A Quick Heads-Up

by Vocafy Verifierat

Engelska (USA) B2 12 frågor Words & expressions Work & money

Discover how heads-ups, reminders, and warnings work in short workplace messages—and what each one asks you to notice.

1. 1. Välj rätt svar.

   What does “a heads-up” mean here?

   Just a heads-up: the team photo has been moved to the courtyard. It's still at noon.

   • Permission to change the location
   • Advance information about a change
   • A request to change the location

   The sender wants people to know something before the photo happens.

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   • Advance information about a change

   A heads-up helps someone prepare for something before it happens, often in a brief, informal message.

2. 2. Fyll i luckan.

   I'll ___ you a heads-up once I know when the painters are coming.

   • make
   • do
   • give

   Think of the verb used in “___ someone some information.”

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   I'll give you a heads-up once I know when the painters are coming.

   The usual expression is “give someone a heads-up.” You can also say “give someone a heads-up about” a particular topic.

3. 3. Fyll i luckan.

   This is a reminder ___ send your timesheet by Friday.

   • to
   • about
   • for

   The next word, “send,” is the base form of a verb.

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   This is a reminder to send your timesheet by Friday.

   Use “a reminder to” before an action. Use “a reminder about” before a noun phrase, such as “the deadline.”

4. 4. Välj rätt svar.

   What does this message suggest?

   Quick reminder: our call is at 2 p.m., as we agreed yesterday.

   • The call has been moved to a new time.
   • Someone has already missed the call.
   • The time was already agreed on.

   Notice the reference to yesterday's agreement.

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   • The time was already agreed on.

   A reminder brings known information back to someone's attention. It does not necessarily mean that anyone has forgotten.

5. 5. Välj rätt svar.

   What should the reader do now?

   Warning: the heater's cord is damaged. Do not plug the heater in until the cord has been replaced.

   • Leave the heater unplugged.
   • Use the heater only for a few minutes.
   • Plug the heater in to check whether it works.

   The message sets a safety condition that must be met first.

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   • Leave the heater unplugged.

   Warnings often connect a risk with a clear action that helps prevent harm.

6. 6. Välj rätt svar.

   When will this colleague receive the information?

   I'll give you a heads-up before the new schedule is announced to the whole team.

   • At the same time as everyone else
   • Before the wider announcement
   • Only after the new schedule takes effect

   Separate the early message from the team announcement.

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   • Before the wider announcement

   A heads-up can be an early notice to one person before information is shared more widely.

7. 7. Välj rätt svar.

   What is the reader expected to do?

   Heads-up: I'm renaming the shared folders this evening. No action is needed from you.

   • Approve the change before it happens.
   • Rename the folders this evening.
   • Be aware of the change without taking action.

   The final sentence makes the reader's role clear.

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   • Be aware of the change without taking action.

   A heads-up is not automatically a request. It can simply prevent a later change from being a surprise.

8. 8. Välj rätt svar.

   Which version is more formal but keeps the same purpose?

   Just a heads-up: the staff entrance will be closed tomorrow.

   • Please note that the staff entrance will be closed tomorrow.
   • Please confirm whether the staff entrance should be closed tomorrow.
   • Please explain why the staff entrance must be closed tomorrow.

   The original gives information rather than asking a question.

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   • Please note that the staff entrance will be closed tomorrow.

   “Please note that” is a more formal way to draw attention to information. “Just a heads-up” suits many everyday workplace messages.

9. 9. Välj rätt svar.

   Why does this message function as a warning despite its casual opening?

   Just a heads-up: opening that attachment could install harmful software. Don't open it.

   • It repeats a task that the reader already agreed to do.
   • It identifies a risk and tells the reader how to avoid it.
   • It shares a routine change that requires no action.

   Look at the possible result and the final sentence, not just the opening phrase.

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   • It identifies a risk and tells the reader how to avoid it.

   “Heads-up” can introduce a warning. The message's content matters more than its opening label.

10. 10. Välj rätt svar.

    What is the status of the change?

    Heads-up: we may need to move tomorrow's meeting online. I'll confirm by 4 today.

    • It is possible but not yet confirmed.
    • It is a final decision that will simply be repeated later.
    • It has been ruled out, so the meeting must stay in person.

    Pay attention to “may” and the promise to confirm.

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    • It is possible but not yet confirmed.

    “May” signals possibility. A heads-up can help people prepare even before a decision is final.

11. 11. Välj rätt svar.

    Which interpretation matches the scope of the warning?

    Warning: if you send this report outside the company, you could expose private customer information. Sharing it with your project team is allowed.

    • Avoid all sharing, including sharing with the project team.
    • Avoid project-team sharing; sharing outside the company is allowed.
    • Avoid sharing outside the company; project-team sharing is allowed.

    The risk is linked to a particular group of recipients.

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    • Avoid sharing outside the company; project-team sharing is allowed.

    A warning can apply to one specific action rather than every related action. Here, “if” defines the situation that creates the risk.

12. 12. Välj rätt svar.

    What do these messages mean for someone submitting on Friday?

    Reminder: the application deadline is still Friday at 5 p.m.
    Heads-up: the submission portal will be unavailable on Friday from 3 to 4 p.m.

    • They have until 6 p.m. because the portal closes for an hour.
    • They can submit after the portal reopens at 4 p.m., before the 5 p.m. deadline.
    • They must submit before 3 p.m. because the portal will not reopen in time.

    Keep the unchanged deadline separate from the temporary outage.

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    • They can submit after the portal reopens at 4 p.m., before the 5 p.m. deadline.

    The reminder preserves the existing deadline; the heads-up adds a planning detail. New information does not automatically change an earlier requirement.