Difficult meetings can become a little easier if you prepare well: read the reports to understand the situation, collect data to present evidence, learn phrases for managing specific kinds of meetings like problem-solving meetings, performance reviews or marketing discussions. This module will prepare you for various kinds of negotiations in English.
Lesson 1 - Dealing with Complaints
The topic of this lesson is complaints and how we deal with them. You will listen to a phone conversation related to complaints, read an email with feedback from a client and a letter of apology and learn about intensifiers.
Vocabulary
- A phone complaint 2
- Promising action 1, 2, and 3
- Making apologies 1 and 2
- Giving feedback 2
- Responding to a complaint 3
Grammar
- Intensifiers
- Intensifiers 1 and 2
Pronunciation
- Unusual vowel sounds
- Polite intonation
Listening
- A phone complaint 1
- A bad level of service
- Responding to customers
- Describing what needs to be done
Reading
- Giving feedback 1
- A letter of complaint 1 and 2
- Responding to a complaint 1 and 2
Lesson 2 - Preparing for a Meeting
The topic of this lesson is preparing data for a meeting. You will listen to a teleconference discussing information, read a report and learn about language related to changes and growth.
Vocabulary
- Describing quantities
- A problem-solving meeting 2 and 3
- Agreeing with suggestions
- Synonyms 1, 2 and 3
Grammar
- Verbs (Reporting Verbs), Reported Speech
- Reporting verbs 1
- Reported speech 1, 2 and 3
- Reporting verbs 2
Pronunciation
- Long and short vowel sounds
Listening
- A problem-solving meeting 1
- Writing a discussion paper
- Changing statements to suggestions
Reading
- A client's complaint report
- Making recommendations
Lesson 3 - Managing a Meeting
The topic of this lesson is negotiations. You will watch a video of a negotiation meeting, listen to a discussion and learn about conditionals and modal verbs. You will learn how to manage, interrupt, clarify and reach agreement in a meeting.
Vocabulary
- Going through the agenda
- Expressing agreement and disagreement 1, 2, 3 and 4
- Interrupting and checking meaning 1, 2 and 3
Grammar
- Verbs (Modal Verbs), Expressions and Conjunctions
- Modal verbs 1, 2 and 3
- Zero and first conditional 2 and 3
- Dealing with issues
Listening
- Meeting minutes
- A problem at a fashion business
Reading
- Agreeing and disagreeing in meetings
Video
- Mr Liu's suggestions
- Neil's suggestions
- Mr Liu's reactions
- Zero and first conditional 1
Lesson 4 - Reviewing Performance
The topic of this lesson is performance reviews. You will watch a video of a review meeting, listen to people setting their future objectives, as well as read a review from and a guide for managers regarding performance.
Vocabulary
- Questions in a review meeting
- Reacting to praise and criticism
- Word formation and suffixation
- Future objectives and action points 1 and 2
Grammar
- Adverbs, Verbs (Verb Tense)
- Narrative tenses 1, 2 and 3
- Time markers
- Phrases with going to
Listening
- Note-taking during a performance review
Reading
- Understanding a review form
- A guide for managers
Video
- Reviewing Meera's first six months
- Assessing Meera's performance
- Discussing a writing course
- Meera's future objectives 1, 2 and 3
Lesson 5 - A New Product
The topic of this lesson is marketing a new product. You will watch videos describing new features of a product and analysing sales figures. You will learn marketing vocabulary and language for describing graphs and figures.
Vocabulary
- Marketing language 1 and 2
- Predicting how customers will react
- Asking for details about a product
- Marketing language 3
- Figures and statistics 2, 3, 4 and 5
- Approximate figures
- Describing a graph
- Figures and statistics 6, 7 and 8
Grammar
- Pronouns (Relative), Relative Clauses
- Relative clauses and pronouns 1 and 2
Pronunciation
- Different ‘a’ sounds 1 and 2
Video
- Greenwood’s new range of shoes
- Figures and statistics 1
- Trail running shoes
- Greenwood Sports' regional sales
Lesson 6 - Comparing Products
The topic of this lesson is comparisons. You will watch a video about comparing two products, read a product description and learn about comparing and contrasting language, including degrees of comparison.
Vocabulary
- Describing products
- Comparing and contrasting 1 and 2
- Words with opposite meanings
- Positive, negative and neutral adjectives
- Expressions used when describing
- Words with similar meanings 2
- Greenwood's marketing strategy
- Formal and informal language
Grammar
- Pronouns (Possessive), Adjectives, Adverbs, Verbs (Verbal Voices)
- Comparatives and superlatives 1 and 2
- Possessive pronouns
- Making comparisons
- Adverbs to show a viewpoint 1 and 2
- Simple passive 1 and 2
Reading
- Words with similar meanings 1
- Predicting future performance
- A product launch for customers
Video
- The competition – Speedrunners 1 and 2
- Reasons why Greenwood is better
- More about Speedrunners
- Writing for different audiences