Lesson 22: The Critical Phase in Negotiation


Part 1: Review from last class…new material…..

Starting and outlining your position:

· I'd like to begin by saying…
· I'd like to outline our aims and objectives.
· There are two main areas that we'd like to concentrate on / discuss.

Agreeing:

· We agree.
· This is a fair suggestion.
· You have a good point.
· I can't see any problem with that.
· Provided / As long as you….. we will….

Disagreeing:

· I'm afraid that's not acceptable to us.
· I'm afraid we can't agree with you there.
· Can I just pick you up on a point you made earlier.
· I understand where you're coming from / your position, but…
· We're prepared to compromise, but…
· If you look at it from our point of view,…
· As we see it…
· That's not exactly as we see it.
· Is that your best offer?

Clarifying:

· Does anything I have suggested / proposed seem unclear to you?
· I'd like to clarify our position.
· What do you mean exactly when you say….
· Could you clarify your last point for me?

Asking Questions:

· Have you taken into account ___________________?
· Do you realize that ______________________?
· I was wondering if you’d thought of ___________________?
· Wouldn’t you agree that ____________________?
· Wouldn’t it be a good idea to ______________________?
· Why would you want to______________________?
· What would you do with_________________________?
· What is the reason for wanting to______________________?
· Why couldn't you_______________________?
· What would be wrong with doing this?
· Why would you object to_________________________?

Expressing Reservation:

· I have certain reservations about _____________________.
· I think we should give ourselves time to reflect on ___________.
· I’m rather worried about ____________________.
· Under no circumstances should we come to a hasty decision on this ________________________.
· I am afraid such a decision might lead to _____________.
· I feel that in view of ____________it would be sensible to _____________.
· I can’t help feeling that __________________.

Reassuring:

· There is no cause for concern as far as __________________is concerned.
· Let me assure you straightaway on that point.
· I can assure that___________________.
· We understand your concern about__________________ and we assure you that we will do everything in our power to __________.
· We share your concern about this, and you may rest assured that _________________.
· You need have no fear about________________________.

Adding Information:

· There are, if I may say so, certain points you should bear in mind __________________.
· There are other considerations. For example, ________________.
· If we look at it in another light ___________________.
· Seen from another angle, one could say ___________________.
· I wonder if you have considered _______________________.

Summarizing:

· Can we summarize what we've agreed so far?
· Let's look at the points we agree on.
· So the next step is…
· Can we summarize your position up to this point?
· Would you care to summarize your position up this point?



Part 2: Exploring the Zone of Bargaining and Options

Summarizing positions up to this point:

· Can we summarize your position up to this point?
· Would you care to summarize your position up this point?


Confirming a negotiating position:

· Is that an accurate summary of where you stand?
· Would you say that is a fair representation of your position?


Probing / Looking for options:

· Just for the sake of argument, what if ...
· Can I ask a hypothetical question? Suppose that ...



Part 3: Bargaining and Compromising


Signalling the start of bargaining:

· We've looked at what you have proposed, and we are ready to respond.
· After serious consideration, we are prepared to respond to your proposal.


Responding to a proposal:

· Regarding your proposal, our position is ...
· Our basic position is ...
· As far as your proposal is concerned, we think that ...


Making counter proposals:

· May we offer an alternative? We propose that ...
· We'd like to make an alternative proposal. We propose that ...
· From where we stand, a better solution might be ...


Making and qualifying concessions / Offering Compromise:

· We would be willing to ..., provided, of course, that ...
· We'd be prepared to .... However, there would be one condition.
· We are prepared to __________on condition that _____________.
· I think we could ____________provided that ____________________.
· We are ready to ___________on the understanding that ___________________.
· We are willing to ___________with the proviso that ___________.
· We are more ready to ____________as long as _______________.
· I believe we can ___________if _____________________.


Asking if it is acceptable:

· Is that acceptable?
· Would that be acceptable?
· Would that be satisfactory?
· Is that acceptable as a compromise solution?
· We hope this will be acceptable.


Adding a condition positively:

· We see no objection whatsoever, provided that___________.
· If we agreed, it would be conditional on __________________.
· Our agreement is conditional on ____________________.
· If we agreed, we hope you would reciprocate by __________________________.
· If you would be prepared to _________________then we could ______________________.


Adding a condition negatively:

· We’d be rather reluctant to ______________unless ____________.
· I don’t think we could ___________unless ________________.
· We wouldn’t be prepared to ______________unless _________________.
· We have certain reservation about __________________ and unless __________________________.
· Only if you __________________, would we be prepared to ________________________.


Accepting a Compromise / Accepting an Offer

· I think that would be perfectly acceptable.
· We see no objective to that.
· That seems to be a reasonable compromise.
· In a spirit of compromise, we would be willing to accept you offer.
· I think we could agree to your condition.
· I think we have an agreement.
· We are happy to accept this offer.


Rejecting a Compromise / Declining an Offer:

· We are not entirely convinced that this is a viable solution to the problem.
· Although we want to avoid a deadlock as much as you do, we find your offer unacceptable.
· You leave us with a little alternative but to __________________.
· In that case, we should very reluctantly have to __________________.
· You put us in a difficult situation.
· I'm afraid your offer doesn't go far enough.
· Unfortunately, we must decline your offer for the following reason(s) ___________________________.
· I'm sorry, but we must respectfully decline your offer.


Asking for further information:

· Would you like to elaborate on that?
· Could you go into more detail on that?


Identifying obstacles:

· The main obstacle to progress at the moment seems to be __________________________.
· The main thing that bothers us is ____________________.
· One big problem we have is ________________________.


Analyzing an obstacles:

· What exactly is the underlying problem here?
· Let's take a closer look at this problem.
· I would like to analyze this situation and get to the bottom of the problem.


Part 4: Closing

Checking:

· Let's just confirm the details, then.
· Let's make sure we agree on these figures (dates / etc.).
· Can we check these points one last time?


Delaying:

· We would have to study this. Can we get back to you on this later?
· We'll have to consult with our colleagues back in the office. We'd like to get back to you on it.


Accepting:

· We are happy to accept this agreement.
· This agreement is acceptable to us.
· I believe we have an agreement.



Hand out role-play activity

Grammar:
Go over exercise 21.4 and 22.3


Future Tense: I will

1. When we decide at the time of speaking

Oh, I left the door open. I will go and close it.
I’m too tied to walk home. I think I will take a taxi.

2. Offer to do something

The bag looks heavy. I will help you with it.

3. Agreeing or refusing to do something

The car won’t start.
I will bring you the books after school.

4. Promising to do something

I won’t tell John what you said. I promise.
I promise I will call you as soon as I get home.

5. Asking someone to do something

Will you close the door?
Will you please be quiet?

Lesson 21: The Structure of Negotiation


Part 1: The Beginning

As we had talked about last time, the purpose of this stage is to get to know about your opponent’s.

So, in a meeting that involves negotiation, you can start off by welcoming your opponents.

· On behalf of________________, I would like to welcome you to _________________________.
· It’s my pleasure to welcome you to __________________.
· Welcome to ____________________.
· We are here today to ______________________________.
· The main objective / purpose of today’s meeting is ______________.
· We are looking to achieve ___________________________.


Distributing the roles:

· __________________is going to take minutes.
· _____________________would like to say a few words about_________________________.


Suggesting a procedure:

· I would like to begin by suggesting the following procedures (agenda).
· We have drawn up an agenda.
· Let’s just run through the agenda.
· There are _____________items on the agenda.
· I would like to take ______________first.
· We will deal with ______________first.
· We have put _______________last.
· Let’s leave _____________________until later.
· We can table that for discussion later.
· We will deal with ______________first.
· We will go round table.
· We aim to deal with item _____________.
· We aim to cover item ________________.
· We will have a question and answer period / session in the end.
· To start with, I think we should establish the overall procedure.
· As our first order of business, can we agree on a procedure?

Timing:

· That gives us __________hours.
· It will take _______hours.
· It won't take long.
· I need to be away by _______o'clock.
· How are you fixed for time?


Tip: Make sure that you check it with your opponent.

Checking for agreement:

· Does that fit in with your objectives?
· Is that compatible with what you would like to see?
· Does that seem acceptable to you?
· Is there anything that you would like to change?
· Is this okay with you?

NOTE Use of we/let's rather than I/you.
Where possible, it's more inclusive to say We'd like to... (rather than I'd like to...) or, Let's start by talking about ... (rather than I'd like to start by talking about...). Certainly if you are a member of a team, use we rather than I.


If both parties have different views about the agenda, then you will need to negotiate the agenda before moving onto the real discussion…

· Let's just identify the key issues.
· Shall we look at______________ first?
· Perhaps we should consider ______________ first?
· We see two/three important issue____________. Would you agree?
· If I understand correctly, you're interested in___________________


Before moving on to the discussion or the real negotiation, you would like to invite your opponents to interrupt if it is necessary.

· Please don’t hesitate to interrupt.
· Please feel free to ask questions.
· Let's deal with any questions immediately.
· I/We would like to know what you think.



Part 2: Into the Discussion

Then, we will move on to the discussion, which is talking and introducing the items on the agenda. This stage is very similar to meeting.

· I would now like to hand over to _______________, who is …
· I will now hand the floor over to _____________,who is….
· Now let me hand the meeting over to my colleague, _________________, who is…..


When the person is presenting, he or she may want to go back and review the previous session…

· At our last meeting, we discussed…..
· Perhaps you will recall our last discussion, we decided that…..
· Any questions from the last discussion?


Then you can move on to the next point:

· Can we now move on to the next subject, which is…..
· Let’s go on to the next subject, shall we?


During the presentation, opposition may sometimes interrupt, such as…

· May I ask please, what your proposal is in connection with our company?
· What in general terms are you looking for here?


If you do not want to be interrupted, you can say…

· May we leave that till later and first look at…
· Can we deal with_______________ first.
· Can I come back to that later?


If everything goes smoothly, you can move on to proposal after your presentation:


Remember to ask questions if you need something to be clarified.

General:
· I would be interested to know more about.
· Could you tell us something about…..?

Clarification:
· What exactly do you mean by…..?
· Could you be more specific…..?
· Could you clarify one point for me?
· I’m not sure I fully understand your point.

Checking and reviewing:
· So, you are saying…..?
· If I understand correctly, you are offering…..?
· Am I right in thinking your plan to…..?


As a presenter, you can….

Define a proposal more specifically:

· It involves…..
· It covers…..
· It includes…..
· It leaves out…..

And you can reassure the others by saying:

· Let me reassure you that…..
· I can promise you that…..
· Have no doubt that we will…..


For the opposition party, you can express your opinion about the proposal by supporting it or opposing it.


Proposal, recommendation & suggestion (strong)
· I strongly recommend that…..
· I suggest most strongly that…..
· I advise you most strongly to…..
· In my view, the only viable solution is …..


Proposal, recommendation & suggestion (neutral)
· I propose that…..
· My proposal is that…..


Proposal, recommendation & suggestion (tentative)
· I would propose that…..
· If I may make a suggestion, we could…..
· I would like to put forward a proposal that…..
· I wonder if I may suggest…..
· Wouldn’t it be a good idea to…..?
· Wouldn’t it be better to…..?


The opponent party in reverse can…..

Express total support:
· I am in favor of…
· I would certainly give my backing to…..
· I would certain endorse such a proposal.
· I see no objection to that.
· I would not be opposed to that.

Express partial support:
· My initial reaction is favorable, but…
· With certain reservations, I would support your proposal.
· I shouldn’t like you to think that I’m necessarily against this in any way, but I cannot help wondering…

Express total opposition:
· I am totally opposed to the proposal.
· I see no valid reason for supporting the proposal.
· Frankly, I think that’s out of the question.
· I’m afraid this proposal leaves a great deal to be desired.

Express opposition:
· I am opposed to the proposal.
· I’m afraid I cannot support the proposal.
· As it stands, I would not be able to give it my backing.
· Without substantial changes, I cannot give the proposal my support.

Express tentative opposition:
· On the fact of it, this seems quite a good suggestion, but…
· I can see many problems in adopting this.
· I’m not sure the proposal is feasible.
· This proposal is likely to present difficulties.
· I am not convinced that this proposal is really worthwhile.


A note on language style:

English speakers, especially Americans, like to express a certain amount of informality as soon as possible. Therefore, we quickly move to first names (although this is NOT a sign of intimacy or friendship). In addition, we quickly begin to use informal language. These facts are intended to signal cooperation among equal partners.

At the same time that we are moving toward informality in order to signal a willingness to cooperate, it is important to maintain an atmosphere of respect. How can we do this when using first names and informal expressions? We show respect in English in the following ways.


Use would like rather than want when making requests. It's more indirect and, therefore, is more polite and respectful.

I want to hear you talk about that first point again. (This could sound too much like a demand.)

I would like to hear you talk about that first point again. (This is safer.)


Use "should", "could", or "might" to remind or inform people about what to do next. Without such words, you could sound too much like a teacher or a policeman.

Use phrases like "I think" and "maybe" and "perhaps" to introduce suggestions. These words do not indicate uncertainty; they do express respect for the other person.

It's time to start the meeting now. (This COULD sound too authoritarian.)

I think we should start the meeting now. (This is safer.)

I'll give you some background information about that. (This is okay if your VOICE sounds helpful.)

Perhaps I could give you some background information about that. (This is safer.)


Use QUESTIONS to make suggestions. Keep in mind, however, that you are not asking for permission, but you are showing the other person respect by giving him or her a chance to disagree or interrupt before you go on.

So, can we go on to the next point now?

So, are we finished with that point? If so, let's go on to the next one.

NOTE: The better you get to know someone, the less important these strategies become. People who know each other well (and who respect each other) can be much more direct in saying what they want and what they think.


Activity:

Match the statements with the appropriate stages in negotiation.

1. The beginning
2. The exchange of proposals
3. The problem-solving stage
4. The finish


Grammar:

Give back exercise 3.2 and 17.3 and go over them with exercise 21.1

Continue with past prefect tense and past perfect continuous tense.

Lesson 20: Introduction to Negotiation

What is negotiation? :

Negotiation is an interaction which includes the process of resolving disputes, agreeing upon courses of action, bargaining for individual or collective advantage, or crafting outcomes to satisfy various interests. It is an alternative form of dispute resolution.

In business: “Everything is negotiable”.


Techniques and skills that assist people in the negotiation process:

· Visualizing the end result
· Treating one’s opponent with respect and honesty
· Prepare ahead of time
· Aiming high
· Exhibiting confidence

Here are some preparatory questions to ask yourself before beginning talks with the other party:

· What is my main objective?
· What are all of the alternatives I can think of?
· Why do I deserve to have my goals met?
· What will my opponent's counter proposal likely consist of?
· How can I respond to this counter proposal?
· When would I like to have this issue resolved?
· What is my bottom-line?
· What market research/homework do I need to do to back up my cause?
· What is my bargaining power compared to my opponent's?
· What do I know about the principles of negotiating?

Collaborative Negotiating:

In business, the goal of negotiating parties should always be for mutual gain. This type of win-win negotiation is often called collaborative negotiating. The opposite of collaborative negotiating is called competitive negotiating.

The goal of competitive negotiating is for one party to win and the other to lose. Dishonest practices, such as lying, manipulation, intimidation, and bribery are often used in this type of negotiation.

We don't want competitive negotiation...

Main Principles of Collaborative Negotiating:

· Resolve previous conflicts ahead of time
· Deal with issues, not personalities
· Commit to listening more than speaking: The more you know about your counterpart, the more likely you will achieve your goals. You cannot convince someone of something when you do not know anything about them, or what their own needs are. A common mistake is to prepare one's next question or point while the opponent is speaking.
· Establish trust in the onset
· Develop a common goal
· Discuss a common enemy
· Take opponent's views/needs into careful consideration: Not only do you want to win this negotiation, you want your opponent to win as well, so that he or she will negotiate with you again in the future.


Here are a few golden rules to successful negotiations:

1) Always try to negotiate for at least 15 minutes. Any less than that and it is unlikely that either party has had enough time to fairly consider the other side. Generally, the size or seriousness of the negotiation determines the amount of time needed to negotiate it. Setting a time limit is a good idea. Approximately 90% of negotiations get settled in the last 10% of the discussion.

2) Always offer to let the other party speak first. This is especially important if you are the one making a request for something such as a raise. The other party may have overestimated what you are going to ask for and may actually offer more than what you were going to request.

3) Always respect and listen to what your opponent has to say. This is important even if he or she does not extend the same courtesy to you. Do your best to remain calm and pleasant even if the other party is displaying frustration or anger. Remember some people will do anything to intimidate you.

4) Acknowledge what the other party says. Everyone likes to know that what they say is important. If the other party opens first, use it to your advantage, by paraphrasing what you have heard. Repeat their important ideas before you introduce your own stronger ones.

5) Pay attention to your own and your counterpartner's body language. Review the chart below to learn how to interpret body language during the negotiations. Make sure that you aren't conveying any negative body language.

Body Language:

Body Language

Avoiding Eye Contact
· Lying
· Not interested
· Not telling the whole truth

Serious Eye Contact
· Trying to intimidate
· Showing anger

Touching the face/fidgeting
· Nervousness
· Lack of confidence
· Submission

Nodding
· Agreeing
· Willing to compromise

Shaking the head/turning away
· Frustrated
· In disbelief
· Disagreeing with a point

Activity: Negotiation stages

The negotiation process is very similar to the meeting process with objective, roles, agenda, procedures, timing, and closing.

However, there are a number of signals that indicate that negotiations are coming to a close. This may not always mean that an agreement has been reached. In many cases, there are many rounds of negotiations. The preliminary round may uncover the major issues, while subsequent rounds may be needed to discuss and resolve them. Here are some signals of talks coming to a close:

· A difference of opinion has been significantly reduced
· One party suggests signing an agreement.
· One or both parties indicate that a period of time to pause and reflect is necessary.


Beware of last-minute strong-arm tactics:

Even if you make the decision to treat your negotiating opponent with honesty and kindness, the other party may not extend you the same respect. Be prepared to stand your ground firmly, yet cordially, especially in the last few minutes of the negotiations.

This is the time when manipulative parties may employ certain tactics in order to try to fool you into losing focus or lowering goals and standards. Remember that conflicts are generally resolved in the last few minutes. The theory behind last minute tactics is that one party may be more willing to give in out of fear that all of the concessions or progress made up to that point (perhaps hours or weeks of talks) might be lost.

People also get tired or have other commitments that need to be met, such as making an important phone call before another business closes, or picking up children from school.

Here are some last minutes tricks that negotiators often use at this time:

· Walking out of the room
· Offering a short-term bribe
· Telling you to take it or leave it
· Giving an ultimatum
· Abrupt change in tone (used to shock the other party into submission)
· Introducing new requests (used at to get you to concede with little thought or consideration)
· Stating generalizations without evidence (dropped without significant statistics/proof)
· Adopting the Mr. Nice Guy persona (used to try to make it look like they are doing you a favour in hopes that you will lower your expectations)


Class Reading Activity: “What are good negotiators like?”

Read the article and answer the followings using true or false:

1. Neil Rackman is a negotiator.
2. Good negotiators spend more time planning their strategy before a negotiation.
3. Good negotiators argue, giving lots of reasons.
4. Good negotiators repeat the same arguments.
5. Good negotiators go back and check points again.


Grammar:

Go over exercise 3.2 and 17.3

Past Tense: (I did)
1. To talk about actions or situations in the past.
Mr. Brown enjoyed the party very much.
When Ms. Peterson lived in London, she worked in a bank.

2. In past questions and negatives, we use did/didn’t + base form verb.

Did it rain?
I didn’t enjoy the movie.


Past Continuous Tense: (I was doing)

1. To talk about someone who was in the middle of doing something at a certain time. The action or situation had already started before this time but hadn’t finished.

This time last year I was living in London.
What were you doing at 10 last night?

2. It does not tell us whether an action was finished or not. Perhaps it was finished, perhaps not.

Peter was cooking dinner.
Jane was doing her homework.

3. We use past continuous tense and simple past together to say that something happened in the middle of something else.

Dan burned his hand while he was cooking dinner.
It was raining when I got up.

4. But to say one happened after another, use simple past.

When Peter arrived, we were having dinner. (We had already started dinner before Peter arrived).

Compare to:

When Peter arrived, we had dinner. (Peter arrived and then we had dinner).

Compare simple past and past continuous tense:









Past Perfect Tense: (I had done)

1. To say that something had already happened before this time.

When I arrived at the party, Peter had already gone home.
When I got home, I found that someone had broken into my apartment and had stolen my money.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense: (I had been doing)

1. To say how long something had been happening before something else happened.

The soccer game had to be stopped. They had been playing for half an hour.
Ken had been smoking for 30 years when he finally gave it up.

2. Past perfect continuous tense is the past of the present perfect continuous tense.

Compare:
How long have you been waiting? (Until now)
How long had you been waiting when the bus finally came? (The whole scenario happened in the past)

Compare past continuous tense and past perfect continuous tense:

Lesson 19:Role Play on meeting

Monday role play activity:

As the tourism industry in Hida region blooms, the company decides to build a new hotel in Hida area.

Our company’s goals:
· Attract travelers from around the world to live in our hotel.
· Allow travelers to experience traditional Japanese culture.
· Show them the beauty and tradition of Hida area.
· To make a profit.

Role assignment:

Chairperson: Me (Ada)

Item 1 (guest): Mr. Kobayashi
Item 2 (image): Mr. Kitamura
Item 3 (décor): Mr. Nishino
Item 4 (facilities): Mr. Segi
Item 5 (restaurants): Mr. Kaito
Item 6 (services): Mr. Omori

Remember to go over your notes. You are allowed to write the phrases on a piece of paper. Do not flip your notes to find the suitable phrases on Monday’s role play. Write them down on a piece of paper and be handy on Monday.

You can use whiteboard for your presentation (please use the board; it would be helpful for everyone) and all of you should make notes during the meeting.

Study the model that I have given you.

• introduce the subject
• present ideas and alternatives
• preference
• ask for opinion
• etc....depends on situation

You can make point form notes or you can write a paragraph.


The presenter will stand at the front when presenting.


Using item #1 for example:

To begin, explain which item you are responsible of. Then, you can present all ideas or alternatives (about 2-5, more is better in case if someone objects to your preference) that you can think of (such as attracting families and tour groups or attracting couples and elder people).
You can use multiple combinations, but keep in mind with the hotel’s goals. If you have other good ideas, please use it; it doesn’t have to be ideas from the handout. After that, explain the pros and cons (advantages and disadvantages) of each idea. Then, state your preference with reasons to back up. Then ask for the group’s opinion.

Both classes will start at 10am on Monday.

It will last one to two hours depending on the situation.

If you have any questions, please email me.

Lesson 18: Other situations in a Meeting

Part 1: Handle Interruptions

One of the most effective ways to interrupt someone is to maintain eye contact with them. Wait until there's a natural pause and then come in with a phrase that shows you have something to say:

· Can I say something here
· I'd like to make a point.
· Can I come in here?
· May I come in here?
· Could I interrupt you for a moment?
· May I interrupt you for a moment?
· May I just add something here?
· Do you mind if I just come in here?
· While we're on the subject, I'd like to say…
· (Mister/Madam) chairman.
· May I have a word?
· If I may, I think...
· Excuse me for interrupting.
· Sorry for interrupting, but…
· If I may just interrupt you for a moment, I would like to…
· I don’t want to interrupt, but…

Taking the floor (chance to speak):

· Could I come in at this point?
· Could I say something about…?
· If I could just come in here…?
· If no one objects, I would like to say a few words about…?
· If could say a word about…?
· I have a point to make here.

Commenting:

· I wonder if I could comment on the last point?
· Excuse me, but I would like to point out that…..
· I would like to add something here if I may?
· May I draw your attention to the fact that…
· Before we go any further, may I point out…

If, on the other hand, you want to prevent someone from interrupting you, you can hold them off with a phrase like:

· Actually, if you could just let me finish…
· Just let me finish, if you wouldn't mind…
· Actually, I've nearly finished…
· If I might just finish…
· Perhaps I could return to that point later on…
· With your permission, I would rather finish what I was saying.
· With respect, I should like to finish the point I was making.
· If you would allow me to continue…
· If you would be so kind as to let me finish…

Coming back to a point:

· As I was saying…
· Coming back to what I was saying…
· Perhaps I could resume…
· If I may just go back to the point I was making…
· If I could continue…
· Your question leads us back to…
· To return to…


Part 2: Making suggestions

· Let's...
· We should...
· Why don't you....
· How/What about...
· I suggest/recommend that...


Part 3: Clarifying a point

Keep eye contact with the chairperson where necessary so that he / she can see if you don't understand something. Hopefully the chairperson will clarify items with you, but be prepared to ask for clarification if necessary. Use phrases such as:

· Would you mind clarifying this point?
· Sorry, but could you outline the main points again?
· I'm not sure I understood your point about…
· Sorry, could you repeat that please?
· I don't quite follow you. What exactly do you mean?
· I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you are getting at.
· Could you explain to me how that is going to work?
· I don't see what you mean. Could we have some more details, please?
· Are you saying that…
· Basically, what you are saying is …
· When you say… do you mean that…
· Am I right in assuming that…
· Correct me if I am wrong, but…
· If I’ve understood you correctly, you are saying that…
· Would I be correct in saying that..?

Request information:

· Please, could you...
· I'd like you to...
· Would you mind...
· I wonder if you could...
· Could you be a little more specific?
· I’m sorry, but could you explain in a little more detail?
· Could you give us some details about…?
· Would you care to elaborate on that?
· Could you expand on that?

Correcting information:

· Sorry, I think you misunderstood what I said.
· I’m afraid there seems to have been a slight misunderstanding.
· With respect, this is not what I said.
· Sorry, that's not quite right.
· I'm afraid you don't understand what I'm saying.
· That's not quite what I had in mind.
· That's not what I meant.
· This isn’t quite what I meant.

Re-phrasing:

When you’re not clear, you may have to rephrase what you have said.

· Perhaps I haven’t made myself clear. Basically, what I’m trying to say is…
· Allow me to rephrase that…
· To be more specific…
· Put simply…
· Perhaps I should make that clear by saying…
· Sorry. I’m probably not making myself clear. Let me put it another way…

Making sure that others understand, you can say:

· Have I made that clear?
· Do you see what I'm getting at?
· Let me put this another way...
· I'd just like to repeat that...

Commenting:

· That's interesting .
· I never thought about it that way before.
· Good point!
· I get your point.
· I see what you mean.


Part 4: Asking repetition

Sometimes if you cannot follow what someone says, you can ask him or her to repeat what he or she has just said.

· I'm afraid I didn't understand that. Could you repeat what you just said?
· I didn't catch that. Could you repeat that, please?
· I missed that. Could you say it again, please?
· Could you run that by me one more time?
· I’m sorry, I don’t quite follow what you said about…
· I’m afraid I didn’t quite get your last point. Could you go over it again?

You can also ask the chairperson or presenter to summarize the discussion or to provide more information on a point:

· Can you summarize the main points for me please?
· Can you go into further detail on this please?
· I'm not sure if I've fully understood the main points here…


Part 5: Asking for contribution

As a chairperson, you want everyone to make contribution in a meeting.

· We haven't heard from you yet, (name of participant).
· What do you think about this proposal?
· Would you like to add anything, (name of participant)?
· Has anyone else got anything to contribute?
· Are there any more comments?


Part 6: Keeping the meeting on track

As a chairperson, your responsibility is to keep the meeting on track…

· We're running short of time.
· We're running short on time, so let's move on.
· Well, that seems to be all the time we have today.
· Please be brief.
· I'm afraid we've run out of time.
· I'm afraid that's outside the scope of this meeting.
· Let's get back on track, why don't we?
· That's not really why we're here today.
· Why don't we return to the main focus of today's meeting.
· We'll have to leave that to another time.
· We're beginning to lose sight of the main point.
· Keep to the point, please.
· I think we'd better leave that for another meeting.
· Are we ready to make a decision?
· I think we've spent enough time on this topic.
· We're running behind schedule, so we'll have to skip the next item.
· We only have fifteen minutes remaining and there's a lot left to cover.
· If we don't move on, we'll run right into lunch.
· We've spent too long on this issue, so we'll leave it for now.
· We'll have to come back to this at a later time.
· We could spend all day discussing this, but we have to get to the next item.

Regaining focus:

It is easy to get off topic when you get a number of people in the same room. It is the chairperson's responsibility to keep the discussion focused. Here are some expressions to keep the meeting centred on the items as they appear on the agenda.

· Let's stick to the task at hand, shall we?
· I think we're steering off topic a bit with this.
· I'm afraid we've strayed from the matter at hand.
· You can discuss this among yourselves at another time.
· We've lost sight of the point here.
· This matter is not on today's agenda.
· Let's save this for another meeting.
· Getting back to item number ...
· Now where were we? Oh yes, let's vote.


Part 7: Voting

When issues cannot be resolved or decisions cannot be easily made, they are often put to a vote. Most votes occur during meetings. Votes can be open, where people raise their hands in favour or in opposition of the issue. In an open vote, the results are evident immediately. Other votes, such as who should be elected to take on a certain role, are private or closed. During private votes, attendees fill out ballots and place them in a box to be counted. The results may not be counted until after the meeting. Here are some specific expressions used during open voting:

· All in favour?(Those who agree raise their hands or say "Aye".)
· All opposed?
· Motion to hire more tour guides, moved by Thomas.(Suggestions or ideas that are put to a vote are called motions. When a person makes a suggestion, the term to use both during the meeting and in the minutes is moved.)
· Motion to hire more tour guides seconded by Nolan.(When another person agrees with the motion, it is seconded.)


Part 8: Comment and feedback

During the meeting, participants will comment, provide feedback, or ask questions. Here are some ways to do so politely:

· If I could just come in here...
· I'm afraid I'd have to disagree about that.
· Could I just say one thing?
· I'm really glad you brought that up, ____________.
· I couldn't agree with you more. (I agree)
· _____________, could you please speak up. We can't hear you at the back.
· If I could have the floor (chance to speak) for a moment...
· We don't seem to be getting anywhere with this.
· Perhaps we should come back to this at another time?


Listening Activity (1): giving opinion in a meeting

Question: What is Marcelo’s opinion about improving the products?

I was in a department meeting and our manager was asking for our feedback on improving our product. I had a few ideas and I wanted to get them across, but one of my colleagues was giving me a hard time.

Marcelo: In my opinion, I think that we need to look at the question more from the customer’s perspective. I really feel we need to do more market research.

Ellen: I tend to think that we have enough information already and it’s time to make some decisions.

Marcelo: Well, the way I see it, we’ve only scratched the surface in getting to know our customers. We need to get inside their heads if we want to offer what they want and aren’t getting right now.

Ellen: You may be right, but if you ask me, I just don’t think it’s worth it to sink more time and money into the type of market research you’re proposing. It’s far more than what other companies are doing.

Marcelo: That’s precisely my point. I’m sure that if we can get information that other companies don’t have, we’ll be one step ahead.

That’s when the manager stepped in and offered her opinion. And, I’m happy to say, she sided with me.


Listening Activity (2): clarifying in a meeting

I was negotiating a contract with a new business partner, and we had a meeting to clarify the terms.

Bill: If I understand the terms correctly, the length of the contract would be one year with a one-year option. Is that correct?

Ms. Samuels: Do you mean the contract for equipment rental or the one for training?

Bill: I was under the impression that both contracts had the same terms.

Ms. Samuels: Yes and no. Let me see if I can clarify that. The terms are the same except that the contract for training has a clause that allows for the cancellation after the first six months.

Bill: Could you elaborate on that?

Ms. Samuels: Sure. What I mean is that either side could cancel the training contract after the six months as long as it's in writing.

Bill: Let me see if I have that right. This contract is for six months of training, but if it isn't cancelled, continues for another six months. Is that right?

Ms. Samuels: Yes, that's right.

Bill: Okay, that's clear enough. Let's move on to the other terms



Role Play Preparation for next Monday.


Grammar:

Go over exercise 3.2 and 17.3


Past Tense: (I did)

1. To talk about actions or situations in the past.

Mr. Brown enjoyed the party very much.
When Ms. Peterson lived in London, she worked in a bank.

2. In past questions and negatives, we use did/didn’t + base form verb.

Did it rain?
I didn’t enjoy the movie.


Past Continuous Tense: (I was doing)

1. To talk about someone who was in the middle of doing something at a certain time. The action or situation had already started before this time but hadn’t finished.

This time last year I was living in London.
What were you doing at 10 last night?

2. It does not tell us whether an action was finished or not. Perhaps it was finished, perhaps not.

Peter was cooking dinner.
Jane was doing her homework.

3. We use past continuous tense and simple past together to say that something happened in the middle of something else.

Dan burned his hand while he was cooking dinner.
It was raining when I got up.

4. But to say one happened after another, use simple past.

When Peter arrived, we were having dinner. (We had already started dinner before Peter arrived).

Compare to:

When Peter arrived, we had dinner. (Peter arrived and then we had dinner).

Compare simple past and past continuous tense:









Past Perfect Tense: (I had done)

1. To say that something had already happened before this time.

When I arrived at the party, Peter had already gone home.
When I got home, I found that someone had broken into my apartment and had stolen my money.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense: (I had been doing)

1. To say how long something had been happening before something else happened.

The soccer game had to be stopped. They had been playing for half an hour.
Ken had been smoking for 30 years when he finally gave it up.

2. Past perfect continuous tense is the past of the present perfect continuous tense.

Compare:
How long have you been waiting? (Until now)
How long had you been waiting when the bus finally came? (The whole scenario happened in the past)

Compare past continuous tense and past perfect continuous tense:

Lesson 17: Expressing your opinion in a meeting


Part 1: Presenting an argument


This skill is especially important in a meeting because you have to express your views about an issue…

Beginning:
· I would like to begin by…
· I would like to make a few remarks concerning…
· I would like to comment on the problem of…
· I would like to mention briefly that…
· There are three points I would like to make…
· The most important point seems to be…

Ordering:
· First of all, we must bear in mind…
· To begin with…
· Firstly…..Secondly…..Thirdly…..Lastly…..

Introducing a new point:
· I would now like to turn briefly to the problem of…
· The next issue I would like to focus on is…
· Turning to …

Adding:
· In addition, …
· As well as …, there is also …
· Not only…, but also…
· Furthermore, …
· Moreover, …

Giving an example:
· Let me give an example …
· Let me give you an example…
· Take for example (the case of)…
· Look at …
· For instance…/For example…
· To illustrate this point, let us consider…


Balancing:
· On one hand …, on the other hand…
· Although…, we mustn’t forget…
· In spite of …, I still think…
· Despite the fact that…, I…

Generalizing:
· On the whole, …
· In general, …
· Generally speaking, …
· By and large, …
· All things considered, …

Stating Preferences:
· I would rather…than…
· I prefer… to…
· I tend to flavor…as opposed to…
· …has an advantage over…in that…
· The main advantage of…is that…

Concluding:
· Let me conclude by saying…
· I would like to conclude by stating that…
· Allow me to conclude by highlighting the fact that…
· In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that…
· I would now like to conclude my comments by reassuring you that we are fully aware of the fact that...
· Most probably …
· It appears to be …
· It is important to mention that...
· As I already indicated …
· In other words, …
· I am most concerned about …
· I should like to repeat once again that …
· I should like to emphasize that …
· I would (just) like to add …
· So all in all I believe that...
· (In) summing up it can be said that …
· Weighing the pros and cons, I come to the conclusion that …


Part 2: Discussion and Opinion

Opinions from the participants in a meeting is extremely important, for sometimes they may point out something that a presenter misses or present a whole new idea…

Asking for opinion:
· What’s your opinion of…?
· What’s your position on…?
· What do you think of…?
· How do you feel about that?
· I would like to hear your views on…?
· Any ideas on that?

Asking for a reaction:
· Could I ask for your reaction to…?
· I was wondering where you stood on this question?
· Where exactly do you stand on this issue?
· I wonder if you would like to comment, ___________?

Giving strong opinion:
· I firmly believe that…
· I’m absolutely convinced…
· It’s my belief that…
· There is no doubt in my mind that…
· It’s quite clear that…
· I’m certain that…
· It’s my considered opinion that…

Giving neutral opinion:
· I think that…
· In my opinion…
· It’s my opinion that…
· As I see it…
· As far as I am concerned…
· From my point of view…

Other ways of stating your opinions:
· It seems to me that …
· I am of the opinion that …/ I take the view that ..
· My personal view is that …
· In my experience …
· As far as I understand / can see, …
· As I see it, … / From my point of view …
· As far as I know … / From what I know …
· I might be wrong but …
· If I am not mistaken …
· I believe one can (safely) say …
· It is claimed that …
· I must admit that …
· I cannot deny that …
· I can imagine that …
· I think/believe/suppose …
· Personally, I think …
· That is why I think …
· I am sure/certain/convinced that …

When you are not sure or when you have mixed opinions:
· I am not sure/certain, but …
· I am not sure, because I don't know the situation exactly.
· I am not convinced that …
· I have read that …
· I am of mixed opinions (about / on) …
· I am of mixed opinions about / on this.
· I have no opinion in this matter.

Outlining Facts
· The fact is that
· The (main) point is that …
· This proves that …
· What it comes down to is that …
· It is obvious that …
· It is certain that …
· One can say that …
· It is clear that …
· There is no doubt that …

Bringing in to answer a question:
· I would like to ask my colleague _____________to give us his/her view on that.
· If I may, I would like to ask my colleague ___________to reply to that.
· I think _________is more qualified than I am to deal with this question.
· I would like to bring in ______________who has studied this matter in more detail than I have.
· Perhaps ______________would care to answer that.

Bringing in to present a point:
· I would like to invite ____________to present his/her views on…
· I would like to call on ___________to present his/her views on…
· _____________, would you care to comment?
· I think ____________would like to make a point.

Summarizing:
· Well, if I could sum up the discussion…
· To summarize, I think we are in agreement on…
· To sum up, there seems to be…
· In short, …
· Briefly, the main points that have been made are…
· Well, at this stage I feel I should summarize the matter as it stands…
· If I may just go over the main points raised so far?


Part 3: Agreeing and Disagreeing

Agreeing:
· I simply must agree with that.
· I am of the same opinion.
· I am of the same opinion as …
· I completely/absolutely agree with …
· I totally agree with you.
· Exactly!
· That's (exactly) the way I feel.
· I have to agree with (name of participant).
· I completely agree.
· I agree entirely with your point of view.
· I’m I total agreement.
· I think we can accept your position on that.

Partial Agreement:
· I would tend to agree with you on that.
· I agree with you on the whole, but it could be said that…
· I agree in principle, but…
· By and large I would accept your views, but…
· Although I agree with most of what you have said, I find it difficult to agree with your point about…

Disagreement:

· There is more to it than that.
· The problem is that …
· I (very much) doubt whether …
· This is in complete contradiction to …
· What is even worse, …
· I am of a different opinion because …
· I cannot share this / that / the view.
· I cannot agree with this idea.
· What I object to is …
· Unlike … I think …
· I totally disagree with you.
· I don’t agree at all.
· You are completely mistaken.
· I disagree entirely.
· Under no circumstances could I agree to that.

Softening phrases to use with disagreement:
· Frankly, …
· With respect, …

Neutral Disagreement:
· I don’t completely agree with you on that
· I really can’t agree with you on that.
· I can’t say that I share your view.
· I’m not totally convinced by your argument.
· I can’t accept your point of view.
· I feel I must disagree.
· I can’t help feeling that…

Softening phrases to use with neutral disagreement:
· I’m afraid…
· I’m sorry…
· With respect…
· I respect your opinion, of course, however, …

Tactful Agreement (similar to partial agreement, only more on the
negative side- below 50% [partial agreement- above 50%]):

· I agree up to a point, but…
· To a certain extent I agree with you, but…
· You have a point there, but…
· I take your point ___________, but have you considered…?


Listening Activity: Listen and answer the followings:

1. What is Lucy and Jeff arguing about?
2. According to Lucy, why was the Miami plan denied?
3. According to Jeff, why was the Miami plan denied?
4. What do they plan in order to settle their different point of views?


Lucy: I don't think this is going to work. This plan calls for the new office to open by July and I think that's too ambitious. I don't see how the groundwork can be done any earlier than September.

Jeff: I understand your concern. I don't want to rush the opening of the new office either. But, as I see it, a lot of the preparations were made last year when we considered opening an office in Miami. Even though the site is different, a lot of the cost projections are the same.

Lucy: That may be, but remember that one of the reasons we scrapped the Miami plan was because the budget was too big.

Jeff: That's not how I saw it. I think the major reason we didn't go ahead with the Miami plan was a problem with timing. But, I know that the budget was a concern, too. As you can see, though, this plan has a lower budget than the Miami plan.

Lucy: I don't agree. If you add in all of the extras, the budget is the same, if not higher. I think we need to go back to the drawing board on this.

Jeff: I have to disagree. This plan is the best we've come up with and is workable.

Lucy: I'm afraid we just don't see eye to eye on this. Let's call a meeting with the rest of the team and see what they think.

Jeff: Okay, let's do that.

Grammar:

Present Continuous Tense:(verb+ing)

1. When we talk about something that is happening at the time of speaking.

Please don’t make so much noise. I’m studying.
‘Where is Peggy?’ ‘She is taking a bath.’

2. When we talk about something that is happening around the time of speaking, but not necessarily exactly at the time of speaking.

Tom and Ann are talking and having coffee in a café. Tom says:’ I am reading an interesting book at the moment. I’ll lend it to you when I have finished it.’

3. When we talk about a period around a present, e.g. today, this week, this season.

You are working hard today.
Mike is not playing baseball this season.

4. When we talk about changing situation.

The population of the world is rising fast.
Is your English getting better?

5. When we talk about what you have already arranged to do, usually for personal arrangements (going to). The sense is future.

Mary is getting married next month.
The Petersons are going to have a party this Sunday.

The Differences between Simple Present Tense & Present Continuous Tense:
















Present Perfect Tense: have/has + past participle (verb+ed or irregular verbs)

1. Give new information or to announce a recent happening.

I have lost my key. Can you help me look for it?
Jenny has gone to Canada.

2. Use with words like ‘never’ or ‘ever’.

Have you ever eaten caviar?
We have never had a car.

3. Use with phrases like ‘This is the first time…’ or It’s the third time…’.

Is this the first time you have been to London?
This is the first time he has driven to mount. Fuji.

4. To say that you have never done something or that you haven’t done something during a period of time that continues up to the present.

I haven’t smoked for three years.
She hasn’t seen her parents since she moved out of the house.

5. Talk about a time that continues up to the present (recent past).

We have met a lot of interesting people in the last few days.
I haven’t seen John lately. Have you?
Have you seen my keys? I can’t find it anywhere.

6. Use with phrases like ‘this morning/ this evening/ today/ this week, etc. (when these periods are not finished at the time of speaking).

I have had five cups of coffee today.
Peter hasn’t studied much this school semester.
I haven’t seen John this morning. Have you?

7. Talk about how much we have done, how many times we have done, or how many things we have done.

Mary has written ten letters today.
John has gone fishing three times this week.


Present Prefect Continuous Tense: (I have been doing)

1. When we talk about an action that begin in the past and has recently stopped or just stopped.

Why are your clothes so dirty? What have you been doing?
You are out of breath. Have you been running?

2. When we say how long something has been happening. This time the action or situation began in the past and is still happening or has just stopped.

I have been watching television since 9am.
How long have you been smoking?
He has been playing hockey since he was eight.

Differences between Present Perfect Tense and Present Perfect Continuous Tense:

Lesson 16: Discussion in a Meeting

Part 1: Starting the agenda

When starting an agenda, one can start with…

· The first thing we need to discuss is…
· The first item on the agenda is…
· The first thing on the list is…
· First, we need to talk about…
· So, let's start with…
· Shall we start with…?
· So, the first item on the agenda is….
· Pete, would you like to kick off?
· Martin, would you like to introduce this item?

Part 2: Presenting options

Usually, the presenter in a meeting with provides different options in solving or dealing with the issues…

· We have several alternatives:
· We have two options:
· We could either . . . or . . .

Part 3: Moving on with the next agenda

· Let's move onto the next item
· The next item on the agenda is
· Now we come to the question of…
· Let's move on to Item 2.
· Let's move on to the next topic.
· We need to move on.
· The next item (of business) is…
· We need to go on to the next item.
· Shall/Should we move on?


Part 4: Giving Control to the next presenter

By giving control to the next presenter, people would know who is responsible for the next agenda, and this will also allow others to know that they are moving on…

· I'd like to hand over to _____________, who is going to lead the next point.
· Next, _________________ is going to take us through ...
· Now, I'd like to introduce ______________who is going to ...
· Right, _____________, over to you.


Part 5: Stalling the discussion

Sometimes, if someone still have problem with certain issues, he or she should point it out before moving on the next item on the agenda…

· Before we move on, I think we should . . .
· Wait a minute. We haven't discussed . . .
· Don't you think we need to . . .
· Not so fast. We haven't (yet) . . .


Part 6: Summarizing

Before closing a meeting, we often summarized the agenda about what is being said or what important points that is being mentioned today…

· Before we close today's meeting, let me just summarize the main points.
· Let me quickly go over today's main points.
· To sum up...
· OK, why don't we quickly summarize what we've done today?
· In brief, ...
· Shall I go over the main points?
· In summary,
· The conclusion is . . .
· So, we've decided to . . .
· We're going to . . . (then)


Part 7: Wrapping up the meeting

When we need to wrap up the meeting, we can say…

· 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.
· Is there Any Other Business?
· I think we've covered everything on the list.
· I guess that will be all for today.
· Well, look at that...we've finished ahead of schedule for once.
· If no one has anything else to add, then I think we'll wrap this up.

When you are running out of time:

· It looks like we've run out of time, so I guess we'll finish here.
· I'm afraid we're going to have to cut this meeting short. I've just been informed of a problem that needs my immediate attention.


Part 8: Planning for the next meeting and follow up

In the closing remarks, the chairperson, or participants may want to discuss the date and time for the next meeting, when the minutes will be available, or when a decision should be made by. This is also the time to give contact information, such as how to send a question by e-mail or who to call regarding a certain issue.

· We'll meet again on the first of next month.
· Next time we meet I'll be sure to have those contacts for you.
· If anyone has any questions about anything we discussed today, feel free to send me an e-mail.
· The minutes from today's meeting will be posted as of tomorrow afternoon.
· I'll send out a group e-mail with the voting results
· Can we set the date for the next meeting, please?
· Can we fix the next meeting, please?
· So, the next meeting will be on ... (day), the . . . (date) of.... (month) at ...
· Let's next meet on ... (day), the . . . (date) of.... (month) at ... What about the following Wednesday? How is that?


Part 9: Reminders

There is almost always one last thing to say, even after the closing remarks. A chairperson might close the meeting and then make a last-minute reminder. Instructions for tidying up the room may also be mentioned.

· Oh, before you leave, please make sure to sign the attendance sheet.
· I almost forgot to mention that we're planning a staff banquet next month.
· Don't forget to put your ballot in the box on your way out.
· If I didn't already say this, please remember to introduce yourself to the new trainees.
· Could I have your attention again? I neglected to mention that anyone who wants to take home some of this leftover food is welcome to.
· If you could all return your chair to Room 7 that would be appreciated.
· Please take all of your papers with you and throw out any garbage on your way out.


Part 10: Thanking participants

The end of the meeting is also the time to thank anyone who has not been thanked at the beginning of the meeting, or anyone who deserves a second thank you. Congratulations or Good-luck can also be offered here to someone who has experienced something new, such as receiving a promotion, getting married, or having a baby.

· Before I let you go let's all give a big thank you (everyone claps) to Thomas for baking these delicious cookies.
· Again, I want to thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to be here today.
· Most of you probably already know this, but Nolan's wife just gave birth to a baby boy.
· As you leave today, don't forget to wish Stella luck on the weekend. The next time you see her she will be happily married.
· I'd like to thank Marianne and Jeremy for coming over from London.
· Thank you all for attending.
· Thanks for your participation.


Part 10: Closing the meeting

When closing the meeting, we can say…

· The meeting is finished, we'll see each other next ...
· The meeting is closed.
· I declare the meeting closed.
· That's all for today.
· That's it then. (informal)
· The meeting is adjourned. (very formal)


Listening Activity: Listen and answer the following

1. Which company is Olivia Dansk from?
2. Who is absent from the meeting?
3. What is this meeting about?
4. When will the next meeting be on?


Good morning, everyone. I believe we are all here. Please be seated and let’s get started.

Please join me in welcoming Olivia Dansk, from Garland Corporation I’m afraid that Lionel Wu from Manatect can’t be with us today, but I’m pleased to welcome representatives from both Danforth and Boyent.

We’re here today to discuss the progress of our joint venture project. Have you all received a copy of the agenda? Good. As you can see, there are six items on the agenda. If there are no objections, I suggest we take the items in order. Let’s start with number one……

…I think that takes care of the first item? Why don't we move on to item number two? I’d like to hand it over to Olivia, who will take us through the report. Olivia?...…

…If there are no other issues to discuss, I’d like to wrap up this meeting. Our next meeting will be on Monday, November 20th. Before we end today, I’d like to thank all of you for coming. This has been a very productive meeting.


Role Play:
Opening a meeting

Grammar:

Simple Present:

1. We use simple present to talk about things in general. We are not thinking only about the present. We use it to say something happens all the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general.

For example:

The earth goes around the sun.
Water boils at 100ºC.
Nurses take care of patients in hospitals.
I work in a bank. Peter works in a department store.

Remember: he/she/it-------add‘s’


2. We use do/does to make questions and negative sentences.

For example:

Do you speak English?
What does this word mean?
Where do you come from?


3. We use simple present when we say how often we do things:

For example:

I get up at 8:00am every morning.
In summer, Peter usually goes swimming twice a week.


Grammar exercise activity: Handout