Business updates: improving subject-verb agreement
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Think about these questions before reading. Share your ideas with a partner.
- What makes a team meeting successful? Think about a good or bad meeting you have attended.
- If you have to give a quick update on your work or a project, what is the most important information to share?
- Why is it important to speak clearly in a professional situation? What problems can happen if communication is unclear?
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Giving a Project Update
Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.
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Answer the questions about the dialogue.
01What project is Marco giving an update on?
Sample answerHe's giving an update on the website project.
02What part of the project is progressing well?
Sample answerThe design and coding parts are on track.
03What problem has the team run into?
Sample answerThey've hit a small snag with the payment system.
04What is the key takeaway from Marco's update?
Sample answerThe key takeaway is that they are still positive about meeting the deadline, even with the small problem.
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Key vocabulary for project updates
Vocabulary
Learn these common phrases to talk about progress and challenges in a business meeting.
Examples
To be on track — to be progressing as planned and likely to finish on time.
Usage note: You can use this with 'with' or 'to'. For example: 'We are on track with the project timeline' or 'We are on track to meet our deadline.'
To run into an issue — to experience an unexpected problem or difficulty.
Usage note: This is a common and slightly informal way to talk about problems. You can also say 'run into a problem' or 'run into a delay'.
To get someone up to speed — to give someone all the latest information about a situation.
Usage note: Often used when a team member returns from holiday or joins a project. For example: 'Can you get me up to speed on the latest changes?'
Key takeaway — the most important point or message to remember from a meeting or presentation.
Usage note: You can ask: 'What was the key takeaway from the meeting?' You can also have more than one: 'The key takeaways are...'
To touch base with someone — to talk to someone for a short time to find out how they are or what they think about something.
Usage note: This is a friendly, professional phrase. For example: 'Let's touch base next week to discuss the next steps.'
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Key vocabulary for project updates
Learn some common words used when discussing projects at work.
Match the vocabulary on the left with the correct definitions on the right.
Drag or click to match
Definitions
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Grammar: Subject-verb agreement
Grammar
Subject-verb agreement means the main subject and the main verb in a sentence must match in number (singular or plural). This is important in business updates where sentences can be long. Always find the main subject and make sure the verb agrees with it, not with other words in between.
Examples
The report, which contains all the quarterly figures, shows a positive trend.
The main subject is 'The report' (singular), so the verb is 'shows'. The phrase 'which contains all the quarterly figures' doesn't change the subject.
Our new strategies for the international market are working well.
The subject is 'strategies' (plural), not 'market'. Therefore, the verb must be plural: 'are working'.
Everyone on the project team agrees on the next steps.
Words like 'everyone', 'each', and 'nobody' are always singular, so they take a singular verb like 'agrees'.
Key points
- First, identify the main subject of your sentence.
- Ignore phrases that come between the subject and the verb.
- Be careful with words like 'everyone' or 'each' – they are singular.
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Spot the mistake
Read the sentences below. They are all related to giving updates in a business meeting.
Each sentence contains one error. Find and correct it.
01The feedback from our clients, which we received yesterday, indicate that we are on the right track.
Corrected version
The feedback from our clients, which we received yesterday, indicate indicates that we are on the right track.
02Last week, we run into an issue with the supplier, but we have solved it now.
Corrected version
Last week, we run ran into an issue with the supplier, but we have solved it now.
03I need to touch base to my manager about the project timeline.
Corrected version
I need to touch base to with my manager about the project timeline.
04The list of action items from the meeting are on your desk.
Corrected version
The list of action items from the meeting are is on your desk.
05Don't worry, the project is on the track and should be finished by Friday.
Corrected version
Don't worry, the project is on the track and should be finished by Friday.
06Could you get me up to speed? I missed last meeting.
Corrected version
Could you get me up to speed? I missed the last meeting.
07The main goal of our new marketing stratagy is to increase online engagement.
Corrected version
The main goal of our new marketing stratagy strategy is to increase online engagement.
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Useful phrases: Giving a project update
Vocabulary
In team meetings, you often need to share the status of your work. These phrases will help you give a clear and professional update, whether things are going well or you've run into a small problem.
Examples
Let me bring you up to date on... — to start your update.
Register: neutral. This is a clear and professional way to begin. Follow it with the name of the project, for example: '...on the Q3 marketing campaign.'
So far, so good. — to say that everything is progressing well up to this point.
Register: neutral to informal. Use this when a project has started but isn't finished yet, and there have been no major problems. It's a common, natural-sounding phrase.
We've hit a small snag with... — to report a minor problem or delay.
Register: neutral. A 'snag' is a small, unexpected problem. This phrase is useful because it communicates the issue without sounding too negative or alarming.
Our main focus for this week is... — to clearly state the immediate next steps or priorities.
Register: neutral. This is great for showing you have a clear plan and are focused on the most important tasks for the near future.
I could use some input on... — to ask for ideas or feedback from your colleagues.
Register: neutral. This is a collaborative and polite way to ask for help when you are not sure how to proceed with a specific part of the project.
That's everything from my side for now. — to signal that you have finished your update.
Register: neutral. A clear and simple way to end your report and let the next person speak.
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Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.
Word bank
01Despite a few small delays, the project is still on to meet the deadline.
02We've run into a small with the new software, but the IT department is working on it.
03Can you please get the new team member up to on the project's history?
04The main from the meeting is that we need to focus more on customer feedback.
05I need to touch with the marketing team to discuss the new campaign.
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Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.
- In your country's work culture, if you run into an issue with a project, is it better to tell your manager immediately or try to solve it yourself first? How do you usually get your team up to speed on the problem?
- Some managers like to touch base with their team every day for a short update. Others prefer one long meeting per week. Which strategy do you think is better for making sure a project stays on track? Why?
- When giving a project update, what do you think is the most important key takeaway for the audience: hearing that everything is on track, or learning about the problems the team has run into? Explain your opinion.