Business English- Negotiating- Saying Yes, No & Maybe

Yes, no and maybe in negotiations key words activities

Listen to your teacher and raise the “Yes” card or “No” card that you have been given depending on what you think about the meaning of what you hear. If your teacher says “dot dot dot”, that means a sentence that can be finished in different ways, but always with the same basic meaning. 

Do the same, but also listen for phrases where the meaning isn’t clear (ones which mean “Maybe”), in which case you should raise both cards.

Cards to hold up

Yes	No
Yes	No
Yes	No
Yes	No
Yes	No

Negotiating phrases to classify

Label each line below with “Y” for “yes”, “N” for “No” or “?” for less clear meanings (“Both yes and no”, “Maybe”, etc). Each line has a different function (so they can’t be both “Y” and “Y” if there are two lines, they can’t all be “N” if there are three lines, etc)

 

• Absolutely!/ That would be absolutely/ If we absolutely must.
• That’s absolutely out of the question./ That’s absolutely my last word on the matter.

 

• I’m sure you don’t (really/ honestly) expect us to accept…/ There’s no way I can accept…/ I’m (totally) unable to accept
• I reluctantly accept…
• I’m willing to accept… if…

 

• I think that will be acceptable./ That seems acceptable.
• To make that acceptable,…

 

• I simply can’t agree to…/ We would find this (somewhat/ rather/ very/ extremely) difficult to agree
• I will agree to that, providing…/ I might be able to agree to that, depending on…
• Okay, we agree to…

 

• As I explained to you earlier,…
• I’ll let you know as soon as I can.

 

• (I’m afraid) that’s the best I can do.
• I’ll do my best.

 

• I’ll ask my boss, but I think I can imagine his reaction.
• This is just a formality, but I’ll need to talk to my boss

 

• You can’t just demand…
• I can’t see any problem with that.

 

• (I’m sorry but) I can’t compromise (at all) on this point.
• Okay, I’m prepared to compromise on that.
• That would be acceptable if you could compromise on…

 

• (I’m afraid) I can’t even consider
• I’ll consider

 

• I think we have a deal./ It’s a deal./ You have a deal.
• That doesn’t sound like a very good deal.

 

• I really expected something (a bit/ quite a lot) better.
• To be honest, that is better than we expected.

 

• Before I make a final decision,…
• I’m sorry but that was my final

 

• I think we’ve already been (fairly/ quite/ very) flexible on this./ I can be flexible on (almost) everything apart from that.
• Okay, I can be flexible on that.

 

• Thank you. That’s very generous.
• I think we are already being (quite/ very) generous.

 

• I’m (fairly/ really quite/ really) happy with that./ I’m not very happy about this, but…
• (I’m sorry but) I’m not (very) happy with…

 

• I’m (very) glad to hear
• That was not (really) what I wanted to hear.

 

• That wasn’t (quite/ really/ at all) what I was hoping/ I was hoping for something (a bit/ considerably/ quite a lot/ a lot/ much/ far) better.
• I was hoping you might say that.

 

• Can we discuss that at a later meeting?/ I’ll confirm that later.
• I’ll probably regret this later, but…

 

• I’ll let you know by Friday.
• Let me know if you change your mind.

 

• Our present circumstances mean that/ Our present situation means that…
• Could you clarify what you mean by…?/ Does that mean…?

 

• I can move on that.
• I’m not going to (be able to) move (at all) on this./ I can’t move on this./ While we are glad to see that you have moved (somewhat) from your original position,…

 

• That is an option.
• That is not an option.

 

• There doesn’t seem to be much point in discussing this further./ That point is not negotiable./ I hope you can see our point of view.
• There is no point in discussing this (further/ anymore/ at the moment) unless…
• You have a point. Taking that into account,…

 

• I can understand your position, but…/ While I (completely/ more or less) understand your position,…/ I’m (really) not in the position to (be able to)…
• Just to make sure that I understand your position,…

 

• I can’t promise (anything/ much), but…
• What about your previous promise to…?
• Okay, I can promise you that.

 

• Taking what you said into account,… – Y
• But you said… – N

 

• I’d need to see (all of) that written down./ I’ll see what I can do.
• I can’t see any way round this./ That is not how we see

 

• We seem to have come to (some kind of) a stalemate./ You don’t seem to be meeting us halfway./ That seems (a bit/ far) too…/ That doesn’t seem to be… enough.
• We seem to be in agreement.

 

• That sounds (fairly/ very) reasonable.
• That sounds (rather) unappealing.

 

• (I’m afraid) I’m sticking to my (original) position.
• The sticking point for us is…
• That doesn’t have to be a sticking

 

• I’m not sure that we can do that./ Are you sure that’s your final offer?
• Just to make sure that I understand your offer,…

 

• If you can give me some time to think about it,…
• I don’t think we would benefit (much/ at all/ enough) from that.
• I think we’ve found some common ground.

 

• That is (really) as far as I am willing to go.
• I’m willing to consider that./ We would be willing to consider that.

 

• That (just/ simply) won’t work./ I’m not sure that would work (for us).
• That would work for us./ We still need to work out the details, but…

 

• I think… would be fairer. / That wouldn’t go down (very) well at head office.
• We would accept that if you were able to…/ You would need to…
• That would be perfect./ That would be wonderful./ That would be great.

 

Compare your answers as a class or with the suggested answers below.

Circle expressions above which mean “Yes” but are used when someone isn’t really happy.

Test each other on the language:

• Play the same holding up cards game
• Say phrases with the same key word missing until your partner can complete them
• Give your partner a key word and help them make phrases with different meanings

Suggested answers

Other phrases are possible, so please check if you wrote something different.

• Absolutely!/ That would be absolutely/ If we absolutely must. – Y
• That’s absolutely out of the question./ That’s absolutely my last word on the matter.– N

 

• I’m sure you don’t (really/ honestly) expect us to accept…/ There’s no way I can accept…/ I’m (totally) unable to accept – N
• I reluctantly accept… – Y
• I’m willing to accept… if… – ?

 

• I think that will be acceptable./ That seems acceptable. – Y
• To make that acceptable,… – ?

 

• I simply can’t agree to…/ We would find this (somewhat/ rather/ very/ extremely) difficult to agree – N
• I will agree to that, providing…/ I might be able to agree to that, depending on… – ?
• Okay, we agree to… – Y

 

• As I explained to you earlier,… – N
• I’ll let you know as soon as I can. – ?

 

• (I’m afraid) that’s the best I can do. – N
• I’ll do my best. – ?/ N

 

• I’ll ask my boss, but I think I can imagine his reaction. – N/ ?
• This is just a formality, but I’ll need to talk to my boss – Y/ ?

 

• You can’t just demand… – N
• I can’t see any problem with that. – Y

 

• (I’m sorry but) I can’t compromise (at all) on this point. – N
• Okay, I’m prepared to compromise on that. – Y
• That would be acceptable if you could compromise on… – ?

 

• (I’m afraid) I can’t even consider – N
• I’ll consider – ?

 

• I think we have a deal./ It’s a deal./ You have a deal. – Y
• That doesn’t sound like a very good deal. – N

 

• I really expected something (a bit/ quite a lot) better. – N
• To be honest, that is better than we expected. – Y

 

• Before I make a final decision,… – ?
• I’m sorry but that was my final – N

 

• I think we’ve already been (fairly/ quite/ very) flexible on this./ I can be flexible on (almost) everything apart from that. – N
• Okay, I can be flexible on that. – Y

 

• Thank you. That’s very generous. – Y
• I think we are already being (quite/ very) generous. – N

 

• I’m (fairly/ really quite/ really) happy with that./ I’m not very happy about this, but…– Y
• (I’m sorry but) I’m not (very) happy with… – N

 

• I’m (very) glad to hear – Y
• That was not (really) what I wanted to hear. – N

 

• That wasn’t (quite/ really/ at all) what I was hoping/ I was hoping for something (a bit/ considerably/ quite a lot/ a lot/ much/ far) better. – N
• I was hoping you might say that. – Y

 

• Can we discuss that at a later meeting?/ I’ll confirm that later. – ?
• I’ll probably regret this later, but… – Y

 

• I’ll let you know by Friday. – ?
• Let me know if you change your mind. – N

 

• Our present circumstances mean that/ Our present situation means that… – N
• Could you clarify what you mean by…?/ Does that mean…? – ?

 

• I can move on that. – Y
• I’m not going to (be able to) move (at all) on this./ I can’t move on this./ While we are glad to see that you have moved (somewhat) from your original position,… – N

 

• That is an option. – Y/ ?
• That is not an option. – N

 

• There doesn’t seem to be much point in discussing this further./ That point is not negotiable./ I hope you can see our point of view. – N
• There is no point in discussing this (further/ anymore/ at the moment) unless… – ?
• You have a point. Taking that into account,… – Y

 

• I can understand your position, but…/ While I (completely/ more or less) understand your position,…/ I’m (really) not in the position to (be able to)… – N
• Just to make sure that I understand your position,… – ?

 

• I can’t promise (anything/ much), but… – ?
• What about your previous promise to…? – N
• Okay, I can promise you that. – Y

 

• Taking what you said into account,… – Y
• But you said… – N

 

• I’d need to see (all of) that written down./ I’ll see what I can do. – ?
• I can’t see any way round this./ That is not how we see – N

 

• We seem to have come to (some kind of) a stalemate./ You don’t seem to be meeting us halfway./ That seems (a bit/ far) too…/ That doesn’t seem to be… enough. – N
• We seem to be in agreement. – Y

 

• That sounds (fairly/ very) reasonable. – Y
• That sounds (rather) unappealing. – N

 

• (I’m afraid) I’m sticking to my (original) position. – N
• The sticking point for us is… – ?/ N
• That doesn’t have to be a sticking – Y

 

• I’m not sure that we can do that./ Are you sure that’s your final offer? – N
• Just to make sure that I understand your offer,… – ?

 

• If you can give me some time to think about it,… – ?
• I don’t think we would benefit (much/ at all/ enough) from that. – N
• I think we’ve found some common ground. – Y

 

• That is (really) as far as I am willing to go. – N
• I’m willing to consider that./ We would be willing to consider that. – Y/ ?

 

• That (just/ simply) won’t work./ I’m not sure that would work (for us). – N
• That would work for us./ We still need to work out the details, but… – Y

 

• I think… would be fairer. / That wouldn’t go down (very) well at head office. – N
• We would accept that if you were able to…/ You would need to… – ?
• That would be perfect./ That would be wonderful./ That would be great. – Y

 

Key words to make yes/ no/ maybe phrases from

Choose one of the key words below and try to think of or remember positive, negative and ambiguous phrases using that word. All can make at least two of those three kinds of expressions, and some can be used in all three kinds. You can start with the easiest. You can change the key words a little if you like, for example in the way given in brackets. Some words can be put together in phrases.

absolute(ly)                                                              

accept(able)

agree(d/ing)                                                              

as

best                                                                            

boss(‘s)

can(’t)                                                                        

compromise

consider(ed)                                                             

deal(ing)

expect(ing/ed)                                            

final

flexible/ flexibility                                                     

generous/ generosity

happy   / happier                                                     

hear(d/ing)

hope/ hoping/ hopeful/ hopeless

late(r)                                                                         

let

mean(s/t)

move(d)/ moving                                                     

option(al)

point(less)

position

promise(d)/ promising

say/ said

see                                                                             

seem(ed/s/ing)

sound(s)

stick(ing)                                                                   

sure(ly)/ unsure

think/ unthinkable

willing(ly)                                                                  

work/ workable/ unworkable

would

 

Compare with the suggested answers above. Many other phrases are possible, so please check if you wrote something different.

 

Use the words above as you roleplay negotiations, ticking off as you use them.