Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: Negotiation and Influence
Explore negotiation and influence with eight useful expressions, including sound someone out, win someone over, hold out for. Read the meanings and examples, then use the language in eight C1 discussion questions.
What’s in the worksheet?
- Eight expressions with meanings and example sentences
- Eight matching discussion questions
- One printable page
- Open-ended speaking practice
Practise eight C1 expressions for negotiation, influence and boundaries. Discussion distinguishes sounding someone out, winning them over and meeting them halfway from firm refusals or backing down.
Worksheet preview
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Page 1 of 1 · A4 printable PDF
A simple way to teach it
Before the lesson
Use the one-page adults/teens sheet. There is no fixed key; workplace examples can be replaced with fictional club or group decisions.
- Compare seeking an opinion with persuading someone. Notice pronoun placement in sound them out and win them over.
- Discuss the eight prompts, weighing fairness, flexibility and limits. Require reasons when deciding whether to hold out, back down or put your foot down.
- Role-play declining a proposal while leaving the door open. Discuss how tone changes when an expression is used to describe someone versus addressed directly to them.
Support and extension
Support with a low-stakes shared-event scenario. Extend by negotiating a compromise that states both what is accepted and where each party draws the line.
Suggested approach. Adjust the pace and number of questions to suit your class.
