If English isn’t your first language and you use English at work, this lesson will help you handle difficult conversations more confidently.
You’ll learn useful Business English phrases for disagreeing, responding to criticism, making a complaint, setting a boundary and dealing with conflict with a colleague, manager or client.
You’ll also see which expressions sound professional and which can sound too strong at work.
Quick referenceUseful Business English phrases for difficult situations at work
| Situation | Useful phrase |
|---|---|
| Someone is making assumptions before checking the facts | Let’s not jump to conclusions. |
| You need to make your disappointment clear | I’d like to express my disappointment with… |
| Someone is shouting | There’s no need to raise your voice. |
| Someone is speaking or behaving inappropriately | I don’t think that’s acceptable. |
| Someone has accused you unfairly | I think you owe me an apology. |
| Someone suggests a possible solution | That’s a good suggestion. Let me look into it. |
Some expressions in this lesson are much stronger than they first appear. You’ll also learn which phrases are safe for normal work situations and which should only be used in serious situations.
Listen to the lesson
Listen to this lesson on Speak Better English with Harry, Episode 589, then read on and choose the phrases that fit the conversations you actually have at work.
Listening and reading together makes the phrases much easier to remember.
- How strong do these phrases sound at work?
- Slowing down a difficult conversation
- Expressing disappointment or making a complaint
- Responding to criticism or an unfair accusation
- Questioning information that seems wrong
- Saying you will investigate a problem
- Setting a clear boundary
- Moving from conflict to a solution
- Very strong expressions to use carefully
- Practice
- Frequently asked questions
How strong do these Business English phrases sound at work?
Knowing what a phrase means isn’t enough in a difficult conversation. You also need to know how strong it sounds.
A phrase that is appropriate in a serious disciplinary conversation may sound aggressive in an ordinary meeting with a colleague.
| Phrase | How it sounds at work |
|---|---|
| Let’s not jump to conclusions. | Safe and professional |
| That’s a good suggestion. | Safe and positive |
| I’d appreciate it if you could… | Polite and professional |
| I’d like to express my disappointment with… | Formal |
| There’s no need to raise your voice. | Firm |
| I think you owe me an apology. | Firm and direct |
| I have every intention of investigating this. | Formal and emphatic |
| It’s totally unacceptable. | Very strong |
| You’ve got no right to say that. | Very strong |
| It’s a disgrace. | Emotional and usually too strong |
| You failed miserably. | Aggressive in most workplace situations |
Business English phrases for slowing down a difficult conversation
When a conversation starts to go wrong, the first job is usually to slow it down before anyone says something they can’t take back.
Let’s not jump to conclusions
Meaning: don’t decide what has happened before you have the facts.
Tone: safe and professional.
Let’s not jump to conclusions. We don’t have the full timeline yet, so I’d rather check the dates first.
This is one of the most useful phrases in the lesson because it disagrees with the conclusion, not with the person. You can use it with a colleague, a manager or a client.
There’s no need to raise your voice
Meaning: you can make your point without shouting.
Tone: firm.
There’s no need to raise your voice. I understand what you’re saying, and we can discuss it calmly.
Use this when the other person’s behaviour has become inappropriate. It is stronger than simply disagreeing with them.
I’m lost for words
Meaning: you’re so surprised or shocked that you don’t know what to say.
Tone: emotional.
When they told us that the whole project had been cancelled, I was lost for words.
For ordinary unexpected news, a calmer response is often more useful: I wasn’t expecting that.
Do you need to disagree with a colleague, manager or client without sounding unnecessarily direct?
How to Disagree in English Politely →Business English phrases for expressing disappointment or making a complaint
I’m calling to express my disappointment…
Tone: formal. Use this for a formal complaint or a serious decision.
I’m calling to express my disappointment with the decision.
For a meeting, conversation or email, change the opening:
I’d like to express my disappointment with how this issue was handled. We raised it two weeks ago and still haven’t received an answer.
For a less formal workplace situation: I was disappointed with how this was handled.
It’s totally unacceptable
Tone: very strong.
Sharing confidential client information outside the company is totally unacceptable.
For a less serious problem, use one of these instead:
- I don’t think that’s acceptable.
- I’m concerned about how this was handled.
It’s a disgrace
Tone: very strong and emotional.
You may hear this when somebody is extremely angry, but it is usually too strong for a normal work disagreement.
It’s a disgrace that this happened.
I’m very disappointed with how this was handled.
Words cannot express my shock / horror
Use this for genuinely shocking events.
It is normally too dramatic for:
- an ordinary project delay
- a disagreement about budget
- a missed meeting
- a normal workplace mistake
Safer at work:
- I was very surprised to hear that.
- I’m extremely concerned about what happened.
Do you want to check your English in common work situations?
Try 8 short workplace situations and see which answers sound clear and natural in English.
Test Your English at Work →Business English phrases for responding to criticism or an unfair accusation
You’ve got no right to say that
Tone: very direct. Use this when someone’s comment or behaviour has crossed a clear boundary.
If you have a problem with my work, we can discuss it. But you’ve got no right to speak to me like that.
The behaviour is the problem: I don’t think it’s appropriate to speak to me like that.
The description is the problem: I don’t think that’s a fair way to describe what happened.
I think you owe me an apology
Tone: firm and direct.
Use this after:
- a serious unfair accusation
- an insulting comment
- somebody blaming you publicly when the facts show otherwise
I sent the report on Thursday, and I’ve shown you the email. I think you owe me an apology for what you said earlier.
Use this when the issue matters. It can sound unnecessarily confrontational after a small misunderstanding.
Checking factsWhen someone’s information seems wrong or surprising
Where on earth did they get that from?
On earth adds strong surprise or disbelief.
They say the project will cost €2 million. Where on earth did they get that figure from?
Do we know where that figure came from?
The second version is safer when you don’t yet know whether the information is actually wrong.
This is beyond belief
Tone: strong and emotional.
Safer at work:
- I find this very difficult to understand.
- I wasn’t expecting this at all.
Business English phrases for saying you will investigate a problem
I have every intention of investigating this
Tone: formal and emphatic. Use this for a serious issue, not an ordinary workplace problem.
It may be appropriate for:
- a formal complaint
- an HR issue
- a compliance problem
- confidential information being shared
- a serious procedural failure
I have every intention of investigating what happened, and I’ll speak to everyone involved.
For an everyday problem:
- We’ll look into this properly.
- I’ll look into this and come back to you tomorrow.
Business English phrases for setting a clear boundary
I’d appreciate it if you didn’t contact me about this again
Use this when somebody continues contacting you about something after you have already said no.
I’m not interested in the service, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t contact me about this again.
The grammar is polite, but the message is clear and final.
SolutionsBusiness English phrases for moving from conflict to a solution
That’s a good suggestion
That’s a good suggestion. Let me check whether we can change the delivery date.
This recognises the other person’s idea without agreeing to it immediately.
I’ll look into this
Meaning: I’ll investigate or check the situation.
I’ll look into this today and confirm the figures tomorrow morning.
Giving a clear time for your reply makes the response more useful.
I’d like to hear more about this
Use this when you want more information but aren’t ready to agree.
I’d like to hear more about the proposal. I don’t have time to discuss it properly now, but I’d appreciate it if you could send me the details.
A win-win situation
Meaning: a result where both sides benefit.
If they can deliver a week earlier and we agree to place the second order now, it could be a win-win situation.
Very strong expressions to use carefully
I’m warning you, there will be consequences
Tone: very strong.
This is not a normal phrase for an everyday workplace disagreement. It sounds like an official, disciplinary or serious warning.
A more professional workplace version is:
- If this happens again, we’ll need to take formal action.
What about “You failed miserably”?
You failed miserably means that somebody’s attempt failed completely. It is a very strong expression and can sound personal or aggressive.
If you were trying to change my mind, you failed miserably.
In a workplace disagreement, a calmer response would be: That hasn’t changed my view.
If you’re talking about work that didn’t reach the required standard, don’t use You failed miserably.
You failed miserably.
The result didn’t meet the agreed standard.
We didn’t meet the agreed target.
Did the difficult conversation start with a misunderstanding?
If a message, instruction, date, file or decision was understood differently, you may need to correct the situation without making it worse.
Fix Misunderstandings in English gives you practical phrases for explaining what happened, correcting the information and saying clearly what needs to happen next.
Get Phrases to Fix Misunderstandings →Before you use a strong phrase at work, check three things
1. What actually happened?
A missed deadline and deliberate dishonesty are not the same problem.
2. Who are you speaking to?
You may speak differently to:
- a close colleague
- your manager
- a senior manager
- a client
- somebody you manage
3. What do you need from the conversation?
- If you need information, ask for information. Do we know where that figure came from?
- If you need an apology, say so. I think you owe me an apology for what you said earlier.
- If someone’s behaviour needs to stop, set the boundary clearly. There’s no need to raise your voice.
- If you want to solve the problem, suggest a practical next step. That’s a good suggestion. Let me look into it.
Practise these Business English phrases
Read each situation and decide what you would say, then check it underneath.
1. A colleague says your team caused a delay. Nobody has checked the full timeline yet. Which is better?
A. That’s ridiculous.
B. Let’s not jump to conclusions. We need to check the timeline first.
Show answer
B. Let’s not jump to conclusions. We need to check the timeline first.
2. A colleague starts shouting during a disagreement. Which is better?
A. There’s no need to raise your voice. We can discuss this calmly.
B. Shut up and listen.
Show answer
A. There’s no need to raise your voice. We can discuss this calmly.
3. Someone says you sent a report late. You have proof that you sent it on time. What do you say?
Show answer
I sent the report on Thursday. Here’s the email, so I want to correct one point from earlier. The report wasn’t sent late.
If the accusation was serious or public
I think you owe me an apology for what you said earlier.
4. A supplier proposes a different delivery schedule that could solve the problem. What do you say?
Show answer
That’s a good suggestion. Let me look into it and I’ll confirm tomorrow.
Frequently asked questions about difficult conversations in Business English
What are some useful Business English phrases for difficult conversations?
Useful phrases include:
- Let’s not jump to conclusions.
- I’d like to express my disappointment with…
- There’s no need to raise your voice.
- I don’t think that’s acceptable.
- That’s a good suggestion.
- I’ll look into this.
How can I disagree professionally at work?
You can say:
I see your point, but I’m not sure I agree.
I understand the idea, but I have one concern.
With a manager, client or senior colleague, a slightly softer opening may be more appropriate.
How can I say something is unacceptable professionally?
Firm: I don’t think that’s acceptable.
Stronger: That’s unacceptable.
Very strong: That’s totally unacceptable.
Choose the strength according to how serious the problem is.
How should I respond to criticism at work in English?
If you need to understand the facts first, say:
Can we go through what happened first?
If the criticism is based on incomplete information, you can also say:
Let’s not jump to conclusions.
If the other person’s behaviour becomes inappropriate:
There’s no need to raise your voice.
Is “You failed miserably” professional?
Usually, no.
If you’re talking about poor work or a missed target, use:
The result didn’t meet the agreed standard.
We didn’t meet the agreed target.
Business English phrases to remember
Useful in many work situations
- Let’s not jump to conclusions.
- There’s no need to raise your voice.
- I’d like to express my disappointment with…
- I don’t think that’s acceptable.
- That’s a good suggestion.
- I’ll look into this.
- I’d appreciate it if you could send me the details.
Use only when the situation is serious
- I think you owe me an apology.
- It’s totally unacceptable.
- You’ve got no right to say that.
- It’s a disgrace.
- I’m warning you, there will be consequences.
- You failed miserably.
In most work conversations, clear and specific language is safer than emotional language.
Choose a few phrases that fit situations you actually face at work and practise saying them aloud.
Correct a misunderstanding before it becomes a bigger problem
Use practical English to explain what went wrong, give the correct information and make the next action clear.
Get Phrases to Fix Misunderstandings →Related Business English lessons
If this lesson was useful, these will help you with the rest of the conversation.
- How to Disagree in English Politely Learn how to disagree with colleagues, managers and clients without sounding unnecessarily direct.
- English Phrases for Meetings Useful English for joining a discussion, interrupting, disagreeing, asking for clarification, giving updates and checking decisions.
- 10 Essential Phrases for Formal Discussions in English Learn useful expressions for giving opinions, disagreeing and taking part in more formal workplace discussions.
- How to Agree and Disagree in English A broader lesson on giving opinions, agreeing and disagreeing naturally in English.
- 10 Better Ways to Apologise in English Useful language for apologising, taking responsibility and responding when something has gone wrong.