Business English- Giving Reasons in Negotiations

Business English- Giving Reasons in Negotiations
Choose one of the things below and try to provide a good reason for it that your partner
will accept. They should also provide reasons for rejecting any of your suggestions/
proposals. If they reject your idea, try to persuade them. Continue until one of you gives
up, then do the same with other cards below. Turn to the next page if you need ideas of
possible reasons.

Discontinuing a product line that your partner has an outstanding order for

Increasing prices by 50%

No longer doing business with customers who order small amounts (as your partner has

until now)

Renegotiating a contract which has only just been signed

Changing the specifications of the product which you are going to supply.

Delivering later than you said you would.

Supplying less than your partner needs.

Not providing a discount which has always been offered before

Not paying for a previous order but still providing more orders

Useful language for giving reasons
… (in order) to…
… as/ because/ since…/ As/ Since/ Because…,…
…, so (that) we/ you can…
An additional reason is…
Another (good) reason…
Because of…, ….
Due to…
If you’re wondering why…
It’s important for us to…
Our justification for this is…
Our purpose in suggesting this is…
The (chief/ main) reason for this is…
There are many reasons for this. The most important one is…
This is because (of)/ due to…
This should help you/ us in…ing
We have another reason for proposing this is, which is…
We need…/ We require…
You are probably wondering why…

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014

Suggested reasons
(potential) bankruptcy
… not as we predicted
… slowing down
a buyer’s market
a seller’s market
an unexpected…
an unforeseeable…
change in the law/ government policy
change of company strategy
change of management
changes by the other person’s competitors
changes by your competitors
changing business climate
changing demand for products
compliance
costs (e.g. transportation costs, storage costs)
decreasing…
exchange rates
financial issues (cash flow etc)
increasing…
interest rates
lose money
M&A
merger/ takeover
misunderstanding
new technology
old fashioned/ out of date
only just break even
PR/ negative publicity/ scandals
previous agreement was a one off
quality control
shrinking market/ niche market
staff shortages/ lack of skilled staff
supply chain problems
supply glut
taxation
technical problems
too complicated
worldwide shortages

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014

Try to think of or remember giving reasons phrases using these key words

order
since
so
additiona
another
of
due
if
important
justification
purpose
main
many
this
help
proposing
require
probably

Do the practice activities below using just the key words above to help you if you can.

Give similar situations to your partner or another group for them to have to explain.

Make a proposal or suggestion which is so reasonable that you think it can’t possibly be
rejected and see if your partner can think of a good reason for doing sp.

What language could you use for making suggestions/ proposals?

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014