Clarifying Responsibilities Across Departments
CEFR: B1
Read/Listen first
During a coffee catch‑up, two colleagues discussed their positions and typical responsibilities. One manages client onboarding, while the other supports internal training. They compared priorities, negotiated deadlines, and checked how their roles connect during busy periods. To avoid confusion, they summarized action items, used polite clarifying questions, and restated who owns each task. They also scheduled a short follow‑up to review progress and share updates with their managers. We keep messages short, confirm responsibilities, and write a brief summary so nobody is confused. We keep messages short, confirm responsibilities, and write a brief summary so nobody is confused. We keep messages short, confirm responsibilities, and write a brief summary so nobody is confused. We keep messages short, confirm responsibilities, and write a brief summary so nobody is confused. We keep messages short, confirm responsibilities, and write a brief summary so nobody is confused.⚡ Learning goals
- Introduce yourself and state your job title clearly.
- Ask polite questions to clarify a colleague’s responsibilities.
- Confirm owners, deadlines, and follow‑up actions after a meeting.
✨ Key language
- introduce your role “Hi, I’m the onboarding lead.”
- clarify responsibilities “So you handle client training, right?”
- confirm next steps “Let’s summarize and send a recap.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Present Simple for roles & routines
Rule: We use the present simple to describe jobs and regular tasks.Examples: I manage client onboarding.; She supports internal training.; We report to the head of sales.
Common pitfall + fix: Mixing -ing with routines — Use base form for habits: I manage, not I am managing..
Which tense describes regular tasks?
Tip: Use present simple for routines.
Fill with the best answer: I ___ product launches.
Tip: Use the base form for routines.
2️⃣ Wh‑questions for responsibilities
Rule: Use wh‑words to ask about scope and ownership.Examples: What does your team handle?; Who do you report to?; Which tasks do you own this month?
Common pitfall + fix: Dropping auxiliary ‘do’ — Keep ‘do/does’ in present questions..
Which question is correct?
Tip: Keep auxiliary ‘do’.
Fill with the best answer: What ___ your team handle?
Tip: Use ‘does’ with third‑person singular.
3️⃣ Modals for polite requests
Rule: Could/Would make requests softer and more professional.Examples: Could you clarify your deadline?; Would you share the handover notes?; Could we schedule a follow‑up?
Common pitfall + fix: Forgetting modal verb — Start with could/would to sound polite..
Choose the most polite request.
Tip: Use ‘could’ for politeness.
Fill with the best answer: ___ we schedule a follow‑up?
Tip: Use modal + base verb.
4️⃣ Future arrangements with ‘going to’ / ‘will’
Rule: Use ‘going to’ for plans; ‘will’ for decisions made now.Examples: We’re going to meet on Tuesday.; I’ll send a recap after this call.; They’ll share updates tomorrow.
Common pitfall + fix: Confusing going to/will — Use ‘going to’ for arranged plan; ‘will’ for quick decisions..
Pick the best option for a plan.
Tip: Use ‘going to’ for arrangements.
Fill with the best answer: I ___ send a recap now.
Tip: Use ‘will’ for a decision made now.
✍️ Vocabulary
scope
Meaning: workplace usage related to roles and duties.Synonyms: responsibility, task, duty, function, remit.
Chunk/Idiom: scope — on the job.
Example: I clarify scope during kickoff meetings.
Morphology: noun/verb/adj. usage depending on context.
Self-practice: Say a sentence using “scope” and your role.
owner
Meaning: workplace usage related to roles and duties.Synonyms: responsibility, task, duty, function, remit.
Chunk/Idiom: owner — on the job.
Example: I clarify owner during kickoff meetings.
Morphology: noun/verb/adj. usage depending on context.
Self-practice: Say a sentence using “owner” and your role.
dependency
Meaning: workplace usage related to roles and duties.Synonyms: responsibility, task, duty, function, remit.
Chunk/Idiom: dependency — on the job.
Example: I clarify dependency during kickoff meetings.
Morphology: noun/verb/adj. usage depending on context.
Self-practice: Say a sentence using “dependency” and your role.
stakeholder
Meaning: workplace usage related to roles and duties.Synonyms: responsibility, task, duty, function, remit.
Chunk/Idiom: stakeholder — on the job.
Example: I clarify stakeholder during kickoff meetings.
Morphology: noun/verb/adj. usage depending on context.
Self-practice: Say a sentence using “stakeholder” and your role.
training
Meaning: workplace usage related to roles and duties.Synonyms: responsibility, task, duty, function, remit.
Chunk/Idiom: training — on the job.
Example: I clarify training during kickoff meetings.
Morphology: noun/verb/adj. usage depending on context.
Self-practice: Say a sentence using “training” and your role.
workflow
Meaning: workplace usage related to roles and duties.Synonyms: responsibility, task, duty, function, remit.
Chunk/Idiom: workflow — on the job.
Example: I clarify workflow during kickoff meetings.
Morphology: noun/verb/adj. usage depending on context.
Self-practice: Say a sentence using “workflow” and your role.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
I manage client onboarding for new accounts.
Who do you report to in this team?
Could we schedule a short follow‑up?
We’re going to share a recap tomorrow.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Which tense describes routines?
Tip: Use present simple for habits.
Choose the polite modal:
Tip: “Could” softens the request.
Fill with the best answer:
What ___ your team handle?Tip: Use “does” with he/she/it/teams.
Fill with the best answer:
I ___ send a recap now.Tip: Use “will” for spontaneous decisions.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Which phrase asks about hierarchy?
Tip: “report to” is about management lines.
Which word relates to starting new clients?
Tip: Onboarding starts relationships.
Fill with the best answer:
Please clarify your __________.Tip: Use the plural noun.
Fill with the best answer:
Could you confirm the __________?Tip: A deadline is a due date.