Key Words and Phrases
| Word / Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| stale | no longer fresh; old and unpleasant in taste or smell (coffee, bread, chips) |
| to put in a request | to formally ask for something, usually in writing (at work) |
| to upgrade | to replace something old with a newer, better version |
| to drive someone crazy | to really annoy or frustrate someone |
| to clean up after yourself | to tidy the mess you made; to leave a shared space as you found it |
| designated B2 | officially set aside for a specific purpose ("a designated parking space") |
| to allocate B2 | to officially set aside money, time, or resources for a specific purpose |
| budget B2 | the amount of money available for a particular purpose |
| tempted | feeling a strong desire to do something, even if you know you shouldn't |
| to be first on the list | to be the first person chosen or included for something |
| getting ready to B2 | preparing to do something; about to do something soon |
| to be continued | a phrase used at the end of a story to signal that more is coming |
⬆ Level Up Your English
These words from the dialogue have more powerful alternatives worth knowing:
annoyed
→
exasperated B2
"I was exasperated when my lunch disappeared — again."
broken
→
out of commission B2
"The coffee maker has been out of commission for two weeks."
old / not fresh
→
stale
"This coffee tastes stale — it must be from this morning."
ask someone to give money for
→
allocate a budget for B2
"We need Parker to allocate a budget for a new coffee maker."
The Dialogue
Situation: It's just after 10 AM. Marcus and Priya are in the office breakroom. Marcus pours himself a cup of coffee and immediately regrets it.
Marcus:
(reaching for the pot of coffee, cup in hand) Any idea how fresh this coffee is?
Priya:
(laughing) Honestly? I have no idea.
Marcus:
(takes a sip, frowns) I'll make a fresh pot. Where do we keep the filters?
Priya:
Third drawer, on the left. Oh, and the pot has a crack in it. Don't fill it all the way or it leaks everywhere.
Marcus:
So the coffee is stale AND the pot is broken? We need to upgrade our breakroom.
Priya:
I put in a request to replace it two weeks ago. Still waiting.
Dev:
(entering) Morning, everyone. Hey — who left dishes in the sink again? Second time this week.
Priya:
I know. It drives me crazy. It only takes a second for each person to clean up after themselves.
Marcus:
And I'm pretty sure someone ate my lunch again yesterday. The one with my name on it.
Dev:
Same thing happened to me last week. Turkey sandwich, gone. Actually, I don't mind sharing, but when someone steals my food, then I have to steal someone else's. (laughing)
Priya:
What if we set up a shared shelf — people bring in stuff to share, like big bags of chips, nuts, or cookies? People might be less tempted to steal someone else's lunch from the fridge.
Dev:
I love that idea. Hey, we should remind Sarah that she hasn't brought us any cupcakes in a while.
Marcus:
I'll bet she'll be happy to be first on our newly designated shared shelf. I'll print up a label to paste on the shelf.
Priya:
I'll talk to Parker, ask him to allocate a little bit of our budget to upgrade this room — at least get a new coffee maker.
Dev:
I'll bring donuts tomorrow. I'm going past the bakery on my way in anyway.
Marcus:
Speaking of Parker, I heard he's getting ready to retire. (to be continued…)
Mini-Dialogues: The Breakroom
These short exchanges use language from everyday office life. Click Show answer to check the response.
A: This coffee tastes terrible. Is it fresh?
B: Probably not. I think someone made it before the morning meeting.
A: Did you eat the yogurt on the second shelf? It had my name on it.
B: No, that wasn't me. You should send a message to the whole team about it.
A: Who's going to clean up all these dishes?
B: I have no idea, but it's not going to be me. I cleaned up last time.
A: Are there any snacks left from yesterday?
B: There might be some chips on the shared shelf. Help yourself.
A: The microwave is making a strange noise. Has anyone else noticed?
B: Yeah, it's been doing that for a week. Someone should put in a request to get it checked.
A: Is there a coffee shop nearby? I can't face this stuff anymore.
B: There's one on the corner, about a five-minute walk. Their cold brew is amazing.
A: I'm making a coffee run. Does anyone want anything?
B: Oh, yes please. A medium oat latte, no sugar. I'll send you the money.
Comprehension Questions
Think about your answer first, then click to compare.
-
The coffee is stale — it's old and doesn't taste fresh.
-
It has a crack in it. If you fill it all the way, it leaks everywhere.
-
Yes — she put in a request to replace it two weeks ago, but nothing has happened yet.
-
Someone left dirty dishes in the sink — and it has happened twice that week already.
-
Someone ate it, even though it had his name on it.
-
Because sharing should be a choice — someone took his food without asking. He makes a joke that when someone steals his food, he has to steal someone else's.
-
She suggests setting up a designated shared shelf where people can bring items to share — like chips, nuts, or cookies — so people are less tempted to take food from the fridge.
-
Marcus will print a label for the shared shelf. Priya will talk to Parker about allocating budget for a new coffee maker. Dev will bring donuts the next morning.
-
Marcus says he's heard that Parker — presumably their manager — is getting ready to retire.
Language Focus: Complaining Politely
In the dialogue, the characters complain about breakroom problems — but they stay friendly and even find humor in the situation. Notice how they use softening language to avoid sounding aggressive.
Too Direct ✗
"Someone always leaves dirty dishes."
More Natural ✓
"Who left dishes in the sink again?"
Using again signals frustration without blaming a specific person.
Too Direct ✗
"Someone stole my lunch."
More Natural ✓
"I'm pretty sure someone ate my lunch."
Pretty sure softens the accusation — you're not 100% certain, so you don't sound aggressive.
Too Direct ✗
"You need to clean up after yourself."
More Natural ✓
"It only takes a second for each person to clean up after themselves."
Speaking in general terms ("each person") avoids putting one individual on the spot.
Try it: Rewrite these complaints using softer, more natural language.
- "Stop eating my food from the fridge."
- "Nobody ever makes fresh coffee."
- "The breakroom is always a mess."
Discussion
- 1 What are the most common complaints people have about shared spaces at work or school? Have you experienced any of the problems in this dialogue?
- 2 Dev says he doesn't mind sharing — but he does mind when someone takes without asking. What is the difference? Do you agree?
- 3 Priya, Marcus, and Dev each volunteer to do something to fix the breakroom situation. Is this a realistic reaction, or do you think most people would just complain and do nothing? Why?
- 4 Marcus mentions that Parker might be retiring. Why do you think he brings this up at the end of the conversation? What might this mean for the team?
Coming up in Unit 2…
The team discusses the rumor of Director Parker's retirement, and who will replace him.