Teaching Business English

Students who are learning English for primarily business purposes will come up against different language demands from someone learning only for social use.

The needs analysis in business language teaching

It is very important to conduct a needs analysis for a business English student in order to get a sense of their requirements from their English lessons, their background and likely future usages of the language, as well as their current level of language ability.

Useful questions to ask business language students

Another way to aid a needs analysis is to ask certain open ended questions to ask at the beginning of a business English class. Questions that could be useful to ask:

	Are there any particular aspects of the English language that you find difficult?
	Where do you work?
	What is your job title?
	what are your main responsibilities?
	What do you like to do in your leisure time?
	What do you want to achieve from your English language lessons?

Teaching politeness

In business situations, politeness is often particularly important. Learners will benefit from having a good stock of phrases that they can draw on when asking questions, interrupting, accepting or declining an offer, or requesting information. All of these are necessary in meeting situations and for general business usage.

Useful phrases:

Declining an offer or invitation:

	No, thanks.
	Thank you for asking, but no, I'd rather not ...
	Thanks, but I'm afraid I can't come.
	I'm afraid I'm otherwise engaged.
	I'm sorry, but I've made other arrangements.

Requesting:

	Can I / Can you...?
	Would you check this again, please?
	Can I suggest an alternative?
	Would you mind if I suggested an alternative?
	Could you repeat that point, please?
	Would you mind repeating that point?

Declining:

No, sorry, you can't / No, I don’t want to...

No, I'm afraid you can't sit there, sorry.

No thank you, I don't want to add anything else to the
discussion.

No, I think I'm finished, thanks.

Disagreement:

	No, I'm afraid I don't agree.
	Sorry, but I have to disagree with you there.
	I'm sorry, but I don't agree with your argument.

Interrupting:

	Excuse me ...
	Sorry for interrupting, but ...
	Excuse me, I have something to say.
	Excuse me, may I say something here...
	Could I just interject there ...

Business Vocabulary

Learners may face problems with business specific language and vocabulary which they may not have come across before. Certain verbs go naturally in English with particular phrases. Below are listed a few common phrases and combinations of words.

Word partnerships/collocations:

to hold a meeting

to turn a corner

to form a partnership

to give a speech

to take a pay cut

to be made redundant

to make/strike a deal

to place an order

For more word partnerships in business English, please click here.

Confusing words

Words related to business with more than one meaning:

Form

	to form something (out of something else);
	an official question sheet which you fill out.

Liquid

	a free-flowing, non-solid material such as water;
	financial assets which are available cash and not tied up in property or business.

Inflation

	when something is blown up with air.
	the rise in the cost of living/goods per year.

For more confusing words with multiple meanings, please click here.

Using tenses in business English

Business language learners need to be familiar with all kinds of tenses in order to talk about their routines, responsibilities, achievements, arrangements and plans.

1. Routines and responsibilities.

'I get up at 7 O'clock'
'I arrive at the office around 8.30'
'I am responsible for interviewing new applicants'

2. Achievements

'I have helped my company to win the national award'
'We have been a market leader'
'I have been the most successful salesperson this year'

Achievements make a perfect topic in which to help students practice the present perfect tense, as achievements are often referred to using indefinite times and unfinished activities linked to the past or present. The present perfect can be contrasted with the simple past using definite times frames and activities already finished.

3. Arrangements

'I will meet you outside the meeting room.'
'We will decide on the final details on Friday.'
'We are giving the presentation later this afternoon.'
'I'm seeing him tomorrow.'

The present continuous tense is used in the last two examples which usually uses a time reference.

4. Decisions and plans

'I've decided to attend the meeting alone tomorrow.'
'He will have the whole presentation ready for Tuesday'.
'I plan to talk to the manager about that matter soon'.
'She is going to be the general manager'
'I 'm meeting the contractor tomorrow morning'