General English

Life experience: have you ever?

Talk about things you have and haven't done in your life, and learn to ask 'Have you ever...?' the way English speakers actually do.

• I've been to
• I've never tried
• Have you ever
• once
• twice
• yet
• already
• so far
• When was that?

Telling a story: what happened first

Turn 'I've been to Georgia' into an actual story: what happened first, what went wrong, and how it ended.

• first
• then
• after that
• in the end
• suddenly
• I was walking home when
• while we were waiting
• it was raining
• it turned out that

Giving advice: what should I do?

A friend comes to you with a problem: sleep, stress, no energy. Learn to ask the right questions, reassure them and give advice that sounds natural, not bossy.

• you should
• why don't you
• if I were you
• it might help to
• don't worry
• maybe you could
• have you tried
• that depends
• it'll be fine

Putting it together: experience, story, advice

No new grammar today: one long, real conversation that uses everything from the first three weeks at once.

• Have you ever
• in the end
• if I were you
• it turned out that

Checkpoint: a story and a consultation

A relaxed review conversation: one story, one consultation. No new material: just you, talking. This is how we see what has stuck.

Checkpoint: the unfinished move and the stubborn problem

Two short conversations: one about something half-done, one about a problem that resists easy answers. No new material: just you, working out what is true and what might help.

Real plans: what happens if?

Make real plans with real what-ifs: the forecast, the money, the energy, and the grammar English uses to juggle them.

• if it rains, we'll
• if I have time
• unless
• in that case
• how about
• as long as
• what if we
• let's say
• it depends on
• shall we

What would you do: imagined situations

Daydream in English: what would you do with the money, the time, the chance? The grammar of 'if only': without the textbook.

• if I won
• I would never
• I'd probably
• if I could
• on the other hand
• the problem is that
• would depend on

The person who, the place where

Describe the people and places that matter to you the way natives do: in one smooth sentence, not three short ones.

• the person who
• the place where
• something that
• the one that
• who I told you about
• the kind of person who
• the reason why

In my opinion: agree, disagree, explain

Learn to disagree in English without sounding rude: opinions, reasons, examples and polite pushback on topics you actually care about.

• in my opinion
• I see your point, but
• although
• that's why
• for instance

Checkpoint: the trip nobody has booked and the person you cannot name

Two short conversations: booking a trip where every option has a catch, and finding a person neither of you can name. No new material: just you, making it work.

Checkpoint: plans, choices and opinions

The final review conversation of part 1: help a friend choose between two jobs, then defend an opinion. Just talking, and seeing how far you've come.

Likes and choices: what do you enjoy doing?

Why is it 'enjoy doing' but 'decide to do'? Sort out the patterns while talking about what you love, what you quit and what's next.

• I enjoy doing
• I stopped
• I decided to
• I want to learn
• I keep forgetting
• I'm trying to
• it's hard to
• I gave up

How it's made, what it's used for

Talk about things the way English does: 'it's made of..., it was built...', and play a guessing game with objects from your world.

• made of
• was built
• used for
• was invented
• was designed by
• known for
• can be found

She said, she asked: passing on a message

Somebody's always asking you to pass something on. Learn the frames English uses for it: 'she said that..., he told me to...'

• she said that
• he told me to
• she asked me to
• he wants you to
• did she say when
• what exactly did he
• so she wants me to
• apparently
• I heard that

Putting it together: things, choices and messages

No new grammar today: one long, real conversation about your daily world that uses everything from the first three pairs at once.

• I enjoy doing
• used for
• she asked me to
• I'm trying to

Checkpoint: a place and a message

A relaxed review conversation: a tour of a place you know, then a handover with three requests. No new material: just you, talking.

Checkpoint: the message nobody wrote down and the habit that keeps slipping

Two short conversations: pinning down a message that came to you second-hand, and being honest about something you keep failing at.

At the market: a little, a few, plenty of

How much? How many? Get 'a little', 'a few' and 'plenty of' right: on a short market text, then on your own weekly shop.

• it says here
• a little
• a few
• plenty of
• most of
• enough
• not enough
• too much
• too many

My week: what I have to do and hope to do

Describe your working week like it really is: what's on you, what's optional, and what you're hoping to get to.

• I'm responsible for
• I have to
• I don't have to
• I'm hoping to
• I mustn't
• I should
• I'd rather

Interested or interesting?

Stop saying 'I'm boring' when you mean 'I'm bored', and talk about what genuinely excites you and what drains you.

• I'm interested in
• was boring
• I was surprised
• sounds exciting
• really fascinating
• a bit disappointing
• pretty annoying
• that's amazing
• no way

Worth doing? Opinions with your new grammar

Is it worth it? Learn to deliver verdicts with reasons: on gyms, apps, meetings and whatever else divides opinions.

• worth
• there's no point in
• I find it hard to

Checkpoint: the shopping list and the evening you cannot refuse

Two short conversations: a shopping list that does not add up, and an invitation you have to answer honestly.

Checkpoint: a dinner, a week and a verdict

The final review conversation of part 2: plan a dinner shop with a friend, then help them pick a course. Just talking, and seeing what has stuck.

Plans and maybes: what are you up to?

Talk about your plans the honest way: what's fixed, what's likely and what's a big maybe. With the grammar English uses for each.

• I'm planning to
• I'll probably
• I might
• I may not
• depends on
• if that falls through
• in that case

Comparing: which one is better?

Compare like you mean it: 'much better', 'not as pricey as', 'the best I've ever...' Then ask 'is it worth it?' and recommend the right choice.

• much better than
• not as expensive as
• the best I've ever
• I'd recommend
• is it worth
• the cheapest of the three
• the least risky
• by far the best
• on balance
• it's a close call

Would you mind? Polite requests and complaints

Something's wrong with the room, the order, the bill: learn to complain and get it fixed while staying perfectly polite.

• Could you
• Would you mind
• do you mind if
• I'm afraid
• it doesn't seem to
• I understand, but
• could I speak to
• what I'm asking for is
• sorry about that
• it slipped my mind

Putting it together: choose, plan, sort it out

No new grammar today. Plan a real trip out loud: compare, decide, book, and fix the thing that inevitably goes wrong.

• I'll probably
• much better than
• Would you mind
• it depends on

Checkpoint: a choice and a complaint

A relaxed review conversation: help a friend choose, then sort out a rental gone wrong. No new material: just you, talking.

Checkpoint: the plan with no plan B and the apology that solves nothing

Two short conversations: a plan that has nowhere to go if the weather turns, and a complaint that keeps being apologised at.

What's changed: achievements and progress

Look back at your year in English: what you've managed, what's finally happened, and what you've got better at. Including this.

• I've managed to
• I've finally
• I've got better at
• lately
• I've been working on
• I've been trying to
• how long have you been
• my goal is to

When, while, as soon as: putting events in order

Glue your sentences together like English does: 'as soon as I got home...', 'while I was cooking...' One busy day, told properly.

• as soon as
• while I was
• until
• before leaving
• once I've finished
• by the time
• until after

The story behind the story: what had already happened

Every good story has a 'before': what had already happened when you got there. Learn the three tenses a story runs on, and tell one with a real backstory.

• I'd already
• I'd never ... before
• by the time I got there
• it had been a long day
• by the time I'd
• after I'd finished
• I'd just ... when

The big conversation: your English so far

One big honest conversation about your English: where you started, how far you've come, what's genuinely better, and what you're aiming at next.

• overall
• I've managed to
• I'd never ... before
• much better at
• I'm planning to

Checkpoint: the long project and the evening that went wrong in order

Two short conversations: working out how long someone has been at something, and putting an evening back in the order it actually happened.

Checkpoint: the story and the plan

The final review conversation of the B1 level: tell the story of a big event, then plan the next one. Just talking, and ready for what's next.

Work and study: the story so far

You know the tenses. Now they carry one story: your work or studies as a single timeline, what's finished, what's still going, and how it all connects.

• I've been working
• for three years
• since
• at first
• over time
• I used to
• these days
• back then
• What made you...?

Retelling: what was it about?

Learn to retell a film, an article or a story in clear, organised English: the skill you use every time someone asks 'what was it about?'

• is about
• the main thing is
• basically
• what happened was
• what struck me was
• to cut a long story short
• the part where

Reading the situation: it must be...

Say 'probably', 'surely' and 'unlikely' like English does: guess what's going on in puzzling situations and defend your theory.

• must be
• might be
• probably not
• I'd guess
• looks like
• chances are
• I may be wrong, but
• sort of
• or something like that

Putting it together: your path, retold and read

No new grammar today: one long, real conversation about your work life that uses everything from the first three pairs at once.

• I used to
• the main thing is
• might be
• over time

Checkpoint: a path and a puzzle

A relaxed review conversation: someone's career story, then a workplace mystery. No new material: just you, talking. This is how we see what has stuck.

Checkpoint: the job you left and the thing on the shelf

Two short conversations: finding out why someone's life changed, and guessing together what a strange object is for.

In other words: passing the message on

The skill between languages and people: take what someone said and pass it on so a different listener truly gets it.

• what she means is
• in other words
• the point is
• put simply
• the short version is
• does that make sense?
• why it matters is

Choosing tools: worth it or not?

Talk technology like a colleague, not a brochure: compare tools, weigh trade-offs and recommend one. With reasons.

• the main advantage
• the downside is
• might be worth
• compared to
• that said
• it depends on what you need
• fair point, but

Speaking from notes: three points

Turn three short notes into a confident 90-second talk: the format of every toast, intro and status update you'll ever give.

• I'd like to tell you about
• there are three things
• first of all
• that's why
• moving on to
• the last thing is
• to sum up
• what we did was
• the next step is

Discussion: hear it, weigh it, answer it

Level up your discussions: prove you heard the other side before you answer it. The habit that makes disagreement productive.

• if I understood you right
• that's true up to a point
• I see it differently

Checkpoint: the update nobody understood and the tool you swear by

Two short conversations: explaining something so it actually lands, and arguing about a tool without simply winning.

Checkpoint: relay and discussion

The final review conversation of part 1: pass a tricky message on, then hold a structured discussion. Just talking, and seeing how far you've come.

Small talk: you're new here, aren't you?

The first two minutes with a stranger: 'You're new here, aren't you?' Question tags that check, invite and keep a conversation alive.

• aren't you?
• don't you?
• isn't it?
• haven't you?
• so do I
• neither do I
• how come?
• that's a coincidence

Asking the way: could you tell me where...?

Ask strangers for help the way English does: 'Could you tell me where...?', 'Do you know if...?' Polite frames with the question tucked inside.

• could you tell me where
• do you know if
• I was wondering whether
• which way is
• is that right?
• did you say...?
• let me check
• so I go past the

At the doctor's: it's been getting worse

Explain a symptom the way a doctor needs it: since when, how it's changing, what makes it worse. In one clear description.

• I've had it since
• it's been getting worse
• it hurts when I
• it comes and goes
• how often should I
• is it serious?
• what happens if I
• should I avoid

Putting it together: a day in a new city

No new grammar today. One long day in a new city: breakfast small talk, asking the way, a pharmacy visit. Everything from the first three pairs at once.

• don't you?
• could you tell me where
• it's been getting worse
• is that right?

Checkpoint: a stranger and a clinic

A relaxed review conversation: lunch with a new colleague, then a call to a clinic for a friend. No new material: just you, talking. This is how we see what has stuck.

Checkpoint: the route you half-heard and the symptom you dismissed

Two short conversations: getting a route right by reading it back, and asking the questions someone else is avoiding.

Why things happen: cause and effect

Explain why things happen, not just that they do: 'because of', 'due to', 'as a result', and tell the story of a change in your own town as a chain of causes.

• because of
• due to
• as a result
• so that
• the reason is
• otherwise
• unless we
• effect on
• leads to

Getting things done: offering and asking for help

Offer help, ask for it and arrange it: 'shall I...?', 'would you mind...?', 'I'll get it fixed'. The language of a flat with three things broken.

• shall I
• do you want me to
• would you mind
• get it fixed
• I'd rather
• I'm afraid I can't
• in that case
• how about if I

On the phone: I'm calling about...

The call you put off: open it, say why you're calling, get names and numbers right ('could you spell that?'), and sort out a booking gone wrong.

• I'm calling about
• could I speak to
• could you repeat that?
• could you spell that?
• let me check I've got this right
• so you'll
• a reference number
• I'll call back

Putting it together: help, calls and reasons

No new grammar today. One long situation: something's gone wrong, explain why, arrange help, make the call. Then a short discussion: fix it yourself or call a professional?

• because of
• would you mind
• I'm calling about
• in that case

Checkpoint: the neighbour's plan and the call you must get right

Two short conversations: saying no to a neighbour and still keeping the peace, and making sure a phone call ends with the right facts.

Checkpoint: the landlord and the hotel

The final review conversation of part 2: a call to the landlord about three problems, then a hotel reception in a new city. Just talking, and seeing how far you've come.

Two stories at once: meanwhile, back at the station...

A story with two lines: what you were doing, what your friend was doing 'meanwhile', and how it all turned out. Told without losing anyone.

• meanwhile
• by then
• it turned out
• in the meantime
• what I didn't realise was
• from her side
• the funny thing is
• as it happened

Speaking in general: people tend to...

Talk about how people live without overclaiming: 'people tend to', 'in general', 'more or less'. The difference between a stereotype and an honest generalisation.

• people tend to
• in general
• a kind of
• more or less
• apart from
• not necessarily
• with a few exceptions
• it varies

Pass it on with the details: who, when, how much

Pass on a piece of news and survive the questions: who, when, how much ('according to', 'as far as I remember'), and say honestly what it didn't say.

• according to
• as far as I remember
• the figure was around
• it doesn't say
• the writer argues
• that's their view
• the facts are
• the point they make is

Putting it together: the story behind the news

No new grammar today. One long conversation about a piece of news from home: pass it on, tell the story behind it, say how people there tend to react.

• meanwhile
• people tend to
• according to
• it turned out

Checkpoint: two sides and a headline

A relaxed review conversation: a misunderstanding told from both sides, then a headline passed on and questioned. No new material: just you, talking. This is how we see what has stuck.

Checkpoint: her side of the story and the claim in the article

Two short conversations: hearing the other side of a story you thought you knew, and pulling a sweeping claim back to what is actually known.

How things have been changing

Describe change like a trend: what has been growing, what has changed for good, what you've been doing differently lately. The two perfects side by side.

• it's been growing
• it has grown by
• lately
• over the past few years
• at this rate
• likely to
• the way things are going
• for better or worse

Adding a detail on the way: which, by the way...

Add a detail without stopping the sentence: 'the gallery, which is free on Sundays,...', 'my cousin, who by the way is a chef,...' The aside that makes speech sound joined-up.

• which is why
• who, by the way,
• which was
• most of which
• which was a shame
• which surprised me
• some of whom
• which meant

Say it another way: it's a kind of...

When the word is missing, keep talking: 'it's a kind of...', 'what it does is...', 'it's similar to...', and explain your job to someone outside your field.

• a kind of
• what it does is
• you use it when
• similar to
• I'm not sure of the word, but
• what do you call it?
• the opposite of
• the thing you use to

Putting it together: the whole stage, one conversation

No new grammar today: one long conversation about your year so far and what comes next, in which everything from B1 and B1+ gets its turn.

• have you ever
• if I were you
• which is why
• the way things are going

Checkpoint: where this is heading and the word you have lost

Two short conversations: saying where something is heading, and getting to a word neither of you can remember.

Checkpoint: an old friend and a teenager

The final review conversation of part 3: an old friend back after years, then their teenager asking what you do. Just talking, and seeing how far B1+ has taken you.

To be fair: the story from where you stood

Tell a story with a narrator in it: what happened, what you didn't realise at the time, and how it looked from the other side. Fairly.

• what I didn't realise at the time
• it sounds worse than it was
• to be fair
• from her side of it
• in his defence
• the way I saw it
• it was only later that
• looking back

What must have happened

Think aloud like a detective: weigh the evidence and say what must have, might have or can't have happened, and how sure you are.

• must have
• might have
• can't have
• the only explanation
• which means that
• that would explain
• unless of course

She said, he asked: passing on a conversation

Retell conversations the grown-up way: 'she said she'd think about it, and he asked whether...' The grammar of office corridors and family kitchens.

• she said that
• he told me
• they asked whether
• apparently
• claimed
• admitted
• insisted
• promised

Putting it together: the whole account

No new grammar today. One long, full account of a real situation: how it looked from each side, who said what, and what was really going on.

• what I didn't realise at the time
• she told me
• must have
• in her defence

Checkpoint: an account and an explanation

A relaxed review conversation: the story of a conflict, then a workplace puzzle to explain. No new material: just you, talking.

Checkpoint: what you saw and what he said he did

Two short conversations: standing up for someone whose side you saw, and following the evidence somewhere you did not expect.

If I had known: hindsight

The grammar of hindsight: 'if I had known...' Revisit a real decision and explore how things could have gone differently.

• if I had known
• I would have
• I wouldn't have
• would have changed
• with hindsight
• even if I had
• it worked out in the end

Building an argument

Stop listing opinions and start building arguments: position, reasons, concession, conclusion. The skeleton under every persuasive speech.

• the point is
• however
• on the whole
• for one thing
• admittedly
• that may be true, but
• the bigger picture

Let's find a middle ground

Negotiate in English without losing your position or the relationship: propose, trade, and agree on terms that work for both sides.

• what if we
• could we agree on
• as long as
• that works for me if
• that's a deal-breaker
• meet me halfway
• let's not lose sight of

The debate: argue, concede, close

Debate like adults: argue hard, concede honestly, and still walk out with a joint decision. The rarest speaking skill there is.

• where we agree is
• the real question is
• let's settle on

Checkpoint: the choice you defend and the deal you will not take

Two short conversations: being honest about a decision that did not work, and finding the line you will not cross.

Checkpoint: the account and the deal

The final review conversation of part 1: analyse a failed project with hindsight, then negotiate a budget. Just talking, and seeing how far you've come.

It is said that: passing on what 'they' say

Pass on what 'they' say without owning it: 'it is said that...', 'X is thought to be...' The grammar of science, news and common knowledge.

• it is said that
• it has been shown that
• is thought to be
• it was reported that
• is believed to
• is supposed to be
• there is said to be
• it has been suggested that

How it's done: the process in the passive

Explain how things get done, stage by stage: 'the samples were collected, tested twice, and the results will be published'. The passive across the tenses.

• were collected
• has been tested
• is being looked into
• will be published
• gets done
• needs checking
• was supposed to have been
• hasn't been dealt with yet

Two sources, one story: according to X, whereas Y

Hold two accounts side by side: 'according to the first, ... whereas the second says...' Compare sources without mixing them up.

• according to
• whereas
• both agree that
• they differ on
• puts it down to
• plays it down
• leaves it out altogether
• reading between the lines

Putting it together: what is known, how it's done, who says what

No new grammar today. One long explanation of a real issue: what's known, how it actually works, and where the sources disagree.

• is believed to
• has been tested
• according to
• plays it down

Checkpoint: the explanation and the comparison

A relaxed review conversation: explain how something in your world works, then compare two accounts of one decision. No new material: just you, talking.

Checkpoint: the claim in the paper and the job that never got done

Two short conversations: pinning down who actually claims something, and finding out what has really been done.

The figures show: numbers in speech

Talk about numbers like a person, not a spreadsheet: 'roughly a third', 'a sharp rise', 'it's only an estimate', and say what the figures can't tell you.

• roughly a third
• the figures show
• a sharp rise
• it's only an estimate
• twice as many
• by contrast
• has fallen by
• at its peak

I'm sceptical: fact against interpretation

Separate what was seen from what is made of it: 'the fact is..., their reading of it is...' Judge a claim without swallowing it or dismissing it.

• there's no evidence that
• I'm sceptical about
• that's their reading of it
• seems plausible
• I'd take that with a pinch of salt
• it doesn't add up
• until I see the figures
• I'm inclined to believe

How it's framed: the same news, two headlines

Notice how facts are packaged: 'the headline says X, but...', 'the word they chose was...' See the frame, not just the news.

• framed as
• one-sided
• the word they chose was
• what's missing is
• as far as I understood
• she implied that
• I may have misread it
• to be fair to the writer

Three sources into one explanation

No new grammar today. Three sources on one question, woven into one honest explanation for a friend: what's known, what's shown, what's spin.

• it is said that
• according to
• the figures show
• I'm inclined to believe

Checkpoint: the number that proves it and the headline you half-read

Two short conversations: testing a number that is doing too much work, and retelling an article honestly.

Checkpoint: the figures and the framing

The final review conversation of part 2: describe a change in figures, then judge two tellings of one event and pass it on honestly. Just talking, and seeing how far you've come.

Frankly, personally: saying where you stand first

Say where you stand before you say what you think: 'frankly...', 'personally...', 'between you and me...' The word in front that sets the tone.

• frankly
• personally
• to be honest
• between you and me
• financially speaking
• from a practical point of view
• speaking as
• in terms of

Unfortunately, obviously: judging the situation in one word

Judge the situation in one word: 'inevitably...', 'not surprisingly...', 'arguably...' The fact stays a fact, the word in front says what kind.

• unfortunately
• obviously
• inevitably
• not surprisingly
• arguably
• apparently
• presumably
• supposedly
• luckily

Consequently, moreover: the joints of an argument

Name the joint between your sentences: 'consequently...', 'moreover...', 'nevertheless...', so the listener hears not just what you think but how it follows.

• however
• nevertheless
• consequently
• moreover
• as a result
• in fact
• on the other hand
• otherwise
• that said

Putting it together: stance, judgement, joints

No new grammar today. One long account of a change at work or in your city: where you stand, what kind of facts, how each step follows.

• to be honest
• not surprisingly
• consequently
• that said

Checkpoint: the account with its joints

A relaxed review conversation: an honest assessment of a plan, then four facts turned into one argued case. No new material: just you, talking.

Checkpoint: the decision from where you sit and the story that is missing a side

Two short conversations: naming the seat you are speaking from, and holding two sides of the same story at once.

It was the price that decided it: putting the focus in front

Put the important part in front: 'it was the price that decided it', 'what we did was...', so the listener cannot miss what matters.

• it was the price that
• what we did was
• the thing is
• the reason I ask is
• what matters is
• all I'm saying is
• the person who
• there's a problem with

Not Thursday, Tuesday: the stress is the message

The same words, four meanings: where you put the stress tells the listener what is new. 'I said TUESday, not Thursday'.

• no, the other one
• I said Tuesday, not Thursday
• that's exactly the point
• it's not the cost, it's the time
• I wouldn't say that, exactly
• up to a point
• yes and no
• is there a but?

The whole thing, the former, the latter: keeping a long turn together

Hold a long turn together: 'the former... the latter...', 'the whole thing', 'did so', 'some of whom'. Refer back and add a detail without repeating, so the listener can follow.

• the whole thing
• the former
• the latter
• did so
• some of whom
• as I said earlier
• the same goes for
• which brings me to
• to go back to

Three minutes, one voice: the long turn with everything in it

No new grammar today. One three-minute account with everything from this part in it: stance, joints, focus, stress and ties.

• to be honest
• consequently
• it was the price that
• the same goes for

Checkpoint: the point you keep missing and the thread you dropped

Two short conversations: getting to the point that actually matters, and holding a long explanation together to the end.

Checkpoint: focus and flow

The final review conversation of part 3: correct three misunderstandings by focus alone, then describe something you know in one flowing three-minute turn. Just talking, and seeing how far you've come.

I'd like this sorted out: the complaint that gets results

Complain so that something happens: the problem, what you've tried, what you want ('I'd like this sorted out'), calm, clear and with the phrasal verbs that carry it.

• I'd like this sorted out
• still not working
• what are my options?
• I'm not happy with
• this is the third time
• I've been passed around
• I expect a refund
• could you put that in writing?

I'm entitled to: knowing the rules and saying them

Give your complaint a spine: 'I'm entitled to...', 'you're supposed to...', 'under the terms of...' Know the rule, say the rule, ask what happens next.

• I'm entitled to
• you're supposed to
• who's liable for
• under the terms of
• I've already explained
• could I speak to someone who can?
• I'd like to make a formal complaint
• I'll have to take this further

It's due to arrive: promises with a date on them

Pin a promise to a date: 'it's due to arrive Thursday', 'by Friday it will have been installed'. Future forms that leave no room for 'soon'.

• is due to
• is about to
• will have been done by
• is to be
• I'll be waiting for
• by then we'll have
• bound to
• is likely to

Putting it together: the complaint with a spine and a date

No new grammar today. One full call about a service gone wrong: the complaint, the rule, the escalation and the dates pinned down.

• I'd like this sorted out
• I'm entitled to
• could I speak to someone who can?
• will have been done by

Checkpoint: the dispute from start to date

A relaxed review conversation: a double-charged gym, then a builder who says 'soon'. No new material: just you, talking.

Checkpoint: the fourth phone call and the promise on the calendar

Two short conversations: getting a complaint past the person who cannot help, and turning a warm promise into a date.

I'm not so sure: disagreeing at the right strength

Disagree at the strength you mean: 'I couldn't disagree more' is not 'I'm not so sure'. Choose the force, then the words.

• I couldn't disagree more
• I'm not so sure
• true up to a point
• I see it differently
• with respect
• that's not quite right
• I take your point, but
• I'd question whether

Granted, but: giving ground without giving up

Give ground without giving up: 'granted...', 'I'll give you that, but...', 'even so...' Admit what's true and keep what matters.

• granted
• that's fair, but
• I'll give you that
• even so
• would you mind
• I wonder if you could
• could you possibly
• I'd appreciate it if

I'm afraid that's not possible: saying no properly

Two kinds of no: the firm one that closes ('I'm afraid that's not possible'), and the soft one that leaves the door open ('I'd rather not'). Make sure they hear which.

• I'm afraid that's not possible
• I'd rather not
• not this time, thanks
• let me think about it
• I'd love to, but
• let's split the difference
• that's the best I can do
• I can live with that

From complaint to deal: the whole dispute in one call

No new grammar today. One long call from complaint to deal: the rule, the right strength, a fair concession, a firm no and a date on the deal.

• I'd like this sorted out
• I'm entitled to
• I take your point, but
• that's the best I can do

Checkpoint: the point you concede and the favour you need asked properly

Two short conversations: disagreeing well enough to be heard, and asking for something awkward so that it works.

Checkpoint: the argument and the deal

The final review conversation of part 4: argue a rules question at the right strength, then handle three favours. Grant, refuse, compromise. Just talking, and seeing how far you've come.

If I had studied medicine, I'd be a doctor now

Link a past choice to your present life: 'if I hadn't taken that job, I wouldn't be living here'. The conditional that mixes then and now.

• if I had studied medicine, I'd be
• if I hadn't taken that job
• I wouldn't be living here
• I'd be somewhere else
• if it hadn't been for
• I wouldn't be where I am
• if I were more patient, I'd have
• had it not been for

I wish I had: regret with the right tense

Regret with the right tense: 'I wish I had...', 'if only we'd...', 'I'd rather we had...' One step back from the real time, and 'if only' when it still stings.

• I wish I had
• if only we'd
• I wish I could
• I'd rather we had
• I wish you wouldn't
• I'd rather you didn't
• it's time we
• I'd sooner

Having finished, we left: events in one breath

Fold two events into one breath: 'having finished the report, we left', 'not knowing the area, I took a taxi'. The participle clause for what came first or why.

• having finished
• travelling too fast
• not knowing the area
• given the delay
• a man wearing a hat
• the room facing the yard
• the letter sent yesterday
• anyone wanting to

Putting it together: the road not taken

No new grammar today. One long account of a fork in your road: what would be different now, what you wish, and the scenes around it told compactly.

• if I hadn't taken that job
• I wish I had
• having finished
• a man wearing a hat

Checkpoint: the fork and the scene

A relaxed review conversation: a decision ten years ago and what it made, then a busy scene told compactly. No new material: just you, talking.

Checkpoint: the wish you keep repeating and the person in the photograph

Two short conversations: asking someone to stop doing something without a row, and picking one person out of a crowded photograph.

Which led to: tracing cause and effect

Trace the chain: 'which led to...', 'that's what caused...', 'stemmed from...' Name every link, forwards from the cause or backwards from the result.

• which led to
• as a consequence
• that's what caused
• stemmed from
• the root cause
• a knock-on effect
• one thing led to another
• partly because

I should have known: regret and self-blame, honestly

Own a mistake without drowning in it: 'I should have...', 'we'd have been better off...', 'in hindsight...' Regret at the right dose.

• I should have
• we'd have been better off
• in hindsight
• I could have kicked myself
• there's no point regretting
• I've learned to
• lesson learned
• I wouldn't change it

What went wrong was: the post-mortem

The post-mortem: 'what went wrong was...', 'at the time it seemed...', 'the turning point was...', 'the lesson is...' Facts first, judgement second, blame last or never.

• what went wrong was
• at the time it seemed
• the turning point was
• the lesson is
• to be fair to the team
• what we'd do differently
• next time we'll
• the one thing that saved us

The full analysis: someone else's decision, taken apart

No new grammar today. One long analysis of someone else's decision: what would be different, what they must wish, the chain of causes, and the fair lesson.

• if it hadn't been for
• I wish they had
• the root cause
• the lesson is

Checkpoint: what really caused it and what you would keep

Two short conversations: finding what actually caused something, and turning a post-mortem into something usable.

Checkpoint: the chain and the lesson

The final review conversation of part 5: trace a small disaster to its root, then give a fair post-mortem of a failure in your field. Just talking, and seeing how far you've come.

Are we agreed? Setting the goal and taking a role

Run joint work instead of drifting into it: 'as I understand it...', 'are we agreed that...?', 'that's on me', 'let's park that'. Goal first, roles second, details last.

• as I understand it
• are we agreed that
• that's on me
• let's park that
• where are we on
• let's not get sidetracked
• can we come back to that
• so the next step is

What do you make of it? Leading a discussion

Lead the discussion instead of joining it: 'what do you make of...?', 'I'd like to hear from...', 'so where we've landed is...' Invite, hold the floor for others, sum up.

• what do you make of
• I'd like to hear from
• so where we've landed is
• to sum up where we are
• let me check I've understood
• so what you're saying is
• just to be clear
• does that make sense so far?

What I'd like to propose is: the two-minute proposal

Make a proposal, not a wish: the situation, the options, the recommendation, the reasons ('what I'd like to propose is...', 'the reason for that is...'), in two minutes.

• what I'd like to propose is
• there are two options
• the reason for that is
• my recommendation would be
• to put it in context
• the key point here is
• I'll come back to that
• any questions so far?

Putting it together: the meeting you run

No new grammar today. One meeting you run from start to finish: goal and roles, a proposal, a discussion you lead and check, next steps with owners.

• are we agreed that
• what do you make of
• my recommendation would be
• so the next step is

Checkpoint: the meeting and the proposal

A relaxed review conversation: run a neighbours' meeting about a shared garden, then propose one change to a school board. No new material: just you, talking.

Checkpoint: the meeting that drifts and the explanation that lost you

Two short conversations: keeping a meeting to its point, and making sure you actually understood what was explained.

Talk me through a time when: the interview answer

Answer an interview question with a shape: the situation, what you did, what came of it, what you took from it. An example for every claim.

• could you talk me through a time when
• what I took away from that was
• my strengths lie in
• I'd describe myself as
• what would you say is your biggest weakness?
• tell me about a time you failed
• where do you see yourself
• why should we choose you?

I regret to inform you / no worries: one thought, three registers

One message, three registers: 'I regret to inform you' / 'I'm afraid' / 'bad news, sorry'. Choose the register for the person, and say your feelings at the right one.

• I regret to inform you
• I'm afraid
• would you be so kind as to
• I was fuming
• where I come from
• might come across as
• no offence, but
• that's not how it was meant

The word escapes me: talking around the gap

Keep talking when the word isn't there: 'the word escapes me...', 'a sort of...', 'the thing you use for...' Describe it, categorise it, don't stop.

• the word escapes me
• a sort of
• the thing you use for
• and that kind of thing
• to put it another way
• roughly speaking
• what I mean is
• a bit like

The whole band, one discussion: you in the chair

No new grammar today: you chair one discussion about one big change, and everything from the six parts of B2 gets its turn.

• are we agreed that
• it is said that
• to be honest
• I take your point, but

Checkpoint: the interview answer and the thing that came out wrong

Two short conversations: answering the question the interviewer keeps coming back to, and repairing something that came out wrong.

Checkpoint: the chair and the interview

The final review conversation of part 6, and of B2: an interview from both chairs, then a discussion you chair between two people who keep misunderstanding each other. Just talking, and seeing how far you've come.