Making Requests and Saying No in a Hierarchical Office.

Singapore workplaces can feel more hierarchical than many European offices, yet emails and spoken requests are often short and direct. In this lesson, you practise balancing that mix. You follow a story where you need to ask your boss for time off, push back on an unrealistic deadline and respond to a junior who wants your help. You learn how simple words like can and cannot carry a lot of weight, and how phrases such as can, but maybe need more time and let me get back to you soften refusal. You also notice the local use of already, yet and still in sentences like I sent already and You receive yet, so you can understand colleagues more easily. By the end, you can make requests and say no or not yet in a way that is honest, respectful and recognisably Singaporean in tone.

1. Asking your boss for time off.

Let’s start with a very typical Singapore office situation. You are still quite new in the company, your boss is busy, and you need to ask for a few days of leave. You want to be clear, not shy, but you also do not want to sound like you are demanding something. In this lesson, we will follow Alex, a new regional analyst who has just moved to Singapore. Alex wants to take two days off next month for a close friend’s wedding. His boss, Ms Tan, is friendly but very fast and direct. In some cultures, people give a long explanation before making a request. In Singapore, because work is fast-paced, people often prefer a short, efficient request, plus one or two polite softening phrases. In this first scene, you will see and then listen to how Alex asks for leave in spoken English. Pay attention to how he uses can, a clear request, and a short reason. After that, you will answer a few simple questions to check that you caught the key information and the tone.

Scene: Alex asks his Singaporean boss for leave.

Alex has been in his new Singapore office for three weeks. He wants to take time off next month for a friend’s wedding. His boss, Ms Tan, has just finished a quick meeting and is about to walk back to her desk.

Dialogue

> Alex: Hi Ms Tan, do you have a minute?

>

> Ms Tan: Ya, can. What’s up?

>

> Alex: I’d like to take two days off next month, on the 14th and 15th, to attend a close friend’s wedding. Can I trouble you to approve my leave?

>

> Ms Tan: Next month ah… should be ok. Any big deadlines that week?

>

> Alex: The Q3 report is due the week after, so I can finish the draft earlier.

>

> Ms Tan: Ok can. Submit the leave request in the system, I’ll approve by tomorrow.

>

> Alex: Thank you, Ms Tan.

>

> Ms Tan: No problem.

In the audio you will hear next, notice how short and efficient this request is. Alex does not give a long life story. He includes:

1. A clear purpose: "I’d like to take two days off next month."
2. Specific dates: "on the 14th and 15th".
3. A polite request phrase: "Can I trouble you to approve my leave?"
4. A small reassurance about deadlines: "I can finish the draft earlier."

Useful request phrases.

Here are some very typical Singapore-style request sentences:

• "Can I trouble you to approve my leave?"
• "I’d like to take two days off next month."
• "Is it ok if I’m away on Thursday and Friday?"
• "If no issue, can help to approve by today?"

These sound polite but not too long. The word can is very important. It is short, but in Singapore it already carries the meaning of "Is it possible?" or "Do I have your permission?"

When you ask your boss for time off here, try to:

• Be direct and specific about the dates.
• Use can plus a polite verb: "Can I trouble you…", "Can approve…".
• Add one short reason or reassurance, not five.

In the activity below, you will listen to a similar version of this conversation and then answer questions about what Alex actually said.

Practice & Feedback

Listen carefully to the short conversation between Alex and his boss. You have already read one version on the screen, but in this audio the wording is slightly different and sounds more natural for real life. After listening, please write short answers in full sentences to these three questions:

1. Which exact dates does Alex want to take leave?
2. What reason does he give for taking leave?
3. How does Ms Tan respond to his request, and what action does she ask Alex to take?

Write your answers in one small paragraph or three short numbered sentences. Do not worry about perfect grammar; focus on including the key information and using any useful phrases you remember, such as "I’d like to take…" or "Can I trouble you…". I will then check if you understood the conversation and help you improve your phrasing.

2. Using can and cannot politely.

Now that you have seen how Alex asked for leave, let’s zoom in on two very small but powerful words in Singapore workplaces: can and cannot. They look simple, but they carry a lot of meaning here. A short answer like "Can" can already mean, "Yes, that is possible, I agree," and sometimes even, "Yes, I will do it." At the same time, if you say just "Cannot" to your boss or a client, it can sound very strong or even rude, especially if you are not close. In this block, we will look at how people in Singapore use can and cannot with a few extra words to sound both efficient and polite. We will compare some neutral international English sentences with more local-style versions, and you’ll practise rewriting them. As you work through the examples on the screen, pay attention to how short phrases like "Can, but maybe need more time" or "I don’t think we can commit to today" make a big difference in tone without becoming long and wordy.

Can and cannot in a Singapore office.

In many textbooks, you learn long sentences such as "Yes, that will be possible" or "I’m afraid that won’t be possible". In Singapore, especially in fast-moving offices, people often use can and cannot with just a few extra words.

Look at these examples:

Notice these patterns:

• A bare "Can" or "Cannot" sounds okay between close colleagues, but can feel too strong with seniors or clients.
• Adding just a few words makes the tone softer:
• "Can, but maybe need more time."
• "Can, but I’ll need support from the design team."
• "Cannot today, a bit difficult with current resources."

Softening with short extra phrases.

Here are some very common softening chunks you can attach to can and cannot:

• "Can, but maybe need more time."
• "Can, but I’ll check the details first."
• "I don’t think we can commit to today."
• "It’s a bit difficult with current resources."
• "Maybe we can try another approach."

You can mix and match:

• "Can, but maybe need more time. I don’t think we can commit to today, maybe tomorrow morning."

This sounds honest but still respectful.

In the activity for this block, you will change some very direct sentences into more Singapore-style polite versions using can and cannot plus a short softening phrase.

Practice & Feedback

Read the example sentences in the resource box. They show three very direct replies that might sound too strong or too long in a Singapore office. Your task is to rewrite each sentence in a more local, polite style using can or cannot plus a short softening phrase.

Please:

• Write three rewritten sentences (one for each original sentence).
• For each one, keep the same basic meaning, but make it sound more natural for a Singapore workplace.
• Try to use at least one of these patterns:
• "Can, but maybe need more time."
• "I don’t think we can commit to today."
• "It’s a bit difficult with current resources."
• "Let me get back to you on that."

You can write them as a short numbered list, like 1).

2).

3). I will check your tone, how you use can/cannot, and suggest more natural local phrasing if needed.

Here are three direct replies that we want to adjust:

To your boss:

• Original: "Yes, I can finish this by today, but I will be very stressed."

To a peer colleague:

• Original: "No, I cannot join the 6pm call. I have another meeting."

To a junior asking for urgent help:

• Original: "Yes, I can help you now."

3. Pushing back on a tight deadline.

Next, let’s move to another common but sensitive situation in a hierarchical office: you receive a deadline from your boss that is not realistic. Maybe in your previous workplace you would argue quite directly, but here, people usually still want to show respect while saying no. In this scene, Alex’s boss asks him to deliver a full client report by today, but he knows he cannot do a good job in that time. He needs to push back, explain the problem, and suggest an alternative, without sounding lazy or uncooperative. On the screen, you’ll see their short conversation. Notice the mix of can and cannot, plus soft phrases like "a bit tight" and "maybe need more time". After reading, you’ll write one key sentence where Alex proposes a new deadline. This is the kind of sentence you can reuse many times in real life when a boss or client’s request is too fast.

Scene: Alex negotiates a deadline with his boss.

It’s Wednesday morning. Alex is working on some data when Ms Tan messages him on chat and then comes over to his desk.

> Ms Tan: Alex, the client just asked for the full report by end of today. Can or not?

>

> Alex: Today ah… I think a bit tight. We still need to clean the data and check with finance.

>

> Ms Tan: But they want to review tomorrow morning.

>

> Alex: Can, but maybe need more time. If we rush, the numbers may not be accurate. I don’t think we can commit to today.

>

> Ms Tan: Then how?

>

> Alex: Maybe we can send them the executive summary today, and the full report by Friday morning?

>

> Ms Tan: Hmm. Ok lah. You email them and explain the plan, copy me in.

Language to push back without sounding negative.

Look at how Alex balances honesty and respect:

• He starts with a gentle comment: "Today ah… I think a bit tight."
• He uses can in a softening way: "Can, but maybe need more time."
• He avoids a very strong "No, that’s impossible". Instead, he says:
• "I don’t think we can commit to today."
• He quickly offers a concrete alternative:
• "Maybe we can send them the executive summary today, and the full report by Friday morning."

In Singapore, when you push back on a deadline, it helps to:

Start with a mild comment about difficulty:

• "A bit tight."
• "A bit difficult with current resources."

Use we instead of I sometimes, to show it is a team or capacity issue:

• "I don’t think we can commit to today."

Offer a clear Plan B:

• "Can we extend until Friday?"
• "Maybe we can send a draft first, then final version next week."

In the next activity, you will practise writing a one-sentence proposal that pushes back politely and offers a new deadline.

Practice & Feedback

Imagine you are Alex in this situation. Your boss has just asked for a full report by today, but you know that is not realistic. You want to:

• Be honest about the problem.
• Show respect for your boss.
• Offer a specific alternative deadline.

Write one or two sentences where you:

1. Softly say that today is too tight, using a phrase like "a bit tight", "a bit difficult" or "I don’t think we can commit to today".
2. Suggest a new deadline, for example "Can we extend until Friday?" or "Maybe we can send a draft today and the full report next Monday."

Try to use can and at least one softening phrase from the lesson, such as "Can, but maybe need more time" or "It’s a bit difficult with current resources". I will check your tone and help you polish the sentence into natural Singapore office English.

Useful chunks you can use:

• "Today ah, I think a bit tight."
• "Can, but maybe need more time."
• "I don’t think we can commit to today."
• "The deadline is a bit tight for us."
• "Can we extend until Friday?"
• "Maybe we can send a summary first, then the full report later."

4. Already, yet and still in work updates.

So far, we have focused on can and cannot when asking and refusing. Now we’ll look at three very small words that you will hear all the time in Singapore updates: already, yet and still. Colleagues may say things like, "I sent already", "You receive yet?", or "We are still waiting for confirmation." If you learned British or American English, some of these sentences may sound incomplete to you, but here they are extremely common. In this block, I want you to notice how these words help people give quick status updates without long grammar structures. On the screen, you’ll see short pairs of sentences: a more standard international version, and a typical Singapore office version. After that, you’ll practise rewriting a few updates using already, yet and still so that you can both understand and use this style when it feels appropriate.

Quick updates with already, yet and still.

In many Singapore offices, people like to give very short status updates. Three key words help a lot:

• already – something is completed.
• yet – asking if something is completed.
• still – something is ongoing or delayed.

Look at these pairs:

Completed tasks (already)

• More international: "I have sent the file to the client already."
• Common local: "I’ve sent the file already."
• Even shorter in chat: "Sent already."

Checking if something is done (yet)

• More international: "Have you received the update yet?"
• Common local: "You received the update yet?"

Ongoing or delayed (still)

• More international: "We are still waiting for confirmation from HR."
• Common local: "We are still waiting for confirmation."
• Short chat: "Still waiting for HR confirmation."

Why this matters.

If you only expect textbook English, you may be confused when someone writes:

• "I sent already."
• "You receive yet?"
• "We are still waiting for confirmation."

Actually, these are clear and acceptable in many internal Singapore contexts, especially in email threads and chats.

As an expat professional, you do not need to fully copy the most reduced style, but it’s useful to:

• Understand these patterns quickly.
• Use a light version when chatting with close colleagues, for example:
• "I’ve sent the file already."
• "You received the invite yet?"
• "We’re still waiting for finance."

Mini-practice.

In the activity below, you’ll rewrite some longer updates into a slightly more local, concise style using already, yet or still. Focus on being clear first, and then on sounding natural.

Practice & Feedback

Below, you will see three longer update sentences. Your task is to rewrite each one in a more concise, Singapore-style way, using already, yet or still.

Please follow these steps:

1. For each original sentence, decide if the task is done, not done or still in progress.
2. Use already for done, yet for checking, and still for ongoing.
3. Keep the meaning clear, but you can make the sentence shorter and closer to what colleagues actually say here.

Write your answers as a short numbered list (1, 2.

3). Try to use patterns like:

• "I’ve sent the file already."
• "You received the contract yet?"
• "We are still waiting for finance."

Don’t worry if you are not sure about dropping words; I will help you find a balance between your international style and local usage.

Rewrite these three updates:

1. "I have already completed the slides and shared them with the sales team."
2. "Have you received the signed contract from the client yet?"
3. "We are waiting for the vendor’s confirmation, so we cannot proceed with the payment."

5. Chatting with a junior about a request.

So far, we have looked at how you speak to your boss. But in a hierarchical office, you may also have juniors or interns reporting to you. The way you say can and cannot to them is different. You want to be clear about priorities, but also supportive, so they are not scared to ask for help next time. In this scene, imagine you are Alex a few months later. Now you have an intern, Jason, who messages you on Teams with an urgent request. He wants you to check his presentation today, but you are already busy pushing out another report. You can help a bit, but not immediately. On the screen, you will see a sample chat between a senior and a junior. Notice how the senior uses short, friendly language, a few local-style phrases, and still manages expectations about what is possible today. In the activity, you will join a similar chat-style conversation and write your own replies as if you are the senior guiding your junior.

Scene: Teams chat with your junior.

Imagine you are Alex. You are in the middle of finalising a report when your intern, Jason, messages you on Teams.

Sample chat

> Jason: Hi Alex, got a minute?

>

> Alex: Hey Jason, what’s up?

>

> Jason: I just finished the slides for Friday’s client meeting. Can you help me check today?

>

> Alex: Today a bit tight, I’m still working on the Q3 report. Can, but maybe need more time.

>

> Jason: Oh, I see. The director wants to see by tomorrow morning.

>

> Alex: Ok, like that ah. I cannot do full detailed review today, but I can skim and give high-level comments after 5pm. Can?

>

> Jason: Can, thanks! That already helps.

>

> Alex: No problem. Next time if urgent, try to send a bit earlier, ok?

What’s happening in this chat?.

As a senior, Alex needs to:

• Show he is not rejecting Jason as a person, only managing time.
• Use cannot in a way that still feels supportive:
• "I cannot do full detailed review today."
• Offer a realistic smaller help:
• "I can skim and give high-level comments after 5pm."
• Give gentle feedback about planning:
• "Next time if urgent, try to send a bit earlier, ok?"

Key phrases for senior-to-junior chats.

• "Today a bit tight, I’m still working on…"
• "Can, but maybe need more time."
• "I cannot do full detailed review today, but I can…"
• "Let me get back to you after 5pm."
• "Next time if urgent, try to send a bit earlier, ok?"

In the next activity, you’ll simulate a short chat with your own junior. You will write your messages as if you are typing them in Teams or WhatsApp.

Practice & Feedback

Now it’s your turn to act as the senior in a chat conversation. Imagine this situation:

Your junior, Lina, messages you at 4:30pm:

> "Hi, I just finished the proposal. Can you help me check everything by today? The manager wants to send tonight."

You are already busy and you cannot do a full detailed review today, but you can:

• Do a quick check of the first half now, and
• Look at the rest tomorrow morning.

Write a short chat-style conversation (4–6 messages total) including:

• Lina’s first message (you can copy or adapt the text above).
• Your replies as the senior, using phrases like "Today a bit tight", "Can, but maybe need more time", "I cannot do full detailed review today, but I can…".
• A small reminder for future planning, similar to "Next time if urgent, try to send a bit earlier".

Write it line by line, with names, like a real chat. I will respond as your teacher and comment on tone, clarity and local style.

Example opening from Lina:

> Lina: Hi, I just finished the proposal. Can you help me check everything by today? The manager wants to send tonight.

6. Full practice: your Singapore-style office day.

You’ve now seen our main characters and phrases in action: Alex asking for leave, pushing back on a deadline, and chatting with a junior; plus short updates with already, yet and still. In this final block, you will put everything together in one small performance task. Imagine a typical busy Singapore workday where you need to manage three things: asking your boss for permission, negotiating a deadline, and updating someone on the status of a task. You will write your messages as if they are real: one short email or message to your boss about leave, one short reply pushing back on a deadline, and one status update using already, yet or still. Don’t worry about being perfect. Focus on being clear, polite and efficient, and on using a few of the key phrases you’ve practised, like "Can I trouble you to approve my leave?", "Can, but maybe need more time" and "We are still waiting for confirmation." I’ll give you detailed feedback and a model answer so you can walk away with a ready-made script for your real life.

Capstone task: one busy day, three key messages.

Imagine this is your day in a Singapore office.

Morning – asking for leave

You want to take two days off next month for a personal reason. You decide to write a short message or email to your boss instead of catching them in person.

Late morning – pushing back on a deadline

A senior colleague asks you to finish a complex task by today, but you know that is not realistic if you want to maintain quality.

Afternoon – giving a quick status update

A teammate messages you to ask if you have sent the data to finance.

Your goal is to handle all three moments in a way that is:

• Clear and efficient (not five paragraphs),
• Respectful of hierarchy, and
• Recognisably Singaporean in tone, using some local-style phrases.

Useful language reminders.

• Requests to boss:
• "Can I trouble you to approve my leave?"
• "I’d like to take two days off next month, on [dates]."
• Pushing back:
• "Today a bit tight."
• "Can, but maybe need more time."
• "I don’t think we can commit to today. Can we extend until Friday?"
• Status updates:
• "I’ve sent the file already."
• "You received the update yet?"
• "We are still waiting for confirmation."

In the activity below, you’ll write three short parts in one answer. This will be your mini "script" for real office communication in Singapore.

Practice & Feedback

Write one combined answer with three short sections. You can label them A, B and C.

A. Message to your boss about leave

Write 2–4 sentences, as if in an email or Teams message. Include:

• what you are asking for (how many days, which dates),
• one short reason,
• a polite request phrase (e.g. "Can I trouble you to approve my leave?").

B. Reply pushing back on a deadline

Write 1–3 sentences replying to a colleague or boss who wants something by today. Say today is a bit tight, explain briefly why, and propose a new time.

C. Quick status update

Write 1–2 sentences using already, yet or still to update a teammate about a task (for example sending data or waiting for HR).

Keep each part short but clear, like real workplace communication. Try to use at least three lesson chunks in total (for example: "Can, but maybe need more time", "I’ve sent the file already"). I will check clarity, tone and local-natural wording, then give you specific suggestions and a model.

Example structure only (do NOT copy exactly):

A. "Hi [Boss Name], I’d like to take two days off next month, on [dates], to attend a family event. Can I trouble you to approve my leave?"

B. "Today a bit tight, as I’m still working on the Q3 report. Can we extend the deadline until Friday morning instead?"

C. "I’ve sent the data to finance already, we’re still waiting for their confirmation."