Project updates: using the past simple tense
1
Think about these questions before listening. Share your ideas with a partner.
- Think about a project you worked on at school or work. What was the most difficult part of reporting your progress to others?
- Imagine you are a team leader. What are the three most important things you want to know during a weekly project update?
- In your opinion, is it better to give project updates in a face-to-face meeting or in a written report? What are the advantages of your choice?
2
Quarterly report: Project Alpha
Listen to the project update. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.
3
Listen to the audio recording and answer the questions in your own words.
01What part of Project Alpha did the team finish last quarter?
Sample answerThey finished the first part, which the speaker called the 'initial phase'.
02What two key activities did the team complete during this phase?
Sample answerThey completed all the research and they developed the core features.
03What kind of problem did the team face, and how did they deal with it?
Sample answerThey had some unexpected problems with the budget, but they dealt with them quickly.
04In what way was the project successful, according to the speaker?
Sample answerIt was successful because the team delivered the work ahead of schedule, even with the budget challenges.
4
Key vocabulary for project updates
Vocabulary
These expressions will help you communicate more naturally when discussing projects and reports.
Examples
run into a problem — to experience a difficulty or problem unexpectedly
Usage note: This is a common phrasal verb. It's a natural way to say you 'faced' or 'encountered' a challenge. For example: 'We ran into a problem with the software last week.'
meet a deadline — to finish a task or project by the agreed time or date
Usage note: This is a very common business collocation. The opposite is 'to miss a deadline'. For example: 'The team worked hard and met the final deadline.'
on track — making progress as planned and likely to achieve the final goal
Usage note: Use this phrase to give a quick, positive update. You can say 'The project is on track' or 'We are on track to finish by June.' The opposite is 'off track'.
key takeaway — the main point or most important piece of information to remember
Usage note: This is often used in a summary of a report or meeting. For example: 'The key takeaway from the report was that we need to improve our customer service.'
get something off the ground — to start a new project or business successfully
Usage note: This is a common idiom for the difficult beginning of a project. For example: 'It took us a few months to get the new initiative off the ground.'
5
Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.
Word bank
01We worked extra hours last week to meet the project .
02Although we started slowly, we are now back on to finish by the end of the month.
03For me, the key from the presentation was that we need to improve our marketing.
04The team ran into a serious when the main server crashed yesterday.
05It was difficult at first, but we finally got the new campaign off the .
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Grammar: Past simple tense
Grammar
We use the past simple tense to talk about actions that started and finished at a specific time in the past. It is very common in business reports and project updates because you are describing tasks and events that are already completed.
Examples
Last quarter, the sales team developed a new strategy.
We add '-ed' to most regular verbs to form the past simple.
We didn't receive the final data until Friday.
For negative sentences, use 'didn't' + the base form of the verb (e.g., 'receive', not 'received').
Did the project meet all its initial goals?
For questions, use 'Did' + subject + the base form of the verb (e.g., 'meet', not 'met').
Key points
- Use for finished actions with a specific past time reference (e.g., yesterday, last week, in May).
- Remember to learn common irregular verbs, like 'began', 'wrote', 'sent', and 'met'.
- Common mistake: Avoid using the past form of the verb in questions and negatives with 'did' or 'didn't'.
7
Find the mistake
Read the sentences about project updates. Can you spot the errors?
Each sentence contains one error. Find and correct it.
01Last week, our team meet the deadline for the first phase.
Corrected version
Last week, our team meet met the deadline for the first phase.
02We ran on a problem with the software, but we fixed it.
Corrected version
We ran on into a problem with the software, but we fixed it.
03The challenges we faced was difficult, but we overcame them.
Corrected version
The challenges we faced was were difficult, but we overcame them.
04The marketing department develop a new campaign last quarter.
Corrected version
The marketing department develop developed a new campaign last quarter.
05What was a key takeaway from yesterday's meeting?
Corrected version
What was a the key takeaway from yesterday's meeting?
06It took a lot of effort to do the project off the ground.
Corrected version
It took a lot of effort to do get the project off the ground.
07The first fase of the project was very successful.
Corrected version
The first fase phase of the project was very successful.
8
Useful phrases: Reporting progress in a team meeting
Vocabulary
Here are some natural-sounding phrases you can use in a weekly meeting to talk about your work. They will help you give a clear and professional update to your team.
Examples
'Just a quick update from my side...' — a simple way to start your report.
Register: Neutral. Use this when it's your turn to speak. It's a friendly and professional opening.
'We made good progress on...' — to report positive developments.
Register: Neutral. Use this to highlight what went well. Follow it with the specific task, for example, '...the client presentation'.
'We've hit a small issue with...' — to introduce a problem or challenge.
Register: Neutral. This is a soft way to introduce a problem without sounding too negative. It shows you are aware of the challenge.
'My plan for this coming week is to...' — to state your next steps.
Register: Neutral. Use this to show you are thinking ahead and have a clear plan for your future work.
'I could use a second pair of eyes on...' — to ask for help or feedback.
Register: Neutral/Informal. This is a common idiom that means you want someone else to look at your work to check for mistakes or offer suggestions.
'That's everything from my side.' — to signal that you have finished your update.
Register: Neutral. Use this as a clear and polite way to end your turn, letting the next person know they can start.
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Key project management terms
Learn some common words used when discussing projects and reports.
Match each term on the left with its correct definition on the right.
Drag or click to match
Definitions
10
The story of the 'Connect' app
Read the passage below, then answer the comprehension questions.
Last year, our marketing team decided to create a new app called 'Connect' to help our customers network with each other. It was a big idea, and it took a lot of effort to get something off the ground. In the first two months, everything went smoothly. We designed the interface and wrote most of the code. We were completely on track to finish early. Then, in the third month, we ran into a problem. The messaging feature suddenly stopped working, and nobody knew why. For a week, the whole team focused only on this issue. We worked late nights and finally discovered a small error in the code. After we fixed it, we had to work extra hard to meet a deadline for the launch. We launched it on the exact day we promised. The key takeaway for us was that even with perfect planning, you must be ready for unexpected challenges.
01What was the purpose of the 'Connect' app?
Sample answerIt was designed to help the company's customers network with each other.
02What challenge did the team face during the project?
Sample answerThe messaging feature stopped working because of an error in the code.
03Did the team launch the app later than planned?
Sample answerNo, they met the deadline and launched it on the exact day they had promised.
04What does the passage suggest about the team?
Sample answerIt suggests they are hardworking, dedicated, and good at solving problems under pressure.
11
Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.
- Is it more important for a team to always stay on track with the original plan, or to be flexible and change the plan when they run into a problem? Explain your opinion.
- Think about the work or study culture in your country. How do managers or teachers usually react when a project doesn't meet a deadline? Share a personal experience if you can.
- Imagine you successfully completed a difficult project. What would be the most important key takeaway you would share with your team in the final report? Why is this lesson so important?