Warm-up
Conferences & Trade Fairs
Conferences & Trade Fairs
After this lesson you'll be able to...
- Use key vocabulary for conferences and trade fairs
- Ask polite indirect questions
- Introduce your company at a stand
- Ask a speaker a question after a talk
Get to know each other (3 minutes)
- Have you ever been to a conference or a trade fair? Where?
- What do you do at a big event where you know nobody?
- Do you prefer online or live conferences?
- What is a good question to ask a speaker?
Say it out loud
Ask politely. → Could you tell me where the registration desk is?
Fact worth knowing
Vocabulary
Key vocabulary
Useful phrases
| Could you tell me where the registration desk is? | Чи не підкажете, де стійка реєстрації? |
| Do you know what time the keynote starts? | Ви не знаєте, о котрій починається основна доповідь? |
| I was wondering if you could send me a brochure. | Цікаво, чи не могли б ви надіслати мені брошуру. |
| Here is my business card. | Ось моя візитівка. |
| We are exhibiting at Stand 24. | Ми представлені на стенді 24. |
| Could you tell me more about your product? | Чи не могли б ви розповісти більше про ваш продукт? |
| Do you mind if I ask a question? | Ви не проти, якщо я поставлю запитання? |
| It was a pleasure meeting you. | Було приємно з вами познайомитися. |
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
Indirect questions and polite enquiries
| Direct vs indirect | Direct: Where is the registration desk? Indirect: Could you tell me where the registration desk is? The word order after the question word is like a statement: subject + verb. |
| No do/does in indirect questions | Wrong: Do you know what time does the keynote start? Right: Do you know what time the keynote starts? |
| Yes/no questions → if / whether | Direct: Is the workshop free? Indirect: Could you tell me if the workshop is free? |
| I was wondering if … | very polite: I was wondering if you could send me a brochure. |
| Do you mind if …? | Do you mind if I ask a question? — Not at all. / Of course not. To agree, say Not at all (not “Yes”). |
Which sentence is correct?
Complete with the correct word
Rewrite it
Make each question more polite (indirect). 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
Ask one polite question at an event. → Could you tell me …?
Reading
Read: a conversation at a trade fair
At Stand 24 — Tech Expo 2025
Visitor: Good morning. Could you tell me what your company does?
Exhibitor: Of course. We make smart lights for offices. They save up to 40% of energy. Here is a brochure.
Visitor: Thank you. I was wondering if you could tell me how much they cost.
Exhibitor: A set for a small office costs about 1,200 euros. Do you know how many rooms you have?
Visitor: We have twelve. Do you mind if I take a photo of the stand?
Exhibitor: Not at all. Here is my business card. Please call me next week, and I will send you a quotation.
Visitor: Great. It was a pleasure meeting you.
True or false?
The exhibitor makes smart lights.
The lights save up to 60% of energy.
A set for a small office costs about 1,200 euros.
The visitor has six rooms.
The exhibitor gives the visitor a business card.
Answer the questions
What does the company make?
How much does a set cost for a small office?
How many rooms does the visitor have?
What will the exhibitor send next week?
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
- Would you buy the smart lights? Why or why not?
- What other question could the visitor ask?
- How can you make a good first impression at a stand?
Practice
Picture the situation
Register → Visit stands → Ask questions → Follow up. The real value of a fair is in the contacts you make and keep.
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 visitor, an exhibitor or a speaker. Ask polite indirect questions and introduce your company. Use Could you tell me …? / Do you know …? / I was wondering if … / Do you mind if …?
Registering
Task: ask where to register and what time the event starts.
Starter: "Good morning. Could you tell me where the registration desk is? And do you know what time the keynote starts?"
Visiting a stand
Task: ask a company about its product.
Starter: "Excuse me, could you tell me what your company does? I was wondering how much the product costs."
Introducing your stand
Task: you are an exhibitor. Introduce your company in two sentences.
Starter: "Welcome to our stand. We make smart lights for offices, and they save up to 40% of energy."
Exchanging contacts
Task: offer your business card and ask for the visitor’s.
Starter: "Here is my business card. Could I have yours, too? I will send you a quotation next week."
Asking a speaker
Task: ask a polite question after the talk.
Starter: "Thank you for the interesting talk. Do you mind if I ask a question? Could you tell me how the project started?"
Making small talk
Task: talk to a stranger between sessions.
Starter: "Hello. Is this your first time here? Do you know if the workshop in room B is free?"
Leaving politely
Task: end a conversation at the fair.
Starter: "It was a pleasure meeting you. I have to go to the next workshop, but I will email you tomorrow."
Full conversation — no stops
With your tutor, role-play a visit to a trade fair: register, visit a stand, ask indirect questions, exchange cards and leave politely — entirely in English.
Let's talk — reflection
- Is it easy for you to start a conversation with a stranger?
- What is the most useful phrase from today?
- Would you like to exhibit at a fair? Why?
Cool down
Now I can...
- Use key vocabulary for conferences and trade fairs
- Ask polite indirect questions
- Introduce your company at a stand
- Ask a speaker a question after a talk
Quick self-check
What is the word order in an indirect question?
What do we use in an indirect yes/no question?
How do we say yes to “Do you mind if …?”
One more thing before you go
Ask your tutor one polite question. → Could you tell me …?
Homework
Words to remember
| a conference | конференція |
| a trade fair | торгова виставка |
| a delegate | делегат, учасник |
| an exhibitor | експонент, учасник виставки |
| a stand | стенд |
| a keynote speaker | основний доповідач |
| a workshop | воркшоп, практичне заняття |
| a brochure | брошура |
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 a short conversation (8 lines) between a visitor and an exhibitor at a trade fair. Use at least four indirect questions.
Practise out loud
Say both parts of your conversation aloud, changing your voice.
Read aloud
Read the text “a conversation at a trade fair” 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