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📝 Lesson Practice

⬜ Fill in the Blanks
⬜ Matching
⬜ Multiple Choice
⬜ Reflection
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🗣️ English Goal

Learn how to ask politely to cancel an order and confirm the cancellation.

💼 Workplace Goal

Practice cancelling a purchase order with a supplier and checking the order status.

💭 Warm-Up Question

Have you ever needed to cancel an order at work? What happened?

📖 Short Reading

Anna works in the purchasing department. She ordered 100 chairs from a supplier. The order number is 4567. After two days, she finds out the chairs are not needed now. Anna calls the supplier to cancel the order. The supplier says they can cancel if the chairs are not yet shipped. Anna asks when the chairs will be shipped. The supplier says the chairs will ship next Monday. Anna asks to cancel the order before the shipment. The supplier agrees and sends a confirmation email. Anna tells her manager the order is cancelled. She will check the new order needs tomorrow.

🔎 Check Your Understanding


1.
What did Anna order?


2.
Why does Anna call the supplier?


3.
When will the chairs be shipped?


4.
What does the supplier do after Anna’s call?

📚 Key Vocabulary

Word or phrase Simple meaning Example
cancel an order stop an order before delivery We need to cancel the order because of a change.
supplier a person or company that sells goods The supplier sent the invoice yesterday.
order number a special number for an order Please check order number 1234.
ship send goods to a buyer The supplier will ship the products tomorrow.
confirmation a statement that shows something is true or finished We received the confirmation of the cancellation.
quantity how many items are ordered The quantity ordered is 50 laptops.
delivery date the day goods arrive The delivery date is next Friday.
cancel before shipment stop order before goods are sent You can ask to cancel before shipment.
purchase order a document to buy goods I sent the purchase order to the supplier.
check order status ask about current order situation I called to check the order status.

💬 Useful Language

asking to cancel an order:
Can I please cancel the order number 4567?

asking about shipment:
When will the order be shipped?

confirming cancellation:
Can you send a confirmation of the cancellation?

checking availability to cancel:
Is it possible to cancel before shipment?

updating a colleague:
I have cancelled the order and got confirmation.

asking about delivery date:
What is the delivery date for the order?

💬 Dialogue

🙂 Alex: Hello Sam, can I ask you about order number 7890?

😀 Sam: Sure Alex, what do you need?

🙂 Alex: I want to cancel this order. Can you help me?

😀 Sam: Is the order already shipped?

🙂 Alex: I'm not sure. Can you check the shipment date?

😀 Sam: The order will ship on Friday next week.

🙂 Alex: Great, please cancel it before shipment.

😀 Sam: I will cancel it now and send a confirmation email.

🙂 Alex: Thank you, Sam. I will tell the team.

😀 Sam: No problem. Let me know if you need more help.

✏️ Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks

1.
Can I please ____ the order number 1234? (cancel / confirm / ship)

2.
When will the goods be ____ from your warehouse? (shipped / paid / counted)

3.
Please send a ____ of the cancellation. (shipment / order / confirmation)

4.
The supplier said we can cancel ____ shipment. (before / after / during)

5.
I need to check the order ____ before I call the supplier. (quantity / status / invoice)

6.
Can you ____ the cancellation email today? (ship / cancel / send)

🔗 Exercise 2 – Matching


1.
cancel an order

 


2.
confirmation

 


3.
supplier

 


4.
delivery date

 


5.
order number

 


Options:

  • a.
    a special number for an order
  • b.
    stop an order before delivery
  • c.
    statement showing something is true
  • d.
    a company that sells goods
  • e.
    the day goods arrive

✅ Exercise 3 – Multiple Choice


1.
What should you ask to cancel an order?


2.
According to the supplier, when can Anna cancel the order?


3.
What is a good next step after cancelling an order?


4.
What does a supplier mean by shipment?


5.
How do you update a colleague about the cancellation?

🧩 Mini Practice

Practice answering aloud.


Say: Can I please cancel the order number 2345?


Say: When will the order be shipped?


Say: Is it possible to cancel before shipment?


Say: Please send a confirmation of the cancellation.


Ask: Have you ever needed to cancel an order at work? What happened?


Say: Yes, I cancelled an order because the product was not needed.


Ask: What can you say to a supplier if you want to cancel an order?


Say: Can I please cancel the order before it ships?

💼 Workplace Action

Practice writing a short email to cancel a fictional purchase order and ask for confirmation.

📝 Reflection


Why is it important to confirm that an order cancellation was successful?

🧭 Lesson Summary

In this lesson, you learned useful English to cancel orders at work. You practiced how to ask for cancellation and confirm it. Keep practicing these phrases to communicate clearly with suppliers.

🔎 Answer Key

Check Your Understanding

  1. 100 chairs
  2. to cancel the order
  3. next Monday
  4. send a confirmation email

Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks

  1. cancel
  2. shipped
  3. confirmation
  4. before
  5. status
  6. send

Exercise 2 – Matching

  1. cancel an order = stop an order before delivery
  2. confirmation = statement showing something is true
  3. supplier = a company that sells goods
  4. delivery date = the day goods arrive
  5. order number = a special number for an order

Exercise 3 – Multiple Choice

  1. Can I please cancel the order?
  2. Before the chairs are shipped
  3. Ask for a confirmation email
  4. Sending goods
  5. I have cancelled the order and got confirmation
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