Business Communication Skills PacK

English Summer Pack Sacyr
Business Communication Skills

Pack
Business Communication Skills Pack
Estimado alumno,
A continuación, ponemos a tu disposición el siguiente material pedagógico contenido en el

Business Communication Skills Pack que Sacyr y Learnlight han desarrollado para ayudarte a
cubrir las diferentes competencias lingüísticas incluidas en él. A lo largo de las siguientes 4
unidades, encontrarás contenido, consejos, expresiones y puestas en práctica de aquellos temas
que hemos considerado más relevantes para vosotros como profesionales: Telephone
communication, Email communication, Meeting in English y Effective Presentations.
Se trata de un material de autoestudio compuesto por 4 módulos formativos diferenciados, cada

uno de ellos de 18 horas de autoestudio. Te recomendamos que dediques al menos 2 horas
semanales a su desarrollo y para ello, deberás realizar una lectura, estudio y posterior puesta
en práctica en tu puesto de trabajo de cada uno de los temas.
Esperamos que encuentres de utilidad el material seleccionado.
Muchas gracias,
Dear learner,
We are happy to announce that we have put at your disposal pedagogical material contained in
a ´ Business Communication Skills Pack´ which Sacyr and Learnlight have developed to help
you learn and perfect important professional language skills. Throughout the 4 themes you will
find advice, expressions, procedures and practical examples. The themes which we considered
most relevant to you as professionals are the following: Telephone communication, Email
communication, Meeting in English y Effective Presentations.
It is self-study material composed of 4 modules per theme, and each of 18 hours of self-study.
We recommend that you devote at least 2 hours a week to it and through dedicated study and
by taking the opportunity in your day-to-day work to put it into practice.
We hope you find the selected material useful
Thank you,
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Contenido
Effective Telephone Communication ..................................................................... 4
Contents ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
1. Making & receiving calls ........................................................................................................... 5
2. Building rapport ......................................................................................................................... 10
3. Taking messages....................................................................................................................... 15
4. Formal & informal telephone language ............................................................................ 20
Email Communication ....................................................................................... 31
Contents ...................................................................................................... 32
1. Email Basics ................................................................................................................................ 33
2. Formal/Informal Writing......................................................................................................... 37
3. Useful language & punctuation ............................................................................................ 41
4. Disagreeing, linking words & hedging .............................................................................. 49
5. Complaints and apologies ...................................................................................................... 55
Active Participation in Meetings.......................................................................... 59
Contents ...................................................................................................... 59
1. Setting up a Meeting ............................................................................. 60
2. Opening and Chairing a Meeting ............................................................. 68
3. Maximizing Participations in Meetings .............................................................................. 74
4. Closing and Summarizing a Meeting ................................................................................. 80
English for Effective Presentations ...................................................................... 84
Contents ...................................................................................................... 84
1. Starting and structuring a presentation ................................................... 85
2. Signposting language, intonation & emphasis .............................................................. 90
3. Body language and using visuals ....................................................................................... 97
4. Closing a presentation .......................................................................................................... 103
3
Effective Telephone Communication
Contents
1. Making & receiving calls
2. Building rapport
3. Taking messages
4. Formal & informal telephone language
5. Asking for clarification
4
1. Making & receiving calls
Contents
What is the correct way to answer the telephone in English? How do you ask to speak to
someone? What do you say when you need to check if someone is available, or transfer a call?
In this unit you will learn and practice some key phrases to deal with the main elements of a
business phone call in a confident and professional manner.
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MAKING AND RECEIVING CALLS
Answering the phone and introducing yourself
A standard way of giving your name when answering the phone is the following structure:
(This is) + name + speaking.
For example:
Rrrrrrrrrring
Hello/Good morning, (this is) Angie Fairclough speaking…
The following are NOT correct in English when answering the telephone:
Hello, I am Angie Fairclough.
Hello, it’s Angie Fairclough on the telephone.
Hello, Angie Fairclough is speaking.
You can add additional information to this basic structure. For internal calls, you might want to
give your department, instead of, or in addition to, your name:
Good morning, Payroll Department, Angie (Fairclough) speaking?
Good morning, Payroll Department?
For external calls, it is generally good practice to give your company’s name when answering
the phone, to which you can also add your department and/or own name if you wish:
Good afternoon, Smith and Watson Incorporated?
Good afternoon, Smith and Watson Incorporated, Sales Department?
Good afternoon, Smith and Watson Incorporated, Sales Department, Jamie Goldberg
speaking.
Note that it is usual to give information in the order (1) company, (2) department, (3) personal
name:
Good afternoon, (1)Smith and Watson Incorporated, (2)Sales Department, (3)Jamie

Goldberg speaking.
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Also remember that the structure (This is) + name + speaking only works with a personal
name, and NOT names of departments or companies. The following is therefore incorrect:
Good morning, Payroll Department speaking.
If you wish to be extra polite, you can also add a question to your telephone answering phrase,
e.g.
SWK Holdings, Janet Brown speaking, how may I help you?
This is most appropriate for external calls.
Ask to speak to someone
Imagine you would like to speak to someone called Martin Wightman in your company’s Payroll
Department. You dial the number and get the following answer:
Good morning, Payroll Department, Angie Fairclough speaking…
What do you say next? Here are some suggestions for an informal workplace/relationship. All
three phrases are more or less synonymous:
Hello Angie, it’s Nathalie Letour here from Accounts. Is Martin there? (i.e. is Martin
available?)
Hello Angie, is Martin in today? (i.e. in the office, has he come to work?)
Hello Angie, is Martin around? (i.e. is he somewhere nearby? Can he come to the
phone?)
In a more formal environment, try the following:
Oh hello, could I speak to Martin Wightman please?
Good morning Angie. Could you put me through to Martin Wightman please? (i.e. could
you transfer me to Martin Wightman’s line?)
Note that we usually use the verb to speak rather than to talk on the telephone, and that in
British English we tend to say speak to somebody, while in US English, speak with is more
common. Remember also to use the modal verb could to make a polite request.
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Saying whether someone is available or not
Let’s review the conversation so far:
Good morning, Payroll Department, Angie Fairclough speaking…
Hello Angie, it’s Nathalie Letour here from Accounts. Is Martin there?
Now let’s imagine that Angie doesn’t know whether Martin is available. She can say:
I’ll just check (if he’s available). One moment please…
If Martin Wightman is available to take Nathalie’s call, what can Angie Fairclough say?
Yes he is. Just a moment/minute …
Yes he is. I’ll put him on. (i.e. I’ll put him on this line).
Yes he is. Hold on one moment please. (Hold on = wait)
What if Martin is not available?
I’m sorry, Martin isn’t in/here today.
I’m sorry, Martin isn’t available/around at the moment.
It is polite to offer the caller a solution, e.g.
Can he call you back? (call back = return a call)
You could try his mobile/cell phone.
Putting people through
Imagine Martin is available, but he is on another line. You need to put the caller through – in
other words, transfer the caller – to Martin’s line. What can you say?
Hold on, I’ll put you through (to Martin’s line).
I’m putting you through.
I’ll just transfer you…
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Look at these two sentences; there is a subtle difference:
I’ll put you through (to his line – there will be a connection with another telephone)
I’ll put him on (to this line – he will come to this telephone).
Dealing with technical issues
With mobile phones and Voice over Internet, it’s common to experience technical issues during
a call. Here are some examples of problems and what you can say about them:
Poor sound quality I’m sorry, I can’t hear you very well.
Could you speak up a little?
Bad internet connection I’m sorry. I’m on a slow internet connection.
Shall we try voice only?
Poor telephone line It seems to be a bad line/connection.
Shall I hang up and call you back?
The call ended suddenly I’m sorry, we got cut off just then.
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2. Building rapport
Unit Contents
Making or receiving a phone call in English can be nerve-wracking. You might be tempted to get
straight down to business as quickly as possible and hang up as soon as you have achieved your
goal. It’s important though to take some time to build rapport, otherwise you can come across
as* abrupt and unfriendly. This unit introduces you to useful vocabulary for greeting a caller,
making small-talk, listening actively and rounding off a conversation in a friendly but professional
manner.
(*to come across as e.g. unfriendly = to seem, to appear unfriendly to other people)
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BUILDING RAPPORT
Opening the conversation
Before making or answering a call, take a few seconds to think how you will greet the person on
the other end of the line. If you are making the call, start like this:
Good morning/afternoon Mr Clarkson,
It’s Peter Brooks here from Anderson Flooring. (formal)
Hello/Hi Karen,
It’s Richard here, from Quality Control. (informal)
If you are the person answering the call, it’s important to acknowledge the caller in a friendly
manner:
Oh, good morning Mr Clarkson, I’ve been expecting you to call.
or
Oh, good afternoon Mr Clarkson, thank you for calling back. (formal)
Oh hello/hi Karen, thanks for calling.
or
Oh hello/hi Karen, great to hear from you!
or
Oh hello/hi Karen, how are you? (informal)
Notice the structure of the following key phrases:
I’ve been expecting you to call. (to expect + object + infinitive)
Thanks/Thank you for calling back. (Thanks/Thank you + for + ing)
(It’s) great to hear from you! (Great/Good/Lovely etc. + inf).
(It’s) great hearing from you. (Hearing + from + subject = Receiving news/a phone
call/a letter or email from somebody.
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Making small talk
Once you have greeted and acknowledged the other caller, don’t rush straight into the business
of your call. You can build rapport by asking and answering questions first. Keep the questions
general and don’t ask about someone’s personal life unless you know the other person well.
Questions could include:
How’s business?
How are things in Sales/Atlanta/GE?
How are you? How’s it going?
Keep your answers fairly short and avoid detail. Remember: small talk is about making each
other feel comfortable, not about exchanging information. Talking about how busy you are is a
neutral topic that most people can identify with, and is a safe subject for small talk:
Business is great just now thanks.
Oh, you know, really busy as usual.
Working flat out*. You know how it is …
Really busy with the merger, but that’s life!
Looking forward to the weekend!
(*to work flat out = to work very, very hard; it is not possible to work any harder).
If you know the other person well, you could also try the following:
Caller: How’s life?
Receiver: Life’s good thanks. The kids are doing well.
Caller: Yeah, good thanks. Only three weeks ‘til Florida!
Once you have answered a question, don’t forget to reciprocate. Use the phrase How about
you? For example:
Caller: Working flat out. You know how it is. How about you?
Receiver: Same here. Looking forward to the weekend!
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Getting down to business
How do you move from small talk to business, without sounding abrupt? If you have received
the call, try these phrases for getting down to business:
So/anyway, what can I do for you?
So/anyway, how can I help?
If you made the call, you can introduce your topic like this:
Anyway, I’m just calling to (+ inf. e.g. try and arrange a date for our next meeting).
So, the reason I’m calling is to (+ inf. e.g. get some feedback about the trial we are
running).
Active listening
After some small talk it’s time for business. One of you will speak while the other listens. How
does the speaker know that he/she is being understood and, importantly, the call is still
connected? The answer is active listening.
Look at this conversation and pay attention to the words and phrases in bold. What function do
they have? How would the speaker feel if the listener was silent?
Nicola: Anyway, I’m just calling to check some details for the company brochure.
Holly: Go ahead…
Nicola: I’ve got here that the company’s fiscal address is 221 Fleet Street, W1 4QT…
Holly: Uh-huh…
Nicola: But on the website it says 42 Regent Street, W1 3SD…
Holly: I see…
Nicola: Do you know which is correct?
Holly: Yeah, they’re both correct. Well, the Fleet Street address is the fiscal address, and
the Regent Street address is the company’s HQ.
Nicola: A-ha, got it. Regent Street is the HQ …
Holly: Yeah, that’s right.
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Ending the call
So you’ve greeted your caller, you’ve made small talk and you’ve got down to business and
achieved the goal of your call. Is it time to hang up now? Not yet! Make sure you maintain good
rapport by ending the call using some of these phrases:
OK, well, it’s been great talking to you.
Yeah, likewise/it’s lovely to hear from you. (informal)
Let’s catch up some time soon.
OK then, speak soon. (informal)
Thank you very much for calling.
I look forward to hearing from you again soon. (formal)
Building rapport through voicemail
Perfect voicemail greetings: three helpful tips
Of course you have voicemail, but are you making the most of it? These three tips are a sure
way to maximize value from your voicemail and turn callers into customers:
1. Have some fun
Oftentimes, your voicemail is the first impression a caller gets of your personality, your brand,
and your business. Just because it’s your business voicemail though, doesn’t mean you have to
sound like a robot. Try using humor. If you want, you can even include a joke on your greeting.
If you’re not funny, share a fact about yourself, like your favorite color or vacation spot.
2. Engage your callers
It may not seem like it, but voicemail isn’t that different from a regular conversation. If you
create a dialogue between your callers and yourself, you’re gonna have much more engaged
and satisfied callers.
The easiest way to build rapport and interaction is to encourage callers to reveal something
about themselves by asking them a question. For example, tell callers you’ll get back to them
ASAP if they include the name of their favorite candy bar.
3. Don’t forget to smile
Think about it: if you meet someone in person who may become a customer, investor, or
partner, you’re probably smiling. So why should your voicemail first impression be any different?
The sound of a smile helps create a tone and message that convey how much you care about
your caller and what he/she has to say.
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3. Taking messages
Unit Contents
Have you ever taken a telephone message that couldn’t be acted on, because a telephone
number was missing or wrong? Perhaps you have written down an email address incorrectly,
and have been unable to contact a customer as a result? In this activity you will learn how to
capture the essential information in a telephone message accurately.
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CAN I TAKE A MESSAGE?
Offering to take a message
When you answer the phone and the caller asks to speak to someone who is not available, it is
polite to start by explaining why the person is unavailable:
I'm sorry, James isn't at his desk right now/here today/in the office at the moment.
Then offer to take a message:
Can I take a message?

or
Would you like to leave a message?
Note that the caller leaves a message, and the person who answers the telephone takes a
message.
Leaving a message
If you are making a telephone call and the person you want to speak to is not available, you
may want to leave a message. When you leave a telephone message, try to do it politely. If you
are making a request (send some documents, order coffee etc.) a polite way to do this in English
is to use a specific construction using could:
Could you + ask/tell + object + infinitive.
Look at some examples:
Could you ask her to call me back?
Could you ask her to include me in the dinner reservation for tonight?
Could you tell her to email me the month-end figures?
Ask and tell are interchangeable here. Ask is slightly more polite: it gives the idea that the
person can say no (in reality they probably can’t!), while tell implies an order.
If you want to pass on some information, rather than make a request, you can use tell (NOT
ask) in a different construction:
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Could you tell her (that) I called?
Could you just tell him (that) Sophie will be a bit late for the meeting?
Could you tell her that it’s urgent?
Could you tell him that it’s about/in connection with the interviews next week?
Could you tell her that it’s highly confidential?
The correct structure is Could you + tell + object + (that) + I/we/he/she/they …
Getting more information from the caller

There are two to four key bits of information in a successful telephone message:
1. Caller’s name
2. Caller’s company, department or possibly address
3. Caller’s contact details
4. Reason for call
If a caller doesn’t give you this information for your message, you will need to prompt him or
her. A direct question can sound too, well, direct! Try these polite alternatives:
Prompts Answers
Name? And your name is…? It’s …
Could you remind me of your name? Sure/Certainly. It’s…
Could you give me your name again?
Company And you’re calling from…? (From) BK Holdings/Marketing etc.

etc.?
Where are you calling from?
Contact What’s the best way to reach you? On my home/office number

detail?
On my mobile/cell phone
On 345624/extension 488
By email/skype
Reason? Can I ask what it’s about? It’s about (+ noun)
Can I ask what it’s in connection with? It’s in connection with (+ noun)
I’m afraid it’s (highly) confidential.
It’s (an) urgent (matter).
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T for Tango
When you are taking a message, spelling a name or email address correctly is vital. Make sure
you have understood correctly with these questions:
Could you spell that for me please?
Would you mind repeating that?
If you’re having trouble understanding a particular letter, get clarification:
Is that B for Bravo or V for Victory?
NOT B like Bravo
Take a look at the international standard spelling alphabet below, and perhaps print it off and
stick it next to your phone.
A for Alpha H for Hotel O for Oscar V for Victor
B for Bravo I for India P for Papa W for Whiskey
C for Charlie J for Juliet Q for Quebec X for X-ray
D for Delta K for Kilo R for Romeo Y for Yankee
E for Echo L for Lima S for Sierra Z for Zulu
F for Foxtrot M for Mike T for Tango
G for Golf N for November U for Uniform
If you are noting down (or giving) an email address, you will also need to know the names of
some special characters in English:
@ at - hyphen
. dot _ underscore
Remember also that you might need to distinguish between UPPERCASE and lowercase:
Is that a lowercase or UPPERCASE “W”?
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Writing down numbers
A contact telephone number is probably the most important part of a message. These tips will
help you to understand and pronounce telephone numbers.
Look at this number, for a UK-based company:
+44 (0)1223 333016
It is usually pronounced something like this:
“Plus 44 for the uk, one double two three, treble three oh one six”
Notice that:
• Native English speakers usually pronounce 0 as “oh” in telephone numbers, but this can
be hard to understand. Tip: if you’re not sure that you’ve heard correctly, repeat the
number back using zero, for clarification.
• Numbers are read as single digits, so:
245768
Two four five seven six eight
Twenty four, fifty seven, sixty eight
• Two or three digits repeated are often pronounced like this:
Double two
Treble three
• Each group of numbers is separated by a pause:
“Plus 44 for the UK [PAUSE] one double two three [PAUSE] treble three oh one six”
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4. Formal & informal telephone language
Contents
It’s important to try to get the right level of formality in a business telephone call. If you are too
informal, you risk sounding as though you don’t take the person or call seriously. If you are too
formal, you can sound insincere or distant.
20
FORMAL AND INFORMAL TELEPHONE ENGLISH
Formal or informal?
There are no hard and fast rules in the business world for when to use formal and informal
language. It helps to remember that formal language creates a distance between speakers, and
informal language brings them closer together.
Opt for formality in situations where distance is a good thing (sharing confidential information,
dealing with serious matters, negotiations etc.), or situations where you need to convey
authority, deference or control.
If, however, you want to create or maintain rapport, it’s best to avoid being too formal.
As you can see, it is often the situation rather than the person that dictates how formal to be.
Key phrases: informal and formal language

Have a look at three informal telephone conversations.
Chris: Hello?
Maddy: Oh, hi Chris, it’s Maddy. Is Jake in today?
Chris: Hang on. I’ll get him.
Chris: Sorry, he’s not in at the moment. Call back about 10.30, OK?
Maddy: Sure. Bye then.
Chris: Bye for now.
Pete: Hello, Pete speaking?
Naomi: Hi Pete. Is Andrea there?
Pete: Who’s this?
Naomi: It’s Naomi.
Pete: Hi Naomi. Andrea’s in a meeting til 2.30. Do you want to leave a message?
Naomi: Tell her to call me back when she’s got a minute.
Pete: OK. What’s it about?
Naomi: It’s about our presentation next week.
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Simon: Hello?
Jim: Hello, is that Simon?
Simon: Yep, who’s calling?
Jim: It’s Jim from Maintenance. Is Darcy around?
Simon: Wait a sec, I’ll just check…
Simon: She’s in her office.
Jim: Put me through please.
Simon: No problem.
Jim: Cheers.
Requests and suggestions using informal language
One of the key differences between formal and informal language is the way we make requests
and suggestions.
In very informal English, we often use imperatives for requests:
Tell her to call me back.
Wait a sec.
Put me through please.
Remember, the imperative in English is simply the bare infinitive of the verb.
Imperatives can sound like commands if you’re not careful with your intonation. To avoid this,
use Can you + infinitive or Will you + infinitive for a request:
Can you tell her to call me back?
Can you wait a sec?
Will you put me through?
In very informal language, it is also possible to change the word order of “Will” requests like
this:
Get me a cup of tea, will you?
Note that it is NOT possible to do this with “Can” requests:
Call me later, can you?
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For suggestions, you can soften the imperative (but still sound fairly informal) using You could
+ infinitive:
You could call back about 10.30.
You could try his mobile.
You could leave a message with her secretary.
Requests using formal language
In formal English, we tend to avoid direct commands. Look at how we do this for requests:
Informal: Tell her to call me back.
Less informal: Can you tell her to call me back?
Formal: Could you tell her to call me back?
More formal: Would you tell her to call me back?
Or: Would you mind telling her to call me back?
The structures are:
Modal + you + infinitive
Modal + you + mind + -ing
When making suggestions, try the following, formal phrase:
You might/may wish to review my document before sending it out.
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Informal and formal telephone phrases
Informal Formal
Hello/hi
Good morning/afternoon
Is x in/there/around?
Is that x? Could I speak to x please?
It’s x here. Am I speaking to x?
This is x speaking/calling.
Who’s this/calling?
Can I ask who’s calling please?
Hang on/Wait a sec One moment please…
He’s not in/around at the moment.

He’s not available at the moment.
When he’s got a minute.
At his convenience.
It’s about…
It’s in connection with …
Cheers!
Thank you.
Bye (for now)! Good bye (and thank you for calling).
Remember also to make use of:
Please
I’m sorry, but …
I’m afraid that …
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Should I use formal or informal English?
Should I use formal or informal English?
Deciding whether to use formal or informal English can be difficult. There isn’t a
simple formula, such as young person + old person = formal, or junior colleague
+ junior colleague = informal.
Fortunately, there are two questions you can ask yourself which will help you to
choose.
1. What are we talking about?

We tend to choose informal language when we discuss everyday topics
(weather, TV, social life etc.) and reserve formal language for topics of a more
serious nature: health, business issues, politics etc. That is why even people you
know well may use more formal language if they talk about these serious issues
with you. You may joke with your boss in the office (informal language) but you
are both likely to adopt formal language if you are negotiating a new contract.
2. How do we feel about the person and the topic of conversation?
Imagine we get into a taxi and start chatting to the taxi driver about an everyday
topic, such as the weather. We would probably use neutral, perhaps even
informal language, with them as the topic is a familiar one (even though the taxi
driver is a stranger). This would probably change dramatically if the taxi driver
tried to overcharge us. In order to show our frustration, we might switch to formal
language to show we are serious about the topic (the price) and to demonstrate
that the social interaction is a professional not a personal one.
(Adapted from http://britishenglishcoach.com/should-you-use-formal-neutral-

or-informal-english/)
5. Giving and receiving information
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Unit Contents
Giving and getting information is the main purpose of most business telephone calls,
but do you know how to do this effectively in English? In order to be able to do this,
you need to be able to signal that you are going to give important information, ask
questions to get information, and clarify the information you are giving and getting.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD HELP ME?
Giving information
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Compare these two telephone conversations. Which is better?
Conversation 1: Conversation 2:
“Hello, Janet speaking?” “Hello, Janet speaking?”
“Hi Janet, it’s Alex. I just
“Hi Janet, it’s Alex. I’ll be a bit
wanted to let you know that
late to work today.”
I’ll be a bit late to work
today.”
In the first conversation, Alex sounds quite abrupt because she gives her information
(“I’ll be a bit late to work today”) straight away. In the second, she sounds more
polite and friendly because she precedes her information with the phrase “I just
wanted to let you know (that )…”
Look at two more phrases that have the same function:
I’m (just) calling to let you know (that) your order has arrived.
The reason I’m calling is to let you know (that) our lamps are back in
stock.
When giving information, the verb phrase to let (object) know is very useful. You
will hear native English speakers use it frequently. It means “to tell or inform
somebody”. However, “I’m calling to tell you” can sound a little too direct, and “I’m
calling to inform you” is too formal for most situations. “I’m calling to let you
know”, on the other hand, is just right for almost any situation.
Getting information
What if you make a telephone call because you need to get some information?
Compare these two conversations:
Conversation 1: Conversation 2:
“Good morning, Anderson “Good morning, Anderson
carpets?” carpets?”
“Good morning. I wonder if you
“Good morning. Has my order
could help me. I’m just
arrived yet?”
calling to enquire whether my
order has arrived yet.”
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In the second conversation, the caller is much more polite. In general, jumping
straight in with a direct question, as in Conversation 1, sounds very abrupt. Here are
some alternatives:
General introductions
I wonder if you could help me…
This is a really useful phrase for starting any enquiry, especially when you don’t know
the person on the other end of the telephone.
Asking and enquiring
Now look at the alternative to “Has my order arrived yet”?
I’m (just) calling to enquire/ask whether my order has arrived yet.
Look at the structure of this phrase:
I’m (just) calling to enquire/ask whether + SUBJECT (my order) +

VERB (has arrived).
Note the word order of “my order has arrived”. The question has become a
statement.
You can also enquire or ask about something (enquire/ask about + NOUN) like this:
I’m (just) calling to enquire/ask about order number 33245.
Be careful with the verb to enquire. Although it means the same as to ask, it cannot
be followed by a direct object. So:
I asked him whether he lived in the city.

I enquired him whether he lived in the city.
Informal questions
In informal conversations, try introducing your question like this:
Can/Could I ask you a quick question? When do you close this evening?
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Can/could you tell me when you close this evening?
Again, note the word order in the second example. The question “when do you
close?” becomes QUESTION WORD (when) + SUBJECT (you) + VERB (close).
I don’t understand
Everybody knows how to say “I don’t understand” in English, but do you know any
synonyms for the verb to understand? You will sound much more natural if you can
master these phrases:
I didn’t quite catch that.
I'm not quite sure I follow you.
I'm not sure I got your point.
Imagine you are on the telephone and you are given the following unclear
information. What phrase would you use to say that you don’t understand? Choose
the best option.
To catch, to follow and to get someone’s point all mean to understand. Look at how
to use them below:
To catch
We can use catch to mean hear or understand when we are talking
about small pieces of information, such as names, or short comments. E.g.:
I didn’t catch her name.
I didn’t catch what you just said.
We don’t use catch for deeper topics, however.

I don’t catch theoretical physics.
Look at possible structures:
I didn’t catch that. (catch + that)

I didn’t catch your name. (catch + noun)
I didn’t catch what you said. (catch + noun phrase)
To follow
29
We can use follow to mean understand when we are talking about a longer
explanation or description, rather than a short piece of information. E.g.:
I’m not quite sure I follow your explanation.
I don’t follow your reasoning.
I’m sorry, I didn’t follow your name.
Look at possible structures:
I’m not sure I follow you. (follow + OBJECT)

I don’t follow your argument. (follow + NOUN)
I’m not quite sure I follow what you’re saying. (follow + NOUN PHRASE)
To get someone’s point
When we get someone’s point, we understand what they are trying to communicate.
Look at the examples:
Person A: “She’s often late, the standard of her work is not the best and I’m
afraid her attitude towards customers isn’t great either.”
Person B: “I’m not sure I get your point…”
Person A: “My point is that we shouldn’t renew her contract!”
Look at the structure:
I get your point.

I don’t get his point.
Do you get my point?
Asking for clarification
If you don’t understand something, it’s helpful to ask for clarification. Do you know
these phrases?
Could you say that again, please?

Would you mind repeating that?
The problem with these phrases is that the speaker will probably just repeat what
they said using the same words. Try the following ways of getting clarification on
something specific:
30
Could you be more specific, please?

Could you give me an example?
What do you mean by “recorded delivery”?
Could you explain what you mean by “recorded delivery”?
Do you mean (that) you’d like to track the parcel on the internet?
When you think you’ve understood, it’s always a good idea to summarize the
information you’ve been given, as a way of checking your understanding:
Could we go over that again, just to make sure? (go over = explain, examine,
study)
Can I read that back to you?
Could you bear with me a moment while I check a few details? (bear with
me = be patient with me)
I just want to make sure I’ve understood you/the problem correctly.
Recorded information lines
Nimvelo
Recorded information lines – a low-cost marketing tool for small business
A recorded information hotline is a versatile, yet low-cost, marketing tool. It is

a great way of capturing new customers, while freeing-up time to spend on
other activities.
A recorded information line is a type of voicemail system that allows you to
record an extended greeting which prospects can listen to 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, 365 days a year. Callers then have the ability to leave their
contact details or optionally, to speak to a live person.
So how exactly do pre-recorded information lines increase productivity and

reduce costs?
Adapted from http://www.nimvelo.com/2011/08/recorded-information-

lines-low-cost-marketing-tool/
Email Communication
31
Contents
1. Email Basics
2. Formal/Informal Writing
3. Useful language & Punctuation
4. Disagreeing, Linking Words and Hedging
5. Complaints and Apologies
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1. Email Basics
STARTING AND SENDING AN EMAIL
Love them or hate them, it’s difficult to escape the daily task of reading and
responding to emails. In this unit, we’ll consider how to start and end emails
appropriately, and will begin to consider good email style.
33
Starting and sending an email
How you start your emails (the salutation) and end your email (the sign-off) depends
on the level of formality you need and the number of people you are addressing.
When you know the recipient’s name (formal):
Salutation Sign-off
Dear Mr Smith, Regards,
Dear Mrs Jenkins, Regards,
Dear Miss Cornick, Regards,
Dear Ms Thomas, Regards,
When you don’t know the recipient’s name (formal):
It sometimes happens that you have to send a formal email to a person whose name
you don’t know (for example, you email the customer service department of a
company to make a complaint). You can use the following:
Salutation Sign-off
Good morning/afternoon, Regards,
When emailing a colleague or close business partner (semi formal):
Salutation Sign-off
Dear Jonathan, Best regards, / Warm regards, / Best wishes,
Dear Maria, Best regards, / Warm regards, / Best wishes,
When emailing a close colleague with a request (informal):
Salutation Sign-off
Hello Katy, Thanks, / Cheers,
Hi Ben, Thanks, / Cheers,
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When emailing a close friend (informal):
Salutation Sign-off
Hello Katy, All the best,
Hi Katy, (Lots of) love,
When addressing more than one person:
Salutation Sign-off
Dear all,
Hello everyone,
Hi everyone, (Depends on formality. See above)
VOICE AND STYLE
Tone and Style: What is important?
Have you ever received an email and thought, “did a human write this?” Well, one
of the problems with many learners of English is sounding like a robot. Knowing how
to manage your voice and style will help you a lot. It will help you engage with your
reader, it will create a relationship, and it will allow your reader to see who you are
as a person. In essence, managing your voice and style is giving your writing
personality.
What is it?
Voice is the difference between Bob Dylan’s and Jimi Hendrix’s version of All Along
the Watchtower. Instead of putting words on a page, you are tattooing your
personality on the page. You do this through word choice, rhythm, punctuation, and
word count. Look at the following examples.
Too Professional
The conditions on the dock are abysmal. It saddens the heart when you
journey to the docks and see the workers there. Their workplace is unclean
and they must inhale fumes from machinery that never ceases. Changes need
to be made to spare the workers from their environment.
Too Casual
Working down at the docks sucks. I think every worker down there is super
depressed. I mean, the place is just dirty. Even the air is filthy! The workers
have to breathe the exhaust from the machines. I mean, give them some
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safety equipment or somethin’! If something isn’t done, they’re going to strike

for sure!
The above samples are difficult to read. In the first one, the word choice is too
complex and not very commonly used. It uses long sentences and uncommon
grammar. In the second one, the vocabulary is what you’d expect from a 14 year
old. It uses lively punctuation and basic grammar.
How can I change my voice?
Think about these three things:
1. What do you want to communicate?

2. The purpose of what you’re writing. Do you want to persuade, inform, or
question?
3. Your target audience. Are you writing to kids, professionals, or academics?
How do I translate all this into words?
The best way to establish your voice is to think about the three ideas above. If you
were writing about fashion to 13-year-old girls, you’d want fresh, funny, trendy, and
understandable language. You’d use more slang. If you were writing to your boss,
you’d want to show your competence. You would use technical words, concise
grammar, and unambiguous expressions. Consider your word count. Do you need so
many words? Will more words make you sound smarter? Or will more words be too
confusing?
The subject line
Some people receive up to 100 emails a day at work. The first thing they see in their
inbox is the subject line, so it’s important to write a subject that catches their
attention and describes the content of your email.
You don’t have much space so you should miss out insignificant words such as the,
a, is, my etc. Look at the examples:
The meeting that we planned for this Friday has been canceled.
Meeting this Friday canceled.
There’s a problem with order number 11267. Please could you investigate?
Order 11267 please investigate.
I’d like to request a day’s annual leave this Friday.
Annual leave this Friday.
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2. Formal/Informal Writing
FORMAL, INFORMAL AND NEUTRAL EMAIL STYLES
Emails are an essential tool in the modern world, both in our private and professional
lives. Billions of emails are sent and received every day, and it’s important for us to
know what kind of vocabulary and expressions to use when we are emailing in
another language. In this unit we will learn and practice some key formal and informal
email expressions, as well as looking at how to avoid some common mistakes in key
phrases.
37
Formal, informal and neutral email styles

There are three different writing styles for emails, although in real life the differences
are not so clear. Each writing style uses different language. In this activity we’re
going to practice adapting your language to the level of formality of the email.
Formal
This is the style of an old fashioned letter. Ideas are presented politely and carefully,
and fixed expressions and long words are used a lot. The language is impersonal.
Grammar and punctuation are important. This style is not common in emails, but you
can find it if the subject matter is serious (for example a complaint).
Neutral
This is the most common style in professional/work emails. The writer and the reader
are both busy, so the language is simple, clear and direct. Sentences are short and
contractions are used (I’ve for I have etc…). The language is more personal. The style
is direct and is quite different from speech.
Informal
This is the most common style for emails between friends. Sometimes the email can
be very short, or it could include personal news, funny comments, etc. This is the
style that is closest to speech, so there are everyday words and conversational
expressions. The reader will also be more tolerant of bad grammar and spelling
mistakes!
Note: With business emails, you can mix styles, but be careful. If in doubt, follow the
style of the other person.
Formal and informal verbs

As we saw in the previous section, there is often more than one way to say the same
thing in English, and the choice you make depends on how formal you want to sound.
But how can you decide which is the more formal option?
Oftentimes, one of the options includes longer words, which are of Latin origin,
whereas the other option uses shorter words. Longer words of Latin origin tend to
sound more formal than shorter words.
Compare:
I require some assistance. (more formal)
with
I need some help. (less formal)
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In this section we’re going to focus on formal and informal verbs that can be used
when writing emails.
Compare:
I’d like to request a brochure. (formal)

Can I ask for a brochure? (less formal)
I’d like to enquire about your prices. (formal)
Can I ask about your prices? (less formal)
HOW TO WRITE A FORMAL EMAIL
Although emails usually aren’t as formal as letters, they still need to be professional
to present a good image of you and your company. Follow these six simple steps to
make sure your English emails are perfectly professional.
Read the following steps then complete the questions below.
1. Always open your email with a greeting, such as “Dear Lillian”. If your
relationship with the reader is formal, use their family name (eg. “Dear Mrs.
Price”). If the relationship is more casual, you can simply say, “Hi Kelly”. If
you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to, use, “To whom it
may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”
2. If you are replying to a client’s inquiry, you should begin with a line of thanks.
For example, if someone has a question about your company, you can
say, “Thank you for contacting ABC Company”. If someone has replied to
one of your emails, be sure to say, “Thank you for your prompt
reply” or “Thanks for getting back to me”. Thanking the reader puts him
or her at ease, and it will make you appear more polite.
3. If you are starting the email communication, it may be impossible to include

a line of thanks. Instead, begin by stating your purpose. For example, “I am
writing to enquire about …” or “I am writing with reference to …”.
Make your purpose clear early on in the email, and then move on to the main
text of your email. Remember, people want to read emails quickly, so keep
your sentences short and clear. You’ll also need to pay careful attention to
grammar, spelling and punctuation so that you present a professional image
of yourself and your company.
4. Before you end your email, it’s polite to thank your reader one more time and
add some polite closing remarks. You might start with “Thank you for your
patience and cooperation” or “Thank you for your consideration”, and
then follow up with, “If you have any questions or concerns, don’t
hesitate to let me know” and “I look forward to hearing from you”.
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5. The last step is to include an appropriate closing with your name. “Best
regards”, “Sincerely”, and “Thank you” are all professional. Avoid
closings such as “Best wishes” or “Cheers” unless you are good friends
with the reader.
6. Finally, before you hit the send button, review and spell check your email one
more time to make sure it’s truly perfect!
Formal and informal phrases

02:04
Informal Formal
What do you need? Please let us know your requirements.
Thank you for your email received February
Thanks for the email of Feb 12th. 12th.
Sorry, I can’t make it. I’m afraid I will not be able to attend.
I’m sorry to tell you that … We regret to advise you that …
I promise … I can assure you that …
Could you …? I was wondering if you could …
You haven’t … We note from our records that you have not …
Don’t forget … We would like to remind you that …
I need to … It is necessary for me to …
Shall I …? Would you like me to …?
But …/Also …/So … However …/In addition …/Therefore …
Please could you … I would be grateful if you could …
I’m sorry for … Please accept our apologies for …
RE: … With regard to …(or With reference to …)
See you next week. I look forward to meeting you next week.
Formal and informal verbs
to inform to tell/say to ask

to regret to be sorry to promise
to postpone to delay/put off to need
to be aware to know to get in touch
to acquire to get/buy to help
to enquire to repair to give
to assure to request to fix
to require to reserve to ask for
to contact to verify to book
to assist to obtain to check or prove
to provide to possess to get
to have
40
3. Useful language & punctuation
USEFUL LANGUAGE AND EMAIL STRUCTURE
Writing emails is a fact of daily life in today’s world, and emails are used as a quick
and easy way to communicate with someone. However, it is important to keep in
mind that writing an email for business purposes is not the same as sending off a
quick note to a friend. You need to keep in mind that a business email requires the
level of formality and politeness you use in all business communications.
41
Brief but descriptive
In the business world, time is money. Therefore, when someone receives an email
they want to know quickly how much attention it needs. You can help your recipient
by writing subject lines that tell them what the email is about and by writing emails
that are brief but informative. First, let’s look at subject lines.
Your subject line should be brief (no more than 50 characters) but descriptive. In
other words, it should tell the reader what the email is about in just a few words.
Let’s look at an example.
Your company has been having some problems with the clarity of bar codes on plastic
packaging. Compare these two subject lines of emails you might receive from two
suppliers. Which one would you open first?
New product offering

Innovative barcode system for plastic packaging
Yes. The first one could refer to anything, but the second one refers to your specific
problem. You would definitely open that one and read it first.
Now compare these two subject lines:
Innovative barcode system for plastic packaging

Are you having problems with your barcodes? Are they blurred and hard to
read? Try our innovative barcode system for plastic packaging
As you may have guessed, the second subject line is too long. Most email programs
cut long subject lines short. Therefore, you probably won’t see the important part,
which is that the sender has a possible solution for your problem.
Brief but informative
Business emails should be brief but informative. Most people want to glance quickly
at an email and move on to the next one.
You have given the reader an idea of what the email is about with your brief but
descriptive subject line. After the greeting, start the email with a one-sentence
introduction to tell the reader the purpose of the email. Then the email should be no
longer than two to three concise paragraphs long. The sentences in these paragraphs
should be simple, and not too long. You want to tell the reader the main points that
they need to know.
You may be thinking, but what if I have more to say? In this case, there are several
possible solutions. A phone call or meeting may be necessary rather than giving all
the information in an email. Or, perhaps, you should write what you need to tell them
as an attachment that they can download easily.
If someone has written and asked questions, 1-2 sentence answers are the right
length for an email. Otherwise, a phone or attachment may work better.
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Keeping it short
Just as we use email in our everyday lives, most people text or chat message. When
using one of these forms of communication with friends we often use abbreviations
to save time and keystrokes. However, you have to keep in mind that a business
email should be somewhat formal. There are some abbreviations that are appropriate
to use in a business communication but you should use them sparingly. Don’t be
tempted to use abbreviations that may be appropriate for a text or chat message in
a business email.
Let's look at a short example. You are sending this email to Mr. Jones, who is the
head of your company’s research and development department.
Did you spot the abbreviations? Do you know what each means? The chart lists these
and a few others that you may not see in a business email.
43
FYI for your information S&H shipping and

handling
ASAP as soon as possible Mr./Mrs./Ms. salutations
RE:/Re: Regarding Mon. Tues., days of the

etc. week
Mfg./Ltd./Co. manufacturing/limited/company Jan., Feb., etc. months of the

year
R&D research and development i.e. that is
HR human resources e.g. for example
AR/AP accounts receivable/accounts

payable
Punctuation!!!
Like a business letter, a business email represents your company. Therefore, it should
be free of grammatical and punctuation errors. We can’t cover all of English grammar
and punctuation here, but we will look at some of the most common punctuation
errors so that you can avoid them.
First of all, in a business email, you should always use standard punctuation. Avoid
!!! and ??? – and don’t overuse dashes (--) or dots (…) .
Because people so often get them wrong, we will look at the use of commas and
apostrophes.
Commas, commas, and more commas
There are a number of ways in which commas should be used, but we will look the
main ones that you may need in writing a business email.
You probably remember that one common use of commas is to separate three or
more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series. Let’s look at an example:
Our new product is strong, reliable and indestructible.
44
Grammarians who favor the Oxford comma would include a comma after each
element.
Our new product is strong, reliable, and indestructible.
However, either is acceptable.
In a business email, try to avoid long, complicated sentences. This will be easier for
the reader, and it will reduce the number of places you might make errors with
commas.
Did you notice the way commas were used in the previous paragraph? First, a comma
sets off the introductory phrase. “In a business email,” from the main clause, “try to
avoid long, complicated sentences.” In the sentence, “However, either is acceptable”,
the comma followed an introductory word before the main clause.
The second comma separates two adjectives describing the same noun, similar to
the way we use a comma in a series – “long, complicated sentences”.
The third comma is separating two independent clauses, that is, two sentences that
can stand on their own. We use a comma to separate them when they are joined by
coordinating conjunctions such as: and, but, or, so, yet. However, to avoid this
complication in an email, it is sometimes better to write this one long sentence as
two. “This will be easier for the reader. It will reduce the number of places you might
make errors with commas.”
There are many other ways that commas are used. When in doubt, check your
favorite grammar book or online website.
The mysterious semicolon ;;;
It is no accident that the semicolon is a period and a comma. We use it to narrow the
gap between two closely linked sentences.
We use a semicolon before such words and terms as namely, however, therefore,
that is, i.e., for example, e.g., for instance, etc., when they introduce a complete
sentence. It is also preferable to use a comma after these words and terms.
Example: Bring any two items; however, knives and forks are in short supply.
We also use a semicolon to separate units of a series when one or more of the units
contain commas.
Look at this example:
The conference has people who have come from Valencia, Spain, Stoke,
England, Poznan, Poland, and other places as well.
It’s easy to notice that with only commas, that sentence is very confusing.
45
The correct punctuation is this:
The conference has people who have come from Valencia, Spain; Stoke,
England; Poznan, Poland; and other places as well.
That pesky apostrophe
Apostrophes are another punctuation mark that are misused frequently. They are
actually over-used.
The two main uses of apostrophes are for contractions (can’t, won’t) and for showing
possession (Fred’s, the company’s).
They are never used to form a plural (3 emails, 7 offices). Let’s repeat that: They are
NEVER used to form a plural.
They also are NOT used to form possessive pronouns (hers, its).
Some common contractions are:
I’m I am won’t will not
I’ve I have isn’t is not
we’d we would/we had aren’t are not
they’re they are let’s let us
can’t cannot
When we use apostrophes for possession, it usually looks like “apostrophe + s”.
Fred’s car = the car which belongs to Fred

the company’s car = the car which belongs to the company
my boss’s car - the car which belongs to my boss
However, if a word, especially a name, ends in “s”, you often do not add the extra
“s”:
Mr. Hastings’ car - the car which belongs to Mr. Hastings
When in doubt, check your favorite grammar book or online website.
46
British and American English
One final point we’d like to cover is some differences between British and American
English spelling.
This chart summarizes some important differences.
Form (British/American) Examples (British/American)
-re/-er centre/center
-ise/ize organise/organize
-isation/-ization realisation/realization
-yse/-yze analyse/analyze
-our/-or colour/color
-ence/-ense licence/license
-ogue/-og dialogue/dialog
Double „l“ after a short vowel/ single travelling/traveling

„l“
47
10 Rules for Writing Business E-Mails
1. Remember PAS: purpose, action, salutation. The beginning should

say the purpose: why you are writing. Next, the email should have clear
action: are you giving information or asking for something? Finally, close
the email with a salutation: a polite way to say goodbye.
2. Be informal, but not too friendly. ‘Hello’, or ‘Hi’ are okay.

Sometimes, people write emails that begin with a name, like “Steve”.
Contractions are okay (e.g. I’d, he’d, we’ve). Never use emoticons.
3. Be concise. Business e-mails are short. No repetition. Usually, 2

paragraphs are enough – few people read long emails.
4. Use a descriptive subject line. Tell readers why they should open
your email.
5. Remember the mechanics: good grammar, word choice, punctuation

and spelling.
6. Scan. People scan emails. If it is interesting, they might read it

carefully. Many people receive 25 to 100 emails a day. They don’t have
time to read every email. Short sentences and short paragraphs are good.
7. Reference. If your email is a reply, say that. Something like this: “In
your last email you asked …..” is okay.
8. Attachment. If your message has an attachment, add one sentence

to say that.
9. Layout. Use white space. Usually, 2 lines per paragraph. This makes
the message easy to scan and read.
10. Write with active sentences. Passive sentences use more words
and take longer to read.
48
4. Disagreeing, linking words & hedging
DISAGREEING, LINKING WORDS & HEDGING
In a business environment you will probably be responsible for reading and

responding appropriately to emails. In order to handle business correspondence well,
there are times when you have to be able to politely disagree with someone or hedge
to avoid committing yourself. It is also important that you understand how to use
various linking words.
49
How do you disagree politely?

In the previous section, you saw what a difference using a few polite phrases can
make when you need to disagree with someone. In the second email, Rosie said, “I
have to respectfully disagree.” There are many other phrases that we use when
we want to politely disagree with someone. Can you think of any?
Polite phrases for disagreeing
I’m afraid I don’t agree.

I’m afraid I disagree.
I’m sorry, but I don’t agree.
I’m sorry, but I don’t see it that way.
I’m sorry, but I disagree with you on this.
Did you notice that many of these expressions start with a word or a phrase
expressing apology? We don’t want to cause offense. Likewise, when we disagree
politely, we try not to be negative about the other person’s idea or opinion.
I understand where you are coming from, but …

Could we look at this from a different angle?
I understand your point, but…
Additionally, we may start with tentative language to soften what we are going to
write.
Perhaps there’s another option.

Maybe we could look at this from a different angle.
I’m not sure if I agree.
Linking words and phrases

Do you remember our email to Mr. Garcia where he was complaining that he had
been overcharged? Let’s look at another way of explaining the issue to him.
Look at these two sentences:
The price is lower. You order more than 100 parts.
There is nothing wrong with the individual sentences, but when you read them
together, the exact meaning is not clear. Let’s write them as one sentence with a
linking phrase and see how it sounds,
The price is lower as long as you order more than 100 parts.
This linking phrase, “as long as”, gives the combined sentences the meaning we want.
Now look at this pair:
You ordered fewer than 100 parts. The price is higher.
50
Again, there is nothing wrong with the two sentences, but look at what happens when
we insert a linking phrase:
You ordered fewer than 100 parts. As a result, the price is higher.
Linking words can make your writing flow better as well as strengthen the impact of
what you want to say.
Linking words and phrases: Dependent clauses

Take a look at the linking words below. How many of them do you already know?
How many do you use?
Sometimes linking words and phrases are used to connect ideas within one sentence.
The sentences listed below contain a dependent and an independent clause. Do you
remember what they are?
In short, dependent clauses cannot stand alone as a sentence. If they are at the
beginning of the sentence, they are followed by a comma. You might want to review
about dependent and independent clauses if you don’t remember exactly what they
are. Study the examples that are provided to see how to use a few common linking
words and phrases.
as long as The price is lower as long as you order more than

100 parts.
As long as you order more than 100 parts, the price
is lower.
although/even though Although/Even though Sam doesn’t agree,
perhaps there is another option.
Perhaps there is another option although/even
though Sam doesn’t agree.
even if Even if there is another option, I’m afraid I still
disagree.
I'm afraid I still disagree even if there is another
option.
in case Could we look at this from a different
angle in case there is another option?
In case there is another option, could we look at
this from a different angle?
in spite of/despite In spite of/Despite the email explaining our policy,
you ordered fewer than 100 parts.
You ordered fewer than 100 parts in spite
of/despite the email explaining our policy.
Put it on my desk so that I remember to check it
today.
so that (Notice that we do not start a sentence with “so
that” .
51
Linking words and phrases: Independent clauses

There are other linking words and phrases that connect two complete sentences.
These are a little trickier, because you have to pay more attention to punctuation.
If the linking words are at the beginning of a sentence, they are followed by a comma
as in this example.
In addition, our service contract is one of the best in the industry.
However, when you connect two independent clauses, you have to put a semicolon
at the end of the first clause; furthermore, a comma is placed after the linking word
or phrase.
Did you notice how cleverly we demonstrated how this works in the previous
sentence?
It may seem confusing, but you will have a chance to practice. Having to worry about
punctuation is well worth what these words and phrases can add to your writing.
These groups of words and phrases have been organized by similarity in meaning
and examples have been provided.
As a
result/Consequently/Therefore I’m sorry, but I don’t agree. As a result, we
will need to re-start the negotiations.
I’m sorry, but I don’t agree. Consequently,
we will need to re-start the negotiations.
I’m sorry, but I don’t agree. Therefore, we
will need to re-start the negotiations.
The desk is too expensive. Besides, it is too

large for my office.
Besides/Furthermore/In addition I’m sorry, but I don’t see it that
way; furthermore, the sales manager
agrees.
I have to respectfully disagree. In
addition, my boss also thinks the desk is
too expensive.
For instance, perhaps there’s another
option.
For instance/For example For example, perhaps there’s another
option.
On the other hand On the other hand, maybe we could look at

this from a different angle.
However/Nevertheless I’m sorry, but I disagree with you on
this. However, perhaps there is another
option.
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I understand your point. Nevertheless, I’m

afraid I don’t agree.
To summarize/sum up, linking words and
phrases are very useful.
To summarize/sum up In conclusion, we should us them more
In conclusion often.
Hedging
When writing business emails, there are times when you have to be able to hedge to
avoid committing yourself. What is hedging? It is using language that does not
commit you absolutely to an opinion, or it shows that our view might not always be
true, or is only true in certain circumstances.
We hedge for several reasons. We hedge so that we don’t sound arrogant, or as

though we know everything. You sound more polite and more open to listening to
other points of view. It also can be used when you want to distinguish between facts
and opinions. When you hedge, you also sound less confrontational.
Compare these two sentences.
I don’t agree that this is the best product on the market.

I’m afraid I disagree. As far as I can tell, this is not one of the best products
on the market.
Can you see how adding some hedging words softens this sentence so that you don’t
sound all-knowing, impolite, and confrontational?
You could also say:
I’m afraid I disagree. I think, this is probably not one of the best products
on the market.
Expressing a lack of certainty, “I think”, “probably”, “I believe”, does not necessarily

show confusion or vagueness. Hedging can show your understanding of the situation.
In addition, if information cannot be 100% verified, you may want to hedge so that
you are not committing to a fact or opinion that may later prove to be false.
Rather than saying, “I don’t agree that this is the best product on the market”, you
can hedge and say “According to our research team, this might not be the best
product on the market”. By attributing the statement to someone else, you are
offering a different viewpoint, not just your own. By using the modal “might” you
have softened the statement and expressed a little uncertainty about the product's
status as “best”.
Hedging words and phrases

I think… Probably
I believe… It seems…
I wonder… It appears…
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I suppose… It’s hard to say…

I assume… According to [someone]…
I’m afraid… [Someone] says that…
There is the possibility… As far as I can tell…
Qualifiers Modal verbs which hedge

almost would
a little could
a bit might
some may
more or less
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5. Complaints and apologies
RESPONDING TO EMAILS: COMPLAINTS AND APOLOGIES
Sometimes, when a person has a complaint about a product or service, they will call
the company to complain. However, with the increased use of computer technology
more people and companies prefer to use email to deal with complaints.
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Something was not done
When you work for a company, there are any number of reasons why you might
receive emails of complaint. Although you may have to deal with such emails from
your co-workers or boss, you probably will be dealing more with customer and vendor
complaints.
What kinds of things do you think customers might complain about? Think about your
own experiences with products and services. What kinds of problems have you had?
See if any of the following sound familiar.
The product ordered online was never delivered.

The wrong order was delivered.
The goods were broken.
The customer was overcharged.
Shipping and handling was charged, and the buyer thought it was free.
Parts were left out.
Someone’s suitcase was lost, and they had to buy some new clothes for an
important business meeting.
Depending on your role in the company, you may also have to deal with vendor
complaints. Look at the following examples:
An overdue bill was not paid.

An order was cancelled at short notice.
Products were returned with no reason given.
As you can see, there are any number of reasons why someone may write to complain
in the business context. Did you notice that some of the words in the phrases were
in bold? Do you recognize this verb form? This is the past passive form.
Let’s briefly look at this form.
We often use the active voice, in which the subject does the action.
John broke my computer.
John, the subject, did the action: broke.
However, in other situations, we are less interested in who did something than we
are in what was done. Compare the first example with the example below:
My computer was broken [by John].

In this example, the action is the focus of the sentence: was broken.
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By comparing the two examples, you should see that three changes happen when
changing a sentence from Active to Passive.
1. The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive
sentence: the computer.
2. The verb is changed to: simple past of “be” + the past participle.
3. The subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence
or is not mentioned at all because it is not important.
Dealing with complaints

I am sorry that happened
In the business environment, it is important that your dealings with everyone, but
especially with customers, be polite. While you can be informal and still be polite
among friends, in the business context, politeness needs to be more formal. When
you are writing in response to a complaint, you should think about how serious the
problem is. A simple problem which caused little or no inconvenience to the customer
and that can be easily fixed does not require as formal an apology as a larger or more
complex problem.
In her email to Mr. Rogers, Jen wrote:
I am sorry to hear that your order was missing some parts.
If she wanted to be more formal, she could have written:
I do apologize that your order was missing some parts.
To be even more formal, she could have written:
I would like to apologize for the problem with your order.
Polite apologies
I am sorry but ... I do apologize for ...
I am sorry that ... I [really] must apologize for ...
I am sorry for ... I sincerely apologize for ...
I am sorry to hear that ... I would like to apologize for ...
I apologize for ... Please accept my apologies for ...
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Did everything work out?
Once you have handled a complaint, it is good policy to check back with the customer
after a reasonable amount of time to see if the problem was solved to their
satisfaction. Such attention to the customers’ needs can create good business
relationships.
Some useful phrases

I am following up on ...
I am following up to see if ...
I wanted to see if ...
I wanted to see if the problem was resolved to your satisfaction.
I would like to know if ...
I would like to know if everything worked out to your satisfaction.
Steps for a response to a complaint email

Address the customer by name. Say what action will be taken.
Acknowledge receipt of the complaint email. Thank the customer for their business.
Apologize for the problem. Apologize once again.
Confirm the details of the complaint. Close politely with full name and position title.
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Active Participation in Meetings
Contents
1. Setting up a Meeting
1.1. MEETINGS: VENUES AND PROCEDURES
1.2. TIMES AND DATES
1.3. SCHEDULING AND SETTING UP A MEETING
1.4. FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS
2. Opening and Chairing a Meeting

2.1. STARTING WITH SMALL TALK
2.2. OPENING A MEETING
2.3. WELCOMING PEOPLE AND THE AGENDA
2.4. MOVING THROUGH THE AGENDA- QUICK REFERENCE
3. Maximizing Participations in Meetings

3.1. TOP TEN TIPS FOR PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS
3.2. PHRASAL VERBS
3.3. IDIOMS DURING A MEETING
4. Closing and Summarizing a Meeting

4.1. WRAPPING UP A MEETING
4.2. REPORTING VERBS
4.3. THE MINUTES OF A MEETING
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1. Setting up a Meeting
Contents
1.1 MEETINGS: VENUES AND PROCEDURES
1.2 TIMES, DATES

1.3 SCHEDULING AND SETTING UP A MEETING
1.4 FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS
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1.1 MEETINGS: VENUES AND PROCEDURES
You and meetings
Setting up a meeting – Good practice
Meetings can be stressful to set up, but if you plan ahead and cover all of your
bases, it shouldn’t be too difficult to conduct a good meeting with your
colleagues and clients. Here are some important points to consider when you plan
your next work meeting.
1. Location
If you are meeting with people located in the same city, it’s easy to decide on
a location- either your office or theirs. However, in special circumstances you
will need a different venue. For example, if many people are attending, you may
need more space. If you require food service or other special equipment, a hotel
conference room may better suit your needs.
If you are meeting with people from out of town, then a teleconference or
videoconference may be the solution. The goal is to book a venue that is easy
to access for everyone, and makes them feel comfortable.
2. Equipment
Depending on the content of your meeting, you will need to ensure you have the
correct equipment. Having clients attend your meeting without the proper set-up
can reflect poorly on you as the organizer, and your company. Cover all bases:
microphones, computers, projectors, Internet access, spare laptops, notepads and
pens should all be readily available, should you need them.
3. Set-Up
What kind of environment do you want to encourage at your meeting? This will
influence how you set up your meeting room. If there will be one main speaker
or a presentation, it’s best to go with a theatre or classroom set-up. On the
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other hand, if you want to encourage free discussion between all participants,
choose a horseshoe or roundtable set-up instead.
4. The Request
Meeting requests should be sent with clear information and instructions. For
example, list all of the relevant information such as location, time and duration
along with an RSVP request. Some software programs like Outlook Express do this
for you, but if you are requesting a meeting by email alone, ask your potential
attendees to confirm or regret with you by email. This will give you an accurate
number of attendees, which is especially important if you are providing food or
copies of documents.
1.2 TIMES AND DATES

Times and dates
We use the prepositions in, on, or at when we talk about the time and date of meetings.
In
Months in January
Seasons in summer
A year in 1999
Part of the day in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening
On
Days of the week on Tuesday
Date on 3rd August
On specific festival days on Easter Sunday, On New Year's Eve
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At
Part of the day at night
The weekend at the weekend
Time of day at 3pm
Holiday periods at Christmas, at Easter
Writing and saying the time
There are several ways you can write the time in English, using both digits (numbers) and
letters. Depending on the type of document you are writing, it is usually best to use only
numbers to write the time as this makes it clearer for the reader. However, even when
using numbers, there are several differences, most of which relate to whether or not you
use the 24 hour clock:
15:00 is the same as 3pm or three o'clock in the afternoon.
12:00 is the same as 12pm or midday.
00:00 is the same as 12am or midnight.
Note that the use of the 24 hour clock is more common in mainland Europe than in the UK.
When we say the time, there are several different ways we can do so. For example, for the
time 13:45 we can say:
Thirteen forty five

One forty five pm
Quarter to two in the afternoon
Writing the date
Writing the date using numbers

There are also several rules for correctly writing the date in English, although these rules
can change depending on whether you choose to use British or American English. Firstly,
we shall look at the two general rules:
Always capitalize the names of the days - Monday, Tuesday, Friday, etc.
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Always capitalize the name of months - January, April, August, December, etc.
In American English the format of writing the date is Month, Day, Year, as in:
April 14, 2008
Notice that a comma separates the day from the year. In British English the format is
more usually Day, Month, Year, as in:
14 April 2008
You notice that no comma is used here. When we write the day in full (Friday, Sunday etc.)
then in American English it is written as follows:
Friday, October 31, 2016
Whereas in British English, we write

Friday 31 October 2016
Once again, no comma is used.
In numbers
Often, you will need to write the date only in numbers. In this case it is very important to
remember whether you are using American or British systems. For example in American
English you would write:
Month, Day, Year

10/03/2016
(3 October 2016)
In British English, the numerical date is always written as:
Day, Month, Year

03/10/2016
(3 October 2016)
Ordinal numbers
Sometimes, when writing the date we use some abbreviations to denote ordinal numbers.
We use ordinal numbers when we talk about the date or a fraction of something. An ordinal
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number is, for instance, first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and so on. You will have
noticed that when we say a date out loud we use ordinal numbers:
The fourth of July (July, 4 or 4 July)
Abbreviations of those ordinal numbers are as follow:
First - 1st
Second - 2nd
Third - 3rd
Fourth - 4th
Fifth - 5th
Sixth - 6th (and so on)
It is not strictly necessary to use ordinal abbreviations when we write the date, but some
people prefer to write: Friday 31st October 2016
1.3 Scheduling and setting up meetings
These images should help you remember some useful phrases for scheduling meetings.
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A I’ll pencil you in for the 12th June at 3:30pm.
B Can you find a window on Tuesday morning?
C I can squeeze you in at 2pm on Wednesday between my 1pm appointment and my

4pm meeting.
D I’ll put that down in my diary.
You may also need to use these phrases.
A How about 10am next Monday?
B Is 3pm on Friday good for you?
C Could you come to a meeting at 11 am on Wednesday morning?
D Are you free on Monday at 3pm?
E How about we postpone the meeting ‘till next week if not everyone can attend
tomorrow?
F Can you get back to me ASAP? I need to know how many people are attending
the meeting.
G The time isn’t set in stone, we could move the meeting forward an hour if we need
to.
H Can you make it to the planning meeting on Tuesday morning?
1.4 Talking about future arrangements
We use the present simple for something scheduled or arranged:
The meeting is on Tuesday afternoon.

The meeting starts at 5pm.
We can use the present continuous for plans or arrangements:
We are having a meeting on Wednesday to talk about the advertising budget.
We use going to for plans we have already made and when we have the intention to do
something:
We are going to be discussing the new software package.
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We use will to talk about future promises, offers, predictions and schedules:
The new Managing Director will be attending the meeting.
The meeting will be at 5pm on Tuesday.
Note that we also use 'will' for plans which we make spontaneously, in the moment. We
use ‘going to’ or the present continuous for plans which we have already made:
Everyone else can come to the meeting on Monday, can you come?
Let me check … Yes, I’m free. Don’t worry, I’ll be there! (‘will’ for spontaneous
decision)
Everyone else can come to the meeting on Monday, can you come?
Let me check … No, I’m sorry. I’m going to be visiting a potential client on Monday
morning. (‘going to’ for plans already made)
However, we can also use 'will' to inform others of scheduled meetings:
The meeting will be at 5pm on Tuesday
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2. Opening and Chairing a Meeting
Contents
2.1 STARTING WITH SMALL TALK
2.2 OPENING A MEETING
2.3 WELCOMING PEOPLE AND THE AGENDA
2.4 MOVING THROUGH THE AGENDA- QUICK REFERENCE
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2.1 STARTING WITH SMALL TALK

Tips for making small talk
• Get people talking about
Whether you wish to make someone feel themselves. Make sure you ask open
comfortable or simply to establish a ended question and follow up
connection, small talk is essential in the question to make someone feel like
world of business. Despite its you are interested in them.
importance, small talk is often
overlooked or even worse, got incredibly
• Keep it (relatively) informal. The
wrong. In business ‘small talk’ is often
questions ‘What is your job?’ and
substituted for the word ‘networking’ and
‘What are your hobbies?’ are fine
they can be very similar. Here are my top
grammatically but native speakers
tips for small talking and networking:
will rarely use them. Substitute
them with ‘What do you do?’ and
• Avoid taboos. This is especially ‘What do you like to do?’
true when dealing with people from
different cultures as what some
• Rain to the rescue. If you find
people may find an acceptable topic
nothing else to talk about, almost
of conversation may be offensive to
every culture on earth can relate
others.
to the weather. It may be a cliché
but it is true.
2.2 OPENING A MEETING
The chair of a meeting is key to the meeting’s success. If you are chairing a meeting, it’s
important to be able to move through all the essential elements of the meeting clearly and
efficiently. We’ll look at some key phrases for opening and moving through a meeting
agenda so that you’ll be able to both chair a meeting, and also understand key phrases
when someone else is in the chair.
Opening
There are a number of different phrases and idioms we can use when we want to start a
meeting, these images may help you remember them.
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A Let’s get the ball rolling. B Let’s get this show on the road.
C Let’s kick off then. D Let’s get down to business.
These less idiomatic phrases will also be useful.
OK, let’s get started.
Let’s get going.
Shall we get started?
Let’s get on with the meeting.
2.3 Welcoming people and the agenda
Look at the following phrases for welcoming people or explaining absences:
Please join me in welcoming John Simons from head office.
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We're pleased to welcome Tina Brown who is going to talk to us today about product
development.
I'm afraid Sheila can't be with us today as she has a client meeting.
I'd like to extend a warm welcome to Joel, who joined the department on Monday.
Unfortunately Brian will not be with us today because he is traveling to Berlin for a
conference.
It's a pleasure to welcome Shona from finance to give us an update on the annual budget.
I'd like to introduce Tony Small from the Manchester branch. Introduce
I have received apologies from Trevor who had to do a site visit this morning. apologies
Going through the agenda
Explaining the Starting Closing down Introducing the

purpose of a discussion on the discussion on a next item on the
meeting first topic on the topic agenda
agenda
We’re here today So, the first item Shall we leave that Let’s move on to
to discuss our on the agenda is topic for now and talking about the
sales strategy. the new policy on move on? staff Christmas
flexi-time. party.
Today we're going I think that takes
to talk about I suggest we start care of that item. The next item on
recent staffing with item one. today's agenda is
problems we’ve staff cover over
been having. the holiday period.
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2.4 MOVING THROUGH THE AGENDA- QUICK REFERENCE!
Use this quick reference for each stage of your meeting.
1. Greet everyone
Hello everyone.
Good morning/good afternoon/good evening.
Thank you for joining us/being here/coming. (note the use of –ing verbs after ‘for’)
It’s great to see you/have you here.
2. Check everyone is present
Is everyone present?
Is everyone here?
3. Welcome participants
Please join me in welcoming (name of participant)
We're pleased to welcome (name of participant)
I'd like to extend a warm welcome to (name of participant)
It's a pleasure to welcome (name of participant)
I'd like to introduce (name of participant)
4. Give apologies for absence
I'm afraid.., (name of participant) can't be with us today. / She is in...
Unfortunately, (name of participant) will not be with us today because he ...
I have received apologies from (name of participant), who is in (place).
5. Review the minutes
To begin with I'd like to quickly go through the minutes of our last meeting.
First, let's go over the report from the last meeting, which was held on (date).
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6. Check everyone has a copy of the agenda
Do you all have a copy of the agenda?
7. Explain the purpose of the meeting and give an overview of the agenda
We’re here today to discuss recent staffing problems.
As you know, the purpose / aim / objective of this meeting is to discuss / talk about our
new product.
Today we're going to talk about production.
There are X items on the agenda. First, ... second, ... third, ... lastly, ...
8. Allocate or clarify who will take notes/the minutes
(name of participant) has agreed to take the minutes.

(name of participant), would you mind taking the minutes/notes today?
9. Introduce the first item on the agenda
So, let's start with ...

I suggest we start with...
So, the first item on the agenda is…
Move onto the next item on the agenda
I think that takes care of the first item.
Shall we leave that topic for now and move on?
Why don't we move on to...?
If nobody has anything else to add, let’s move onto the next item.
The next item on today's agenda is...
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3. Maximizing Participations in Meetings
Contents
3.1 TOP TEN TIPS FOR PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS
3.2 PHRASAL VERBS
3.3 IDIOMS DURING A MEETING
74
3.1 Top ten tips for productive meetings

1. Know what you want to accomplish. It is important to know why you are
scheduling a business meeting. Write down a list of goals you want accomplished
before your meeting and then present this to the attending members. Do not leave
the meeting until you get the answers you’re looking for.
2. Develop a plan. Once you decide what you need to accomplish, you need to
create a plan on how you will communicate your goals to employees. Avoid using
complicated or "jargony" words when trying to explain new ideas and be willing to
answer any questions that are asked by members of the group. If someone doesn't
understand what you are saying, don't lose patience. Instead try to rephrase your
communication, so everyone is on board.
3. Write a one-page summary of your meeting. Before the meeting begins,

create a one-page summary of the major points that you want to cover during your
meeting. This lets your employees know what to expect, which will result in them
having a better understanding of what to expect in the meeting. Also, this will help
reduce any anxieties or fears among your workers and prevent any rumors from
spreading before the meeting begins.
4. Make sure you stay on topic. When there is a lot of people in a meeting it can
be difficult to stay on topic so prepare accordingly. If you find that the meeting isn’t
going anywhere or someone is off on a tangent, then politely circle back to the
important topic that needs to be addressed.
5. Ask the right questions. Always ask the right questions when talking to your
employees and colleagues. To prepare, write a list of questions that relates to your
current business concerns. If you ask a question and someone beats around the
bush, make sure you ask for clarification or push to get an answer that resolves
your issues.
6. Encourage participation. Do not let a few people take control of your

meetings. Instead, create a friendly atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable
expressing their opinions.
75
7. Determine a timeline. Make sure you have specific deadlines of when you
would like your objectives to get accomplished – otherwise, not everyone may be
on the same page.
8. Don’t leave the meeting right away. Don’t just finish your presentation and
then leave. Chances are some topics may need to be further explained or someone
will not fully understand the presentation. Again, be patient and ensure that
everyone understands your business goals.
9. Learn from your mistakes. Learn how to improve your company’s business
meetings by reviewing past presentations. Focusing on what you did wrong the last
time can go a long way in having productive meetings in the future. Another idea is
to ask for feedback from the people that attended the meeting and follow through
on their suggestions.
10. Change things up. Add some variety to your meetings and do not do the
same thing all of the time. This will prevent your employees from getting bored and
may also encourage participation. Be flexible when taking suggestions on improving
your business meetings.
Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237690
3.2 Phrasal Verbs

We often hear phrasal verbs during meetings which can cause confusion. Have a review of
their meanings and then the example in context.
to hand over = to give control or space to another person

to move on = to begin action on something new
to take through = to guide or lead other people
to think about = to reflect on or contemplate
to come back to = to return to
to put on = to place in a particular place
to get back to = to return to
to wrap up = to wrap up
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In context
I’d like to move on to discuss the next point.
I’d like to hand the discussion over to John now.
We need to think about this issue carefully.
I think we should come back to the point.
Could we put that on the agenda for next time?
Let’s wrap up now for today.
Let’s try to get back to the main topic.
James is going to take us through the next topic now.
3.3 Idioms during a meeting

Native speakers tend to use a lot of idioms and fixed expressions in business meetings. If
you don’t understand these expressions, it is easy to miss what is being said in business
meetings. Look through these images and try to guess the idiom before looking at the
idioms and their meanings on the next page.
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A to hit the nail on the head _____ = to say or do something that others agree is
correct or true
B to take the bull by the horns _____ = to confront a difficult situation head on
C to lay something on the table _____ = to present a matter for discussion

D to bring someone up to speed _____ = to give someone the latest information
about something
E to give the green light on something _____ = to agree to something going ahead
F to get things out in the open _____ = to make information public knowledge and
not hidden
G to keep someone in the loop _____ = to include someone in a group of people

that is kept up-to-date with information about
something
I to think outside the box _____ = to come up with creative ideas about
something
J to move the goalposts _____ = to change the rules in a situation in a way

that is not fair, usually in order to make it
more difficult for someone to achieve
something
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K to keep on track _____ = to stick to a plan
L to be on the same page _____ = to be in agreement
We're very glad that the planning process is over. We're looking forward to getting the project
off the ground.
I agree with Nicole 100%. I think she really hit the nail on the head.
Let's go over the details of what we agreed on just to make sure that we're on the same page.
I think it's a good policy to keep everything out in the open because people get suspicious if
you do things in secret.
One of our mid-level managers wasn't very popular and was causing some problems, so we took
the bull by the horns and replaced him with somebody else.
We need the manager to give us the green light on this before we proceed.
Before we go any further I think we should all lay our concerns out on the table.
I’ll feel better about it when I get up to speed about what’s going on.
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4. Closing and Summarizing a Meeting
Contents
4.1 WRAPPING UP A MEETING
4.2 REPORTING VERBS
4.3 THE MINUTES OF A MEETING
80
4.1 WRAPPING UP A MEETING
If you are chairing a meeting, it is important to bring everything to a close clearly and efficiently
at the end of the meeting. Follow uses these steps and phrases to bring the meeting to an end.
1. Summarizing the meeting
Before we close today's meeting, let me just summarize the main points.
Let me quickly go over today's main points.
To conclude, let’s just check what we’ve agreed on.
2. Checking there are no more comments
Is there any other business?

Are there any other comments?
3. Closing the meeting
Right, it looks as though we've covered the main items.

If there are no other comments, I'd like to wrap this meeting up.
Let's bring this to a close for today.
Let’s call it a day then.
4. Thanking your participants for coming
Many thanks for coming, everyone.

I’d like to thank you all for coming today.
4.2 Reporting verbs

Whether you are giving a verbal summary at the end of a meeting or writing the minutes of a
meeting, you will need to use a variety of verbs to report accurately what was said or agreed upon.
1 report _____ give details and facts of a past event
2 explain _____ make something clearer or easier to understand
3 propose _____ present an idea or situation to everybody
4 point out _____ give attention to something important
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5 decide _____ take a decision
6 agree _____ come to a consensus
7 promise _____ commit to take action on something
4.3 THE MINUTES OF MEETING
Minutes
The minutes of a meeting are a meeting report that is sent after the meeting, and include a
report of what was said and decided during the meeting. The minutes contain the date of the
meeting, as well as the initials and names of the people who attended.
Minutes of meetings usually include:
Attendees
Include the names of all people who attended the meeting. You can write the term "apologies
for absence were received from…" to say which people didn't come to the meeting.
Old business
Include a summary of any relevant old business carried over from the previous meeting.
New business
This should include a detailed summary of the points on the agenda, including key points raised
by participants, and action points agreed upon. Make sure to include who is responsible for
carrying out the action.
Any other business (AOB)

This includes any points raised by meeting participants which were not on the original agenda.
Next meeting agenda items

List items which have been suggested for the agenda of the next meeting.
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Date and time of next meeting

If the date and time for the next meeting have been agreed, make sure to include this
information.
Sample minutes
Minutes of meeting on our commitment to corporate responsibility
Date: 8 February
Venue: Bath Crescent
Present: Erika Koning, Matthew Meehan, David Gibbs, Siobhan Peters, Simona Viccoli
1 Overseas visits:
Stitch Wear manufacturers: Following recent complaints of varying standards in our factories
overseas, we agree that more frequent visits are essential for standardisation and quality
assurance. Matthew suggested drawing up a series of guidelines for these visits.
Action: MM/EK By: Mar 8th
2 Supplier screening policy
The Purchasing Department will review the current supplier-screening policy and send an e-mail
report before the next meeting.
Action: SV By: Feb 15th
3 CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) programme
Various ideas were discussed. The most popular was sponsorship of a l.ocal project involving
young people. Marketing will look into the proposal. To be discussed further at the next meeting.
Action: DG By: Feb 22nd
4 New position of CSR officer
It was agreed that Erika will take on the new role of Corporate Social Responsibility Officer and
could co-ordinate any subsequent actions of the CSR team. Decision on Erika's request for a full-
time assistant is pending. It was stressed all company directors and managers need to assume
responsibility for their respective areas.
Action EK By Feb 22nd
Next meeting confirmed: 22 February, 10.00 a.m.
Venue: Sefton Place offices, room 21
Purpose of the meeting: Marketing proposals for CSR programme
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English for Effective Presentations
Contents
1. Starting and structuring a presentation
2. Signposting language, intonation & emphasis
3. Body language and using visuals
4. Closing a presentation
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1. Starting and structuring a presentation
A good presentation can mean the difference between winning or losing a contract and between
the success or failure of a company. There is no one magic rule which can guarantee a perfect
presentation. However, preparing in a logical way and starting with a clear and effective
introduction will certainly increase your chances of success! In this section, we look at how to
prepare for your presentation, and how to begin your presentation.
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Preparing your presentation

1. Define Objective
2. Analyze Audience
3. Decide on Structure
4. Write
5. Develop Visuals
6. Rehearse and Modify
7. Dress Rehearsal
8. Perform
Defining your objectives

The first and most important step in giving a presentation is establishing your objective/s. There
are many different types of presentation and your objective/s will vary accordingly. For example,
you might need to inform people about something or you may need to train people. But
whatever your objective is, it is important to start your presentation planning by writing it down.
Know your audience
Researching your audience thoroughly can mean the difference between success and failure. It
is essential to remember that your audience has come for a reason. Therefore you should aim
to give them what they want. In order to do this effectively, you need to gather as much
information about them as possible before preparing your presentation. When thinking about
your audience there are a number of critical questions you should ask yourself.
For example:
Who exactly is coming?

How much do they already know?
How much do they need to know?
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Planning the presentation
Keep It Short & Simple. When planning your presentation try to weed out any unnecessary
material and concentrate entirely on what you really want your audience to retain. Every time
you include something in your presentation look back at your objective and ask yourself: “Is this
really necessary?” This is sometimes a difficult but necessary process.
Psychologists have studied how the attention of an audience varies during a 40 minute period.
It starts high, drops fairly gradually for the first ten minutes and then more steeply until it
reaches its lowest point after 30 minutes. It then starts to rise again and is high again for the
last five minutes. It is therefore essential to design one’s presentation accordingly and make
sure one uses as many attention grabbing techniques as possible in the “middle” or “low”
attention period of your presentation. As well, one should repeat the key points in the “high
attention” periods.
Writing your presentation
Write for the ear not for the eye
Before you embark on writing your presentation, it is important to make sure you avoid the
biggest mistake many people make at this stage. If you are writing directly onto the computer
screen (in other words from your head to your hand), the tendency is to write for the eye
not for the ear. In other words, something to be read rather than something to be listened
to.
There is an enormous difference between writing something for the eye and writing
something for the ear. It is essential to understand that difference in order to write a good
presentation.
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When people read, they have the chance to go back and check something they may not have
understood. In a presentation, they only have the one chance to listen to you.
When writing for the ear, your sentences should be short - containing a maximum of 20
words - and if possible, only one thought or concept. Short, concise sentences are not only
easier to understand, they are also easier to deliver and create a less formal, more
conversational tone for your presentation.
Writing for the ear is not easy, but can be learned. There are two possible methods to try:
One is to talk as you write (in other words, from your head to your mouth to your computer)
and the other is to read you speech out loud after it is written, shortening it and simplifying
it until it sounds like a speech rather than a text.
How to structure your presentation
There are many elements that make a presentation a good presentation. First of all, you need
to make sure that you have a clear objective for your presentation and think about who
your audience are and what they need to know. People give presentations because they want
to persuade, sell, train, motivate, inform or raise interest in an issue. They may also wish to
entertain their audience.
Then you need to think about the structure of your presentation. If your presentation is well-
organized, it will be easier to follow. List the key points you want to make in a logical order.
Make sure your presentation has a beginning, middle and an end. You can either write out your
presentation in full, or you can write down key words as prompts.
The introduction is the most important part of the presentation. The audience will know what
they are going to learn about and when. During your introduction you will signpost the structure
of your presentation.
The structure of a presentation should follow a path
• Greet the audience

• Introduce yourself
• Introduce the topic
• Outline your presentation
• Move to the main part of the presentation
• Summarize your main points
• Conclude your presentation
• Ask for questions and comments
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Look at the following phrases classied below according to which task they can help
you to accomplish:
1. Please save your questions until the end 14. I'd like to start by …
of the presentation. 15. Then I'll move on to …
2. Good morning/afternoon/evening 16. The main reason I am here today is …
everyone/ladies and gentlemen. 17. This morning I’d like to …
3. Morning, everyone. 18. Next …
4. I'm _________, the _________. 19. Feel free to ask questions at any point in
5. Today I am going to talk about … the presentation.
6. I've divided the presentation into three 20. As you know, I'm in charge of...
sections/parts. 21. What I want to do this morning is ...
7. I'll begin/start with … 22. If you have any questions you’d like to
8. I will take questions between each section ask, I’ll be happy to answer them during
of the presentation. the course of the presentation.
9. The purpose of my presentation is … 23. After that I'll …
10. My name is _________. 24. Finally I'll …
11. On behalf of..., may I welcome you to... 25. There’ll be plenty of time left over for
12. Thanks for coming. questions at the end.
13. For those of you who don’t know me 26. To finish up ...
already, I’m responsible for...
Greet your Introduce yourself Introduce the topic Outline the structure Explain how
audience of your presentation you will
answer
questions
2 4 5 6 1
3 10 9 7 8
11 13 16 14 19
12 20 17 15 22
21 18 25
23
24
26
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2. Signposting language, intonation & emphasis
If you plan your presentation carefully around a few key points, then you should be able to say
something relevant for your audience. But how can you really make them sit up and listen? In
this unit, we’ll be looking at some techniques you can use to keep your audience’s focus right
through your presentation.
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Hooks and signposts
Communications experts are all agreed that the first three minutes of a presentation are the
most important. They talk about “hooks” - simple techniques for getting the immediate attention
of the audience. A good start makes you feel more confident.
Here’s three different ways that the experts suggest you can “hook” your audience in your
introduction:
1. Give them a problem to think about
2. Give them some amazing facts
3. Give them a story or personal anecdote
Look at the presentation openings which are categorized below according to the type
of hook they :
1. Have you ever been in the situation where you’ve had to negotiate with the Japanese? I remember when I
was working in Nagoya and everybody had told me the Japanese don’t like saying no. So in meetings I just
kept saying yeah to everything. And they hated it. It turned out yeah sounds like no in Japanese!
2. I read somewhere the other day that the world’s highest paid executive works for Disney and gets $230
million a year. Now that’s about $2000 a minute! That means he’s currently making more money than
Volkswagen.
3. Statistics show that in the last ten years, more people have legally emigrated to the United States than to
the rest of the world put together - about half a million of them a year, in fact. Now, over ten years, that’s
roughly equivalent to the population of Greece.
4. Did you know that Japanese companies spend four times more on entertaining clients in a year than the
entire GDP of Bulgaria? 40 billion dollars to be precise. You know, that’s twice Colombia’s total foreign debt.
You could buy General Motors for the same money.
5. You know, R&D is 90% luck. When I think about creativity, I’m reminded of the man who invented the
microwave oven. He spent years messing around with radar transmitters, then noticed the chocolate in his
pocket was starting to melt!
6. How many people here this morning hate going to meetings? Just about everybody, right? Well, imagine a
company where there were never any meetings and everything ran smoothly. Do you think that’s possible?
7. Have you ever wondered why it is that Americans are easier to sell to than Europeans? And why nine out of
ten sales gurus are American? You have? Well, if I could show you what stops Europeans buying, would you
be interested?
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8. According to the latest study, by 2050, only one in every four people in Western Europe will be going to
work. And two will be old age pensioners.
9. Suppose your advertising budget was cut by 99% tomorrow. How would you go about promoting your
product?
Give them a problem to think Give them some amazing facts Give them a story or personal
about anecdote
6, 7, 9 2, 3, 4, 8 1, 5
Signposting language
Your audience should know at all times exactly where they are. This will help them follow your
presentation more effectively and understand better the points you are trying to make. In order
to help them, it is necessary to give them indications or verbal signs to indicate when we move
from one phase of the presentation to the next. We call these phrases “signposts.” One good
method is to tell your audience what you are going to say, say it to them and then tell them that
you have said it.
Remember: A short, concise signpost is better than an elaborate explanation about the content
of your presentation. So... KISS (Keep It Short and Simple).
Introduce the topic
Let me start by… I’ll start by… First of all, I’ll… Starting with… I’d like to begin by…
Move on to the next point
Let me turn now to ... Let’s move on to ... Turning to ... I’d like now to ... Let’s
look now at ...
Finish speaking about a point
Right, I’ve told you about ... We’ve looked at ... That’s all I have to say about ...
So much for ...
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Ordering your presentation
Firstly ... secondly ... thirdly ... lastly ... / First of all ... then ... next ... after that
... finally ... / To start with ... later ... to finish up ...
Summarize
Let’s recap, shall we? I’d like to sum up now ... Let me summarize briefly what
I’ve said. Let me remind you, finally, of some of the points I’ve made. If I can
just sum up the main points ...
Refer to something you will say later
I’ll deal with this later, if I may, but for now ... I’ll come back to this question
later in my talk. I won’t comment on this now, ... We’ll be examining this question
in more detail later on
Give examples
For example ... A good example of this is ... To illustrate this point, ...
Give a conclusion or recommendation
Where does that take us? Translated into real terms, ... What does that mean for
us?
Rhetorical techniques
The main body of your presentation is where most of the information is provided and where you
will illustrate and demonstrate your points with information and data. While presenting the main
body of your presentation, there are many different skills and techniques which may prove useful
to you. Remember, the most important thing is for the structure to be clear and concise. As one
guru of communication once said, “every word should have a purpose”.
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We are now going to examine a few of the best techniques used by professional presenters to
make their points more effectively.
If you plan your presentation carefully around a few key points, then you should be able to be
relevant to your audience. However, how can you really make them sit up and listen? In this
session, we’ll be looking at some techniques you can use to keep your audience’s focus right
through your presentation.
Repetition
Simple repetition is one of the good presenter’s most powerful techniques. Look at the kind of
words which are most effective when repeated:
The overall response has been much, much better than anyone ever expected.
It really is very, very difficult to predict what might happen in 10 years’ time.
It’s always far, far easier to identify a gap in the market than it is to fill it.
Rhetorical questions
It is often more interesting to present your ideas as questions rather than direct
statements. Questions involve the audience. They also make your presentation sound more
conversational and create anticipation in the minds of your audience. Rhetorical questions do
not require answers from those you address.
The opportunities in Eastern Europe are better now than they’ve ever been.
So, what are we waiting for?
Dramatic contrasts
Good presenters frequently make use of dramatic contrast to reinforce the point they are
making. People are very aware of simple opposites such as “good and bad,” “past and present,”
“us and them.” If you can make your point with two strongly opposing ideas, you will
immediately get the attention of your audience.
Ten years ago we had a reputation for excellence. Today we’re in danger of losing that
reputation.
While our competitors have been fighting over the European market, we’ve been
establishing ourselves as market leaders in the Middle East.
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Tripling
Good presenters frequently chunk important points in threes.
Our service is swift, efficient and professional.
Build-ups
One very effective way of emphasizing a point is to present several connected pieces of
information which build up to a short and simple conclusion.
As far as this contract in the Emirates is concerned, we’re pretty tied up with a lot of
other projects at the moment, so there’s no way we could meet their deadlines. We have
very little experience of this kind of work, anyway. And, to be honest, they’re not
prepared to pay us what we’d want... BASICALLY, it’s out of the question.
The last sentence is a simple summary of the situation in a word or phrase. The main message
is clearly delivered after a short pause.
Knock-Downs
A popular technique with presenters who want to sound provocative is to carefully build up a
series of points which seem to oppose their main argument and then knock them all down in a
single sentence.
Of course, the experts said that a palm-top computer could never succeed. They did
market research which showed that people would just see it as a gimmick. They said its
memory capacity would be too limited for serious business users. And they did feasibility
studies which showed that the keyboard would be too small for even the fingers of a five-
year-old! So, how come it sold more than a million units in its first year?
Notice how the presenter pauses before delivering the final knock-down.
Typical Knock-Downs
So, how come ...?
The problem is ...
The amazing / stupid thing is...
But it didn’t stop us / them...
But what I want to know is...
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Voice control
Proper use of your voice is absolutely essential to a good delivery. You can have the best material
in the world, but if you don’t use your voice correctly, your presentation will come across dull
and boring. There are several key points to remember:
1. Volume
Although most large venues now provide a microphone, on some occasions you may still
have to rely on your voice. Always make sure you speak loudly enough for the person in
the last row to hear you. If possible, do a test with a colleague before the presentation
begins.
2. Pitch
You need to raise and lower the pitch of your voice in order to make your speech sound
natural and interesting. A speech delivered in a flat monotone is enough to send even the
most avid listener to sleep. So remember raise your voice to emphasize a point and lower
your voice to stimulate attentive listening.
3. Speed
When people get nervous, their automatic tendency is to speak faster. Try to make a
conscious effort to speak slowly and clearly - more slowly than in an ordinary
conversation. This will give your audience more time to take on board what you are
saying.
4. Pauses
Pauses are one of the orator’s most powerful tools. If you speak slowly and pause when
necessary, you will sound better and feel more confident. Don’t feel you need to fill every
sound gap with a phrase word or comment. Remember: “Silence is Golden”.
5. Word stress
After knowing where to pause, knowing which words to stress is the most important skill
you need for presenting to an audience. Stressing key words will also help you to vary
the pitch of your voice.
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3. Body language and using visuals
Good use of visual aids is key to engaging your audience. While visuals aids can help your
audience to understand and retain information, poor visual aids can detract from your
presentation. In the same way, appropriate posture and gestures can aid your delivery, whilst
inappropriate body language can distract your listeners. In this session, we focus on good
practice for visuals, and on some of the language you’ll need when using visual aids.
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Guidelines for using visual aids

Audiences remember 40 percent more of what they hear and see, than of what they only hear.
Specifically, retention increases threefold (from 14 percent to 40 percent) when listeners see as
well as hear. Audio/visual aids are used to illustrate, clarify, and simplify presentations. They
can enhance your presentation if used correctly and they can ruin it if used incorrectly.
Visuals can enhance a presentation by:
a. Simplifying complex material

b. Adding variety
c. Supplementing or replacing lecture notes (which means that if you know your opening
and closing you can get in front of a group without a single piece of paper!)
d. Clarifying certain points
e. Reducing the time it takes to present a (difficult) concept
f. Increasing retention
Visuals can ruin a presentation if they are:
a. Overused
b. Confusing
c. Too wordy
d. Too crowded
e. Colorless
f. Boring
g. Not in sync with the needs of the audience
h. Word-for-word what you are saying or if you read them to the audience
i. Not handled smoothly
j. A lot of boring charts
When?
The time to produce visuals such as slides and overheads is after you’ve written your
presentation, not before.
The speech determines the visuals. The visuals should never determine the speech.
Timing
Never begin a speech or presentation with a visual. “Title” slides should be visible only
before the presentation starts so that audiences will know they’re in the right room or
can get an idea what the presentation will be about. If you use a title slide, put a blank
slide in just after it and click to it before the program begins. This blank stays in
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throughout your opening. A good time for visuals is in a low attention part of your speech
in order to recapture audience interest.
Simplicity
This is often the key to a truly effective visual aid. An overdose of words or numbers will
lose the audience’s attention and cause your message to become less clear. Studies show
that in word-based visual aids a maximum of six lines or 40 words per transparency is
ideal and no more than 30 numbers. The simpler your message is, the easier it will be to
remember. All printing, writing, and diagrams should be large and legible with no
crowding. Viewers should be able to understand them in five to twenty seconds. Use
handouts to communicate any detailed information.
Color
Whenever possible use color. This makes your visual aids more eye-catching and
consequently easier to remember. Put the most important information in the most eye-
catching color and use different colors to mark different stages in an explanation or
process.
Surprise
The element of surprise is extremely effective in gaining and maintaining audience
attention. Keep your visual aids out of view until you are going to use them. Cover them
or put them away when you have finished with them so that you can be assured of your
audience directing their attention where you want it.
Selection
Try not to overwhelm your audience with endless visuals. If you show your audience 30
visuals they will remember less of each than if you show them 5. You do not need all the
words or all the information in your presentation on your visual aids. It is better to be
selective, concise and efficient. Before using a visual, always ask yourself: “Is it really
necessary?”
Guidance
Guide your audience through the visual aid to make sure they really understand its
significance. Make sure they can see it clearly and that you yourself are not obstructing
their vision. Maintain eye contact when talking about a visual aid. Look at your audience
and point to the relevant sections. You should know at every stage of the presentation
where you want the audience’s attention: On you, on your visual, or on a specific part of
your visual, and you should guide them accordingly.
Remember the audience
Keep your audience in mind when you use visuals. Never read visuals to your audience
or repeat word-for-word what is on the visual. Maintain as much eye contact as possible
with your audience. Don’t talk to your visual. Don’t look at the slide, overhead projector,
flip chart, or blackboard while you’re explaining what’s on the visual to your
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audience. Furthermore, don’t talk when you’re looking down at your notes or when you’re
not facing your audience. Talk only when your mouth and your eyes are facing the
audience. It’s perfectly okay to have a few seconds of silence while you look down at
your notes or catch a glimpse of the slide before you talk about it. When your mouth is
not facing your audience, you’ll be heard or understood poorly, if at all.
Precision
Double check spelling and grammar. A spoken mistake is over when it’s spoken, but a
mistake on a visual can seriously reduce your credibility.
Language
Use the correct language to explain your visuals and keep it simple.
Don’t distract your audience’s attention with too much talking.
Commenting on visuals
Visuals help you to give a lot of information in a short space of time. They are ‘quick snapshots’
of situations, developments, events and processes which would take a long time to explain fully
in words.
Good visuals speak for themselves and require little or no description, but you often need to
draw your audience’s attention to one or more key points before you discuss them in greater
detail.
There are three tasks which you usually need to do when presenting visuals:
1. Highlight. Which parts of the visual are most significant?
2. Comment. Why is it significant?
3. Interpret. What conclusions can be drawn?
Types of visual aids
There are many different types of visual aids that we can use during a presentation. While there
are many other types of visial aids, such as physical objects or models, often we use slides from
a PowerPoint presentation. Slides may be text based, or may include graphs and charts. This is
particularly the case when we are presenting figures and trends, as we often need to summarize
detailed figures in a way that is straightforward for our audience to understand.
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There are three main types of graph and chart:
1) the bar graph
2) the line graph
3) the pie chart
Body language
Non-verbal communication can be as important as verbal communication in your presentation.

Using appropriate gestures will help maintain your audience’s interest and make you appear
more relaxed and natural. Your two main tools for non-verbal communication are your hands
and your eyes. You should always try to maintain an upright posture - don’t slouch - and avoid
repetitive gestures which can become irritating.
Figuring out what to do with your hands
There are two acceptable and effective places for your hands and arms while speaking:
1. Gesturing, and
2. Resting at your sides until you gesture again.
Pros:
Gesturing is good for many reasons:
- It lets off nervous energy
- It makes you more interesting to watch
- It makes you look more relaxed and natural
- It adds emphasis
- It adds emotion and interest
- It can be used to illustrate what you are saying
Cons:
It can be distracting, particularly if someone uses the same gesture repeatedly.
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No-no’s for hands and arms
There are a number of gestures and hand positions that will distract your audience. Avoid
these postures:
• Male fig leaf, with hand over hand at the top of the legs.
• Both hands deep in pockets. You can’t gesture and you look like you’re uptight.
• Feet shoulder-width apart, hands behind derriere, or a soldier standing at ease.
• Female fig leaf, with arms crossed over chest; this body language says “I don’t want to
be here”.
• Hands on your hips or pointing a finger at the audience; looks too bossy.
• Open wound, one hand across chest holding opposite upper arm. If you (especially
men) put one hand in a pocket, be sure there are no keys or change inside.
Making eye contact
Make eye contact with as many people in the audience as often as possible. Aim to make
eye contact 90 percent of the time. Eye contact (and gesturing, having an open facial
expression, and passion) do more to help your delivery than anything you say or anything
else you do. Having good eye contact establishes a positive relationship with the audience
and demonstrates confidence and sincerity.
Look at individuals in all parts of the audience (left, centre, right, front and back).
Look right in their eyes (not at their forehead or the tops of the heads in the back row).
Reading your audience
As you move into the body of the speech, begin to read your audience. You can always tell how
you’re doing by looking at your listeners. If they are sitting upright and maybe a bit forward,
eyes alert, looking at you, attentive, smiling, listening, laughing, taking notes - you’re doing a
great job. You’re meeting their needs and holding their interest
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4. Closing a presentation
Once you have delivered the body of your presentation, you can't just end there! It is important
to deliver a good summary and conclusion to your talk. You need to review your main points and
tell the audience what you want them to do with the information they just heard. The recap will
reinforce what you have said during the presentation, and may be your opportunity to take
questions from the audience.
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Summarizing and concluding
You've delivered a great introduction and kept your audience engaged during the body of your
presentation. Now it is important to end your presentation on a high note with a great conclusion!
In this activity you’ll learn some key phrases – make sure you take note of any you don’t use
already.
Just remember, this is a recap of the information you have already given. Your conclusion should
be short and concise.
What should your conclusion do? It should:
• restate the main points

• formulate conclusions and recommendations
• leave the audience with a strong message to take with them
• thank your audience
• invite questions
In order to make your finish more effective avoid false endings don’t say “and finally” when you
mean to continue for another 20 minutes.
1. What functions should the conclusion to your presentation have? Think of as many as you
can and report back to the class.
2. Look at the target language below. Decide on the function of each phrase
Phrases you can use for summing up/concluding a presentation:
In conclusion … / To conclude …
I'd like to sum up … / I’d like now to sum up …
Are there any questions? / Are there any final questions?
Let me recap what I have said.
Finally, let me remind you of the main points we've discussed today.
The one thing I want you to remember is …
In conclusion, my recommendation(s) is/are … / I recommend the following …
Many thanks for your attention. / Thank you for your attention.
That brings me to the end of my presentation.
I would like to wrap up by saying … / To wrap up, …
As a result, we would suggest …
So, we have seen today …
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Common presentation closing techniques
The conclusion to your presentation is your opportunity to really hit home and end on a high
note. But what should your last sentence be? There is no one way to close your presentation,
but listed below are some of the most common closing techniques you can use to find a hard-
hitting last line for your conclusion.
Look at each of the techniques. Decide which one would be most suitable for your
presentation that you worked on in the previous section, and write a final line to your
conclusion.
1. Issue a call to action

If you want the audience to do, think, feel or say something after your presentation, say so.
Always be clear and direct. For example, if you want them to give blood, tell them: “So next
time you walk past the hospital looking at the sidewalk just remember...”
2. Predict the future

“By the year 2020 the population of the world will have increased by 20%. That’s 1 billion
new potential customers: That’s why we should...”
3. Issue a challenge
Give your audience an objective to achieve. “I challenge you to double our sales by next
year”.
4. Use a quotation
Using a quotation which helps illustrate your presentation can be a very moving way to
finish. “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your
country.” John F. Kennedy
5. Ask a rhetorical question

Either you can answer the question or leave the audience hanging. One possibility is to ask
the same question you started with if you used a rhetorical question in your opening. : “So
which will it be: More tax or fewer hospitals?”
6. Offer a bit of advice

This can be a little risky as some people do not like receiving advice (depending on the
subject matter) but in some cases can work very well. “So if I were you, I’d take a trip to
my nearest Renault dealer before I bought my next car.”
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7. Make a pledge or promise

This is a typical ending for politicians and presidents of corporations but should be used with
caution. You will be amazed how well people remember if you are unable to fulfill your
promise some time down the line.
8. Use a little humor

Humor can be a good way to end depending on your objective, but as always in
presentations, you need to be honest with yourself. If being funny doesn’t come naturally to
you it’s probably best avoided.
Dealing with questions
Why do people ask questions in a presentation? Some questions are genuine requests for further
information, but many are, in fact, some other response in disguise. These are a few of the
principal types to look out for:
The concealed objection

It may indeed only be thinly concealed: “Won’t this mean weekend working?”, “Why is the price
so high?” These can be dealt with according to the standard rules for objection handling:
• don’t get defensive
• make the objection specific;
• put it in perspective;
• give the compensating benefits.
The test question
This is designed to probe your knowledge and experience. “What are the stress characteristics
of this new alloy?” The golden rule is not to bluff or try to excuse your ignorance. If you don’t
know, promise to find out for the questioner – and keep the promise. In fact, it can be useful
excuse for coming back to them later.
106
The display question
Quite often a questioner’s real motive is to show their colleagues how well informed they
are. Nothing will make them happier than to have their expertise publicly commended, so don’t
be afraid to tell them how clever they are. “Of course you’re right. I didn’t mention it because
it’s too technical for most people, and as you’ll know it doesn’t affect performance”.
The challenge question
You make an assertion which trespasses on the territory of one of the audience members. It is
best to retreat immediately and with deference, concede to them their full territorial rights in
their area, and perhaps consult their wisdom. “I’m sorry, of course I was only talking about the
US market in general, not the US market for hot water bottles, which obviously you know much
more about than I do. What in fact has been the sales trend over the past two years?”
Handling difficult questions
Some presenters allow their audience ask questions throughout the presentation. However, it is
common to finish a presentation by inviting your audience to ask questions. Often, these will be
asking for clarification on certain points of the presentation that you will be able to answer easily.
But what should you do if you get a difficult question that you can answer immediately? Let’s
look at some ways you can respond.
1. Thank the person for their question
Whether or not you can answer the question, you should always thank the person for their
question. You can use phrases such as:
Thank you for your question.
That is a really good question and I’m glad you asked it.
2. Clarify that you understand the question if necessary
If you are not sure you know the answer to that question, then check that you understood the
question. This also ‘buys you time’ to think about the answer. You can use phrases such as:
So, if I understand you correctly, you are asking me if we…
So what you’re asking me is …, right?
107
3. Answer with one of these three options
Once you have clarified the question that is being asked, if you still are not sure of the answer,
you have three options:
• Admit that you don’t know the answer and turn it over to the audience to help.
I’m afraid that isn’t my area of expertise, but I am sure someone else here may
know the answer to that.
Can anyone help answer that question?
• Admit that someone you work with would be better suited to answer that, and
you will consult with them and get back to the person.
Unfortunately I don’t have the answer for that now, but I do have a colleague that
can answer that question. I will ask him and get you the answer later today.
• You need more information on the question, it is a private question, or you don’t
have the time to answer it in front of the whole audience. Ask to meet later.
I think it would be better if I got a little more information before answering that
question.
If you promise to get the answer to them after the presentation, then you should always
make sure you either arrange to exchange contact details, or arrange to meet them.
Can we meet after the presentation and exchange contact details?
Can we meet after the presentation at lunch? I would be happy to get you more
information then.
108
The five steps to a perfect delivery
CAUTION: These steps take time.

GUARANTEE: They work!
Step 1. Type your presentation
Type or write your entire presentation - every word. To avoid getting lost whilst practicing, use
large type (at least 18 point) and use both upper and lower case letters.
Step 2. Read your presentation out loud
Read your presentation out loud, slowly, and from beginning to end with a pen or pencil in hand.
Reading it silently to yourself does not as good. You should eventually sound conversational, as
though you were talking over a back fence or across the kitchen table. You should sound as
though you’re talking to or with your audience rather than at it. Change jargon to easy-to-
understand words unless every person in the audience knows the lingo. Change hard-to-
pronounce words to simpler words.
As mentioned earlier, you should try to keep your sentences to less than 20 words. If necessary,
divide a sentence into two sentences. Repeat the process of reading and modifying your
presentation until you have a speech that you are happy with.
109
Step 3. Practice your written-out presentation with three aids
Practice your presentation in front of a mirror with a stopwatch and tape recorder. Start the
stopwatch and turn the tape recorder on when you begin.
Look in the mirror as you’re reading to check your facial expressions. It is important that your
expression communicates that you are receptive and dynamic, rather than angry or distant.
Check your posture, your gestures, and your smile (if appropriate) as you read your speech.
Turn off the tape recorder and the stopwatch when you are finished. Did your speech end within
the time allotted to you? If your talk is too long, you must make cuts. Don’t plan to just speak
faster.
Listen to the tape of your presentation at home, in the car, or while you are exercising. Ask
yourself: How did you sound? Was there emotion or enthusiasm in your voice? After you carry
out this painful task, your presentation will be 100% better than it was on the tape, no matter
how (good) you sounded.
If you’re using visuals, they should be ready now. Go through your entire speech and write,
change an overhead, or click the slides at the proper time. Make a red mark in your speech to
indicate when to change the visual.
Step 4. Summarize your presentation into key points
You’ve written your speech, you’ve spoken it twice, and heard it once. You’re starting to know
it. It’s time to boil down the ten pages of text to message points, or six-word phrases, and write
them on cards. Number each one. Use the tape recorder again, and the stopwatch if your speech
is still too long, and practice the entire presentation in front of a mirror again.
Step 5. Have a dress rehearsal
The last step is to give your presentation, with or without your notes, in front of a “coach” -
someone who will be brutally honest - or a video camera. This last step in the process should
allow you to eliminate any annoying or distracting gestures and make a sound judgement about
the structure and interest of your presentation.
110
Survival tactics
Giving a presentation in a foreign language is a challenge: Concentrate too hard on the facts
and you could make language mistakes; Concentrate too hard on your English and you could
get your facts wrong. In this section we review some key phrases you can use when things start
to go wrong.
If you have problems during your presentation, don’t panic. Pause. Sort out the problem and
continue.
Below are the eight most common problems people face.
WHAT YOU THINK WHAT YOU SAY
I’ve got my facts wrong! So, let’s just recap on that.
Too fast! Go back. So, just to give you the main points here ...
I’ve forgotten to say something! Sorry, perhaps I didn’t make that quite clear.
Too complicated! Make it simple Sorry, let me rephrase that.
I’m talking nonsense. Sorry, what’s the word / expression?
How do you say this in English? Sorry, what I meant is this ...
Wrong! Try again. So, basically, what I’m saying is this ...
I’m running out of time! Sorry, I should just mention one thing.
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Effective Telephone Communication

1. Making & receiving calls

4. Formal & informal telephone language

5. Asking for clarification

1. Making & receiving calls

MAKING AND RECEIVING CALLS

Answering the phone and introducing yourself

(This is) + name + speaking.

Hello/Good morning, (this is) Angie Fairclough speaking…

Hello, I am Angie Fairclough.

Hello, it’s Angie Fairclough on the telephone.

Hello, Angie Fairclough is speaking.

Good morning, Payroll Department, Angie (Fairclough) speaking?

Good morning, Payroll Department?

Good afternoon, Smith and Watson Incorporated?

Good afternoon, Smith and Watson Incorporated, Sales Department?

Good afternoon, (1)Smith and Watson Incorporated, (2)Sales Department, (3)Jamie

Good morning, Payroll Department speaking.

SWK Holdings, Janet Brown speaking, how may I help you?

This is most appropriate for external calls.

Ask to speak to someone

Good morning, Payroll Department, Angie Fairclough speaking…

In a more formal environment, try the following:

Oh hello, could I speak to Martin Wightman please?

Saying whether someone is available or not

Let’s review the conversation so far:

Good morning, Payroll Department, Angie Fairclough speaking…

I’ll just check (if he’s available). One moment please…

Yes he is. Just a moment/minute …

Yes he is. Hold on one moment please. (Hold on = wait)

What if Martin is not available?

I’m sorry, Martin isn’t in/here today.

I’m sorry, Martin isn’t available/around at the moment.

It is polite to offer the caller a solution, e.g.

Can he call you back? (call back = return a call)

You could try his mobile/cell phone.

Putting people through

Hold on, I’ll put you through (to Martin’s line).

I’m putting you through.

I’ll just transfer you…

Look at these two sentences; there is a subtle difference:

Dealing with technical issues

Could you speak up a little?

Bad internet connection I’m sorry. I’m on a slow internet connection.

Shall we try voice only?

Poor telephone line It seems to be a bad line/connection.

Shall I hang up and call you back?

Opening the conversation

Good morning/afternoon Mr Clarkson,

It’s Peter Brooks here from Anderson Flooring. (formal)

It’s Richard here, from Quality Control. (informal)

Oh, good morning Mr Clarkson, I’ve been expecting you to call.

Oh hello/hi Karen, thanks for calling.

Oh hello/hi Karen, great to hear from you!

Oh hello/hi Karen, how are you? (informal)

Notice the structure of the following key phrases:

I’ve been expecting you to call. (to expect + object + infinitive)