Luyện nói tiếng Anh bằng Shadowing qua video: How to Explain a Problem at Work in English | Business English Practice
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1
Hello everyone and welcome back to Business English for Success.
Xin chào tất cả mọi người và chào mừng các bạn quay trở lại với chương trình Business English for Success.
2
I'm Elena.
Tôi là Elena.
3
And I'm David.
Và tôi là David.
4
It's great to have you with us.
Rất vui được có bạn ở cùng chúng tôi.
5
Today, we're going to practice a skill you need when something goes wrong at work.
Hôm nay, chúng ta sẽ luyện tập một kỹ năng mà bạn cần đến khi có sự cố xảy ra tại nơi làm việc.
6
How to explain the situation clearly, even when you don't have all the information yet.
Làm thế nào để giải thích tình hình một cách rõ ràng ngay cả khi bạn chưa có đầy đủ thông tin.
7
Maybe the numbers in a report are wrong.
Có thể các con số trong báo cáo đã bị sai.
8
A system stops working, a delivery is late, or a customer has a problem that needs an answer now.
Một hệ thống ngừng hoạt động, một lô hàng bị giao trễ, hoặc một khách hàng gặp vấn đề cần được giải đáp ngay lập tức.
9
In situations like these, you may know what's wrong, but not why.
Trong những tình huống như thế này, bạn có thể biết điều gì đó không ổn, nhưng lại không hiểu tại sao.
10
You may not know the full impact yet.
Bạn có thể chưa biết hết những tác động của nó.
11
And while you're still checking, someone is already asking you, what happened?
Và trong khi bạn vẫn đang kiểm tra, thì đã có người hỏi bạn rằng, đã có chuyện gì vậy?
12
So what do you say first? first?
Vậy bạn sẽ nói gì đầu tiên? Đầu tiên hả?
13
What does the other person actually need to know?
Người kia thực sự cần biết những gì?
14
And how do you explain something that's still changing without guessing or sounding unclear?
Và làm thế nào để bạn giải thích một thứ vẫn đang thay đổi mà không phải đoán mò hay khiến lời giải thích nghe không rõ ràng?
15
And by the end of the lesson, when someone asks you, what happened?
Và đến cuối buổi học, khi ai đó hỏi bạn, đã có chuyện gì thế?
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Or what's the problem?
Hay là có vấn đề gì vậy?
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You won't have to figure out your answer as you speak.
Bạn sẽ không phải suy nghĩ để tìm câu trả lời trong lúc đang nói.
18
You'll have a clear structure you can use to explain the situation professionally, even when the problem is messy,
Bạn sẽ có một cấu trúc rõ ràng để sử dụng nhằm giải thích tình hình một cách chuyên nghiệp, ngay cả khi vấn đề đang rối ren.
19
the information is incomplete, and you're still working out why it happened.
thông tin còn chưa đầy đủ, và bạn vẫn đang tìm hiểu nguyên nhân tại sao sự việc đó lại xảy ra.
20
So let's start with the first question.
Vậy thì chúng ta hãy bắt đầu với câu hỏi đầu tiên.
21
When something goes wrong at work, what should the other person hear first?
Khi có sự cố xảy ra tại nơi làm việc, điều mà người khác nên nghe thấy đầu tiên là gì?
22
Let's see what this looks like at work.
Hãy xem điều này trông như thế nào khi được áp dụng vào thực tế.
23
Imagine you're preparing a monthly sales report.
Hãy tưởng tượng bạn đang chuẩn bị một báo cáo bán hàng hàng tháng.
24
It needs to go to a client this afternoon, but while checking the figures, you notice something isn't right.
Chiều nay tài liệu này phải gửi cho khách hàng, nhưng trong lúc kiểm tra các con số, bạn nhận thấy có gì đó không ổn.
25
Your manager comes over and asks, what's happening with the report?
Quản lý của bạn đi tới và hỏi, báo cáo đang tiến triển thế nào rồi?
26
You know quite a lot about what happened, so you might answer, the report isn't ready yet.
Bạn biết khá nhiều về những gì đã xảy ra, nên bạn có thể trả lời rằng báo cáo vẫn chưa sẵn sàng.
27
We were checking the figures this morning and there seems to be something wrong with some of the data.
Sáng nay chúng tôi đã kiểm tra các số liệu và có vẻ như có gì đó không ổn với một số dữ liệu.
28
We received the file yesterday and I think there may have been a problem when the numbers were imported, so we're looking into it now.
Chúng tôi đã nhận được tệp vào hôm qua và tôi nghĩ có thể đã xảy ra sự cố khi nhập các con số, nên chúng tôi đang xem xét vấn đề này ngay bây giờ.
29
Imagine you're the manager hearing that answer.
Hãy tưởng tượng bạn là người quản lý đang nghe câu trả lời đó.
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You've heard plenty of information.
Bạn đã nghe rất nhiều thông tin rồi.
31
But there's still one thing you need to ask.
Nhưng vẫn còn một điều bạn cần phải hỏi.
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Okay, but what exactly is wrong?
Được rồi, nhưng chính xác thì có vấn đề gì vậy?
33
And that question tells us something important.
Và câu hỏi đó cho chúng ta biết một điều quan trọng.
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The problem isn't that the employee has nothing to say.
Vấn đề không phải là nhân viên đó không có gì để nói.
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The problem is that the most useful information is buried inside everything else.
Vấn đề là những thông tin hữu ích nhất lại bị chìm lấp trong đống thứ lộn xộn còn lại.
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So let's change the first sentence.
Vậy thì chúng ta hãy thay đổi câu đầu tiên đi.
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There's an error in the sales figures for the Asia region.
Có một lỗi trong số liệu bán hàng của khu vực Châu Á.
38
changes the conversation immediately.
thay đổi ngay lập tức cuộc hội thoại.
39
The manager has a clear starting point.
Người quản lý có một điểm khởi đầu rõ ràng.
40
The Asia sales figures are wrong.
Số liệu bán hàng của khu vực Châu Á bị sai.
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We haven't explained the whole situation.
Chúng tôi chưa giải thích hết tình hình.
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We haven't explained the cause.
Chúng tôi chưa giải thích nguyên nhân.
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We haven't explained what happens next.
Chúng tôi chưa giải thích điều gì sẽ xảy ra tiếp theo.
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But the listener knows what the problem actually is.
Nhưng người nghe lại biết vấn đề thực sự là gì.
45
And this is useful far beyond reports.
Và điều này hữu ích vượt xa các báo cáo.
46
Imagine a customer calls because something is wrong with an order.
Hãy tưởng tượng một khách hàng gọi điện vì có vấn đề với đơn hàng của họ.
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You could say, there's a problem with the customer's order.
Có thể nói rằng, có một vấn đề với đơn hàng của khách hàng.
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That tells us where to look, but compare it with two items are missing from the customer's order,
Điều đó cho chúng ta biết nơi cần tìm, nhưng hãy so sánh với việc có hai mặt hàng bị thiếu trong đơn hàng của khách hàng,
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or the customer received eight items instead of ten.
hoặc khách hàng nhận được tám mặt hàng thay vì mười mặt hàng.
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I don't just know where the problem is, I know what went wrong.
Tôi không chỉ biết vấn đề nằm ở đâu, mà còn biết điều gì đã xảy ra sai sót.
51
Here's another one.
Đây là một cái khác.
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We're having an issue with the system.
Chúng tôi đang gặp sự cố với hệ thống.
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That could mean almost anything.
Điều đó có thể có nghĩa là gần như mọi thứ.
54
Is it slow?
Nó có chậm không?
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Is it offline?
Nó đang ngoại tuyến à?
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Are people unable to log in?
Người dùng không thể đăng nhập à?
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Is information disappearing?
Thông tin có đang biến mất không?
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Compare it with, the system isn't saving new customer records.
So sánh với vấn đề hệ thống không lưu các bản ghi khách hàng mới.
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Or, we can log in, but we can't submit new orders.
Hoặc là chúng ta có thể đăng nhập, nhưng không thể gửi các đơn hàng mới.
60
Those sentences give the listener something they can actually work with.
Những câu đó mang lại cho người nghe những thứ mà họ thực sự có thể vận dụng được.
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And the same thing happens with documents.
Và điều tương tự cũng xảy ra với các tài liệu.
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Instead of, there's a problem with the presentation.
Thay vào đó, có một vấn đề với bài thuyết trình.
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You might say, the latest sales figures are missing from the presentation.
Bạn có thể nói rằng các số liệu bán hàng mới nhất bị thiếu trong bài thuyết trình.
64
Instead of, there's an issue with the invoice, you might say, the invoice shows the wrong payment amount.
Thay vì nói rằng có vấn đề với hóa đơn, bạn có thể nói rằng hóa đơn hiển thị sai số tiền thanh toán.
65
Instead of, we have a problem with the contract, you might say, the client received an older version of the contract.
Thay vì nói rằng chúng ta có vấn đề với hợp đồng, bạn có thể nói là khách hàng đã nhận được một phiên bản cũ hơn của hợp đồng.
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So when you're under pressure, don't try to explain the entire history first.
Vì vậy, khi bạn đang chịu áp lực, đừng cố gắng giải thích toàn bộ lịch sử vấn đề trước tiên.
67
Give the listener a clear starting point.
Đưa cho người nghe một điểm khởi đầu rõ ràng.
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What exactly is wrong?
Chuyện gì đang xảy ra thế?
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And notice that you don't need one special phrase to do this.
Và hãy lưu ý rằng bạn không cần một cụm từ đặc biệt nào để làm điều này.
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Sometimes there's an error in the report.
Đôi khi có lỗi trong báo cáo.
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Sometimes we found a problem with the payment.
Đôi khi chúng tôi gặp sự cố với việc thanh toán.
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Sometimes the clearest sentence simply describes what isn't working.
Đôi khi câu rõ ràng nhất lại chỉ đơn giản mô tả những gì đang không hoạt động.
73
The system isn't processing new orders or what's missing.
Hệ thống không xử lý các đơn hàng mới hoặc bị thiếu những thứ gì đó.
74
Two pages are missing from the contract, or what happened differently from what you expected.
Hai trang bị thiếu trong hợp đồng, hoặc có điều gì đó đã xảy ra khác với những gì bạn mong đợi.
75
The customer received the wrong product.
Khách hàng đã nhận được sản phẩm sai.
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The phrase changes.
Cụm từ đó thay đổi.
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The communication job doesn't.
Công việc liên lạc thì không.
78
Make the actual problem easy to understand.
Hãy làm cho vấn đề thực tế trở nên dễ hiểu.
79
Let's go back to our report.
Quay lại với báo cáo của chúng ta đi.
80
Your manager asks, what's happening with the report?
Quản lý của bạn hỏi, báo cáo đang tiến triển thế nào rồi?
81
This time, you say, there's an error in the sales figures for the Asia region.
Lần này, bạn nói rằng có lỗi trong số liệu bán hàng của khu vực Châu Á.
82
Your manager asks, what's happening with the report?
Quản lý của bạn hỏi, báo cáo đang tiến triển thế nào rồi?
83
This time you say, there's an error in the sales figures for the Asia region.
Lần này bạn nói rằng có lỗi trong số liệu bán hàng của khu vực châu Á.
84
Now listen to the manager's next question.
Bây giờ hãy lắng nghe câu hỏi tiếp theo của người quản lý.
85
Okay, what does that mean for the report?
Được rồi, vậy điều đó có ý nghĩa gì đối với báo cáo?
86
Can we still send it this afternoon?
Chiều nay chúng ta vẫn có thể gửi nó được không?
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And something has changed.
Và có điều gì đó đã thay đổi.
88
The manager understands the problem.
Người quản lý hiểu vấn đề.
89
So they don't ask what exactly is wrong anymore?
Vậy là họ không còn hỏi chính xác là có chuyện gì nữa rồi sao?
90
They ask, what does this affect?
Họ hỏi, điều này ảnh hưởng đến cái gì?
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That's the next piece of information they actually need.
Đó chính là mẩu thông tin tiếp theo mà họ thực sự cần.
92
In this case, you might answer, not yet.
Trong trường hợp này, bạn có thể trả lời là chưa.
93
We need to correct the figures before we send it to the client.
Chúng ta cần chỉnh sửa các số liệu trước khi gửi cho khách hàng.
94
There's an error in the sales figures for the Asia region, so we need to correct them before we send the report to the client.
Có một lỗi trong số liệu bán hàng của khu vực Châu Á, vì vậy chúng ta cần sửa chúng trước khi gửi báo cáo cho khách hàng.
95
That answer does more than describe the problem.
Câu trả lời đó không chỉ mô tả vấn đề.
96
It tells your manager what the problem means for the work.
Nó cho người quản lý của bạn biết vấn đề đó có ý nghĩa gì đối với công việc.
97
And sometimes that consequence is exactly what the listener cares about most.
Và đôi khi, chính hậu quả đó lại là điều mà người nghe quan tâm nhất.
98
Imagine the ordering system stops working.
Hãy tưởng tượng hệ thống đặt hàng ngừng hoạt động.
99
You tell your manager, the system isn't allowing us to submit new purchase orders.
Bạn nói với người quản lý của mình rằng hệ thống không cho phép chúng ta gửi các đơn đặt hàng mới.
100
They may immediately ask, can the team keep working?
Họ có thể sẽ ngay lập tức đặt ra câu hỏi: liệu đội ngũ có thể tiếp tục làm việc được không?
101
They can continue preparing the orders, but they can't submit anything until the system is back online.
Họ có thể tiếp tục chuẩn bị các đơn hàng, nhưng không thể gửi bất kỳ thứ gì cho đến khi hệ thống hoạt động trở lại.
102
That gives us a much clearer picture than, the system is down, some work can continue, one specific part cannot.
Điều đó cho chúng ta một bức tranh rõ ràng hơn nhiều so với việc hệ thống bị lỗi, một số công việc vẫn có thể tiếp tục, chỉ có một phần cụ thể là không thể.
103
That distinction matters to the person making decisions.
Sự khác biệt đó có ý nghĩa đối với người đưa ra quyết định.
104
A supplier was supposed to deliver an important component today, but it won't arrive until tomorrow.
Một nhà cung cấp đáng lẽ phải giao một bộ phận quan trọng vào hôm nay, nhưng nó sẽ không đến cho đến ngày mai.
105
Your manager asks, does that affect production?
Quản lý của bạn hỏi, điều đó có ảnh hưởng đến sản xuất không?
106
If the consequence is already clear, you can say, yes, production will start a day later than planned.
Nếu hậu quả đã rõ ràng, bạn có thể nói rằng, vâng, việc sản xuất sẽ bắt đầu muộn hơn một ngày so với kế hoạch.
107
Or, yes, we'll have to move the start of production to tomorrow.
Hoặc là, vâng, chúng ta sẽ phải dời lịch bắt đầu sản xuất sang ngày mai.
108
But what if you don't know that yet?
Nhưng nếu bạn chưa biết điều đó thì sao?
109
Maybe the production team has some flexibility in the schedule.
Có lẽ đội ngũ sản xuất có một số sự linh hoạt trong lịch trình.
110
Then you shouldn't turn a possibility into a fact.
111
You could say, it may delay the start of production, but we're checking whether the team can adjust the schedule.
112
Same delivery problem, but the language changes because the impact itself isn't confirmed yet.
113
Let's stay with that idea for a moment because this happens all the time at work.
114
You may know exactly what went wrong without knowing exactly how serious it is yet.
115
Imagine several customer records suddenly disappear from an internal system.
116
David will be the manager and I'll be the employee explaining what we know so far.
117
What's going on?
118
Some customer records are missing from the system.
119
How many customers are affected?
120
We've confirmed 12 so far, but we're still checking the rest of the records.
121
Can the support team still respond to those customers?
122
Not fully.
123
They can see the recent messages, but they can't access the customer's account history.
124
Is this affecting all customer accounts?
125
We don't know yet.
126
At the moment, we've only confirmed the issue in those 12 accounts.
127
Let's step out of that conversation for a moment.
128
The employee didn't have a perfect answer to every question, but the situation was is still clear.
129
But the conversation is still clear.
130
They know the problem.
131
Some customer records are missing.
132
They know one confirmed effect.
133
The support team can't access the account history for those customers.
134
And when the wider impact isn't clear, they say so.
135
We don't know yet.
136
That's much more useful than guessing.
137
And it's also more useful than saying there's a big system problem.
138
Because big doesn't tell your manager what is actually affected.
139
And different problems affect the work in different ways.
140
the impact won't always be we can't do something.
141
Sometimes it's a delay.
142
The shipment is arriving tomorrow, so installation will have to move to Friday.
143
Sometimes someone else is waiting.
144
Finance hasn't approved the payment yet, so the supplier is still waiting.
145
Sometimes a deadline is at risk.
146
Two sections of the proposal still need to be revised, so we may not be ready for the 3 o'clock deadline.
147
And sometimes the work can continue, but only partly.
148
The team can keep preparing the orders, but they can't submit them yet.
149
That last distinction is especially useful.
150
Instead of automatically making every problem sound like everything has stopped, explain the real effect.
151
What can't happen?
152
What will be delayed?
153
Who is waiting?
154
What can still continue?
155
What might be at risk?
156
Let's give you a situation, but this time we won't give you the answer first.
157
Your team is preparing a presentation for a client meeting at 3 o'clock.
158
The presentation itself is finished, but the latest sales figures haven't been added yet.
159
Your manager asks, is the presentation ready?
160
What would you say?
161
You could say, not yet.
162
The latest sales figures are still missing, so we need to update the presentation before the client meeting.
163
That's one useful answer.
164
But imagine the figures aren't essential for the meeting.
165
The presentation can still be used without them.
166
Then your answer might be, the latest sales figures are still missing, but the rest of the presentation is ready, so we can still use it if necessary.
167
Same problem?
168
Different impact.
169
And that's why a useful problem explanation isn't just about learning a sentence pattern.
170
You have to understand what the problem actually changes in that situation.
171
This time, Elena is the manager, and I'm the employee.
172
Elena asks what's happening with the report, and I explain, there's an error in the sales figures for the Asia region,
173
so we need to correct them before we send the report to the client.
174
Then the manager asks, OK, do we know why the figures are wrong?
175
And this is where the conversation gets harder.
176
Sometimes the honest answer is yes, sometimes it's maybe, and sometimes it's simply not yet.
177
Let's stay with that question.
178
Do we know why the figures are wrong?
179
If you've already confirmed the cause, the answer is straightforward.
180
Imagine you checked the source files and found that an older file was imported by mistake.
181
You can say, yes, we found that an older data file was imported by mistake.
182
Or, the error was caused by an older data file being imported.
183
In that situation, there's no reason to sound uncertain.
184
You checked it.
185
You found the cause.
186
So you can state it clearly.
187
But imagine you're still investigating.
188
You notice that the problem appeared after this morning's data import, but you haven't confirmed the connection.
189
Listen to these two answers.
190
The data import caused the error.
191
And we think the error may be related to this morning's data import, but we're still checking.
192
The first answer gives your manager a fact.
193
The second gives your manager a possible explanation.
194
Let's hear how that uncertainty can sound in the conversation.
195
I'll ask the manager's questions, and Elena will answer as the employee.
196
So, was there a problem with the import?
197
Possibly.
198
The timing suggests there may be a connection, but we haven't confirmed it yet.
199
Could it be the source data instead?
200
Yes, that's also possible.
201
We're checking both the source file and the import process.
202
Back to the lesson.
203
That sounds much more like a real workplace conversation.
204
The employee isn't refusing to answer.
205
They're telling the manager where the investigation currently stands without pretending that a possibility is already a fact.
206
So if you're not sure, do you always have to say maybe?
207
No. You can make uncertainty clear in several natural ways, depending on what you actually know.
208
You might say, We think it may be related to the data import.
209
Or, One possibility is that the wrong file was imported.
210
Or, if you want to focus on the investigation rather than the theory, We're checking whether the problem happened during the import.
211
Different wording, same professional message.
212
I have a possible explanation, but I'm not presenting it as a confirmed fact.
213
But sometimes you don't even have a likely explanation yet.
214
Imagine a supplier delivery was due this morning.
215
It hasn't arrived.
216
You've checked the order details.
217
Everything looks correct.
218
The carrier hasn't responded yet.
219
Your manager asks, why is the delivery late?
220
What can you say?
221
You don't need to invent an answer.
222
You can say, we don't know the reason for the delay yet.
223
We've contacted the carrier and we're waiting for an update.
224
Or, the cause of the delay isn't clear yet.
225
We're following up with the carrier now.
226
Notice what makes those answers useful.
227
They don't stop at, I don't know.
228
They tell the listener, we don't know this yet, but this is what's happening to find out.
229
Let's try a different situation.
230
Several employees suddenly can't access an internal system.
231
Someone tells you, it probably happened because of last night's software update, but IT hasn't confirmed that.
232
Then your manager asks, what caused the system problem?
233
Which answer would you rather give?
234
The software update caused it, or it may be related to last night's software update, but IT is still investigating.
235
The first one sounds more certain, but if the information isn't confirmed, that confidence is misleading.
236
The second answer is actually more useful because it tells the manager what you think and how certain you are.
237
That's an important workplace habit.
238
Professional English isn't about sounding certain when you aren't.
239
It's about making the level of certainty clear.
240
Let's give you three situations.
241
Don't think about finding the most impressive phrase.
242
Decide first.
243
Do I know?
244
Do I suspect?
245
Or do I not know yet?
246
Situation 1.
247
A payment was rejected.
248
Finance checked it and confirmed that the bank account number was incorrect.
249
Here, you know.
250
You could say, the payment was rejected because the bank account number was incorrect.
251
Situation 2.
252
A report contains duplicate entries.
253
You think the same file may have been uploaded twice, but nobody has confirmed it yet.
254
Here, you suspect.
255
You could say, we think the file may have been uploaded twice, but we're still checking.
256
Or one possibility is that the same file was uploaded twice.
257
Situation 3.
258
A customer can't log in.
259
You've reported the issue to IT, but you have no information about the cause yet.
260
Here, you don't know.
261
You could say, we haven't identified the cause yet.
262
IT is looking into it now.
263
Same question.
264
Why did this happen?
265
Three very different answers.
266
Not because one is more advanced than another.
267
Because the information available to you is different.
268
Go back to our report.
269
This time, David will ask the manager's follow-up questions, and I'll answer as the employee.
270
The manager already knows the figures are wrong, and the cause is still uncertain.
271
Now listen to what they need next.
272
Okay, what are we doing to check it?
273
We're comparing the source file with the imported data now.
274
And if the source file is correct?
275
Then we'll check the import process next.
276
When will we know whether we can still send the report today?
277
We should know more by 2 o'clock.
278
I'll update you then, even if we're still investigating.
279
Let's step out of the conversation.
280
The communication job has changed again.
281
The manager no longer needs another explanation of the problem.
282
They know the problem.
283
They know the impact.
284
They know the cause hasn't been confirmed.
285
Now they need to know, what are you doing about it?
286
And when will I hear from you again?
287
That last answer gives the manager something important.
288
Not a promise that the problem will be fixed by 2 o'clock, but a clear time for the next update.
289
That last part matters.
290
The employee didn't say, we'll have the problem fixed by 2 o'clock.
291
They don't know that.
292
They said, I'll update you by 2 o'clock.
293
That is something they can actually commit to.
294
And what are we doing about it doesn't always mean your team is actively fixing something.
295
Go back to the delayed delivery.
296
You don't know why it's late and you're waiting for the carrier.
297
Your manager asks, what are we doing now?
298
You might say, we've contacted the carrier and asked for an updated delivery time.
299
I'll let you know as soon as they respond.
300
Or imagine finance hasn't approved a supplier payment.
301
You might say, I followed up with finance and asked them to review the payment.
302
I'll check again this afternoon if we haven't heard back.
303
Or there's a technical problem.
304
IT is investigating the issue now.
305
We're waiting for their findings before we make any changes.
306
Or there's a technical problem.
307
IT is investigating the issue now.
308
We're waiting for their findings before we make any changes is.
309
The action depends on the situation.
310
You might be checking something, correcting something, contacting someone, waiting for confirmation,
311
or escalating the issue to another team.
312
What matters is that the listener understands where things stand now.
313
And real problems don't always have one fixed next step.
314
Imagine an invoice has the wrong amount.
315
You're checking whether the the stake is in the original order or only in the invoice.
316
Your manager asks, what happens next?
317
You could say, we're checking the original order first.
318
If the order is correct, we'll issue a new invoice.
319
If the amount is wrong there too, we'll need to confirm the correct price with sales.
320
That's much more useful than simply saying, we're working on it.
321
Because now the listener understands how the next step depends on what you find.
322
Imagine IT is investigating a system problem.
323
Your manager asks, will it be fixed by noon?
324
You don't know.
325
There are several ways you could respond.
326
If IT has given you a realistic estimate, they expect to have it fixed by noon.
327
If they only expect more information, IT expects to have an update by noon.
328
And if even that timing isn't certain, I can't confirm when it'll be fixed yet, but I'll update you again at noon.
329
Those answers sound similar, but they make very different commitments.
330
A fix by noon, more information by noon, an update from you by noon.
331
Choose the one the situation actually supports.
332
We've been building this report situation piece by piece.
333
Now listen to the whole exchange without the teaching interruptions.
334
This time, Elena is the manager and I'm the employee.
335
Just follow how the questions move the explanation forward.
336
What's happening with the report?
337
There's an error in the sales figures for the Asia region, so we need to correct them before we send the report to the client.
338
Do we know why the figures are wrong?
339
Not yet.
340
We think it may be related to this morning's data import, but we haven't confirmed that.
341
What are we checking?
342
We're comparing the source file with the imported data first.
343
If that's correct, we'll check the import process next.
344
Are we still likely to send the report today?
345
Possibly.
346
If we only need to correct the report, we should still be able to send it this afternoon.
347
We're still checking how much of the data is affected.
348
Okay, when will you know more?
349
I'll update you by 2 o'clock, even if we're still investigating.
350
All right.
351
Let me know sooner if anything changes. Will do.
352
Let's come back to the lesson.
353
Notice what didn't happen in that conversation.
354
The employee didn't give one enormous answer containing every detail they knew.
355
The information came out as the manager needed it.
356
And the employee didn't have all the answers.
357
They couldn't explain the cause with certainty.
358
They couldn't guarantee the report would go out on time.
359
But they could still communicate clearly what was wrong, what it affected, what was known and still uncertain,
360
what they were checking, and when the manager would hear more.
361
That's the real goal.
362
Not to make every problem explanation longer, not to force every situation into one perfect four-sentence answer,
363
but to help the other person understand what they need to know as the situation develops.
364
So far, we've worked through one report problem together.
365
Now let's see whether the same communication skill still works
366
when the situation is different and when nobody guides you through it one piece at a time.
367
This time, a customer has received an incorrect invoice.
368
The customer is waiting, and your manager wants an explanation.
369
Just listen to what happens.
370
David will be the manager and I'll be the employee explaining the invoice problem.
371
What's going on with the Harrison invoice?
372
The invoice shows $4,800, but the approved order is for $4,200.
373
The customer noticed the difference before making the payment.
374
Do we know where the wrong amount came from?
375
Yes.
376
I checked the order this morning.
377
The invoice was created using the previous price.
378
Has Finance corrected it?
379
They're preparing a new invoice now.
380
I've asked them to send it to me first so I can check the amount before it goes back to the customer.
381
How soon can we get it to them?
382
Finance expects to have it ready within the hour.
383
If everything is correct, I'll send it immediately and confirm with the customer.
384
Okay.
385
Keep me posted if there's any further delay.
386
I will.
387
Let's look at what made that conversation work.
388
It was easier than the report situation in one important way.
389
The employee knew the cause.
390
They had checked the order so they could say clearly the invoice was created using the previous price price.
391
And the employee also gave the impact naturally, even though the manager never asked, what is the impact?
392
The customer noticed the difference before making the payment.
393
That tells the manager the invoice is wrong, but the customer hasn't paid the wrong amount.
394
From there, the conversation can move forward to what matters next, correcting the invoice and getting the right version to the customer.
395
Imagine the same employee walks back to their desk.
396
A colleague asks, has the Harrison invoice been sorted out?
397
Do they need to repeat the entire conversation?
398
Probably not.
399
They could simply say, finance is correcting it now.
400
I'm going to check the new invoice before we send it back to the customer.
401
That's enough for that question.
402
A clear structure helps you organize information.
403
It doesn't mean you have to say everything you know every time someone asks about the problem.
404
Let's make this harder.
405
Imagine you work for a company that supplies equipment to business customers.
406
One of your customers is expecting 20 units today, but only 15 arrive.
407
The customer needs all 20 for an installation tomorrow morning.
408
You contact the supplier, but at first you don't know what happened to the missing five units.
409
Then your manager calls.
410
For this case, Elena will ask the manager's questions, and I'll answer is the employee.
411
I just saw the message about the Carter delivery.
412
What happened?
413
Only 15 of the 20 units arrived, so the customer is still missing five units for tomorrow's installation.
414
Do we know where the other five are?
415
Not yet.
416
The supplier is checking the shipment now.
417
Can they send the missing units today?
418
They haven't confirmed that yet.
419
I've asked them to check whether the units were left at the warehouse or shipped separately.
420
And if they can't deliver them today?
421
Then we'll need to see whether we can supply the five units from our local stock.
422
I'm checking that option as well.
423
Does the customer know?
424
They know that five units are missing.
425
I told them we're checking the fastest way to get the remaining units to them, but I haven't promised a delivery time yet.
426
When are you expecting to hear from the supplier?
427
They said they'd come back to me within 30 minutes.
428
I'll update you as soon as I hear from them.
429
30 minutes pass, and the situation changes.
430
The supplier calls back.
431
They found the missing units.
432
But there's another problem.
433
The units are still at their warehouse, and the normal delivery service can't get them to the customer until tomorrow afternoon.
434
The installation starts tomorrow morning.
435
I'm still the manager, and David is still the employee.
436
Here's the follow-up conversation.
437
Any news?
438
Yes, the supplier found the missing five units.
439
They were left at the warehouse.
440
Can they get them to the customer tonight?
441
Not through their normal delivery service.
442
The earliest standard delivery is tomorrow afternoon.
443
That's too late.
444
What about our local stock?
445
We have five units available.
446
I'm checking whether we can arrange a same-day courier to the customer.
447
Have you told the customer yet?
448
Not about the new delivery option.
449
I want to confirm the courier first so I can give them something definite.
450
Makes sense.
451
Let me know as soon as you have confirmation.
452
I will.
453
Now let's step out of the roleplay and look at what changed between those two conversations.
454
At first, the cause was unknown.
455
Thirty minutes later, the missing units had been found, but that created a new problem.
456
The normal delivery would arrive too late.
457
So, the explanation had to change with the information.
458
The employee didn't keep repeating the first update, and they didn't turn possibilities into promises.
459
When the manager asked whether the missing units could arrive that day, the employee said they haven't confirmed that yet.
460
And when a possible career solution appeared, the employee still waited for confirmation before promising it to the customer.
461
That's what clear communication looks like when a situation is moving.
462
Keep confirmed information separate from possibility and update the explanation when the facts change.
463
This time, you answer before we do.
464
Imagine you work in an HR operations team.
465
Employees need to submit their monthly expense claims by the end of today.
466
This morning, the expense system stops accepting new submissions.
467
IT is investigating.
468
They think the issue may be connected to a system update from last night, but they haven't confirmed that.
469
And right now, you don't know whether the deadline will be extended.
470
Your manager asks, what's happening with the expense claims?
471
Pause here and answer as if you were speaking directly to your manager.
472
What does your manager need first?
473
Not the whole technical history.
474
Start with the actual problem.
475
A possible answer is, the expense system isn't accepting new submissions, so employees can't submit their claims at the moment.
476
Your manager asks, do we know what caused it?
477
What would you say?
478
You might say, IT thinks it may be related to last night's system update, but they haven't confirmed that yet.
479
Then your manager asks, are we extending the deadline?
480
Careful, you don't know.
481
What can you say without guessing?
482
For example, that hasn't been decided yet.
483
We're waiting to see how quickly the system can be restored.
484
Or, we haven't confirmed a deadline extension yet.
485
I'm checking that with HR.
486
And finally, when should we tell employees?
487
Now you need to explain what happens next.
488
You might say, I'll send an update as soon as we know whether the deadline is changing.
489
If the system is still down at noon, I'll send a short message to let employees know we're working on it.
490
Now hear one complete version without the help.
491
I'll be the manager and Elena will be the employee.
492
What's happening with the expense claims?
493
The expense system isn't accepting new submissions, so employees can't submit their claims at the moment.
494
Do we know what caused it?
495
IT thinks it may be related to last night's system update, but they haven't confirmed that yet.
496
Are we extending the deadline?
497
That hasn't been decided yet.
498
We're waiting to see how quickly the system can be restored, and I'm checking the deadline with HR.
499
When should we tell employees?
500
If the system is still down at noon, I'll send an update to let them know what's happening.
501
I'll also tell them as soon as we have a decision on the deadline.
502
Okay.
503
Keep me updated.
504
I will.
505
Back to you.
506
If your answer was different from ours, that doesn't automatically mean it was wrong.
507
Ask yourself instead, did the listener understand the actual problem?
508
Did you explain the impact you knew about?
509
Did your language show clearly what was confirmed and what wasn't?
510
And to take away the examples, think of one real problem from your own work, something you might genuinely have to explain in English.
511
Now imagine your manager asks, what happened?
512
Give your answer before we guide you.
513
Take a few seconds and explain the situation in your own words.
514
When you're finished, check your answer against four questions.
515
Did the listener understand exactly what was wrong?
516
Did you explain the effect that mattered?
517
Did your language make it clear what was confirmed and what was still uncertain?
518
And did the listener know what was happening now or what would happen next?
519
You may not need all four pieces every time.
520
The situation decides how much information is useful.
521
If your answer felt too long, try it again and remove details the listener doesn't need.
522
If it felt too vague, make the problem or the impact more specific.
523
And if you caught yourself guessing, change the language so your level of certainty is honest.
524
Here's one complete example.
525
There's an error in the monthly sales report, so we can't send it to the client yet.
526
We think it may be related to the latest data import, but we're still checking.
527
We're reviewing the source figures now, and I'll update you as soon as we confirm the correct numbers.
528
And another situation may need much less.
529
The payment is still waiting for approval, so we can't send it to the supplier yet.
530
I've followed up with finance, and I'll let you know when it's approved.
531
The goal is not to force every problem into the same answer.
532
It's to give the listener the clear information they need for the situation you actually have.
533
So the next time someone asks you what happened, you don't need to wait until you have the whole story.
534
Start with what you know.
535
Be clear about what you don't know yet.
536
And help the other person understand what the situation means and what happens next.
537
That is what makes a problem explanation useful at work.
538
Not complicated English, but clear information that matches the reality of the situation.
539
Take one real problem from your own work and explain it once today.
540
Then try it again and make it clearer, more specific, and easier for the listener to follow.
541
Thanks for practicing with us today.
542
And we'll see you in the next lesson.
543
See you next time.
Tải Ứng Dụng
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Cùng kênh
B2How to Give a Clear Work Update in English | Business English Speaking Practice
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B13
Full Business English Shadowing Practice | Speak English Fluently at Work
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C1How to Speak Diplomatically in Business English | Real Workplace Communication
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Từ vựng và ghi chú luyện nói cho bài học này
Bài luyện nói trình độ B2 này dựa trên video “How to Explain a Problem at Work in English”. Những từ được nhắc lại nhiều nhất trong bài: manager, answer, customer, employee, situation. Video này có 543 câu và 5164 từ để luyện shadowing. Phần lời nói dài 35:00. Người nói giữ tốc độ đều, khoảng 148 từ mỗi phút, vừa sức để nói đuổi theo. 89% số từ nằm trong 3.000 từ tiếng Anh thông dụng nhất, nên từ vựng dễ theo. 98 trong 543 câu là câu hỏi, nên bài này hợp để luyện ngữ điệu câu hỏi và cách trả lời ngắn.
Từ vựng quan trọng trong video
15 từ khó nhất trong video, kèm phiên âm và nghĩa:
| Từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa |
|---|---|---|
| import danh từ | /ˈɪm.pɔɹt/ | nhập khẩu |
| invoice danh từ | /ˈɪnˌvɔɪs/ | hóa đơn |
| listener danh từ | /ˈlɪs(ə)nɚ/ | thính giả, người nghe |
| supplier danh từ | /səˈplaɪə/ | người cung cấp, người tiếp tế |
| noon danh từ | /nun/ | trưa, buổi trưa |
| deadline danh từ | /ˈdɛdˌlaɪn/ | hạn chót, hạn |
| approve động từ | /əˈpɹuːv/ | phê duyệt |
| incorrect tính từ | /ˌɪn.kəˈɹɛkt/ | không chính xác, sai |
| upload động từ | /ˈʌpˌloʊd/ | tải lên |
| warehouse danh từ | /ˈwɛə(ɹ)haʊs/ | kho hàng, kho |
| confirmation danh từ | /ˌkɑn.fəɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/ | sự xác nhận |
| depend động từ | /dɪˈpɛnd/ | phụ thuộc |
| workplace danh từ | /ˈwɝkˌpleɪs/ | sở, sở làm |
| consequence danh từ | /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwəns/ | hậu quả |
| disappear động từ | /dɪsəˈpɪɹ/ | biến mất |
Cụm động từ bạn sẽ nghe
| Từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa |
|---|---|---|
| take away động từ | /ˌteɪk əˈweɪ/ | lấy đi, mang đi |
Những câu đáng luyện lại
Các câu ngắn, trọn ý trong video mà bạn có thể dùng lại khi giao tiếp hằng ngày:
- Your manager comes over and asks, what's happening with the report?
- Your manager asks, what's happening with the report?
- Can we still send it this afternoon?
- Your manager asks, does that affect production?
- Your manager asks, what's happening with the expense claims?
Ngữ pháp trong video
Những cấu trúc người nói dùng nhiều nhất, kèm đúng cụm từ trong video:
| Cấu trúc | Trong video |
|---|---|
| Câu điều kiện if + mệnh đề, will/would + động từ — điều kiện và kết quả | If the order is correct, we'll issue · If that's correct, we'll check · If everything is correct, I'll send |
| Thì hiện tại hoàn thành have/has + quá khứ phân từ — việc đã xảy ra nhưng còn liên quan đến hiện tại | You've heard · haven't explained · has changed |
| Câu bị động be + quá khứ phân từ — nhấn vào việc xảy ra, không phải người làm | were imported · is buried · isn't confirmed |
Phát âm cần chú ý
Người nói dùng 199 dạng rút gọn, ví dụ we're, don't, I'll. Hãy nói theo dạng ngắn đúng như bạn nghe.
- Âm “sh” và “zh”: installation /ˌɪn.stəˈleɪ.ʃən/, submission /səbˈmɪʃən/, confirmation /ˌkɑn.fəɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/, shipment /ˈʃɪpmənt/, distinction /dɪˈstɪŋkʃən/
- Từ dài — đặt trọng âm cho đúng: installation /ˌɪn.stəˈleɪ.ʃən/, confirmation /ˌkɑn.fəɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/, uncertainty /ʌnˈsɜːtənti/, interruption /ˌɪntəˈɹʌpʃən/, flexibility /ˌflɛksɪˈbɪlɪti/
Những âm người Việt thường gặp khó:
- Cụm phụ âm cuối — đọc đủ từng âm, đừng nuốt âm cuối: import /ˈɪm.pɔɹt/, incorrect /ˌɪn.kəˈɹɛkt/, depend /dɪˈpɛnd/, shipment /ˈʃɪpmənt/, consequence /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwəns/
- Âm /tʃ/, /dʒ/ và /ʒ/ — tiếng Việt không có, đừng đọc thành “ch” hay “gi”: arrange /əˈɹeɪnd͡ʒ/, adjust /əˈd͡ʒʌst/, genuinely /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/
- Phụ âm cuối — bật rõ âm cuối của từ: import /ˈɪm.pɔɹt/, invoice /ˈɪnˌvɔɪs/, approve /əˈpɹuːv/, incorrect /ˌɪn.kəˈɹɛkt/, upload /ˈʌpˌloʊd/
Cách luyện với video này
- Nghe hết video một lần, chưa cần nói, và ghi lại những từ bạn chưa biết.
- Nói đuổi từng câu ở tốc độ bình thường, lặp lại mỗi câu đến khi nhịp của bạn khớp với người nói.
- Ghi âm giọng mình rồi so với bản gốc, chú ý các từ như import, invoice, listener.
Phương Pháp Shadowing Là Gì?
Shadowing là kỹ thuật học ngôn ngữ có cơ sở khoa học, ban đầu được phát triển cho chương trình đào tạo phiên dịch viên chuyên nghiệp và được phổ biến rộng rãi bởi nhà đa ngôn ngữ học Dr. Alexander Arguelles. Nguyên lý cốt lõi đơn giản nhưng cực kỳ hiệu quả: bạn nghe tiếng Anh của người bản xứ và lặp lại to ngay lập tức — như một "cái bóng" (shadow) đuổi theo người nói với độ trễ chỉ 1–2 giây. Khác với luyện ngữ pháp hay học từ vựng bị động, Shadowing buộc não bộ và cơ miệng phải đồng thời xử lý và tái tạo ngôn ngữ thực tế. Các nghiên cứu khoa học xác nhận phương pháp này cải thiện đáng kể phát âm, ngữ điệu, nhịp điệu, nối âm, kỹ năng nghe và độ lưu loát khi nói — đặc biệt hiệu quả cho người luyện IELTS Speaking và muốn giao tiếp tiếng Anh tự nhiên như người bản ngữ.