Something went wrong — Workbook
1. Vocabulary in context
Complete each sentence with ONE word or phrase from the box. Two items are extra.
- The payment gateway had 47 minutes of drop this morning, but only 12 checkouts actually failed.
- Manual invoicing is a drop for now — the real integration will be rebuilt next sprint.
- Let's not just patch the symptom. I want the drop before we close this ticket.
- We're going to drop the account manager on this so the client hears the update from us first.
- By way of a drop , we'll waive the delivery fee on your next three orders.
- I don't have the authority to approve this refund — I'll drop to my director.
- Only Ricardo knows the deploy password. That's a textbook drop .
- Tomorrow morning we'll run a 30-minute blame-free drop on this incident.
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2. Past simple vs. past continuous
Write the correct form(s) of the verb(s) in brackets.
- At 09:12, while the team ___ (run) the morning stand-up, the alert ___ (come) in.
- The driver ___ (fix) a warning light in Coimbra when our tracker still ___ (say) 'on time'.
- I ___ (draft) the reply to Marta when my manager ___ (call) me from the airport.
- We ___ (not hide) the problem — we ___ (still gather) the facts.
- What ___ (you / do) at 06:55 when the gateway ___ (recover)?
- The Ops team ___ (write) the incident note while Sales ___ (already speak) to the client.
- Between 09:30 and 12:30, three hours ___ (quietly / disappear) — and nobody ___ (notice).
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3. Communication register
Choose the option that would be appropriate in a professional client update.
First line of an incident email to a key account:
Which is a real apology?
Which sentence commits you the LEAST — and is therefore the least reassuring?
Which belongs in a blame-free internal review?
'The root cause appears to be…' is stronger than 'The root cause is…' because:
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4. Find and fix the mistake
Each sentence has ONE grammar or register mistake typical of A2+/B1 professionals. Rewrite it correctly.
- While the alert was come in, the team run their stand-up.
- I was writing the reply when suddenly my manager was calling me.
- Sorry if you feel we let you down.
- The driver didn't called because he thought he was on time.
- Mistakes were made yesterday and we all learned a lot.
- The system was crash at 10am while I have my coffee.
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6. Listening — incident-response voicemail
A team lead leaves a 60-second voicemail for a colleague who is off sick. Listen (or read the transcript) and answer.
- What is the caller's overall tone — and why is that a good choice?
- What specifically had ALREADY been done before the caller left the message?
- What does the caller explicitly tell the colleague NOT to do?
- Name the ONE corrective action mentioned.
Show transcript
Lucia (Team Lead):Hi Miguel — voicemail because I don't want to text you and make you stress. Short update on yesterday, so you're not blindsided when you're back.
Lucia (Team Lead):At 16:12 a client file with a discount error went out. Ana spotted it herself within four minutes and flagged it in the team channel. By the time the client called at 16:20, we had already prepared the corrected version.
Lucia (Team Lead):The workaround is in place, the client has been informed, and the ops team was already writing the incident note when I left the office at seven. So the fire is out.
Lucia (Team Lead):The one thing we're changing: from next Monday, any client file with figures needs a second named approver before it goes out. That's it. No committees.
Lucia (Team Lead):Please don't log in and don't reply — this is not your fire to fight from a sickbed. Get better. We'll walk through it together on your first day back.
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7. Writing — Incident update email (120–150 words)
You are the account manager. Write a 120–150 word email to a key client (Marta at Nordwerk) about yesterday's missing pallet. Include: (1) a one-line acknowledgement of impact, (2) the facts you have + the facts you don't, (3) a specific commitment with a time, (4) a goodwill gesture, (5) a proactive process change. Use AT LEAST three past-simple and two past-continuous verbs. Do NOT use 'mistakes were made', 'we'll do our best', or 'sorry if'.
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8. Case study preview
Look at this unit's Case Study. Answer briefly.
- What is the main challenge in the case for Unit 8, and which stakeholder is under the most pressure?
- If you were chairing the post-mortem for this case, what would be your ONE corrective action — and who would own it by when?
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