Useful Language — Giving Feedback That Lands

The phrases that make a review feel like a conversation.

Tap the speaker to hear each phrase. Then listen to the full conversation below.

Opening a review positively

Thanks for making time. This is your meeting as much as mine.
Before I share my notes, how do you feel the last quarter has gone?
Overall it has been a strong period, and I want to start with what has gone well.

Praising specifically

You have handled the client escalation really well, especially the way you kept everyone informed.
I was impressed by how you managed the launch under pressure.
That presentation last week was exactly what we needed.

Raising a concern constructively

There is one area I would like us to look at together.
I have noticed the weekly reports have been arriving late. Is there something getting in the way?
Help me understand what happened with the Anderson account.
I am not blaming anyone. I would just like us to find a way forward.

Advice and next steps

It might help to block out two hours every Friday for the reports.
Why don’t you shadow Elena on the next onboarding call?
Have you tried raising it directly with the project lead?
So, to sum up, we have agreed on two actions. Let us catch up in a month.

Listen: a quarterly review that goes well

Paolo: Thanks for making time, Amy. Before I share my notes, how do you feel the quarter has gone?

Amy: Mostly well, I think. The new campaign launched on time, and the client seemed happy.

Paolo: I agree. You have handled that client really well, especially in March, when they changed the brief at the last minute.

Amy: That was a hard week. But we got there.

Paolo: You did. There is one area I would like us to look at, though. I have noticed the weekly reports have been arriving late recently. Is there something getting in the way?

Amy: Honestly, yes. Since Marco left, I have been covering part of his work, and Fridays just disappear.

Paolo: That is fair. I did not realise how much of his workload you had taken on. It might help to block out two hours every Thursday, before the crunch. And why don’t we move part of Marco’s tasks to the new starter?

Amy: That would make a real difference.

Paolo: Good. So, we have agreed on two actions: protected time on Thursdays, and I will reassign the extra work by next week. Let us catch up in a month.

Amy: Perfect. And, thanks for asking, instead of just telling.

Notice how Paolo uses the present perfect for the quarter as a whole (you have handled, I have noticed) and the past simple for one specific moment (they changed the brief). That is the grammar of this module.