Workplace Communication Skills for ESL Learners

Choose the best statement based on the situation. Once you have chosen your answers, continue down the page to see the correct answers.

Company director to employee

• Hey, get over here.
• Ms. Brown, could you come here for a moment?
• Jane, I need to talk to you.

One colleague to another

• Excuse me, do you think you could possibly give me a hand?
• Excuse me, could you give me a hand?
• Give me a hand.

Stranger to a man in the street

• Could you tell me the time, please?
• The time, please.
• Hello there, how are you?

Waiter to customer

• What do you want?
• What would you like today?
• Do you think you could possibly tell me what you would like to eat today?

Employee to department manager

• Mr. Brown, could I have a word with you this afternoon?
• Frank, I need to talk to you.
• Mr. Brown, do you think it would be possible for me to speak with you this afternoon?

Husband to wife

• How do you do?
• What's up?
• Excuse me dear, I was wondering how you were feeling.

Teacher to student

• Do exercise 1, now!
• Please do exercise 1.
• Would you mind doing exercise 1?

Brother to sister

• Hurry up!
• Pardon me, can you please get ready?
• Shall we go my dear?

Company director to employee

• Ms Smith, you look fantastic today!
• Jane, you are a knock out!
• How are you today Ms Smith?

Customer to receptionist

• Give me my bill.
• The bill, please
• I was wondering if I could trouble you for the bill.

ANSWERS

Company director to employee

• Hey, get over here.
• Ms. Brown, could you come here for a moment?
• Jane, I need to talk to you.

ANSWER: Ms. Brown, could you come here for a moment?

One colleague to another

• Excuse me, do you think you could possibly give me a hand?
• Excuse me, could you give me a hand?
• Give me a hand.

ANSWER: Excuse me, could you give me a hand?

Stranger to a man in the street

• Could you tell me the time, please?
• The time, please.
• Hello there, how are you?

ANSWER: Could you tell me the time, please?

Waiter to customer

• What do you want?
• What would you like today?
• Do you think you could possibly tell me what you would like to eat today?

ANSWER: What would you like today?

Employee to department manager

• Mr. Brown, could I have a word with you this afternoon?
• Frank, I need to talk to you.
• Mr. Brown, do you think it would be possible for me to speak with you this afternoon?

ANSWER: Mr. Brown, could I have a word with you this afternoon?

Husband to wife

• How do you do?
• What's up?
• Excuse me dear, I was wondering how you were feeling.

ANSWER: What's up?

Teacher to student

• Do exercise 1, now!
• Please do exercise 1.
• Would you mind doing exercise 1?

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