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Practice room 16 · Going further

Talking across cultures

Direct or indirect, close or distant: different cultures play conversation by different rules.

  • About 10 minutes
  • Chapter 16 of the book
  • Saves on this device
Activity 1 of 3 · Sort

Direct or indirect?

British English is often indirect: people soften what they mean. Sort these phrases.

Directness sorter

Is this said directly, or softened?

✓ Done

Activity 2 of 3 · Choose

Culture scenarios

What's really going on? Choose the best reading.

Scenario

✓ Done

Say it

Phrase box

Useful phrases from this chapter. Anything that isn't British English is labelled.

British indirect

  • That's an interesting idea.
  • I'll bear it in mind.
  • Not bad at all.

Checking

  • Just so I understand, do you mean…?
  • In my country we usually… Is it the same here?
  • I hope that didn't come across wrong.

Repairing

  • Sorry, I didn't mean it like that.
  • Let me put that another way.
  • That came out wrong!
Activity 3 of 3 · Play

Repair a misunderstanding

A comment of yours came out wrong. Repair it.

Repair

Choose the reply that fixes things.

✓ Done

3 activities to go

Finish all 3 activities to complete this practice room. Your progress saves on this device.

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