Discussions / Negotiation
Negotiation Conversation Questions for Adult ESL Classes
Use these 20 discussion questions about Negotiation to run a full speaking lesson with adult learners (B1–B2). Each part opens with a vocabulary warm-up, every question is labelled with the thinking skill it practises, and each part fills roughly thirty minutes of class time on its own.
Reviewed by Brando Oxley · 22 Aug 2026
Part 1
Everyday Negotiation and Finding Agreement
Focus: discussing everyday negotiation, priorities, compromise, communication, and ways people reach agreements
Think of one thing people might negotiate about, one action used during negotiation, and one feeling connected to trying to reach an agreement.
Describe each word without saying it directly. Your teacher or partner must guess the word.
EXPERIENCE
What kinds of things do people negotiate about in everyday life?
EXPERIENCE
Tell me about a situation when you had to reach an agreement with another person.
PREFERENCE
Do you prefer to say exactly what you want at the beginning of a negotiation or listen first? Explain your approach.
COMPARE
How is negotiating with a friend different from negotiating with a customer, coworker, or stranger?
COMMUNICATION
What communication habits can make a negotiation calmer and more productive?
PRIORITIZE
How do you decide which parts of a negotiation are important and which parts you are willing to compromise on?
PROBLEM-SOLVE
Two coworkers both want the same week off from work. How could they try to find a fair solution?
ADAPT
What should you do if the other person becomes angry or refuses to consider your suggestions?
EVALUATE
Is a successful negotiation always one where both sides get something they want? Explain your view.
RECOMMEND
What advice would you give someone who wants to become more confident at negotiating?
Part 2
Workplace Deals, Compromise, and Difficult Conversations
Focus: discussing workplace negotiation, salaries, deadlines, competing interests, difficult conversations, and long-term relationships
Choose one word from each category: Person: employee, manager, customer, supplier; Action: request, offer, refuse, compromise; Issue: salary, deadline, price, schedule; Feeling: confident, frustrated, nervous, satisfied. Use your four words to describe a short scene in two or three sentences.
DISCUSS
What situations at work commonly require negotiation?
COMPARE
How is negotiating about money different from negotiating about time, responsibilities, or working conditions?
COMMUNICATION
How can someone disagree strongly while still keeping a professional relationship positive?
PRIORITIZE
If you were negotiating a new job, which conditions besides salary would matter most to you?
PROBLEM-SOLVE
A client asks for a much lower price, but the company cannot afford to accept it. What alternatives could be offered?
BALANCE
How can someone protect their own interests without becoming too aggressive or unfair?
CULTURE
How might negotiation styles differ between cultures or countries?
EVALUATE
When is walking away from a negotiation better than accepting an agreement you dislike?
REFLECT
Can making a small compromise now sometimes create a better relationship or opportunity later?
RECOMMEND
What should someone prepare before entering an important negotiation?