More practice with the language you're learning
Supplementary support — grammar, vocabulary, speaking and review — built from language already taught in the course. Not a lesson, and never a test.
1.Transformation: express the same meaning without repeating the original wording — "**Complaint (bad)**: 'You've undercharged us again.' **Better**: 'From where I'm sitting the invoice looks light this month — is that how it looks to you?'"
2.Transformation: express the same meaning without repeating the original wording — "**Apology (bad)**: 'I'm sorry if you felt I was dismissive.' **Better**: 'I got it wrong in the meeting on Tuesday. When you raised the timing question, I interrupted you and moved on. That was dismissive, and it was mine to fix.'"
3.Transformation: express the same meaning without repeating the original wording — "**Taboo (bad, cold entry)**: 'We need to talk about your salary expectations.' **Better**: 'I know pay is something we don't usually open in a corridor — I'd like to have that conversation properly. Would Thursday work?'"
4.Rewrite as a complaint that could survive high-context and low-context rooms: 'You're late again.'
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'I've noticed the last three sessions have started around ten past — is something making the hour hard to hold? I'd rather ask than assume.'
5.Rewrite as a real apology: 'I'm sorry if my email came across the wrong way.'
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'My email on Wednesday was sharper than the situation deserved. Specifically, the second paragraph read as blaming when I meant to be describing. I should have written it after lunch, not before. I'll re-send with the tone I actually meant.'
6.Mini-context: someone disagrees with you in a meeting. Reply in two turns, using this structure at least once.
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Three moves, each with a signature opener. (a) COMPLAINT: name the situation, own your reading of it, ask for a joint look — 'I may be reading this wrong, but…' / 'From where I'm sitting it looks like… — is that how it looks to you?' Never open with 'you'. (b) APOLOGY: name the harm specifically, take responsibility without adjectives, name what you'll do differently — 'I got it wrong when I…' / 'The specific thing I did that hurt you was…' Never open with 'I'm sorry if…' or 'I'm sorry you felt…'. (c) TABOO: name that the topic is a taboo BEFORE you enter it, ask permission, offer an out — 'I know this isn't something we usually put on the table, but I'd like to — is now a workable moment?' Never assume the room has agreed to talk about it.
1.Sort these into "positive", "neutral" and "critical" in tone, and be ready to defend a borderline case: a repair move, to own your reading, to name the harm, a hedged 'if'-apology, to ask permission to enter, to offer an out, to keep the relationship on the table, a specific take-back
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a repair move — any complaint, apology or difficult-topic opener whose job is to keep the relationship intact | to own your reading — to signal that your interpretation might be wrong, without dropping the substance of what you're saying | to name the harm — to specify, in one sentence, what the actual damage was — no adjectives, no drama | a hedged 'if'-apology — the classic non-apology — 'I'm sorry if you felt…' — that puts the harm back on the injured party | to ask permission to enter — to check that the room is willing to have the difficult conversation before you begin it | to offer an out — to make it easy for the other person to say 'not now' without losing face | to keep the relationship on the table — to signal, through word choice, that the goal is the relationship — not the point-score | a specific take-back — the one sentence in an apology that names what you will do differently, dated and concrete
2.Odd one out: which of these is least like "a repair move" in meaning or use — to own your reading / to name the harm / a hedged 'if'-apology? Explain why.
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Compare against: any complaint, apology or difficult-topic opener whose job is to keep the relationship intact
3.Odd one out: which of these is least like "to own your reading" in meaning or use — to name the harm / a hedged 'if'-apology / to ask permission to enter? Explain why.
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Compare against: to signal that your interpretation might be wrong, without dropping the substance of what you're saying
4.Odd one out: which of these is least like "to name the harm" in meaning or use — a hedged 'if'-apology / to ask permission to enter / to offer an out? Explain why.
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Compare against: to specify, in one sentence, what the actual damage was — no adjectives, no drama
5.Odd one out: which of these is least like "a hedged 'if'-apology" in meaning or use — to ask permission to enter / to offer an out / to keep the relationship on the table? Explain why.
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Compare against: the classic non-apology — 'I'm sorry if you felt…' — that puts the harm back on the injured party
6.Semantic map: place "a repair move" on a scale from mild to strong against two other words you know. Then use the strongest one.
7.Semantic map: place "to own your reading" on a scale from mild to strong against two other words you know. Then use the strongest one.
8.Semantic map: place "to name the harm" on a scale from mild to strong against two other words you know. Then use the strongest one.
9.Mini-dialogue: write four lines in which two of this lesson's words appear naturally.
1.Word family: give the noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms linked to "a repair move" where they exist, then use the form that is hardest for you.
2.Word family: give the noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms linked to "to own your reading" where they exist, then use the form that is hardest for you.
3.Word family: give the noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms linked to "to name the harm" where they exist, then use the form that is hardest for you.
4.Word family: give the noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms linked to "a hedged 'if'-apology" where they exist, then use the form that is hardest for you.
5.Spot the mismatch: which partner does NOT work with "a repair move" — and what would a proficient speaker say instead?
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Natural model: That was a repair move, not a complaint — she wanted the relationship, not just the refund.
6.Spot the mismatch: which partner does NOT work with "to own your reading" — and what would a proficient speaker say instead?
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Natural model: Own your reading first — 'from where I'm sitting…' — then say the hard thing.
7.Spot the mismatch: which partner does NOT work with "to name the harm" — and what would a proficient speaker say instead?
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Natural model: Name the harm — 'I interrupted you three times in a client meeting' — and the apology already exists.
8.Rewrite one sentence from your last piece of writing, swapping a weak combination for a precise one from this lesson.
1.Shift the register twice: make this markedly formal, then markedly conversational — "**Complaint (bad)**: 'You've undercharged us again.' **Better**: 'From where I'm sitting the invoice looks light this month — is that how it looks to you?'"
2.Shift the register twice: make this markedly formal, then markedly conversational — "**Apology (bad)**: 'I'm sorry if you felt I was dismissive.' **Better**: 'I got it wrong in the meeting on Tuesday. When you raised the timing question, I interrupted you and moved on. That was dismissive, and it was mine to fix.'"
3.Shift the register twice: make this markedly formal, then markedly conversational — "**Taboo (bad, cold entry)**: 'We need to talk about your salary expectations.' **Better**: 'I know pay is something we don't usually open in a corridor — I'd like to have that conversation properly. Would Thursday work?'"
4.Diplomatic vs direct: soften this, then sharpen it. Which version would you actually use, and to whom? "Did any of your sentences begin with 'you'?"
5.Compress: express the idea behind "That was a repair move, not a complaint — she wanted the relationship, not just the refund." in six words or fewer without losing the nuance.
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any complaint, apology or difficult-topic opener whose job is to keep the relationship intact
6.Compress: express the idea behind "Own your reading first — 'from where I'm sitting…' — then say the hard thing." in six words or fewer without losing the nuance.
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to signal that your interpretation might be wrong, without dropping the substance of what you're saying
7.Compress: express the idea behind "Name the harm — 'I interrupted you three times in a client meeting' — and the apology already exists." in six words or fewer without losing the nuance.
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to specify, in one sentence, what the actual damage was — no adjectives, no drama
8.Read one of your own paraphrases aloud. Which word choice is doing the most work? Replace everything around it.
1.Rank and justify: order the ideas in Did any of your sentences begin with 'you'? / Was your apology hedged by 'if' anywhere? / Did you enter a taboo without asking permission — and did the room punish you for it? from most to least convincing. Defend your top choice.
2.Role-play: 10 minutes prep. Rule: you must move through all three moves, not just the easiest one. Take the position you least agree with.
3.Decision task: you have two minutes to reach a single recommendation on The 200-word repair memo, dated, ending with one sentence: 'The move I most needed and least wanted to make today was ____.'. State it in one sentence.
4.Now switch sides and argue the opposite for 60 seconds. Which language had to change?
5.Follow-up — push further: You're the customer: a supplier has quietly shipped a lower spec than the one you paid for. Add a counter-example.
6.Follow-up — push further: You're the colleague: last week you spoke over a junior report in front of a client, and you know it. Add a counter-example.
1.Paragraph ordering: draft your four topic sentences only, then decide their best order and say why.
2.Partial writing: write only the concession paragraph of Write a 320–380-word letter to a real or invented counterpart. It MUST contain, in this order: §1 a clean complaint that owns your reading, §2 an apology you also owe them in the same exchange, with a specific take-back, §3 the naming of one taboo you both know is on the table, with permission asked to speak about it separately. You MUST use at least SIX target items naturally. No sentence begins with 'you'. No apology contains 'if'. — 60–80 words.
3.Editing pass: cut 15% of your words without losing content. What went first?
4.Audience switch: rewrite your opening for a hostile reader, then for a sympathetic one.
5.Self-check: underline every repeated word and replace two with precise choices from this lesson.
1.Draft the OPENING PARAGRAPH (four sentences) of a formal letter of complaint about a service failure. Rules: no sentence begins with 'you'; no adjectives of judgement; one specific remedy with a date.
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Open the complaint on the situation, not on the person: 'I am writing regarding X'. Own the reading in sentence two ('From your correspondence I understood that…'). Ask for a specific remedy with a date in sentence four.
2.Find the evidence: which exact words in the text/script support this — Quote the sentence in EXCHANGE A that ended the possibility of repair.
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'I'm sorry you feel that way.' — a hedged if-apology in disguise. It relocates the problem to the client's feelings, not the invoice.
3.Find the evidence: which exact words in the text/script support this — Quote the OPENING MOVE in EXCHANGE B and name what it is doing.
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'From where I'm sitting they look higher than the contract rate, and I'd rather ask than assume. Is that how they look to you?' — the client OWNS THE READING and invites a joint look. No line begins with 'you'.
4.Find the evidence: which exact words in the text/script support this — How does the supplier in B name the harm?
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'Two of those three have the wrong day-rate coded against them.' — specific, no adjectives, no drama. Then: 'The specific thing that happened is we changed the coding on the first of the quarter and the old rate wasn't retired.'
5.Key word transformation: rewrite "**Complaint (bad)**: 'You've undercharged us again.' **Better**: 'From where I'm sitting the invoice looks light this month — is that how it looks to you?'" using the structure from Complaint, apology, taboo — three moves and their openers, in 3–8 words.
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Three moves, each with a signature opener. (a) COMPLAINT: name the situation, own your reading of it, ask for a joint look — 'I may be reading this wrong, but…' / 'From where I'm sitting it looks like… — is that how it looks to you?' Never open with 'you'. (b) APOLOGY: name the harm specifically, take responsibility without adjectives, name what you'll do differently — 'I got it wrong when I…' / 'The specific thing I did that hurt you was…' Never open with 'I'm sorry if…' or 'I'm sorry you felt…'. (c) TABOO: name that the topic is a taboo BEFORE you enter it, ask permission, offer an out — 'I know this isn't something we usually put on the table, but I'd like to — is now a workable moment?' Never assume the room has agreed to talk about it.
6.Reflection: which part of this task type costs you most time, and what will you do differently next time?
1.True, false or not stated? Decide for each, then correct the false ones: "'I'm sorry you feel that way.' — a hedged if-apology in disguise. It relocates the problem to the client's feelings, not the invoice." · "'From where I'm sitting they look higher than the contract rate, and I'd rather ask than assume. Is that how they look to you?' — the client OWNS THE READING and invites a joint look. No line begins with 'you'." · "'Two of those three have the wrong day-rate coded against them.' — specific, no adjectives, no drama. Then: 'The specific thing that happened is we changed the coding on the first of the quarter and the old rate wasn't retired.'"
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Quote the sentence in EXCHANGE A that ended the possibility of repair. → 'I'm sorry you feel that way.' — a hedged if-apology in disguise. It relocates the problem to the client's feelings, not the invoice. | Quote the OPENING MOVE in EXCHANGE B and name what it is doing. → 'From where I'm sitting they look higher than the contract rate, and I'd rather ask than assume. Is that how they look to you?' — the client OWNS THE READING and invites a joint look. No line begins with 'you'. | How does the supplier in B name the harm? → 'Two of those three have the wrong day-rate coded against them.' — specific, no adjectives, no drama. Then: 'The specific thing that happened is we changed the coding on the first of the quarter and the old rate wasn't retired.'
2.Retrieval race: in 60 seconds, list every word from this lesson you can remember, then check what you missed.
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a repair move, to own your reading, to name the harm, a hedged 'if'-apology, to ask permission to enter, to offer an out, to keep the relationship on the table, a specific take-back
3.Use "a repair move" in a sentence about a completely different topic from the lesson.
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any complaint, apology or difficult-topic opener whose job is to keep the relationship intact
4.Use "to own your reading" in a sentence about a completely different topic from the lesson.
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to signal that your interpretation might be wrong, without dropping the substance of what you're saying
5.Use "to name the harm" in a sentence about a completely different topic from the lesson.
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to specify, in one sentence, what the actual damage was — no adjectives, no drama
6.Teach it back: explain Complaint, apology, taboo — three moves and their openers to someone who has never met it, in under 45 seconds.
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Three moves, each with a signature opener. (a) COMPLAINT: name the situation, own your reading of it, ask for a joint look — 'I may be reading this wrong, but…' / 'From where I'm sitting it looks like… — is that how it looks to you?' Never open with 'you'. (b) APOLOGY: name the harm specifically, take responsibility without adjectives, name what you'll do differently — 'I got it wrong when I…' / 'The specific thing I did that hurt you was…' Never open with 'I'm sorry if…' or 'I'm sorry you felt…'. (c) TABOO: name that the topic is a taboo BEFORE you enter it, ask permission, offer an out — 'I know this isn't something we usually put on the table, but I'd like to — is now a workable moment?' Never assume the room has agreed to talk about it.
7.Which of the three moves — complaint, apology, taboo entry — is hardest for you in English, and hardest in your first language? Are the two the same?