Useful Expressions - Business Language

 Apologizing

I'm sorry.
I made a mistake.
Please accept my apologies.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to . . .
(I'm) sorry. I didn't realize that . . . .
That's okay.
No problem.

Prefacing bad news

I'm sorry (I have) to tell you this, but . . .
I hate to tell you this, but . . .
I don't know how to tell you this, but . . .
I have some bad news.

(Formal) written apologies

We regret to inform you that . . .
Regretfully . . .
Unfortunately . . .

 Asking for Help

Asking for Help

Could you . . . . (for me) ?
Would you please . . . ?
Would you mind V+ing . . . .?
Could you possibly . . . ?
Okay, no problem.
Sure, I'd be glad to.
Sorry, I'm (kind of) busy now.
I'm sorry. I don't have time right now.
Do you have a minute?
Can you spare a few minutes?
Could you do me a favour?
Could I ask you a favour?
Can I ask you to . . . ?
I need some help (if you have time).
(If you're not busy) I could use your help.

 Business Introductions

Informal
This is my boss, Mr. Stratford.
Jared, this is my secretary, Barbara.
Good to meet you.
Nice to meet you too.

I'd like you to meet my co-worker, Collin Beck.

Collin, this is Susan Palmer.
Nice to meet you.
My pleasure.
Have you met, Jason?
Jason, this is Teresa.

Hi, I'm Jill Watson.

I don't believe we've met. I'm Greg.

Formal
I'd like to introduce you to my dear friend, Mrs. Pleasant.
Allow me to introduce myself/my colleague, Ms. Winters
Let me introduce you to my colleague, Dean Richards.
Mr. Richards, this is David Porter from Aerospace Inc.
How do you do?
How do you do?
It's a pleasure meeting you.

 Company Description

Company Description

What company do you work for?

Which company are you with?
Who do you represent?

I work for ABC Company.

I'm with ABC.
I represent (the) XYZ (company).

What is the name of your company?

Where are you located?

The name of our company is . . . .

Our company is located in . . . .
ur headquarters is in . . .

What (type of business) do you do?

What business are you in?

We are in the computer business.

We're in computers
We sell . . .
We produce . . .
We manufacture . . .
Our major products are . . .
  Describing Business Activities

Describing Business Activities

What do you do at ABC Company?

I am in charge of marketing.
I'm responsible for sales.
I program computers.
I recruit and train employees.

What does your company do?

We design software.
We build storage units.
We produce small appliances.
We're in the insurance business.

 Describing Jobs

Describing Jobs

What do you do?

What do you do for a living?
What is your occupation?
What type of work do you do?
Where do you work?

I'm a salesman.(job-general)
I'm in sales.(general)
I'm in the toy business.(industry)
I'm a contractor at JBX.(specific)
I'm a consultant for YXL.

What company do you work for?

I work for Bellwest.(company name)

I work at Wellbest.(general)
I'm with Westbell.(industry)

What do you do there?

What do you do at Bellwest?

I'm a software engineer.(job title)

I work in the sales department. (Place in company)
I'm in customer service. (General area)
I work as an instructor.
I build houses. (Specific job)
I clean the restrooms.

 Describing Products

Describing Products

Tell me about (this product)

What can you tell me about (this product)?
Can you give me some information/details about this?
What is special/ unique about this?
What are the specifications?
Let me tell you about . . .
This is our (newest) product.
This is one of our latest designs.
It is made of . . .
It can be used for . . .
You can use it to . . .
You can . . . with it
This has/contains . . .
This one features . . .
This comes with . . .
This is equipped with . . .
This particular model . . .
This is priced at . . .
This costs . . .

 Describing Projects
Describing Projects

What are your current projects?

What are you working on (at present)?
What are your major initiatives in this area?

We are currently working on . . .

We are in the process of . . .
We are developing . . .
We are designing . . .
We are building . . .
We are marketing . . .

 Explaining

Explaining

Can you explain . . .

Can you tell me why . . .
Why . . .
What happened . . .
Well, . . .
Let me explain.
Let me tell you why . . .
Here's what happened:
There's a (good) reason for this:
The reason is . . .

I'm sorry. I can't tell you that (right now).

Can I get back to you on that?
I'll explain (a little) later.
We'll come to that later.
We'll get to that in a few minutes.
Can we save that until later?

 Expressing Appreciation

Expressing Appreciation

Thanks.
Thank you.
I appreciate it.

Thanks for the tour.

Thank you for the nice gift.
I appreciate your hospitality.
I appreciate your lending me the chain saw.

 Forward Looking Statements

Forward-Looking Statements

What are your plans for the future?

What are your projections for the next quarter?
What do you expect to achieve (in the near future)?
What are your (sales) projections for next six months?
What are your goals for the coming year?

We expect . . .
We plan to . . .
We project . . .
We hope to . . .
We should . . .
We will be (V+ing) . . .
If all goes as planned,
Our projections are . . .
According to our projections,
  Invitations

Invitations

Informal:

Would you like to . . .

We're going to . . . . Would you like to come along?
There's a . . . . (tonight). Would you like to go?
How about (V+ing) . . . ?
Do you want to . . . ?
I wonder if you would like to . . .
I was wondering if you would like to . . .

Formal:

I'd like to invite you to . . .

If you have time, I'd like to invite you . . .
Would you like to join us for (event) at (time) ?
We'd be glad to have you accompany us . . .
We'd be delighted /honoured to have you as our guest at . . .

 Job Responsibilities

Job Responsibilities

What do you do (in your job)?

What is your main job?
What are you in charge of?

I am in charge of training employees.

I am responsible for watering the plants.
I take care of corporate accounts.
I usually answer telephones.
I mainly write reports.
I repair jet engines.

 Offering

Offering

Informal

Cigarette? No thank you

Would you like some coffee? Yes, please.
How about a glass of water? Sure. Thanks.
Here. Have a/some . . . Okay. Thanks.
Would you like one of these? I really shouldn't.
Can I get you something? No. Thanks anyway.
What can I get you something to drink? Juice would be fine.

Formal

Would you care for some . . .

Would you like to try . . .
Let me offer you . . .
Let me get you a/some . .

 Requesting

Requesting

Informal

Please . . .
Would you . . .
Could you . . .
Would you please . . . .
Could you possibly . . .
Would you mind (V+ing) . . .
Could you do me a favor?

Formal

Could I ask you to . . .

Would you mind if I asked you to . . .
Would you be so kind as to . . .

 Terms of Payment

Terms of Payment

I'd like to pay (in) cash.

I'll put it on my credit card.
Can I charge it?
Could you put that on my bill?
Could I put that on my account?
Could you send me an invoice?
Could you bill me (for that)?
Can I put it on lay-away?

May I . . .
pay in cash
pay by check
pay by credit card
pay with a credit card
pay in instalments
pay in one lump sum

Could you deliver it to my office?

Do you charge for shipping?
Do I need to pay for postage and handling?
How long will it take?

 Using Tenses Appropriately

Use simple past tense to describe something that wholly occurred at a specific time in the
past:

I graduated from NYU in 1998. (That's when the ceremony occurred.)

NOT: I have graduated since 1998. (Incorrect!)

I finished the Hollins project last week. (Specific time)

I have finished the Hollins project last week. (Incorrect!)

Use present perfect tense to describe something that has been in effect from a certain point in
the past until now. Be careful! Some verbs are used for specific actions; others are used for
conditions that cover lengths of time.

I met Mr. Flinders last year at a Convention in Little Rock. (Specific time)
I have met him since last year. (Incorrect!)
I have known him since last year. (Correct!)

Use simple present tense to describe facts.

I work for IBS Corporation.

He's a sanitation engineer.
I am responsible for orienting new employees.
She answers company correspondence.

Use present progressive tense to describe ongoing projects.

I am developing new software.

She is teaching the hearing-impaired.
We are building a new mall in East Heights.

 Welcoming Visitors

Welcoming

Welcome to Cando Enterprises.

Welcome to London. I'm John Taylor.
Meeting someone you don't know

1. Patricia Murphy?
Yes.
Hi, I'm Kevin Chen of Myotex Industries.
Welcome to Taiwan.

2. Are you Mr. Blanks?

Yes, I am.
I'm Jane Placid. (We talked by telephone.)
Welcome to Sydney.
It's nice to meet you in person.
Nice meeting you too.
How was your flight?
Okay, but very long.

3. You must be Ms. Terius.

That's right.

It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Brad Wilson.

Welcome to Suntech.
Thank you
Did you have any problem finding this place?
No, your directions were very clear.

Useful Expressions - Business Interaction

 Analyzing Problems

Analyzing Problems

Focusing on the main problem/issue

What is the main problem?

What is the real issue (here)?
(I think) the major problem is . . .
Our primary concern is . . .
The crux of the matter is . . .
(As I see it), the most important thing is . . .
The main problem we need to solve is . . .
We really need to take care of . . .
It all comes down to this:

Asking for input

What should we do about it?
What needs to be done?
What do you think we should do?
What are we going to do about it?
Do you have any suggestions?
Any ideas?

Making Recommendations
I recommend that . . .
I suggest that . . .
I would like to propose that . . .
Why don't we . . .

 Asking for Information

Asking for Information

Information about company

What does your company do?

What is your specialty?
What do you specialize in?
What is your main line of business?

We produce marketing materials.

We specialize in art and design.

What are your major products?

What services do you provide?

We produce office machines.

We design software.
We provide technical support.

Information about products

Could you give me some (more) information on this?

What can you tell me about this (product)?

Tell me about this one/model.

This is one of our top brands.

It's our best selling refrigerator.
This one is the best in its class.
We're really pleased with its performance.
It's an excellent computer.
I highly recommend this one.
This model comes with several features.
This particular one has two components.
Information about Price

What are you asking for this?

What does this sell for?

How much is it?

How much does it run?

This (one) sells for $5900.

This one goes for $2900.
This one is priced at $9695.

 Closing a Conversation

Closing a Conversation

Pre-closing

It's been nice talking to you.

It's been great talking with you.

I really enjoyed meeting you.

It was nice meeting you, Mr. Brown.

I'm sorry, but I have to go now.

I'm afraid I have to leave now.

Thanks for the information/ the tour/ your time.

Thanks for taking the time to talk with us.

Follow up

I'll give you a call.

I'll send you an e-mail.
I'll put a packet in the mail for you.

We'll send out that information right away.

I'll have my secretary schedule an appointment.

Could you send me a brochure/some more information?

Could I contact you by e-mail/at your office?

How do I get in touch with you?

How can I reach/contact you?

Closing

I look forward to seeing you again.

We'll see you on Friday.
See you next week.

Let me give you my business card.

Here's my e-mail/office number.
Let's keep in touch by e-mail.
We'll be in touch.

Call me if you have any questions.

E-mail me.

 Customer Survey (Restaurant)

Customer Survey (Restaurant)

What types of food do you like to eat?

What types of food do you not like to eat?
How often do you go out for a meal?
On what days of the week do you usually eat out?
Which meal(s) (breakfast, lunch, dinner) do you eat outside of your home?
How much do you spend on a typical meal?
Do you go out alone, as a couple, or in groups?
What are your main criteria in choosing a restaurant?
What are your main reasons for not going out to eat?
What is your primary means of transportation?
What area of the city do you live in?

 Discussing Agenda Items

Discussing Agenda Items

Let's start with . . .

Let's start by . . .
The first item on the agenda is . . .
We need to discuss . . .
Let's look at item number one.
Let's move on to number two.
The next item on the agenda is . . .
What's next on the agenda?
Does anyone have any comments?
Any comments?
Are there any comments on that?
What do you think?
Good idea.
Good point.
Does everyone agree on that?

 Making Appointments

Making Appointments
I'd like to make an appointment with Dr. Bill.
I'd like to schedule a meeting with Ms. Terry.
Could I schedule a time to meet with Mr. East?

What time is best for you?

When would be a good time for you?
Would 9:00 on Thursday be okay?
He'll be in on Tuesday.
His schedule is open all day Monday.
She's free any day but Wednesday.
Dr. Itup will be away until Friday.

Will Mr. Rodgers be in tomorrow?

Is he available next Wednesday?
Does he have any openings on Tuesday?
Does she have any time on Thursday?

Sorry, her calendar is full on Monday.

She will be out on Wednesday.
He doesn't have time on Tuesday.
How about Friday at 4:00?

Thursday at 10:00 will be fine.

Friday at 11:00 sounds good.
Okay. Tuesday morning at 9.
Monday at 8:00 is not good for me.
Wednesday is not possible.

 Meetings and Discussions

Meetings and Discussions

Getting started

Let's get started.

We need to discuss . . .
We need to talk about . . .

Talking about discussion items

The first thing we need to discuss is . . .

The first item on the agenda is . . .
The first thing on the list is . . .
First, we need to talk about . . .

Presenting Options
 We have several alternatives:
We have two options:
We could either . . . or . . .

Moving on

Let's move on to Item 2.

Let's move on to the next topic.
We need to move on. The next item (of business) is . . .
We need to go on to the next item.
Shall/Should we move on?

Stalling the Discussion

Before we move on, I think we should . . .

Wait a minute. We haven't discussed . . .
Don't you think we need to . . .
Not so fast. We haven't (yet) . . .

Asking for Clarification

What to you mean by . . . .

I don't quite follow you.
I didn't get what you meant by . . .
Could you clarify that?
Could you elaborate on that?

Making a Suggestion/Proposal

I think we should . . .
Maybe we should . . .
I suggest . . .
Why don't we . . .
How about . . .
We could . . .

Giving Feedback

(I think) that's a good idea.

You have a good point.
Good idea/point.
I agree.

I disagree. I think . . .
Sorry. I don't agree with you.
You have a good point, but . . .
That's not such a good idea.
I don't think that's a good idea.

Asking for Opinions

 What do you think, George?
What's your opinion on that, Martha?
Any thoughts on that?
Any ideas?

Checking for Consensus

Do we all agree (on that)?

Does everyone agree?

Summarizing

In summary,
The conclusion is . . .
So, we've decided to . . .
We're going to . . . (then)

Closing the meeting

That's all for today.

That's it then. (informal)
The meeting is adjourned. (very formal)

Useful Expressions - Business Correspondence

 Business Letters

**** Sample Letter: Modified Block Style ****

Trent Chang
56 Somerset Lane
Kai Tak, Kowloon
Hong Kong

April 21, 2001

Marketing Director
Dymon Publications
2201 South Maple Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84797
U.S.A.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to order ten (10) copies of the book, Touchy Situations: A Conversation Text for
ESL Students. I recently came across this book at a local teachers' conference and was very
impressed by its format and contents. Could you please send the books by express mail? I
need them for class next Monday. Also, would you mind sending your latest catalogue or
brochure?

Thank you for your prompt attention. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best regards,

Trent Chang

 Common Phrases for Business Letters

Common Phrases for Business Letters

Request for information

I am writing to inquire about . . .

I am writing in reference to . . .

I read/heard . . . and would like to know . . .

Could you please send me . . .

at the address below/above

Thank you for your assistance.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Response to request

Thank you for your interest/inquiry

Enclosed is the information you requested.

You can learn more about this at . . .

If you have further questions,

If you require assistance, please contact:

If I can be of more help, please feel free to contact me at . . .

Sample Sentences:
Requests

Could you please send me your most recent brochure?

Could you fax me the results of the market survey?

I would like to order ten copies of the book, Touchy Situations.

I would be very grateful if you could send me this information.
 Please return the enclosed envelope with your payment.

Sample Sentences:
Goodwill

Thank you for your hospitality.

I enjoyed having lunch with you last week while I was in New York.

Congratulations on your promotion to General Manager.

I want(ed) to congratulate you on your new position.

I was happy to hear that contract negotiations went well.

Sample Sentences:
Introduction of Product/Service.

I am writing to tell you about . . .

(Our new product) is coming out next month.
This product/service is designed to (help you) . . .

Sample Sentences:
Reference

I am writing in regard to . . .
I am writing in reference to . . .

Please refer to the enclosed invoice/brochure.

I hope you have had a chance to look over the materials we sent.

Sample Sentences:
Confirmation

I am writing to confirm . . .
I would like to confirm what we discussed last Friday.
I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed . . .

Sample Sentences:
Notification

I am writing to let you know that . . .

Please be aware/informed that . . .
I would like to inform you of a recent policy change. I am happy to informyou that . . .
Your request for funding has been approved.

Sample Sentences:
Offering Assistance

We would be happy to . . .
If we can be of assistance, please don't hesitate to ask.
Sample Sentences:
Collection

According to our records . . .

Our records show that . . .
Your monthly instalment is past due.
Please send payment as soon as possible.

 Helpful Hints for Business Letters

Helpful Hints for Business Letters

Before writing a business letter, consider the following:

Objective(s)
Why am I writing this letter?
What do I hope to accomplish?
What action do I want from my reader?

Your Audience
Who will read this letter?
How can I appeal to the reader's interest?
What attitude might the reader have toward this information?
Will the reader consider this good news or bad news?

Organization
What information should be included first/last?
What details does the reader need to know?
Does my conclusion motivate the reader to do something?
Do I end the letter in a positive and polite manner?

Professionalism
Do I use a professional business letter format?
Do my language and style show a positive attitude toward the reader/the
company/the product/the information.
Will my reader be offended by anything in the letter?

Proofreading
Are there any spelling errors, typos, etc.?
Is the format of the letter appropriate?
Have I signed my name?

 Sample Topics for Business Letters

Sample Topics for Business Letters

 1. You are a sales representative for your company. Write a letter to Mike Mason of ABC
Enterprises, introducing one of your new products or services. Be sure to give important
details about your product/service.
2. You are a student researching a company for your business class presentation. Write to
Margaret Sims, the public relations director, of the corporation you are researching, and ask
for information about her company.

3. Invite Margaret Sims, public relations director of the company you are researching, to be
a guest speaker during your presentation next week. (Introduce yourself as a student
interested in the company.)
4. Write a letter to Margaret Sims confirming details of her speech next week. Make sure to
include time, place and topic. Offer to help in any way you can.
5. You are Margaret Sims. Answer either Letter 2 or Letter 3 (above.) You may choose to
accept or reject the writer's request.
6. Roger Owens, President of XYZ Corporation, will be visiting your city next week. Write
a letter inviting him and his wife to dinner on Thursday night. (Be sure to specify the time
and place of the dinner.)
7. You are Roger Owens. Respond to the Letter 6 (above) accepting or declining the
invitation.

 Writer's Checklist

For Business Letters

1. Receiver (Who are you writing this to?)
Someone you know (friend, colleague, business partner, group, company)

Some one you don't know (To whom it may concern, Dear Sir/Madam)

How do you expect the receiver to respond?

2. Sender (Who are you?)

What is your relationship to the reader/receiver(s)?

What role are you assuming in the letter?

(friend, colleague, etc.)

3. Context (What background information does the reader need?)

Bring the reader up to date first.

Establish a connection
As requested . . .
It was nice meeting you in Toronto last week . . .
I read your article in Vague Magazine . .

Supporting details

Time frame (sequence of events)

4. Message (What do you want the reader to know or do?)

What do you hope to accomplish with the letter (inform, persuade, initiate action)
 I am writing to inquire about . . .
Could you please send me . . .

Polite requests
Please . . .
Would you mind . . .
Could you please . . .
Would you be so kind as to . . .

5. Medium (What is the appropriate format?)

Fax, e-mail, formal business letter, memo, informal note

6. Tone (What tone do you wish to convey?)

informative
polite
business-like
friendly
humble
assertive
urgent
irate

7. Other recipients (Are there others who need to be informed of this communication?)
cc: courtesy copy

Useful Expressions - Business Presentation

 Nervous Mannerisms

Nervous Mannerisms

What do you do when you are nervous?

Everyone has different reactions to nervousness. By being aware of your particular nervous
mannerism, you can work to overcome them.

Here are some common mannerisms exhibited when giving a speech.

Do you do any of them?

Bite your fingernails Say ?uh???uhm?

Tap your feet Tap on the table/podium
Wave your hands/arms Repeat yourself
Play with your hair Breathe heavily
Move around a lot Sweat
Speak too fast Giggle
Speak too slowly Pause inappropriately
Become stiff Clam up/Become speechless
Shake/Shudder Shift your eyes
 Play with objects in pockets, etc. Move your head around
Make strange facial expressions Gesture inappropriately

 Presentation Tips

Presentation Tips
Know Yourself Present Yourself
Strengths Dress
Weaknesses Posture
Talents Voice
Feelings Gesture
Opinions Body Language
Nervousness Confidence
Motivation Enthusiasm

Know Your Audience Present to Your Audience

Demographics Positive
Purpose Polite
Interests Interesting
Commonality Informative
Individuality Thought Provoking

Know Your Stuff Present Your Stuff

Knowledge of Subject Organization
Research Clarity
Personal Experience Visual
Preparation Language
Rehearsal Volume

 Signposting

Beginning a presentation

It is common to greet the audience and introduce yourself when giving presentations:

Good morning,/afternoon/evening
I'm _________, the new Finance Manager.
My name is ________ and I represent _______
Let me take a minute to introduce myself.
Let me start by telling you a little about our company.
I've already met some of you, but for those I haven't , I'm ______

Introducing the topic

I'm here to talk about . . .

Today, I'd like to say a few words about . . .
I'm going to give you an overview of . . .
The main reason I'm here today is . . .
The focus of my remarks is . . .
 I'd like to introduce . . .

Time consciousness

Thank you for your time

Thank you for taking the time to be here
I will probably take about . . . minutes
This should last only a few minutes
I hope to be finished by . . .

Showing organization

I've divided my topic into three sections/parts. They are . . .

This presentation can be divided into the following subtopics:

First, First of all The first point is . . .

Second Secondly The next point is . . .
Third Thirdly Next, we come to . . .
Finally Last The final point is . . .
Sequencing

Let's move on to . . .
Let's move on to . . .
That brings us to . . .

Giving Reasons

This is why . . .
The main reason is . . .
Therefore,
So,

Generalizing

Generally,
Usually,
As a rule,
Most of the time,
In most cases,

Highlighting

Actually,
In fact,
As a matter of fact,
In particular
Particularly
Especially

Giving Examples
 For example,
For instance,
Such as

Summarizing

To sum up
To summarize
In brief

Concluding

To conclude,
In conclusion,

Follow-up

Are/Were there any questions?

We have just a few minutes for questions

 Speech Preparation

Speech Preparation

Choose Topic
Gather Information
Research
Select
Organize
Write
Practice
Revise
Rehearse
Present

 The Language of Charts and Graphs

 Thinking Positively about Presentations