English for Business Life Elementary

Practice
Cancelling/postponing
1 Listen and match the arrangements with the
reasons for cancelling or postponing.
a Tuesday's meeting
b Wednesday's appointm ent
c Thursday's meeting
d Friday's conference call
i security alert
ii IT problems
iii illness (flu)
iv job not finished
too/either
2 Reply to the examples using too or either.
e.g. We're not ready.
We- V e - n o f e -ifk e -r ..........
a I'm not well,
b I don't like meetings,
c I have a cold,
□
□
□
□
call off/put Off
3 Rewrite these examples using put off or call off.
e.g. Are you going to cancel the meeting?
Are _fo_c.ciJo-f-f fk e vueef m ^ ?
or Are to ;fk e wteef jVng-. ?
a Could we postpone it?
b I can't postpone Tuesday's appointment.
c
He will have to cancel it.
d They can postpone it, if they want,
e You don't have to cancel the conference.
f
Will they postpone the arrangement?
g She w on't postpone Friday's conference.
Dialogue: unexpected problem
4 Fill in the gaps in the dialogue using the words and
phrases in the box.
d We're very busy,
e I can't make Monday's meeting,
f I have a virus,
g I w on't be back by Friday,
h That suits me.
about y dow n everything going to how about
problem postpone put it o ff sorry suits sorry
A: I'm calling a ... k k o w f.... 0ur lunch date.
B: Is b ......................OK?
A: No, I'm afraid not. Could we c ......................?
B: What's the d .....................?
A: I'm afraid I'm not e ......................make it. Two
members of my team are f ............... with a virus.
B: I'm g ....................to hear that.
A: Thanks. I'm calling to ask if we could
h ......................it till next week.
B: No problem. W hen do you think you can
make it?
38 UNIT 13