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💼English scenario

争取更多时间,但不显得手忙脚乱

争取更多时间时,听起来有条理、现实、且保持专业。

Scenario Goal

学完后你将能够争取更多时间、解释原因,并给出可执行的下一步。

Practice Flow

1

Start with the keywords that show up most often in this situation.

2

Learn the core phrase patterns before you try to respond on your own.

3

Then move into a dedicated practice session for scenario-specific feedback.

Keywords

The words most worth learning first for this situation.

1 / 14

deadline

/ˈded.laɪn/

noun

time by which something is due

截止日期;最后期限

I may need a little more time to meet the deadline.

Basic
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Details

deadline

/ˈded.laɪn/

截止日期;最后期限

使用说明

在工作场景里最常用的时间相关词。说“赶不上 deadline”或“需要更多时间”时都会用到。

例句

I may need a little more time to meet the deadline.

我可能需要多一点时间才能赶上截止日期。

📅

extension

/ɪkˈsten.ʃən/

noun

extra time allowed

延期;延长时间

Could I get a short extension on this report?

Basic
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Details

extension

/ɪkˈsten.ʃən/

延期;延长时间

使用说明

请求更多时间时的核心名词,比只说 “more time” 更具体、更专业。

例句

Could I get a short extension on this report?

这份报告我可以申请一个短延期吗?

🕒

delay

/dɪˈleɪ/

verb

postpone something for later

推迟;延后

I need to delay the handoff by one day.

Basic
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Details

delay

/dɪˈleɪ/

推迟;延后

使用说明

表示动作往后挪,既可以说自己需要 delay,也可以说项目会 delayed。

例句

I need to delay the handoff by one day.

我需要把交接推迟一天。

extra time

/ˈek.strə taɪm/

noun phrase

additional time available

额外时间

We just need a bit of extra time to finish this cleanly.

Basic
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Details

extra time

/ˈek.strə taɪm/

额外时间

使用说明

最直接的说法,适合口语、聊天和简短邮件;比单说 “more time” 更自然一点。

例句

We just need a bit of extra time to finish this cleanly.

我们只是需要一点额外时间把这件事做得更完整。

↩️

push back

/pʊʃ bæk/

verb phrase

move to a later time

把……往后推;延期

Can we push back the review until Thursday?

Intermediate
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Details

push back

/pʊʃ bæk/

把……往后推;延期

使用说明

工作里非常常见,既能说会议,也能说截止时间。比 “delay” 更口语、更像职场真实表达。

例句

Can we push back the review until Thursday?

我们能把复盘推到周四吗?

buy us some time

/baɪ ʌs sʌm taɪm/

verb phrase

create a short buffer

为我们争取一点缓冲时间

If we hold the release, it will buy us some time to test properly.

Intermediate
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buy us some time

/baɪ ʌs sʌm taɪm/

为我们争取一点缓冲时间

使用说明

很地道的职场说法,强调不是拖延,而是先争取缓冲,好把事情做扎实。

例句

If we hold the release, it will buy us some time to test properly.

如果我们先暂缓发布,就能争取一些时间把测试做扎实。

🧭

to be realistic

/tə biː ˌriː.əˈlɪs.tɪk/

verb phrase

to be practical and honest

现实一点;实事求是

To be realistic, I don't think we'll have this ready by Friday.

Intermediate
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to be realistic

/tə biː ˌriː.əˈlɪs.tɪk/

现实一点;实事求是

使用说明

用来解释为什么需要更多时间,语气成熟、不虚张声势。常见于汇报风险或改期。

例句

To be realistic, I don't think we'll have this ready by Friday.

实事求是地说,我觉得我们周五前做不完。

🛠️

working through

/ˈwɝː.kɪŋ θruː/

verb phrase

solving step by step

逐步处理;在逐项解决

I'm still working through a few issues on the draft.

Intermediate
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Details

working through

/ˈwɝː.kɪŋ θruː/

逐步处理;在逐项解决

使用说明

很适合解释“为什么还没完成”,听起来是在认真推进,而不是简单地没做。

例句

I'm still working through a few issues on the draft.

我还在逐步处理草稿里的几个问题。

👋

give a heads-up

/ɡɪv ə ˈheds ʌp/

verb phrase

warn or inform in advance

提前通知;先打个招呼

Just giving you a heads-up that I may need until Monday.

Intermediate
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Details

give a heads-up

/ɡɪv ə ˈheds ʌp/

提前通知;先打个招呼

使用说明

适合先预告可能会晚一点,语气轻松但仍然专业。比直接说“我会延迟”更缓和。

例句

Just giving you a heads-up that I may need until Monday.

先跟你说一声,我可能需要到周一。

👤

on my end

/ɑn maɪ end/

phrase

from my side or responsibility

在我这边;就我这边而言

There are still a couple of things left on my end.

Intermediate
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Details

on my end

/ɑn maɪ end/

在我这边;就我这边而言

使用说明

用来说明问题或延迟来源于自己这边,语气负责、自然,也常见于邮件和聊天。

例句

There are still a couple of things left on my end.

我这边还有几件事没处理完。

🧱

buffer time

/ˈbʌf.ər taɪm/

noun phrase

extra time for unexpected issues

缓冲时间

I’d like a little buffer time before we send this out.

Intermediate
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Details

buffer time

/ˈbʌf.ər taɪm/

缓冲时间

使用说明

比 “extra time” 更职场化,尤其适合项目、排期、交付前的现实安排。

例句

I’d like a little buffer time before we send this out.

我想在发出之前留一点缓冲时间。

📐

scope

/skoʊp/

noun

the full amount of work involved

工作范围;任务量

The scope turned out to be bigger than we expected.

Intermediate
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Details

scope

/skoʊp/

工作范围;任务量

使用说明

当任务比预期更大、需要更多时间时特别常用。能帮助你说明不是态度问题,而是范围变了。

例句

The scope turned out to be bigger than we expected.

任务范围比我们预期的要大。

📈

stretch the timeline

/stretʃ ðə ˈtaɪm.laɪn/

verb phrase

make the schedule longer

拉长时间表;延长进度安排

We may need to stretch the timeline by a few days.

Advanced
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Details

stretch the timeline

/stretʃ ðə ˈtaɪm.laɪn/

拉长时间表;延长进度安排

使用说明

偏项目管理表达,适合对经理或客户说明进度安排需要调整。比普通“延迟”更专业。

例句

We may need to stretch the timeline by a few days.

我们可能需要把时间表延长几天。

🎯

re-prioritize

/ˌriːpraɪˈɔːrətaɪz/

verb

change what gets done first

重新排序优先级

I need to re-prioritize a few items before I can finish this.

Advanced
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Details

re-prioritize

/ˌriːpraɪˈɔːrətaɪz/

重新排序优先级

使用说明

当你不是单纯拖延,而是因为要先处理更紧急的事情时,用这个词很专业。

例句

I need to re-prioritize a few items before I can finish this.

在完成这个之前,我需要先重新安排几个事项的优先级。

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How To Say It

Use these natural phrases to sound confident in real situations.

1保底说法
Could I have礼貌请求 a bit more time多一点时间 on this?
💡

Why it works

语气礼貌,不会太硬;“a bit more time”听起来自然,既不夸张也不显得在找借口。

More ways to say it

  • Could I get a little more time on this?
  • Would it be possible to have a bit more time?

Don't Say This

Common mistakes and how to sound more natural.

I need more time. Please wait.

Say instead

I’m going to need a bit more time on this.

💡

Native insight

中文里常会直接说“我需要点时间”,但英语职场里通常会把话说得更委婉一点,避免听起来像在临时通知对方。

Can you give me more time?

Say instead

Could I have a little more time on this?

👥

Native insight

中文里“能不能再给我点时间”很常见,英语里则更常用“Could I have...”这种更柔和的请求结构。

I’m sorry, I’m busy.

Say instead

I’m sorry, I’m tied up at the moment, but I can get back to you later today.

📍

Native insight

中文里一句“我现在很忙”就够了,但英语里如果想显得可靠,通常要顺手给出下一步时间点。

I can’t finish it by tomorrow.

Say instead

I don’t think I can have it ready by tomorrow, but I can send it over on Friday.

💬

Native insight

中文表达里“做不到”比较常见,但英语里为了保持专业,常会先弱化语气,再给替代方案。

Quick Recap

Keep these points in mind before you start.

Key Takeaways

🗓️

Could I have a little more time on this?

这是最实用的礼貌请求句型,适合向同事、经理或客户提出延长时间。

💬

I’m going to need a bit more time.

用“going to need”比直接说“I need”更平稳,听起来像是在认真评估,而不是临时抱佛脚。

I don’t think I can have it ready by Friday.

“I don’t think I can...”是委婉表达做不到的常用方式,语气比“I can’t”更柔和。

📩

I can send you an update by the end of the day.

这是很实用的补充句,适合在请求更多时间时同时给出一个明确的中间进度。

Key Phrases to Know

  1. 1

    Could I have a little more time on this? — 最自然的礼貌请求之一

  2. 2

    I’m going to need a bit more time. — 说明需要延期,语气平稳

  3. 3

    I don’t think I can have it ready by Friday. — 委婉说明原计划做不到

  4. 4

    Would it be possible to push this to next week? — 很适合正式场合

  5. 5

    I can send you an update by the end of the day. — 给出明确的下一步时间

  6. 6

    Thanks for your flexibility. — 结束时表达感谢,很职业

Cultural Note

在英语职场里,请求更多时间时,通常更看重“清楚、具体、可执行”的表达。比起反复解释为什么来不及,先用礼貌句型说明需要延期,再给出新的时间点或下一步,通常更容易被接受。

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Ask for More Time Without Sounding Disorganized | Real-Life English Scenario