1 TRY OUT LANGUAGE
2 LEARN GRAMMAR
3 APPLY ON YOUR OWN
People negotiate when they try to reach an agreement with each other. When they negotiate, they often compromise, or agree to a type of change.
Work with a partner to role-play a teen and his or her parent negotiating one of these issues: getting an after-school job, an increase in allowance, or extending a weekend curfew. Use calm and polite language when you negotiate.
| Polite Words and Phrases | ||
|---|---|---|
| please | I understand | let’s try |
| may I | I guess | how about if we |
| can I | could you | why don’t we |
One important word in negotiations is but. When you use it, it means there is a certain condition to remember.
| EXAMPLE | You can get an allowance, but you must earn it. |
Negotiate an issue with your partner, then act out your negotiation in front of a small group. Talk about the compromise that you reached. Identify strengths and weaknesses in the negotiation. Then listen to another pair negotiate.
When you negotiate, you may tell about an action that started in the past and is still going on. If so, use the present perfect tense when you talk about these actions.
| EXAMPLES | I have wanted to babysit for a long time. |
| I have planned to work on the weekend for a while. |