Learn about the other person’s priorities through questions that invite an explanation.
Your situation
The design draft is ready, but the client has not approved the final copy. The launch depends on that approval.
Known detail: the draft is ready on Tuesday, while the review meeting is on Thursday. Your communication task is to confirm who will obtain approval and by when. Keep that task in mind while practising the language; accuracy matters more than sounding elaborate.
| Your role | a project lead |
|---|---|
| Other person | a colleague responsible for delivery |
| What is unresolved | the launch date depends on copy approval |
| Possible agreed outcome | the account owner will request approval by Wednesday afternoon |
A useful language pattern
What matters most about …? How does that affect …?
Open questions help reveal needs and consequences that a yes-or-no question can miss.
Example: “What matters most to you as we confirm who will obtain approval and by when?” This is one way to express the idea. Change the wording when the actual situation calls for a different level of formality.
| Less useful wording | Is everything fine? |
|---|---|
| Clearer follow-up | How would that delay affect your work, and what could we prepare in advance? |
Example exchange
An illustrative exchange. Real conversations will take a different path.
YouWhat matters most to you as we confirm who will obtain approval and by when?
PartnerI need to know what happens if the first step takes longer than expected.
YouHow would that delay affect your work, and what could we prepare in advance?
PartnerLet us confirm what we have agreed and what still needs checking.
Vocabulary for this conversation
| dependency | something that must happen before another task can proceed |
|---|---|
| on track | progressing according to the agreed plan |
| revised date | a new date replacing an earlier one |
An eight-minute practice
- Minute 1: read the situation and identify what is known, what is uncertain and what you need to confirm who will obtain approval and by when.
- Minutes 2–3: Write three questions beginning with what or how. Use the answer to choose your next question.
- Minutes 4–5: ask a partner to reply differently from the example. Respond to their meaning rather than restarting your prepared answer.
- Minutes 6–7: review the three criteria below. Rewrite one unclear sentence using shorter, more specific words.
- Minute 8: repeat the difficult exchange without looking at the model. Finish by confirming the next step.
Make the exercise easier or harder
You do not need an idiom or a complicated sentence to sound professional. Check that the listener understands the message, can ask a question and knows which action follows. This exercise does not assess your accent or certify a language level.
| More support | Keep this pattern visible: What matters most about …? How does that affect …? Practise one exchange at a time and ask the other person to speak more slowly when needed. |
|---|---|
| More challenge | Add a new constraint: the other person cannot answer immediately. Keep the discussion accurate while you confirm who will obtain approval and by when. |
| For your actual work | Replace the fictional detail “the draft is ready on Tuesday, while the review meeting is on Thursday” with an appropriate, non-confidential example from your work. |
Your working sheet
Write your own version below. Notes are saved on this browser when local storage is available. Use Download to keep a separate copy; avoid adding confidential information on a shared device.
Example: What matters most to you as we confirm who will obtain approval and by when?
Example: I need to know what happens if the first step takes longer than expected.
Example: How would that delay affect your work, and what could we prepare in advance?
Example: Let us confirm: the account owner will request approval by Wednesday afternoon. Have I understood correctly?
Review your work
Tick only what you can support with your answer or practice. This is a reflection checklist, not an automated assessment.
Questions about this resource
Do I need advanced English for this exercise?
Start with the sentence pattern and a short exchange. If that is comfortable, use the harder variation. The exercise can be adapted to your ability and does not assign a formal language level.
What should I focus on in project updates?
The practical task is to confirm who will obtain approval and by when. Check that your language helps the other person understand the facts and respond to the request.
Can I use this dialogue at work?
Adapt it to the real situation. Do not repeat fictional details or commitments. The useful part is the communication pattern: What matters most about …? How does that affect …?
Original fictional language practice. Model answers are examples, not the only correct wording. The self-review is not a formal language assessment. About these resources.