A vocabulary exercise covering the language of business negotiations. Whether you're discussing terms, managing a counteroffer, or reaching a final agreement, these are the expressions you need.
💬 Useful phrases “I think we can find a solution that works for both of us.” — an opening statement signaling collaborative intent “We'd be willing to consider that, provided that...” — introducing a conditional concession during negotiation “That's a reasonable position, but our concern is...” — acknowledging the other side while steering toward your priorities “Could we explore a middle ground on this point?” — suggesting a compromise without fully conceding “I'd like to propose an alternative arrangement.” — introducing a new option when the current one is not acceptable “What flexibility do you have on the timeline?” — probing for room to adjust a key term without direct confrontation “We're prepared to move forward if you can accommodate...” — signaling readiness to close contingent on a specific concession “Let's take a short break and reconvene.” — suggesting a pause to regroup when negotiations become tense
READY TO PRACTICE? LET’S GO!
Choose the correct response to complete each sentence.
1. To arrange/have talks = To __________________________ talks
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2. After the last __________________________ ( = series) of talks, they agreed to two of our requirements.
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3. There are still a __________________________ of issues ( = many issues) that we have to resolve.
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4. The person who works for another company but does the same job as you can be referred to as your __________________________ at that company.
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5. We have to __________________________ ( = resolve) these differences as soon as possible.
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6. When one speaks of __________________________ differences, one is saying that there are substantial differences in the negotiating parties' positions.
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7. The atmosphere was __________________________. = Everyone was friendly/polite to each other.
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8. The __________________________ ( = final statement made to journalists) stated that the parties failed to reach an agreement.
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9. If the atmosphere of a meeting is described as __________________________, it means it's quite formal.
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10. Which one of these terms does NOT mean "negotiations"?
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