The topic explained
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LESSON 5A SPEAKING AND VOCABULARY
- □ I can tell the difference between positive and negative connotations and talk about honesty.
LESSON 5A SPEAKING AND VOCABULARY 10
Frank or tactless? Phrases for honesty
1 Read the comments. Which do you most agree with and why?
- 2 Look at the highlighted phrases in the comments. Which of them mean ... (Exercise 1: students’ own answers)
saying exactly what you think?
saying something that may antagonise people?
rephrasing something more sensitively?
Which highlighted phrases say it straight, and which soften it?
Same person, kinder adjectives
He’s loudmouthed. He never stops talking rubbish.
He’s gullible. He never questions anything.
He’s abrasive. He’s never polite to people, and puts everyone’s backs up.
He’s adamant. He always insists he’s right and he’s rather confrontational.
He’s aloof. He’s unfriendly and deliberately not talking to other people.
Softening a negative comment
- inconsiderate – unkind
- confrontational – likes to face problems
I wouldn’t say that. I think it’s more a ___ of them taking time to evaluate your work.
I’d be more ___ to say that it’s a challenge.
That’s one way of ___ it.
Surely that’s an ___ . He’s just getting up to speed.
I don’t think that’s ___ helpful. It might be better ...
That’s a bit ___ , don’t you think?
It might be a little ___ at times, but generally ...
I ___ it seems rather complex, but ...
Your turn: tone it down
His last book was an absolute joke!
It was totally inconsiderate of her to keep us waiting.
