unit 6b
1. READING
What do you consider 'customer services crimes'?
Possible bad customer service situations at a shop:
- confusing the customer's order
- long waits
- poor attention
- inexperienced shop assistants or waiters / poor knowledge from staff
- unfriendly staff / cashiers
- unhelpful staff / cashiers
- not enough staff around to assist
- too long queues to pay
- everlasting chats among cashiers ignoring the customers
- having to listen to shop assistants trying to sell you things you haven't asked for
- a ridiculous limit of items that customers can take into the changing rooms
- uncomfortable and dirty changing rooms
- trouble to see the size of clothes hanging in the rails
Possible bad customer service situations at a shop:
- confusing the customer's order
- long waits
- poor attention
- inexperienced shop assistants or waiters / poor knowledge from staff
- unfriendly staff / cashiers
- unhelpful staff / cashiers
- not enough staff around to assist
- too long queues to pay
- everlasting chats among cashiers ignoring the customers
- having to listen to shop assistants trying to sell you things you haven't asked for
- a ridiculous limit of items that customers can take into the changing rooms
- uncomfortable and dirty changing rooms
- trouble to see the size of clothes hanging in the rails
Click on the image if you want to know more about Mary Portas
Listening activity
1. One among the people interviewed says that if he's ignore in a shop, he complains.
2. This week, Mary Portas is going to send her secret shoppers to a convenient store.
3. Today, Mary Portas is visiting a big family supermarket in a village.
4. Four big supermarkets are facing the biggest threat in that village.
5. A research shows, that people want local food on their high streets.
6. Hallmark offers its customers all they need.
7. The staff is interested in helping the customers rather than fooling around.
8. Some customers complain when the staff leaves the shop to smoke.
Answers:
1. F (he walks out of the shop)
2. T
3. F (a family-run convenient store)
4. T
5. T
6. T
7. F (they're more interested in fooling around)
8. T
2. This week, Mary Portas is going to send her secret shoppers to a convenient store.
3. Today, Mary Portas is visiting a big family supermarket in a village.
4. Four big supermarkets are facing the biggest threat in that village.
5. A research shows, that people want local food on their high streets.
6. Hallmark offers its customers all they need.
7. The staff is interested in helping the customers rather than fooling around.
8. Some customers complain when the staff leaves the shop to smoke.
Answers:
1. F (he walks out of the shop)
2. T
3. F (a family-run convenient store)
4. T
5. T
6. T
7. F (they're more interested in fooling around)
8. T
Vocabulary
Verbs
Some humour
3. GRAMMAR
1· ability, possibility, and permission
- can / can't
Present simple.
- When you mean "know how to" the most common form to use is can.
- We often use can to talk about decisions and future arrangements: We can meet later after work.
· ability: I can play the piano.
· possibility: He can't come to the party. He has to work.
· permission: You can't smoke inside the restaurant. It's forbidden.
· to make requests: Can I try this on?
- could / couldn't
To talk about general ability or possibility in the past.
Could is often also used as an alternative to would (in 2nd or 3rd conditional sentences): If it were not raining, we could go out. (2nd cond.) / If I hadn't been so busy, I could have helped you. (3nd cond.)
· ability: I could play the piano when I was 8.
· possibility: He couldn't come to the party. He had to work.
I couldn't arrive on time to the meeting yesterday.
· to make requests (more polite; affirmative sentences): Could I try this on?
- be able to + infinitive
For all other tenses and forms (including the present (instead of can) and past (instead of could) form if we want to be more formal than can / could).
- We can use be able to for the future to talk about a skill or ability that we don't have now, but will have in the future: I will be able to play the piano in two years after I finish taking the lessons.
e.g. ...
· Present perfect: I've been able to play the piano since I took lessons 10 years ago.
· Future: You will be able to become a lawyer if you study harder now.
· With a modal verb: I would love to be able to go to play the piano.
· Present simple: I like being able to go to the cinema, so I never see films on my computer.
· Past: I was able to play the piano when I was 8.(ability; more formal than could)
I wasn't able to arrive on time to the meeting yesterday. (possibility; more formal than could)
- couldn't /was/were able to + infinitive /managed to
Ability on one specific occasion in the past.
Use couldn't but not could. Instead of could use was/were able to or managed to.
I couldn't find it in the supermarket but I was able to buy it online.
I couldn't find it in the supermarket but I managed to buy it online.
2· deduction
can't
· to say that something is impossible/not true.
The opposite of can't is must:
- He can't be at work now. It's very late. (impossible/ not true)
- He must be at work now. It's 10:00am. (I'm sure it's true.)
· impossible/not true: He can't be at work now. It's very late.
Typical mistakes:
- saying to after can: I can to play the piano very well.
- using can or could when be able to is the correct form, e.g. I would love to can play the piano.
1· ability, possibility, and permission
- can / can't
Present simple.
- When you mean "know how to" the most common form to use is can.
- We often use can to talk about decisions and future arrangements: We can meet later after work.
· ability: I can play the piano.
· possibility: He can't come to the party. He has to work.
· permission: You can't smoke inside the restaurant. It's forbidden.
· to make requests: Can I try this on?
- could / couldn't
To talk about general ability or possibility in the past.
Could is often also used as an alternative to would (in 2nd or 3rd conditional sentences): If it were not raining, we could go out. (2nd cond.) / If I hadn't been so busy, I could have helped you. (3nd cond.)
· ability: I could play the piano when I was 8.
· possibility: He couldn't come to the party. He had to work.
I couldn't arrive on time to the meeting yesterday.
· to make requests (more polite; affirmative sentences): Could I try this on?
- be able to + infinitive
For all other tenses and forms (including the present (instead of can) and past (instead of could) form if we want to be more formal than can / could).
- We can use be able to for the future to talk about a skill or ability that we don't have now, but will have in the future: I will be able to play the piano in two years after I finish taking the lessons.
e.g. ...
· Present perfect: I've been able to play the piano since I took lessons 10 years ago.
· Future: You will be able to become a lawyer if you study harder now.
· With a modal verb: I would love to be able to go to play the piano.
· Present simple: I like being able to go to the cinema, so I never see films on my computer.
· Past: I was able to play the piano when I was 8.(ability; more formal than could)
I wasn't able to arrive on time to the meeting yesterday. (possibility; more formal than could)
- couldn't /was/were able to + infinitive /managed to
Ability on one specific occasion in the past.
Use couldn't but not could. Instead of could use was/were able to or managed to.
I couldn't find it in the supermarket but I was able to buy it online.
I couldn't find it in the supermarket but I managed to buy it online.
2· deduction
can't
· to say that something is impossible/not true.
The opposite of can't is must:
- He can't be at work now. It's very late. (impossible/ not true)
- He must be at work now. It's 10:00am. (I'm sure it's true.)
· impossible/not true: He can't be at work now. It's very late.
Typical mistakes:
- saying to after can: I can to play the piano very well.
- using can or could when be able to is the correct form, e.g. I would love to can play the piano.
6b_can_could_be_able_to.doc | |
File Size: | 59 kb |
File Type: | doc |
4. SONG
Hit 'em up style- Blue Cantrell
5. VOCABULARY
At a restaurant
Possible bad customer service situations at a restaurant:
- they didn't take notes of your previous booking
- waiting for too long to be served
- waiters don't pay attention to your calls
- the waiter brings the wrong order
- the waiter doesn't ask you if you would like anything else or if everything is fine
- not enough food
- the food isn't tasty
- the bottled water is too expensive
- you are asked to leave a tip despite the bad service
- the food makes you get sick
- the restaurant is unclean or unhygienic /ˈʌnhaɪˈdʒiːnɪk/
- you don't get your money back
- the toilet is dirty
- there isn't paper towel in the toilet
Possible bad customer service situations at a restaurant:
- they didn't take notes of your previous booking
- waiting for too long to be served
- waiters don't pay attention to your calls
- the waiter brings the wrong order
- the waiter doesn't ask you if you would like anything else or if everything is fine
- not enough food
- the food isn't tasty
- the bottled water is too expensive
- you are asked to leave a tip despite the bad service
- the food makes you get sick
- the restaurant is unclean or unhygienic /ˈʌnhaɪˈdʒiːnɪk/
- you don't get your money back
- the toilet is dirty
- there isn't paper towel in the toilet
Identify the different problems at these restaurants:
Vocabulary
Big tip despite bad service at a restaurant
Answer the following questions
Why did the couple leave a big tip in spite of the bad service?
Would you do the same?
Do you normally leave tips in restaurants?
What do you consider bad service?
Why did the couple leave a big tip in spite of the bad service?
Would you do the same?
Do you normally leave tips in restaurants?
What do you consider bad service?
7. READING AND LISTENING
8. WRITING
Describing a restaurant:
the service
Positive:
- friendly
- helpful
- efficient
Negative:
- rude
- slow
- unfriendly
- dreadful (espantoso)
the room and the atmosphere
Positive:
- lively (animado)
- cosy (acogedor)
- romantic
Negative:
- cramped (apretado)
- noisy
- cold
the food
Positive:
- delicious
- fresh
- tasty
Negative:
- overcooked
- small portions
- nothing special
the prices
Positive:
- good value for money
- reasonable
Negative:
- expensive
- pricey (caro)
Describing a restaurant:
the service
Positive:
- friendly
- helpful
- efficient
Negative:
- rude
- slow
- unfriendly
- dreadful (espantoso)
the room and the atmosphere
Positive:
- lively (animado)
- cosy (acogedor)
- romantic
Negative:
- cramped (apretado)
- noisy
- cold
the food
Positive:
- delicious
- fresh
- tasty
Negative:
- overcooked
- small portions
- nothing special
the prices
Positive:
- good value for money
- reasonable
Negative:
- expensive
- pricey (caro)