How to Give and Receive Feedback in English - Business English Lesson

商務英文——提供和接受回饋意見

Hi, I’m Marie. Welcome to Oxford Online English! 

嗨，我是Marie。歡迎來到Oxford Online English！

In this lesson, you can learn how to give and  respond to feedback in a professional environment.

在本節課裡，您可以學到怎麼在一個專業的 場合裡提供和回復回饋的意見。

You’ll see different ways to give  positive or negative feedback,  

您會看到提供正面或負面 回饋意見的不同方式，

and how to give negative feedback  in a more direct or indirect way.

以及怎麼用更直接或間接的 方式提供負面的回饋意見。

Before we begin, check out our website: Oxford  Online English dot com. Do you want to see  

在我們開始之前，看看我們的網站： Oxford Online English dot com。您想看

a range of video and listening lessons  to improve your English, all 100% free?  

一個100%全部免費的、涵蓋範圍廣的影片和 聽力課程來進階您的英文嗎？

We have that! Do you want to take online  classes with a professional teacher?  

我們有！您想上一位專業老師 的線上英文補習課程嗎？

We can do that, too! Oxford  Online English dot com.

我們也有！ Oxford Online English dot com.

By the way, don’t forget to turn on the subtitles  for this video if you need them! All our videos  

此外，如果您想，不要忘記打開這部 影片的字幕！我們所有的影片

have English subtitles. You can turn them on  now: just click the ‘CC’ button in the bottom  

都有中英文字幕。您現在就可以 打開它們：就點擊影片播放軟體

right of the video player. On mobile, click on  the settings icon to change your CC settings. 

右下方的“CC”按鍵。在手機上，點擊 設定圖示來改變您的“CC”設定。

Let’s start by looking at how  to give positive feedback.

我們從看看怎麼提供正面的 回饋意見開始。

Hi, you wanted to talk to me?

嗨！您想和我談一談？

I did? Ah, yes, I remember! It won’t take long.

我有嗎？啊，是的，我想起來了！ 那不會花太久時間。

Is there a problem?

有問題嗎？

No, not at all! Actually, I just  wanted to tell you I really liked  

沒有，完全沒有問題！實際上，我只是 想告訴您我真的喜歡

how you handled the meeting with Omnitouch.

您怎麼去主持示範式觸控熒幕會議。

Oh, thanks!

哦，謝謝！

It was a challenging situation. None of us  thought they would come in with so many difficult,  

那是一個挑戰的場合。我們都沒有 想到它們會遇到很多困難、

technical questions, and, honestly, that guy  – what was his name? Brian? – I thought he was  

技術問題，以及，坦白地說，那個夥計 ——他叫什麼名字？Brian？——我想他

being quite aggressive. I admired the way you were  able to keep your cool and stick to the point.

很咄咄逼人！我很佩服您能夠保持冷靜 並堅持您的觀點的處理方式。

Sure, I suppose it wasn’t the easiest meeting,  

當然，我認為那不是一個最容易的會議，

but it wasn’t too stressful. I’m  used to situations like that.

但是，那也不會太緊張。 我習慣像那樣的場合。

Yes, but still, not everyone  can stay calm in that position.  

是的，但是，我還是要說沒人能在 那種位置能保持平靜。

Also, the visuals you prepared for  our presentation were very impressive.  

此外，您為我們的演示所做的視覺 效果準備令人印象十分深刻。

They looked professional, but also  communicated key information clearly.

它們看起來是專業的，但也 明確地傳達了關鍵資訊。

Glad you think so.

很高興您也這麼想。

Anyway, I just wanted to let  you know. Keep up the good work!

好吧，我只是想讓您知道。 繼續做好工作！

Will do!

我會的！

In the dialogue, you heard different  ways to praise someone’s work.

在對話裡，您聽到讚賞某人 工作的不同方式。

Look at some sentences. 

看一些句子。

Can you remember the missing words? If not,  you can review the dialogue if you want. 

您能記得缺失的單字嗎？如果不記 得了，如果您想，您可以複習對話。

Here are the answers. You can use these phrases  

這裡是答案。您可以用其他的方式 來運用這些片語。

in other ways. For example: ‘I really liked  how you explained everything so clearly.’ 

例如：‘I really liked  how you explained everything so clearly.’“

‘I admire the way you never miss a deadline,  even when we’re under a lot of pressure.’ 

”I admire the way you never miss a deadline,  even when we’re under a lot of pressure.”

‘The way you dealt with that customer’s  complaint was very impressive.’ 

“The way you dealt with that customer’s  complaint was very impressive.”

What about you? Can you think of other  ways to complete these sentences? 

您呢？您可以想想其他的方式來 完成這些句子嗎？

Think about your work recently. Have your  colleagues done anything which impressed you? Use  

想像您近來的工作。您的同事做了 任何您印象深刻的事情嗎？用您

your own ideas to complete these sentences. Pause  the video and say your examples out loud now. 

自己的想法來完成這些句子。現在， 暫停影片並大聲地唸出您的例子。

What about ‘keep up the good  work’? This is a general phrase.  

那“keep up the good work”呢？ 這是一個通用片語。

You can use it when you’re pleased with  someone’s work, and you want to encourage them.

當您滿意某人的工作，並且您也想 鼓勵他們時，您可以使用它。

Next, what if you need to give  someone negative feedback?

接下來，如果您要提供給某人 負面的回饋意見呢？

Can I have a word?

我可以說一下嗎？

Sure, what is it?

當然，那是什麼？

Well, I had a chance to look  through your draft proposal.

好，我有一個機會瀏覽 了您的提案草稿。

Oh?

哦？

I’ll cut to the chase: it needs a lot of  work. This is a long, complex document. It  

我會切入正題：那需要大量的工作。 這是一份長的、複雜的文件。

needs to be well-organised, clearly laid-out,  and make a good impression on whoever reads it.

它需要是井井有條、佈局清晰的， 並給閱讀者留下好的印象。

So, what needs changing?

那麼，需要改什麼嗎？

Honestly, I think you need to go back to the  drawing board and think about how to organise your  

老實說，我認為您要重做， 考慮怎麼組織您的想法。

ideas. Currently, it’s hard to follow because it’s  incoherent. You jump from one topic to another,  

目前，它很難讀下去，因為它是不 連貫的。您從一個主題跳躍到另一個，

which makes it difficult  to focus on your main idea.

那會讓聚焦您的主要想法變得很難。

Huh…

喔…

Also, you need to pay more attention to detail.  I checked some of the data you quote, and many  

您也要更留意細節。 我核對了一些您報出來的數據，

of the figures are inaccurate. I didn’t check  everything, because that’s your responsibility.  

很多數字是不準確的。我沒有核對 所有的，因為那是您的責任。

Remember that their legal department will  also be looking through this, so it needs  

記住，他們的法律部門也會審查 這個，所以，它必須是

to be watertight. Double check any figures or  other data you’re using and don’t cut corners.

無懈可擊的。再檢查一次您使用的所有 數字或其他數據，不要偷工減料。

OK, that’s my fault. I’ll be more careful.

好，那是我的錯誤。我會更小心。

Finally, you need to tidy up the  language. There are spelling mistakes,  

最後，您要整理一下說辭。有一些拼寫 錯誤、不合文法的句子、

ungrammatical sentences, missing punctuation,  and so on. I hope it’s obvious that you can’t  

缺少標點符號，等等。 我希望您顯然不能在像這樣的

make spelling mistakes in a piece of writing  like this; it won’t make a good impression.

一小片文字裡犯拼寫錯誤； 那不會留下好印象。

No, of course not.

沒有，當然不會。

So, do you think you can deal with this and get  a revised draft to me by the end of the week?

那麼，您認為您可以處理好這個，並在本週末 給我一份修正的草稿嗎？

Sure, I’ll do that.

當然，我會的。

When giving negative feedback, you can choose  between being more direct or more indirect.

在提供負面的回饋意見時，您可以 選擇更直接或更間接的方式。

This depends on many things:  the country you’re in,  

這取決於很多事情： 您所在的國家、

corporate culture, your relationship with  the person you’re talking to, and more.

公司文化、正在與您談話的人和 您之間的關係，以及更多。

Here, you saw some ways to give negative feedback  directly. Look at some phrases from the dialogue. 

在這裡，您看到一些直接提出負面回饋 意見的方式。看看對話裡的一些片語。

Imagine someone asks you to explain what  these phrases mean in English. How would  

想像某人要求您解釋這些片語在英文裡 意味著什麼。您怎麼做？

you do it? Pause the video and think about  how to explain the meaning of these phrases. 

暫停影片，考慮怎麼解釋這些 片語的意思。

‘I’ll cut to the chase’ signals that  you’re about to say something negative  

“I’ll cut to the chase”示意您在用直接的 方式說一些負面的

in a direct way. It’s a way  to introduce a criticism. 

回饋意見。那是一種 引入批評的方式。

‘Go back to the drawing board’  means to start something again.  

“Go back to the drawing board”  意思是重新開始某些事情。

You use this phrase when something is not going  to plan, and you need to start again from zero. 

當某件事情沒有按照計畫進行，您需要重新 從零開始時，您使用這個片語。

If you cut corners, you rush your work,  or you don’t pay enough attention to it.  

如果您切掉了基角，您在趕工， 或者您沒有足夠留意它。

If you tell someone ‘don’t cut corners’,  

如果您告訴某人“don’t cut corners”，

you are telling that person to work  carefully and pay attention to detail. 

您正在告訴那個人要小心地 工作，並留意細節。

Generally, if you want to give feedback  directly, you’ll use simpler statements  

一般來說，如果您想直接講出 回饋意見，您會使用簡單的帶

with ‘you’. For example: ‘you need  to pay more attention to detail.’ 

“you”的陳述。例如：“you need  to pay more attention to detail.”

‘You should double check your  figures before you send it.’ 

“You should double check your  figures before you send it.”

‘You can’t go into a meeting  like that unprepared.’ 

“You can’t go into a meeting  like that unprepared.”

Direct language is generally simpler. You can use  ‘you’ + a verb, as in ‘you need to’, ‘you should’,  

直接的講法一般是比較簡單的。您可以 使用“you” + 一個動詞，像是

‘you shouldn’t’, ‘you can’t’, and so on.

“you need to”、“you should”、  “you shouldn’t”、“you can’t”，等等。

Now, what about giving negative  feedback in a more indirect way?

現在，那麼用更間接的方式 提出負面的回饋意見呢？

Do you have a minute?

您可以抽出一分鐘的時間嗎？

Sure, what’s up?

當然，怎麼啦？

There’s a little issue I wanted to discuss  with you. Actually, there have been some  

有一個小問題，我想和您討論。 實際上，有一些關於

complaints about the language and humour you  use in meetings and in the office generally.  

對您在會議上和辦公室裡常用的 說法和幽默的抱怨。

More than one person has complained to me that  they find it unprofessional and offensive.

不止一個人向我抱怨他們覺得 那是不專業的，以及有冒犯的意思。

Really? Like what?

真的嗎？比如哪些？

I don’t want to get into specific cases. I just  want to remind you that this is a workplace,  

我不想談特定的事例。我只是想 提醒您這裡是工作場所，

and there are certain standards of  conduct that we all have to adhere to.

有我們都必須遵守的 一定行為標準。

So what? No jokes allowed?

那麼，怎樣？不允許開玩笑嗎？

That’s not what I’m saying, but it’s important to  understand that not everyone will have the same  

那不是我正在談的，但是，理解不是 每個人都有與您相同的

perspective or sense of humour as you. It’s  advisable to be cautious with your choice of  

看法或幽默感是很重要的。建議您 謹慎地選擇用字，特別

words, especially in meetings or other situations  where perhaps not everyone knows each other.

是在會議上，或其他的可能大家 都不互相了解的場合裡。

This seems a little unfair, given that you’re not  

這看起來有點不公平， 因為您沒有說是誰

saying who made these complaints,  or what I’m supposed to have said.

提出這些抱怨， 或者我應該說什麼。

Well, this is just a friendly chat, but I have  also observed some examples of these issues  

好吧，這只是一個友好的閒聊， 但是，我有直接地觀察到這些

directly. I don’t want to take this further, but  I would like you to keep these things in mind;  

問題的一些例子。我不想講得更具體， 但是，我希望您記住這些事情；

hopefully we can avoid similar issues in future.

希望我們今後可以避免類似的問題。

In this dialogue, you saw how to  give negative feedback indirectly.  

在這個對話裡，您看到了怎麼間接地 提出負面的回饋意見。

Here’s a question: what are some  features of indirect language? How  

這裡有一個問題：間接說法的 一些特點是什麼？

is indirect language different from the  direct language you heard in part two? 

間接說法和您在第二部分聽到的直接 說法的差異是什麼？

Indirect language is generally softer and more  impersonal. When giving negative feedback,  

間接說法通常是更柔和的、更非人稱性的。 當您提出負面回饋意見時，

if you want to be indirect, you’ll  generally avoid sentences with ‘you’.

如果想要是間接的，您通常 會避免有“you”的句子。

Instead, you’ll use impersonal constructions,  for example with ‘there’. You heard ‘There  

取代的是，您會使用非人稱性的文法結構， 例如，用“there”。您聽到“There

have been some complaints about the  language and humour you use in meetings.’ 

have been some complaints about the  language and humour you use in meetings.”

‘There are certain standards of  conduct that we all have to adhere to.’ 

“There are certain standards of  conduct that we all have to adhere to.”

Or, you might use impersonal constructions  with ‘it’, as in: ‘It’s important to  

或者，您可能使用搭配“it”的非人稱性 文法結構，像是：“It’s important to

understand that not everyone will have the  same perspective or sense of humour as you.’ 

understand that not everyone will have the  same perspective or sense of humour as you.”

‘It’s advisable to be cautious  with your choice of words.’ 

“It’s advisable to be cautious  with your choice of words.”

Take that last example. How would  you say this in more direct language? 

拿那最後一個例子來說。您怎麼用更 直接的講法來說這個？

You would say something like: ‘You need to  be more cautious with your choice of words’,  

您會說某些像是：”You need to  be more cautious with your choice of words“，

or ‘You should be more cautious…’ 

或”You should be more cautious…“

Also, indirect language tends to be less  specific. In the dialogue I avoided going  

間接講法也傾向於不太具體。 在對話裡，我避免涉及

into details about the problem. I didn’t say who  had complained, or describe specific incidents.

問題的細節。我沒有說誰抱怨， 或描述特定的事件。

Think about the differences between direct  and indirect language that you’ve seen here.  

考慮下您在這裡看到的直接講法和 間接講法之間的差異。

When you need to give someone negative feedback,  it’s good to decide which approach to use,  

當您需要提出負面回饋意見給某人時， 那有助於您決定使用哪一種，

and control your language accordingly.

並相應地控制您的語言。

Right, so, about the new design for the logo…

對了，那麼，關於標誌的新設計…

Yeah, I’m curious to hear your thoughts.

是的，我很想聽聽您的想法。

First of all, the colours  look strange, don’t you think?

首先，色彩看起來有點 奇怪，您覺得呢？

Sure, I’m aware of that. I made the prototypes  on my laptop while I was on the road,  

當然，我清楚那個。我在路上的時候， 在我的筆電上製作了原型，

and the screen isn’t good enough for design  work. I’ll adjust the colours on my desktop.  

筆電熒幕不太適合設計工作。 我會在我的桌面電腦上調整色彩。

I know how I want it to look.

我知道我想要它看起來是怎樣的。

OK, that sounds good. Now, I like the  basic design, with the overlapping circles.  

好，那聽起來不錯。現在，我喜歡有 重疊圓圈的基本設計。

I do think the text should be larger.

我認為文字要更大一點。

Alright, I can look into that.  Sometimes it’s hard to balance the  

好吧，我可以再研究一下那個。 有時，當您改變

proportions when you start changing  things, but I’ll see what I can do.

東西時，很難去平衡比例，但是， 我會看看我能做什麼。

Then, I think the thing I like least is  these triangles on the right. Overall,  

然後，我認為我最不喜歡的是 右邊的這些三角形。 總的

it looks too busy. There are too  many shapes and different parts.

來說，它看起來太亂了。有太多 的形狀和不同的部分。

Well, there I have to disagree with  you. Our logo now has triangles inside  

好吧，在那裡，我不同意您。 我們的標誌現在在圓圈裡有三角形。

a circle. This new logo takes the same  elements, but presents them in a new way.  

這個新標誌採用了相同的元素， 但以一種新的方式呈現出來。

It’s different, but there’s also some continuity  with the current logo, which I think is important.

那是不同的，但是，有現有標誌的 一些延續，我認為那是重要的。

Hmmm…

嗯…

I mean, I can try to come up with some more  ideas, but I don’t think this particular logo  

我的意思是，我可以試著提出 更多的想法，但是，如果您

makes sense if you take the triangles  out. Plus, it’ll look unbalanced.

拿掉三角形，我不認為這個特定標誌 可行。加上，它看起來不平衡。

Look, I like it overall, but I  don’t want to rush this decision,  

看，我總體上喜歡它，但是， 我不想草率地做決定，

and I think you could improve on  this design with a bit more time.  

我認為您可以花更多一點的時間 來改進這個設計。

How about you come up with one or two more  versions, and then we’ll decide as a team?

您多提出一個或兩個版本，然後 我們會作為一個團隊來決定？

OK, that sounds fair. I’ll see what I can do.

好，聽起來公平。 我會看看我能做什麼。

When someone is giving you feedback,  you can respond in different ways.

當某人提供您回饋意見時， 您可以用不同的方式回答。

You can acknowledge their point,  

您可以承認他們的觀點，

or agree with it. You can promise to  take action. Or, you can disagree.

或者同意。您可以承諾要採取行動。 或者，您可以不同意。

Look at five phrases you heard in the  dialogue. Can you remember the missing words? 

看五個您在對話裡聽到的片語。 您記得缺失的單字嗎？

Pause the video if you need more thinking time.

如果您需要更多的時間，暫停影片。

Let’s see the answers together. To acknowledge or agree with a  

我們一起來看看答案。要承認或 同意某人提出的一個

point someone makes, you can say ‘I’m  aware of that’ or ‘That sounds fair’.

觀點，您可以說“I’m aware of that”或 “That sounds fair”。

You could also use phrases like ‘I understand,’  ‘I get it’, or ‘I take your point.’ 

您也可以使用像“I understand”、“I get it” 或”I take your point“這樣的片語。

To promise to take action when  someone gives you feedback,  

當某人提供回饋意見給您， 要承諾採取行動，

you could say ‘I can look into  that’ or ‘I’ll see what I can do.’

您可以說”I can look into that“或 ”I’ll see what I can do.“

You could also say ‘I’ll work on  that’ or ‘I’ll get on it right  

您也可以說”I’ll work on that“ 或”I’ll get on it right

away’. ‘Get on it’ means to start working  on something. It’s a more informal phrase. 

away“。”Get on it“意思是開始做某件事。 那是一個比較不正式的片語。

To disagree with someone, you could  say ‘I have to disagree with you.’

要不同意某人說的，您可以說 ”I have to disagree with you.“

If you want to be more indirect, you  could say ‘I’m not sure I agree’,  

如果您想更間接一點，您可以說 ”I’m not sure I agree“、

or ‘I have a different perspective on that.’ If you want to be more direct, say something like  

或者”I have a different perspective on that.“ 如果您想更直接，說些像是

‘I don’t think that’s true’  or ‘I don’t agree with that.’ 

”I don’t think that’s true“ 或者”I don’t agree with that.“

Now, you should know different ways  to give and respond to feedback.  

現在，您知道了提供或接受回饋 意見的不同方式。

You can review parts of the  video again if you need to.

如果您需要，您可以再 複習任何一段影片。

Thanks for watching!

感謝觀看！

See you next time!

下次見！