Lesson 23: Preparation for Role Play

Part 1: Importance and Certainty

Degrees of Importance:

Emphatic Views:

· I particularly want to emphasize the fact that …
· It is essential to realize that…
· This issue is highly significant.
· I feel this is a vital issue.
· I consider this point of the utmost importance.


Neutral Views:

· I attach considerable importance to…
· Allow me to emphasize at this point that…
· We mustn’t underestimate the importance of…
· It is well worth noting that…
· Let me say again how much importance I attach to…


Tentative Views:

· I would like to remind you that…
· I wish to draw your attention to…
· We cannot overlook the fact that…
· I believe this warrants further discussion.


Playing Down a Point:

· These are minor issues when one considers…
· But this is only of secondary importance.
· But this is, after all, a relatively small point.
· I’m afraid I regard that as of relatively minor significance.
· I’m afraid I’m not totally convinced of the importance of…



Degrees of Certainty:

Certain:

· I’m certain that…
· It’s certain that…
· There’s no doubt that…
· Without doubt, …
· Undoubtedly, …


Probable:

· I’m almost certain that…
· It’s highly probable that…
· It’s quite likely that…


Possible:

· This could well…
· It’s possible that…
· It’s not out of the question that…
· It’s not impossible that…
· I think there is every possibility that …


Unlikely:

· It is highly improbable that…
· It I highly unlikely that…
· Theirs is very likelihood of…


Uncertain:

· I’m not certain that…
· I have doubts about…
· I doubt if…
· There is some doubt as to whether this…
· I’m uncertain about…


Listening Activity: listen and answer the followings

1. What is the landlord’s offer if he signed a two-year contract?
2. What is his counter-proposal to the landlord?
3. What is the landlord final offer?


I'm not what you would call the world's best negotiator, but sometimes it's necessary to engage in a tough negotiation. Take, for instance, the time I had to renew the lease on my apartment. This was back in college, when I was renting a small studio in the Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles. When my lease was up , the landlord and I sat down to hammer out the terms of a new lease.

"I'll tell you what I'm going to do," he said. "I'm going to give you a break on rent if you sign a two-year lease instead of just a one-year lease."

"Well," I said, "I don't know. What sort of break are we talking about here?‚"

"I'll give you a 5% rent increase instead of a 10% increase in exchange for you signing a two-year lease. It's win-win situation: you get a cut in rent, and I get the security of a two-year lease.‚"

At this point, I decided to make a counter-proposal . "How about this," I said, "You give me a one year lease with a six percent increase.‚"

"No, I can't make that sort of deal," he said. "But here's what I can do, and it's my final offer: I'll pay for your electricity for the first 6 months of the lease, along with the other terms I mentioned before.‚"

"You drive a hard bargain okay, it's a deal," I said. I guess I could have tried to bargain him down a bit more, but I was happy with our agreement. Now all I had to do was sign on the dotted line .



Activities and Preparation for Role-Play


Grammar:

Future Tense Continued (I will):

1. Predict future happenings

Do you think he will get the job?


2. We use going to (not will) when there is something in the present situation that shows what will happen in the near future. The speaker feels sure about what will happen because of the situation now.

Look at those black clouds. It’s going to rain.
I feel terrible. I think I’m going to be sick.



Future Continuous Tense (I will be doing):

1. Say that you will be in the middle of doing something at a certain time in the future.

This time next week I’ll be on vacation. I’ll probably be lying on a beautiful beach.
John will be watching the hockey game tomorrow.


2. Talk about things that already planned or decided.

I will be going to the supermarket later. Can I get you something?


3. We use will (you) be-ing? To ask about people’s plan, especially when we want something or want someone to do something.

Will you be using your car this evening?
Will you be passing the supermarket on your way home?


Future Perfect Tense (I will have done):

1. Say that something will already have happened before a certain time in the future.

Next year is John and Mary’s 25th wedding anniversary. They will have been married for 25 years. (Now they have been married for 24 years).

We are late. I guess the movie will already have started by the we get to the theater.