Business English · 8-minute exercise

Checking understanding in sales demos: English practice

Practise checking understanding in sales demos. This exercise helps you confirm a shared meaning before making a commitment. You take the role of a product specialist and speak with a prospective customer. You can work alone by recording both parts, or ask a partner to respond naturally.

NEXT MBA EditorialPublished Example + editable working sheet
What you will work towards

Confirm a shared meaning before making a commitment.

Your situation

The customer wants to see how a shared workspace handles project handovers. A colleague has asked about a feature you have not verified.

Known detail: the customer has 20 users and wants a demonstration of one handover. Your communication task is to agree which workflow to demonstrate and what needs a later check. Keep that task in mind while practising the language; accuracy matters more than sounding elaborate.

Your rolea product specialist
Other persona prospective customer
What is unresolvedthe requested integration has not been verified
Possible agreed outcomeyou will demonstrate the handover and confirm the integration separately

A useful language pattern

So, if I have understood correctly, … Is that right?

A short paraphrase gives the other person an opportunity to correct a misunderstanding.

Example: “So, if I have understood correctly, the requested integration has not been verified. Is that right?” This is one way to express the idea. Change the wording when the actual situation calls for a different level of formality.

Less useful wordingYes, yes, I know.
Clearer follow-upThanks. We should agree which workflow to demonstrate and what needs a later check before we finish.

Example exchange

An illustrative exchange. Real conversations will take a different path.

YouSo, if I have understood correctly, the requested integration has not been verified. Is that right?

PartnerYes, although we still need to agree who will handle the next step.

YouThanks. We should agree which workflow to demonstrate and what needs a later check before we finish.

PartnerLet us confirm what we have agreed and what still needs checking.

Vocabulary for this conversation

use casea situation in which a product is used
walkthrougha step-by-step demonstration
requirementsomething the customer needs the solution to do

An eight-minute practice

  1. Minute 1: read the situation and identify what is known, what is uncertain and what you need to agree which workflow to demonstrate and what needs a later check.
  2. Minutes 2–3: Summarise the issue in one sentence, invite a correction and respond to it.
  3. Minutes 4–5: ask a partner to reply differently from the example. Respond to their meaning rather than restarting your prepared answer.
  4. Minutes 6–7: review the three criteria below. Rewrite one unclear sentence using shorter, more specific words.
  5. 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 supportKeep this pattern visible: So, if I have understood correctly, … Is that right? Practise one exchange at a time and ask the other person to speak more slowly when needed.
More challengeAdd a new constraint: the other person cannot answer immediately. Keep the discussion accurate while you agree which workflow to demonstrate and what needs a later check.
For your actual workReplace the fictional detail “the customer has 20 users and wants a demonstration of one handover” 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: So, if I have understood correctly, the requested integration has not been verified. Is that right?

Example: Yes, although we still need to agree who will handle the next step.

Example: Thanks. We should agree which workflow to demonstrate and what needs a later check before we finish.

Example: Let us confirm: you will demonstrate the handover and confirm the integration separately. 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 sales demos?

The practical task is to agree which workflow to demonstrate and what needs a later check. 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: So, if I have understood correctly, … Is that right?

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.