Read the Room: Internal Comms That Work
Grammar: the language of hedging, softening, and directness in professional communication
A Business English English lesson exploring business.
What's in this lesson
A Business English ESL lesson on business, practising the language of hedging, softening, and directness in professional communication. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary and discussion questions.
From the reading: Read the Room: Internal Comms That Work
In 2023, a senior director at a European logistics firm sent a company-wide email with one line: "This needs to stop immediately." No context. No name. No action point. Within an hour, three departments had filed separate complaints to HR, each convinced the message was aimed at them. The director had meant to ping his deputy on Slack. The wrong channel, the wrong tone, and the wrong level of formality cost him a full afternoon of damage control — and a reputation that took months to rebuild.
Vocabulary
- flag up
- follow up
- iron out
- set out
- clear record
- damage control
- immediate feedback
- revised budget
- sensitive topic
Discussion questions
- Have you ever misread the tone of a message from a colleague?
- Which do you prefer for difficult conversations — email or face to face?
- Does seniority change how directly people speak to you at work?
Read the Room: Internal Comms That Work
Grammar: the language of hedging, softening, and directness in professional communication
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
Sign up to access full lesson plans
Start with a free trial — 5 lesson generations included
Get Started Free