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Language, when you need it
Search concise C2 rules, vocabulary and speaking phrases without leaving the course to hunt through past lessons.
What it is
This is the skill of structuring bad news so it's honest and clear but doesn't ambush or humiliate the listener — you prepare them, state it plainly, and give them a way forward.
Form
| Form | Pattern | Model sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare | I'm afraid I've got some difficult news | I'm afraid I've got some difficult news about the funding decision. |
| State plainly | The decision is / The outcome is + plain fact | The decision is that the project won't be renewed for next year. |
| Explain briefly | This is because + short, honest reason | This is because the budget's been reallocated to two other priorities. |
| Point forward | What this means for you now is + next step | What this means for you now is that we'll look at redeploying the team by March. |
Use it when
- Telling an employee their role is at risk or being cut
- Informing a client a deadline or deal can't be met as promised
- Giving a student or trainee news that they haven't passed
- Any moment where softening the news too much would leave people confused
Examples
- I want to be straight with you: the answer is no.
- I know this isn't what you were hoping to hear.
- The short version is that we can't go ahead with the original plan.
- I won't pretend this is a small setback — it's a real one.
- Let's talk through what your options are from here.
Watch out
✗ So, anyway, there's good news and bad news, but first let me tell you about the weather...
✓ I'm afraid I've got some difficult news, and I want to get straight to it.
Delaying bad news with small talk makes the listener anxious and feels evasive.
✗ It's not really that bad, don't take it personally.
✓ I know this is hard to hear, and it's okay to be disappointed.
Minimising the listener's reaction can feel dismissive rather than kind.
✗ The decision's final so there's nothing more to discuss.
✓ The decision is final, but let's talk about what happens next for you.
Even final bad news should open onto a next step, not shut the door completely.
Remember
Warn, state, explain briefly, then point forward — don't bury the news.
Quick check
- 1. What's the first move when delivering bad news at C2?
Reveal
A brief, honest signal that difficult news is coming, so the listener can brace for it.
- 2. Why is small talk before bad news a problem?
Reveal
It delays the message and can feel evasive or manipulative to the listener.
- 3. What should even final, non-negotiable bad news include?
Reveal
A next step or way forward, so the listener isn't left with nothing to hold onto.