Business English - Requesting Information and Clarification

Activity 1: Let's Get Started! (Warm-up)

Why is it important to ask for clarification when you're unsure about something at work, rather than making assumptions?
Describe a situation where you needed to request specific information to complete a task. How did you approach it?
What are some polite ways to interrupt someone or ask for more details if you don't understand something during a meeting or conversation?

Activity 2: New Words & Phrases (Vocabulary)

Let's explore some essential terms and phrases for effectively requesting information and seeking clarification.

1. Elaborate (verb): To develop or present (a theory, policy, or system) in further detail.

Example: Could you please elaborate on the key objectives for this new project?

2. Specify (verb): To identify clearly and definitely.

Example: Can you specify which client accounts you'd like me to review first?

3. Ambiguous (adjective): Open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning; unclear or inexact.

Example: The instructions for this task seem a bit ambiguous; could you provide more details?

4. Could you shed some light on (idiom): Can you provide more information or explanation about something that is unclear?

Example: I'm a bit confused about the new reporting structure. Could you shed some light on how it works?

5. Just to be clear (phrase): Used to introduce a statement that is intended to ensure there is no misunderstanding.

Example: Just to be clear, you'd like me to complete the analysis before I start drafting the report, correct?

Activity 3: Reading - The Vague Project Brief

Read the following scenario about how requesting clarification on a project brief prevented potential issues.

David received a project brief from his manager, Ms. Chen, for developing a new marketing campaign. The brief mentioned targeting "a younger demographic" and using "innovative digital channels." However, David found these descriptions somewhat ambiguous. "Younger demographic" could mean teenagers, university students, or young professionals, each requiring a different approach. "Innovative digital channels" was also open to interpretation.

Instead of proceeding with assumptions, David decided to request clarification. He scheduled a brief meeting with Ms. Chen. "Good morning, Ms. Chen," David began, "Thank you for the project brief. I'm excited to get started. Just to be clear on the target audience, could you elaborate on what age range we are specifically focusing on for 'a younger demographic'?" Ms. Chen appreciated David's question. "Good point, David," she replied. "We're aiming for young professionals, aged 25 to 35." David then asked, "And regarding 'innovative digital channels,' could you perhaps specify any particular platforms or approaches you have in mind, or shed some light on what has been successful in recent campaigns?" Ms. Chen then provided examples like interactive social media campaigns and influencer collaborations, which gave David a much clearer direction. This proactive request for clarification saved David significant time and ensured the campaign development started on the right track, aligned with Ms. Chen's actual vision.

Comprehension Questions:

After reading the passage, answer the following questions:

What parts of the initial project brief did David find ambiguous?
How did David approach Ms. Chen to request clarification? What specific phrases did he use?
How did Ms. Chen respond to David's requests for more information?
What were the benefits of David proactively seeking clarification?

Activity 4: Role Play - Understanding a New Procedure

Read the following dialogue with a partner. One person can be Ken, who is learning a new procedure, and the other can be Linda, who is explaining it.

Linda: So, Ken, for the new expense reporting system, you first need to log in with your employee ID and the temporary password we sent.

Ken: Okay, log in with ID and temporary password. Got it. What's next?

Linda: Then, you'll see a dashboard. You need to click on "Create New Report" and then select the correct expense category for each item.

Ken: "Create New Report," then categorize. Could you elaborate a bit on how to choose the "correct" category? Some of my expenses seem to fit into multiple options.

Linda: That's a fair question. We have a detailed guide on the intranet that specifies which types of expenses fall under each category. I can send you the link. Does that help?

Ken: Yes, that would be very helpful, thank you. And just to be clear, I need to upload a scanned copy of every receipt, right?

Linda: That's correct. Every expense needs a corresponding receipt uploaded. The system won't let you submit without them.

Ken: Okay. Could you also shed some light on the approval process once I submit the report? Who reviews it?

Linda: Certainly. Once submitted, it goes to your direct manager for first-level approval, and then to the finance department for final processing. You'll get email notifications at each stage.

Ken: That's very clear. Thanks for taking the time to specify all these details, Linda. I feel much more confident about using the new system now.

Discuss Together:

After reading or performing the dialogue, discuss the following with a partner:

What phrases did Ken use to ask for more details or to confirm his understanding?
How did Linda respond to Ken's requests for clarification? Was her response helpful?

Activity 5: Let's Practice - Meeting Follow-Up

Objective: Practice requesting information and clarification using key vocabulary in a role-play setting.

Scenario: Ben missed part of a team meeting due to a prior commitment. He's now following up with his colleague, Riya, to get the details. Fill in their parts of the dialogue using vocabulary from Activity 2.

Ben: "Hi Riya, I unfortunately had to leave the team meeting a bit early today. Could you on what I missed, especially regarding the new project timeline?"

Riya: "Hi Ben, sure. We mainly discussed the revised deadlines. The launch date has been moved up by two weeks."

Ben: "Two weeks earlier? Wow, that's a significant change. Could you the exact new date for the launch? And were any reasons given for this adjustment?"

Riya: "The new launch date is October 15th. The main reason mentioned was to align with a major industry conference. They want us to present the product there."

Ben: "October 15th, got it. That makes sense. , does this affect the deadlines for our individual task submissions as well?"

Riya: "Yes, all internal deadlines have been brought forward proportionally. The project manager said he'd send out an updated schedule, but some of the details he shared seemed a bit to me."

Ben: "Hmm, okay. If the details were unclear, perhaps you could on what was said about the design freeze? That's my main concern right now."

Riya: "He mentioned the design freeze should be by next Friday, but didn't give a specific time. It might be best to check the updated schedule when it comes out or ask him directly for that."

Try to fill in the blanks with the correct words or phrases from Activity 2.