
Its very varied and every day is different.
What dont you like about your current job / company?
I think we suffer from the same problems faced by all
large organisations. Communication can always be improved!
Its rather chaotic sometimes, but this can also be stimulating.
I really enjoy my job. There are some less interesting routine tasks, but
Im sure thats true of any job.
What would you describe as / what is your greatest achievement
so far?
I successfully implemented a new system for
I successfully managed a project for
I achieved a 10% increase in sales of
I was the top salesman for Germany in 2006.
I worked as part of a team on the implementation of a new system for

Last year I cycled through the Alps all the way to Italy

Tell us about yourself

After leaving school, I worked for Whitehouse Electronics where I
gained experienced working as a
After leaving Whitehouse Electronics, I went to work at NJT Computer
Systems.
I began as a sales assistant before being promoted to supervisor.
I was then promoted to Assistant Manager.
I left Whitehouse Electronics to join NJT Computer Systems because I
was looking for more responsibility.
What do you do outside work?
Im very interested in music and play the saxophone in a band.
I play a lot of sport and am a member of a local football team.

 I very much enjoy being a parent and spend a lot of time with my
daughter / son / children.
I enjoy travelling and learning about other cultures. India is one of my
favourite countries.
Last year I took up in_line skating and now do it several times a week.
When are you available? What is your period of notice?
I have to give one months notice to the end of the calendar month.
I have to give four weeks notice (i.e. from the date you resign).
I have a three_month period of notice to the end of the quarter.
What sort of salary are you looking for? / What are your salary
expectations?
My current salary is 40,000 euros and I would be looking to improve on
this.
I currently earn 3,400 euros a month.
My annual salary is around forty_five thousand euros and I would hope
to improve on this.
I think that forty thousand dollars would be reasonable for this position,
given the level of responsibility and experience you are looking for.
Who can we contact for references?
Ive provided a list of references in my CV (US rsum).
Please contact me first before taking up references.
I would ask you not to contact my current employer.
I can provide you with professional and personal references.

Questions to ask at an interview

Does the company have its own pension scheme?
Are there any other employee benefits?
Do you have an employee training and development programme?
What are the normal office hours?
How much travelling does the job involve?
What is the probation period? (normally 6 months)
How soon do you expect to make a decision?
How many other candidates will you be interviewing for this position?
How will you notify the successful candidate?
The market you are in
Hamtek Autoteile is a supplier to the automotive industry.
We are in the engineering business.
We are in the consultancy business.
The products and services you are selling
We provide a complete range of accounting software for business of all
sizes.
Our company produces machinery for the agricultural industry.
We offer a full range of consultancy services for the health industry.

Your USPs (unique selling proposition)

We are able to supply software and documentation in most major
European languages.

 We are the only company specialising in the area of

Our products are all manufactured in_house and subject to strict
German and industry quality controls.
Customer benefits for B2B companies (business to business):
We help customers to maximise the return on their investment in
Our energy saving products help our customers reduce their production
costs and thereby gain competitive advantage.
Our specialist services allow companies to concentrate on their core
business.
We help companies to improve their profitability by
Our products allow companies to be more responsive to changes in the
market.
Customer benefits for B2C companies (business to consumer)
Our easy_to_assemble products make furniture more affordable to a
wider market.
We provide the most environmentally friendly washing machines
currently available.
The customer is important
As one of our most valued customers, let me say how sorry I am about

Our aim is to make sure that all are customers are entirely satisfied
with our products / services at all times.
Please rest assured that we are doing everything possible to resolve
the situation.

Saying what you are doing now (the action has started and is
still happening)
Were sorting it out now.
Were working on the problem and hope to have things working again
in about an hour.
They are fixing it at this very moment.
Theyre looking into the problem and will contact you as soon as it has
been sorted out.
Were investigating what happened and will contact you in the very
near future.
Were already dealing with the problem.
Saying what action you will take next (the action has not yet
begun)
I will make sure this matter is dealt with as soon as possible.
I will contact someone in our Operations Department right away and
ask them to call you.
If you leave me your name and telephone number, Ill ask someone to
look into this and get back to you.
Ill get someone on to this right away.
Offering general assistance
If you need anything just let me know.

 Should you have any problems, please feel free to contact me.
If I can be of any further help, please dont hesitate to contact me.
Just let me know if you need anything else.
If you have any queries, just give me a call.
My name is Angela Smith and should you need any further assistance
please just give me a ring.
Following up on a letter or email
We sent you a written quotation on the 25th of September and I just
wanted to check you have received it and if everything is OK.
I just wanted to make sure that you received my email
about the
I just wondered what you think about our offer.
If you need any further information or have any questions about the
proposal, please dont hesitate to give me ring.
Could you just confirm that you received everything?
General follow_up calls (Keeping in contact)
Its quite a few weeks since we last spoke and I just wondered how
things are at Daventry Electrics.
Its a long time since we had contact with one another. I just wanted to
enquire about
I thought I would give you a call to check how things are.
This is just a short courtesy call to check everything is OK.
Calling someone who has been recommended to you
I was given your name by
Your were recommended to me by
Dieter Riesenfeld suggested that I gave you a call because
I understand from Dieter Riesenfeld that you may be looking for
Some different ways of saying sorry
--Im sorry for
** Im very sorry for the error / mistake.
*** I can only apologise for this situation.
*** Im really sorry about the mistake.
--Were very sorry indeed for the inconvenience
caused.
**** Im terribly sorry for the problems you have experienced.
***** I cant apologise enough for the inconvenience
caused on this particular occasion. Were doing everything we can to put
things right as soon as possible.
Offering compensation
As a gesture of good will, I would like to offer a 20% discount. I hope
that this will help restore your confidence in us.
By way of compensation for the problems you experienced, we would
like to offer
In view of the problems you experienced, we would like to offer you
In view of the inconvenience caused, we are prepared to offer you a
10% discount on your next order.
As a small gesture of goodwill, we will not be charging for the
In view of the circumstances, I would like to offer you a complimentary
meal in our hotel restaurant.

Do you take credit cards?

Im afraid not. However, we would be pleased to accept payment by
bankcard or bank transfer.
Im sorry but we dont. Is it possible for you to make a bank transfer?
Unfortunately not. You can however pay by bankcard or direct transfer.
Im sorry, but we dont accept them. Would you be able to make a bank
transfer?
Chasing an order
Please can you let me know whats happening?
Could you tell me when I can expect to receive the order?
Whats the current status of the order?
When will the goods be delivered?
Can you give me an update on the delivery status please?

We need a replacement as soon as possible.

How soon can you come and fix it?
Please can you tell me when you will be sending an engineer?
When will it be repaired?
How long will it take to repair it?

Here are a range of expressions you can use to talk about the
quality of service:
The level of service was exceptional!
The service is first_class.
The service is excellent / really good.
The standard of service was good.
The service was fine.
They offer an acceptable level of service.
They provide a basic level of service.
Customer service is poor.
The service provided was not good at all.
Their customer service is very poor.
The level of service on this occasion was really bad.
The standard of service provided is appalling!
Getting to speak to someone in authority
Id like to speak to the office manager please.
Please could you put me through to your supervisor?
I would like to speak to the person who is responsible for customer
care.
Could I speak to the person in charge please?

Setting a specific deadline

Please let me know by Thursday next week at the very latest.
You expect a response, but set no deadline
I look forward to hearing from you soon. Its quite urgent
Please can you let me have the figures as soon as possible?
Its very urgent
Please let me have your report as a matter or urgency.
Immediately
I need your figures now!
An ultimatum
If we dont hear from you by the end of the week, we will assume you
no
longer require the reservation.
Unless we receive your confirmation by
How to accept an invitation
Would you like to join us for a drink after work?
Thank you very much. That would be lovely.
Yes, that sounds a great idea. Thanks for inviting me.
Id love to. I cant wait to try some real English beer!
How to decline an invitation politely
Would you like to join us for a meal on Wednesday evening?
Id love to come, but unfortunately I already have another engagement
that evening.
I really appreciate you asking me, but Im sorry to say I have to leave
for the airport directly after the meeting.
Thanks very much for the invitation but unfortunately I cant make it
this time.
Thanks very much for inviting me but Ill have to say no this time.
Hopefully on another occasion
Thanking someone at the end or afterwards
Thank you very much for the lovely evening, I really enjoyed it!
Thank you for your hospitality. It was so kind of you to invite me to
dinner at your house.
Thanks for arranging the meal and booking the restaurant.it was a
great evening!
It was a great evening, I really enjoyed it!
Thank you very much for the nice evening.
When you would like to pay the bill
Let me get this.
This ones on me / us.
Youre our guest, please let me settle this.
Thats very kind of you, but Id like to pay for the meal if you dont
mind.
Comparing places
Hamburg is wetter than Barcelona.
The winters in New York are colder than in London.
Brisbane is sunnier than Hanover.
Los Angeles is a lot warmer than Stockholm.
The evenings in Munich are cooler than in Frankfurt.
The temperatures in Moscow are more extreme than in Paris.

 Im very interested in athletics.

Hes keen on all kinds of winter sports.
I support our local football team.
I follow the Italian League and watch most games on TV.
She takes a great interest in tennis, particularly the grand slam
tournaments.
I compete in local swimming championships and train several times a
week.
Im not so keen on rice.
I prefer fish grilled rather than fried; the flavour is much better.
Do you have any particular dislikes I mean is there anything that you
dont eat?
I have a nut allergy and try to avoid eating anything containing nuts or
nut products.
I drink both red and white wine: Do you have a particular preference?
I eat almost anything theres not much I dont like!
I love fish, particularly fresh salmon.
I try to eat low_fat food

What do you think of Berlin?

How do you find the food?
How are you enjoying your visit to
Whats your impression of Germany?
What do you think of the wine / beer / food etc?
Whats your hotel like?
Do you have anything like this in Vancouver?
How was your flight?
What was your journey like?
How does this bar / restaurant compare to the ones in Sydney?

What do you do in your spare time? / Do you have

any particular hobbies or interests?
I enjoy
swimming / playing football / cycling / inline skating / jogging / skiing.
cooking / reading / gardening / playing the piano / singing / dancing /
travelling / going to the cinema / going to the theatre and opera.
I spend as much time as I can with my children.
I am chairperson of the local residents association.
I like listening to jazz.
I listen to a lot of classical music.
Im quite a D.I.Y. enthusiast and enjoy painting and decorating.

And what about you?

And yourself?
And you? Do you have any particular hobbies?
How about you?

Expressing understanding

I suppose you spend a lot of time on aircraft?

I imagine you must have seen a lot of European cities by now?
I bet its really hectic for you in the summer.
You must have a very large workload.
And are you in charge of the entire project?
Your job obviously requires good organisational skills.
I guess you are very busy preparing for

Referring to observation
I notice that most people in the office drive to work. Does
the company provide free parking?
I noticed your new company logo. When did you introduce it?
I saw a lot of people out shopping last night. Are the shops open late
every night of the week?
I find the people in the hotel really friendly. Do you use this hotel
because of its good service?
Booking or arriving at a restaurant
Id like to reserve a table for six people for eight thirty.
Do you have a table for four please?
Wed like a non_smoking table please.
Are you fully licensed? (Meaning: Do you serve alcohol? See box
below.)
Is the restaurant air_conditioned?
Do you have car parking?
Ive never been before: Could you give me directions please?
Specific kinds of food and drink
Are there any vegetarian dishes on the menu today?
What local specialities do you recommend?
It is possible to have rice instead of potatoes with the
main course?
Do they serve wine by the glass as well as by the bottle?
Is there a set lunch menu or is it la carte?
Can you recommend a good wine to have with the beef?
Talking about what you are going to order
Have you made up your mind yet? / Do you know what youre going to
have yet?
Yes, Im going to have the What about you?
Im tempted by the
Im not sure whether to have the . or the

Ordering meals
I would like the prawn cocktail to start with and then the grilled trout.
Id just like roast lamb as a main course. No starter thank you.
As a starter, Id like the deep fried mushrooms please, followed by the
vegetarian lasagne with a green salad.
Wed also like a bottle of the house red please.

Paying
Could we have the bill (US: check) please? Is it possible to pay by
credit card? )
Please can you bring the bill? Is it possible to put the drinks on a
separate account?
Can you charge this to my room please its 316.
Were splitting the bill between us. Please can you charge 25 pounds to
each credit card?

Reference
Thank you for your letter of 13 August.
Further to our telephone conversation today. / yesterday. /
last week. / on Friday. / on 26 February.
Thank you for visiting our stand at the IT Expo in Frank_
furt. / your enquiry regarding ...
With reference to your recent telephone enquiry. / letter
of 08 May.
Purpose
I am writing to enquire about the cost of
Please could you send me a copy of your current bro_
chure. / details of
I am writing to confirm arrangements for our meeting
on
Positive reply
We would be delighted to be of service to you on this
occasion.
I am pleased to confirm the following: ...
Negative reply
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide details of the
programme. / the event is already fully booked.
We very much regret to inform you that your application
has not been successful on this occasion.
Attachments
Please find enclosed information about / contract.

 We have pleasure in enclosing details of our

Closing remarks
I look forward to hearing from you in due course. / seeing you on 18
July. / meeting you at the conference.
If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact
me.
We thank you for your custom and look forward to being of service to
you again in the future.
We trust that our offer will be acceptable to you and look forward to
receiving your confirmation in due course.
Should you require any further information at any time, please do not
hesitate to contact us.

Before the meeting

Do you have an agenda for tomorrows meeting?
I will send you the agenda by email. Please let me know if Ive
forgotten anything or if you would like anything added.
The agenda looks fine, but I think we also need to talk about
The agenda is too long. Perhaps we need to have a separate meeting
to discuss next years budget?
Im sorry but Im unable to come to the meeting next week and wish to
give my apologies.
Who will be chairing the meeting next week?
Please confirm that you are able to attend or who will be attending in
your place.
After the meeting
Here are the minutes for last weeks meeting. I hope that I have
included everything that we discussed.

 Please can you check them and let me have your approval as soon as
possible. I will then make sure everyone gets a copy.
Im not sure what we finally agreed at the meeting Ill need to check
the minutes!
Can you let me have a copy of the minutes for my own file?

I'm' is an abbreviation for the word 'I AM.' It is used in combination with
other words to tell someone about yourself or to describe something you
are doing.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

so tired."
confused."
happy."
twenty three years old."
hungry."
nervous."
excited."
leaving work."
thirsty."
from Seattle."

You can also add descriptive words with 'I'm' such as:
"I'm extremely tired."
"I'm very happy."
"I'm terribly hungry."
"I am super excited."
"I'm very nervous."

I'm in/at/on
Describes an action you are doing.
Most commonly, you would use the word 'in' when entering a physical
location such as a room or a building.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

in
in
in
in
in

the shower."
the lobby."
a car."
a house."
a school."

Using the word 'at' helps tell someone where you currently are. The
difference between 'at' and 'in' is that the physical location is general.

Here are some examples:

"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

at
at
at
at
at

the
the
the
the
the

grocery."
mall."
doctor's office."
park."
airport."

However, in some cases you can use 'at' and 'in' interchangeably.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

at the mall."
in the mall."
at the park."
in the park."
at the grocery."
in the grocery."

Using the word 'on' is referring to a non physical location such as your
time being utilized by something else.
Here are some examples:
"I'm on the phone."
"I'm on my computer."
"I'm on a bus."

I'm good at
Again, 'I'm' is used here as 'I am.' 'Good at' informs someone what you
excel at and are comfortable doing.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

good
good
good
good
good
good
good
good
good
good

at
at
at
at
at
at
at
at
at
at

drawing."
video games."
swimming."
driving."
reading."
sports."
writing."
math."
dancing."
chess."

I'm + (verb)
I'm' is a contraction of the words 'I am.' By adding a verb to 'I'm' this lets
you express an action or occurrence about yourself.
Here are some examples:
"I'm eating lunch."
"I'm brushing my teeth."
"I'm scared."
"I'm driving to work."
"I'm crying."
"I'm typing an email."
"I'm cooking dinner."
"I'm combing my hair."
"I'm hanging a picture."
"I am texting."
"I am dancing."
"I am interested in the job."
"I am exercising."
"I am sad."
"I am learning."

I'm getting
When combining the words 'I am' and 'getting' you are telling someone
'you' are gaining possession, being affected by or have plans to seek out
and obtain a particular thing.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

getting
getting
getting
getting
getting
getting
getting
getting
getting
getting

better."
ready for bed."
a tooth ache."
a cold."
married."
tired."
good at reading."
a new car."
a job."
a puppy."

I'm trying + (verb)

I am trying' informs someone that you are attempting to accomplish

something using bodily, mental, or spiritual strength. By adding a verb to
'I'm trying' you are pointing out exactly what it is you are attempting to
do.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

trying
trying
trying
trying
trying
trying
trying
trying

to get a job."
to call my family."
to enjoy my dinner."
to educate myself."
to explain myself."
new food."
to eat healthy."
to understand."

You may also hear the word 'trying' used to express a way someone is
feeling. In this manner, it expresses strain or distress.
Here are some examples:
"Learning new things can be trying on you."
"That marathon was very trying on me."

I'm gonna + (verb)

The word 'gonna' is incorrect grammatically. The equivalent in proper
grammar would be 'going to.' When using the word 'gonna' you are
telling someone what you are planning to do at that moment or in the
near future.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

gonna
gonna
gonna
gonna
gonna
gonna
gonna
gonna
gonna
gonna

have some coffee."

go to work."
eat some cake."
send out my resume."
run a marathon."
ask her out for dinner."
stop smoking."
help my friends."
take swim lessons."
read a book."

I have + (noun)

By using the words 'I have' you are informing someone of something you
have possession of or have acquired.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

have
have
have
have
have

a
a
a
a
a

cat."
nice car."
house."
computer."
headache."

You may hear the words 'cannot' and 'won't' used with 'I have.' By
adding these you can express what you will not put up with or allow.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I

cannot have that behavior in my house."

cannot have you over tonight."
won't have anything to do with that."
won't have it any other way."

I used to + (verb)
Used to' expresses something that was done in the past, and is not
usually done now.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

used
used
used
used
used
used
used
used
used
used

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

develop websites."
jog every day."
paint."
smoke."
work from home."
live in California."
go to the beach every day."
sing in a choir."
like vegetables."
start work at 6 o'clock."

I have to + (verb)
The words 'have to' describe something that needs to take place soon. It
expresses certainty, necessity, or obligation.
Here are some examples:

"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

have
have
have
have
have

to
to
to
to
to

switch schools."
use the telephone."
go to the bathroom."
leave."
unpack my bags."

You can also add the word 'don't' to suggest that someone is not
required to do something.
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

don't
don't
don't
don't
don't

have
have
have
have
have

to
to
to
to
to

switch schools."
use the telephone."
go to the bathroom."
leave."
unpack my bags."

I would like to + (verb)

This sentence lets someone know what you would be interested in doing.
This can be a physical, mental or verbal action.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

would
would
would
would
would
would
would
would
would
would

like
like
like
like
like
like
like
like
like
like

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

answer that question."

compete in a cooking contest."
explain myself."
invite you over."
practice."
become a doctor."
see you more often."
thank you."
learn about animals."
meet the President."

I plan to + (verb)
Plan to' describes something that you would like to do in the near future.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I

plan
plan
plan
plan

to
to
to
to

find a new apartment."

relax on vacation."
surprise my parents."
wash my car."

"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

plan
plan
plan
plan
plan
plan

to
to
to
to
to
to

adopt a child."
impress my boss."
watch a movie."
save more money."
read a book."
learn new things."

I've decided to + (verb)

I've' is short for 'I have' and including the word 'decided' you are stating
that you have made a decision or come to a conclusion.
Here are some examples:
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've

decided
decided
decided
decided
decided
decided
decided
decided
decided
decided

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

accept the job."

complete my degree."
change my bad habits."
extend my membership at the gym."
form a chess club."
hand over my responsibilities."
help you move."
interview for the job."
increase my work load."
manage a store."

I was about to + (verb)

When stating 'I was about to' you are informing someone that you were
going to do something, but another event prevented you from doing it.
It is similar to 'I am about to' but the difference is that you will not do it
any longer. Since you will not do it any longer, it becomes a past event.
That is why we use 'was' instead of 'am'
Here is an example conversionsation to help you understand.
A: Hi Mike. I need to ask you a favor.
B: Hey Bob. what do you need?
A: Can you drive me to the convenient store? My car is in the shop and
we really need to get milk.
B: Sure. I can do that.
A: Were you in the middle of something? I don't want to bother you.
B: I was about to watch a movie, but that can wait.
In this case, he cannot say, "I am about to watch a movie" because he
will not be watching it because he has to drive his friend. You use "I was
about to" when you will not be doing something immediately because of

some other event.

Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

was
was
was
was
was
was
was
was
was
was

about
about
about
about
about
about
about
about
about
about

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

go out."
go to dinner."
go to bed."
go to work."
say the same thing."
call you."
send you an email."
mow my grass."
order us some drinks."
watch television."

Play / pause
I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.
0:00
0:00
volume
< previous
> next
I didn't mean to + (verb)
The word 'didn't' is a contraction of the words 'did not'. When using it
in a sentence with the words 'mean to' you are informing someone that
you did something you regret or are sorry for. This could have been a
physical, mental or verbal action.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

didn't mean to call you so late."
didn't mean to lie about what happened."
didn't mean to embarrass you."
didn't mean to stay out so late."
did not mean to say those things."
did not mean to leave you out."
did not mean to make you confused."
did not mean to think you were involved."
did not mean to cause trouble."

I don't have time to + (verb)

The word 'don't' is a contraction of the words 'do not.' When adding
'have time to' you are simply stating that you have other obligations and

all other things considered must wait.

Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

don't
don't
don't
don't
don't

have
have
have
have
have

time
time
time
time
time

to
to
to
to
to

explain."
eat."
exercise."
watch my favorite TV show."
talk."

You can also use the phrase 'I don't' to express things you do not like,
things you do not understand, or things you do not do.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

don't eat meat."

don't like the rain."
don't understand Spanish."
do not understand what you are saying."
do not like scary movies."
do not like sports."

I promise not to + (verb)

When using the word 'promise' you are giving your word that what you
are saying is true. You might also be assuring someone a guarantee that
you will follow thru on what you are saying to them.
When using 'promise not to' you are stating you will not do a particular
thing.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

promise
promise
promise
promise
promise

not
not
not
not
not

to
to
to
to
to

tell."
leave without you."
be so late."
hurt your feelings."
wake you up."

You can also just use the word 'promise' to assure someone of your
intentions.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

promise
promise
promise
promise
promise

I am telling the truth."

to practice my math."
to call you."
I will tell you."
I will come to your party."

I'd rather + (verb)

I'd' is a contraction of the words 'I had' or 'I would.'
When using it with the word 'rather' you are suggesting you would like to
do or prefer one thing more than another.
Here are some examples:
"I'd rather talk about this later."
"I'd like to eat at home than go get fast food."
"I'd rather ski than snowboard."
"I'd rather stay late than come in early tomorrow."
"I'd rather handle the problem myself."
"I had rather go home than stay out too late."
"I had rather listen to my parents or get in trouble."
"I would rather exercise than sit on the couch all day."
"I would rather complete my task early."
"I would rather know the answer."

I feel like + (verb-ing)

Here you are expressing to someone something you would enjoy doing.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

feel
feel
feel
feel
feel
feel
feel

like
like
like
like
like
like
like

going for a bike ride."

going to the beach."
having a snack."
talking."
dancing."
having friends over to my house."
watching TV."

By adding 'don't' or 'do not' you can change what you are saying to
express something you would not enjoy or express a concern about
something.
Here are some examples:
"I don't feel like leaving yet."
"I don't feel like explaining."
"I don't feel like going to bed."

"I do not feel comfortable talking about it."

"I do not feel like we are going in the right direction."

I can't help + (verb-ing)

The word 'can't' is contraction for 'cannot.' Combined with 'help' you are
communicating something you are unable to control or having a hard
time gaining a grasp for. This can be a physical or mental action.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

can't help thinking about it."

can't help shopping so much."
can't help working all the time."
can't help smiling when I see her."
can't help eating so much."
can't help loving you."
can not help biting my nails when I am nervous."
can not help smoking when I have been drinking."
cannot help feeling so sad."
cannot help remembering the things you did."

I was busy + (verb-ing)

When using the word 'was', you are referring to something in a past
tense, or something that happened before. Combining it with the word
'busy' you can express something that was occupying you in a past time.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

was
was
was
was
was
was
was
was
was
was

busy
busy
busy
busy
busy
busy
busy
busy
busy
busy

thinking."
working."
cooking dinner."
talking on the phone."
cleaning the house."
studying for my test."
thinking of ideas for our website."
entertaining our neighbors."
completing my housework."
learning new things."

By changing 'was' to 'am' you change your message from past tense to
present tense and refer to something you are doing 'now.'
Here are some examples:

"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

am
am
am
am
am

busy
busy
busy
busy
busy

working."
cooking dinner."
studying for my test."
completing housework."
talking on the phone."

I'm not used to + (verb-ing)

Here you are using 'not used to' to inform someone that you are
unfamiliar or uncomfortable with a topic at hand.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not
not

used
used
used
used
used
used
used
used
used

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

talking English."
studying so much."
being around new people."
talking in front of groups of people."
having so much stress."
traveling so much."
working so early."
having so much responsibility."
drinking so much."

I want you to + (verb)

I want you to' is telling someone that you have a desire or would like for
them to do something.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

want
want
want
want
want

you
you
you
you
you

to
to
to
to
to

clean the dishes."

come home right after school."
call once you get there."
explain yourself to me."
educate me."

By using the word 'need' instead of 'want' you are expressing something
that is required or wanted.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

need
need
need
need
need

you to study harder in school."

you to stop and listen to me."
you to greet our guests."
you to introduce me to your family."
to request a refund."

I'm here to + (verb)

You are informing someone that you are at a particular place to
accomplish something.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

here
here
here
here
here
here
here
here
here
here

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

apply for the job."

take a test."
receive my gift."
support all your decisions."
watch a movie."
work on your computer."
welcome you to the neighborhood."
raise awareness for cancer."
start the job."
receive the award."

I have something + (verb)

When using the expression 'I have something' you are communicating
that you possess something or need to do something that is unspecified
or undetermined.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have

something
something
something
something
something
something
something
something
something
something
something

to complete."
to share with you."
important to tell you."
to encourage you."
to explain to you."
special planned for your birthday."
else to consider."
to apologize about."
to attend tonight."
to ask you."
fun for us to do."

I have something + (verb)

When using the expression 'I have something' you are communicating
that you possess something or need to do something that is unspecified
or undetermined.
Here are some examples:
"I have something to complete."

"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have

something
something
something
something
something
something
something
something
something
something

to share with you."

important to tell you."
to encourage you."
to explain to you."
special planned for your birthday."
else to consider."
to apologize about."
to attend tonight."
to ask you."
fun for us to do."

I'm looking forward to

When telling someone that you are 'looking forward to' you are saying
that you are waiting or hoping for something, especially with pleasure.
Here are some examples:
"I'm looking forward to meeting you."
"I'm looking forward to talking with you."
"I'm looking forward to going on vacation."
"I'm looking forward to spending time with my family."
"I'm looking forward to learning the English language."
"I am looking forward to visiting another country."
"I am looking forward to having a family."
"I am looking forward to graduating from college."
"I am looking forward to watching the baseball game."
"I am looking forward to running in a race."

I'm calling to + (verb)

When using the words 'I'm calling' you are stating that you are actually
using the phone to call and relay information.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

calling
calling
calling
calling
calling
calling
calling
calling
calling
calling

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

tell you about my day."

accept your invitation."
answer your question."
book a reservation at your restaurant."
complain about something."
thank you."
support your decision."
remind you of our dinner plans."
report a lost wallet."
receive my prize."

I'm working on + (noun)

I'm' is a contraction for the words 'I am.' The phrase 'working on' relays a
physical or mental effort towards an accomplishment.
Here are some examples:
"I'm working on a big project."
"I'm working on training my dog."
"I'm working on making new friends."
"I'm working on educating myself."
"I'm working on my homework."
"I am working on painting a house."
"I am working on a new idea."
"I am working on my computer."
"I'm working on my website."

I'm sorry to + (verb)

Saying you are 'sorry to' expresses a feeling of sympathy or regret.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

sorry
sorry
sorry
sorry
sorry
sorry
sorry
sorry
sorry

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

be so late."
hear about your sick mother."
waste your time."
make you feel so sad."
frighten you."
disagree with your decision."
call so late."
admit what I did."
end this relationship."

I'm thinking of + (verb-ing)

Thinking' refers to a process of thought, forming an opinion or judgment.
When expressing 'I am thinking of' you are letting someone know what
you are personally thinking.
Here are some examples:
"I'm thinking of checking out the new movie."
"I'm thinking of filming my vacation."
"I'm thinking of following a healthy diet."

"I'm thinking of handing out flyers describing our business."

"I'm thinking of increasing my work load."
"I am thinking of introducing myself to him."
"I am thinking of launching a new website."
"I am thinking of moving to a new city."
"I am thinking of offering her the position."
"I am thinking of opening up a store."

I'll help you + (verb)

This lets you inform someone that you are willing to provide assistance.
This could refer to something physical or mental, like helping someone
to 'think' or 'remember' something.
Here are some examples:
"I'll help you cook dinner tonight."
"I'll help you raise money for your charity."
"I'll help you register for your class online."
"I'll help you move to your new house."
"I'll help you prevent that from happening again."
"I will help you park your car."
"I will help you provide all the information you need."
"I will help you realize your potential."
"I will help you stop smoking."
"I will help you shop for groceries."

I'm dying to + (verb)

When using the word 'dying' in this manner you are referring to wanting
or desiring something greatly.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

dying
dying
dying
dying
dying
dying
dying
dying
dying
dying

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

relax on the beach."

pick some fresh fruit."
order some desserts."
find out if I got the job."
move to a bigger house."
look at all the work you've done."
learn more about you."
introduce you to my parents."
expand my business."
check my score on the test."

It's my turn to + (verb)

The word 'It's' is a contraction of the words 'it is.' When stating 'my turn'
you are telling someone that it is time to change position or position
focuses on to you.
Here are some examples:
"It's my turn to walk you home."
"It's my turn to do laundry."
"It's my turn to work late."
"It's my turn to take out the trash."
"It's my turn to choose where we eat."
"It is my turn to pay for dinner."
"It is my turn to roll the dice."
"It is my turn to provide an answer."
"It is my turn to try and play the game."
"It is my turn to attempt solving the problem."

It's hard for me to + (verb)

When saying that something is 'hard for me' you are informing someone
that what you are talking about is difficult or challenging for you.
Here are some examples:
"It's hard for me to accept what you are telling me."
"It's hard for me to argue your point."
"It's hard for me to balance my check book."
"It's hard for me to concentrate on the task."
"It's hard for me to consider your other options."
"It's hard for me to depend on you."
"It is hard for me to decide where to go tonight."
"It is hard for me to explain my actions."
"It is hard for me to guarantee your success."
"It is hard for me to handle so much pressure."

I'm having a hard time + (verb-ing)

By stating you are having a hard time you are letting someone know you
are having difficulty with something. This could be something physical
or mental and something that could be overcome with effort.

Here are some examples:

"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

having
having
having
having
having

a
a
a
a
a

hard
hard
hard
hard
hard

time
time
time
time
time

writing."
understanding you."
answering your question."
downloading songs to my iPod."
agreeing to the terms."

With the addition of an adverb you can express in more detail just how
difficult something is for you.
Here are some examples:
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm
"I'm

having
having
having
having

an extremely hard time trusting you."

an extremely hard time with my wife."
a very hard time finding a job."
a very hard time finding parts for my car."

I think I should + (verb)

Here you are telling someone that you feel strongly about doing a
particular action. Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

think
think
think
think
think

I
I
I
I
I

should
should
should
should
should

practice my reading."
join a study group."
handle this as soon as possible."
earn my degree."
explain myself."

By adding the word 'don't' you have changed what you are conveying
from something you are thinking of doing, to something you are against.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

do
do
do
do
do

not
not
not
not
not

think
think
think
think
think

I
I
I
I
I

should
should
should
should
should

complain so much."
attend that event."
borrow more money."
doubt you."
decide until later."

I've heard that + (subject + verb)

You are letting someone know that you are aware of something or that
you have been informed of something that is taking place. This could be
something that has already happened or something happening in the
near future. 'I've' is a contraction of the words 'I have.'
Here are some examples:
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've
"I've

heard
heard
heard
heard
heard
heard
heard
heard
heard
heard

that
that
that
that
that
that
that
that
that
that

you got a new job."

you want to leave your job."
you got a new car."
you like to jog."
you fix computers."
you've never been to Canada."
you like to shop."
you and your boss don't get along."
there is no school next week."
your wife is a yoga instructor."

I think I should + (verb)

Here you are telling someone that you feel strongly about doing a
particular action. Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

think
think
think
think
think

I
I
I
I
I

should
should
should
should
should

practice my reading."
join a study group."
handle this as soon as possible."
earn my degree."
explain myself."

By adding the word 'don't' you have changed what you are conveying
from something you are thinking of doing, to something you are against.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

do
do
do
do
do

not
not
not
not
not

think
think
think
think
think

I
I
I
I
I

should
should
should
should
should

complain so much."
attend that event."
borrow more money."
doubt you."
decide until later."

It occurred to me that (subject + verb)

The word 'occurred' informs someone that something has come to mind
or has been found. You are letting someone know that you suddenly
have thought or remembered about something.

Here are some examples:

"It
"It
"It
"It
"It

occurred
occurred
occurred
occurred
occurred

to
to
to
to
to

me
me
me
me
me

that I forgot your birthday."

that we both belong to the same gym."
that we enjoy a lot of the same things."
the price for homes are more expensive here."
that eating healthy makes me feel better."

Using the word 'had' or 'has' can change what you are saying to
represent something remembered in a past time.
Here are some examples:
"It
"It
"It
"It

had occurred to me that I forgot something at the grocery."

had occurred to me I might need to change my email address."
has occurred to me I forgot my mom's birthday."
has occurred to me before."

Let me + (verb)
Let me' is suggesting that you are asking for permission or an
opportunity to do something.
Here are some examples:
"Let
"Let
"Let
"Let
"Let
"Let
"Let
"Let
"Let
"Let

me
me
me
me
me
me
me
me
me
me

make my own decisions."

offer to help you."
open the door for you."
pause and think about what we are doing."
welcome you to the neighborhood."
save you the trouble."
make a suggestion."
try and fix your car."
taste the soup before you add more spices."
treat you to some ice cream."

Thank you for

Saying 'thank you' is telling someone you appreciate what they have
done. This can either be something they did for you or for someone else.
Here are some examples:
"Thank you for inviting me."
"Thank you for helping me move."
"Thank you for informing me about the job opening."

"Thank
"Thank
"Thank
"Thank
"Thank
"Thank
"Thank

you
you
you
you
you
you
you

for
for
for
for
for
for
for

mailing that package for me."

working so hard."
stopping by to visit."
replying to my email."
providing me with the answers."
heating up dinner."
hurrying to get here."

Can I + (verb)
When ending a sentence with a question mark (?) you are asking the
person or people you are talking to a question for which you would like
an answer. Here you are asking permission to do a particular action.
Here are some examples:
"Can
"Can
"Can
"Can
"Can
"Can
"Can
"Can
"Can
"Can

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

answer your question?"

attend the event?"
move to another spot?"
call you tomorrow?"
complete this later?"
explain myself?"
help you with your homework?"
include you in our plans?"
introduce you to my co-workers?"
inform you of some bad news?"

Can I get + (noun)

The phrase 'Can I get' can be used in a couple different ways. You can
use it to ask a question.
Here are some examples:
"Can
"Can
"Can
"Can
"Can

I
I
I
I
I

get
get
get
get
get

a cup of water?"
a dog?"
lunch?"
sugar in my coffee?"
popcorn at the movie?"

You can also use it when offering to help someone or do something for
them.
Here are some examples:
"Can I get you another drink?"

"Can
"Can
"Can
"Can

I
I
I
I

help you move that?"

recommend a good place to eat?"
take you home?"
help you finish your project?"

I'm not sure if (subject + verb)

I'm not sure' expresses a feeling of uncertainty or lack of confidence on a
particular matter.
Here are some examples:
"I am not sure if they will offer me the job."
"I'm not sure if she'll return my call."
"I'm not sure if my wife will understand."
"I'm not sure if we will go out tonight."
"I'm not sure if I understand your question."
"I am not sure if I can handle it."
"I am not sure if it will happen."
"I am not sure if it will matter."
"I am not sure if my mom will notice."
"I am not sure if they will permit us to park there."

Play / pause
Do you mind if I excuse myself?
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0:00
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Do you mind if I + (verb)
You are asking someone in present tense if they object to something
you are asking.
Here are some examples:
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do

you
you
you
you
you

mind
mind
mind
mind
mind

if
if
if
if
if

I excuse myself?"
we left early?"
I take a nap?"
I ask your mom?"
it snows?"

You could also use the word 'would'

Here are some examples:

"Would
"Would
"Would
"Would
"Would

you
you
you
you
you

mind
mind
mind
mind
mind

if we went out to eat?"

if I opened the window?"
telling me what you're doing?"
being quiet for a minute?"
if I changed the channel?"

I don't know what to + (verb)

You are letting someone know that you are not sure about what is being
asked. You may also have no knowledge or opinion on a topic.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

don't know what to eat for dinner."

don't know what to buy you for your birthday."
don't know what to say."
don't know what to do with my spare time."
don't know what to do for vacation."
do not know what to do to make you happy."
do not know what to do to help you understand."
do not know what to think."
do not know what to do to prevent this."
do not know what to order."

I should have + (past participle)

Should' is the past tense of the word 'shall.' When using the words
'should have' you are talking about something in the past that you
'ought to' or 'might have' done.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

should
should
should
should
should
should

have
have
have
have
have
have

gone with you."

studied more for my test."
read the directions before starting."
eaten breakfast this morning."
listened to your advice."
married her when I had the chance."

'Shall' is something that will take place or exist in the future.

Here are some examples:
"I shall leave tomorrow."
"I shall finish the job next week."

"I shall see it tomorrow."

"I shall go outside if it's nice out."
"I shall pay for this later."

I wish I could + (verb)

You are expressing a desire to do something.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

wish
wish
wish
wish
wish
wish
wish
wish
wish
wish

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

could
could
could
could
could
could
could
could
could
could

sing better."
settle the argument."
sail around the world."
remain calm during all of this."
remember his name."
replace my old car with a new one."
play outside."
go to the game with you."
write better."
own my own business."

You should + (verb)

Here you are suggesting an obligation or duty that needs to take place
either now or in the near future.
Here are some examples:
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You

should
should
should
should
should
should
should
should
should
should

go to bed."
do your homework before going outside."
replace your headlights on your car."
request a raise at work."
stop smoking."
smile more."
slow down when driving in a neighborhood."
talk to him about it."
train your dog."
trust what they say."

You're supposed to + (verb)

You're' is a contraction of the words 'you are.' When using 'You're' with
the words 'supposed to' you are making a suggestion that something
you strongly believe ought to happen.

Here are some examples:

"You're supposed to keep that secret."
"You're supposed to let me know when you leave."
"You're supposed to stop when at a red light."
"You're supposed to unpack once you get there."
"You're supposed to return the movies you rent on time."
"You are supposed to remain calm."
"You are supposed to fasten your seat belt."
"You are supposed to invite all your friends."
"You are supposed to encourage one another."
"You are supposed to decide before next Thursday."
You seem + (adjective)
When stating 'you seem' you're referring to the person you are talking to
and expressing that they are giving the impression of or appear to be.
Here are some examples:
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You

seem
seem
seem
seem
seem
seem
seem
seem
seem
seem

bored."
unhappy with the results."
eager to begin."
easy to get along with."
elated to hear the good news."
deeply in love."
afraid of roller coasters."
confused about the rules of the game."
embarrassed about what happened."
decisive about your choice."

You'd better + (verb)

You'd' is a contraction of 'you had' or 'you would.' You are making a
suggestion to someone for a particular action.
Here are some examples:
"You'd better exercise."
"You'd better help out."
"You'd better invite your brother."
"You'd better impress the judges."
"You'd better listen to your parents."
"You had better not come home late."
"You had better hope for the best."
"You had better change your attitude."

"You would be good at teaching."

"You would do well at math."

Are you into + (noun)

Here you are asking a question about an interest they might have or
something they might enjoy doing.
Here are some examples:
"Are
"Are
"Are
"Are
"Are
"Are
"Are
"Are
"Are
"Are

you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you

into
into
into
into
into
into
into
into
into
into

soccer?"
trying new things?"
wine tasting?"
working out at home or at the gym?"
scary movies?"
playing games?"
jogging?"
painting?"
traveling?"
fixing cars?"

Please + (verb)
Please' is generally used in a polite request when asking someone to do
something.
Here are some examples:
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please

pass me the salt."

order me the steak and potatoes."
stop bothering me."
wash your hands before dinner."
wait outside until we are ready."
zip up your coat before you go outside."
stand back."

The word 'please' can also mean to give enjoyment or satisfaction to.
Here are some examples:
"The smell of the flowers was very pleasing."
"May it please the court to admit this into evidence?"
"I was very pleased with how the children behaved in class."
"You cannot please everyone all the time."
"She was pleased with the dress."

Don't + (verb)
The word 'don't' is a contraction of the words 'do not.' It is said to convey
a message of what NOT should be done.
Here are some examples:
"Don't try and fool me."
"Don't allow this to happen."
"Don't watch scary movies before you go to bed."
"Don't cause any more trouble."
"Don't chew gum in class."
"Do not concern yourself with other people's problems."
"Do not behave that way."
"Do not announce your decision until you're ready."
"Do not argue with me."
"Do not arrive late for your meeting."

Do you like
With this question you are asking someone what they prefer or enjoy.
Here are some examples:
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do

you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you

like
like
like
like
like
like
like
like
like
like

traveling on a plane?"
watching baseball on TV?"
skiing or snowboarding?"
going to bed early?"
spending time with me?"
repeating the class?"
playing video games?"
listening to music?"
practicing playing the piano?"
jogging with me?"

How often do you

When asking this question you are inquiring how often or how frequent
someone does a particular thing.
Here are some examples:
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How

often
often
often
often
often

do
do
do
do
do

you
you
you
you
you

exercise?"
change your password?"
help out at school?"
listen to your MP3 player?"
need to go to the dentist?"

"How
"How
"How
"How
"How

often
often
often
often
often

do
do
do
do
do

you
you
you
you
you

receive your magazine in the mail?"

report to your supervisor?"
stretch before working out?"
talk to your parents?"
travel?"

Do you want me to + (verb)

To 'want' is to feel or have a desire for. When saying 'Do you want me to'
you're asking someone if there is anything you can do for them or assist
them with.
Here are some examples:
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do
"Do

you
you
you
you
you

want
want
want
want
want

me
me
me
me
me

to
to
to
to
to

pick up the kids?"

fix your flat tire?"
help you read that book?"
remind you?"
remove my shoes?"

The word 'want' can also be used to express something YOU would like
someone else to do or that something you personally would enjoy.
Here are some examples:
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I
"I

want
want
want
want
want
want

you to come over."

you to make a decision."
you to water the flowers."
to understand what you are trying to say."
to be better at swimming."
to be more involved at church."

What do you think about (verb-ing)

This question asks someone their opinion about a topic.
Here are some examples:
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What

do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do

you
you
you
you
you
you
you
you

think
think
think
think
think
think
think
think

about
about
about
about
about
about
about
about

having a cup of tea with me?"

working overtime next week?"
waiting in line for tickets?"
sailing?"
staying here another night?"
retiring from your job?"
planting new trees in the backyard?"
offering to babysit?"

"What do you think about living in a new city?"

"What do you think about filming our vacation?"

Why don't we + (verb)

Don't' is a contraction of 'do not.' When using 'why' you are asking a
question that involves yourself and the person you are talking to.
Here are some examples:
"Why
"Why
"Why
"Why
"Why
"Why
"Why
"Why
"Why
"Why

don't
don't
don't
don't
don't
don't
don't
don't
don't
don't

we
we
we
we
we
we
we
we
we
we

go bowling tonight?"
pick some fresh flowers?"
play a game of chess?"
save more money?"
remember this place?"
test this before using it?"
try and do it again?"
post our results online?"
gather more firewood?"
earn more money?"

It's too bad that

Too bad' means regrettable or unfortunate. When using it in a sentence
you are expressing a concern or regret for what has taken place. The
topic being discussed could have happened to you, the person you are
talking to, or someone or something else.
Here are some examples:
"It's
"It's
"It's
"It's
"It's
"It's
"It's
"It's
"It's

too
too
too
too
too
too
too
too
too

bad
bad
bad
bad
bad
bad
bad
bad
bad

that she lost her job."

that you have to go."
that I found out about it."
we will not be there on time."
that tickets are all gone to that concert."
that it is supposed to rain."
that she got hurt."
that my work has to lay off people."
that you do not understand."

You could have + (past participle)

Using 'could have' you are speaking about something that was, should
be or would be. You are stating that they had other options that could
have been chosen.

Here are some examples:

"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You
"You

could
could
could
could
could
could
could
could
could
could

have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have
have

completed it sooner."
blown your chance."
done better on your exam."
given me more time to get ready."
heard that from someone else."
sent that package first class."
slept in a little longer."
written him a letter."
thought of something to do."
upset her by saying that."

If I were you, I would + (verb)

Here you are giving an example of what decision YOU would do given the
circumstances. This can be in past tense or in a conditional present.
Here are some examples:
"If
"If
"If
"If
"If

I
I
I
I
I

were
were
were
were
were

you,
you,
you,
you,
you,

I
I
I
I
I

would
would
would
would
would

enjoy my vacation."
explain what happened."
continue working until it is done."
book my reservations now."
answer the question."

By adding 'have' after the word 'would' you are talking about something
in the past tense.
Here are some examples:
"If
"If
"If
"If
"If

I
I
I
I
I

were
were
were
were
were

you,
you,
you,
you,
you,

I
I
I
I
I

would
would
would
would
would

have
have
have
have
have

enjoyed my vacation."
explained what happened."
continued working until it was done."
booked my reservations now."
answered the question."

It's gonna be + (adjective)

You're informing someone what something is going to be like. This could
be something you are going to do, see or feel.
Here are some examples:
"It's going to be delicious."

"It's
"It's
"It's
"It's

gonna be easy."
gonna be depressing."
going to be exciting."
going to be disgusting."

You can also add 'he or she' or a person's name to describe how they
might react to something.
Here are some examples:
"He is going to be tough to deal with."
"He is going to be terrific at that."
"She is going to be relieved to hear that."
"She is going to be scared after watching that movie."
"Sally is going to be successful."
"Mike is going to be grumpy after I tell him."

It looks like + (noun)

You could be describing how something is similar or appears to be by the
way it looks.
Here are some examples:
"It looks like a balloon."
"It looks like a jellyfish."
"It looks like a banana."
"It looks like a fish."
You can also use 'it looks like' to describe something that might be in the
future.
Here are some examples:
"It looks like it's going to rain."
"It looks like it's going to be fun."
"It looks like it's going to be a long day."
You can also use it to describe something in the present tense.
Here are some examples:
"It
"It
"It
"It

looks
looks
looks
looks

like
like
like
like

they are leaving."

he is waving to us."
she is lost."
they are racing."

That's why + (subject + verb)

That's' is short for 'that is.' Here you are telling someone 'because of
this' or 'therefore.'
Here are some examples:
"That's why people admire you."
"That's why she appears so happy."
"That's why babies crawl before they can walk."
"That's why Pam cries at sad movies."
"That's why you fail to understand."
"That is why you help out people in need."
"That is why you try and include everyone."
"That is why you lock your doors when you leave home."
"That is why she smiles when you walk by."
"That is why you use it for emergencies."

It's time to + (verb)

You are letting someone know that something is required to be done at
the present time.
Here are some examples:
"It's time to say goodbye."
"It's time to ask for a raise."
"It's time to collect our money."
"It's time to cheer for our team."
"It's time to change the clocks."
"It is time to decide what to do."
"It is time to enjoy ourselves."
"It is time to fill me in on what's going on."
"It is time to help out."
"It is time to join a gym."

The point is that + (subject + verb)

By stating 'the point is' you are stating in your opinion the meaning
about what is actually happening.
Here are some examples:
"The
"The
"The
"The

point
point
point
point

is
is
is
is

that
that
that
that

if you study you will do well in school."

she does not understand."
we need this done today."
the world would be a better place."

"The
"The
"The
"The
"The
"The

point
point
point
point
point
point

is
is
is
is
is
is

that
that
that
that
that
that

we should help."
snakes can be dangerous."
leaving a baby alone is not a good idea."
if we do not leave now we will be late."
she needs to be more responsible."
we need to work together."

How was + (noun)

By using the words 'how was' you are asking someone a question about
something that happened or something they did in the past.
Here are some examples:
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How

was your meeting?"

was your doctor's appointment?"
was the birthday party?"
was lunch?"
was the airplane ride?"
was vacation?"
were your parents?"
were roads when you drove home?"
were people acting after what happened?"
were holidays with the family?"

How about + (verb-ing)

You're asking someone their opinion on something or if they would like to
do something.
Here are some examples:
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How

about
about
about
about
about
about
about
about
about
about

singing?"
hanging out tonight?"
folding the laundry for me?"
helping us out?"
describing to me what happened?"
exploring new ideas?"
comparing prices before we buy it?"
considering it?"
following me to their house?"
feeding the dogs?"

What if + (subject + verb)

Here you are asking a question about 'in the event of' or 'in the event
that.' Usually you are looking for an answer at the time of the question
that is being asked.
Here are some examples:
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What

if
if
if
if
if
if
if
if
if
if

I miss the bus?"

I were late to dinner?"
I called her tomorrow?"
I don't understand?"
someone sees me?"
no one is home?"
they decide to stay?"
it rains while we are camping?"
I do not finish on time?"
we introduce ourselves first?"

How much does it cost to + (verb)

You are simply asking how much you would need to pay to do
something.
Here are some examples:
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How

much
much
much
much
much
much
much
much
much
much

does it cost to fly to Europe?"

does it cost to own a house?"
does it cost to play a round of golf?"
does it cost to join a gym?"
does it cost to repair my car?"
would it cost to talk long distance?"
would it cost to run a website?"
would it cost to wash my car?"
would it cost to rent a car?"
would it cost to go to the movies?"

How come + (subject + verb)

When using 'how come' you are asking why a particular thing has or had
to take place.
Here are some examples:
"How
"How
"How
"How

come
come
come
come

parents worry so much?"

people carpool to work?"
you are so upset?"
he will not call you?"

"How
"How
"How
"How
"How
"How

come
come
come
come
come
come

you stayed out so late?"

you cannot make a decision?"
you always question me?"
we never agree?"
your dog digs in the yard?"
she will not come over?"

What are the chances of + (verb-ing)

By asking 'what are the chances of' you are wondering how often or in
what case would a particular thing happen.
Here are some examples:
"What
"What
"What
"What

are
are
are
are

the
the
the
the

chances
chances
chances
chances

of
of
of
of

getting tickets?"
that happening?"
it raining today?"
winning the lottery?"

When replacing the word 'the' with 'your' or 'our' you can ask what the
chances 'personally' that the topic will happen.
Here are some examples:
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What
"What

are
are
are
are
are
are
are

the chances of you staying home today?"

your chances of getting the job?"
your chances of improving?"
your chances of moving?"
our chances of staying together?"
our chances of working together?"
our chances of going together?"

There is something wrong with + (noun)

You are informing someone that there is something not right or out of
the ordinary.
Here are some examples:
"There
"There
"There
"There
"There
"There
"There

is
is
is
is
is
is
is

something
something
something
something
something
something
something

wrong
wrong
wrong
wrong
wrong
wrong
wrong

with
with
with
with
with
with
with

my laptop."
my car."
my cell phone."
my head."
your answering machine."
your way of thinking."
your attitude."

"There is something wrong with your dog."

"There is something wrong with our relationship."
"There is something wrong with our alarm clock."

Let's not + (verb)

The word 'let's' is formed from the words 'let us.' Here you are
requesting that something not take place at this moment or that what is
happening needs to be contained or lessened.
Here are some examples:
"Let's not discuss this now."
"Let's not stay here too long."
"Let's not stop anywhere on the way."
"Let's not remain mad at each other."
"Let's not meddle in other people's business."
"Let us not get too excited."
"Let us not worry too much."
"Let us not interrupt them when they are talking."
"Let us help you."
"Let us get that for you."

Let's say that + (subject + verb)

Let's' is a contraction for 'let us.' You are suggesting to someone that you
should both agree on what you will communicate to someone else.
Here are some examples:
"Let's
"Let's
"Let's
"Let's
"Let's
"Let's
"Let's
"Let's
"Let's

say
say
say
say
say
say
say
say
say

that you love to fish."

we found it."
that we enjoy being with them."
that we had a good time."
that it's hard to decide."
that we have to go."
that we can host."
that I have to work."
that the movie was really good."

There's no need to + (verb)

The word 'there's' is a contraction of the words 'there is' or 'there has.'
When expressing 'no need' you are stating that the action does not need
to take place.

Here are some examples:

"There's no need to worry."
"There's no need to be upset."
"There's no need to act so strange."
"There's no need to act so shy."
"There's no need to rush off."
"There's no need to talk now."
"There is no need to call this late."
"There is no need to bother him."
"There is no need to run away."
"There is no need to stop now."
It takes + (time) + to + (verb)
You are letting someone know how long it will take to do a particular
thing.
Here are some examples:
"It
"It
"It
"It
"It
"It
"It
"It

takes
takes
takes
takes
takes
takes
takes
takes

one hour to get there."

forty-five minutes for me to get ready."
four quarters to complete a football game."
7 seconds for my car to go 60 miles per hour."
all day for us to finish golfing."
years to learn to play guitar."
15 minutes to get to downtown."
me one hour to cook."

Please make sure that + (subject + verb)

You are asking someone to make sure that a particular thing happens or
takes place.
Here are some examples:
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please

make
make
make
make
make
make
make
make
make
make

sure
sure
sure
sure
sure
sure
sure
sure
sure
sure

that she wakes up on time."

that she gets to school."
that dinner is ready when we get home."
that your assignment is done."
that the water is not too hot."
you cook the meat long enough."
that she is getting along with her new friends."
that we leave on time."
you record our favorite TV show."
that you don't stay out too late."

Here's to + (noun)
Here's to' is used in a way of celebrating or identifying a person, place,
or thing of significance. It is usually said while toasting someone at
dinner, or signaling to someone or something after an event.
Here are some examples:
"Here's to the winner!"
"Here's to your marriage!"
"Here's to the New Year!"
"Here's to great friends!"
"Here's to starting a new job!"
"Here is to the luckiest guy in the world!"
"Here is to you!"
"Here is to happiness!"
"Here is to a wonderful day!"
"Here is to great memories!"

Here's to + (noun)
Here's to' is used in a way of celebrating or identifying a person, place,
or thing of significance. It is usually said while toasting someone at
dinner, or signaling to someone or something after an event.
Here are some examples:
"Here's to the winner!"
"Here's to your marriage!"
"Here's to the New Year!"
"Here's to great friends!"
"Here's to starting a new job!"
"Here is to the luckiest guy in the world!"
"Here is to you!"
"Here is to happiness!"
"Here is to a wonderful day!"
"Here is to great memories!"

There's no way + (subject + verb)

There's' is a contraction of the words 'there is.' By stating 'there's no
way' you are relaying a thought of doubt about an event taking place
now or in the future.
Here are some examples:

"There's no way you finish on time."

"There's no way we complete on time."
"There's no way your mother approves."
"There's no way no one claims it."
"There's no way they expect it."
"There's no way he can fix it."
"There's no way he can handle the news."
"There's no way your brother injured his ankle."
"There is no way that horse jumps it."
"There is no way he missed it."

It's very kind of you to + (verb)

When saying it is 'kind of you' you are saying that what someone has
done or said was very appreciated or welcomed.
Here are some examples:
"It's very kind of you to offer me the job."
"It's very kind of you to listen to me."
"It's very kind of you to join me."
"It's very kind of you to invite us."
"It's very kind of you to inform us what happened."
"It is kind of you to help us."
"It is kind of you to fill me in."
"It is kind of you to entertain us."
"It is kind of you to double my salary."
"It is kind of you to decorate for the party.

There's nothing + (subject) + can + (verb)

There's' is a contraction of the words 'there is.' When using the word
'nothing' you are suggesting that something cannot happen or be done.
Here are some examples:
"There's
"There's
"There's
"There's
"There's
"There's

nothing
nothing
nothing
nothing
nothing
nothing

you can harm."

the police can identify."
we can agree on."
we can join."
she can cook."
my dog can learn."

By using the word 'cannot' or 'can't' you change the expression to mean
that all is possible.

Here are some examples:

"There is nothing I cannot ask for."
"There's nothing we cannot accomplish."
"There's nothing our dog cannot open."
"There's nothing that truck cannot move."

There's nothing + (subject) + can + (verb)

There's' is a contraction of the words 'there is.' When using the word
'nothing' you are suggesting that something cannot happen or be done.
Here are some examples:
"There's
"There's
"There's
"There's
"There's
"There's

nothing
nothing
nothing
nothing
nothing
nothing

you can harm."

the police can identify."
we can agree on."
we can join."
she can cook."
my dog can learn."

By using the word 'cannot' or 'can't' you change the expression to mean
that all is possible.
Here are some examples:
"There is nothing I cannot ask for."
"There's nothing we cannot accomplish."
"There's nothing our dog cannot open."
"There's nothing that truck cannot move."
When Coworkers Suddenly Get Cold
_ I hope I havent done anything to offend you.
_ Would you like to discuss any issues with me?
_ Did something happen that I dont know about?
_ Have I said something you think is inappropriate?
_ Is there anything Ive done to obstruct this project? If so,
Id like to know what it is.
When Coworkers Are Rude or Unpleasant
_ If you have an issue with me, let me know.Otherwise,
I expect that youll treat me with respect.
_ I dont respond to that kind of language. Let me know when youre
ready to talk.
_ I think we need to discuss this project, but only in civil terms.
_ If you want me to engage in this discussion, you must treat me
respectfully.
_ I assume you have something useful to say, but its impossible for me
to hear
when you speak that way.

_ We need to talk in a professional manner.

Connect Your Request with a Professional Outcome

_ Please send me the financial records for FY 06 so I can complete the
audit.
_ I need to have updates so that I can revise the policy procedure.
_ Let me know about the pricing changes so that we can give the
customer accurate information.
_ Please forward the project plan so that I can assign the right people to
each role and responsibility.
_ We must have the missing data if we are to complete the project.
_ If you dont send the meeting notes by 6:00, I cannot complete the
presentation.
_ If you provide the updated manual, then we can
expedite the process.
_ If you get us directions for the new tool, then we can
communicate faster.
_ If you tell us the plans in advance, then we can prepare
the right documentation.
Be Specific about When You Requested the
Information Before
_ As I mentioned in the meeting on Friday,
_ Twice last week, on Tuesday and Friday, I left you voice mails about
sending the
_ As you probably recall from our discussion at the staff meeting, you
need to supply
_ Tony and I contacted you three times last week for the
_ As I requested in my e-mails on February 10, 12, and 15, we need to
receive
_ In the meeting on Monday and the follow-up on Tuesday, you agreed to
provide
_ Even though I e-mailed you reminders every day since, you still
havent complied.
Refer to a Source
Give a policy or procedure that says the coworker must send
you the information:
_ As our communications flowchart clearly indicates,
_ On page 62 of our Policies and Procedures Manual, it states that you
must inform us of
_ In the meeting, our boss said that you should get us the
_ If you look on the project plan, youll see that your role is to keep us
informed of
_ Since all the data flow through your office, the organizational chart
show that you are responsible for
An Employee Makes a Personal Assault on Another Employee
Under the Guise of Being Businesslike

_ How do these issues affect the assignment?

_ That personal issue aside, what are her responsibilities?
_ Actually, Im not concerned about her personal issues but her input
into the project.
_ Lets focus on her contributions to the project and how we can
succeed.
_ So what is the best approach for working with him?
In this situation, it can be helpful to put the onus on the employee
making the comment:
_ So how do you intend to work with him to get the best results?
_ What are some ways you can approach her for the best response?
_ What steps do you plan to take so that you can work together?
_ Lets not act like kids, calling names. Just tell me how her work style
will affect the project.
_ Id rather not hear that kind of comment.
_ Saying things like that isnt remotely useful. What do I need to know
about his role in this project?
_ What does that mean in terms of my working with her?
_
_
_
_
_

Bill shouldnt make comments like that, and we shouldnt repeat them.
Lets focus on more productive ways of discussing work.
Thats her opinion, but it isnt helpful.
Im not interested in those kinds of comments.
Next time, just tell Elizabeth to avoid those kinds of remarks.

_ We dont have any evidence that this is the case, so lets look at what
we know.
_ I havent heard anything like that. Lets steer clear of rumor. Now what
do we have thats documented?
_ I dont know how that rumor surfaced, but lets squelch it immediately.
Heres what I do know, though.
_ Lets stick to the facts now. If anything changes, Ill let you know.
_ Its important that we stay focused on the subject at hand and avoid
personal feelings.
_ We must act in the most professional manner possible.
_ We are all colleagues on an important mission.My expectation is that
we will treat other people as such in this meeting and everywhere else.
_ Our goal is to solve our units problemsnot discuss personality issues.
_ I dont want to discuss personality traits.We need to focus on
accomplishing our goals.
_ Ive noticed that several people are acting unprofessionally. Please
stop.
_ We cant continue this meeting until everyone here approaches the
discussion in the most professional way possible.
_ My expectation is that we will work as a teamwhich means everyone
must be respectful and professional.
_ I think we all need to approach each other as professionals and equals
in this meeting, and elsewhere.
_ At the last meeting, several people made personal remarks that
caused others to feel uncomfortable. Please refrain from such comments
in the November 5

meetingand in the office in general.

_ You are among the most professional workers in our field. Please
exercise that professionalism in our meetings and avoid making
disparaging remarks.
_ Remember,we are guided by policies that require professional behavior
in word and action.
_ Focus all your comments in the most productive and objective way
possiblein meetings and in the office.
_
_
_
_

We need to decide dates and places for

We have to decide which of the technology tools were going to use.
Can you tell me which of the candidates you like best?
If you want to change any of these steps, just indicate how.

_ Let us know which one of the four candidates you like best.
_ What are the two best ways we can proceed with this project?
_ Give me two times when you are available for the meeting.
_ Please let us know your thoughts on the project by the fourteenthat
the latest.
_ If you have problems or want to make changes, e-mail me your ideas
by 5:00 on Friday.
_ If you want to change or add anything to this proposal, let me know by
3:00 on Tuesday.The deadline is 5:00.
_ Make any changes by the sixteenth because the regulation requires we
respond by then.
_ The manual says you need to give your input in two paragraphs or less.
_ According to our contract, you can make changes to Steps 3 and 4 but
not 1 or 2.
_ I agree that you are an expert on this subject, but the job description
indicates that this is Joels area of responsibility.
_ Even though Id like to get your comments on all aspects of this study,
the project plan indicates that you are responsible for page 1.
_ If you look at the flowchart, youll see that youre responsible for this
assignment, although Im sure youd contribute a great deal to the
others.

_ If you limit your changes to three or four lines,we can get this proposal
in on time.
_ Please check with me before organizing the workshops so that I can
maximize the number of people who attend.
_ Were asking everyone to save his or her opinions for after the meeting
so that we can be out by 5:00.
_ If this meeting goes smoothly and everyone works well together,we
can put you on the team.
_ If we can move through this process quickly,well reach our units
goals. And that means bonuses for all of us.
_ I understand what you mean.
_ Thats an interesting point.
_ Yes, I know many people feel that way.

_ Okay, I see your point.

_ I see what youre saying.
_ I understand what youre saying.Next we need to discuss
_ Yes, thats an insightful perspective.We also need to review
_ Thanks for letting me know your opinion. Now we need to decide
_
_
_
_
_
_

So the next step will be for us

These are the changes you want.
What you agreed to do is
Your opinion is that
Your three responsibilities will be to
Of the four choices, you like the first and second the best.

_ As you suggested,we used the technology tool from Delta-Plus.

_ We liked your idea about leaving that information out of the proposal,
so we kept it out.
_ Your idea of putting Joan in customer service was good, and we used it.
_ We appreciated your feedback, and we decided to use your ideas on
[Discuss the ideas you did use and not the ones you didnt use.]
_ This is the approach that you suggested in the meeting last Tuesday.
_
_
_
_
_
_

Oh, there goes Harold again.

Thanks for the input Harold [said ironically and comically].
Another country heard from.
And,moving right along,
Uh-huh, sure. And thank you, Harold. Anyone else?
Great.Thanks much, Harold.

_ Anyway, as we were saying,

_ Lets hear from someone else now. Jennifer, do you have anything to
add?
_ Okay, but we still need to determine where were going from here.
_ Lets get back to the point, which is
_ What I really want to know, though, is
_ Humm. Did we ever finish discussing where were going to
_ We really need to stay on target here and take this project seriously or
well never complete it.
Remind Them of the Circumstances Around Them
_ Lets talk softer so we dont disturb the meeting down the hall.
_ We need to be quiet in this area, since people are working.
_ A lot of customers are aroundwe need to keep this really
professional.
_ The boss talked to several people about noise control last week, so
lets keep it down, okay?
_ We have to be really professional when were in this department.
_ Better be careful.The chief is around, and we need to make a good
impression.
_ Dont talk too loudly here. Sound is really amplified.

_ Youre such a great person and offer so much to this unit. Id hate to
see you limit your potential with comments like that.
_ I want to tell you something because I like you and want to see you
succeed.
_ Do you mind if I make a personal comment that I hope will help you?
_ Everyone here really seems to like you, and you are a great guy, but
you get in your own way when you make off-color jokes like that.
_ I know youre just trying to have fun, but when you tease people like
that, you sometimes hurt their feelings.
_ I know what you mean when you make cracks like that, but I dont
think other people do.
If Coworkers Make Inappropriate Sexual Comments or Racial
Slurs,Take the Following Steps
_ I really dont like hearing that kind of thing.
_ Please dont say that kind of thing when Im around.
_ Our company has a policy against the use of racially insensitive
language.
_ When you say things like that, you make me, and everyone else I
know, uncomfortable.
Comment with a Light Tone
_ Thats really hilariousbut not actually true.
_ There he goes again.You never know what hell say. But lets get back
to
_ Thats classic,Carolyn. But whats really significant here is
_ Ba-da-bum [sounds like the drum following a night club comedians
joke].
_ Thanks, Harry. Next?
Refute Them Gently
_ Actually, this is how it really is:
_ He always says things like that.The truth is that
_ We need to be as accurate as possible about this.Heres the truth.
_ Now be nice, Annie.
_ Okay, lets take a different direction here, people.
Keep Them Focused on the Future
Dont let them get stuck on how bad things currently are:
_ If we take these additional steps, who knows what well find.
_ If we can learn to work with them,we might see improvements.
_ In similar situations, though, the results have been really good. For
example,
_ Maybe you shouldnt be on that team. Perhaps the boss can move you.
_ I think if you approach all customers as potential friends, then
_ Even though we havent been trained to manage these situations,
there are a lot of books on the subject that can help.
_ Maybe we should find other ways to reach these goals.
_ What do you think will solve that problem?
_ You were involved in a similar situation last quarter. How did your team
work it out?
_ What happened the last time you used that procedure? It was
successful, right?
Coworkers Are Critical of an Important Project

_ I understand how you feel, but we really need to move ahead with the
project. So what do you think we should do?
_ Actually, the boss knows what shes doing, and she must have a good
reason for initiating this project.
_ We need to decide how were going to make this project a success,
regardless of how you feel about it.
_ Moving ahead, how do you think we can make this work?
_ I really need to find ways to accomplish what we need with this
project.Do you have any ideas?
Coworkers Complain Nonstop
_ At this point, I really want to hear what you like.
_ I really see things differently.This is what I think:
_ Actually, I think most of these things are pretty good.
_ Do you have any solutions to these problems that youre raising?
_ In spite of all these problems, I think weve come really far.
_ Ive heard you mention this before.Maybe you should try a new
perspective.
_ I see these issues youve been raising in a totally different way.
_ Maybe you should start thinking of what you can do to improve the
project/workplace/situation.
_
_
_
_
_
_

Before you object, hear what I have to say.

How do you think we can make this project work?
Please tell me what you like about
What about this project do you find interesting?
How do you think we can make this project better?
How can we make this idea become a reality?

_ I would like to improve my performance, but comments like that give

me no direction.
_ I would like to increase my sales volume, but hearing how bad a job Im
doing doesnt help.
_ We all try to provide great customer service, and embarrassing my
team in front of the customers destroys our efforts.
_ I would like to excel in this company, but hearing that Im not living up
to expectations doesnt give me a sense of direction.
Then be specific about the direction you want:
_ I would like to know specific ways I can improve.
_ Please let me know what results you expect and how I can recognize
them once Ive reached them.
_ What should I do if that problem comes up again?
_ How will I know if I am getting this right?
_ What signs of improvement should I look for?
_ If I find the situation is getting derailed, what would you like me to do?
_ If we confront an emergency, what would you rather we do?
Point Out Repercussions That Actually Hurt the Boss
_ Because you yelled at the group, three people have switched teams.
_ You may notice that Jay seems dispirited since you ridiculed him in the
meeting.
_ Since you started calling people dumb and ridiculous, theyre not
speaking out at the brainstorming sessions.

_ After you called our plan goofy and other names, I cant get my team
to make the deadlines.
_ Since the trouble last week, our sales have been down.
_ I really value my job here and want to improve. Thats why I need to
discuss
_ I appreciate your meeting with me. I have a few issues I wanted to
bring up because I feel theyre interfering with my doing a good job.
_ As you know, I try to provide excellent customer service, but
something is getting in the way.
_ Working here has been a highly positive experience, but I do need to
discuss several issues with you.
_ I have three issues Im anxious/eager to resolve with you.
_ There are a few problems that I need to discuss with you.

_ Thanks for discussing this with me. I feel much better and look forward
to moving on.
_ Im sure this discussion will help me do a better job going forward.
_ I appreciate your feedback. I know this will help.
_ Please let me know if you have any feedback for me.
I always appreciate your insights.
_ Thanks for letting me know your views and hearing mine.
_ After we talked about my taking responsibility for
_ As we discussed last Friday, I am going to compile information about
_ Since you told me to assign Julie responsibility for
_ Clarence has rearranged the plans, as you recommended, but now we
need to
_ When we talked last week, you said that we should shift gears and
work on
_ In your e-mail, when you said I should train the whole team,were you
including
_ So that each employee participates equally, as you recommended in
the managers meeting,we have reassigned roles and responsibilities.
_ The only way for managers to pass the test that you require is for them
to receive
_ The results that you intended can happen if we
_ To reach your goal of we need to
_ Everyone thinks your goal of is a great idea.To make that
happen,were proposing
_ So we can hire the right employees and ramp up quickly, as you stated
in your project meeting last week
_ In your e-mail on Friday, you said that I should
_ I was following your instructions from the team meeting.
_ In your office, you changed the project plan and assigned me that
responsibility, and you said David should
_ Because Sherrie had to go on leave, you said I should take over.You
also recommended that I
_ I have the results that you asked for in January.Do you want me to
continue with this project, or should Hector take over?
_ So far, Ive Id like to continue if thats okay.

_ My next step is to Should I continue?

_ I assembled the team and drafted a project management plan. Now
that I have some momentum, Id like to keep going.

If you like, I can continue with the that I started in May.

_ I can put this on hold if you want me to.
_ At this point, Larry can take over and we wont lose any momentum.
_ I havent talked to the clients yet, so they have no expectations. If you
want Julie to jump in, the transition should be smooth.
_ If you want me to stop, I can.
_ I can always give my notes to the team and go back to the other
project.
_ If you like, I can give the update in the meeting. I know the subject
well, and that way, you wont have to prepare anything.
For the next phase of this project, Id like to
_ Last year,we used a strategy that worked really well, and Id like to use
it again. It is
_ I was thinking about the project and had some great ideas.
_ I know were having problems with this project. Here are a few things I
think would help.
_ Actually, the problems were having are typical of other companies in
our industry. I found these best practices that could be helpful to us.
_ I talked to a few people on our team and came up with some really
great ideas.
Does that sound good to you?
Do I have your okay to move forward?
_ Do you think this is a good idea?
_ Does that sound like a reasonable approach?
_ This seems workable, dont you agree?
_ Will you give me your consent to move forward?
_ Okay if I get started right away?
_ I want to get moving on this immediately. Is that all right with you?
_ As long as you feel comfortable with this, Ill get started, okay?
_
_

Do you think you could remind the project leader that we need the
content by Friday?
_ Could you please talk to Matt? He refuses to get us the data we need,
and we cant move ahead with the project.
_ Would you check Gails agenda before the client meeting so that we
can avoid the problems we experienced last year?
_

Can our team meet every Monday morning to make plans for the week
ahead?
_ Can you meet with our customer service reps once a month to review
the feedback?
_ I have this project management sheet.Do you think you could fill in the
comments section? Then Ill pass it along to the team.
_ Can you tell Roz the outcome of the meeting? Then she can e-mail it to
all of us.
_

Perhaps John should come to the senior managers meeting.Then he

can pass on the information to all of us.
_ If you could post changes on the department bulletin board every
Monday,we will review them.
_ We would all appreciate your walking around the flooronce or twice a
week and giving us feedback on our customer service.
_

1. Provide Background
_ The customer claimed the bill was wrong, but that was because she
missed the sale date.
_ The customers boss put in one request and the customer changed it.
Now the customer claims we didnt send the right shipment.
_ The clients are upset because they thought our report didnt have
enough substance.
2. Show Outcome
_ We want to resolve this with her.
_ We want to get them the right product as soon as possible.
_ We want them to know we value them and will fill in the holes.
3. Request an Action
_ Can you waive the sale date so that we can give her the discount?
_ Could you please contact the customers to confirm that the order is
correct?
Could you call the CEO and apologize to him and assure him that well
correct this mistake?

Ask Your Boss Directly for Support with a Difficult Coworker

_ Would you please define Gails specific role in this project?
_ Could you remind Juanita the she shouldnt have direct contact with the
client?
_ Would you mind confirming the schedule with Tom before we start the
project?
_ Could you e-mail our team the steps you want us to take? I can send
the ones you originally gave us.
_ We have received complaints that John monopolizes meetings with the
client. Can you meet with him on Monday to discuss this issue?
Start By Saying What You Like about Your Job
_ I really enjoy working here, especially all the challenges involved in
_ I really enjoy working with customers
_ As you already know, I really appreciate all the opportunities Ive had
working here.
_ Working here has been a wonderful experience, especially
_ Since Ive been here, Ive had a range of experiences that have helped
me grow professionally, such as
For the past five years that Ive been here,
My experience has ranged from
_ I have put in some long weeksoften 50 or 55 hours.
_ I have worked with clients in every area.
_ During this time, I have received a masters degree
_
_

My role has become increasingly important as we

As an account manager,my role now includes overseeing
_ Although I am responsible for my role also entails
_ I was originally hired to do Now my role also requires that I
_
_

According to my job description, I should But now I also oversee

I contacted Mr. Smiley to get his approval.

I reviewed the statistics, and all of them have been updated.
_ I checked the inventory against last years figures.
_
_

As you required last year, I

_ I followed the same procedure you established last time.
_ Before, you wanted us to I did this again.
_

I called the office, and they said the deadline will be two days earlier
this year.
_ I reviewed the regulation and found that it doesnt require us to
_ When I spoke to Ms. Sealy, I asked her about
_ I found out that the biggest reason companies get turned down for the
program is that
_ I researched this a little and found that most experts think the best
action plan is to
_

Just wanted to update you about our progress so far.

I am sending along a task list so that you can review our progress, if
you like.
_ Im attaching feedback from the most recent customer survey. Ill
compile all the responses for our meeting in March.
_ At the managers meeting, Id like to update everyone about our
progress, if you think thats appropriate.
_ If you want a short meeting so that I can update you about the project,
just let me know.
_
_

Does this idea sound good to you?

Do you have any thoughts about our current direction?
_ Does this seem like the best method to you?
_
_

Last year you said that we should so Im going to follow your advice
again.
_ This is the same process we used last year, and it improved our
delivery time by three days. Shall we use it again?
_ I think this was originally your strategy. With your approval, Id like to
use it again.
_

Im not sure if you realized this, but

Are you aware that
_ The presentation that you gave was right on the mark. Just two facts I
wanted to point out
_ Just so you know, I wanted to point out that
_ You may not be aware that you said when you probably meant
_ Normally,we take these steps Are you thinking you want to change
them?
_ The report usually includes But not Should we stick with the old
way, or do you want to change it?
_
_

Everyone knows youre an expert in

Because you know the information so well, this detail probably slipped
by.
_
_

Because youre so busy, its hard for you to remember the names of
everyone in the room.
_ We know youre better versed in this than any of us.
_ Given the fact you have a masters degree and a Ph.D., youre clearly
ahead in that subject.
_ Because youre a big-picture visionary, youre bound to miss the
details.
_

Because I have had a great deal of experience in

I really enjoy proofreading. If you like, I can proofread your newsletter
pieces.
_ In my old position, I for my boss all the time.Would you like me to
for you too?
_ I have a degree in that subject so I know it well. If you like, I can review
those points before you submit them.
_ I would really enjoy reviewing those before you submit them.
_ If you like, I can give the update in the meeting. I know the subject well,
and that way, you wont have to prepare anything.
_
_

As you know, I have been helping our clients with their accounting
systems, and I think this course will help me with that work.
_ By going to graduate school, Ill be able to excel in the organization. For
example,
_ This course provides information that will directly support our work on
the
_ The connection between the information Ill get in this program and the
direction our sales department is taking is strong.
_ This program supports my performance objective of
_ Ill learn strategies that will support our mission of
_

I just need a paragraph or two.

_ If you could fill out this one-page recommendation form,
_ All they need to know is what I have achieved professionally.
_ They need to know only about my accomplishments, and most of those
were listed in my recent performance review.
_ If you can let them know about my work on the project and my
accomplishments with that would be great.
_ They need only a letterthree paragraphs at most.
_ If you like, I can send you a letter of recommendation a past employer
drafted for me.
_ I have a sample recommendation form.Would you like me to send it?
_

If you like, I can send a list of my accomplishments for you to include.

I can write up a quick list of points they need to know.
_ I can send along key points from my performance review. Since you
wrote them, you may only need to approve them.
_ I can write the letter and then send it in for your approval.
_ Id be happy to draft a letter of recommendation for you, if you like.
_ To make it easy, I can outline the points for the letter and give
examples of major projects.
_
_