Whether or not you need to study business English depends on your personal and professional goals. If you plan to work in a business environment where English is the primary language, then studying business English can be beneficial.
Business English focuses on the language and communication skills required in professional settings such as negotiations, presentations, meetings, and writing emails and reports. These skills are essential for effective communication with clients, colleagues, and partners.
Studying business English can help you develop the confidence and skills necessary to communicate effectively in a business setting. It can also improve your career prospects, as it can make you a more valuable employee and open up opportunities for international business travel.
If your goal is to work in a business setting, or if you are already working in one and want to improve your communication skills, then studying business English can be a wise investment of your time and resources.
As professional English language trainers, we'll always have a variety of positions available. Nevertheless, people still seem to have doubts on the differences there are between general everyday English and business English. Although there’s substantial overlapping going both ways, there are some clear differences. The objective of business English classes is to enable students to feel more comfortable in one’s working environment where specialised English is the norm. The common business idioms used in the corporate world are often phrases that confuse a lot of people as direct translation often makes no sense. These common business idioms can cause confusion, causing you to lose track of a conversation or in a meeting can become rather problematic. Let's take a look at these 21 Business English idioms, expressions, and phrases that are used in the corporate world.
The first clear difference between general English and business English is that the vocabulary is rarely used outside of a business setting but is, in fact, commonplace in the corporate world. Without getting too technical we could mention financial vocabulary such as bonds, bankruptcy, broker, commodity, depreciation, dividend, gross domestic product (GDP), margin call, to short sell, to wager and so on. All rather habitual terms in the business world, but seldom used outside it.
Business English and General English have much more in common when it comes to common business idioms, expressions and phrases. For non-native speakers, it is essential to understand some of the most familiar expressions used by us Anglophones to reach and maintain an advanced level of English. We will now reveal a few essential business idioms that you are more likely to hear in the business realm but that can also be used after work in your social life.
21 Business English idioms, expressions, and phrases
1. A long shot
This phrase comes from sports, like basketball for example when a player is trying to shoot from a long distance. It means something unlikely to happen. With very little chance of success.
Example: Getting a senior position in the corporation one day is a long shot, but if you don’t try you’ll never find out if it’s possible.
2. Back to the drawing board
This expression means to start something again from the beginning because it’s not working as you would have liked or expected.
Example: This project is not going as planned, let’s get back to the drawing board and fix what’s going wrong.
3. To corner the market
To control enough quantity of a product or service that enables one to then change the market price willingly. It can also mean to be the only one making or providing a given product or service.
Example: Intel has pretty much cornered the market of microprocessors for servers. Their direct competition, AMD, is a distant second.
4. Hands are tied
When you are unable to carry out any meaningful action because of regulations, rules or other people with authority.
Example: I wish I could help you cut through all this red tape (another business idiom meaning administrative procedures) but my hands are tied. My boss won’t let me.
5. Up in the air
When things are highly uncertain when a decision has not been made yet.
Example: We were hoping to sign the contract by the end of the month, but there are still too many things up in the air we need to deal with first.
6. To learn the ropes
To learn the basics of a profession, a specific task or activity.
Example: It took her a while to learn the ropes, but now she is confident and we feel that we can count on her to manage her client portfolio effectively.
7. A learning curve
The process of learning, usually from trial and error. We often say that there can be a steep learning curve, which means that one has to learn things quickly to meet the requirements of a specific job.
Example: There was a steep learning curve when I started out trading stock options, but I now feel like I’m finally getting the hang of it (another idiom which means to master something).
8. To go down swinging
An expression that comes from boxing. To swing means to throw an arcing punch. The expression refers to someone who fights to the very end, who never gives up until it’s completely over and there is no possibility of victory.
Example: The future of our company is uncertain due to our massive debt, but I can guarantee that we will go down swinging, whatever happens, we will not give up easily.
9. By the book
To do things strictly by the rules.
Example: I don’t want to take any chances of getting caught by the financial regulators and having to pay significant fines. We have to do everything by the book.
10. To cut corners
Almost the opposite of the book. This means to do things most quickly and cheaply to save time and money but often compromising quality and bending the rules (another expression which means not strictly following all the rules).
Example: The company’s decision to cut corners ended up costing them dearly when they got caught red-handed and had to pay a huge fine for committing fraud.
11. Between a rock and a hard place
When there’s no easy way out or a good solution. Whatever you do, whichever option you choose, the outcome will not be ideal.
Example: Management finds itself between a rock and a hard place after the corruption scandal that has erupted. Either they file for bankruptcy and hope that law enforcement forgets about them, or they stay in business and run the risk of going to jail.
12. From the ground up
To build or start something from nothing, from zero.
Example: Building a company from the ground up can bring you great pride if you are successful.
April, 2023
Posted by Oxford Language Club
