Making a business case: Using modals for persuasion

Summary

This 90-minute ESL lesson for C1 learners explores Making a business case: Using modals for persuasion through a real audio recording. Across 11 interactive exercises, you'll develop listening comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, practical communication, speaking skills — all built around authentic English content.

What you'll practise:

• 5 key vocabulary items with definitions and usage notes
• Grammar focus: Perfect modals for speculation and critique with examples and practice
• Real-world phrases for handling questions and pushback during a proposal meeting
• Gap-fill and cloze exercises to test vocabulary in context
• Matching exercise to connect terms with their meanings
• Error correction to sharpen grammar awareness
• A reading passage to practise newly learned language

Lesson activities (11 exercises)

Each exercise builds on the previous one. Work through them in order for the best learning experience.

1. Warm-up — Discussion questions to activate what you already know about the topic.
2. Comprehension — Answer questions to check your understanding of the main ideas and supporting details.
3. Vocabulary — Learn key words and expressions from the audio recording, with definitions and usage notes.
4. Matching — Connect words, phrases, or concepts to their correct counterparts.
5. Grammar — Study Perfect modals for speculation and critique — explanation, examples, and key rules.
6. Error correction — Find and fix the mistake in each sentence — a great grammar workout.
7. Practical English — Learn phrases for handling questions and pushback during a proposal meeting — ready to use in real conversations.
8. Cloze passage — Fill in blanks within a connected text to practise vocabulary in context.
9. Reading — Read a short passage on the topic and answer comprehension questions.
10. Discussion — Reflect on the topic and share your opinions using the language you've learned.

Vocabulary

This lesson introduces 5 key terms drawn directly from the audio recording:

• To get buy-in — to gain agreement, support, or commitment from others for a plan or project.
• To run the numbers — to perform calculations to determine the financial implications or feasibility of something.
• A ballpark figure — a rough, approximate number or estimate, not a precise one.
• To flesh something out — to add more detail, substance, or specific information to a plan, idea, or argument.
• To be contingent on — to depend on something else in order to happen or be true.

Grammar

This lesson focuses on Perfect modals for speculation and critique.

Perfect modals (modal verb + have + past participle) are used to speculate about or comment on past events. In a business context, they are essential for analyzing past performance, critiquing previous strategies, and justifying new proposals by reflecting on what happened before.

Examples from the lesson:

• Given the poor sales figures, they must have overestimated the market size. — Use 'must have' for a logical deduction or a conclusion you are almost certain about.
• We could have secured the contract if we had presented a more robust business case. — Use 'could have' to talk about a past possibility that did not happen, often implying a missed opportunity.
• The project went over budget. We shouldn't have ignored the initial risk assessment. — Use 'should have / shouldn't have' to criticize a past action or express regret.

Key rules:

• Structure: modal verb + have + past participle (e.g., might have been, could have done).
• Use these forms to connect past outcomes with present arguments.
• Common mistake: Do not use 'should of' or 'could of'; always use 'should have' or 'could have'.

Practical English

Handling questions and pushback during a proposal meeting

When you present a business case, you'll inevitably face questions and potential objections from stakeholders. These phrases will help you respond confidently and persuasively, keeping the conversation constructive and focused on your goal.

Phrases you'll learn:

• "That's a fair point, and it's something we've given a lot of thought to." — used to validate someone's concern while showing you are prepared.
• "I see where you're coming from, but perhaps we could look at it from another angle." — a polite way to redirect the conversation or reframe an issue.
• "At the end of the day, what this really boils down to is..." — used to refocus the discussion on the most critical point or benefit.
• "That's an excellent question. I don't have the exact figures to hand, but I can circle back with you on that by EOD." — a professional way to buy time when you don't know the answer immediately.
• "One potential concern you might have is [the timeline], and here's how we plan to mitigate that." — used to proactively address a likely objection before it's even raised.