Day 2. Being tactfulđ¤
Study the sentences and pay attention to the adjectives in bold. Use a dictionary if possible.
Mentioning her divorce wasnât very tactful. You know how sensitive she is about it.
Calling her âfatâ was very offensive.
Donât be so rude! Say âthank youâ when you are given a present.
You have to be more diplomatic if you want to ask your boss for a pay rise.
The teacherâs criticism was very subtle. Not everybody noticed it.
Why did you have to make such a personal comment about her character? You hurt her feelings.
You were very disrespectful to the guests at the last party. Try to be nice and civil this time!
Iâll be blunt â you need to lose weight!
Mark always uses very unpleasant words and gestures when he speaks. He is very vulgar.
Masa always opens doors for other people. He is very respectful.
Sam is very polite. He always says "please", "thank you", "you're welcome."
It is very impolite to point at people!
Saying that âa womanâs place is in the homeâ is not very politically correct!
1. Which of the adjectives describe words or behaviour that can offend other people?
offensive, rude, personal, blunt, vulgar, impolite
2. Which of the adjectives describe words or behaviour that show that you are considering other peopleâs feelings?
tactful, diplomatic, subtle, civil, respectful, polite, politically correct
2. These are the phrases that can soften your speech
3. These are the beginnings of the dialogues. You need to continue them saying things more carefully so that you do not offend or upset someone.
Making a complaint
Shop assistant: Can I help you, sir?
Mark: Yes, I bought a digital camera from your website.
Shop assistant: OK. Is there a problem?
Mark should explain politely that they sent him the wrong camera
Mark: Well, yes. It looks like you sent me the wrong camera. As you can see from the order
confirmation, I didn't order this model.
Shop assistant: Oh, I'm very sorry sir. We'll replace it immediately.
Speaking your mindÂ
Emma: Mark, I've decided. I'm going to take my driving test next week.
Mark: Next week?
(Mark has seen hee driving, and knows that she is not ready yet) How should he say that not being rude?
Don't you think you need a bit more time?
Emma: What do you mean?
Mark: Well, I don't mean to be rude, but I've seen your driving. You're just not ready yet.
Making an urgent requestÂ
Landlady: Hello.
Mark: Hello, this is Mark from Flat 14. I'm calling about the shower in my bathroom. It seems to be leaking.
Landlady: Oh really? I'll send the plumber round tomorrow afternoon.
Mark: I'm afraid I'm going away tomorrow afternoon for a few days. Would it be possible to send someone round to fix it later today?
Landlady: OK, I'll call the plumber and get back to you in an hour.
Mark: Thank you. I'll be waiting.
Say the following sentences in a more careful and tactful way using the words in brackets:
I've lost your phone number. (seem)
I seem to have lost your phone number.
Can I borrow your phone for this afternoon? (would)
Would it be possible to borrow your phone for this afternoon?
You are too tired to go out tonight. (donât / bit)
Don't you think you're a bit too tired to go out tonight?
I need more time to finish my homework. (afraid / bit)
I'm afraid I need a bit more time to finish my homework.
You've given me the wrong change. (seem)
You seem to have given me the wrong change.
You're too fast for me. Can you speak more slowly? (afraid / little / could / bit)
I'm afraid you're a little too fast for me. Could you speak a bit more slowly?
The price is expensive. Can you give me a discount? (bit / wondering)
I'm afraid the price is a bit expensive. I was wondering if you could give me a discount.
I'm busy right now. Call me later. (little / mind)
I'm a little busy right now. Would you mind calling me back later?
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https://youtu.be/qn5Mz3px_Us
Watch till 2:36
What is the reason of being not tactful?
To be flexible in behavior - when did he say this?
https://youtu.be/8T98pnM4PLo
How do we need to communicate without causing offence? He talked about 3 things.