Business English- Negotiating phrases error correction pairwork

Negotiating phrases error correction pairwork

 

Instructions and useful language

Work in pairs, with one person with a Student A worksheet and the other person with a Student B worksheet (with two people sharing one worksheet if there are three people).  Without showing your worksheets to each other, work out with your partner whose version of each phrase below is right and correct your version if it is wrong.

Useful phrases for doing the activity Useful phrases for checking what your partner said “Can you say that again (more slowly)?” “Could you repeat the (last)…?” “Did you say… (or…)?” “Can I check that back?”/ “Can I read that back?”   Useful phrases for discussing the activity “Mine says…” “… is different”/ “The difference is…”/ “Yours says… but mine says…” “I think my version/ your version is correct because…/ is wrong because…” “Okay, let’s move onto the next one”

Hint: Each person has eight correct phrases and eight incorrect ones.

Check that you have corrected all of the mistakes in the All Errors Stage version below.

 

Student A

Useful phrases for doing the activity Useful phrases for checking what your partner said “Can you say that again (more slowly)?”/ “Could you repeat the (last)…?” “Did you say… (or…)?” “Can I check that back?”/ “Can I read that back?” Useful phrases for discussing the activity “Mine says…” “… is different”/ “The difference is…”/ “Yours says… but mine says…” “I think my version/ your version is correct because…/ is wrong because…” “Okay, let’s move onto the next one”

Starting

Chatting at the beginning of meetings/ Small talk before you start negotiating

1. How’s business?

Ending the small talk and getting down to business

2. Well then, we must carry on chatting after the meeting, but shall we start?

 

Body of the meeting

Getting the other side to speak/ Finding out about their position

3. Can you start by set out your position?

Explaining your goals/ Setting out your initial position

4. We’re interested in…

Accepting/ Reaching a deal

5. That sounds fairly.

Compromising/ Making concessions/ Being flexible/ Softening your position

6. Okay, I will be flexible on that as long as you will give me a discount.

Delaying a decision

7. I’ll have to get back you about that.

Rejecting/ Insisting

8. I’m sorry but that’s not possible.

Interrupting

9. Sorry for interrupt, but…

Moving onto the other points/ Moving through the agenda

10. Let’s move onto the next point and come back to that later.

Talking about breaks

11. Shall we take five, before come back and try again?

 

Ending

Finishing/ Wrapping up the negotiation

12. I think we’ve covered all.

Talking about future contact (emails, future meetings, etc)

13. I look forward to doing business with you again soon.
14. See you on Monday.

Small talk at the end of a meeting

15. Do you have any plans for the weekend?
16. How about go for a drink?

Student B

Useful phrases for doing the activity Useful phrases for checking what your partner said “Can you say that again (more slowly)?”/ “Could you repeat the (last)…?” “Did you say… (or…)?” “Can I check that back?”/ “Can I read that back?” Useful phrases for discussing the activity “Mine says…” “… is different”/ “The difference is…”/ “Yours says… but mine says…” “I think my version/ your version is correct because…/ is wrong because…” “Okay, let’s move onto the next one”

 

Chatting at the beginning of meetings/ Small talk before you start negotiating

1. How’s your business?

Ending the small talk and getting down to business

2. Then, we must carry on chatting after the meeting, but shall we start?

 

Body of the meeting

Getting the other side to speak/ Finding out about their position

3. Can you start by setting out your position?

Explaining your goals/ Setting out your initial position

4. We’re interesting in…

Accepting/ Reaching a deal

5. That sounds fair.

Compromising/ Making concessions/ Being flexible/ Softening your position

6. Okay, I will be flexible on that as long as you give me a discount.

Delaying a decision

7. I’ll have to get back to you about that.

Rejecting/ Insisting

8. I’m afraid but that’s not possible.

Interrupting

9. Sorry to interrupt, but…

Moving onto the other points/ Moving through the agenda

10. Let’s move on the next point and come back to that later.

Talking about breaks

11. Shall we take five, then come back and try again?

 

Ending

Finishing/ Wrapping up the negotiation

12. I think we’ve covered everything.

Talking about future contact (emails, future meetings, etc)

13. I look forward to do business with you again soon.
14. See you on next Monday.

Small talk at the end of a meeting

15. Do you have any plan for the weekend?
16. How about going for a drink?

All errors stage

Make sure that you don’t still have these wrong versions on your worksheets.

Chatting at the beginning of meetings/ Small talk before you start negotiating

1. How’s your business?

Ending the small talk and getting down to business

2. Then, we must carry on chatting after the meeting, but shall we start?

Body of the meeting

Getting the other side to speak/ Finding out about their position

3. Can you start by set out your position?

Explaining your goals/ Setting out your initial position

4. We’re interesting in…

Accepting/ Reaching a deal

5. That sounds fairly.

Compromising/ Making concessions/ Being flexible/ Softening your position

6. Okay, I will be flexible on that as long as you will give me a discount.

Delaying a decision

7. I’ll have to get back you about that.

Rejecting/ Insisting

8. I’m afraid but that’s not possible.

Interrupting

9. Sorry for interrupt, but…

Moving onto the other points/ Moving through the agenda

10. Let’s move on the next point and come back to that later.

Talking about breaks

11. Shall we take five, before come back and try again?

 

Ending

Finishing/ Wrapping up the negotiation

12. I think we’ve covered all.

Talking about future contact (emails, future meetings, etc)

13. I look forward to do business with you again soon.
14. See you on next Monday.

Small talk at the end of a meeting

15. Do you have any plan for the weekend?
16. How about go for a drink?

Work together to correct all the mistakes above, this time without any help.

Check with the corrected versions of your worksheets. Other corrections might be possible, so please check if you wrote something different.

 

Brainstorming stage

Without looking above for now, try to think of or remember at least one phrase for each of the functions below.

Chatting at the beginning of meetings/ Small talk before you start negotiating

 

 

 

 

 

Ending the small talk and getting down to business

 

 

 

 

 

Getting the other side to speak/ Finding out about their position

 

 

 

 

 

Explaining your goals/ Setting out your initial position

 

 

 

 

 

Accepting/ Reaching a deal

 

 

 

 

 

Compromising/ Making concessions/ Being flexible/ Softening your position

 

 

 

 

 

Delaying a decision

 

Rejecting/ Insisting

 

 

 

 

 

Interrupting

 

 

 

 

 

Moving onto the other points/ Moving through the agenda

 

 

 

 

 

Talking about breaks

 

 

 

 

 

Finishing/ Wrapping up the negotiation

 

 

 

 

 

Talking about future contact (emails, future meetings, etc)

 

 

 

 

 

Small talk at the end of a meeting

 

 

 

 

 

Look above, then use that to help you brainstorm more ideas, making sure you have at least two phrases in each of the sections above.

Compare your answers as a class or with lists of useful phrases.