How to give a quick and precise project update in English

Work in a fast-paced environment? Give an efficient update report by prioritizing your words. 

When you are giving a project update treat your words like your to-do list. Prioritze the most important ones and put them at the beginning of your sentences. 

Look at these two updates.

1.

“We will finish the restaurant in 10 days.
The contractors have completed the fixtures and fittings and the interior designer is in putting the finishing touches to it.
We have taken delivery of all of the kitchen equipment.
The haven’t sent the furniture yet.”

2.

“The restaurant will be finished in 10 days.
The fixtures and fittings have been completed and the interior is being worked on.
The kitchen equipment has been delivered.
The furniture hasn’t been sent yet.”

Which one do you think it most efficient?

Example one includes details about who is doing the tasks – “We”, the contractors and the interior designer.”
If you a need to be quick these bits of information are not important. The tasks should be the focus.
Focus words:
Fixtures and fittings.
The interior.
The furniture.

Example two puts the focus on the tasks by using the passive tense. It is precise and to the point. This is most efficient.

How to form the passive tense 
First find the word you want to focus on.
E.g. The furniture 
Next decide on the tense – past, present or future?
Put that tense in its verb ‘to be’ form.
Present simple – is 
Present continuous – is being 
Present perfect – has been 
Past simple – was 
Past continuous – was being 
Past perfect – had been 
Future simple – will be 
Future with going – is going to be

Finally

Use the verb in the past participle. What’s that? I call it verb 3. See below for examples.
VERB 1 VERB 2 VERB 3 
Go Went Gone 
Drive Drove Driven
Deliver Delivered Delivered 
Come Came Come 
Put Put Put 
Now you have your list of components to create an efficient sentence.
So next time, instead of saying: “They haven't sent the furniture yet.”
Try this instead: “The furniture hasn’t been sent yet.“
2019年2月13日
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Hello, I'm Abena Bailey from England and I offer English classes tailored to help people progress in their careers and the world of business. I have a degree in journalism - I worked as a newspaper journalist for 11 years before becoming a qualified teacher of English as a Second Language. I now have almost 10 years teaching experience and I focus on Business English, giving executives the essential language skills they need for everyday work and specific events in their schedules. I teach a number of executives from the global 500 companies. I take students from lower intermediate levels to advanced and also those who just want to practice fluency and sound natural.
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英語
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全新!
使用語言:
英語
母語
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德語
A2
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Hello, I'm Abena Bailey from England and I offer English classes tailored to help people progress in their careers and the world of business. I have a degree in journalism - I worked as a newspaper journalist for 11 years before becoming a qualified teacher of English as a Second Language. I now have almost 10 years teaching experience and I focus on Business English, giving executives the essential language skills they need for everyday work and specific events in their schedules. I teach a number of executives from the global 500 companies. I take students from lower intermediate levels to advanced and also those who just want to practice fluency and sound natural.
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