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Lesson 213 of 240

New here? This is lesson 213 of a free 240-lesson English course.

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Negotiate a deadline in English

The library drawings are due Friday. Ana needs more time, and she has to ask Marcus without a long speech.

She will say the timeline is tight, ask for two stages, and lock a new date.

You will ask for two more days and say what arrives when.

Polite asks come first. A short close ends the talk: Then we're agreed.

By the end of this lesson

Ask for more time and agree on what is delivered when.

  • This timeline is a little tight.There is not quite enough time for this plan.
  • Could we deliver it in two stages?Can I give you part now and the rest later?
  • You get the first version now, and the rest next week.I will give you an early copy now, then a fuller one later.
  • The earliest I can finish is Wednesday.I cannot be done before Wednesday.
  • If possible, could I have two more days?Please give me two extra days if you can.
  • Then we're agreed.We both accept this plan.

Scene — Friday is too soon

Downtown, in the small architecture studio. Ana stands by Marcus's desk. He has rolled drawings under one arm.

The library renovation is due Friday. He wants the plan in a few short sentences.

The whiteboard on the wall is blank. No one is writing yet.

Ana stands by Marcus’s desk as he holds rolled library drawings and indicates the tight Friday deadline.

Learn — more time and two stages

Six lines help you ask for more time at work.

You will name a tight timeline, offer two stages, and lock the new date.

  1. Ana turns one palm up toward the rolled drawings to convey that the time is too short.

    This timeline is a little tight.

    There is not quite enough time for this plan.

    When to use it: Say this when a due date does not give you enough time.

    Tight here means the plan has too little time, not that a rope is pulled hard.

    Say it: Stress the first part of timeline.

  2. Ana holds her hands apart to propose delivering part of the plan now and the rest later.

    Could we deliver it in two stages?

    Can I give you part now and the rest later?

    When to use it: Ask this when one due date is too soon, and you can send part first.

    Stages means parts that come at different times.

    Say it: Stress the first part of stages.

  3. Ana offers an early copy now and indicates that a fuller version will follow later.

    You get the first version now, and the rest next week.

    I will give you an early copy now, then a fuller one later.

    When to use it: Use this to say what arrives now and what arrives later.

    Version here means an early copy of the work, not the last one.

  4. Ana taps an empty stretch of the blank whiteboard to make clear she cannot finish before Wednesday.

    The earliest I can finish is Wednesday.

    I cannot be done before Wednesday.

    When to use it: Say this when you name the first day you can be done.

    Earliest means no day before this one.

    Say it: Stress the first part of earliest.

  5. Ana opens both palms in a careful request for two extra days while Marcus listens across the desk.

    If possible, could I have two more days?

    Please give me two extra days if you can.

    When to use it: Ask this when you need extra days and you want to stay polite.

    If possible makes the ask softer, so it is easier to say yes.

  6. Marcus nods in agreement as Ana moves the early copy toward him, confirming their plan.

    Then we're agreed.

    We both accept this plan.

    When to use it: Say this when both people accept the new plan.

    We're agreed is one piece that closes the talk.

    Say it: Stress the second part of agreed.

Story — they lock the date

Watch Ana ask Marcus for more time on the library drawings.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Monday morning at the studio. Marcus has the library drawings under one arm.
  2. MarcusSo. The library set is due this Friday. Can you make that?He names this Friday as the due day and asks if she can do it.
  3. AnaThis timeline is a little tight.There is not quite enough time for this plan.
  4. MarcusI know. The client wants a full set on Friday.He knows the time is short, and the client still wants Friday.
  5. AnaI need more time. Could we deliver it in two stages?She cannot finish on time, and she asks to send the work in two parts.
  6. MarcusTwo stages. What does that look like, in plain words?He wants a short, clear picture of the two parts.
  7. AnaYou get the first version now, and the rest next week.I will give you an early copy now, then a fuller one later.
  8. He sets the drawings on the desk. The whiteboard on the wall stays blank.
  9. MarcusOkay. How about we meet in the middle? The rest next Monday.He asks both sides to give a little, and he offers next Monday.
  10. AnaThe earliest I can finish is Wednesday.I cannot be done before Wednesday.
  11. MarcusNext Monday would be better. I mean, the client is waiting.He still likes next Monday more, because the client is waiting.
  12. AnaWednesday next week. If possible, could I have two more days?She wants Wednesday next week, two days after Monday, if he can.
  13. MarcusWednesday next week, then. First version today, the rest Wednesday.He accepts Wednesday next week if he gets the early copy today.
  14. AnaThen we're agreed.We both accept this plan.
  15. MarcusIt's a plan. Send me the first version before you leave.He accepts, and he wants the early copy today.
  16. AnaI will. Thanks.She will send it, and she thanks him.

Practice — ask and agree

Eleven short exercises wait here. You will listen, pick, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay on this meeting, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    This timeline is a little tight.Drop the Simple English here
    Could we deliver it in two stages?Drop the Simple English here
    The earliest I can finish is Wednesday.Drop the Simple English here
    Then we're agreed.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    He offered next Monday. You already named Wednesday next week. Now ask, politely, for those two extra days.

  4. What does it mean?

    Could we deliver it in two stages?

  5. Fill the gap

    I will give you an early copy now, then a fuller one later.

    You get the first version now, and the rest next ____.

  6. Build the line

    I cannot be done before Wednesday.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Marcus says:

    Wednesday next week, then. First version today, the rest Wednesday.

    He accepts the new days.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    You cannot be done before Wednesday. Name that first day.

    The earliest I can finish is ____.

  9. True or false?

    This line means you will not change your date.

  10. What do you say?

    Friday is too soon. You need extra time before you name a new day.

  11. Which one doesn’t belong?

Say it — say the new plan

Now you're Ana at the studio. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. MarcusThe library set is due this Friday. Can you make that?He names this Friday as the due day and asks if you can do it.
  2. Ana (you)Tell him there is not quite enough time.

    This timeline is a little tight.

    There is not quite enough time for this plan.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
This timeline is a little tight.There is not quite enough time for this plan.
Could we deliver it in two stages?Can I give you part now and the rest later?
You get the first version now, and the rest next week.I will give you an early copy now, then a fuller one later.
The earliest I can finish is Wednesday.I cannot be done before Wednesday.
If possible, could I have two more days?Please give me two extra days if you can.
Then we're agreed.We both accept this plan.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these deadline lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your asks ready for a tight timeline.

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