A delay can be frustrating, especially when people want quick results. Waiting may feel like wasted time because nothing seems to be happening. However, a delay can sometimes become useful. It may give people time to notice a mistake, gather more information, or reconsider a plan. What first feels like an interruption can become a chance to improve the final result. The value of the delay depends on how the time is used.

Not every delay is helpful, and waiting without purpose can create problems. But a useful delay gives space for review and adjustment. For example, a team may postpone a presentation and then discover that one important section was unclear. A student may wait before submitting writing and notice a sentence that needs correction. In both cases, the delay allows improvement. A delay becomes useful when people do more than wait. They use the extra time to think, check, and prepare.

SPEAK

1. Why can a delay feel frustrating?

2. How can a delay become useful?

3. Why is not every delay helpful?

4. What examples does the article give?

5. What must people do to make a delay useful?

LISTEN

I think a delay is not always a problem. Sometimes extra time helps people see something they missed before. If they use the delay to review, correct, and prepare, the final result may be better than it would have been without the delay.

• What did the speaker say?

• How do you respond to the speaker’s opinion?

• Use the reading to support your response.

WRITE

Write 5–7 sentences about how a delay can become useful. Explain what someone should do during the extra time.