72일차. ♣ Unit 5. Awkward situations - LESSON 3. MANAGING AN AWKWARD SITUATION - [Criticizing and responding to criticism]
[BOB] The door's a bit tough, so you might have to give it a hard pull.
[NANCY] I don't want my daughter making the same mistake I did, getting married young and then missing out on all those opportunities.
※ Criticizing and responding to criticism
*Criticism can either be direct, or indirect and more subtle. Direct criticism is usually perceived as more aggressive, and possibly even offensive. Study the direct criticism. Note that you would not speak like this to someone unless you were pretty angry at them.
You shouldn't have said that. What were you thinking?
You didn't! That was really stupid!
How could you be so careless?
I can't believe you did that! How rude!
*You may want to use indirect criticism in formal or professional situations, and is usually perceived as less aggressive.
It's not your place to tell her what to do.
It was inappropriate of you to say something like that.
You really don't have the right to criticize others.
I don't think you should have been so hard on him.
*How someone responds to criticism usually depends on how they have perceived it. Their response might be apologetic, guilty, defensive or aggressive. Notice that the final example is especially defensive, and could be considered rude.
I didn't mean to offend anyone.
What I was trying to say was something completely different.
I probably shouldn't have done that.
What gives you the right to criticize me?