The ABCs of Business English: A - M

Teacher Instructions:

Cut out the following cards and encourage

students to match the words with their
respective meanings.

Disclaimer: This resource has been made for the purpose of teaching English language learners. We know that students can be learning English
in many different places, in many different ways and at age, so we try to keep these resources as general as possible. There are many acronyms
associated with English language teaching. These include (but are not limited to) ELT, TEFL, EFL, ELL, EAL and ESOL. While the term ESL may not
fully represent the linguistic backgrounds of all students, it is the most widely recognised term for English language teaching globally. Therefore,
we use the term ‘ESL’ in the names of our resources to make them easy to find but they are suitable for any student learning to speak English.

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 Action Points AGM Agenda

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A list of items or
The things that need to
Annual General Meeting. matters that need to
be done.
be discussed.

During the meeting, we identified
five ____ _____ that will require our
immediate attention.
The company’s ___ will take place
The secretary compiled an _____ before
next week Friday and attendance is
the meeting.
compulsory.

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 Budget By the book Bail out

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A company’s spending To do something by

plan based on their strictly following rules Escape from a situation.
income and expenses. or policies.

No funds were allocated in the With building costs that have increased
The company’s auditors always go
company’s ______ for its team building exponentially, we are making a loss and
strictly __ __ ____.
program. will need to ___ ___ of the project.

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 Call it a day Cut corners Consensus

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A group’s collectively
To end a lengthy To do something less
accepted opinion or
discussion or work day. thoroughly than required.
decision.

Thank you ladies and gentlemen, I am cautious of those suppliers. They It was a long meeting, but the team
let’s ___ __ _ ___ and proceed with seem to ___ _____ at every opportunity eventually reached a _________ on going
negotiations tomorrow. they get. forward.

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 Digital
Debt Deadline
Marketing

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The money that a Using the internet and The time or day by
company or person other digital channels which a task need to be
owes to another. to advertise products or completed.
services to consumers.
The company has decided to exempt or
We will focus on social media platforms The ________ for the audit report to be
release most of its debtors from their
as part of our _______ _________ strategy submitted is next week Wednesday.
____s.
this year.

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 ETA Expand Expedite

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To speed up things /
Estimated Time To increase in size
cause something to be
of Arrival. or amount.
done quicker.

His ___ from London is 6 PM on The business is planning to ______ into Please ask Sharon to ________ the
Thursday. more favourable markets. payment process for the stationery.

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 Fire Freelance Facilitate

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A person who works

To end an employee’s
for different companies To make things easier.
work contract.
instead of being employed
by one specific company.
The Chief Executive Officer plans
Proper investment in key areas will
to ____ all the employees who were
He is a __________ writer, photographer __________ company growth.
involved in the theft.
and teacher with no set office hours.

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 Get the ball Go the extra Go down the
rolling mile drain

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To do more than what is

To get something started. To be lost or wasted.
required to do.

To maximise our profits we will have Company XYZ really ____ ___ ____ The investors want to reassess and
to ___ ___ ____ ______ on this project as ___ when it comes to their customer ensure their money won’t __ ____ ___
soon as possible. service. _____ if they invest in that project.

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 Human
Headquarters Head in the
Resources
or ‘HQ’ sand
or ‘HR’

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The department in a The man building or To be unwilling to see or

company that is responsible office block of a large consider the perspectives,
for managing all employee- organisation. ideas or suggestions of
related matters. others.
__ has requested for all employee leave The company’s ____________ are located The manager had his ____ __ ___ ____
forms be submitted by noon in Barcelona. when it came to wage negotiations. The
on Monday. had already made up his mind.

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 Long story Level the
Left in a lurch
short playing field

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To be left in a difficult To summarise a To make a situation

position. situation. more fair.

I met with the manager, we discussed

After most of the employees resigned
my background and experience, and to Let’s _____ ___ _____ ____ here by hearing
the hiring manager was ____ __ _ ____ as
make a ____ _____ _____, he offered me both sides of the story.
production numbers were dropping.
the job.

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 Multinational Moving goal Meeting ran
team posts over

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To change goals or
Consisting of individuals The meeting lasted
objectives in response to
of different nationalities. longer than expected.
new information.

The marketing team is a ____________ The Chief Operations Officer seems to The director will be in to see you shortly.
____ which members are from America, be ____ ____ _____ whenever he returns He is running a little late because his
Britain, Morocco and India. from overseas business trips. previous _______ ___ ____.

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