HEAAADERLOGORIGHT

BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS SITUATIONS · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

IT’S A
DEAL
QrrkoD Scan to review worksheet

Expemo code:
12T6-XRFZ-K8I

1 Warm-up

Do you negotiate much in your work?

2 Stages of a negotiation

Complete the mini dialogue headers with the negotiation stages below.

Accepting an offer Closing the deal Making an offer

Reaching a compromise Rejecting an offer Making small talk

Making small talk

Jack: How was your flight?
Roberto: Not too bad. I slept on the plane.
2

Kate: So, what is your price?

Carol: We were thinking about $50 per package.

3

Kate: We were thinking about $50 per package.

Carol: Hmm... that’s too high for us.
4

Kate: How about $40 per package?

Carol: Sounds good.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/4

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Erin m's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

IT’S A DEAL

Kate: We can pay $50 per package if you reduce your delivery time by 10 days. Can you do
that?
Carol: Yes, we can do that.
6

Kate: So, we’re in agreement. $50 per package and 30 days delivery time.
Carol: Yes. It’s a deal.

3 Listening

Steven works for a consulting company and charges $120 an hour. One of his clients needs about
100 extra hours of consulting for a special project and wants to negotiate a lower price. Listen to the
dialogue and check the stages that you notice.

Audio
making small talk making an offer

accepting an offer rejecting an offer

reaching a compromise closing the deal

4 Checking understanding

Listen again and choose the best answer for each question below.

1. What was Steven’s first offer?

a. $50/hour b. $80/hour c. $99/hour

2. How much does Costas want to pay?

a. $50/hour b. $80/hour c. $99/hour

3. What compromise do they reach?

a. $50/hour plus 20% commission

b. $80/hour plus 15% commission
c. $99/hour plus 15% commission

4. Why do they arrange another meeting?

a. to discuss the details b. to negotiate a better price c. to reach a compromise

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 2/4

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Erin m's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

IT’S A DEAL

5 Useful expressions

Complete the dialogue with the expressions below.

How does that sound? ... is very low

it’s a deal I was thinking of
that sounds good to me to be honest, I think ... is too high
What do you think about that? What price did you have in mind?

Steven: Hi Costas. Good to talk to you again. Have you thought about what we spoke about?
1
Costas: Yes, I have and $99 . I’ve been a loyal client of
yours for over a year now. We have at least three or four sessions a month.
Steven: I totally understand, Costas, but remember I have to do a lot of extra research in order to
give you the most professional advice for your project. And that takes time.
Costas: I understand, but let’s talk about this.
2
Steven:
3
Costas: $50 an hour, and if we increase our sales in the
first year because of your advice then we could offer you a 20% commission.
4

5
Steven: Hmm...$50 . And we usually don’t agree to commissions.
Costas: But you told us that our business has a lot of potential.
Steven: Yes, that’s right, but we prefer to concentrate on helping your business grow, on long-term
planning, not short-term profit. And we like to keep our relationship clear. We are your
consultants, not your business partners.
Costas: I see.

Steven: But maybe we can compromise ... if you agree to pay us $80 an hour and let’s say offer us
6
15% commission.
Costas: 15% ... for the first year?
Steven: Yes.
7
Costas: Hmm...yes, .
8
Steven: Great, . But we will need to decide how you’re going to report
your sales figures to us.
Costas: Yes, of course. Let’s arrange a meeting to discuss the details.

On the next page, put the expressions into the correct categories.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 3/4

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Erin m's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

IT’S A DEAL

Making an offer: I was thinking of ...

Accepting an offer:

Rejecting an offer:

Asking for an opinion:

Asking someone to make

an offer:

Closing a deal:

6 Role play
Work in pairs. Imagine you are buying and selling grapes for making wine or juice. Practice the
following simple negotiations with your partner, taking turns to be buyer and seller. Try to reach
a compromise and close the deal.

Negotiation 1 Buyer wants... Seller wants...

Price/lb $6 (25% discount) $8

Delivery time 20 days 30 days

Minimum order 50 pounds 100 pounds

Negotiation 2 Buyer wants... Seller wants...

Price/lb $5.40 (10% discount) $6

Delivery time 15 days 30 days

Minimum order 100 pounds 200 pounds

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 4/4

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Erin m's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

IT’S A DEAL

Transcripts

3. Listening

Steven: Hi Costas. Good to talk to you again. Have you thought about what we spoke about?

Costas: Yes, I have and to be honest, I think $99 is too high. I’ve been a loyal client of yours for
over a year now. We have at least three or four sessions a month.

Steven: I totally understand, Costas, but remember I have to do a lot of extra research in order to
give you the most professional advice for your project. And that takes time.

Costas: I understand, but let’s talk about this.

Steven: What price did you have in mind?

Costas: I was thinking of $50 an hour, and if we increase our sales in the first year because of your
advice then we could offer you a 20% commission. What do you think about that?

Steven: Hmm... $50 is very low. And we usually don’t agree to commissions.

Costas: But you told us that our business has a lot of potential.

Steven: Yes, that’s right, but we prefer to concentrate on helping your business grow, on long-term
planning, not short-term profit. And we like to keep our relationship clear. We are your
consultants, not your business partners.

Costas: I see.

Steven: But maybe we can compromise. If you agree to pay us $80 an hour and let’s say offer us
15% commission. How does that sound?

Costas: 15% ... for the first year?

Steven: Yes.

Costas: Hmm... yes, that sounds good to me.

Steven: Great, it’s a deal. But we will need to decide how you’re going to report your sales figures
to us.

Costas: Yes, of course. Let’s arrange a meeting to discuss the details.

FOOOOTERAPPENDIXRIGHT
Learn without forgetting! i
Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Erin m's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

IT’S A DEAL

Key

1. Warm-up

Encourage a short discussion.

2. Stages of a negotiation

2. Making an offer
3. Rejecting an offer
4. Accepting an offer
5. Reaching a compromise
6. Closing the deal

3. Listening

Pre-teach any unfamiliar vocabulary, e.g. ‘a loyal client’, ‘sessions’, ‘commission’, ‘compromise’, ‘report sales figures’.
X making an offer
X accepting an offer
X rejecting an offer
X reaching a compromise
X closing the deal

4. Checking understanding

1. c 2. a 3. b 4. a

5. Useful expressions

Either play the dialogue again or hand out the transcript.

1. to be honest, I think ... is too high
2. What price did you have in mind?
3. I was thinking of
4. What do you think about that?
5. ... is very low
6. How does that sound?
7. that sounds good to me
8. it’s a deal

1. Accepting an offer: that sounds good to me

2. Rejecting an offer: ... is very low; to be honest, I think ... is too high
3. Asking for an opinion: How does that sound?; What do you think about that?
4. Asking someone to make an offer: What did you have in mind?
5. Closing a deal: It’s a deal.

FOOOOTERAPPENDIXLEFT
Learn without forgetting! ii
Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Erin m's lessons.