Business English Basic

Vocabulary

Telephoning

Emails and Letters

BUSINESS
ENGLISH 1

Presentation

Introduction to Business English

A2 +

CEFR:

A2 - B1

DURATION:

24 Weeks

Course Description
If you are learning English for your job or career, then the Business English Course is for you! It will help
you communicate better in everyday professional situations. This intermediate-level English course contains
30 lessons focusing on essential vocabulary and practical phrases for the workplace.
The lessons contain video, audio, and text, and there are also plenty of exercises to help you review and
practice your Business English.
The course is divided into three sections:
Business English Basics

Vocabulary for interviews and daily work

Talking with colleagues
Phone calls, letters, and e-mails
Giving presentations

Business English Intermediate Topics

English for meetings and negotiations

How to talk about finance, computers, timelines and project management
Discourse markers to improve the flow of your written and spoken English

Business English Specializations

Medical and legal English

Science, art, and the environment
English for restaurants
Non-profit organizations

Week
Week 1 Week 8

Section
Section 1: Business
English Basics

Topic
Essential Job Vocabulary
English for Interviews
Around the Office
Telephone English (Part 1)
Telephone English (Part 2)
Presentations in English
Describing Numbers and Trends
Business Letters & E-mails (Part 1)
Business Letters & E-mails (Part 2)
Business English Idioms (Part 1)

Week 9 Week 16

Section 2: Business
English Intermediate
Topics

English for Meetings

Money & Finance
Computers & IT
Advertising, Sales, & Customer Service
Negotiation & Contracts
Project Development & Time Management
Discourse Markers (Part 1)
Discourse Markers (Part 2)
Business English Idioms (Part 2)

Week 17 Week 24

Section 3: Business
English Specializations

Medical & Dental English

Legal English
Science & Engineering
Art, Fashion, & Design
Environmental & Conservation Issues
Food, Drink, & Restaurant English
Non-Profit Organizations
Business English Idioms (Part 3)

ESSENTIAL JOB VOCABULARY.

Lets begin by answering the question, Where do you work? This seems like a simple question, but there
are many ways to answer it:

I work at

I work in

I work for

I work with
Youre going to learn when to use each preposition.

I WORK AT/FOR (NAME OF COMPANY)

For example, I work at Espresso English or I work for Nike.
You can also use for if you work directly for a famous person: I work for Tom Cruise. Im his public relations
manager.

I WORK IN
I work in (a place):

I work in an office.

I work in a school.

I work in a factory.
I work in (a city/country):

I work in Paris.

I work in France.
I work in (a department):

I work in the marketing department.

I work in human resources.

I work in sales.
I work in (a general area):

I work in finance.

I work in medical research.

I work in consulting.

I WORK WITH (THINGS / PEOPLE THAT ARE THE OBJECTS OF

YOUR DAY-TO-DAY WORK)

I work with computers.

Im a teacher. I work with special-needs children.

If you want to add more details about your work, you can say Im responsible for

Im responsible for updating the company website.

Im responsible for interviewing candidates for jobs.

After Im responsible for use the -ING form of the verb.

LETS REVIEW:

I work at (a company).

I work for (a company / a person)

I work in (a place, city, country, department, or general area)

I work with (people / things)

In conversational English, the question Where do you work? is commonly phrased as What do you do? or
What do you do for a living?
How do you answer this question if you dont have a job?
You can say Im unemployed or, more indirectly, Im between jobs at the moment.
If you work for yourself, you can say Im self-employed. If you have your own company, you can say, I
own a small business, or more specifically, I own a restaurant or I own a graphic design
company.

NOW LETS LEARN SOME ESSENTIAL EMPLOYMENT VOCABULARY.

When you are officially accepted into a new job at a company, you are hired by the company. For example, I
was hired by an insurance company just two weeks after graduating from college. When youre hired, you
become an employee of the company. The company becomes your employer. The other employees in the
company are your colleagues or coworkers. The person above you who is responsible for your work is your
boss or supervisor.
As an employee of the company, you earn a salary money you receive regularly for your work. Dont make
the mistake of saying win a salary or get a salary the correct verb is earn. If youre good at your job,
you might get a pay raise (or a raise) an increase in your salary. You could also get a promotion an
increase in importance and authority. At the end of the year, some companies give their employees a bonus
extra money for work well done.
The opposite of hire is fire when your company forces you to leave your job. For example, Peter
was fired because he never came to work on time. Usually if someone is fired, its because they did something
bad. If an employee loses his or her job because of a neutral reason, like the company reducing its size, then
we say the employee was laid off.For example, Donna was laid off when her company started having financial
problems.
If you decide to leave your job, there are three verbs you can use:

Im going to quit my job.

Im going to leave my job.

Im going to resign.
Quit is informal, resign is formal, and leave can be formal or informal.
When an old person decides to stop working, the verb for this is retire. In most countries, people retire around
age 65.

ENGLISH FOR INTERVIEWS

BASIC INTERVIEW QUESTIONS I
1. Tell me a little about yourself.
2. What are your strengths?
3. What are your weaknesses?
4. What are your short term goals?
5. What are your long term goals?
6. What do you want to be doing five years from now?
7. If you could change one thing about your personality, what would it be...
8. What does success mean to you?
9. What does failure mean to you?
10. Are you an organized person?
11. In what ways are you organized and disorganized?
12. Do you manage your time well?
13. How do you handle change?
14. How do you make important decisions?
15. Do you work well under pressure?

BASIC INTERVIEW QUESTIONS II

1. Are you better at anticipating or reacting to problems
2. Are you a risk taker or do you like to stay away from risks?
3. Why should I hire you?
4. Tell me about Q's... / Tell me about a time you made a mistake.
5. Tell me about a time you made a good decision.
6. Tell me about a time you made a poor decision.
7. Tell me about a time you fired someone.
8. Tell me about a time you hired someone.
9. Tell me about a time you failed to complete an assignment on time.
10. Tell me about a time you found a solution to save the company money.
11. Tell me about a time you aimed too high.
12. Tell me about a time you aimed too low.
13. Tell me about a time you made a great sale.
14. Tell me about a time you went over budget.

WORK RELATED INTERVIEW Q'S I

1. If you could start your career over again, what would you do differently?
2. During your performance reviews, what criticism do you hear the most?
3. Tell me about your last three positions?
4. Tell me about your last position?
5. What is your management philosophy?
6. What was your favorite job?
7. Tell me about the best manager you ever had.
8. Tell me about the worst manager you ever had.
9. What could you have done to improve your relationship with a manager...
10. What were the most memorable accomplishments in your last position?
11. Why do you want to leave your current job?
12. Where did you tell your boss you were going?
13. Are you currently employed at the last place listed on your resume?
14. What is the title of the person you report to?
15. In your previous position, how much time did you spend ...
16. If you dont leave your current job, what do you imagine you will be doing...
17. If youre very happy with your current job, why do you want to leave?

Work Related Interview Q's II

1. If you have problems or complaints with your current job, why havent you...
2. Give me a specific example at your last position where...
3. What do you feel an employer owes an employee?
4. What do you expect from your manager?
5. Would you like to have your bosss job?
6. What did you hear about us?
7. What do you know about our product?
8. Have you managed people in any of the positions youve held?
9. What types of people do you have trouble getting along with?
10. Who do you think are our two major competitors?
11. Why do you like sales?
12. Do you see that stapler? Convince me to buy it.
13. How long have you been looking for a job?
14. Why havent you received any offers so far?
15. If you dont understand your assignment and you cant reach your boss...

WORK RELATED INTERVIEW Q'S III

1. If everyone on the team is a veteran, what will you do to fit in?
2. How do you intend to learn what you need to know to perform well for...
3. If your supervisor tells you to do something that you believe can be done...
4. If youre told to do something that you feel is illegal, what would you do?
5. If you were unfairly criticized, what would you do?
6. What are you looking to gain from your next job?
7. What aspects of this job interest you the most?
8. If you are given work from your manager that is boring and tedious, what...
9. How long do you plan on staying with this company?
10. How do you explain the fact that you frequently change jobs?
11. Tell me about a time you had a big disagreement with your boss.
12. What do you do when there is no work to do?
13. What do you do when there are too many things to do?
14. What do you do when you feel burned out?
15. How do you balance both your family and your job?
16. Youve been with one company your entire career. Dont you think you will...
17. What have you heard about our company that you didnt like?
18. Do you want to work for a small or large company and why?

WORKING WITH PEOPLE INTERVIEW Q'S

1. What do you do when youre having difficulty solving a problem?
2. What do you do when you have a problem with a direct?
3. What do you do when you have a problem with your boss?
4. What do you do when you have a problem with your job?
5. What do you do when you have a problem with a co-worker?
6. How do you handle conflict?
7. Have you fired anyone?
8. What do you do when a worker is giving the team more problems then...
9. When do you know enough is enough when dealing with a subordinate...
10. Do you like to work by yourself or with others?
11. How do you get along

Miscellaneous Interview Q's

1. Do you have any physical problems that may limit your ability to perform...
2. What do you do to stay in shape?
3. What do you like to do when youre not in the office?
4. Whats the most recent book you read?
5. What is the most recent movie you saw?
6. Did you have any trouble finding this place?
7. Will working on weekends be a problem?
8. How do you feel about overtime?
9. Have you filed for bankruptcy?
10. Do you own or rent your home?
11. Do you have any outside income?
12. Do you earn any income from investments or hobbies?
13. Are you willing to travel?
14. Are you willing to relocate?
15. May I contact your current employer?
16. May I contact your references?
17. Is there anything else you want to add?
18. What kind of salary are you looking for?
19. Thats a high salary for this position! Where did you come up with that...
20. How much do you currently get paid?
21. When are you able to start?
22. Are you considering any other offers right now?
23. Asking Questions

AROUND THE OFFICE

Prep Talk
Is your office big or small?
Do you like your office? Why or why not?
Is the boardroom easy to find?

Dialogue
This is a conversation between Mark the manager and Jen the new employee.
Mark: Good to see you again Jen.
Jen: Thank you Mark. Good to be here.
Mark: Here is your ID to enter the office. Dont forget it!
Jen: I wont, thanks.
Mark: Let me show you around. The bathrooms are near the reception.
Jen: Where is the boardroom and meeting room?
Mark: They are across from the rest area.
Jen: Is there a pantry here?
Mark: Yes, there is. It is next to the rest area. There is a fridge and sink there.
Jen: Where are our seats?
Mark: Down the hallway and on the left. Lets go over there now.
Jen: Great, thank you.
Practice Drills
Basic Directions
1. Left / Right
2. On the left / right.
3. (Straight / Just go) down the hall / corridor / hallway.
4. Turn left / right.
5. (Just) passed / after the pantry.
6. Take the elevator / escalator to the third floor.
*Tip: Use the map above and your finger to have the student guess the right choice.
Questions Practice (Excuse me, do you know where _______ ?)
1. Excuse me, do you know where the bathroom?
2. Sorry, do you know where meeting room 109 is?
3. Hey Dave, do you know where Tonys office is?
4. Sorry Tom, do you know where the printer room is?
5. Hi Jennifer, do you know where the security and post room is?
*Challenge; Answer with directions and have the student repeat them back.
Follow with your finger on the map (starting point: Reception).
1. Have the student explain how to get to the bathroom.
2. Have the student explain how to get to the pantry.
3. Have the student explain how to get to room #1.
4. Have the student explain how to get to the board room.
5. Have the student explain how to get room #11.
*Tip: You can reverse the exercise after.
Role Plays
One person is the manager, one person is the new hire.
Explain the map above.
Describe your current office.
Describe your dream office.
Describe your current environment layout.
Draw a layout on paper and have the student describe it.

Prep Talk
Do you like your company floor layout? Why, why not?
Does your company often do desk shuffles?
What kind of seating arrangement do you prefer? Cubicle. open, private office, or?

Dialogue
This is a conversation between Scott the manager and John the new employee in HR.
Scott: Good to see you again John. Here, this is your temporary security badge.
John: Thanks Scott, I have been looking forward.
Scott: Our department is on the 12th floor. Lets head up there now. Swipe your badge on the turnstile to get
in.
(After riding the lift)
Scott: When you get out the elevator, just turn right and enter the doors. Youll need your ID to get through.
John: Sure no problem. What if I forget?
Scott: Youll need to talk security on the ground floor. Theyll issue you a temporary ID. Right so over here
turn left. This is our department. We also need special security clearance to enter so you will need to swipe
your badge again. Your desk is just down this hall and on the left. You can find me in my office across from
your cubicle. Stop by anytime. My door is always open. Let me know if you have any problems too. Cheers.
John: Thanks Scott, I appreciate that.
Dialogue Check
1. What was John issued?
2. Which floor is their seating on?
3. What do they swipe their ID on?
4. What do they need to enter the department?
5. Where does Scott sit?
Practice Drills
Basic Directions
1. Head up to the 12th floor.
2. Make a quick right after the pantry.
3. After the first room, turn left.
4. It is just around that corner.
5. Take the escalator and its right there.
6. Soon as you exit the door, you will see in on the right.
Questions Practice (Could you tell me where _______ ?)
1. Excuse me, could you tell me where the bathroom?

2. Sorry, could you tell me where meeting room 109 is?

3. Hey Jess, could you tell me where Davids office is?
4. Sorry Sam, could you tell me where the printer room is?
5. Hi Christina, could you tell me where the security and post room is?
*Challenge; Answer with directions and have the student repeat them back.
Follow with your finger on the map (starting point: Your Choice).
1. Have the student explain how to get to the bathroom.
2. Have the student explain how to get to the pantry.
3. Have the student explain how to get to the conference room.
4. Have the student explain how to get a room.
*Tip: You can reverse the exercise after.
Role Plays
One person is the manager, one person is the new hire. It is the first time to the office so welcome and
explain the layout of the office.
Explain the map above.
Describe your current office.
Describe your dream office.
Describe your current environment layout.
Draw a layout on paper and have the student describe it.

TELEPHONE ENGLISH (PART 1)

These are some of the most common telephone phrases used when answering a business call. You should learn
them until you are comfortable using them.

Telephone calls - Common English phrases.

ANSWERING THE PHONE:Good morning/afternoon XYZ Ltd. How can I help you?
CONNECTING A CALLER:I'll put you through now.
One moment please.
EXPLAINING THERE'S A PROBLEM:I'm sorry, but the line's engaged at the moment.
I'm sorry. There's no reply.
I'm sorry, but he/she's out of the office at the moment.
I'm afraid he/she's on the other line at the moment.
OFFERING HELP:Would you like to hold?
Is there anyone else who could help you?
Can I take a message?
Maybe I can help you?
OFFER A RETURN CALL:Perhaps he/she can call you back?
Could he/she call you back?
OFFERING TO TAKE A MESSAGE:Can I take a message for him/her?
Would you like to leave a message?

ASKING FOR THE CALLER'S NAME AND NUMBER:Could I have your name and number, please?
Could you give me your name and number, please?
CHECKING THE INFORMATION:Could you spell that, please?
Can I just check that again, please?
Could you repeat that, please?

SOME TYPICAL PHRASES FOR TELEPHONE CONVERSATION

Here are some typical phrases that you can use in a telephone conversation.

Answering the phone

Introducing
yourself

Hello? (informal)
Thank you for calling Boyz Autobody. Jody speaking. How can I help you?
Doctor's office.
Hey George. It's Lisa calling. (informal)
Hello, this is Julie Madison calling.
Hi, it's Gerry from the dentist's office here.
This is she.*
Speaking.*
*The person answering says this if the caller does not recognize their voice.

Asking to speak with

someone

Is Fred in? (informal)

Is Jackson there, please? (informal)
Can I talk to your sister? (informal)
May I speak with Mr. Green, please?
Would the doctor be in/available?

Connecting someone

Just a sec. I'll get him. (informal)

Hang on one second. (informal)
Please hold and I'll put you through to his office.
One moment please.
All of our operators are busy at this time. Please hold for the next available
person.

Making special
requests

Could you please repeat that?

Would you mind spelling that for me?
Could you speak up a little please?
Can you speak a little slower please. My English isn't very strong.
Can you call me back? I think we have a bad connection.
Can you please hold for a minute? I have another call.

Taking a message for

someone

Leaving a message
with someone

Confirming information

Listening to an
answering machine

Leaving a message on
an answering machine

Finishing a
conversation

Sammy's not in. Who's this? (informal)

I'm sorry, Lisa's not here at the moment. Can I ask who's calling?
I'm afraid he's stepped out. Would you like to leave a message?
He's on lunch right now.Who's calling please?
He's busy right now. Can you call again later?
I'll let him know you called.
I'll make sure she gets the message.
Yes, can you tell him his wife called, please.
No, that's okay, I'll call back later.
Yes, it's James from CompInc. here. When do you expect her back in the
office?
Thanks, could you ask him to call Brian when he gets in?
Do you have a pen handy. I don't think he has my number.
Thanks. My number is 222-3456, extension 12.
Okay, I've got it all down.
Let me repeat that just to make sure.
Did you say 555 Charles St.?
You said your name was John, right?
I'll make sure he gets the message.
Hello. You've reached 222-6789. Please leave a detailed message after the
beep.Thank you.
Hi, this is Elizabeth. I'm sorry I'm not available to take your call at this time.
Leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Thank you for calling Dr. Mindin's office. Our hours are 9am-5pm, MondayFriday. Please call back during these hours, or leave a message after the tone.
If this is an emergency please call the hospital at 333-7896.
Hey Mikako. It's Yuka. Call me! (informal)
Hello, this is Ricardo calling for Luke. Could you please return my call as soon
as possible. My number is 334-5689. Thank you.
Hello Maxwell. This is Marina from the doctor's office calling. I just wanted to
let you know that you're due for a check-up this month. Please give us a
ring/buzz whenever it's convenient.
Well, I guess I better get going. Talk to you soon.
Thanks for calling. Bye for now.
I have to let you go now.
I have another call coming through. I better run.
I'm afraid that's my other line.
I'll talk to you again soon. Bye.

TELEPHONE ENGLISH (PART 2)

Common Phrasal Verbs

7. call back

1. hold on

Ill ask him to call you back, when he gets home.

means wait

Could you hold on a moment please?

2. hang on
also means wait! (informal)

Could you hang on a moment please?

is to return someones call

8. pick up
means to answer a call / lift the receiver to take a
call

No one is picking up, maybe theyre not at home.

9. get off (the phone)

3. put (a call) through

means to connect one caller to another

means to stop talking on the phone

Im just going to put you through now.

When he gets off the other phone, Ill pass on your

message.

4. get through

10. get back to (someone)

to be connected to someone on the phone

means to return someones call

I cant get through to his line at the moment, could

you call back later please?
5. hang up
means to put the receiver down

I think the operator hung up on me, the line just

went dead!
6. call up
is to make a telephone call (mainly used in
American English or slang)

Ill call up the theatre, and find out about tickets.

When do you think shell be able to get back to

me?
11. cut off
to be disconnected abruptly during a telephone
conversation

I think we got cut off, I cant hear her anymore.

12. switch off/turn off
is to deactivate (a cell phone/mobile phone)

Sorry you couldnt get through to me. My phone

was switched off, because the battery had died.
13. speak up
means to talk louder

Im afraid I cant hear you very well, could you

speak up a little please?

Hold on means wait and hang on means wait too. Be careful not to confuse hang on with hang
up! Hang up means finish the call by breaking the connection in other words: put the phone down.
Another phrasal verb with the same meaning as hang up is ring off, but this isnt as commonly used as
some of the other phrasal verbs listed above.
The opposite of hang up / ring off is ring up if you ring somebody up, you make a phone call. And if
you pick up the phone (or pick the phone up), you answer a call when the phone rings.

Hang on a second

If you are talking to a receptionist, secretary or switchboard operator, they may ask you to hang on while
they put you through put through means to connect your call to another telephone. With this verb, the
object (you, me, him, her etc.) goes in the middle of the verb: put you through.
But if you cant get through to (contact on the phone) the person you want to talk to, you might be able to
leave a message asking them to call you back.
Call back means to return a phone call and if you use an object (you, me, him, her, etc.), it goes in the
middle of the verb: call you back.

COLD-CALLING SCRIPT: MAKE A CALL

THAT WORKS
Here's a classic, and classically effective, cold-calling script--along with some essential advice for making it
work.

This script was created by a cost-reduction company for use with C-level executives and can easily be
adapted to virtually any product or service.
By the way, the most important part of this post is the final word of warning--so be sure to read all the
way to the bottom.
Here's the script, with explanations of each element:

Hi, John. Jim here from Acme Cost Control.

Identify yourself immediately, or the contact will hang up on you.

Did I catch you at an OK time?

This question demonstrates respect for the person's time and an understanding that your phone call is
not the only thing on his or her plate for the day. You may feel that asking this question sets you up to
hear a no, but don't worry: Whether someone says yes or no or "No, but go ahead," the next statement
makes the response entirely moot.

John, I'm sure you're busy and I want to respect your time, so I'll be brief.
This statement still allows you to continue regardless of how the person initially responded to you, rather
than scheduling another time to call. This is a good thing, because you've finally got a prospect on the
phone, so the last thing you want to do is hang up and attempt to catch him or her again.

The reason for my call is this. We just saved Universal Transport an additional $12 million in shipping
costs, so I thought it was important enough to let you know, since every company has an obligation to
their customers and shareholders to reduce expenses.
The purpose of these sentences is to create a compelling reason for the person on the other end to
continue the conversation. Note that you've said nothing abouthow the benefit was achieved. At this

point, the customer doesn't care about your specific product; the customer only wants to know what to
expect if the conversation continues.

Now, you may be wondering if we can do this for you, too. Well, depending on what you're currently
doing, I don't know if you have a need for our services.
This eliminates a potentially adversarial posture, lowers the person's resistance, and brings down his or
her guard. It lets customers know you're not trying to force down their throat something they may not
need or may not be ready for.

But with your permission, let's talk for a few minutes to determine if there is anything we're doing that
you could benefit from.
This statement opens up a dialogue so you can get permission from the prospect to have a preliminary
conversation.

Would you be comfortable spending just a few minutes with me on the phone now, if I stick to this
timetable?
This establishes a timeline, letting the prospect know that you're taking accountability for the length of
the call, that you respect the person's time and won't keep him or her on the phone.
Once you have gotten permission to continue, you now have a prospective customer engaged in a
conversation with you--and you can then determine whether there's a good fit.
Remember: Have a Conversation
One final, important note: Do not read the script, under any circumstances. Instead, practice the script as
written, and then practice it from memory--so that the words emerge naturally, as if you just thought of
them, the moment you began speaking.
This is what great stage actors do. They rehearse until the words are "part of them"--then, when they
speak lines they've spoken on stage 100 or even 1,000 times before, each performance seems fresh and
exciting.
Also, when you ask a question as part of the conversation, stop and actually listen to the customer. Don't
plow through like a carnival pitchman. This is about having a conversation, not about getting the words
out of your mouth.

SAMPLE COLD CALL SCRIPT FOR B2B CALLS

This sample script was created by SVC and is intended to assist companies in the preparation of an effective telemarketing
script for cold calls where the name of the prospect is known. Of course there are many instances where the name of the
prospect will not be known and in such cases we use various techniques to find the decision maker. Each company will
have to customize the script to address its particular circumstances and goals, but the overall format of this script has been
proven to be an effective approach in making sales appointments. Entire books have been written on this topic and the
intent here is to provide a good example of one approach and the reasoning behind that approach. SVCs services include
a complete review and analysis of our clients telemarketing efforts and we work with each company to find the approach
that works best for them.

HELPFUL PHRASES FOR A PRESENTATION

INTRODUCTION
On behalf of Company I would like to welcome you here today. My name is Max Mustermann and I am the
CFO of Global Travel.
Hi, Im Max and I am the head of marketing of Global Travel.
Good morning/afternoon/evening ladies and gentlemen. My name is Max Mustermann and I am delighted
to be here today to talk to you about
Id like to introduce my colleague Max Mustermann.
Hi everyone, Im Max from Accounts and today Id like to talk to you about

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC

Today I am here to talk to you about
As you all know, today I am going to talk to you about
I would like to take this opportunity to talk to you about
I am delighted to be here today to tell you about
Today I would like to outline

STRUCTURING THE PRESENTATION

My talk is divided into x parts.
Ill start with / Firstly I will talk about / Ill begin with
then I will look at
next
and finally
I will be glad to answer any questions that you may have at the end.

BEGINNING THE PRESENTATION

Ill start with some general information on
Id just like to give you some background information about
Before I start, does anyone know?
As you are all aware / As you all know

CHANGING THE TOPIC/SPEAKER

Right, lets move on to
This leads me to my next point, which is
Id now like to look at / consider
Now I will pass you over to /hand over to Max Mustermann.
Does anyone have any questions before I move on?

SUMMARY
To sum up
So to summarise the main points of my talk
Just a quick recap of my main points

INVITING QUESTIONS
Does have anyone have any questions?
I will be happy to answer your questions now
If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to ask
If you have any further questions, I will be happy to talk to you at the end.

CONCLUSION
Id like to conclude by
That brings me to the end of my presentation, thank for listening / for your attention.
Thank you all for listening, it was a pleasure being here today.
Well thats it from me. Thanks very much.

DESCRIBING NUMBERS AND TRENDS

Following is the easiest way to get the pronunciation correct. Use the respelling for pronunciation to help you
get it right. STRESS the syllable that is capitalized.
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

thir-TEEN
four-TEEN
fif-TEEN
six-TEEN
seven-TEEN
eight-TEEN
nine-TEEN

THIR-tee
FOUR-tee
FIF-tee
SIX-tee
SEV-en-tee
EIGHT-tee
NINE-tee

30
40
50
60
70
80
90

Other problems for Business English students include the how number zero is used, decimal points, larger
numbers, phone numbers and more.

ZERO, NOUGHT, OH
British English and American English vary a bit as you will only rarely hear an American use NIL or NOUGHT
for Zero. In British English it common to use OH after a decimal point and NOUGHT before it. In American
English ZERO point OH. Numbers after a decimal are all stated separately.
Telephone numbers are usually stated individually, though sometimes in pairs or triplets.
So, lets try this:
Say OH
Say ZERO or
NOUGHT
Say OH

When
Number
following decimals 3.02

Example
three point oh two

before decimals

zero point oh two

0.02

telephone numbers 325-1605

325-2045

Say ZERO

bus, train or flight

numbers
temperature

three two five

one six oh five
three two five
two oh four five

325-6055

three two five

six oh five five

SQ305

SQ three oh five

zero degrees

Variant
nought point oh
two BrEng

three two five

two oh forty-five
three two five
six oh double
five**

NOTE: Say POINT for decimal points. **This variant confuses some non-native speakers and listeners
avoid it, but know it is there.
Practice the following statements using the rules above:
1. Room Service? Please bring my dinner up to room 3205.
2. Flight MI2055 is boarding at gate B22.
3. Its freezing outside its 20 below 0!
4. Do you have my number? Its 089-875-3003.
5. The exact size of the specimen is 0.06cm.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!

How to state amounts of money is always a difficult point for students of Business English, but the rules are
relatively simple. Numbers before decimals are stated in full after the decimal they are also stated in full
EXCEPT for .01 through .09. Please see the examples below:
Amount
$66.50
3.05
8.88
2005

is spoken as
sixty-six fifty
three oh five
eight eighty-eight
two thousand and five

or **
sixty-six dollars and fifty cents
three pounds and five pence
eight euros and eighty-eight cents
two thousand and five yen

**The and is sometimes dropped and/or not always used by all native speakers. Students usually
understand better and are better understood if they use the and.

YEARS and BIG NUMBERS

Number
the year 2005
year 1995
number 1995
year 2012
year 2055
number 1022
year 1022
number 1,325,455

is spoken as
two-thousand and five
nineteen ninety-five
one**-thousand nine-hundred and ninety-five
twenty twelve
twenty fifty-five
one**-thousand and twenty-two
ten twenty-two
one**-million, three-hundred twenty-five thousand, four-hundred fifty-five

** Sometimes native speakers will substitute an a for one thus, for 1022, saying a thousand and
twenty-two.

LITTLE NUMBERS: Fractions

Fractions are usually spoken as ordinal numbers:

number
1/5
1/7
1/3
3/4
7/8

is spoken as
one fifth
one seventh
one third
three fourths
seven eighths

variant
a fifth
a seventh
a third

Note some exceptions and variants however:

number

2
4

is spoken as
a half
three quarters
two and a half
four and three quarters
one quarter

variant
one half
three fourths
four and three fourths
one fourth

Describing performance with charts and graphs in Business English.

Use the words below to describe these line charts:
rose sharply

increased gradually

remained constant

reached a peak

fluctuated

fell gradually

leveled off

declined sharply

1.
2.
3.
4.

Sales _______________ .
Wages _______________ .
Inventory _______________ .
Costs _______________ .

5. Overhead _______________ .
6. Production _______________ .
7. Supply _______________ .
8. Unemployment ___________ .

Answers:
1. Sales remained constant
2. Wages fell gradually
3. Inventory declined sharply
4. Costs reached a peak
5. Overhead rose sharply
6. Production leveled off
7. Supply fluctuated
8. Unemployment increased gradually

Find other ways to describe the terms used in the exercise above and match them below:

a. was steady

1. remained constant

b. rose slowly

2. fell gradually

c. was up and down

3. declined sharply

d. peaked and then fell a bit

4. reached a peak

e. shot up

5. rose sharply

f. dropped like a rock

6. leveled off

g. eased off

7. fluctuated

h. moved up slowly

8. increased gradually

i. dropped off a bit

[Answers: 1.a; 2.i; 3.f; 4.d; 5.e; 6.g; 7.c; 8.h,b]

The charts above are line charts what are the names of the charts below?

#1.

#2.

BUSINESS LETTERS & E-MAILS (PART 1)

Letters and Emails
INTRODUCTION
Written communication relies on heavily stylized and standard expressions. This short guide lists the most
frequently used phrases in English to make writing letters and emails easier for you.

TIPS
A common mistake when communicating in a foreign languages is to make things overly complicated. A few
key points:
Keep your sentences short and simple, especially in emails.
Use the phrases in this guide.
Dont try to translate a letter from your native language leave the translation to the professional

FORMULATING LETTERS AND EMAILS IN ENGLISH

Letters and emails: Addressing and signing off
ADDRESSING AND SIGNING OFF
THE ADDRESS
English

letters

emails

To whom it may concern

Very formal type of address. Mainly used when writing to public organisations or authorities.
Dear Sir or Madam
Formal address for when the recipient is unknown.
Dear Mr/Ms
Standard address when the recipients name is known.
Dear John/Sarah
Standard address for friends, colleagues and business contacts
Hi / Hello John / Sarah
An informal and very friendly way of addressing colleagues, friends and people with whom you
have frequent contact.

SIGNING OFF
English

use

Yours sincerely

formal (Name known)

Yours faithfully

formal (Name unknown)

Sincerely yours

formal

Kind regards

less formal

Best regards

friendly

Best wishes

friendly

All the best

friendly

Yours

friendly

Thanks / cheers

casual

letters

emails

letters

emails

letters

emails

Letters and emails: Beginning and small talk

BEGINNING LETTERS AND EMAILS, SMALL TALK IN EMAILS
ENQUIRIES
English
I am writing to enquire about
I am writing to request
REFERRING
English
I am writing in reference to your
letter dated
advertisement

enquiry
Further to our telephone conversation / meeting / discussion
THANKING
English

letters

emails

letters

emails

letters

emails

Thank you for your letter / email

Thank you for your interest in
our company / our products / our services.
E-MAIL SMALL TALK
English
How are you?
I hope you are well.
It was good to
see you at / talk to you on.
I hope you enjoyed

the conference / our holiday / the party.

Letters and emails: Formulating the content
FORMULATING THE CONTENT
ASKING FOR INFORMATION
English
I would be grateful if you would send me some information on
I would be interested to find out more about
your products / your services / your offers.
Please could you send me
a brochure / a catalog / your current price list?

REQUESTING SOMETHING
English

letters

emails

I would be grateful if you would

Would you / Could you please
It would be great if you would
REQUESTING A QUOTE
English

letters

emails

letters

emails

Please could you send me a quote for

I would be grateful if you could send me a quote for the following:
CONFIRMING
English
I am pleased to confirm that
I just wanted to
confirm the meeting / our appointment
REFERRING TO ATTACHMENTS / ENCLOSURES
English

letters

emails

letters

emails

letters

emails

Please find attached

Please find enclosed
THANKING
English
I would like to express my sincere thanks for
I am deeply grateful for
Thanks very much for
CONGRATULATING
English
I would like to wish you a very happy
birthday / anniversary
I am writing to send you my warmest congratulations on

your promotion /anniversary / new venture / new job.

I wish you all the best for
your retirement / new job.
INVITING
English

letters

emails

letters

emails

letters

emails

letters

emails

You are warmly invited to

I would be delighted if you would join us / me for
Would you like to
MAKING AN APPOINTMENT
English
I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you in person.
Would you like to get together for lunch / coffee / dinner to discuss this in
person?
When are you free this week?
It would be great if we could arrange to meet sometime. When are you
available?
GIVING BAD NEWS
English
I (deeply) regret to inform you that
Unfortunately we have no choice but to
Unfortunately
COMPLAINING
English
Your product / your service regretably did not meet my expectations.
I am (deeply) disspointed in
I regret that I must call your attention to
I would be grateful if you could look into this.

APOLOGIZING
English

letters

emails

letters

emails

letters

emails

letters

emails

Please accept my sincere apologies for

the misunderstanding / the mistake.
I apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause / have caused.
I am very sorry about
Sorry about
the mix up / misunderstanding / mistake.
Concluding letters and emails
ASKING FOR FURTHER HELP
English
If you have any further questions, please dont hesitate to contact me.
Please feel free to call me on (telephone) or at (email), if you require any
further information.
REQUESTING CONTACT
English
I would be grateful if you would get in touch with me (as soon as possible).
You can reach me on ()
INVITING FURTHER CONTACT
English
I very much look forward to hearing from you.

I look forward to working with you in the future.

BUSINESS LETTERS & E-MAILS (PART 2)

Salutations in Letters and Email
Dear Reader: Dear Reader, Dear Ms. Reader: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Reader: Dear Sir or Madam: Hi,
Reader, Reader,
This post is all about the etiquette of salutations (greetings) for business letters and email. It's dedicated to
the many who have visited this blog in search of tips on how to begin a letter.
Rules for Business Letters
1. The standard way to open a business letter is with Dear, the person's name (with or without a
title), and a colon, like this:
Dear Louise: Dear Ms. Chu: Dear Mr. and Dr. Paige: Dear Professor Amato: Dear Patrick:
(For more discussion of Dear, see my post "Do I Have to Call You Dear?")
2. The standard way to open a social business letter is with Dear, the person's name (with or
without a title), and a comma, like this:
Dear Nigel, Dear Dr. Tarabi, Dear Reverend Jans,
A social business letter is social or personal rather than business-focused; for example, letters
of condolence, personal congratulations (for weddings, births, promotions, and other
celebrations), and thank yous.
3. If you don't know the reader well or if the letter or the relationship is formal, use a title and a
last name (Dear Ms. Browne). Otherwise, use the first name (Dear Gila).
4. Unless you are certain that a woman prefers Miss or Mrs., use the title Ms.
5. If you are writing to two people, use both names in your salutation, like this:
Dear Mr. Trujillo and Ms. Donne: Dear Alex and Drenda:
6. Never spell out the titles Mr., Ms., Mrs., and Dr. Do spell out these titles and similar ones:
Professor, Dean, Sister, Rabbi, Imam, Senator, Governor, Captain, Admiral, Judge
7. If you don't know a person's gender, use the full name rather than a title:
Dear Dana Simms: Dear T.K. Spinazola:
8. If you don't know a person's name or gender, avoid "To whom it may concern." Instead, use
the job title or a generic greeting:
Dear Recruiter: Dear Claims Adjustor: Dear Sir or Madam:
9. If you are writing to a company rather than any specific individual, use the company name:
Dear Syntax Training: (This is considered slightly informal.)
10. For a simplified business letter, do not use a salutation. Instead use a subject in all capital
letters, followed by the body of the letter, like this
WAYS TO BEGIN A BUSINESS LETTER
I am writing to share information about standard letter openings to. . . .
Simplified business letters are perfectly acceptable but not common

BUSINESS ENGLISH IDIOMS (PART 1)

Idiom

Meaning

Example

24/7

"24/7" means 24 hours a day, seven

The convenience store on the corner is

days a week.

open 24/7.

When something unfortunate happens,

It was a tough break for us when

it can be called a "tough break."

Caroline quit. She was one of our top

a tough break

performers.
ahead of the

To be "ahead of the curve" means to

We're investing a lot of money in

curve

be more advanced than the

research and development so we can

competition.

stay ahead of the curve.

To be "ahead of the pack" means to

If we want to stay ahead of the pack,

be better or more successful than the

we're going to have to work hard and

competition.

continue to innovate.

"ASAP" is an acronym for "as soon as

I need to finish these reports. My boss

possible."

needs them ASAP.

"At stake" means at risk.

I'm a little nervous about giving this

ahead of the pack

ASAP

at stake

presentation. There's a lot at stake.

back to square

To go "back to square one" means to

Our programmers identified what they

one

start something over again.

thought the problem was with the

software. After working for several
hours, it turns out that the problem is
something different. We're back to
square one, unfortunately.

back to the

To go "back to the drawing board"

The prototype wasn't successful. We

drawing board

means to start something over and go

have to go back to the drawing board.

back to the planning stage.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

backroom deal

A "backroom deal" is an agreement or

I think they got the government

decision that is made without the

contract because of a backroom deal.

public knowing about it.

ballpark

A "ballpark number" is a very inexact

I'm not sure what a Super Bowl

number/figure

estimate.

commercial costs, but to give you a

ballpark figure I'd say about three
million dollars.

behind someone's

To do something "behind someone's

She didn't think it would be fair to go

back

back" means to do something without

behind his back and talk to

someone's knowledge and in an unfair

management, so she confronted him

way.

directly.

What happens in secret or not in front

They make it look so effortless, but

of the general public is said to happen

they do a lot of hard work and

"behind the scenes."

planning behind the scenes.

Everything that is involved with a

Even though we all have very specific

particular situation is called "the big

tasks to do, our manager makes sure

picture."

we don't lose sight of the big picture.

A "blue collar worker" is someone who

It's a blue collar town with a lot of

works with his hands (manufacturing,

farmers and factory workers.

behind the scenes

big picture

blue collar

construction, maintenance, etc.). The

opposite is a "white collar worker." A
white collar worker is someone who
works in an office (customer service,
management, sales, etc.). "Blue collar"
(and "white collar") can also be used
to describe a job, position, or a place.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

by the book

To do things "by the book" means to

We are regularly audited by several

do things according to company policy

regulatory agencies. It's important

or the law. It means to follow the rules

that we do everything by the book.

100%.
call it a day

To "call it a day" means to decide to

Well, John, it's 7:00 and I'm getting

stop working for the day.

hungry. How about we call it a day?

catch someone

To "catch someone off guard" means

Mike was caught off guard when they

off guard

to surprise someone by doing

asked him to direct the meeting.

something that he or she was not

expecting.
cave (or cave in)

change of pace

To "cave" or "cave in" means to give in

The employees complained about the

or agree to something that someone

change in policy, but the supervisor

previously did not want to accept.

refused to cave in.

"A change of pace" is something

It's nice to go on business trips

different from a normal routine or

because it's a change of pace.

schedule.
come up short

To "come up short" means to try to

The charity fund raiser was supposed

achieve something but fail. We often

to raise three million dollars, but we

say that someone has "come up short"

came up short.

when someone fails to achieve a goal,

but not completely.
corner a market

To "corner a market" means to

Apple has cornered the market on

dominate a particular market.

mp3 players. They have a large

percentage of market share.

cut corners

To "cut corners" means to take

We don't cut corners on our luxury

shortcuts and find an easier or cheaper

products.

way to do something.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

cut one's losses

To "cut one's losses" means to stop

Our advertising campaign was

doing something that is unproductive

expensive and not showing results, so

and won't ever generate results.

we cut our losses.

"Cut-throat" is used to describe

In business school, the competition

something that is very intense,

was cut-throat.

cut-throat

aggressive, and merciless.

diamond in the

A "diamond in the rough" is something

He was a diamond in the rough. He

rough

or someone that has a lot of potential

was intelligent and had great ideas,

but first requires a lot of work.

but his management and English skills

weren't very good.

easy come, easy

"Easy come, easy go," is an expression

A lot of people who inherit money

go

used to communicate that something

waste it on stupid things. I guess it's

gained easily is also lost easily. We

easy come, easy go.

often use this expression after

something has been lost.
fifty-fifty

"Fifty-fifty" means something is divided

My business partner and I split

equally -- 50% for one party, 50% for

everything fifty-fifty.

the other party.

from the ground

If you start a business, project, or

Bill Gates built Microsoft from the

up

something else from zero, you start it

ground up.

"from the ground up."

game plan

A "game plan" is a strategy or plan.

They're not sure what their game plan

is for the upcoming election.

get back in/into

To "get back in/into the swing of

Our company shuts down operations

the swing of

things" means to get used to doing

for three weeks during the holiday

things

something again after having a break

season. When I go back to work in

from that activity.

Idiom

Meaning

Example
January, it's difficult to get back in the
swing of things.

get down to

To "get down to business" means to

Now that everyone's here, let's get

business

stop making small talk and start

down to business and talk about the

talking about serious topics related to

proposal.

business.
get something off

To "get something off the ground"

We're glad the planning process is

the ground

means to start a project or business.

over. We're looking forward to getting

the project off the ground.

get the ball rolling

To "get the ball rolling" means to start

We need to get the ball rolling on this

something (a project, for example).

project. The deadline is in June, and

it's already April.

get/be on the

If someone likes you, you are "on the

I always remember my coworkers'

good side of

good side" of that person.

birthdays and get them a card or small

someone

gift. I like to get on people's good

side.

get/have one's

To "get or have one's foot in the door"

My son just took a low-paying

foot in the door

means to take a low-level position with

internship position with a large

a company with the goal of eventually

company. He was happy to get his

getting a better position with the same

foot in the door at a well-known,

company.

respected company.

give someone a

To "give someone a pat on the back"

The boss gave Brian a pat on the back

pat on the back

means to tell someone that they did a

for coming up with such a good idea.

good job.
give the thumbs

To "give something or someone the

I can't believe she gave us the thumbs

down

thumbs down" means to deny

down. I thought it was a great idea.

approval.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

give the thumbs

To "give something or someone the

They gave our new proposal the

up

thumbs up" means to give approval.

thumbs up. We're going out to

celebrate tonight.

go broke

go down the drain

To "go broke" means to go bankrupt

There was too much competition and

or to lose all the money a person or

their expenses were too high. They

business had.

eventually went broke.

When someone wastes or loses

He dropped out of college in his third

something, it is said to "go down the

year and never continued his studies.

drain."

All of his hard work and money went

down the drain.

go the extra mile

To "go the extra mile" means to do

We go the extra mile for our

more than what people expect.

customers. If someone is dissatisfied

with a purchase, we refund their
money and offer them a discount on
their next purchase.

go through the

If something is "going through the

We're happy our number of Facebook

roof

roof," it means it is rapidly increasing.

followers has gone through the roof.

gray area

If something is in a "gray area," it

I asked our lawyers if it was legal, and

means that it is something undefined

they said it wasn't clear. It's a gray

and not easily categorized.

area.

If something is "ground-breaking," it

The iPhone was a ground-breaking

means it is new and innovative.

piece of technology when it was

ground-breaking

released in 2008.
hands are tied

Someone's "hands are tied" if they do

I would love to get you a job at my

not have control over a situation.

company, but my hands are tied.

Management isn't hiring any additional
employees this year.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

have someone's

If you have a lot of work to do or a

She has to sell $35,000 worth of

work cut out

particularly difficult assignment, you

products by the end of the month. She

"have your work cut out for you."

has her work cut out for her.

hit the nail on the

To "hit the nail on the head" means to

I agree with John 100%. I think he

head

do or say something 100% correctly.

really hit the nail on the head.

in a nutshell

"In a nutshell" means in a few words.

In a nutshell, this book is about how

to motivate employees.

in full swing

If a project is "in full swing," it means

Construction on the new site is in full

that it has been completely started

swing now.

and that it is progressing or moving as

fast as it ever will.
in the black

If a company is "in the black," it

We're not having a great year, but at

means that it is making a profit.

least we're in the black.

in the driver's

To be "in the driver's seat" means to

I'm not used to being in the driver's

seat

be in control.

seat. I should probably buy some

management books.

in the red

If a company is "in the red," it means

When I started my own business, we

that is not profitable and is operating

were in the red for the first two years.

at a loss.

We didn't see a profit until the third

year.

keep one's eye on

To "keep one's eye on the ball" means

I know we can do it. We just need to

the ball

to give something one's full attention

keep our eyes on the ball and not lose

and to not lose focus.

focus.

The "last straw" means the last

Our boss had been unhappy with

annoyance, disturbance, or betrayal

Brian's performance for a while, but it

which causes someone to give up, lose

was the last straw when he came to

their patience, or become angry.

work three hours late without calling.

last straw

Idiom

Meaning

Example

learn the ropes

To "learn the ropes" means to learn

I like my new position. I'm starting to

the basics of something.

learn the ropes.

A "long shot" is something that has a

Winning the lottery is a long shot, but

very low probability of happening.

millions of people still buy lottery

long shot

tickets.
loophole

A legal "loophole" occurs if a law is

Some people complain that

unclear or omits information. This lack

millionaires avoid paying taxes by

of legal clarity allows people or

finding loopholes in tax laws.

corporations to pay less in taxes or

gain some other advantage.
lose ground

To "lose ground" means to lose some

Apple lost some ground to Samsung

(opposite: gain

type of an advantage (market share,

last quarter.

ground)

for example) to a competitor.

lose-lose situation

A "lose-lose situation" is when there

It's a lose-lose situation. If they lay off

(or no-win

will be a negative outcome regardless

more workers, they'll get bad press. If

situation)

of what decision is made.

they don't lay off more workers, they

won't be able to compete.

nine-to-five

A "nine-to-five" is a job during normal

She was tired of working a nine-to-five

working hours. The term came into

job, so she took her savings and

existence because many work days

opened a restaurant.

start at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m.

no brainer

If a decision is really obvious or really

Taking the new job was a no brainer.

easy to make, the decision is a "no

They offered me more money, a better

brainer."

schedule, and more vacation days.

no strings

If something is given without

They will let you try the product for

attached

expecting anything in return, it is given

free with no strings attached. If you

with "no strings attached."

Idiom

Meaning

Example
don't like it, there is no pressure to
buy it.

no time to lose

If there is "no time to lose," it means

I told them I'd be finished by the end

that there is a lot of pressure to finish

of the day and it's already 4:45. I

something quickly.

need to get to work. There's no time

to lose.

not going to fly

If a solution isn't effective, we can say

I don't think that's going to fly. Let's

that it "isn't going to fly."

keep generating ideas.

off the top of

If someone says something "off the

I have no idea how many branches

one's head

top of their head," it means that they

they have. Off the top of my head, I'd

give a response without thinking about

say about 20.

it much or doing any research on the

subject.
on a roll

If someone is "on a roll," it means that

Our profits have been above our

he or she has had several successes in

projected numbers for five months in a

a row.

row. We're really on a roll.

To be "on the ball" means to be alert

My new personal assistant is working

and aware of things.

out well. He's really on the ball.

on the same page

If two people are "on the same page,"

Let's go over the details of what we

page

they are in agreement about

agreed on to make sure we're on the

something.

same page.

on top of

To be "on top of something" means to

I read a lot to stay on top of the latest

something

be in control of a situation and aware

changes in my industry.

on the ball

of changes.
on your toes

To be "on your toes" means to be

Stay on your toes. Anything can

alert.

happen.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

out in the open

If something is "out in the open," it is

I think it's good to do things out in the

public knowledge and not hidden from

open because people get suspicious if

people.

you do things in secret.

out of the loop

To be "out of the loop" means to not

I felt like I was out of the loop after

(opposite: in the

know something that a select group of

being on vacation for two weeks.

loop)

people knows. The opposite, to be "in

the loop," means to be part of a select
group with knowledge that others do
not have.

pink slip

play hardball

Someone who gets the "pink slip," has

They gave him the pink slip. He wasn't

been fired by their employer.

performing very well.

To "play hardball" means to be

He played hardball to get where he is,

competitive in a cruel and merciless

so I would be careful what you say

way. Playing hardball means doing

and do around him.

anything possible to win.

put all one's eggs

To "put all one's eggs in one basket,"

It's not good to only invest in the

in one basket

means to rely on only one thing to

stock market. You don't want to put all

bring success.

your eggs in one basket.

put the cart

To "put the cart before the horse"

They were trying to find investors

before the horse

means to do or think about things in

without even having a business plan.

the wrong order.

They were putting the cart before the

horse.

raise the bar

To "raise the bar" means to set the

The new software is getting great

standards or expectations higher,

reviews. It looks like the bar has been

usually by achieving or creating

raised for the competition.

something better than what had

previously existed.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

read between the

To "read between the lines" means to

He didn't say that he wants to leave

lines

understand something that isn't

the company, but I can read between

communicated directly. Reading

the lines. He's not happy here.

between the lines involves

understanding what someone is
implying or suggesting but not saying
directly.
red tape

"Red tape" refers to excessive rules,

The new law is going to create a lot of

procedures, and regulations that make

red tape, and we're going to have to

it difficult to accomplish something.

pay our lawyers a lot more money.

We usually use "red tape" to talk

about government requirements that
create difficult, time-consuming
barriers for people and businesses.
rock the boat

To "rock the boat" means to cause

I'd ask for a raise, but I don't want to

problems or disrupt a peaceful

rock the boat.

situation.
round-the-clock

"Round the clock" means 24 hours a

We have round-the-clock production at

day.

all our manufacturing facilities.

run/go around in

To "run (or go) around in circles"

Everyone kept restating their opinions

circles

means to do the same thing over and

but nothing was agreed on. We were

over again without getting any results.

running around in circles.

A "safe bet" means something that will

It's a safe bet that smartphones will

probably happen.

be much more advanced in 10 years.

If people are in the same situation,

We're all worried about losing our

they are in the "same boat."

jobs. We're in the same boat.

safe bet

same boat

Idiom

Meaning

Example

second nature

When someone does something so

She's been a computer programmer

well that it seems like they were born

for ten years. At this point,

knowing how to do it, we say that the

programming is second nature to her.

activity is "second nature" to that

person.
see eye to eye

To "see eye to eye" with someone

We don't always see eye to eye, but I

means to agree with that person.

respect her opinions and appreciate

her honesty.

see something

To "see something through" means to

I told my boss that I really wanted to

through

do something until it is finished.

see this project through before taking

on another project.

sever ties

To "sever ties" means to end a

We had to sever ties with several of

relationship.

our suppliers due to late shipments.

shoot something

To "shoot something down" means to

It's best not to shoot down people's

down

reject something, such as a proposal

ideas during a brainstorming session.

or idea.

The goal is to generate ideas, not to

criticize them.

sky's the limit

"The sky's the limit" if there is no limit

With their commission structure, the

to what can be achieved.

sky's the limit to what you can earn.

"Small talk" is conversation about

We typically spend about 15 minutes

unimportant topics that do not offend

making small talk before we start our

people (the weather, for example).

meetings.

smooth/clear

"Smooth sailing" is a term used to

Once our largest competitor went out

sailing

describe a situation where success is

of business, it was smooth sailing.

small talk

achieved without difficulties.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

snail mail

"Snail mail" is the term used for the

If you want to fill out form 52-E and

traditional mail that goes through the

send it to the government, you have

post office.

to do it using snail mail. They don't

allow you to scan the document.

stand one's

To "stand one's ground" means to not

We tried to change the dress code,

ground

change one's opinion or position.

but Human Resources stood their

ground.

start off on the

To "start off on the right foot" means

We offered them a very generous

right foot

to start something in a positive way.

price on their first order and

everything shipped on time. We really
started off on the right foot.

start off on the

To "start off on the wrong foot" means

I just switched cable companies. They

wrong foot

to start something in a negative way.

overcharged me for the first month's

service. They really started off on the
wrong foot.

state of the art

Something that is "state of the art" is

We have a brand new, state-of-the-art

modern and technologically advanced.

facility.

take something

To "take something lying down"

The proposed law would kill our

lying down

means to accept something unpleasant

industry, but we're not going to take it

without fighting back.

lying down. We're going to fight back

and make sure the law isn't passed.

take the bull by

To "take the bull by the horns" means

One of our mid-level managers wasn't

the horns

to directly confront a difficult situation.

very popular and was causing some

problems, so we took the bull by the
horns and replaced him with
somebody else.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

talk someone into

To "talk someone into something"

I was hesitant to redesign our website,

something

means to convince someone to do

but my employees talked me into it.

something.

I'm glad they did. The new site looks

great.

talk someone out

To "talk someone out of something"

I wanted to make a real estate

of something

means to convince someone not to do

investment, but my financial adviser

something.

talked me out of it.

the elephant in

"The elephant in the room" refers to

We should have been talking about

the room

an obvious problem or controversial

our huge debt, but no one wanted to

issue that no one wants to talk about.

talk about the elephant in the room.

To "think big" means to have

I'm not content with just opening one

ambitious goals and big plans for the

or two more stores. I'm thinking big --

future.

I think we can open 10 stores in the

think big

next five years.

think outside the

To "think outside the box" means to

Creating a product that no one has

box

think of creative, unconventional

sold before is an example of thinking

solutions instead of common ones.

outside the box.

To "throw in the towel" means to quit.

I was trying to learn Portuguese, but I

throw in the towel

got frustrated and threw in the towel.

time's up

"Time's up" means that the time for

I think his time's up as the CEO.

something or someone has ended.

They're going to replace him as soon

as they find a suitable candidate.

touch base

To "touch base" means to make

Let me make a few phone calls to try

contact with someone.

to get an answer to your question. I'll

touch base with you later today.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

twist someone's

To "twist someone's arm" means to

The owner thought the budget was a

arm

persuade or convince someone to do

little high. We had to twist his arm to

something that he or she does not

get him to agree to it.

want to do.
under the table

Something done secretly (and usually

To avoid paying taxes, they paid some

illegally) in the business world is done

of their employees under the table.

"under the table."

up in the air

If something is undecided, it is "up in

We're looking for a test market right

the air."

now, but nothing has been decided

yet. Everything's still up in the air.

uphill battle

upper hand

white collar

Something that is difficult to achieve

Winning the election is going to be an

because of obstacles and difficulties is

uphill battle. He doesn't have much

an "uphill battle."

support at the moment.

If someone has an advantage over

John is more experienced and well

someone else, he or she has the

respected, so he had the upper hand

"upper hand."

in the argument.

A "white collar worker" is someone

There are mostly manufacturing

who works in an office (customer

positions here. There aren't many

service, management, sales, etc.). The

white-collar jobs.

opposite of a white collar worker is a

"blue collar worker." A blue collar
worker is someone who works with his
hands (manufacturing, construction,
maintenance, etc.). "White collar" (and
"blue collar") can also be used to
describe a job, position, or place.

Idiom

Meaning

Example

win-win situation

A "win-win situation" is a situation

We were happy to get the contract,

where everyone involved gains

and they were happy to get such a

something.

good price. It was a win-win situation.

If something spreads by "word of

Many local restaurants rely on word of

mouth," people hear about it through

mouth to get new customers.

word of mouth

informal conversation with friends,

family members, acquaintances, etc.
writing on the

The "writing on the wall" refers to the

I'm going to get my resume ready. I

wall

evidence and clues that something

can see the writing on the wall.

(usually negative) is going to happen.

yes man

A "yes man" is someone who always

The company isn't looking to hire

agrees with his or her superiors.

someone who is going to try to make

a lot of changes. They're just looking
for a yes man.