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BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS VOCABULARY · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

BUSINESS
IDIOMS
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1 Warm up

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. What are some of the tactics you use in your daily work?
2. Have you noticed any interesting idioms that are frequently used by your coworkers?
3. Can you think of any idioms that are popular in your business sector?

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UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

BUSINESS IDIOMS

2 Common idioms in business

Match the underlined idiomatic expressions with their correct meaning below.

1. There is more demand for the product than supply. This is causing a bottleneck in our production.

2. Outsourcing customer service can improve the bottom line by reducing costs.

3. She was a bit cold, so he made a little small talk to break the ice.

4. We need to get on board with social media. Everyone else is doing it.

5. We need to reduce budgets in every single department. There will be cost cutting across the
board.

6. The meeting is not over yet, but I’m a bit tired. Let’s call it a day and continue tomorrow.

7. We’ve been running the project for two years and there’s still no profit. I think we should just cut
our losses and start something new.

8. They tried to cut corners during the construction of the bridge. Now it is falling down.

a. net income or loss

b. make someone who you have not met before feel more relaxed

c. finish for today

d. agree or accept something

e. everywhere, applying to everybody

f. save money or effort by finding cheaper or easier ways to do something

g. stop doing something that is already failing in order to reduce the amount of time or money that
is being wasted on it

h. creating an obstacle or delay in progress or production

3 Talking point

Discuss any of the following questions.

1. Have you ever needed to cut corners in your work? What happened?
2. What do people talk about when they want to break the ice in your country?
3. What things can cause a bottleneck in your work or business?
4. Is your company getting on board with new Internet marketing methods?
5. In what ways can your company improve the bottom line?
6. Have you ever decided to cut your losses following a bad investment decision?

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BUSINESS IDIOMS

4 More business idioms

Study the following idioms and complete the sentences below.

• take somebody on board - employ someone

• a can of worms - a source of many unpredictable and complicated problems
• close a deal - complete a negotiation
• breathe down someone’s neck - watch someone’s activities very closely
• keep a cool head - stay calm

Now complete the sentences below with the idioms above.

1. We’ve negotiated all the terms of the agreement. We are ready to .

2. I’m sure that there is a lot of corruption in that country. The investigation may open up
.

3. During intense and stressful negotiations, it is important to .

4. She seemed like a good fit for our company, so we decided to her

.

5. Since she became a director, she no longer has a boss her

.

5 Talking point

Discuss any of the following questions.

1. Is it efficient to breathe down people’s necks? How much freedom should a business allow its
employees?
2. How stressful is your work? Is it difficult to keep a cool head sometimes?
3. What kind of people does your company or department take on board?
4. Can you think of any situation that could be described as ‘opening a can of worms’?

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BUSINESS IDIOMS

6 Game: Taboo

Follow the instructions below to play Taboo.

• Form pairs.
• One student chooses a card below and explains the underlined phrase without using any of the
words below it (or the word itself).
• The other student has two guesses, then it is their turn to choose a word.

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TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

BUSINESS IDIOMS

Key

1. Warm up

5 mins.
In pairs, students discuss the questions. Elicit some ideas as a whole class.

2. Common idioms in business

5 mins.
Ask students to look at the words and think about what they mean. They then match the underlined parts of the
questions with the meanings below. Correct as a whole class.

1. → h. 2. → a. 3. → b. 4. → d.
5. → e. 6. → c. 7. → g. 8. → f.

3. Talking point

10 mins.
Students discuss the questions in pairs or small groups. Elicit some ideas as a whole class.

4. More business idioms

10 mins.
Students read the sentences and complete the gaps. Read the definitions with the whole class. Elicit the correct
answers.

1. close the deal 2. a can of worms

3. keep a cool head 4. take her on board
5. breathing down her neck

5. Talking point

5 mins.
In pairs, students discuss the questions. Elicit some ideas as a whole class.

6. Game: Taboo

10 mins.
Explain how to play the game Taboo: in pairs, Student A chooses one of the eight underlined words and has to
describe it to Student B without saying the phrase itself or any of the words in the box. Demonstrate yourself,
then tell students to play the game. Monitor and help when necessary.

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