Troubleshooting

Read the dialogue. Tick the problems that have been mentioned in it.

late deliveries • miscommunication • quality issues • budgeting problems •

missing the deadlines • customer complaints • weather conditions

Team Lead (TL): Hi everyone, let's have a quick team meeting to talk
about some issues we're facing (1) in our project. First off, meeting
project deadlines has been a bit tricky lately.
Developer (D): Yeah, it feels like we're falling behind. What's causing
the delays (2), TL?
TL: Well, it's a mix of things. We've experienced some unexpected
technical problems (3), and on top of that, the deliveries are late due
to some unforeseen circumstances (4). That resulted in
overspending as some unexpected costs have come up (5).
Finance Officer (FO): Overspending is a concern. How are we
planning to handle these budgeting problems?"
TL: I've started looking at our budget with the team. We're trying to
find areas where we can cut costs without compromising quality. Our
goal is to implement smart spending strategies (6) to ensure we stay
within our budget.
Engineer (E): And what about the deadlines we missed? How do we
catch up?
TL: To tackle the deadline problem (7), we're reviewing our project
schedule. I've talked to our developers about the late deliveries,
letting them know it's urgent. We're also exploring other options to
have a backup plan (8). We need to be more organized and manage
our time better.
Project Manager (PM): Sounds like we've got some challenges to
overcome. Let's brainstorm some solutions together (9). Anyone
with ideas, please share.
Look at the underlined phrases and write 1-9 in the boxes
7 a. to address the issue of completing something by a specific
date. S
b. what is the reason for the things not happening on time.
c. there have been additional expenses that were not planned
for.
d. to have an alternative course of action in case the original plan
does not work out.
e. let's think of ideas and options as a group to solve a problem.
f. our aim is to use intelligent methods for managing and using
money.
g. problems or challenges that we are currently dealing with.
h. because of events or situations that were not predicted or
expected.
i. we have some issues with technology that we didn't predict

Which of the phrases above are used to speak about problems and
which are used to speak about solutions? Write P or S next to the
phrases.
Complete the dialogue with the words from the previous exercise. The
first letter is written for you.
Team Lead (TL): Hi everyone, thanks for being here. We've
f____________________(1) some u______________(2) challenges that are
c__________(3) delays in our project.
Engineer (E): What's c___________(4) the delays, TL?
TL: We're facing delays d______________(5) to some unforeseen technical
issues with the server. It's essential to t_____________(6) this problem to
keep our project on track.
Finance Officer (FO): Are there any financial impacts, TL?
TL: Yes, unfortunately. Some unexpected c_______(7) have c_______
u_______(8) because of these delays. Our g_____________(9) is to
i______________(10) cost-effective measures to manage these additional
expenses.
Engineer 2 (E2): How can we address these technical issues and
manage costs, TL?
TL: We need to think of some efficient strategies. Let’s
b____________(11) some solutions to overcome these challenges,
minimize delays, and manage costs more effectively.
Project Manager (PM): Should we have a b____________(12) plan in
case these issues persist?
TL: Absolutely, PM. It is crucial. Let's discuss potential backup
strategies during our brainstorming session to ensure we're
prepared for any unforeseen challenges.
Engineer 3 (E3): When do we start working on solutions, TL?
TL: Right away. Let's schedule a meeting where we can collectively
explore and discuss different solutions to these challenges. Our
teamwork and innovative thinking will help us deal with obstacles
and keep our project on track.

Functional grammar
Speaking about problems

We can use Present Perfect to speak about

updates and measures that have been taken.
“I've started looking at our budget with the team.”
“I've talked to our suppliers about the late deliveries.”

We can use Present Continuous to speak

about the actions to solve the problems that
are in progress.
“We're trying to find areas where we can cut costs”
“We're also exploring other suppliers”

We can use will+infinitive to speak about

immediate reactions to problems and to be
going to to speak about some planned
solutions.
“Thank you for bringing this to my attention, I’ll look into it.”
“I’m going to call the supplier and ask about the reason
of the delay”.
Put the phrases in the correct order to make a dialogue.