1. Skills
  2. Speaking
  3. B2 speaking
  4. Dealing with a problem

Dealing with a problem

In this video, Vanya goes to Yuna with a problem. Listen to the language they use for dealing with a problem and practise saying the useful phrases.

Do the preparation exercise first. Then watch the video and do the exercises to check your understanding and practise the language.

Preparation

Speaking B2: Dealing with a problem – preparation

Transcript

Ana: Hi! I'm Ana. Welcome to What to Say! 

Do you know what to say when you need to deal with a problem? Listen out for useful language for dealing with a problem. Then, we'll practise saying the new phrases – after this.

 

Vanya: Yuna!

Yuna: Oh, morning!

Vanya: I've got a bit of a problem. 

Yuna: What's wrong?

Vanya: Can we talk in private?

Yuna: Of course.

Yuna: Right, so, what's the matter? 

Vanya: Well, I've made a mistake. A big mistake.

Yuna: OK. I'm sure we can work it out.

Vanya: It was such a silly thing to do! 

Yuna: I'm getting worried now. What's going on here? 

Vanya: OK. It was late last night and I was tired. I wasn't concentrating and I accidentally used my company credit card instead of my own to buy something! 

Yuna: Don't worry, these things happen. There's a procedure to deal with this. How much did you spend? 

Vanya: It was quite expensive.

Yuna: How expensive?

Vanya: It was very expensive.

Yuna: Vanya, how expensive?

Vanya: £3,782 … and 56 pence.

Yuna: What? You spent £3,782?! 

Vanya: … and 56 pence. 

Yuna: What was it? Vanya?

Vanya: Just a weekend break! I just like a really nice hotel!

Yuna: OK, I see. Thanks for letting me know.

Vanya: Ah! I feel so much better now I've told you. Please don't tell Noelia.

Yuna: Oh, I'm definitely going to tell her!

Noelia: Hi!

Vanya: Hi!

 

Ana: Hello again! Wow, that's a lot of money for a weekend break. So, did you notice the useful phrases used for dealing with a problem? Listen to me and then repeat. 

 

What's wrong?

I've got a bit of a problem.

Could we talk in private?

What's the matter?

I've made a mistake.

I'm sure we can work it out.

Don't worry, these things happen.

Thanks for letting me know.

I feel so much better now I've told you.


Ana: Try and use some of these phrases the next time you need to deal with a problem in English. Bye for now!

Task 1

Speaking B2: Dealing with a problem – 1

Task 2

Speaking B2: Dealing with a problem – 2

Task 3

Speaking B2: Dealing with a problem – 3

Discussion

When was the last time you helped someone with a problem at work?

Download
Worksheet103.03 KB

Language level

B2 Upper intermediate
Average: 4.4 (30 votes)
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Submitted by Betty Corado on Thu, 27/08/2020 - 19:39

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Once, in the office, I lost some bank vouchers, in a confusing case, I told to my boss what happened and He told me that I had to pay for these, so I paid for those vouchers and I was more careful with the vouchers.

Submitted by macevedosalas on Wed, 29/07/2020 - 00:38

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This morning my coworkers and I we had a bit of a problem trying to solve an authentication problem in a servers' farm. Several users could not login those servers and at the end we involved other teams to work out the problem. It took us around 4 hours reading some logs and investigating how to fix it. We could not solve it today and we will continue tomorrow.