1: Strange as it may seem…

2: Try as I might…
3: Keep your options open
4: To Draw the Line at
5: Contrary to Popular Belief, …
6: Spare a Thought for…
7: Do wonders for
8: Not be cut out for…
9: Get out of hand
10: By the skin of one’s teeth
11: There’s no telling/knowing
12: To prey on your mind
13: Bury One’s Head in the Sand
14: To bite off more than you can chew
15: Go halves on
16: To keep someone waiting
17: Be nothing short of
18: Come to terms with
19: To be out of touch with
20: To be in one’s element
21 – Go to waste…
22: All of a sudden…
23: To give your word
24: To give a new lease of life
25: A Bitter Pill to Swallow

Business English Conversation Questions Using Idiomatic Expressions:

1. Strange as it may seem…

 In the business world, what are some strategies that, strange as it may
seem, have proven highly effective?
2. Try as I might…
 Can you think of a project or task where, try as you might, it didn't go
as planned? What did you learn from it?
3. Keep your options open
 When negotiating a business deal, is it better to keep your options
open or commit to a specific approach from the start? Why?
4. To Draw the Line at
 In business ethics, where would you personally draw the line at
accepting certain practices or compromises?
5. Contrary to Popular Belief, …
 In the business world, can you share an example where, contrary to
popular belief, a smaller company outperformed a larger one?
6. Spare a Thought for…
 How can businesses spare a thought for their employees' well-being,
especially during challenging times or restructuring?
7. Do wonders for
 What strategies or initiatives can do wonders for improving employee
morale and productivity in a company?
8. Not be cut out for…
 Have you ever encountered a colleague who was not cut out for a
particular role or responsibility? How did the company address it?
9. Get out of hand
 Discuss a situation in a business meeting or project that got out of
hand due to miscommunication or lack of planning. How was it
resolved?
10.By the skin of one’s teeth
 Have you ever successfully secured a business contract or project by
the skin of your teeth? Share the details.
11.There’s no telling/knowing
 In the ever-changing business landscape, when is it clear that there's no
telling or knowing what the future holds for a company?
12.To prey on your mind
 How do you deal with business decisions or challenges that prey on
your mind, causing stress and uncertainty?
13.Bury One’s Head in the Sand
 In the business world, what are the consequences of a company
burying its head in the sand when it comes to market trends or
customer feedback?
14.To bite off more than you can chew
 Describe a situation in your career where you or your team bit off more
than you could chew in terms of projects or commitments. How was it
managed?
15.Go halves on
 In business partnerships or collaborations, when is it advisable to go
halves on expenses, risks, or profits? Share an example.
16.To keep someone waiting
 Discuss the importance of punctuality in business. Have you ever had a
business partner or client keep you waiting? How did you handle it?
17.Be nothing short of
 Describe a business achievement or innovation that was nothing short
of groundbreaking for your company. What made it exceptional?
18.Come to terms with
 How can businesses help employees come to terms with major changes, such
as layoffs or restructuring, while maintaining morale and productivity?
 19.To be out of touch with
 In today's rapidly changing business landscape, what can happen to
companies that are out of touch with the latest market trends and
technologies?
20.To be in one’s element
 Can you describe a situation in your career when you felt you were truly in
your element, excelling at what you do? What contributed to your success?
21.Go to waste…
 How can companies avoid letting valuable resources or opportunities go to
waste in their operations, marketing, or product development?
22.All of a sudden…
 In the business world, what are some common challenges that can arise all of
a sudden and require quick decision-making?
23.To give your word
 How important is it for business professionals to give their word and keep
their promises in negotiations, partnerships, and agreements?
24.To give a new lease of life
 Share an example of a business project or strategy that gave a new lease of
life to a struggling company or product. What were the results?

Conversation Questions to Practice Idiomatic Expressions (C1 Level):

1. Strange as it may seem…

 Can you share an experience that, strange as it may seem, changed
your perspective on something?
2. Try as I might…
 Have you ever faced a situation where, try as you might, you couldn't
achieve your goal? What happened?
3. Keep your options open
 When making important life decisions, do you prefer to keep your
options open or have a clear plan in mind? Why?
4. To Draw the Line at
 In relationships or friendships, what behaviors do you believe it's
essential to draw the line at? Why?
5. Contrary to Popular Belief, …
 Can you think of a situation where, contrary to popular belief, your
opinion or experience differed from the majority's?
6. Spare a Thought for…
 In today's fast-paced world, how can we encourage people to spare a
thought for those less fortunate?
7. Do wonders for
  What activities or habits do you believe can do wonders for a person's
physical and mental well-being?
8. Not be cut out for…
 Have you ever tried something and realized you were not cut out for it?
What was it, and how did you handle it?
9. Get out of hand
 Share a story about a situation that got out of hand, whether it was a
party, a project, or something else. How did you manage it?
10.By the skin of one’s teeth
 Have you ever passed a difficult exam or narrowly escaped a
challenging situation by the skin of your teeth? What happened?
11.There’s no telling/knowing
 When discussing the future, what are some situations where there's no
telling or knowing what might happen?
12.To prey on your mind
 Can you think of a problem or worry that has been preying on your
mind recently? How do you cope with it?
13.Bury One’s Head in the Sand
 Do you know someone who tends to bury their head in the sand when
faced with difficult situations? How does it affect them?
14.To bite off more than you can chew
 Have you ever bitten off more than you could chew in terms of work or
commitments? How did you handle it?
15.Go halves on
 When was the last time you and someone else decided to go halves on
something? What was it, and how did it work out?
16.To keep someone waiting
 Has anyone ever kept you waiting for an extended period? How did it
make you feel, and how did you react?
17.Be nothing short of
 Describe an achievement or experience that was nothing short of
amazing in your life. What made it so exceptional?