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B1 · Intermediate · Pitching Ideas · 264 words · ~2 min read

💡 The Pitch That Went Sideways

Language focus: Pitching ideas · expressing doubt & agreement

The London Startup Mystery

Before you read

This episode is a masterclass in hedged disagreement — the register English uses when you need to object without causing offence. Collect every softening phrase as you read; they are more useful in professional life than any tense.

By the end of her first week, Maya was asked to pitch a logo concept for Aurora, the agency’s biggest client. She had stayed up late preparing, but as the meeting began, her confidence wavered. “Just be yourself, and back up your ideas with solid reasons,” Tom whispered encouragingly.

Maya clicked to her first slide. “I’ve come up with three directions,” she explained. “This one is bold and modern, although I’ll admit I have my doubts about the colour.” Priya nodded thoughtfully. “I like the fact that you’re being honest. Let’s make sure we’re all on the same page before we take it any further.”

A senior designer raised an objection. “I’m not entirely convinced the typography works,” he said. Rather than panicking, Maya stayed calm. “That’s a fair point. Could I run a revised version by you tomorrow?” The room seemed to relax; she had handled the criticism gracefully and without taking it personally.

“Honestly, that took guts for a first pitch,” Priya said afterwards. “You’re clearly not afraid to think outside the box.” Maya glowed with quiet pride. Yet on her way back to her desk, her eyes drifted once again towards Daniel’s dusty, abandoned notebook.

She had rehearsed the opening three times the night before, and none of it survived contact with the room. What saved her was admitting the doubt out loud rather than hoping nobody would notice it.

The revised version went over well the following afternoon. Priya said only, “Better,” which from Priya counted as praise, and the senior designer nodded once without looking up from his screen.

Key vocabulary (6 words)

pitchnoun
A presentation in which you try to persuade people to accept an idea.
conceptnoun
An idea or plan for something.
confidencenoun
The feeling of being sure about yourself and your abilities.
objectionnoun
A reason why you disagree with something.
typographynoun
The style and arrangement of printed text.
feedbacknoun
Comments about how good or useful something is.

Phrasal verbs in this episode

  • come up with — To come up with means to think of an idea or plan.
  • run by — To run something by someone means to show it to them for their opinion or approval.
  • back up — To back up an idea means to support it with reasons or evidence.

Idioms in this episode

  • on the same page — To be on the same page means to understand and agree about something.
  • think outside the box — To think outside the box means to think in a creative, original way.

The grammar in this episode

Hedging is grammar, not politeness decoration

“I’ll admit I have my doubts about the colour.” “I’m not entirely convinced the typography works.” English rarely says this is wrong. It says I’m not convinced, I have my doubts, that’s a fair point. These are fixed frames, and using the blunt version instead reads as aggressive rather than direct.

Could I…? for a proposal

“Could I run a revised version by you tomorrow?” Could turns what could sound like a demand into an offer. Compare I will run a revised version by you, which announces rather than asks. The verb after could is always bare: run, not to run.

run something by someone

A three-part phrasal verb meaning to show someone an idea for their reaction. It is obligatorily separated: run it by you, run the design by Priya — never run by you it. Back up in “back up your ideas with solid reasons” is separable too: back them up.

the fact that as a noun clause

“I like the fact that you’re being honest.” This structure turns a whole clause into something you can like, dislike or worry about. It is very common in spoken professional English and lets you comment on a situation rather than on a person — a useful distinction in feedback.

Phrases you can reuse today

I’m not entirely convinced.
The standard hedged objection. Softer than I disagree.
That’s a fair point.
Accepts criticism without conceding the whole argument.
Could I run a revised version by you?
Three-part phrasal verb, obligatorily split.
Let’s make sure we’re all on the same page.
Idiom: everyone shares the same understanding.

Comprehension quiz

  1. What does Maya pitch?

    • A logo concept for Aurora
    • A new office
    • A holiday plan
    Show answer

    A logo concept for Aurora

  2. How many directions did she come up with?

    • Three
    • One
    • Ten
    Show answer

    Three

  3. When the designer objects, Maya…

    • panics
    • stays calm and offers a revision
    • leaves the room
    Show answer

    stays calm and offers a revision

  4. “On the same page” means…

    • reading a book
    • in agreement
    • on page one
    Show answer

    in agreement

  5. “Think outside the box” means to think…

    • creatively
    • quietly
    • quickly
    Show answer

    creatively

  6. “Run a version by you” means to…

    • print it
    • show it for your opinion
    • throw it away
    Show answer

    show it for your opinion

Now use it yourself

Reading builds recognition; writing your own sentences is what turns it into something you can actually say. Three short tasks:

  1. Disagree with three statements using a different hedge each time.
  2. Ask a colleague for feedback using Could I…? and run by.
  3. Describe a time you received criticism well. What did you say?

All 20 B1 episodes

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