It helps us improve our skills, avoid mistakes, and grow professionally. But how do you give and receive feedback correctly, especially when communicating in English? In this article, we’ll explore how to ask for assistance appropriately, how to provide it, and which phrases will help you do it naturally and effectively..
By the way, if you want to confidently communicate in English in a professional environment, consider Live English School. Here, you can practice real-life communication scenarios and learn how to give and receive feedback in English properly.
Why Is It Important to Give and Receive Feedback Correctly?
Feedback is not just criticism or praise; it is an opportunity to improve work processes, build trust in a team, and boost productivity. Well-delivered feedback motivates, while poorly given advice can be discouraging and even cause conflicts.
How to Ask for Feedback in English?
If you want to receive a colleague's or manager's opinion on your work, use polite and clear phrases. Here are some useful examples:
- Could you give me some feedback on my presentation? – Could you provide feedback on my presentation?
- I’d really appreciate your thoughts on my report. – I would really appreciate your opinion on my report.
- Is there anything I could improve in my approach? – Is there anything I could improve in my approach?.
- What do you think worked well, and what could be better? – What do you think went well, and what could be improved?
When asking for commentary, be open to constructive criticism. Simply asking, "Was everything okay?" won’t give you useful insights. Instead, specify what exactly you would like feedback on.
How to Give Feedback Properly?
When giving an opinion, it’s important to balance positive comments with constructive criticism. One of the most popular approaches is the sandwich method:
- Start with something positive.
- Mention areas for improvement in a constructive way.
- End with encouragement or a recommendation.
Useful Phrases for Giving Feedback:
- I really liked how you structured your report. One thing that might help is adding more examples. – I really liked the structure of your report. It might be helpful to add more examples.
- Your presentation was very engaging. Maybe next time you could slow down a bit for clarity. – Your presentation was very engaging. Perhaps next time, slowing down a bit could help with clarity.
- You did a great job on this project. One small improvement could be providing more data to support your points. – You did an excellent job on this project. A small improvement could be adding more data to support your arguments.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Giving overly vague feedback.
Phrases like «It was good» or «I didn’t like it» don’t provide useful information. Always specify what was good or what needs improvement.
- Using an overly emotional tone.
Maintain a professional tone to ensure your words are not perceived as personal criticism.
- Ignoring the context.
Criticism should be appropriate. For example, avoid criticizing a colleague in front of the entire team — it's better to discuss it privately.
How to Develop a Feedback Culture in a Team?
Feedback is a skill that requires practice. To foster a culture of open communication in your company:
- Encourage colleagues to give reactions regularly, not just at the end of a project.
- Use clear evaluation criteria so that opinion is understandable.
- Teach the team how to phrase constructive criticism.
- Utilize positive reinforcement to motivate and create a supportive team atmosphere.
If you find it difficult to express yourself freely in English or want to improve your communication skills, Live English School courses will help you confidently use professional phrases at work. Our corporate English lessons simulate real workplace scenarios and teach you how to give and receive feedback effectively.
Feedback is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. By using the right phrases in English, you can improve communication within an international team, foster mutual understanding, and achieve greater efficiency at work.