Ex. 5.12. Study these examples. Then work in pairs and practise making excuses and giving advice. Use the phrase ‘if only...’ to discuss the complaints that follow:

A 'There just are not enough hours in the day to do all the things I have to do. If only I had more time!

В ‘Well, why don’t you manage your time better? If I were you, I’d delegate more of my work’.

A 1 always have far too much to do, but I never get paid overtime. If only I wasn’t so overworked and underpaid.

В ‘It might be an idea to think about employing a secretary. And you should try saying ‘no’ when your boss gives you more work to do Maybe you could ask for a rise, too’.

1.  ‘My staff never seem to listen to me, so they always get things wrong I spend hours each day telling them how to do things properly’.
2. ‘Head office is always cutting my budget I never have enough money to do anything properly’.
3. ‘They never let me run things my way. Someone is always checking up on me. If it isn’t head office, it’s that regional manager who’s always on my back’.
4. ‘I’m always being interrupted in my office when I have an important call, or when I want to get down to writing a report’.
5. ‘The paperwork is unbelievable. I’m up to my eyes in it I have to read through a stack of papers in my in-tray every morning’.
6. ‘They’re always moving the goalposts. They give me a sales target to meet, then they raise it three months later’.
7. ‘I wish someone would tell me what’s going on in this place. I’m always the last to know about any new policy’.
8. ‘My area manager never praises me. I’d like more feedback from him, a pat on the back now and then. Frankly, I’ve no idea what he thinks of my work’.