1. Introduction

Technological products are not always perfectly fault-free. There is a big problem when a fault endangers people´s lives; in such a case, companies usually recall their products. Unit 3a uses this context to teach you how to talk about events happening right now. You will see that if you do not know the agent of an action or if it is simply not desirable to mention it, you can use the passive present progressive tense. Furthermore, you will have a chance to study phrases typical of such product recalls. Surprisingly, there is often a discrepancy between the seriousness of a product fault and the “soft” and “cautious” language used in its recall. Of course, companies do not wish to discourage their customers from buying their products in the future.

 

Contents:

Grammar: Present Continuous Passive for actions happening now:

More than ten thousand packages of this medicine are being recalled.

"By" for indicating the agent: The cars are being inspected by BMW technicians.

 

Vocabulary: language of product recalls

  • expressions showing a decrease in certainty/probability: may, might, can, could (modals); a slight possibility, potential (other phrases)       
  • phrases showing a decrease in frequency: under certain conditions, in the unlikely event that, in very rare instances, in a few isolated cases
  • safety concerns: as a precaution; even though/although no accidents have been reported; take safety seriously