Warm-up
Supply Chain & Logistics
Supply Chain & Logistics
After this lesson you'll be able to...
- Use key vocabulary for supply chain and logistics
- Describe a process with the passive voice
- Track an order and report a delay
- Ask politely about delivery
Get to know each other (3 minutes)
- Where do the things you buy online come from?
- Have you ever had a late delivery? What happened?
- What is the hardest part of moving goods from one country to another?
- Do you know how long it takes for a parcel to arrive in your city?
Say it out loud
Describe a process. → The goods are packed in the warehouse and then they are shipped to the customer.
Fact worth knowing
Vocabulary
Key vocabulary
Useful phrases
| The goods are packed and shipped on Monday. | Товар пакують і відправляють у понеділок. |
| Your order was dispatched yesterday. | Ваше замовлення було відправлено вчора. |
| The shipment will be delivered on Friday. | Партію доставлять у п’ятницю. |
| Could you give me the tracking number? | Чи не могли б ви дати мені номер для відстеження? |
| The container was delayed at customs. | Контейнер затримали на митниці. |
| Unfortunately, this item is out of stock. | На жаль, цього товару немає в наявності. |
| What is the lead time for this product? | Який термін виконання замовлення на цей товар? |
| We will restock next week. | Ми поповнимо запаси наступного тижня. |
Try out the new words
Say one sentence with a new word. → …
Say one phrase from the list about your work. → …
Which word is it?
Fill in the missing word
Choose the correct word
Translate the phrase
Write each phrase in English.
Grammar
The passive voice for processes
| Present passive: am/is/are + past participle | for regular processes: The goods are packed in the warehouse. The orders are sent every day. |
| Past passive: was/were + past participle | for finished actions: The order was dispatched yesterday. The goods were delayed at customs. |
| Future passive: will be + past participle | The shipment will be delivered on Friday. |
| by + agent | use by only if the doer is important: The goods are transported by DHL. Often we do not name the doer. |
| Questions | When was the order dispatched? Is the shipment tracked? Put the auxiliary verb before the subject. |
Which sentence is correct?
Complete with the correct word
Rewrite it
Change each sentence into the passive. Several answers are possible.
Correcting mistakes
Each sentence has one mistake. Write the correct sentence.
Put the words in order
Put the words in the right order and write the full sentence.
Say it about your own work
Describe one process at your company in the passive. → Our products are …
Reading
Read: an email about a delayed shipment
Subject: Your order No. 4417
Dear Ms Brown,
I am writing about your order No. 4417. The goods were packed on Tuesday and dispatched on Wednesday. The shipment was expected to arrive on Friday.
Unfortunately, the container was delayed at customs because some documents were missing. The documents have now been sent, and the shipment will be delivered on Tuesday.
I am sorry for the delay. You can follow the parcel with this tracking number: TR-90812.
If you need anything else, please let me know.
Kind regards, Mark Evans, Logistics Manager
True or false?
The goods were dispatched on Wednesday.
The shipment arrived on Friday.
Some documents were missing.
The shipment will be delivered on Monday.
Mark Evans gives a tracking number.
Answer the questions
Why was the container delayed?
When will the shipment be delivered?
What does Mark give the customer to follow the parcel?
What is Mark’s job?
Find the key language
Write the word (or phrase) from the text.
Fill in from the text
Why is this a good text?
Your own opinion
- Is the apology enough? What else could Mark do?
- How would you feel if you were the customer?
- How can companies prevent delays?
Practice
Picture the situation
Make → Pack → Ship → Deliver. In logistics, everything is tracked, so customers can always see where their goods are.
Match the phrase to its function
Put the words in order
Put the words in the right order and write the full sentence.
Fill in the missing phrase
Say it in your own words
Write one sentence. Several answers are possible.
Translate into English
Write each sentence in English. Several answers are possible.
A useful tip
Speaking
How to use this section
Your tutor plays a customer or a colleague. Describe processes, track orders and report delays. Use the passive: is/are + past participle, was/were + past participle, will be + past participle.
Describing a process
Task: explain how an order goes from the warehouse to the customer.
Starter: "First, the goods are packed in the warehouse. Then they are sent to the carrier, and they are delivered to the customer in three days."
Asking for tracking
Task: a parcel has not arrived. Ask for the tracking number.
Starter: "Good morning. My order has not arrived yet. Could you give me the tracking number, please?"
Reporting a delay
Task: tell a customer the goods are delayed.
Starter: "I am sorry to say that your shipment was delayed at customs. It will be delivered on Tuesday."
Out of stock
Task: an item is out of stock. Offer a solution.
Starter: "Unfortunately, this model is out of stock. It will be restocked next week, or we can offer a similar one now."
Asking about lead time
Task: ask a supplier how long an order takes.
Starter: "What is the lead time for this product? And is the order dispatched immediately after payment?"
Checking inventory
Task: talk to a colleague about stock levels.
Starter: "How many units are in the warehouse? The inventory was checked yesterday, and we need to restock."
Confirming delivery
Task: check the delivery date and the address.
Starter: "So the shipment will be delivered on Friday to the main warehouse. Is that correct?"
Full conversation — no stops
With your tutor, run through a short call: ask about an order, track it, hear about a delay and agree on a new delivery date — entirely in English.
Let's talk — reflection
- Which part of logistics seems the most difficult to you?
- How do you feel about waiting for a delayed parcel?
- How can technology help logistics?
Cool down
Now I can...
- Use key vocabulary for supply chain and logistics
- Describe a process with the passive voice
- Track an order and report a delay
- Ask politely about delivery
Quick self-check
How do we form the present passive?
How do we form the future passive?
When do we use by + agent?
One more thing before you go
Tell your tutor how a product is made and delivered in your company. → First, the product is …
Homework
Words to remember
| a supplier | постачальник |
| a warehouse | склад |
| a shipment | партія вантажу, відправлення |
| freight | вантаж, вантажні перевезення |
| a container | контейнер |
| customs | митниця |
| a tracking number | номер для відстеження |
| inventory | запаси, інвентар |
Fill in the missing word
Choose the correct form
Open the brackets
Correct the mistake
Each sentence has one mistake. Write the correct sentence.
Translate the phrase
Write each phrase in English. Several answers are possible.
Write it yourself
Write an email (6–8 sentences) to a customer about a delayed order. Use at least four passive sentences, give a new delivery date and apologise.
Practise out loud
Say your email aloud as if you were calling the customer.
Read aloud
Read the text “an email about a delayed shipment” aloud twice before the next lesson.
- 8.7 I did the writing task
- 8.8 I practised out loud
- 8.9 I read the text aloud twice