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Asking a Colleague for an Opinion on a Work Task

Initial Draft Review

You've finished a first draft of an important email to a client and want a colleague to quickly review it for clarity, tone, and any obvious errors before sending.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

1
Sarah (Female)
Hey Michael, do you have a quick minute? I just finished the first draft of that email to the client about the project timeline, and I'd love a fresh pair of eyes on it.
2
Michael (Male)
Sure, Sarah. What's up? Happy to take a look if it's not too long. Is it the official update or more of a heads-up?
3
Sarah (Female)
It's the official update. I want to make sure it's clear, the tone is right, and there aren't any weird typos. I'm especially keen on clarity around the new delivery date.
4
Michael (Male)
Got it. Send it over. I'll read through it right now and give you my thoughts. Anything specific you're worried about?
5
Sarah (Female)
Just that it's a slight delay, so I want to ensure it's communicated professionally and doesn't sound like we're making excuses. I'll forward it to you now.
6
Michael (Male)
Okay, checking my inbox. Ah, here it is. Give me five minutes.
7
Michael (Male)
Alright, Sarah, I've read it. Overall, it's really well-structured. For clarity, maybe explicitly state *why* the new date is the new date, even if it's brief. And I spotted a small typo in the third paragraph, 'recieve' instead of 'receive'. Otherwise, it looks good.
8
Sarah (Female)
Ah, great catch on the typo! And a good point about adding a brief reason. I'll make those two changes. Thanks so much, Michael, that was super helpful!
9
Michael (Male)
No problem at all! Glad I could help. Let me know if you need anything else.

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

fresh pair of eyes

An idiom meaning to get someone else's unbiased and new perspective on your work to check for mistakes or improvements. Use it when asking a colleague for a quick review.

heads-up

Informal term for a brief warning or advance notice about something. It's useful in casual work talks to clarify the purpose of a message.

keen on

Means very interested in or eager about something. In this context, it shows emphasis on a specific part of the work, like clarity in communication.

got it

A casual way to say 'I understand' or 'Okay, I see.' It's common in informal conversations to acknowledge information quickly.

typo

Short for 'typographical error,' meaning a small mistake in typing, like misspelling a word. Useful when discussing written work reviews.

great catch

An expression to praise someone for noticing and pointing out an error or good idea. Use it to thank a colleague for helpful feedback.

super helpful

Means extremely useful or beneficial. It's informal and positive, often used to express gratitude in team settings.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

Hey Michael, do you have a quick minute?

This is a polite, informal way to ask if someone has a short time to talk. It's useful for starting casual work requests; 'quick minute' implies it won't take long. Grammar: Simple present question structure.

I'd love a fresh pair of eyes on it.

Expresses a desire for someone to review your work objectively. Great for asking feedback in professional but friendly settings. 'I'd love' softens the request to make it polite. Useful pattern for collaboration.

Happy to take a look if it's not too long.

Shows willingness to help with a condition. 'Happy to' means glad or pleased; it's a positive response to offers for review. Use when agreeing to assist but setting gentle limits.

I want to make sure it's clear, the tone is right, and there aren't any weird typos.

Lists specific concerns for review using parallel structure ('it's clear, the tone is right'). Useful for explaining what kind of feedback you need. 'Make sure' means to verify or ensure something.

Send it over.

A casual command to share a document via email. Common in office talk; 'send over' is phrasal verb for transferring files. Use in quick, informal exchanges.

Overall, it's really well-structured.

Gives positive general feedback before specifics. 'Overall' summarizes the main impression; useful for constructive reviews to start positively. 'Well-structured' praises organization.

Thanks so much, that was super helpful!

Expresses strong gratitude. 'Thanks so much' is emphatic thanks; 'super helpful' intensifies usefulness. Use at the end of helpful interactions to build good relationships.