Business English- Making Proposals & Suggestions in Negotiations Game

Business English- Making proposals/ suggestions in negotiations game
Put one of your cards face down on the table and try to get that response from your
partner with your proposal. If you don’t initially get that response, continue conceding
points, adding caveats, etc until you do.
Useful language for making suggestions/ proposals
The first suggestion/ proposal
Explaining the background
1

Although our (initial) agreement was…,…

2

Although you rejected,…

3

Can I begin by explaining our position?

4

Can I suggest we start by clarifying the situation?

5

Having given… some thought…

6

I know we agreed… but…

7

I know you already dismissed…, but…

8

Our present circumstances mean…

9

So, the reason why we invited you here today is…

Making proposals
10 For the sake of discussion,…
11 I know this is not ideal, but…
12 I know this is rather short notice, but…
13 I propose…
14 Is… at all possible?
15 I’d like to propose…
16 What we’d like to propose is…
17 Would it be possible to…?
18 Would you consider…?
19 Would… be possible?
Making conditional proposals
20 As long as/ providing/ if (but only if)/ unless…, we would be able to offer you…
21 We’d like to offer you… as long as/ providing/ if (but only if)/ unless…
Checking their reaction
22 Do you think that you will be able to…?
23 Does that suit you?
24 How would you feel about…?
25 How would you react to…?
26 I hope that meets with your approval.
27 Is… okay with you?
28 What would be your response to…?
Responding to positive answers
Positive expressions
29 (That’s) (absolutely) great!/ perfect!/ wonderful!
30 I was hoping you might say that.
31 I’m very glad to hear that.
32 Thank you for your understanding.
33 You’ve (really) made my day!
Warning them about possible issues/ Pushing further
34 As part of that, we have to insist on…

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014

35 Before you sign off on that, I should mention that…
36 However, one condition of that proposal is…
37 I should probably also mention that…
38 Moving onto the small print,…
39 One clause which I should probably explain is…
40 In that case, could you also…?
Responding to negative answers
Showing understanding
41 Although if I were in your position I would also…,…
42 That’s a pity/ shame.
43 I’m sorry to hear that.
44 I understand how you feel, but…
45 I understand your position. However,…
46 I wasn’t aware of that. In that case,…
47 So, the main sticking point is…? If that is the case,…
48 Taking what you said into account,…
49 While I understand your position,…
50 You have a point. Taking that into account,…
Giving other options
51 Alternatively,…
52 Another option is…
53 Instead of that,…
54 How about…?
55 Do you feel you can accept…?
56 Could you accept…?
57 Could you see your way to…?
58 I think I can suggest a win-win solution.
59 I think I can see a way out of this.
60 If that’s not acceptable,…
61 If, theoretically,…
62 Let’s try to find a way round this.
Giving ground
63 As it’s you,…
64 Because of our close relationship,…
65 Given our long relationship,…
66 I can be flexible on…
67 I can compromise on…
68 If we take… into account, then perhaps…
69 If you don’t like our original position, then perhaps…
70 I’m willing to be flexible. What about…?
71 Just this once,…
72 To break the deadlock, might I suggest…
73 Well, that was just a ballpark figure…
74 We’d be willing to meet you halfway on that.
Persuading further
75 Are you sure I can’t persuade you to…?
76 I can assure you that/ guarantee that…

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014

Cards to photocopy and cut up

Deal out seven cards per student.

Y

N

Maybe

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N

Maybe

Y

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Maybe

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Maybe

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Maybe

Y

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Maybe

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Maybe

Y

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Maybe

Y

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Maybe

Y

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Maybe

Y

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Maybe

Y

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Maybe

Y

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Maybe

Y

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Maybe

Y

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Maybe

Y

N

Maybe

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014

Useful language for making suggestions/ proposals
Try to remember or think of as many phrases with these functions as you can.
The first suggestion/ proposal
Explaining the background

Making proposals

Making conditional proposals

Checking their reaction

Responding to positive answers
Positive expressions

Warning them about possible issues/ Pushing further

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014

Responding to negative answers
Showing understanding

Giving other options

Giving ground

Persuading further

Look at the first worksheet one more time with your pens down for two minutes, then put
that worksheet away again.

Add to and correct your list above from memory.

Do the same thing, but this time only one minute looking with your pens down.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014