Dialogues 2

Speaking Practice

Lesson 2 – Catching Up in the Photocopy Room

Workplace English

B1–B2

Situation: David and Kathy work for the same company. Shortly after attending a department meeting, they run into each other in the photocopy room. While making copies of some documents, they discuss the meeting, share their opinions about the new project, and clarify a few things they weren’t entirely sure about.

David: Hey, Kathy! How’s it going? Are you making copies of the presentation from this morning’s meeting?

Kathy: Hi, David! Yes, I need to send a few copies to the marketing team. What about you?

David: I’m making copies of the project outline. I thought I’d get that out of the way before lunch.

Kathy: Good idea. So, what did you think of the meeting?

David: Overall, I thought it went pretty well. It was helpful to hear everyone’s feedback, although I think we covered a lot of information in a short amount of time.

Kathy: I agree. There was quite a bit to take in. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the new deadlines.

David: Same here. Did you understand when they want us to have the first draft ready?

Kathy: I believe they said the end of next month, but I’m not completely sure. I was trying to take notes while everyone was talking.

David: That’s what I thought, too. Maybe we should double-check with Mark before we start working on it.

Kathy: Definitely. I’d rather clarify things now than have to go back and redo everything later.

David: Exactly! What did you think about the new marketing strategy?

Kathy: I think it has a lot of potential. I especially liked the idea of reaching out to smaller businesses. It could help us attract a different group of customers.

David: That’s a good point. I was a little concerned about the additional workload, though.

Kathy: I was thinking the same thing. They mentioned that we might get some extra support, but they didn’t really explain what that would look like.

David: Right. I wonder if they’ll bring that up in our next meeting.

Kathy: Hopefully. By the way, did you catch what Sarah said about the budget?

David: Not all of it. I think she mentioned that we might have to cut back on some expenses.

Kathy: Yes, that’s what I understood. Apparently, we’re supposed to review our current spending and see where we can save money.

David: That makes sense. We probably need to prioritize the most important parts of the project.

Kathy: I agree. Anyway, I thought Mark did a good job keeping the meeting on track. There were quite a few questions, but he managed to cover everything.

David: He did. Well, I should get back to my desk. I’ve got a few emails to take care of before my next appointment.

Kathy: Same here. Let’s touch base later this afternoon once we’ve had a chance to look over our notes.

David: Sounds good. See you later!

Kathy: See you!

Vocabulary & Expressions

Comprehension Questions

Answer in complete sentences.

1. Why are David and Kathy in the photocopy room?
2. What does Kathy find difficult to understand about the meeting?
3. Why do David and Kathy want to double-check the deadline with Mark?
4. What part of the new marketing strategy does Kathy particularly like?
5. What concerns do David and Kathy have about the new project?
6. What does Sarah say about the company’s budget?
7. Why do David and Kathy want to touch base later?

Useful American English Expressions

These expressions are particularly useful in everyday workplace conversations.

Grammar and Language Practice

Focus: Past-tense expressions and present-tense opinions

Notice how David and Kathy move between discussing the meeting and expressing their current opinions.

Examples:

• “I thought it went pretty well.” (Simple past: describing an earlier experience.)
• “I think it has a lot of potential.” (Simple present: expressing a current opinion.)
• “They mentioned that we might get some extra support.” (Simple past: reporting what someone said.)
• “I’m still trying to understand the deadlines.” (Present continuous: describing something currently happening.)

Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verb.

1. I ________ (think) the meeting went well yesterday.
2. Sarah ________ (mention) that we needed to review the budget.
3. I still ________ (not understand) the new schedule.
4. We ________ (discuss) the project when Mark interrupted us.
5. Kathy ________ (want) to double-check the deadline.

Conversation Practice

These questions encourage the student to move beyond the dialogue and discuss personal workplace experiences.

1. Do you usually take notes during meetings? Why or why not?
2. What do you do when you don’t understand something discussed in a meeting?
3. Do you prefer working independently or as part of a team?
4. Have you ever worked on a project with an unrealistic deadline?
5. How do you normally communicate with coworkers when you need clarification?
6. What makes someone a good meeting leader?
7. Do you think meetings are generally productive, or do they sometimes waste time?

Role-play: After the Department Meeting

Scenario: You and a coworker have just attended a meeting about an upcoming company project. You meet in the photocopy room and start discussing what happened.

One speaker plays David, and the other plays Kathy.

The student should:

1. Ask the coworker what they thought of the meeting.
2. Explain something they didn’t completely understand.
3. Ask about an upcoming deadline.
4. Share an opinion about the new project.
5. Express a concern about the workload.
6. Suggest contacting the manager for clarification.
7. Arrange to speak again later.

Challenge: Try to use at least five of these expressions naturally:

• Wrap my head around
• Double-check
• Reach out to
• Cut back on
• Take care of
• Touch base
• That’s what I thought, too.

Additional Workplace Expressions: Sounding More Natural

Here are five expressions worth introducing to an intermediate English learner who wants to become more comfortable communicating with American coworkers.