Loading…
Teaching or studying this?
All lesson plans
Lesson planC165 minsNew. New: checked automatically for level, grammar, facts and originality; a teacher's review is still to come. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Would You Be Prepared To…? Negotiating diplomatically: softening, proposals and conditions
Students learn to negotiate diplomatically (softening, making proposals, setting conditions and closing a deal) and write an email confirming agreed terms.
Skills · Business · Negotiating · Negotiation · Work
Or download everything as a ZIP (4 PDFs)This lesson plan and its PDFs are free.
Plan at a glance
Aims
- Practise softening, proposals and conditions
- Learn and use 21 words and phrases in 3 sets: Negotiation words, Softening and proposing, Conditions and closing
- Read for detail: a supplier negotiation
- Writing task: confirming the terms
Stages · 65 min
- 5 minLead-in: Pairs talk about business and share ideas with the class.
- 5 minVocabulary: Ex. 1
- 5 minLanguage focus: Go through the grammar notes together and check understanding.
- 15 minControlled practice: Ex. 2–4
- 10 minAccuracy practice: Ex. 5–6
- 10 minReading: Ex. 7
- 15 minWriting: Ex. 8
Printables
Click a page to preview it, download it or open it in a new tab.
Download all (ZIP, 4 PDFs)Grammar notes
Softening and distancing
- Past forms sound less direct: We were hoping for… · We were wondering whether…
- Would and might soften a refusal or a request: I'm afraid we'd find that difficult. · That might be a little ambitious.
- Small words help: rather, a little, at all, really: Would Friday be at all possible?
Proposals and conditions
- Proposing: Would you be prepared to…? · It might be worth considering… · What if we were to…?
- Conditions: provided (that) · as long as · on condition that + present form for the future: provided that you pay within 30 days
- unless = if not: We can't go lower unless you increase the order.
- Hypothetical offers: If you were able to pay in advance, we could reduce the price.
Closing the deal
- So, just to confirm… · Let me summarise the terms we've agreed. · I think we have a deal.
- Leaving a point open: Let's come back to delivery next week.
Study tips
- Before a negotiation, decide your bottom line and one concession you could offer, then practise saying them diplomatically.
- Turn direct phrases into diplomatic ones: No → I'm afraid that wouldn't work for us. You must → Would you be able to…?
Glossary
- Negotiation words8 items
- Softening and proposing6 items
- Conditions and closing7 items
Complete the exercises, then check your answers.
1
Negotiation words
Match each word or phrase with its meaning. There is one extra word.
Tap an item…
…then its match
2
What is the negotiator doing?
Read what people say in a negotiation. Put each sentence in the right group.
- a
It might be worth considering a longer trial period.
- b
We were hoping for something closer to 8%.
- c
Would you be prepared to extend the contract to two years?
- d
What if we were to split the delivery costs?
- e
We can only accept those terms on condition that you cover the insurance.
- f
We could agree to that, provided that payment is made within 30 days.
- g
Let me summarise the terms we've agreed today.
- h
I'm afraid we'd find that rather difficult.
- i
So, just to confirm, we've agreed on a 5% discount.
- j
That might be a little ambitious for us.
- k
I think we have a deal.
- l
As long as the quality stays the same, we're happy.
3
Diplomatic or too direct?
Which sentences sound diplomatic in a negotiation, and which sound too direct? Put each one in the right group.
- a
That price is ridiculous.
- b
I'm not sure we could justify that price.
- c
I'm afraid that wouldn't really work for us.
- d
No. We won't pay that.
- e
You must deliver by Friday.
- f
Would Friday be at all possible for delivery?
- g
This is as far as we're able to go, I'm afraid.
- h
Take it or leave it.
4
Proposals and conditions
Complete the sentences with the words in the box. There is one extra word.
Word box
Tap a gap, then a word, or type the answer.
- a
We can offer free delivery, that you order at least 500 units.
- b
As as the samples arrive on time, we'll place the full order.
- c
We'll sign today on that the price is fixed for twelve months.
- d
We can't go any lower you increase the order.
- e
If you able to pay in advance, we could reduce the price.
- f
We be happy to extend the warranty if you signed for three years.
- g
Would you be to meet us halfway on the delivery charge?
- h
It might be considering a shorter contract to begin with.
5
Say it more diplomatically
Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first but sounds more diplomatic. Use the word given and between two and five words, including that word.
- a
Your price is too high.
HOPING
We a lower price.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
- b
We can't accept these terms.
DIFFICULT
I'm afraid we would these terms.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
- c
Lower the price by 5%.
PREPARED
Would you the price by 5%?
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
- d
We'll pay in advance only if you give us a discount.
PROVIDED
We'll pay in advance, us a discount.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
- e
Neither side would change its position, so the talks stopped.
DEADLOCK
The talks ended .
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
- f
We agree in general, but the details still need discussing.
PRINCIPLE
We agree , but the details still need discussing.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
6
Find and correct the mistake
Each sentence from a negotiation has one mistake. Write the correction.
- a
We could agree to that, provided that you will pay within 30 days.
- b
We were hoping a slightly better price.
- c
Unless you don't increase the order, we can't lower the price.
- d
As long as the quality will stay the same, we're happy.
- e
Let's try to find a common ground on the delivery dates.
- f
We've reached a deadlock: neither side is willing to make concession.
7
Read: a supplier negotiation
Read the negotiation between a hotel group and a supplier. Are the sentences true, false or not given?
Elena (Brightwave Hotels): Thanks for coming in, Tom. We've looked closely at your proposal, and in principle we'd like to work with Linenworks. The sticking point for us is the price. We were hoping for something closer to £4 per set. Tom (Linenworks): I understand. I'm afraid £4 would be very difficult for us, as our costs have risen this year. Our bottom line is £4.60. Elena: I see. Would you be prepared to come down a little if we signed a two-year contract instead of one? Tom: That's an interesting idea. Here's a counter-offer: we could go to £4.40, provided that you order for all six hotels, not just three. Elena: Six might be a little ambitious at this stage. What if we started with four and added the others in the second year? Tom: As long as the second-year order is in the contract, I think we can work with that. So that's a concession on our side on price, and on yours on the number of hotels. Elena: There's one more thing: delivery. We'd need weekly deliveries, not fortnightly. Tom: Weekly is possible, but it costs more. Unless you can take larger deliveries, I'm afraid we'd need to add a small charge. Elena: Then let's leave delivery for now and come back to it next week. I'd rather not end up in deadlock over one detail. Tom: Agreed. So, just to confirm: £4.40 per set, a two-year contract, four hotels in year one and all six in year two. Delivery terms still to be agreed. Elena: Exactly. I think we have plenty of common ground. I'll send you an email confirming the terms.
- a
Elena's company is generally willing to work with Linenworks.
- b
At the start, Tom says he cannot go below £4.
- c
Tom lowers his price after Elena suggests a longer contract.
- d
Brightwave Hotels will order for all six hotels in the first year.
- e
Linenworks has supplied Brightwave Hotels before.
- f
They agree on weekly deliveries during the meeting.
- g
Elena thinks the delivery charge is too high.
8
Write: confirming the terms
Write an email confirming the terms.
You are Elena from Brightwave Hotels. Write an email to Tom at Linenworks after the negotiation (150–180 words). Thank him for the meeting, confirm the terms you agreed (price, contract length and number of hotels), mention the concession each side made, and suggest a diplomatic way forward on the delivery question. Use at least five words or phrases from the box. Word box: concession · counter-offer · deadlock · bottom line · sticking point · common ground · in principle · compromise Example: Dear Tom, Thank you for meeting us yesterday. I'm pleased that we found so much common ground…
Suggested minimum: 150 words
0 words · aim for at least 150
Spotted a mistake in this lesson?· tell us the exercise and item
Revise with a game
This lesson's own words and questions. Play on your own, or in teams on the classroom screen.
- Step UpAnswer the lesson's questions to climb to the top.
- Pair UpMatch the lesson's words to their meanings against the clock.
- SnapA word and a meaning: do they go together? Answer fast.
- Fix ItFind the mistake in each sentence, then correct it.
- Quiz BoardTeams choose questions worth 100 to 500 points.
- Retro arcadeWord Invaders, Word Snake, Word Maze and Word Crossing: classic arcade games with the lesson's words.
Glossary
The 21 words and phrases this lesson teaches, in 3 sets.
Negotiation words
- concession
- something you agree to give up or allow so that the other side will agree
- counter-offer
- an offer you make in reply to someone else's offer, with different terms
- deadlock
- a situation in which neither side will move, so the talks cannot continue
- bottom line
- the lowest price or least favourable terms you are willing to accept
- sticking point
- one issue that is stopping the two sides from reaching agreement
- common ground
- interests or views that both sides already share
- in principle
- in general, before all the details have been agreed
- compromise
- an agreement in which each side accepts less than it wanted
Softening and proposing
- We were hoping for
- says politely that you wanted a better offer
- That might be a little ambitious
- rejects an idea gently
- I'm afraid we'd find that rather difficult
- refuses politely
- It might be worth considering
- makes a careful suggestion
- Would you be prepared to
- asks the other side to change their position
- What if we were to
- suggests a possible solution
Conditions and closing
- provided that
- sets a condition: only if
- on condition that
- sets a firm condition
- As long as
- sets a condition: only if
- So, just to confirm
- checks the agreed terms at the end
- I think we have a deal
- says that both sides agree
- unless
- except if; sets a condition: unless you can take larger deliveries
- Let me summarise
- introduces a short review of what has been agreed
How was this lesson plan?
One tap helps other teachers find the best lessons, and helps us improve them.