Chapter 2

Congratulating
and
Complimenting
Others

VOCABULARY

Write down the English words for the following Indonesian

words. Compare your work to your classmate’s.

ce _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (verb) = merayakan
_ _ _ _ _ve_ _ _ _ (noun) = prestasi / pencapaian
_ _ _ _t (noun) = rok
_ _ _ u_ _ (noun) = blus, kemeja wanita
_er _ _ _ _ _ (adjective) = [informal] sangat bagus
_ _ nt_ _ _ (noun) = isi
en _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ nt (noun) = penyemangat
_ pp _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (noun ) = penampakan, penampilan
app _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (noun) = penghargaan
_ _ _ _ _ _us (adjective) = [informal] indah, atraktif
 PRONUNCIATION PRACTICE

Listen to your teacher reading these words. Repeat after

him/her.

skirt : /skɜːrt /
celebrate : / ˈseləbreɪt /
achievement :/ə
ˈtʃiːvmənt/ blouse : / blaʊs
/
terrific : / təˈrɪfɪk /
content : / ˈkɑːntent /
encouragement : / ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒmənt
/ appearance : / əˈpɪərəns /
appreciation : / əpriʃieɪʃ ə n /
gorgeous : / ˈɡɔːdʒəs /=
 READING

Task 1:
Read text 1 carefully. Pay attention to the expressions used
to congratulate people (in this case, Alif). Pay attention
also to the responses.

Text 1

After a long struggle and hard work, Alif is finally appointed as the
director of a national company where he works. Many of his friends
who work at the same company congratulate him.

Samuel : Alif, congratulations. You deserved it, Man.

Alif : Thank you very much. This is because you always
help me.
Sinta : I am very happy for you, Alif. Now, that you are the
director of the company, I believe the company will
develop even faster.
Alif : (replies with a happy tone) Thank you. I cannot
forget your collaboration with me, and I will still need
your help.

Other friends shake his hands and congratulate him too.

Deni : That’s wonderful, Alif.

Alif : Oh, thanks.
Santi : Good for you. Good luck.
Alif : Thank you very much.
Bejo : Well done.
Alif : Thank you for saying so.
Ivan : That was great. You must be very proud of your
achievement. Alif : Thanks. I’m glad you think so. But I still
have to learn a lot.

His staff also congratulate him.

Eny : Please accept my warmest congratulations, Sir.

Alif : It’s very kind of you to say so. Thank you.
Bintari : I must congratulate you on your success.
Alif : Thank you very much for saying so.

They all celebrate Alif’s success by having lunch together in a simple

food stall next to their office. Every body is happy.
Task 2:
Answer the following questions.

1. Why do all of those people congratulate Alif?

2. What expressions do they use to congratulate Alif?
3. How does Alif respond to their congratulating expressions?
4. What is the social purpose of congratulating people?
5. When do we congratulate people?
6. What are the expressions commonly used to congratulate
people?

Task 3:
Read the dialog silently. Pay attention to the expression used to
congratulate people. Discuss the meaning with your classmate.
After that read aloud the dialog in pairs. One of you become Cita,
the other becomes Ditto. Then, discuss the answer to the
questions.
Text 2

Cita has won the first winner of the story telling competition in her
school. Her best friend congratulated her.

Ditto : Cita, congratulations for being the first winner of the

school story telling competition! Excellent. You really
did it well.
Cita : Thanks, Ditto.
Ditto : I heard that you will be the representative of our school in
the story telling competition of our regency. Is it true?
Cita : Yes, you’re right.
Ditto : I hope you will win as well in the next competition.
Cita : I hope so. But I’m nervous.
Ditto : Don’t worry, you’re a very good story teller. Good luck.
Cita : Thanks. I’ll do my best. Wish me luck.
 Task 4
Answer the following questions:

1. What good news about Dita does Ditto know?

2. What does Ditto say to Dita related to the news?
3. What do the expressions mean?
4. What is Ditto’s purpose of saying that to Dita?
5. How does Dita respond to what Ditto says?
6. When do you think you will say ‘congratulations’ to other people?

Task 5:
Congratulating Expressions Responses
Complete the following table with the expressions of congratulations
and the responsesYou
Congratulations! youdeserved
find in the preceding
Thank you dialogs.
very The first row
much. Your
is
it, done
Man. for you. support means a lot.

In congratulating, people may make more than one move, for example, “Congratulations! You deserved
it, Man.” Similarly, in responding to congratulating expressions, people do not only make one move, like
“Thank you very much.” Usually they also say something else such as “This is because you’re always with
me”.

congratulating,
 VOCABULARY EXERCISES

Task 1:
Complete the blanks in the following dialogs using the words in
the box. As an example see number 1. The answer for number 1 is
wonderful.

good luck what’s new

it’s good thanks a lot
wonderful popular business
congratulations I’m glad you think so
new hair cut mentioning

1. Dina : Hi, Yuni. What’s your

daughter doing
these days?
Yuni : Oh, she’s in college.
In fact, she plans to
graduate this June.
Dina : That’s !
(1) You must be very
proud of her.

2. Fuad :Hi Abdel.

? (2)
Abdel : Oh, I’m going to take
the driving test
tomorrow.
Fuad : That’s great, Abdel
! (3)
3. Tuti : How is your business,
Ria?
Ria : (4) I’ve sold
100 items these two
days.
Tuti : Congratulations!
That’s a
(5)
right now.
Ria : (6).

4. Rudi : You look gorgeous

in this wedding dress!
(7).
Ian : Thank you very
much,
(8) so.

5. Ihsan : You look so cute in

the
(9)
Ali : Oh, thanks for
(10)
that. By the way,
congratulations for
the 1st prize.
Great job, Man!
Ihsan : Thanks.
Task 2:
Complete the following conversations with your own words.

Conversation 1
Rani : Hi, Anisa.
Anisa : Hi, you look great in that pink head scarf. What a nice
scarf!
Rani : (1) to say that.
Anisa : I’ve never seen you in that hat. Where did you buy it?
Rani : My mom bought it for me when she went to the
market. Anisa : I see.
Rani : Look. The teacher is coming!
Anisa : Pak Sultoni.
Mr. Sultoni : Hi, how are you?
Rani : We’re good. Thanks.
Anisa : Excellent.
Rani : (2) hair cut, Pak Sultoni.
Anisa : Yes, you’re looking good with your hair style.
Mr. Sultoni : Thanks a lot. Rani, I heard you won the Math
Olympiad. Is it true?
Rani : Yes, I won the second prize last week.
Anisa : (3)
Mr. Sultoni : (4) to hear that.
Rani : Thank you very much for saying so.

Conversation 2
Rudi : Hi Ben. How are you?
Ben : Hi, you look great in that black jacket.
Rudi : (1) saying so.
Ben : I’ve never seen you in that outfit. Is it new?
Rudi : My sister bought it for me when she went to Singapore.
Ben : Oh, I see.
Rudi : Look. What a nice new hair style! Where did you have a
haircut? I like it a lot.
Ben : (2) think so. My brother did it.
I can ask him to do yours if you want to.
Rudi : Yes, please. Look! Andi is coming.
Ben : Hi Andi, I heard you won the Speech Contest last
month. Congratulations! (3)
Rudi : Fantastic! It’s a great job, bro!
Andi : Oh, thanks. It’s (4) actually.
 SPEAKING
Let’s play rock, paper, and scissors.

Work in pairs. Play scissors, rock, and paper. The

winner chooses for himself/herself a situation. The partner
makes an expression of congratulations. For example, the
winner chooses situation 5. He/She says, “I just bought a
new bag.” The partner says, “Congratulations. Your new bag
is gorgeous.” Then develop, a conversation based on that.
After that, start all over again by doing the scissors, rock,
and paper again, and so forth. Continue doing that with all
the situations provided in the table below.

1. haircut 2. jacket 3. speech contest

4. got driver’s licence 5. new bag 6. math Olympiad

8. writing
7. best student 9. new baby
competition

10. new house 11. graduation 12. getting married

14. successful
13. new job 15. new book
business
18. drawing
16. talented singer 17. best model
competition
19. create new robots 20. best writer 21. best teacher
 WRITING

Write down the inside parts of the congratulation cards based on the cover. Two
cards have been done for you as examples. Write at least two sentences.

Tomy has just been promoted to be the branch manager of Jepara Ukir Company in
1
London.

Dear Tomy,
Congratulations on your
promotion.
Sharing in your happiness
today...
and wishing you a wonderful
future..
filled with dreams coming
true.
Zettira

Your sister has graduated from a culinary arts program in Padang, West Sumatra. She wants
2 to be the best chef and plans to open her own restaurant.

Santi has got a sugar glider from her parents. Her parents are happy because she has been
3brave
enough to donate her blood to PMI (the Indonesia Red Cross).
 Your uncle and aunt have moved to their new house. The house has a large garden so that they
4 can enjoy gardening on the weekends.

5 Your next door neighbor, who has been married for 10 years, has got a cute baby girl.

Your aunt has got married to a man she loves. They met when they were involved in a medical
6 mission in the Middle East.

Rina and Rudi,

So many paths to choose from -- yet a
moment here, a different turn there, and you
may never have met to experience a love
so right! Isn’t it amazing the way life
works?

Wishing You Both a Beautiful Life

Together Lia & Tomy
 Your friend has got an opportunity to be an interpreter in an international conference on inter
7
religion dialogue to create and preserve peace and harmony.
 DIALOG: COMPLIMENTING

Task 1:
Read the dialog silently and carefully. Pay attention to the
complimenting expressions and the responses.

Rahmi : Hello. How are things going

on, Sinta?
Sinta : Hi. Good, and you?
Rahmi : I’m feeling great today. How was your
weekend with your family in Batu?
Sinta : Excellent! We had a lovely time there.
You should have gone there with us.
Rahmi : Really? Hey, what a beautiful skirt you are wearing.
It matches your blouse.
Sinta : Thanks a lot. My sister bought it for me
last month.
Rahmi : Wow! That’s wonderful.
Sinta : Oh, Rahmi, can I ask you
something?
Rahmi : Oh, sure. Please.
Sinta : Have you finished writing the book we
discussed two months ago?
Rahmi : Yes. Come to my room. Look at this. What
do you think?
Sinta : Terrific. I like the cover. Let me see the
contents. This book is excellent. You really
did a great job.
Rahmi : Thanks a lot. You’ve inspired me to do this.
Sinta : Your publisher should send it to all bookstores here.
Rahmi : Yes, you’re right. The publisher will do it for me.
Sinta: Well, that’s great. I am proud of you, Rahmi. By the
way, I’ve got to go now. Have a nice day!
Rahmi : You, too.
Task 2:
Read aloud the dialog with a classmate. Pay attention to the
complimenting expressions and the responses too.

Task 3: Read the following notes about complementing

expressions. After that perform the dialogs in the following that
with your classmates.
 COMPLIMENTING
Compliment is an expression to appreciate or praise other
people. Compliment is useful to give encouragement so that people
will keep on doing their best and even improve their performance.

When to express compliment:

- On daily basis,
- When someone has done his/her best,
- When you visit someone’s house for the first time,
- If you notice something new about someone’s appearance.

Can you think of other situations when you need to

compliment?

What
a wonderful Thank Thanks a lot
performance! you. for your
I must express
appreciation.
my admiration
to you!

Great job! I’m glad

you like
What Thank you it.
a nice very much.
dress!

It’s very
You look kind of you
gorgeous! to say that.
Task 4:
Work in pairs and practice complimenting and responding to
the compliments. One of you become A and the other
becomes B.

A1. Riza is working really hard. Ami

compliments Riza. Riza responds
to the compliment happily.
A2. Firda is showing a very nice
drawing. Fadhil compliments
Firda. Firda responds to the
compliment.

A1. Riza is working really hard. Ami

compliments Riza. Riza responds
to the compliment happily.
A2. Firda is showing a very nice
drawing. Fadhil compliments
Firda. Firda responds to the
compliment.
 SPEAKING

Task 1:
Let’s play rock-paper-scissors.

Work in pairs. Play scissors, rock, and paper. The winner

chooses a situation from which he/she creates an expression of
compliment. The partner responds to the expression. After that,
do the scissors, rock, and paper again. Continue doing that with
all the situations provided below.

Compliments

Situation 1
You see your friend with her new haircut.
Situation 2
Your sister drives very well.
Situation 3
Your best friend handled a
problem successfully.
Situation 4
You visit your friend’s house for the first time.

Situation 5
Your classmate submitted her project on time.

Situation 6
Your sister’s team won a game.

Situation 7
Your brother has just bought a new, smart
robot.
Situation 8
Your friend has a new T-shirt.
Task 2:
Let’s play ball throwing.

- Your teacher will tell you how to do ball throwing activity in groups.
- In turns, give a compliment to your classmates and respond to
that nicely.
 POINTS TO PONDER

Have you ever given any compliments to someone? Who is he/she?

Why did you compliment him/her? How did your friend feel when
you complimented him/her? How did your compliment make him/
her feel?
 REFLECTION

At the end of this chapter, ask yourself the following

questions to see how well you have learned.

1. Do you know how to congratulate people and when do you

need to do that?
2. Do you also know how to compliment people, and when do
you need to do that?

If your answer is ‘no’ to one of these questions, read this

chapter and do the activities again. Don’t hesitate to see your
teacher or classmates and discuss with them how to make
you understand and be able to use the expression better.