Giving criticism at work can be difficult, especially when English isn't your first language.
You may need to tell a colleague that something needs changing. You may have to point out a problem with a report, explain why a piece of work isn't ready or tell someone that they should have handled something differently.
And this is where you have to be careful. A sentence can be grammatically correct and still sound much stronger than you intended.
In this lesson, I'll show you useful phrases for criticising politely in English. We'll look at what they mean, how strong they sound and which ones you need to use carefully at work.
Before you criticise someone at work
A useful rule is:
Talk about the work, the problem or the result. Don't make it about the person.
Compare:
You haven't explained this very well.
This section isn't quite clear enough yet.
And when you can, give the person something useful to do next.
The figures on page four aren't clear enough yet. Could you add last quarter's figures for comparison?
Test your meeting English
What would you say if you had to disagree, interrupt or raise a concern at work? Try 8 real workplace situations and see how you do.
Test your meeting EnglishWatch the lesson with me, or continue below for the written explanations and workplace examples.
Some of these expressions are very useful at work. Others need more care because they can sound stronger, more formal or more sarcastic than you might expect.
Let's go through them.
Phrases that soften criticism
I have to say / I'm bound to say
Both introduce something the listener may not particularly like.
I have to say is very useful in everyday workplace English.
I'm bound to say is also natural, particularly in British English, but it sounds a little more formal.
I have to say, the final section still needs quite a bit of work.
I'm bound to say, I was surprised that the report went to the client without a final check.
with all due respect
The words sound polite, but the disagreement that follows is often quite strong.
With all due respect, I don't think we have enough information to make that decision yet.
Don't think of this as simply a polite phrase. When someone hears with all due respect, they often expect a strong disagreement next.
to say the least / to put it mildly
We use these when the real situation is stronger than the words we have chosen.
The response from the supplier was disappointing, to say the least.
The way the complaint was handled was rather poor, to put it mildly.
These can sound sarcastic when you say them directly to the person responsible. They're often safer when you are describing a situation.
shall we say
This softens something that could otherwise sound offensive.
The first version was, shall we say, a little difficult to follow.
This can sound slightly ironic. It's useful English to understand, but I wouldn't use it for serious formal feedback.
don't get me wrong
This is conversational. It works well with colleagues when you want to stop them misunderstanding the criticism.
Don't get me wrong, Mary's presentation is quite good, but she needs to work on the ending.
Don't get me wrong, David knows the subject very well, but he tends to talk too much and doesn't listen enough.
how shall I put it? / let me put it this way
These expressions show that you're choosing your words carefully because what comes next may be difficult to hear.
How shall I put it? The report has all the information, but the main point gets lost.
Let me put it this way. I wouldn't send this version to the client yet.
without wishing to...
This is more formal. In normal workplace conversation, simpler English is often enough.
Without wishing to be too critical, I think this section needs a little more work.
Without wishing to question the work that's already been done, I think there's a problem with the figures.
How strong do these phrases really sound?
A dictionary tells you what a phrase means. This tells you what happens when you actually use it.
| Phrase | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| I have to say... | Natural before criticism |
| I'm bound to say... | British and slightly more formal |
| With all due respect... | Polite words, but often a strong disagreement |
| Don't get me wrong... | Conversational |
| Shall we say... | Can sound ironic |
| To put it mildly | Suggests the real criticism is stronger |
| How shall I put it? | Signals difficult feedback |
| Without wishing to... | Formal |
Giving feedback on someone's work
Very often at work, you're not saying that everything is bad. The work may be good overall, but one part needs changing.
This is where you can recognise what somebody has done and then make the problem clear.
I appreciate your hard work but...
I appreciate your hard work, but we still need to tighten up the final section before it goes to the client.
Be careful with this pattern. If every criticism starts with a compliment followed by but, the compliment can start to feel automatic.
A more natural alternative:
I appreciate the work you've put into this. There are two things I'd like us to change before we send it.
I can tell you put a lot of effort into...
I can tell you put a lot of effort into this presentation, but I think there's too much detail for a 15-minute client meeting.
The criticism should be specific. Don't leave the person wondering what needs to change.
I enjoyed your presentation today
I enjoyed your presentation today, but I thought the final section was a bit too long.
Even better, tell them what worked and what needs changing.
I enjoyed your presentation today. The examples were very clear. I'd shorten the final section, though.
overall, it's good, but...
Overall, it's good, but I think the introduction needs to be more direct.
Overall, it's good, but I'd check those figures again before we circulate it.
You're telling the person you are not rejecting the whole piece of work.
Useful ways to make criticism more specific
One thing I'd change is...
One thing I'd change is the opening. We need to get to the recommendation more quickly.
The main issue for me is...
The main issue for me is the amount of detail. The client only needs the key figures.
I think this needs a little more work before...
I think this needs a little more work before we send it out.
I'm not sure this is clear enough yet
I'm not sure this is clear enough yet. Could we simplify the explanation on page three?
Specific criticism is easier to act on than This isn't very good.
Not sure what you'd say in a real meeting?
Giving feedback is one thing. Doing it while a meeting is moving quickly is harder. Try 8 short workplace situations and test your meeting English.
Test your meeting EnglishCriticising something that has already happened
Sometimes you're not commenting on work that can still be changed. Something has already happened, and you want to say that the person should have acted differently.
English gives us several very direct ways to do that.
You should have... + past participle
You should have called me before you agreed to the new deadline.
You should have checked the figures before sending the report.
This is correct English, but it puts the attention directly on the person's past mistake.
You should have checked the figures first.
Those figures needed one final check before the report went out.
The second version may be easier to use if the aim is to solve the problem rather than blame somebody.
You shouldn't have... + past participle
You shouldn't have sent the draft before we had approval.
You shouldn't have confirmed the date before checking with the team.
Again, this is natural English but quite direct. It isn't automatically polite simply because the grammar is correct.
Why didn't you... + infinitive
We use this to show surprise or disappointment that somebody failed to do something.
Why didn't you check with me first?
Why didn't you ask for clarification before you started?
This may be a real question, but it often sounds accusatory.
If the mistake has already happened and you mainly want to prevent it happening again, a future-focused sentence may work better:
Next time, check with me before you confirm the deadline.
Don't stop at the criticism
If somebody has made a mistake, repeating what went wrong isn't always enough. They should know what you want them to do differently next time.
I find it helpful to...
This sounds like advice based on your own experience rather than an order.
I find it helpful to have somebody else read my emails before I send them to the client.
I find it helpful to check the final figures against the original spreadsheet before sending the report.
If you're unsure in the future, just...
Now the other person knows exactly what to do next time.
If you're unsure in the future, just check with me before you confirm anything with the client.
If you're unsure in the future, just send me the draft and I'll have a quick look.
Criticising an idea in a meeting
You may also need to criticise an idea while you're in a meeting.
The same rule applies: focus on the problem rather than the person.
I see what you're trying to do, but I'm worried about the timing.
The criticism is about the timing. You're not saying the person has had a bad idea.
What would you say next?
Meetings become more difficult when you need to find the words quickly, enter the discussion and respond to other people.
Test your meeting EnglishQuick check
Choose your answer first, then open the box to compare.
1. Which sounds less personal?
- A. You haven't explained this clearly.
- B. This section isn't quite clear enough yet.
Show answer
Answer: B
The criticism is about the section, not the person.
2. Which phrase should you use carefully because it can introduce a strong disagreement?
- A. Don't get me wrong...
- B. With all due respect...
Show answer
Answer: B
With all due respect sounds polite, but quite strong criticism often follows.
3. What does to put it mildly tell the listener?
- A. The situation is probably better than you are saying.
- B. The real criticism is probably stronger than you are saying.
Show answer
Answer: B
4. Which sounds more constructive?
- A. You shouldn't have sent it before checking the figures.
- B. Those figures needed one final check before the report went out. Next time, let's check them before sending it.
Show answer
Answer: B
Both can be correct, but the second moves the conversation towards what should happen next.
5. Which phrase sounds more formal?
- A. Without wishing to be too critical...
- B. Don't get me wrong...
Show answer
Answer: A
Listen to this lesson
Prefer listening? You can hear Harry explain the original phrases in the podcast.
Listen again for the expressions you've just learnt and notice how they sound when Harry says them.
What to remember
When you criticise something at work:
- Focus on the work, result or problem rather than the person.
- Be specific about what needs changing.
- Remember that polite-looking phrases can still sound strong.
- Be careful when criticising past mistakes with should have, shouldn't have and why didn't you.
- When possible, finish by explaining what should happen next.
And remember, you don't need complicated English to give useful feedback. You need to be clear about the problem and clear about what needs to change.
How would you handle a difficult moment in a meeting?
You may know what you want to say, but finding the right words quickly is another matter. Try my free Test Your Meeting English quiz and see how you handle 8 common workplace situations.
Test your meeting EnglishMore Business English for difficult conversations
- How to Disagree in English Politely For meetings and conversations when you have a different view.
- How to Interrupt Politely in English at Work Useful when you need to correct information, add a point or stop the discussion before it moves on.
- English Phrases for Meetings: Speak Up at Work Phrases for joining discussions, asking for clarification, giving opinions and checking next steps.
- Making Suggestions in English at Work Criticism is much more useful when you can suggest an alternative.