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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
Framing moves are the phrases you use to set up how a listener should interpret what comes next, before you actually say it.
Form
| Form | Pattern | Model sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Set expectation | Before I go on, ... / To put this in context, ... | Before I go on, it's worth remembering this was a two-person team. |
| Reframe | Another way of looking at this is ... | Another way of looking at this is that we saved months, not lost them. |
| Narrow focus | The real issue here is ... | The real issue here isn't the budget, it's the timeline. |
| Broaden focus | Stepping back for a moment, ... | Stepping back for a moment, this fits a much bigger pattern. |
Use it when
- You want to steer how an audience reacts before delivering bad news
- You're correcting a misunderstanding without directly contradicting someone
- You need to zoom out from a detail to make a bigger point
- You're opening a presentation and need to set the right tone from line one
Examples
- Let's be clear about what we're actually discussing here.
- To frame this properly, remember we started with almost no budget.
- Looking at it from a different angle, this delay bought us better data.
- What's really at stake here is trust, not money.
- Zooming out, this is one setback in an otherwise strong quarter.
Watch out
✗ Jumping straight into detail without any framing at all.
✓ Open with a framing move so the listener knows how to read what follows.
Without a frame, listeners default to their own interpretation, which may not match yours.
✗ Using framing to hide bad news entirely.
✓ Use framing to contextualise the news, not conceal it.
Framing should guide interpretation, not replace honesty.
✗ Overusing framing phrases so the actual content gets delayed.
✓ Keep the frame short, then deliver the point.
A frame that's too long loses the audience's attention.
Remember
Set the lens before you show the picture.
Quick check
- 1. Give a framing phrase you'd use to narrow focus onto one issue.
Reveal
The real issue here is...
- 2. Why frame before delivering bad news?
Reveal
It shapes how the listener interprets the news rather than leaving it to chance.
- 3. Complete: '___ for a moment, this is a minor blip in a good year.'
Reveal
Stepping back