B1 · Module 03 · Class 11 — Next Steps
Narrative Scene
The Morning After — Canary Wharf Hotel, London Santiago wakes at 6 a.m. to three messages. Elena wants a debrief call. Marco has sent overnight questions from the Altius legal team. And there is one email from Claire Beaumont, sent at 11:47 p.m., subject line: "Next steps."
He reads it slowly. Vantage wants a follow-up document: a one-page action plan covering what will be done, in what order, and under what conditions.
"If the due diligence is approved by the partners, the engagement will be extended. If it is extended, a dedicated team will be deployed to Bogotá and Santiago." He types this sentence, then stops. It is clear — but is it formal enough?
He rewrites it. Then rewrites it again. The challenge, he thinks, is that future plans always depend on conditions. You must state the action, the timeline, and the condition — all without sounding uncertain about your own competence. |
Vocabulary Professional Correspondence | ||
well received | /wel rɪˈsiːvd/ | Accepted positively; describes a presentation, proposal, or document that impressed the audience |
on a rolling basis | /ɒn ə ˈrəʊlɪŋ ˈbeɪsɪs/ | Continuously, as each item is completed rather than all at once |
unforeseen | /ˌʌnfɔːˈsiːn/ | Not anticipated or expected; refers to obstacles or events outside of the plan |
logistics | /ləˈdʒɪstɪks/ | The practical arrangements required to organise and manage a complex operation |
one day ahead of | /wʌn deɪ əˈhed ɒv/ | Submitted or completed before the stated deadline — a signal of professionalism |
Future & Conditional Passives
When presenting action plans, timelines, and contingencies in formal English, the passive removes personal ownership from the statement — focusing on the action, not the actor. This is especially important when presenting to clients.
1. FUTURE PASSIVES — stating planned actions
"Will be + past participle" and "is to be + past participle" are the standard forms for confirmed future actions in formal documents and presentations.
Structure | Example |
will be + past participle | "The due diligence report will be submitted within 30 days of sign-off." |
is/are to be + past participle | "All findings are to be reviewed by the full partnership before Q3." |
is/are scheduled to be + past participle | "The Phase One assessment is scheduled to be completed by end of May." |
is/are expected to be + past participle | "The engagement letter is expected to be countersigned by Friday." |
is/are set to be + past participle | "The Bogotá team is set to be deployed in the first week of June." |
will have been + past participle (future perfect) | "By the time Phase Two begins, all markets will have been assessed independently." |
2. CONDITIONAL PASSIVES — actions dependent on approval or outcome
Conditional passives combine an "if / once / provided that / subject to" clause with a passive main clause. They are the standard form for contingency planning language.
Structure | Example |
If [condition], [action] will be + past participle | "If the engagement is extended, a second team will be deployed." |
Once [condition], [action] will be + past participle | "Once the data is validated, the final report will be issued." |
Provided that [condition], [action] can be + past participle | "Provided that resources are confirmed, Phase Two can be initiated in July." |
Subject to [noun], [action] will be + past participle | "Subject to partner approval, the timeline will be accelerated." |
Should [condition], [action] would be + past participle | "Should delays occur, the schedule would be revised accordingly." |
In the event that [condition], [action] would need to be + past participle | "In the event that a market is withdrawn, the portfolio would need to be restructured." |
3. OBLIGATION & DEADLINE PASSIVES — must, should, needs to be
These combine modal passives (from Class 10) with timeline markers. They are the standard form for stating requirements and deadlines to clients.
Structure | Example |
must be + past participle + by [date] | "Capital allocation must be confirmed by end of Q2." |
should be + past participle + before [event] | "The risk register should be finalised before the Phase Two kick-off." |
needs to be + past participle + within [time] | "The counter-signed agreement needs to be received within five business days." |
is required to be + past participle + no later than | "The full data pack is required to be submitted no later than 30 April." |
is to be + past participle + prior to | "All interviews are to be completed prior to the final assessment." |
4. PRESENTATION SIGNPOSTING LANGUAGE
Signposting phrases structure a presentation by telling the audience where you are and where you are going. Every formal presentation uses all five types.
Signposting Phrases — Full ReferenceOPENING — setting the agenda "What I'm going to cover today is… / This presentation is structured as follows… / By the end of this session, it will have been established that…" MOVING FORWARD — transitioning between sections "Moving on to… / Turning now to… / This brings me to… / Let's now look at…" REFERRING BACK — connecting to previous content "As was mentioned earlier… / Building on what was shown in Slide 3… / Returning briefly to…" FLAGGING IMPORTANCE — drawing attention "I'd like to draw your attention to… / It should be noted that… / What is particularly significant here is…" CLOSING — summarising and handing over "To summarise the key points… / What has been presented today suggests… / I'm now happy to take questions." |
Phrasal Verbsmove forward with — to begin or continue with a plan after a decision has been made "Vantage has confirmed they wish to move forward with the engagement." sign off on — to give official approval for something "The partnership needs to sign off on the budget before resources can be deployed." roll out — to introduce or implement something in stages across a wider area "The due diligence process will be rolled out across the three priority markets simultaneously." |
Vantage Follow-Up Email & Action Plan
Read Claire Beaumont's email and Santiago's action plan response. Identify all future passives, conditional passives, and obligation passives.
FROM: [email protected] DATE: 23 April 2026, 23:47 SUBJECT: Next steps — Vantage / Altius engagement ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
Santiago,
The presentation was well received. The partnership will meet on Friday to consider formal approval of Phase Two. A decision is expected to be reached by end of business Friday.
Provided that approval is granted, the following will need to be confirmed:
1. A dedicated Altius team will be deployed to Bogotá and Santiago (Chile) no later than the first week of June. 2. All due diligence interviews are to be completed within 60 days of deployment. 3. An interim findings report must be submitted by 15 August.
Should any of the above timelines require adjustment, Altius is asked to notify Vantage in writing no later than five business days before the relevant deadline.
We look forward to moving forward with this engagement.
Claire Beaumont | Partner, Vantage Capital Partners |
FROM: [email protected] DATE: 24 April 2026, 08:14 SUBJECT: RE: Next steps — Vantage / Altius engagement ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
Dear Claire,
Thank you for your message. The proposed timelines are noted and will be reflected in our internal planning immediately.
Subject to Friday's approval, the following actions will be initiated:
Phase 2A — Team deployment to Bogotá and Santiago is scheduled to be completed by 5 June. Appropriate staffing will have been confirmed by 30 April to allow for travel and logistics.
Phase 2B — All primary interviews are to be conducted and documented within the 60-day window. A draft interview log will be shared with your team on a rolling basis as interviews are completed.
Phase 2C — The interim findings report will be submitted by 14 August — one day ahead of the stated deadline — to allow time for your review.
In the event that any unforeseen obstacle is encountered, Vantage will be notified immediately and a revised schedule will be proposed within 48 hours.
We look forward to the partnership's decision on Friday.
Santiago Reyes | Senior Account Director, Altius Consulting Group |
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Find the error: "We will submit the findings report by August 14."
Find the error: "The approval was drove by three factors: clarity, rigour, and confidence."
Find the error: "If the data will be validated, the report can be finalised."
Support Free English Resources
These lessons are free for everyone. Your contribution keeps them that way.
Support the WorkSecure payment — no account required.