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Business English- Longer negotiating phrases activities

A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS

More complex and effective negotiating phrases practice through a jigsaw activity and other card games, including two brainstorming stages.

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Longer negotiating phrases activities

Put together the cards that you are given to make basic phrases for starting negotiations, taking part in the body of negotiations, and ending negotiations. The left-hand parts start with a capital letter and have the words on the left of the card. The right-hand halves of the phrases end with a full stop, question mark or dot dot dot (“.”, “?”, or “…”) and the writing is on the right of the card.

Use the headings cards to classify and check your phrases. The headings are in approximately the same order as a real negotiation. If the phrases that you made seem to fit in more than one place or nowhere, it probably means that you’ve matched the wrong cards together.

Hint: There should be this number of phrases in each category: 2/ 5/ 4/ 4/ 2/ 1/ 2

Add the cards with words in bold to the middle of your phrases to make longer versions of those basic negotiating phrases. If the middle cards don’t fit in the basic phrases that you made, you probably matched them wrongly.

Check as a class or with the answer key.

Circle words which make the sentences softer and underline words which make the phrases stronger (in the phrases that have such words).

Test each other on the phrases:

  • Read out phrases with missing words for your partner to complete
  • Choose a middle card and help your partner make a phrase including those words
  • Read out the name of a category and help your partner make suitable phrases

Do the brainstorming stages below.

Deal the same cards out between you then try to use as many different phrases with the words on your cards as you can during a roleplay negotiation. If you use the words in a phrase which hasn’t been said yet, you can discard that card. The parts in italics can be changed, and the parts in brackets can be left out. The person with fewest cards left in their hand at the end of the game is the winner.

Deal out the Functions Cards. If you say something with the function on one of your cards during the negotiation with different language to what anyone has said before, you can discard that card. The person with fewest cards left in their hand at the end of the game is the winner. 

 

Cards to cut up

 

(First of all,) after sales service is

 

 

fairly/ very/ really/ extremely

 

important (to us).

 

 

Our/ My

 

initial/ final

 

offer is…

 

 

I’m afraid there is (just) one

 

 

possible/ potential/ minor/ tiny/ major/ important

 

problem/ issue/ sticking point (which is…).

 

Actually, I was hoping for something

 

 

a tiny bit/ slightly/ quite a lot/ much/ far

 

better/ cheaper/ shorter/ …er/ more….

 

Unfortunately, we would find a 25% down payment

 

 

a little/ somewhat/ rather/ very/ extremely

 

difficult to agree to/ hard to

accept (because…)

 

Sorry, we can’t move

 

much/ at all/ any more

 

 

on the delivery date (due to…)

 

I’m sorry but I’m not

 

really/ currently/ presently

 

 

in a position to be able to accept/ offer...

 

(Sure,) I can be

 

 

a little/ a little more/ fairly/ quite/ very

 

flexible on storage temperature.

 

Great. I’m

 

fairly/ very/ really

 

 

happy with those payment

terms.

 

Okay. I can meet you

 

 

more or less/ exactly

 

halfway (on price).

 

Alright. I can

 

probably/ almost certainly/ definitely

 

 

agree to/ shake on that (if/

 as long as/ providing…)

 

If you can’t agree to that, another

 

 

possible

 

option is to renegotiate

every year.

 

In that case, could you

 

 

possibly/ agree to

 

accept payment three days in advance?

 

I see. Well. Hmm. Okay, I’ve thought of a

 

 

possible/ win-win/ great/ perfect

 

solution. What about (if)…?

 

 

 

 

(Okay, I understand your position, but) how about

 

if we offer(ed) you

 

a bulk discount?

 

 

Well, I don’t think we’re making

 

 

any/ much

 

progress (here/ on that point/ at the moment,) so…

 

 

So, we (both)

 

seem to

agree on that, so let’s (move on and) talk about delivery.

 

(So,) can I

 

 

just

 

go over what we’ve agreed/ sum up our agreement?

 

(Okay, so) I’ll check

 

with my boss/ with the person in charge/ with…

 

and get back to you in the

next couple of days.

 

 

(Great, so) can I have that in writing by

 

 

close of business on

 

Friday?

 

Headings cards to cut up

 

1.    Setting out your position (before negotiating)

 

 

2.    Negative reactions (insisting, rejecting, etc)

 

 

3.    Positive reactions (accepting, softening your position, compromising, etc)

 

 

4.    Further suggestions/ Finding solutions to negative reactions

 

 

5.    Moving the discussion on/ Ending the discussion

 

 

6.    Summarising/ Checking your agreement

 

 

7.    Mentioning future contact

 

 

Suggested answers with headings

 

1.    Setting out your position (before negotiating)

 

 

(First of all,) after sales service is

 

 

fairly/ very/ really/ extremely

 

important (to us).

 

 

Our/ My

 

initial/ final

 

offer is…

 

 

2.    Negative reactions (insisting, rejecting, etc)

 

 

I’m afraid there is (just) one

 

 

possible/ potential/ minor/ tiny/ major/ important

 

problem/ issue/ sticking point (which is…).

 

Actually, I was hoping for something

 

 

a tiny bit/ slightly/ quite a lot/ much/ far

 

better/ cheaper/ shorter/ …er/ more….

 

Unfortunately, we would find a 25% down payment

 

 

a little/ somewhat/ rather/ very/ extremely

 

difficult to agree to/ hard to

accept (because…)

 

Sorry, we can’t move

 

much/ at all/ any more

 

 

on the delivery date (due to…)

 

I’m sorry but I’m not

 

really/ currently/ presently

 

 

in a position to be able to accept/ offer CoD.

 

3.    Positive reactions (accepting, softening your position, compromising, etc)

 

 

(Sure,) I can be

 

 

a little/ a little more/ fairly/ quite/ very

 

flexible on storage temperature.

 

Great. I’m

 

fairly/ very/ really

 

 

happy with those payment

terms.

 

Okay. I can meet you

 

 

more or less/ exactly

 

halfway (on price).

 

Alright. I can

 

probably/ almost certainly/ definitely

 

 

agree to/ shake on that (if/

 as long as/ providing…)

 

 

 

4.    Further suggestions/ Finding solutions to negative reactions

 

 

If you can’t agree to that, another

 

 

possible

 

option is to renegotiate

every year.

 

In that case, could you

 

 

possibly/ agree to

 

accept payment three days in advance?

 

I see. Well. Hmm. Okay, I’ve thought of a

 

 

possible/ win-win/ great/ perfect

 

solution. What about (if)…?

 

 

(Okay, I understand your position, but) how about

 

if we offer(ed) you

 

a bulk discount?

 

 

5.    Moving the discussion on/ Ending the discussion

 

 

Well, I don’t think we’re making

 

 

any/ much

 

progress (here/ on that point/ at the moment,) so…

 

So, we (both)

 

seem to

agree on that, so let’s (move on and) talk about delivery.

 

6.    Summarising/ Checking your agreement

 

 

(So,) can I

 

 

just

 

go over what we’ve agreed/ sum up our agreement?

 

7.    Mentioning future contact

 

 

(Okay, so) I’ll check

 

with my boss/ with the person in charge/ with…

 

and get back to you in the

next couple of days.

 

 

(Great, so) can I have that in writing by

 

 

close of business on

 

Friday?

 

 


Brainstorming stages

Gapped version

Without looking above, write at least one suitable thing in each gap below. Words not above are also often possible.

 

1.    Setting out your position (before negotiating)

 

 

(First of all,) after sales service is

 

 

 

important (to us).

 

 

Our/ My

 

initial/ final

 

 

 

2.    Negative reactions (insisting, rejecting, etc)

 

 

I’m afraid there is (just) one

 

 

possible/ potential/ minor/ tiny/ major/ important

 

 

Actually, I was hoping for something

 

 

 

better/ cheaper/ shorter/ …er/ more….

 

Unfortunately, we would find a 25% down payment

 

 

a little/ somewhat/ rather/ very/ extremely

 

 

Sorry, we can’t move

 

much/ at all/ any more

 

 

 

I’m sorry but I’m not

 

 

 

 

in a position to be able to accept/ offer...

 

3.    Positive reactions (accepting, softening your position, compromising, etc)

 

 

 

 

 

a little/ a little more/ fairly/ quite/ very

 

flexible on storage temperature.

 

Great. I’m

 

 

 

 

happy with those payment

terms.

 

Okay. I can meet you

 

 

more or less/ exactly

 

 

 

Alright. I can

 

 

 

 

agree to/ shake on that (if/

 as long as/ providing…)


 

4.    Further suggestions/ Finding solutions to negative reactions

 

 

If you can’t agree to that, another

 

 

 

 

option is to renegotiate

every year.

 

 

 

 

possibly/ agree to

 

accept payment three days in advance?

 

I see. Well. Hmm. Okay, I’ve thought of a

 

 

 

solution. What about (if)…?

 

(Okay, I understand your position, but) how about

 

 

 

a bulk discount?

 

 

5.    Moving the discussion on/ Ending the discussion

 

 

Well, I don’t think we’re making

 

 

any/ much

 

 

 

So, we (both)

 

 

agree on that, so let’s (move on and) talk about delivery.

 

6.    Summarising/ Checking your agreement

 

 

 

 

 

just

 

go over what we’ve agreed/ sum up our agreement?

 

7.    Mentioning future contact

 

 

(Okay, so) I’ll check

 

with my boss/ with the person in charge/ with…

 

 

 

 

(Great, so) can I have that in writing by

 

 

 

 

Friday?

 


Mixed missing words

Use these mixed answers to help and to start checking your answers.

  • (So,) can I
  • (Sure,) I can be
  • a tiny bit/ slightly/ quite a lot/ much/ far
  • and get back to you in the next couple of days
  • close of business on
  • difficult to agree to/ hard to accept (because…)
  • fairly/ very/ really
  • fairly/ very/ really/ extremely
  • halfway (on price).
  • if we offer(ed) you
  • In that case, could you
  • offer is
  • on the delivery date (due to…)
  • possible
  • possible/ win-win/ great/ perfect
  • probably/ almost certainly/ definitely
  • problem/ issue/ sticking point (which is…).
  • progress (here/ on that point/ at the moment,) so…
  • really/ currently/ presently
  • seem to

Check above. Many other answers are possible, so check with your teacher if you wrote something different.


Brainstorming by category

Write at least two suitable phrases for each function below, including longer phrases.

 

1.    Setting out your position (before negotiating)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.    Negative reactions (insisting, rejecting, etc)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.    Positive reactions (accepting, softening your position, compromising, etc)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.    Further suggestions/ Finding solutions to negative reactions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.    Moving the discussion on/ Ending the discussion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.    Summarising/ Checking your agreement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.    Mentioning future contact

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using the mixed missing words above to help, then compare with the original phrases. Many other phrases are possible, so please check if you wrote something different.


Functions cards to cut up

 

Setting out your position (before negotiating)

 

 

Setting out your position (before negotiating)

 

 

Negative reactions (insisting, rejecting, etc)

 

 

Negative reactions (insisting, rejecting, etc)

 

 

Positive reactions (accepting, softening your position, compromising, etc)

 

 

Positive reactions (accepting, softening your position, compromising, etc)

 

 

Further suggestions/ Finding solutions to negative reactions

 

 

Further suggestions/ Finding solutions to negative reactions

 

 

Moving the discussion on/ Ending the discussion

 

 

Moving the discussion on/ Ending the discussion

 

 

Summarising/ Checking your agreement

 

 

Summarising/ Checking your agreement

 

 

Mentioning future contact

 

 

 

Mentioning future contact

 

 

Negative reactions (insisting, rejecting, etc)

 

 

Negative reactions (insisting, rejecting, etc)

 

 

Positive reactions (accepting, softening your position, compromising, etc)

 

 

Positive reactions (accepting, softening your position, compromising, etc)

 

 

Further suggestions/ Finding solutions to negative reactions

 

 

Further suggestions/ Finding solutions to negative reactions

 

 

Moving the discussion on/ Ending the discussion

 

 

Moving the discussion on/ Ending the discussion

 

 

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