Business English Podcast · Meetings & Status Updates · Episode 25

Revising the Project Forecast During the Meeting

Ten minutes before the steering meeting your numbers are out of date. How to revise a forecast live — and gain credibility while doing it.

C1 · Monologue · 5 Min. · free

▶ Listen to the episode To the comprehension test +49 511 4739339

All episodesPodcast catalog →More gamesSimmonds English Games →

Editorially reviewed by James Simmonds – English teacher since 2004Published 11 September 2026

SceneMarkus tells the story of a supplier email that invalidated his entire budget forecast ten minutes before the steering meeting — and the exact language he used to revise the numbers live in front of the board.

0:00 / 5 Min.

Tip: listen to the episode twice before you start the test. · Worksheet (PDF)

✓ To the comprehension test

Markus — Programme manager, mechanical engineering

You may also like

Next episode: B1 · Explaining Why a Small Task Is Late · 3 Min.B1 · Giving a Quick Update on a Routine Task · 3 Min.B1 · Telling the Team What You Will Finish This Week · 3 Min.All podcast episodes →

Transcript

The full transcript opens after the comprehension test — so you train real listening instead of reading along.

German support

MarkusWelcome back to the Simmonds Business English Podcast. I'm Markus, and today I want to talk about a moment every project manager dreads: your forecast becomes obsolete ten minutes before you present it — and you have to revise it live, in the meeting, in front of the people who approve your budget.

MarkusThe setting was our quarterly steering meeting. I was due to present the cost forecast for a production line we are building for a client in Leeds. The figures had been signed off two weeks earlier. Then, at eight fifty, procurement forwarded me an email: our main supplier had announced a price increase on steel components, effective immediately.Der Einkauf leitete mir eine E-Mail weiter: Preiserhöhung mit sofortiger Wirkung.

MarkusI had two options. Present the old numbers and quietly correct them next month — or revise the forecast openly, in the room. I chose the second option, and I opened with one sentence: "Before we go through the figures, I need to flag a change that reached me this morning."„To flag" = etwas frühzeitig ansprechen, auf etwas hinweisen.

MarkusThen I quantified it, carefully: "The material costs in this forecast are based on April prices. As of this morning, they are roughly eight per cent higher, which puts the total budget at risk. My working assumption is an overrun in the region of two hundred thousand euros — but I want to stress that this is an estimate, not a calculated figure."

MarkusNotice the language there. "Roughly." "In the region of." "At this stage, this is an estimate." Advanced speakers do not pretend to have certainty they don't have — they commit to a range and label it honestly. Nothing destroys credibility faster than a precise number you have to retract a week later.Auf C1-Niveau nennt man eine ehrliche Spanne statt einer scheingenauen Zahl.

MarkusThe sponsor accepted the range, but he wanted a hard date: "We need the revised forecast by Friday." And here my colleague Jens, who was co-presenting, walked straight into a classic German trap. He answered: "No problem — you will have it until Friday." The sponsor frowned. Until Friday? What happens to it after Friday?

MarkusThe problem is the German word "bis". In German, "bis Freitag" covers both meanings. In English, they split: "by Friday" means a deadline — the action is completed at or before that point. "Until Friday" describes a state that continues up to that point and then stops: "I am in meetings until noon." So a deliverable arrives by Friday; a holiday lasts until Friday. Jens should have said: "You will have it by Friday."„bis" hat im Englischen zwei Übersetzungen: „by" für Fristen, „until" für andauernde Zustände.

MarkusI also asked for something in return — time to do the job properly: "I would rather give you a robust figure on Friday than an impressive one today." That sentence did more for my standing than any polished slide ever has. It tells the room that you value accuracy over appearance.

MarkusThe outcome? The board approved a contingency of ten per cent on the spot, and the revised forecast went out on Thursday — a day early. The lesson is simple: a forecast that changes is normal; a manager who hides the change is not. Flag it, quantify it with honest ranges, agree a deadline with "by", and deliver. Thanks for listening — and see you in the next episode.

Key phrases

forecast

a prediction of future figures, e.g. costs or revenue

The cost forecast is updated at every steering meeting.

to flag

to draw attention to an issue early

I need to flag a risk before we approve the budget.

as of

starting from a particular point in time

As of this morning, the supplier prices are eight per cent higher.

in the region of

approximately (used with amounts)

We expect an overrun in the region of two hundred thousand euros.

at this stage

at this point in the process

At this stage, the figure is an estimate, not a commitment.

robust

reliable and able to withstand scrutiny

Give me a robust figure, not a guess.

contingency

money or time reserved for unexpected events

The board approved a contingency of ten per cent.

steering meeting

a regular meeting where sponsors review and steer a project

The budget decision was taken in the quarterly steering meeting.

Language notes

In this episode a programme manager revises his budget forecast live in the steering meeting: flagging the change ("I need to flag …"), quantifying honestly with ranges ("in the region of") and agreeing a deadline with "by". You learn the C1 language for revising forecasts — and why German "bis Freitag" is "by Friday" in English, not "until Friday".

Honest ranges instead of false precision

Markus never states an exact figure he cannot defend. He works with "roughly", "in the region of" and "at this stage, this is an estimate". This graded precision is a hallmark of C1 English: the speaker signals exactly how reliable each statement is. A precise number you have to retract next week costs more trust than an honest range today.

The "bis" trap: by vs. until

German "bis" covers two English words, and the choice is not optional: "by Friday" marks a deadline — the action is completed at or before that point. "Until Friday" describes a state that continues up to that point and then stops ("I am in meetings until noon"). "You will have it until Friday" sounds to English ears as if the document disappears again on Friday. Rule of thumb: delivery takes "by", duration takes "until".

Selling German thoroughness as a strength

German business culture punishes hidden changes far more than surprising ones — and internationally the same holds, if the language is right: "I would rather give you a robust figure on Friday than an impressive one today" turns the delay into a promise of quality. Whoever flags a correction themselves controls the narrative; whoever conceals it leaves the narrative to chance — or to the steering committee.

Keep practising: Learn business English online — with real teachers from Simmonds, since 2004.

Frequently asked questions

What language level is this episode for?

Level C1 (CEFR). The monologue uses nuanced business English with graded certainty ("roughly", "in the region of"); the vocabulary list explains all eight key phrases bilingually.

How do I revise a forecast in English without losing credibility?

In three steps: flag the change immediately ("I need to flag a change"), quantify it honestly with a range ("an overrun in the region of …") and commit to a firm deadline with "by" ("You will have it by Friday").

What is the difference between "by Friday" and "until Friday"?

"By Friday" is a deadline: the action is completed on or before Friday. "Until Friday" describes a state that continues up to Friday and then stops. German "bis" covers both — which is why "until" for deadlines is the most common German error in scheduling.

Where can I practise these phrases live?

In the online business English courses from Simmonds Language Services (englisch-lehrer.com/online): live lessons with real teachers on Zoom, for companies and individuals across Germany — with a free consultation first, since 2004.

Are the voices real?

Episodes are produced with high-quality AI voices (Hume) and editorially reviewed by our trainer team — the same method as our interactive lessons.

Want to practise these phrases in a real conversation?

The podcast trains your ear — in our online lessons you practise the conversation yourself, with real teachers. For companies across Germany since 2004.

Online lessons with real teachers Book a free consultation

Call