Giving feedback has three steps: 1) say what is good (I really liked how you...), 2) suggest one specific improvement (It might be even better if you...), 3) encourage (Keep going!). When you receive it: Thank you, that’s helpful. I will think about it. Do not take it personally; the comment is about your work, not about you. Grammar: use the Present Perfect to state a finished result: I have revised the conclusion twice. Use the Continuous to stress the process: I have been revising it since lunch. When you listen to a lecture, write key words (note-taking), notice the structure (first, another point, in conclusion) and prepare questions.
Worked examples
I have been working on my speaking since January, and your comments have helped me to find my weak points.
Thanks to the feedback, I have corrected the spelling errors.
Class activity
Feedback sandwich: pairs give each other three-step feedback on a short presentation; then switch roles.
Practice
1
Give a positive comment about a classmate’s poster.
For example: I really liked your colourful diagrams.
2
Rephrase this criticism politely: “Your speech was boring.”
It might be even better if you added some examples to keep the audience’s attention.
3
Choose: I (have corrected / have been correcting) all the mistakes. They are all fixed.
have corrected
4
Why should feedback be specific?
Specific comments tell the learner exactly what to keep and what to change; general comments like “good” or “bad” do not help improvement.