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📌 C1DialogueBritish accent14 lines

Giving feedback at work

Shadow a 14-line C1 feedback conversation: praise, criticism and a plan to improve. Measured British English with longer, natural sentences.

The scene. A manager gives feedback on a presentation from the day before. The content was strong, but the ending was rushed. They agree on a plan: cut background slides, pause after each recommendation, and do a dry run.

1 · ListenPlay one line. Loop it. Slow it down to 0.75× if you need.
2 · ShadowSpeak along with the voice, copying rhythm and stress. Hide the text when you can.
3 · RecordSay the line alone, get a score, compare your take with the model.

Words to know

Read these before you listen. Tap a word to mark it as known.

make time — find time in your schedulego over — review, discuss in detailland — to have the intended effect on the audiencefall short — to be less good than expectedpacing — the speed at which you move through a talkrush — to do something too quicklyrun over time — take longer than plannedroom to breathe — enough time, not rusheddry run — a practice before the real eventdirect — honest and clear, without softening

Shadow the lines

0/14 done
  1. 1Manager

    Thanks for making time. I wanted to go over yesterday's presentation.

  2. 2Presenter

    Of course. I had a feeling it didn't land quite as I'd hoped.

  3. 3Manager

    The content was strong, genuinely. The data section was the clearest I've seen.

  4. 4Presenter

    That's good to hear. Where did it fall short?

  5. 5Manager

    Mainly pacing. You rushed the recommendations, and that's what the client came for.

  6. 6Presenter

    Fair point. I was worried about running over time.

  7. 7Manager

    I'd rather you cut the background slides and give the ending room to breathe.

  8. 8Presenter

    So lead with the problem, then spend most of the time on the solution?

  9. 9Manager

    Exactly. And pause after each recommendation. Silence isn't a failure.

  10. 10Presenter

    I'll admit I find silence uncomfortable.

  11. 11Manager

    Most people do. It reads as confidence, though, not hesitation.

  12. 12Presenter

    Understood. Could we do a dry run before the next one?

  13. 13Manager

    Happily. Book half an hour with me on Thursday.

  14. 14Presenter

    Will do. Thanks for being direct about it.

Full script (14 lines)

Manager: Thanks for making time. I wanted to go over yesterday's presentation.

Presenter: Of course. I had a feeling it didn't land quite as I'd hoped.

Manager: The content was strong, genuinely. The data section was the clearest I've seen.

Presenter: That's good to hear. Where did it fall short?

Manager: Mainly pacing. You rushed the recommendations, and that's what the client came for.

Presenter: Fair point. I was worried about running over time.

Manager: I'd rather you cut the background slides and give the ending room to breathe.

Presenter: So lead with the problem, then spend most of the time on the solution?

Manager: Exactly. And pause after each recommendation. Silence isn't a failure.

Presenter: I'll admit I find silence uncomfortable.

Manager: Most people do. It reads as confidence, though, not hesitation.

Presenter: Understood. Could we do a dry run before the next one?

Manager: Happily. Book half an hour with me on Thursday.

Presenter: Will do. Thanks for being direct about it.

Comprehension check

Answer from what you heard. Check your score, then show the answers.

  1. What are they discussing?

  2. What part of the presentation was strongest?

  3. What was the main problem?

  4. Why did the presenter rush the recommendations?

  5. What does the manager suggest cutting?

  6. What should the presenter do after each recommendation?

  7. How does the presenter feel about silence?

  8. What do they agree to do on Thursday?

Grammar from the script: 'would rather', 'I'd', and softening feedback

Choose the word that completes the sentence the way the speaker said it.

  1. I had a feeling it didn't land quite as I'd ___.

  2. The content was strong, ___.

  3. I'd ___ you cut the background slides.

  4. So lead with the problem, then ___ most of the time on the solution?

  5. Silence ___ a failure.

  6. Could we do a dry run ___ the next one?

Talk about it

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