B2 · BUSINESS ENGLISH
1 📌 Discussion — bring your notes to class
Look at the picture and make notes. You will discuss these questions with a partner in class.
Two people sitting outside colourful podpad structures at an outdoor festival
1
Where do you think these structures (podpads) are used? Would you stay in this type of accommodation?
2
If a company wanted to test a new product at a festival, how would they find out if it was successful?
2 🎧 Listening — Make notes in the table
Listen to someone giving a research report about the use of podpads at a festival. Make notes in the table as you listen.
🔊 Track 3.5 — Research report: podpads
QuestionYour notes
Why did they do the research?
How did they do it?
What were the results?
What were the conclusions?

I'm here to report on our experiment with podpads at the Summerhouse festival last month. The purpose of our research was to find the best accommodation for visitors during outdoor festivals. We wanted to find out if people would pay to rent a podpad.

We did this by interviewing 50 visitors to the Summerhouse festival. First, we offered a free night in a podpad to the 50 people in our research. Then we interviewed them about their experience. Finally, we spoke to the farmers who allowed us to use their land. We asked them for their opinion of the podpads and also of the company that installed them.

We found that podpads were popular with visitors and farmers. The visitors were very happy with their accommodation and 75% of visitors said that they would pay to use them. The farmers also had no complaints. They commented that the podpads look attractive and they thought that the team who installed them were very quick and efficient.

So our research showed that the podpads were a big success. Our conclusion is that they are a great choice of accommodation for outdoor festivals and we recommend using them at our next festival.

3 Match the sentence halves — then listen again to check
Click a sentence beginning, then click its correct ending to pair them. Click a paired item to undo it. Then listen again to check.

👉 Click any beginning to select it (blue outline), then click the matching ending.

Sentence beginnings
1The purpose of our research was
2We wanted to find out
3We did this by
4Then we
5We asked
6We found that
775% of visitors said that
8Our research showed that
9Our conclusion is
10We recommend
Sentence endings
they would pay to use them.
interviewing 50 visitors to the festival.
podpads were popular with visitors and farmers.
using them at our next festival.
them for their opinion of the podpads.
to find the best accommodation for visitors.
the podpads were a big success.
if people would pay to rent a podpad.
that they are a great choice of accommodation.
interviewed them about their experience.
🔊 Listen again to check
4 How do these sentences continue? Sort the endings into groups.
Look at the sentence beginnings in each column. Drag the endings from the box into the correct group. What pattern do you notice?

Don't worry about grammar terms — just look at what kind of word or phrase comes next in each group.

interviewing 50 visitors
to find the best accommodation
that podpads were popular
using them at our next festival
to rent a podpad
that 75% would pay
speaking to the farmers
to find out if people would pay
that the podpads were a big success
asking for their opinion
that they are a great choice
We did this by ___
We recommend ___
We started by ___
The purpose was ___
We wanted ___
We asked them ___
We found ___
Our research showed ___
Our conclusion is ___
5 Complete the research report
A restaurant is researching new uniforms for its staff. Complete the report with the phrases in the box.
Finallywe recommendWe wanted FirstWe did this byshowed The purposeThen we askedthe majority

1 of our research was to find a company that creates original designs at a reasonable price. 2 to find a new uniform that was modern and attractive. 3 testing three different designs and then getting feedback from our customers and staff.

4 , we asked three different designers to produce a new uniform. 5 three of our staff to wear the uniforms for a week, and we asked customers what they thought of the designs. 6 , we asked the staff for their opinions.

Our research 7 that the most popular uniform with customers and staff was from Fatima Fashion. However, 8 of customers found that the colours weren't right for our image.

For this reason, 9 asking Fatima Fashion to provide two different colour designs.

6 📋 Your Research Project — Plan your report
Plan a short research report about a product, service or idea in your own field. Use the phrases from this lesson. You will present it to the class.
SectionYour notes
Purpose
What are you researching and why?
Method
How did / will you do the research?
Findings
What did you discover? Any numbers?
Conclusion
What does the research show overall?
Recommendation
What is your next step?