Problem-solving at work: discussing solutions and reaching agreements

Summary

This 90-minute ESL lesson for B1 learners explores Problem-solving at work: discussing solutions and reaching agreements through a real article. Across 11 interactive exercises, you'll develop reading 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: The past simple passive with examples and practice
• Real-world phrases for suggesting solutions in a 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 article, with definitions and usage notes.
4. Matching — Connect words, phrases, or concepts to their correct counterparts.
5. Grammar — Study The past simple passive — 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 suggesting solutions in a meeting — ready to use in real conversations.
8. Fill the gaps — Complete sentences with the correct vocabulary. Drag and drop or type your answers.
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 article:

• Come up with (an idea/a solution) — to think of or suggest a plan, idea, or solution.
• Weigh the pros and cons — to consider the advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) of something before making a decision.
• Find a workaround — to find a way to solve a problem, often by avoiding the main difficulty instead of fixing it directly.
• Get to the bottom of (a problem) — to discover the real cause of a problem by investigating it fully.
• Reach a consensus — to arrive at an agreement that everyone in a group accepts.

Grammar

This lesson focuses on The past simple passive.

We use the past simple passive to talk about past actions when the person who did the action is unknown or not important. In a work context, this is useful for focusing on a problem or a solution itself, rather than on who is responsible. It is formed with 'was' or 'were' + the past participle of the verb.

Examples from the lesson:

• The project deadline was missed last week. — The focus is on the fact that the deadline was missed, not on who missed it.
• Several good suggestions were made during the meeting. — We use 'were' because 'suggestions' is plural. The important information is the suggestions, not who made them.
• The new office policy was announced by email yesterday. — If we want to say who did the action, we can add 'by' + the person/group.

Key rules:

• Form: subject + was/were + past participle.
• Use 'was' for singular subjects and 'were' for plural subjects.
• Common mistake: Forgetting to use the past participle form of the verb (e.g., 'The report was wrote' instead of 'The report was written').

Practical English

Suggesting solutions in a meeting

In any problem-solving meeting, you need to do more than just listen. Use these phrases to confidently share your ideas, respond to others, and help the team move forward towards a solution.

Phrases you'll learn:

• "How about we try... [verb-ing]?" — use this to make a suggestion in a collaborative, open way.
• "That sounds like a solid plan." — use this to show strong agreement and support for a colleague's suggestion.
• "I see your point, but have we considered... [the alternative]?" — use this to politely disagree or introduce a different perspective.
• "Could you walk me through how that would work?" — use this to ask for more details about a proposed solution.
• "Building on that idea, we could also..." — use this to add to or expand on something a colleague has just said.