International Negotiations

Language note

The structure at the end of the text, If you will ..., then I can ... is unusual but 

grammatically correct. Most learners of English are taught that we never use will after if. 

In fact, we often can use will after if, but it has a very specific meaning. In this case, it is a 

way of referring to promises. Compare these two sentences:

•  If you do X, then I’ll do Y (= first you do X, then I’ll do Y).

•  If you’ll do X, I’ll do Y (= first you promise, then I’ll do Y, then you’ll do X).

4 

Trainees discuss the questions in small groups. After a few minutes, open up the discussion to 

include the whole class. Finally, tell trainees to read the commentary on page 70 to compare 

the answers to b and c with their ideas.

5 

Make sure everyone understands the meaning of your inheritance (= the things that you may 

inherit from a relative when that relative dies) and at stake (= at risk if being lost). Trainees 

read the instructions carefully so they fully understand what they have to do, including each 

of the strict conditions. You may also need to check they understand the meaning of yet to 

race (= it has never raced before).

Before they begin their negotiations, they should plan carefully which items they would prefer 

to have. Ideally, they should write down this ‘wish-list’ so they can compare it with the end-

result later. Alternatively, they could discuss their wish-list with a different partner first, and 

then go back to this first partner after the negotiation to discuss how well they did.

Allow around ten minutes for the negotiation. Monitor carefully both for language and for 

good and bad strategies, particularly in the context of win–win negotiations. Afterwards, 

discuss the results and the effectiveness of the negotiations with the class.

Language notes

•  Grand cru 

/grã kry/

 (or, to most English speakers, 

/grɒŋ kruː/

) is the highest classification 

of wine from the Burgundy and Alsace regions of France. The plural is grands crus.

•  A yearling is a horse which is between 12 and 24 months old. At this age, horses are not 

yet fully mature.

•  Antiquarian 

/æntɪˈkweəriən/

 books are valuable because they are very old and/or rare.

If you have an odd number of trainees, you will need to have one group of three. In this case, 

it may be better to remove one of the nine items for this group, or add a tenth item (e.g. 

a full-sized hot air balloon), in order that the total number of items does not divide neatly 

among three people.

6 

Trainees work alone to complete the diagram and then compare their answers in pairs. Make 

sure they realise that the list of variables relates only to sales negotiations. When they have 

finished, go through the answers with the class.