Learn English with The Good Fight

More film and television lessons

Hibiscus Teach · Series

The Good Fight

Stay Calm and Address the Problem

Refocus on an actionable concern, request a reason for dissatisfaction and agree a specific response.

B2 English target60-minute lesson target

Adult workplace drama. Any political references remain attributed fictional dialogue; tasks do not endorse political claims or provide legal advice.

Created by , British English teacher.

S2E12: Diane Resolves to Keep Calm During Chaos

Liz notices Diane responding calmly while their workplace faces several pressures.

Watch for: What does Diane decide she can focus on?

Original source

Clip A quiz: 6 questions

Answer about this clip. Replay when you need to. Choose one answer for each question.

1. What does Liz notice about Diane?
2. What alternatives to calmness are mentioned?
3. What question underlies Diane’s response to those alternatives?
4. What does Diane decide to concentrate on?
5. What distinction does the conversation make?
6. Who becomes part of the immediate practical focus?

1–2 minGrammar in a minuteB2 · A perfect passive describing an appointment
“have been put in charge of”

Clip 1, quotation excerpt

Have been put in charge presents an appointment affecting the people previously mentioned. The appointing agent is unnamed. Have put someone in charge would make those people the appointing agents instead.

New practice based on the quote: Which new active expansion preserves the unnamed appointing agent and the recipients?

Useful English

What can we usefully change today?

You say: Ask what can be clarified today.

One possible response

What can we usefully clarify today?

I cannot control everything, but I can address this part.

You say: Replace control with solve.

One possible response

I cannot solve everything, but I can address this part.

Keep talking: 3 questions

Speak before opening the help or example. With a partner, ask a follow-up. On your own, say your answer aloud.

  1. Does staying calm always mean being unconcerned?

    Help me start

    Appearance versus purpose.

    Show an example

    No. Someone may stay calm because they want to respond effectively rather than because the problem is unimportant.

  2. How would you reduce an overwhelming task to one action?

    Help me start

    Today I can…

    Show an example

    Today I can clarify the deadline instead of trying to solve every difficulty at once.

  3. Help a colleague choose one useful next step.

    Help me start

    Acknowledge the pressure; ask an action question.

    Show an example

    There is a lot to handle. What can we usefully change before the meeting?

S2E10: Fired

A client announces that he is moving his work elsewhere, and the firm tries to understand the decision.

Watch for: What information is needed before the conversation can move forward?

Original source

Clip B quiz: 6 questions

Answer about this clip. Replay when you need to. Choose one answer for each question.

1. What decision does the client communicate?
2. What practical issue follows that decision?
3. What does the exchange reveal about communication?
4. How does the office setting affect the exchange?
5. What does the firm need before acting on the transfer?
6. What remains separate from accepting the client’s decision?

1–2 minGrammar in a minuteC1 · A desired passive result after want + object
“the location where I want my files sent”

Clip 2, quotation excerpt

My files is the object of want; sent presents the desired passive result. The files are affected, not the senders. Where names the destination, and wanting the transfer does not prove it is complete.

Which expansion keeps the destination and the files’ passive role?

Useful English

Could you explain what has led to this decision?

You say: Ask what has changed since the last meeting.

One possible response

Could you explain what has changed since our last meeting?

Before we proceed, please confirm the next step.

You say: Ask to confirm the destination.

One possible response

Before we proceed, please confirm the destination.

Keep talking: 3 questions

Speak before opening the help or example. With a partner, ask a follow-up. On your own, say your answer aloud.

  1. How would you respond to an unexpected complaint?

    Help me start

    Acknowledge; ask for detail.

    Show an example

    I would acknowledge the concern and ask for one example before defending the service.

  2. What should remain professional when a customer leaves?

    Help me start

    Tone; practical arrangements.

    Show an example

    The tone and the transfer arrangements should remain clear even if the decision is disappointing.

  3. Ask for a reason and then one practical instruction.

    Help me start

    Why; what next.

    Show an example

    Could you explain what led to this? Also, where should we send the completed work?

Mastery: use your English

Apply language and ideas from both clips in new situations.

Mastery: 6 questions

Use the English in a new situation. Choose one answer for each question.

1. Move an anxious discussion towards one practical step.
2. A customer announces a change. Ask for the reason without contesting the right to decide.
3. Confirm a transfer instruction precisely.
4. Which reply distinguishes calmness from indifference?
5. A broad complaint is unclear. Choose a useful follow-up.
6. Summarise a disagreement and an agreed action.

Put it all together: speaking

Use English from both clips. Start with the two short questions, then take a private role each. On your own, practise both roles.

  1. How do the scenes contrast an internal response and an external request?

    Help me start

    Composure; clarification.

    Show an example

    One concerns how to respond to pressure. The other requires clear questions about a difficult decision.

  2. What would a useful response contain in both situations?

    Help me start

    Acknowledge; narrow; act.

    Show an example

    It would acknowledge the issue, identify the part we can address and agree what happens next.

  3. Can you reach a workable outcome together using the two private role cards?

    Private Role A

    You manage a training service. A client wants to change provider because materials arrived late. You know the final revised pack was sent yesterday, but the client may have an older email. Do not assume this explains every complaint.

    Private Role B

    You are the client. Your main concern is that the old pack had the wrong dates, not simply that it arrived late. Explain this only when asked for an example. You can agree to one final correction before transferring.

    Open only your own role card. Share its information by speaking, without showing the card.

    Help me start

    Discover the missing information; explain your constraint; respond to your partner; agree on a practical next step. Use language from both clips.

    Check your conversation

    • Complete the practical goal on both role cards.
    • Use at least three target items naturally, including language from each clip.
    • Ask a relevant follow-up and respond to information you did not know.
    • End with a clear agreement, next step or summary.
    Show an example

    A: Could you explain what led to the decision? B: The dates were wrong. A: Thank you; I had understood the concern was only lateness. The revised pack went yesterday. Could we check which version you have? B: Yes, but one attendee still needs it. A: I will send that copy by noon.

    Try again: The updated dates are correct, but one attendee has not received the pack. Agree a specific final action and time.

1–2 minGrammar masteryB2 · Where the negative belongs
“I've been asked not to say.”

From this lesson’s clip, quotation excerpt

In asked not to say, not belongs to the requested action. In not asked to say, it would instead deny the request.

Which active paraphrase preserves the scope of not?

Original teaching activities: Hibiscus Teach. Film and television clips belong to their respective owners.