Saying No and Setting Boundaries

B1 · Intermediate1 hr 3 minCareer DevelopmentLesson 3 of 5 · Outline

Aims

Decline politely but firmly, negotiate your workload, and drop the hedging that weakens your no

The lesson, stage by stage

  1. Warm up5 min

    Warm-up: Say No and Keep the Relationship

    3 warm-up questions

  1. Framework6 min

    Framework: Warm, Clear, Alternative

    Warm – Clear – Alternative, 3 steps

  2. Reading10 min

    Reading: Two Emails, One Answer

    Read a 224-word text about Two Emails, One Answer

  3. Vocabulary8 min

    Vocabulary: Boundary Language

    8 items

  4. Practice7 min

    Practice: Weak Version to Firm Version

    Matching exercise, 7 items

  5. Practice7 min

    Practice: Make the No Stronger

    Error-correction exercise, 6 items

  6. Dialogue10 min

    Dialogue: Negotiating Your Workload

    Role-play: A one-to-one meeting with your manager about too much work (4 lines)

  7. Discussion10 min

    Discussion: Where Are Your Limits?

    4 discussion questions

Open the full lesson

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Target vocabulary

In a Tuton account these words become your student's vocabulary deck, so they come back in practice between lessons.

turn downworkloadboundarytake onpriorityhedgingcapacitypush something back

This plan comes from the Confidence at Work course in the Tuton library. Browse all free lesson plans.