Mister Guru

n our daily life, there are occassions where we feel that we should offer help, a service, or something to friends, work colleagues, or other people in order to be polite, kind and friendly. We do that for a social purpose, to maintain and improve good relationships with people around us. Offering help or something can be a great way to show them that we care and appreciate them. Now, if you’re not sure what to say when you want to make an offer in English, don’t worry. Below you’ll find common expressions you can use in making and responding to an offer.

A. Making an Offer

How to make an offer

Gambits	Example Sentence
Shall I ...?	Shall I close the door? Shall I turn on the lights?
Can I ...?	Can I help you? Can I show you how to do it?
Would you like ...?	Would you like some tea? Would you like a cup of coffee? Would you like me to carry it?
How about ...?	How about some tea? How about going to the beach?
What about ...?	What about some drink? What about going to the beach?
Do you want me to ...?	Do you want me to carry it? Do you want me to type it?
I'll ..., if you like.	I'll do it, if you like. I'll make you some tea, if you like.

B. Responding to an Offer

To accept or refuse an offer, you can use one of the following expressions.

How to respond to an offer

Accepting an Offer	Refusing an Offer
Yes please. Yes please. That's very kind of you. Yes please, that would be lovely. Yes please, that would be great. Yes please, I’d love one. If you wouldn’t mind. If you could. Thank you. I'd appreciate that.	No, thanks. No, thank you. It’s OK. I'll do it. Don't worry. I can do it myself.

C. Example Dialogue

Read and practice the dialogue between two friends, which contains offers and responses to offers, below.

English Dialogue: Making and Responding to Offers

Andy:	Good afternoon, Anne.
Anne:	Good afternoon, Andy. How are you?
Andy:	I'm very well, thank you, Anne. How are you?
Anne:	I'm well, thank you. I'm glad that you feel well again.
Andy:	Yes, I don't have a cold now. My head isn't aching, and I'm not coughing, and I'm not sneezing.
Anne:	That's wonderful! Andy, afternoon tea is ready now. Would you like some tea?
Andy:	Oh yes, please, Anne.
Anne:	Would you like to sit here, Andy?
Andy:	Yes. Aah, this chair feels comfortable.
Anne:	Here's your tea.
Andy:	Thank you.
Anne:	Would you like some sugar, Andy?
Andy:	Yes, please Anne.
Anne:	I think your tea is very strong. Is it too strong?
Andy:	No, no, Anne. It's very good. I don't like weak tea. I like strong tea.
Anne:	Oh, I don't. I like weak tea. Would you like a biscuit, Andy? Or a piece of cake?
Andy:	I'd like some cake, please, Anne. Mmmmmm, it's lovely!
Anne:	Is it good? It's home-made.
Andy:	Really? Oh, you're a very good cook, Anne. Do you often make cakes?
Anne:	Yes, I do. Oh, but your cup is empty now. Would you like some more tea, Andy?
Andy:	No, thank you, Anne. But I have a cigarette here. I think I'll have a cigarette. Would you mind if I smoked?
Anne:	Not at all, Andy. Please do. But I think you should stop your smoking habit.
Andy:	Oh dear, where's my lighter? I can't find it.
Anne:	There it is, under the chair. You may have dropped it.
Andy:	Oh thank you, Anne.
Anne:	Where's Linda today? Is she at home?
Andy:	No, she isn't, Anne. She's visiting some friends.
Anne:	Oh, but she has a cold! She should stay at home.
Andy:	No, she doesn't have a cold now. She's well again.
Anne:	That's good.
Andy:	Yes, it's good. When she's sick, I make tea for her - and I always do something wrong!
Anne:	Oh, poor Andy. But now she's well, and she makes tea for you.
Andy:	Yes.
Anne:	Well, I hope you don't get another cold!
Andy:	Yes, I hope so.
Anne:	I'm sure you catch colds because you smoke much. Smoking decreases your immune system.
Andy:	You're right. I've read about that too.
Anne:	So, why don't you try to quit smoking and start living a healthy life?
Andy:	I'm thinking about it. Linda doesn't like my smoking either.
Anne:	I bet.

---

1. Read the above dialogue again and identify all offers and the responses you can find, then write them in the table below. Number 1 has been done as an example.

Identify all offers and the responses you can find in the dialogue and write them.

Offering	Responding to an offer
Example: 1. Would you like some tea?	Oh yes, please.
2. ....	....
3. ....	....
4. ....	....
5. ....	....
....	....
....	....

2. Write polite offers using the expressions and gambits you have learned. Look at the example.
   1. Some bread?
      Answer: Would you like some bread?
   2. go to the beach?
      Answer: How about going to the beach? / Would you like to go to the beach?
   3. try our new dish?
   4. some candies?
   5. use my umbrella?
   6. give you a lift?
   7. try to repair your printer?
3. Write an appropriate polite response for each of the following situations.
   1. Your teacher is carrying a pile of books. You offer to help her with it.
   2. Your colleague is printing a very important document. Suddenly, her printer broke down. You offer her to print the document using your printer.
   3. You are receiving a call from someone who wants to speak to your manager, but your manager is not available. You offer him/her to leave a message or call back later.
   4. The commuter train is full when an elderly woman gets on and she can't find a seat. You offer your seat to her.
   5. You are a shop assistant at a fashion store. You are serving a customer who does not seem satisfied with the dress she has just tried on. You offer another style of dress.

Also read:

e make a request, or give an instruction or an order when we are asking for something to be given or done, especially as a favor or courtesy. We make and receive requests, orders, or instructions in our daily life, whether we are at home, at school, at work, or even at public places.

Therefore, it is essential to understand how to make requests, commands, or instructions, and how to respond to them appropriately. The ability in using polite forms in making requests and responding appropriately plays a very important role in presenting ourself in daily interactions. When we are polite, we appear gracious, agreeable, acceptable, and pleasant.

I. IMPERATIVE SENTENCES

The imperatives or imperative sentences are used for giving orders and instructions, making suggestions, and encouraging people to do things. We can make imperative sentences by using exactly the same form as the infinitive without to, e.g. open, close, clean, do, write, read, etc.. Look at the underlined verbs in the example sentences below:Remember the following important points when making an imperative sentence.

1. A subject can be used for making it clear who is being spoken to, with no change in verbs (infinitives), e.g.:
   • Jim come here.
   • Somebody open the door!
   • You get out! ("You" before an imperative usually suggests anger)
2. To make it more polite and emphatic, "Do" can be used before the infinitive, e.g.
   • Do sit down.
   • Do forgive me.
   • Do be quiet.
3. Negative imperatives, as in prohibitions or warnings, are constructed with "do not" or "don’t", e.g.
   • Don’t be noisy.
   • Don’t blame me.
   • Do not lean out of the window.
4. "Always" and "never" can be used before imperatives, e.g.
   • Always remember to smile.
   • Never be late to class.
   • Always make sure the PC is off before leaving.
5. Passive imperatives can be constructed with "get" and "be", e.g.
   • Get vaccinated as soon as you can.
   • Get dressed quickly.
   • Please be advised that your tax has been overdue.
6. "Please" makes the imperatives sound more polite, e.g.
   • Please don't tell her about it.
   • Please turn the music down.
   • Please make sure the PC is off before leaving.

II. POLITE REQUESTS

Polite requests can be constructed using modals, e.g. can, could, will, would, and sound more polite and softer than commands. To make requests sound even more polite, "please" can be used at the end of the sentence. Look at the following structure:Look at the following examples:Note when making a request:

1. "Can / Could / Will / Would you" is always followed by the infinitive (Verb 1), e.g.:
   • Can you come here, please?
   • Could you stay where you are?
   • Will you tell him to come?
2. "Could / Would you ...?" and "Would you mind ...?" makes the request sound more polite and formal than "Can / Will you ...?", e.g.:
   • Would you open the door, please?
   • Would you write your name here, please?
   • Could you sign here, please?
3. "Would you mind" is always followed by a gerund / noun (Verb-ing), e.g.
   • Would you mind turning the music down?
   • Would you mind taking care of my pet?
   • Would you mind telling her about it?
4. "Please" makes our requests sound more polite, e.g.
   • Would you close the door, please?
   • Could you write your name here, please?
   • Will you not lean out of the window, please?

III. ACCEPTING A REQUEST

Generally, we can agree to a polite request by giving positive invitations such as "Yes, certainly" or "Sure, no problem." However, there is a difference in meaning between requests using "Can/Could/Will/Would you ...?" and those using "Would you mind ...?". Therefore, the responses will be discussed separately.

1. Accepting a request with "Will / Would / Can / Could you ...?"
   We can accept "Will / Would / Can / Could you ...?" requests by using positive invitations such as:
   • OK. I’ll do that
   • All right.
   • Oh, sure. I’d be glad to.
   • Sure ! No problem.
2. Accepting a request with "Would you mind ...?"
   Accepting to "Would you mind ...?" requests with positive invitations may cause confusion as people may assume that you would mind and do not want to do it, unless we can clearly give our assent to the request by using positive body language, such as smiling agreeably. However, we can avoid confusion by using the following expressions:
   • No, not at all.
   • No, I don't mind at all.
   • No problem, go ahead.
   • No, please be my guest.

IV. DECLINING A REQUEST

1. Declining a request with "Will / Would / Can / Could you ...?"
   We can decline "Will / Would / Can / Could you ...?" requests politely by saying sorry and an excuse, or maybe an alternative. Here are some examples:
   • I’m sorry, I’m still busy.
   • Oh, sorry. I can’t do it right now. Maybe later.
   • Sorry, I wish I could. I have to ...(do something else)....
   • I'm sorry, I still don't have time.
2. Declining a request with "Would you mind ...?"
   Declining "Would you mind ...?" requests should be done politely in order to avoid offence. It is better to provide a clear reason why the request cannot be fulfilled, and whenever possible, use positive body language, such as smiling agreeably. Here are some useful expressions:
   • Yes, certainly. ...(give an excuse / reason)....
   • Well, I have to ...(do something else)....
   • I'm sorry, ...(give an excuse / reason)....

1. Change the following imperatives into polite requests using "Can/Could/Will/Would you ... (please)?". Number 1 has been done as an example.
   1. Open the door!
      Would you open the door, please?
   2. Pass me the sugar.
      ....
   3. Ask him in, please.
      ....
   4. Be quiet, please.
      ....
   5. Do me a favor, please.
      ....
   6. Listen to me.
      ....
2. Change the following imperatives into polite requests using "Would you mind ...?". Number 1 has been done as an example.
   1. Wait a moment.
      Would you mind waiting a moment, please?
   2. Close the windows.
      ....
   3. Take off your hat.
      ....
   4. Help me, please.
      ....
   5. Turn off the music.
      ....
   6. Speak more slowly, please.
      ....

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omplaining is expressing the feeling of annoyance or dissatisfaction about something, which can be a pain and a symptom of illness, or a situation that is unsatisfactory or unacceptable. Whether you are at work or at home, you often find a customer, a colleague, a friend, or a family member complaining and expressing their dissatisfaction when their needs, wishes, or expectations are not met.

For those whose job requires meeting with lots of customers, handling written or verbal complaints have become a common daily routine. Complaints should be regarded as an opportunity to improve and make a long-lasting customer. Therefore, complaints must be dealt with in a professional manner, quickly, politely and efficiently.

Complaining

In order to be able to handle complaints appropriately, we should know how complaints are usually given or expressed. In this post, we will be focusing on verbal complaints, namely those that are expressed in verbal or spoken language instead of written. Here are some of the most common expressions of complaint:

• I’d like to complain about ....
• Well, this is (absolutely) the worst .... I’ve ever found.
• What can you do about it / them?
• Something must be done about .... It's very disappointing.
• I’m sorry to say this, but ....
• Would you mind not ...?
• I’m not at all satisfied with your ....
• I wish you wouldn’t ....
• I’m disappointed with ....

Handling a Complaint

In the workplace, complaints become a very important issue that need to be identified and addressed in a timely manner in order to keep both the organisation and customer happy. In short, we must be sensitive to the customer, their needs, the nature of the complaint and the mood the customer is in.

To be brief, there are three basic steps in handling complaints appropriately.

1. Apologize politely.
   
   • I’m sorry, sir/madam.
   • We should apologize for ....
2. Attempt to solve the problem.
   
   • I will look into it immediately.
   • I will call the repairman.
   • Let me check it again, Sir / Madam.
   • Would you like to choose another color?
   • Wait a moment, please. We’re going to make it up.
   • We will try to fix it.
3. If you can't handle it on your own, alert your supervisor or manager.
   
   • Just one minute, please. I will alert my supervisor.
   • Would you wait a minute? I have to talk to my manager about it.

In the following dialogues, mark the sentences indicating a complaint, an apology and an attempt to solve the problem.

Dialogue 1:

Ari would like to complain about the price of a book that she has bought. It is said that it is 15% off, but she had to pay the normal price.

Ari:	I would like to complain about the book I bought yesterday. It is said that I can get 15% off, but I paid the normal price.
Shop assistant:	We do apologize. Please wait a moment. We’re going to make it up.

Dialogue 2:

Reni complains to the librarian when she finds that many books have not been neatly put on the bookshelves.

Reni:	I'm sorry to say this, but I can't find the book that I want because most of them are not
Librarian:	We are sorry. We haven’t got enough time to tidy them up. There have been a lot of visitors this morning.

Dialogue 3:

Two workers are talking about their advertisement that seems to be missing from a daily paper.

Andy:	Did you see our advertisement in Tuesday’s paper?
Ben:	No, I looked for it, but didn’t see it. I also looked in Wednesday’s issue.
Andy:	Well, that’s discouraging. It doesn’t seem to have been put in. I’ll call the Daily News and see what the problem is. Our weekend sale won’t get much attention if nobody knows that it’s happening.
Ben:	I wouldn’t worry too much about that. We have placed posters throughout the mall and the sale’s been broadcast on the radio. Besides, lots of people come to the mall on the weekend anyway.

Dialogue 4:

Ayu complains to her father for always breaking his promise to take her to the bookstore.

Ayu:	Dad, when will you take me to the bookstore? You promised that last week, didn't you?
Father:	I'm really sorry, dear. I haven’t got much time. What about going there with your mom?

Find more dialogues and exercises about complaining and how to handle complaints HERE.
You can learn more about how to express satisfaction and dissatisfaction in English HERE.
Good luck in your English studies.

e have learnt about how to ask for and give advice and suggestions on Asking For, Giving, and Responding to Advice and Suggestions. Now, let's practice more about asking for and giving advice through a dialogue in a video material. After watching the video, test your understanding by answering the questions in the exercise below.




I. Answer the following questions by choosing the correct answer; A, B, C, or D.

1. Where does the conversation most probably take place?
   1. In a classroom
   2. In an office
   3. In a car showroom
   4. In a shopping mall
2. What relationship do the speakers most likely have?
   1. A teacher and a student
   2. Families
   3. An assistant and a customer
   4. Co-workers
3. What is the topic of the dialogue?
   1. Advice on buying a new car
   2. Advice on selling Minydy's car
   3. Suggestions on how to buy a new car
   4. Tips on selling and buying a car
4. What is Mindy planning to do?
   1. Rent a new car
   2. Buy a new car
   3. Repair her car
   4. Sell her car
5. What happens with Mindy's car?
   1. She just feels bored with her car.
   2. It is not economical and too large.
   3. It often breaks down due to its age.
   4. It has become totally unrepairable.
6. Which term best describes the car that Windy needs in terms of price?
   1. Expensive
   2. Fashionable
   3. Classical
   4. Inexpensive
7. How often does Windy drive?
   1. Every day
   2. Only on the weekends
   3. Seldom
   4. Three times a week
8. What kind of car does Toni suggest Mindy buy?
   1. A sophisticated one
   2. A cheap large new car
   3. An imported small car
   4. A small compact one
9. What will Mindy probably do after the conversation?
   1. Sell her old car immediately
   2. Check the new model
   3. Reject Toni's advice
   4. Repair her broken car
10. Why does Toni ask Mindy a few questions before giving advice?
    1. He actually feels as confused as Mindy.
    2. He does not even think Mindy needs a new car.
    3. He needs much time to think of the best solution.
    4. He wants to know what car suits Mindy's needs.

II. Based on the dialogue, state whether the following sentences are TRUE or FALSE.

1. Toni and Mindi were having a business meeting in their office.
2. Toni said, "Do you mind if I ask you for some advice?"
3. Mindy needs advice because she isn't sure about which car to buy.
4. Mindy's car often breaks down because it's too old.
5. Toni was busy so he refused to give Mindy advice.
6. Mindy's car breaks down due to a traffic accident.
7. Mindy drives her car every day.
8. Mindy usually goes to the gym three times in a week.
9. Toni usually goes shopping with Mindy on the weekend.
10. Toni thinks that a small compact car will be the right choice for Mindy.

Video source:
Small Talk | Making Small Talk | Everyday English, YouTube, uploaded by Learn English by Pocket Passport, Dec 21, 2019, https://youtu.be/dEMXThjVxRg

et's imagine you have just arrived at your office and are ready to start your shift. You meet your colleague of the previous shift whom you are going to replace. What would you say to be polite? Let's imagine again you are sitting in a waiting room, next to a stranger. How would you start conversation in order to break the uncomfortable and awkward silence?

Yes, you need small talk.

What is small talk?

To be short, small talk refers to "basa-basi" in Bahasa Indonesia. It is a social conversation about unimportant and uncontroversial matters, which helps manage interpersonal distance and define the relationships between friends, colleagues, and new acquaintances.

We make small talk when we want to avoid uncomfortable silence and talk to someone we have never met before, or a colleague in order to appear polite and friendly and create a positive interaction. Small talk serves many social functions, such as conversation opener, conversation closing, and silence filler.

Small talk topics should be universal, positive, and situational to enable the conversation to flow naturally. Common small talk topics may range from the weather, sports, entertainment, introduction, occupation, and common interests.

To help you with clearer and more practical understanding of small talk, watch the video below and do the following exercise.

Answer the following questions by choosing the correct answer; A, B, C, or D.

1. How did the man start the conversation?
   1. By asking the woman's name and nationality
   2. By asking the woman's favorite weather
   3. By creating small talk about the weather
   4. By telling the woman about his hard day
2. What did the woman think about the weather?
   1. It was a sign that summer had started.
   2. The weather had been oficially forecast.
   3. The officials said that summer was hot.
   4. It didn't look like summer had started.
3. What did the man say he wanted to buy?
   1. Sun glasses
   2. Sun roof
   3. Some blocks
   4. Sun block
4. The man said, "My name is John, by the way."
   From the dialogue, we may conclude that the phrase "by the way" can be used to ....
   1. clarify that an information may have been wrongly perceived
   2. introduce a topic not directly connected with the previous subject
   3. confirm a very important information in an informal conversation
   4. ask about a very casual topic in a formal or non-formal conversation
5. How did they greet each other in their introduction?
   1. Nice to miss you.
   2. Nights to meet you.
   3. Nice to me, too.
   4. Nice to meet you.
6. What do we know about the woman's origin?
   1. She lives around the area.
   2. They both live in Hokkaido.
   3. She will move to Hokkaido.
   4. She is from an Asian country.
7. What did she say about the weather in Hokkaido?
   1. It's warmer in Hokkaido.
   2. It's much colder in Hokkaido.
   3. Hokkaido is not as cold as that.
   4. Hokkaido is colder than before.
8. What did the man say about the weather in his hometown?
   1. It has a little rain.
   2. It's very windy.
   3. It's hotter when it rains.
   4. It often rains.
9. The man said, "I'm not used to these summer temperatures."
   What did he imply?
   1. He usually lived in a much colder place.
   2. He cannot do many activities in summer.
   3. The temperature in summer is usual.
   4. He likes summer temperatures more.
10. What does the woman like to do in summer?
    1. She likes running into the sea.
    2. She likes to take her dog for jogging.
    3. She likes to spend time at the beach.
    4. She usually allows her dog to go out.
11. What does the man usually do in his hometown during summer?
    1. If it's sunny, he meets up with his friends in a bar.
    2. He spends time sunbathing in a parking lot.
    3. He travels around London to see nice parks.
    4. He often has picnic in the park on sunny days.
12. Has the woman been to London before?
    1. Yes, she has.
    2. Yes, to visit museums.
    3. No, never.
    4. No, she doesn't want to.
13. What did the woman want to visit in London?
    1. The beach
    2. The park
    3. The museums
    4. The football game
14. According to the man, what do the people in his hometown mostly do at the weekend?
    1. They play football with their team.
    2. They play football video games.
    3. They go to their favorite teams.
    4. They watch football games.
15. Why did the woman relate to "baseball" in the conversation?
    1. To tell which Japanese baseball teams are popular
    2. To describe her favorite sports when she is in Japan
    3. To imply that both games are super popular in Japan
    4. To give information about equally popular sports
16. In chronological order, the topic of the conversation can be defined as ....
    1. the weather, place of origin, sports, summer activities
    2. the weather, place of origin, summer activities, sports
    3. the weather, place of origin, names, favorite sports
    4. the season, names, activities, personal sports
17. Based on the dialogue, which of the following statements is FALSE?
    1. The speakers have never met before.
    2. The speakers are probably tourists.
    3. They come from different countries.
    4. They both have the same preference.
18. What do you think the speakers are most probably doing?
    1. They are making a business trip.
    2. They are meeting new colleagues
    3. They are studying about the weather.
    4. They are enjoying their vacation.
19. Which of the following topics is best to continue the conversation?
    1. The beaches in London
    2. Favorite sports
    3. Religions
    4. Political view
20. Which of the following is NOT true about "small talk"?
    1. It is a polite way to start a conversation.
    2. It is mostly about uncontroversial matters.
    3. The topic is often popular and unimportant.
    4. It is effective in political and job interviews.

Video source:
Small Talk | Making Small Talk | Everyday English, YouTube, uploaded by Learn English by Pocket Passport, Jul 6, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVzLd304keA
For more resources on small talk, you can refer to the following pages:

• Small Talk (Wikipedia)
• Be Social: 7 English Small Talk Topics for Starting Friendly Conversations

e feel satisfied when our wishes, expectations, or needs are fulfilled, or when we have paid our debts or fulfilled an obligation or claim. To the contrary, we will feel dissatisfied when we have a sense of dislike for, or unhappiness in, things that fall short of our wishes or expectations.

Here are the most common expressions of satisfaction and dissatisfaction in English.

Expressing Satisfaction

To express satisfaction, we can use the following expressions. Satisfaction can also be expressed with compliments.

• I’m very satisfied with ....
• I’m very pleased with ....
• It’s very satisfying.
• This is incredible / remarkable / fantastic / fabulous / unbelievable / amazing.
• Well done.
• You’ve done a great job.
• You did it.
• That was a good one.
• You’ve made a great effort.
• I really appreciate that.

Expressing Dissatisfaction

To express dissatisfaction, we can use below expressions. Dissatisfaction can also be shown through complaints.

• I’m disappointed with ....
• It’s very disappointing.
• What a terrible ...!
• How awful!
• It’s terrible / annoying.
• You should have done / known better.
• I want to complain about ....
• I have a complaint to make.
• (I’m afraid) ... it just isn’t good enough.
• Something must be done about ....

Example Dialogue 1

Shamira is grumbling to Kath.

SHAMIRA:	Every time we come here we have to wait!
KATH:	Never mind – it won’t be long now.
SHAMIRA:	We’ve been here the whole morning, practically.
KATH:	[looks at her watch] Well, ... we’ve only been here twenty minutes, actually.
SHAMIRA:	It’s really annoying, and I’m fed up!
KATH:	It’s no use being annoyed, Shamira. Either we can wait here and be patient, or we can come back later.
SHAMIRA:	Why does everyone else decide to come here just when I want to?
KATH:	Calm down. All the assistants are busy, but ....
SHAMIRA:	You mean ‘both the assistants’! There are only two of them! They should employ more assistants so people don’t have to wait.
KATH:	Look, we’re in town all day today – let’s come back when they’re not so rushed off their feet.
SHAMIRA:	I’m not budging!
	(Taken from Colloquial English)

Example Dialogue 2

The manager is talking to one of his employees about her job review.

MANAGER:	In summary, your review is mostly favorable. I really appreciate that.
EMPLOYEE:	Thank you, Sir.
MANAGER:	You met four of your six incentive goals, which means your bonus will total four million and five hundred thousand rupiahs.
EMPLOYEE:	Could you tell me which areas I should improve?
MANAGER:	Well, you got high marks for promptness and dedication, but you need to improve your business etiquette and time management.
EMPLOYEE:	Will my performance review be used in deciding on a salary increase?
MANAGER:	Of course. Your review will go into your file, which is part of your permanent employment record. Do you have any other questions?
EMPLOYEE:	I guess all's clear. Thank you very much, Sir.
MANAGER:	You're most welcome. Keep up the good work.
EMPLOYEE:	I will.

I. Answer these questions by referring to Dialogue 1.

1. Where did the dialogue most probably happen?
2. What were the speakers mostly talking about?
3. What do you think about Shamira's feeling?
4. Rewrite Shamira's sentence expressing her feeling.
5. In your opinion, what made her feel that way?
6. What do you think about Kath's attitude?
7. What did Kath suggest?
8. What would they most probably do after the conversation?

II. Answer these questions by referring to Dialogue 2.

1. Where did the dialogue take place?
2. What were the speakers talking about?
3. What did the manager most likely feel?
4. Rewrite the manager's sentence which expresses his/her feeling.
5. What can we learn about the performance review in relation with employees' salary increase?

Now you have learnt how to express satisfaction and dissatisfaction in English. Also check out the useful links below and read how to handle complaints and how to give and receive compliments.

More practice? You can find other dialogues and exercises about complaining and how to handle complaints HERE.

Good luck with your English studies.

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asih berkaitan dengan materi "Asking And Giving Opinions", kali ini kita akan membahas makna sebuah kata dalam bahasa Inggris yang sering digunakan untuk merespon atau memberi tanggapan terhadap suatu pendapat, yaitu "agree". "Agree" adalah kata kerja (verb) yang makna umumnya adalah "setuju", "sepakat", dan kadang meluas menjadi "cocok".

Akan tetapi, tahukah kalian bahwa kata "agree" bisa memiliki beragam makna, tergantung pada kata yang mengikutinya? Perbedaan makna tersebut bisa dilihat dari obyek atau jenis kata yang mengikutinya.

Selengkapnya, mari kita pelajari makna kata "agree" beserta contoh kalimat penggunaannya di bawah ini. Parhatikan bagian kalimat yang bergaris bawah.

1. Agree on / about
   "Agree on / about" berarti sependapat atau memiliki pendapat yang sama tentang sesuatu.
   Contoh:
   • All members of the committee agreed on/about the plan to merge the two sections.
   • They agree on the issue that the company should pay more attention to the ecosystem.
   • She agreed on some points of the debate.
   • The committee agreed on the results of the discussion.
   • They finally agreed about the establishment of a new regulation.
2. Agree with
   "Agree with" berarti memiliki pendapat yang sama dengan orang lain, setuju terhadap sesuatu, atau suatu fakta sesuai dengan fakta lainnya.
   • She didn't agree with my opinion.
   • I agree with you that human rights must be respected by anyone.
   • The field evaluation showed that their statements didn't agree with the facts.
   • Basically, people agree with the approach that the government adopted.
   • We found out that the survey result agreed with the goverment's data.
3. Agree to
   "Agree to" berarti menerima atau menyetujui suatu permintaan / persyaratan (demand, requirement, recommendation) atau memiliki komitmen untuk melakukan suatu tindakan (to do an action).
   • The bank agreed to provide funding for small and medium enterprises.
   • The committee agreed to implement a new approach to address the environmental issues.
   • The principal agreed to the recommendation given by the school committee.
   • She agreed to the auditor's demands.

Lengkapilah kalimat-kalimat di bawah ini dengan "on", "about", "with", atau "to".

1. They agreed ... his demands.
2. She agreed ... see me after school.
3. Some members didn't agree ... the manager's decision.
4. The organisation has agreed ... the recommendations given by the local government.
5. Parents mostly agree ... the school's plan to adopt the new system.
6. In English, the subject of a sentence must agree ... the verbs.
7. I'm sorry, spicy hot food never agrees ... my stomach.
8. After the meeting, the board of directors agreed ... implement new marketing strategies.
9. After the meeting, the board of directors agreed ... the implementation of new marketing strategies.
10. We couldn't agree ... some points of the new regulation.

	KOMPETENSI DASAR
3.6	Menganalisis fungsi sosial, struktur teks, dan unsur kebahasaan teks interaksi transaksional lisan dan tulis yang melibatkan tindakan memberi dan meminta informasi terkait keadaan / tindakan / kegiatan / kejadian yang dilakukan/terjadi di waktu lampau yang merujuk waktu terjadinya dan kesudahannya, sesuai dengan konteks penggunaannya. (Perhatikan unsur kebahasaan simple past tense vs present perfect tense)
4.6	Menyusun teks interaksi transaksional, lisan dan tulis, pendek dan sederhana, yang melibatkan tindakan unsur dan meminta informasi terkait keadaan/tindakan/kegiatan/kejadian yang dilakukan/terjadi di waktu lampau yang merujuk waktu terjadinya dan kesudahannya, dengan memperhatikan fungsi sosial, struktur teks, dan unsur kebahasaan yang benar dan sesuai konteks.

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resent Perfect tense adalah bentuk waktu dalam bahasa Inggris yang penting untuk dipelajari karena sangat sering digunakan, baik dalam percakapan maupun dalam bahasa tertulis. Agar dapat menggunakan Present Perfect tense secara baik dan benar, konsepnya harus dipahami, diterima, lalu diterapkan secara utuh, tanpa memaksakan konsep bahasa kita ke dalamnya. Karena konsepnya yang asing itulah yang membuat Present Perfect tense sangat menarik untuk dipelajari.

I. Struktur Present Perfect tense

Struktur Present Perfect tense tergolong sederhana dan sangat mudah dipahami. Berikut ini beberapa contoh kalimat Present Perfect tense dalam bentuk positif/afirmatif, pertanyaan, dan negatif. Perhatikan baik-baik susunan kata-kata yang dicetak tebal.

A. Kalimat dengan subyek I, we, you, they, dan kata benda jamak (students, parents, Andi and Tika, dll).

• (+): I have learned English for many years.
• (?): Have I learned English for many years?
• (-): I have not learned English for many years.

• We have had breakfast.
• Have we had breakfast?
• We have not had breakfast.

• The students have submitted their assignment.
• Have the students submitted their assignment?
• The students have not submitted their assignment.

B. Kalimat dengan subyek He, She, It, dan kata benda tunggal (book, student, Andi, Tika, dll).

• (+): He has learned English for many years.
• (?): Has he learned English for many years?
• (-): He has not learned English for many years.

• She has had breakfast.
• Has she had breakfast?
• She has not had breakfast.

• The student has submitted his assignment.
• Has the student submitted his assignment?
• The student has not submitted his assignment.

Yang harus diingat tentang struktur Present Perfect Tense.

1. Subyek I, we, you, they, dan kata benda jamak (students, parents, Andi and Tika, dll) menggunakan auxiliary "HAVE" diikuti Verb 3 (Past Participle). Struktur lengkap kata kerjanya adalah HAVE + VERB 3.
2. Subyek He, She, It, dan kata benda tunggal (book, student, Andi, Tika, dll) menggunakan auxiliary "HAS" diikuti Verb 3 (Past Participle). Struktur lengkap kata kerjanya adalah HAS + VERB 3.
3. Tidak ada perubahan bentuk kata kerja dalam kalimat tanya maupun negatif, tetap HAVE + VERB 3 atau HAS + VERB 3, hanya susunan saja yang berubah.
4. Penulisan "have" dan "has" dalam Present Perfect tense bisa disingkat. Lihat contoh kalimat di bawah ini:
   • I've never been to Gili island.
   • You've done right.
   • He's left already.
   • She's sent the email.
   • It's been there for years.
   • John's gone home already.
   • The car's broken down.
   • We've applied a new system.
   • They've finished their work.
   Jadi, jika menemukan penyingkatan 's, seperti pada he's, she's, it's, jangan gegabah menyimpulkan bahwa itu adalah singkatan dari "is". Bisa jadi itu adalah penyingkatan dari "has" jika bentuknya adalah Present Perfect tense.

II. Penggunaan Present Perfect tense

Tense ini disebut Present Perfect tense karena penggunaannya menyiratkan adanya hubungan antara masa sekarang (present) dengan masa lampau (past). Penggunaan Present Perfect tense yang penting untuk diketahui adalah:

1. Present Perfect tense mengungkapkan hal atau kejadian yang pernah dialami di masa lampau, tanpa membicarakan atau menitik-beratkan pada waktu kejadian, bahkan seringkali waktu kejadian tidak diketahui secara pasti.
   • I have seen monkeys in that forest.
   • She has been to many beautiful places.
   • They have lived here before.
   Jika kita menyebutkan waktu kejadian dalam contoh kalimat di atas, Simple Past tense harus digunakan.
2. Present perfect tense digunakan untuk memberikan informasi terbaru tentang perkembangan atau kegiatan yang baru saja terjadi atau mengalami perubahan.
   • He has recovered from his illness. (Last week, he was still sick.)
   • They have bought a house. (Last year, they didn't have a house)
   • My English has improved a lot. I couldn't speak English well, but now I can.
3. Dengan menggunakan for (selama) dan since (sejak), Present perfect tense membicarakan kejadian atau kegiatan yang berawal di waktu lampau dan masih berlanjut sampai sekarang.
   • For dalam bahasa Indonesia berarti "selama" jangka waktu tertentu, misal for 2 hours, for a week, for a month, for a year, for ten years, dll.
   • Since dalam bahasa Indonesia berarti "sejak" saat tertentu di waktu lampau, misal since 6.00 a.m., since yesterday, since July, since 2019, since the beginning of the year, dll.
   Contoh kalimat Present Perfect tense dengan "for" dan "since":
   • I have lived here for two years.
   • She has been sick for 2 days.
   • They have lived here since 2019.
   • The regulation has been effective since January.
4. "Just" seringkali digunakan dalam Present Perfect tense positif / afirmatif, dengan makna "a short time ago (baru saja)". Contoh:
   • She has just left. (Dia baru saja berangkat.)
   • I've just had dinner. (Saya baru saja makan malam)
   • The package has just arrived. (Paket itu baru saja tiba).
5. "Already" seringkali digunakan dalam Present Perfect tense positif / afirmatif dan pertanyaan (question) dengan makna "sudah". Contoh:
   • She has already left. (Dia sudah berangkat.)
   • Has he already known about the news? (Sudahkah dia tahu tentang berita itu?)
   • The package has already arrived. (Paket itu sudah tiba).
6. "Yet" seringkali digunakan dalam Present Perfect tense pertanyaan atau negatif dan diletakkan di akhir kalimat, yang bermakna "until now (belum)". Contoh:
   • She hasn't left yet. (Dia belum berangkat.)
   • I haven't had dinner yet. (Saya belum makan malam)
   • Has the package arrived yet? (Apakah paket itu belum tiba?).
7. Present Perfect tense sering digunakan bersama "Ever" dalam kalimat tanya (question) dengan makna "pernahkah", dan "Never" dengan makna "tidak pernah / belum pernah". Contoh:
   • Have you ever been here before? (Pernahkah kamu ke sini sebelum ini?)
   • Have you ever eaten mangosteens? (Pernahkah kamu makan manggis?)
   • He has never travelled by air. (Dia belum pernah bepergian naik pesawat?).

Itulah beberapa penggunaan Present Perfect tense yang penting untuk diketahui. Yang harus diingat, jangan memaksakan konsep bahasa kita saat menterjemahkan atau menggunakan Present Perfect tense. Pahami bentuk dan penggunaannya, lalu terapkan konsepnya secara utuh.

Sebagai tambahan, bentuk Present Perfect tense seringkali dikontraskan dengan Simple Past tense.

Selamat berlatih dan semoga sukses.

I. Buatlah kalimat Present Perfect tense bentuk positif, pertanyaan, dan negatif menggunakan subyek dan kata kerja berikut ini.

Contoh:We - finish our assignment.
+: We have finished the asignment.
?: Have we finished the assignment?
-: We haven't finished the assignment.

1. He - clean his room.
2. They - do the assignment.
3. Ani - talk to the Principal.
4. I - send you an email.
5. His parents - work abroad before.

II. Lengkapi kalimat-kalimat berikut dengan bentuk Present Perfect tense dari kata kerja yang di dalam kurung. Sesuaikan apakah kalimat tersebut membutuhkan bentuk positif, pertanyaan, atau negatif.

1. Ovy: "Do the students know about the test?"
   Dina: "Yes, I ...(tell)... them."
2. Pras: "May I borrow the newspaper?"
   Yoko: "Wait a minute. I ...(finish)... reading it."
3. "I need to talk to Rama. ... you ...(see)... him?"
4. Student: "Where's Ms. Yuni, Sir?"
   Teacher: "I think she ...(leave)...."
5. Gani: "Where are my keys?"
   Kiki: "I don't know. I ...(see)... them."
6. Tia: "This office is very dusty."
   Umi: "Well, it ...(be)... closed since the pandemic started."
7. Dea: "Make sure you send the email as soon as possible."
   Lala: "Don't worry. I ...(do)... it already."
8. Benny: "I can't find the shop. It used to be here."
   Rio: "I think they ...(move)...."
9. Eka: "What's your plan for the holiday?"
   Ima: "I don't know. I ...(think)... about it yet."
10. I want to visit her but I ...(have)... much time to go out of town.

III. Buatlah kalimat tanya dengan diawali "Have you ever ...?" dengan menggunakan kata di dalam kurung, lalu jawablah dengan "Yes, once / twice / three times / many times / a few times" atau "No, never" sesuai dengan pengalaman kalian sendiri.

Contoh:

(Lombok) = "Have you ever been to Lombok?" ~ "Yes, once."

(eat / mangoes) = "Have you ever eaten durians?" ~ "No, never."

1. (Bromo) = ....
2. (play / Congklak) = ....
3. (Komodo Island) = ....
4. (live / abroad) = ....
5. (eat / Padang food) = ....
6. (cook / Rawon) = ....
7. (see / Kasada ceremony) = ....
8. (ride / a horse) = ....
9. (see / Karapan Sapi) = ....
10. (travel / by air) = ....

IV. Lengkapi kalimat-kalimat di bawah ini dengan "for" atau "since".

1. My brother has lived in Jakarta ... more than ten years.
2. She has moved to a new department ... last month.
3. I've known her ... we both were kids.
4. Indonesia has been an independent country ... 1945.
5. We have waited ... an hour.

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