What you will learn

Listening

  • Main idea
  • Specific information (who / when / what)
  • Details

Grammar — Complex sentences

  • although / because / when / while / if / unless / even though / so that / now that / before
  • who / which / that
  • Use them to talk about your work
💡 Do 1 activity at a time. Read the questions first. Then listen. Check the answer key after you try.

Warm-up — Predict

3 minutes • Look and predict

👀 Look. What will they talk about?

Tick 3 ideas. You will check when you listen.

Priya (Team Lead) and Ben — Friday 10:00, main conference room
Tick 3
Answer key

Correct Tick: client presentation on Friday, problems (data / designer / budget), plan (who does what, meet tomorrow at 9)

Do not tick holiday plans or recipes. The audio is only about work.

2

Words before listening

5 minutes • Match 1–6 with a–f

📖 Match 1–6 with a–f

behind schedule
requirements
on leave
feedback
budget / limit
conference room
Answer key
  • 1 – e behind schedule = late, not on time
  • 2 – a requirements = what the client wants
  • 3 – b on leave = not at work
  • 4 – c feedback = comments / reply
  • 5 – f budget / limit = money you can spend
  • 6 – d conference room = large meeting room
3

Listen for gist — Main idea

4 minutes • Read first, then listen once

📖 First read A, B, C. Then listen. Choose one.

Main idea

▶ Listen — read the questions first

2:53 • One listen for gist. You can listen again for Activities 4 and 5. Download mp3
Answer key

B They have problems for Friday's presentation but make a clear plan.

A and C are not in the audio. The talk is only about work.

4

Specific information — Notes

6 minutes • Read first, then listen

📖 First read 1–5. Then listen. Complete the notes.

he helped
promised
to review before sending to

▶ Listen again — specific information

Read 1–5 first. Then listen and complete.
Answer key
  • 1. Friday at 10:00 in the main conference room
  • 2. Maya — the designer
  • 3. Tom — he helped last quarter
  • 4. Data from IT team, promised last Monday
  • 5. Tomorrow at 9:00 to review before sending to the manager
5

Detail — True or False?

7 minutes • Read first, then listen

📖 First read 1–6. Then listen. Choose True or False.

▶ Listen again — detail

Read 1–6 first. Then listen and choose.
Answer key
  • 1. False — Although they started early, they are behind schedule because the client changed requirements.
  • 2. True
  • 3. False — Because Maya, who is the designer, is on leave, Tom will help.
  • 4. False — If they don't receive the data that IT promised, they won't finish on time.
  • 5. True — so that the client feels confident.
  • 6. True
📄 Transcript — open after Activities 3–5
Priya: Hi Ben, do you have a minute? I wanted to discuss the client presentation that we are giving on Friday. Ben: Of course, Priya. Although we started the project early, we are behind schedule because the client changed the requirements last week. Priya: I know. When we met last Tuesday, we agreed that we would send the draft before Thursday so that the manager could review it, but we still haven't finished the slides. Ben: That's true. Because Maya, who is our designer, is on leave this week, we need to find someone else to update the slides before tomorrow morning. Priya: Exactly. And if we don't receive the data that the IT team promised us last Monday, we won't be able to finish the final report on time. Ben: I emailed them yesterday, but they haven't replied yet. Unless we receive their feedback by tomorrow afternoon, we will have to make decisions without knowing what the client really wants, which is quite risky. Priya: I agree, that worries me. While I was checking the budget this morning, I noticed that we have already spent more than we expected, which concerns me because we have to stay within the limit that the finance team set. Ben: I saw that too. The presentation, which we are delivering on Friday at ten o'clock in the main conference room, has to be perfect so that the client feels confident in our work after all the recent changes. Priya: Absolutely. Even though we have faced several problems this month, I am optimistic that we can succeed if we support each other and share the remaining tasks fairly. Ben: I completely agree. So that we can stay organised, I suggest that I contact the IT team again this afternoon and you ask Tom, who helped with the design last quarter, if he can update the slides? Priya: That's a great plan. Although Tom is quite busy at the moment, I think he will help us because he understands how important this client is. I'll speak to him after lunch, and I'll also prepare the notes that we need so that everyone knows what to say during the presentation. Ben: Perfect. Let's meet again tomorrow at nine o'clock so that we can review our progress before we send the complete draft to the manager, who is waiting for our update. Priya: Sounds good. If we finish everything by tomorrow evening, we will have enough time to practise before Friday, which will help us feel more confident. Priya: Honestly, I was worried that we wouldn't finish on time, but now that we have a clear plan, I feel much more confident that we will succeed. Ben: Definitely. I'm sure we will be ready on time if we keep communicating clearly and focus on the most important tasks first.
6

Find the linking words

6 minutes • Choose although / because / when / while / if / unless / even though / so that

Choose the linking word

One word is extra. Use each word once.

we started early, we are behind the client changed requirements.
we met last Tuesday, we agreed to send the draft the manager could review it.
we don't receive the data, we won't finish on time.
we receive feedback by tomorrow, we will have to decide without the client.
I was checking the budget, I noticed we spent too much.
we had problems, I am optimistic we support each other.
Answer key
  • 1. Although … because
  • 2. When … so that
  • 3. If
  • 4. Unless (= if we do NOT receive)
  • 5. While
  • 6. Even though … if
7

Who / which / that

5 minutes • Choose one

Choose who / which / that

Answer key
  • 1. who — person, with commas
  • 2. that — thing, no commas
  • 3. which — thing, with commas
  • 4. who — person, with commas
  • 5. who — person, with commas
  • 6. that — thing (which is also possible)
8

Complete the sentences

6 minutes • Fill the gaps

Complete with so that / before / even though / now that

we can review before sending to the manager.
Friday, which will help us feel confident.
we had problems, I am optimistic we can succeed.
we have a plan, I feel confident.
everyone knows what to say.
Friday.
Answer key
  1. so that we can review
  2. before Friday
  3. Even though we had problems
  4. now that we have a plan
  5. so that everyone knows
  6. before Friday
9

Combine — One complex sentence

7 minutes • Join two ideas

Combine. Use the word in (brackets)

1. Tom is quite busy. He will help us. (although)
2. The finance team set a limit. We have to stay within the limit. (that)
3. We have a clear plan. I feel more confident. (now that)
4. They started early. They are behind schedule. (although)
5. We will contact IT again. We can stay organised. (so that)
Answer key — model answers
  1. Although Tom is quite busy, he will help us because he understands how important the client is.
  2. We have to stay within the limit that the finance team set.
  3. Now that we have a clear plan, I feel much more confident that we will succeed.
  4. Although they started early, they are behind schedule because the client changed the requirements.
  5. We will contact IT again so that we can stay organised. / So that we can stay organised, we will contact IT again.

Your sentence can be a little different. Check: one main clause + one subordinate clause, correct linking word, comma after fronted clause.

10

Speak and write — Your workplace challenge

15 minutes • Speaking: 60–90 sec • Writing: 80–120 words

Speak first, then write. Use 3 complex sentences.

Choose one: a recent project delay / a busy week / a plan with colleagues. Use although/because, if/unless, so that/now that/before, who/which/that.

Sentence starters — use 3:
  • Although ... , ... because ...
  • If / Unless ... , ... which ...
  • ... so that ... / While I was ..., I ...
  • ... who / which / that ...
Example: “Although we started early, we were behind schedule because the client changed requirements. If we don't get the data that IT promised, we won't finish, which is risky, so that is why I need to contact them tomorrow.”

Part A — Speaking (60–90 seconds)

Record, play, check. Your recording stays in this browser. It is not uploaded.

Not recording
00:00

Part B — Writing (80–120 words)

Write about the same challenge. Use 3 complex sentences. Your teacher will give feedback.

0 words • Aim: 80–120
Answer key — models

Speaking model (72 sec):

“Last month my team had a big presentation. Although we prepared early, we were behind schedule because our designer was on leave, who usually does the slides. If we don't receive the data that the IT team promised, we won't finish the report, which worries me. So we decided to meet again tomorrow at nine so that we can review before sending it to the manager. Now that we have a plan, I feel more confident.”

Writing model (98 words):

Although we started the project early, we are behind schedule because the client changed the requirements last week. When we met last Tuesday we agreed that we would send the draft before Thursday so that the manager could review it, but we still haven't finished the slides. Because Maya, who is our designer, is on leave, Tom will help us, who is very busy but understands the client is important. If we finish everything by tomorrow evening, we will have time to practise before Friday, which will help us feel confident.

Self-check: 3+ complex sentences? Correct linking word? Comma after fronted clause? Commas for non-defining who/which? 80–120 words?