How to Say No at Work
A two-session practice pack that teaches a step-by-step framework for declining or renegotiating workplace requests politely but firmly, with managers and colleagues. Suits B1–B2 professionals who cave, hesitate or over-explain when refusing.
Print-ready A4 PDF · teacher's notes and answer key included
What's inside
- Error identification
- Decision circling
- Discussion
- Sincere or backhanded classification
- Sentence writing
- Rewriting refusals
- Teacher-led role-play
- Homework log
- Video review
By the end, learners can
- Identify weak refusal patterns such as caving, hesitating, vagueness and over-explaining
- Evaluate requests and respond with yes, yes if… or no
- Thank a manager sincerely and give a short evidence sentence explaining why you cannot help
- Respond to push-back by either reinforcing a no or renegotiating priorities
- Deliver short, clear refusals aloud to colleagues and managers with confidence
Skills: Speaking · Listening · Writing · Vocabulary
Suits: All professionals
Language practised: Refusing requests politely · Buying time before answering · Thanking sincerely · Giving reasons briefly · Holding your position under pressure · Renegotiating priorities · Offering conditional agreement
Pairs with
Lesson 6: How to Say No at Work →
Teach the lesson first. The pack builds on the video your learner has just watched.
1 · Teach the lesson
Run the video lesson as usual.
2 · Run the pack
Two 60-minute sessions over the following week.
3 · Report back
Open the next lesson with the homework.
Teach it tomorrow.
Members get the complete practice pack, with teacher’s notes and answer key, plus all 91 lessons in the library, with new lessons added every month.
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