You're listening to Business English Pop, the business English podcast for professionals on the move.
Today's episode is the first part in a two-part series looking at agreeing and disagreeing.
In these two episodes we'll be practicing different levels of agreement and disagreement, from weak to strong.
Appropriate agreement and disagreement is an important part of all meetings and discussions.
In this podcast, we focus on agreement.
In the second episode, we'll look at disagreement.
Today's listening is from a meeting in the R&D department of Pharmatech, a pharmaceutical company.
Pharmaceutical means medicine or drug.
This meeting is between Gene, the head scientist, and Lewis and Karina, two researchers.
They're talking about the results of a new trial.
Here, trial means test, the test of a new medicine on animals or patients.
The new medicine is called Xorax.
What language do the speakers use to agree with each other?
Let's listen.
So, what do you think about the new Xorax trial?
This could be the drug we've all been waiting for.
I think it's going to be a big seller.
So do I. I'm sorry, but I really can't agree.
After all, so far we've only carried out two trials.
And don't forget the strange results from the first trial.
Yes, I admit the first trial was a little disappointing.
But that doesn't take anything away from these new results.
Absolutely amazing.
Yes, fantastic, aren't they?
Especially for men over 60.
Don't you think it's still a little early, to be so sure?
Perhaps we shouldn't count our chickens before they're hatched.
I still think there may be some issues with Zorax.
Do you really think so?
Anyway, we don't have anything else coming down the pipeline right now.
We have to try to make this work.
Yes, of course.
But our patients come first.
The patients always come first.
We won't forget that.
Now, Karina, let's talk about these issues one by one.
OK now, let's look at ways to agree.
Remember, Lewis agrees with Gene about the trial.
So, what do you think about the new Xorax trial?
This could be the drug we've all been waiting for.
I think it's going to be a big seller.
So do I. Here, the short answer, so do I, means I think so too.
This is a common way to show agreement.
The agreement is strong.
Here are some more examples.
I hate working in the evening.
So do I. Here, so do I means I hate working in the evening too.
You can also say I do too.
I hate working in the evening.
I do too.
In negative sentences, you can also say I don't either.
I don't like tomatoes.
I don't either.
I don't have time this weekend.
Neither do I. We don't want to lose this deal.
Nor do we.
In short answers.
Sometimes you need to use modal verbs such as will can should, would and so on.
We won't do that.
Neither will we.
We can wait two more weeks.
So can we.
In addition to short answers, there are other ways to agree.
For example, you can use a standard phrase.
Let's look at some standard phrases for agreeing.
I entirely agree with you.
You're quite right.
I couldn't agree more.
That's exactly how I see it.
That's just how I feel.
That's exactly how I feel about it.
Exactly.
Absolutely.
Another way to agree is to use a synonym.
Synonym means a word with the same meaning.
For example, amazing and fantastic are synonyms.
Listen again.
I admit the first trial was a little disappointing, but that doesn't take anything away from these new results.
Absolutely amazing.
Yes, fantastic, aren't they?
Here are some more words that mean very, very good.
And here are some words that mean very, very bad.
Listen to another example.
That was just a miserable day.
Yes.
Awful, wasn't it?
Totally pathetic.
OK.
So far, we've looked at two ways to agree.
You can use a standard phrase or you can use a synonym.
Another way to agree is to use an example.
Lewis uses this way to agree with Jean.
Let's listen again.
Yes, I admit the first trial was a little disappointing, but that doesn't take anything away from these new results.
Absolutely amazing.
Yes, fantastic, aren't they?
Especially for men over 60.
Especially for men over 60 is an example.
An example of the amazing results.
This is agreeing by using an example.
Let's practice some more examples of agreeing in this way.
This food is great.
Especially the chicken.
Michael Ballack looked great last night.
Especially the way he passed the ball.
That was amazing.
Finally, we'll look at one more way of agreeing.
Agreeing by making a general comment.
Listen to Jean agree with Corina.
We have to try to make this work.
Yes, of course, but our patients come first.
The patients always come first.
We won't forget that.
The patients always come first is a general comment that shows agreement with Corina.
Let's listen to another example of using a general comment to agree.
Great!
Now you've learned several appropriate ways to agree in a meeting or discussion.
Before we end the podcast today, let's also look at a couple of idioms that are used in the dialogue.
Listen to the end of the dialogue.
Perhaps we shouldn't count our chickens before they're hatched.
I still think there may be some issues with Zorax.
Karina says the company shouldn't count its chickens before they're hatched.
Don't count your chickens before they're hatched is an idiom or a proverb.
The verb to hatch means to come out of an egg.
When a baby chicken comes out of an egg, we say the chicken hatches.
In this idiom, the eggs represent potential or possible profit.
We shouldn't count it until we're sure of it.
There's also another idiomatic expression in Corina's speech.
I still think there may be some issues with Xorax.
She says, there may be issues with Xorax.
In business, issues means problems.
So Corina means that there may be problems with Xorax.
How does Jean respond?
Listen again.
Do you really think so?
Anyway, we don't have anything else coming down the pipeline right now.
We have to try to make this work.
Gene says the company doesn't have any more products coming down the pipeline right now.
This is another idiom.
Pipeline means pipe.
Water travels through pipes to get to your office or house.
If there are no more products coming down the pipeline, That means there are no more new products coming out of RD.
We can also use this idiom to talk about business, projects, and so on.
For example, How does next year look for us?
Don't worry.
There's a lot of business coming down the pipeline.
Now it's your turn.
First, let's practice agreeing with short statements such as so do I, I do too, neither do we, and so on.
You'll hear a series of comments.
After the beep, agree appropriately with each comment by using a short statement.
Are you ready?
I love chocolate.
I don't really like working overtime.
We're going on holiday in March.
We're not going to hire any new employees next year.
How did you do?
Listen to some example answers I love chocolate.
So do I. I don't really like working overtime.
Neither do I. We're going on holiday in March.
So are we.
We're not going to hire any new employees next year.
Answer.
Nor are we.
Now, let's practice using standard phrases to agree.
Standard phrases include I entirely agree with you, or you're quite right, or I couldn't agree more, and so on.
After each beep, use a standard phrase to agree.
When appropriate, you may also wish to use expressions that mean very good, like Yes, terrific isn't it?
Or expressions that mean very bad, like, I know, it's awful, isn't it?
Let's begin.
It's time to stop investing in the stock market and put your money in something safer.
Wow, it was a really hard day.
Well, I really think we can expect good things from the new staff.
That meeting was great.
What a success!
How did you do?
Here are some example answers so you can check.
It's time to stop investing in the stock market and put your money in something safer.
Answer.
That's exactly how I see it.
Wow, it was a really hard day.
Answer.
Yes, terrible, wasn't it?
Well, I really think we can expect good things from the new staff.
Answer.
That's just how I feel.
That meeting was great.
What a success!
Answer.
Yes.
Wonderful, wasn't it?
Remember, it's always a good idea to go back and try the practice again.
Substitute different language to build up fluency.
Well, that's about it.
We've looked at many different ways of appropriately agreeing, as well as some useful idioms.
In the next unit coming down the pipeline.
We'll be looking closely at different ways to express disagreement.
Thanks for listening.
