Introduction
Effective communication is the cornerstone of professional success. For non-native English speakers in international business environments, mastering key business English phrases can significantly enhance your professional image and effectiveness.
As a Business English instructor with experience in corporate training, I've observed that even professionals with strong general English skills sometimes struggle with the specific language required in business contexts. This article compiles essential phrases and expressions that will help you navigate various workplace scenarios with confidence.
These phrases have been selected based on their frequency in real business situations and their usefulness across different industries. By incorporating them into your professional vocabulary, you'll communicate more clearly, professionally, and persuasively.
Meeting Phrases: Running and Participating in Effective Discussions
Meetings are a core part of business life, and having the right language at your disposal can help you contribute confidently and effectively.
Starting a Meeting
Key Phrases:
"Let's get started, shall we?"
I see everyone's here now, so let's get started, shall we?
"I'd like to welcome everyone to today's meeting."
Good morning everyone. I'd like to welcome everyone to today's meeting about the new marketing strategy.
"The purpose of this meeting is to..."
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the quarterly results and set targets for the next quarter.
"I've circulated the agenda beforehand, but just to recap..."
I've circulated the agenda beforehand, but just to recap, we'll be covering three main points today.
Contributing to Discussions
Key Phrases:
"If I could just come in here..."
If I could just come in here, I think we should also consider the impact on customer service.
"I'd like to add that..."
I'd like to add that our team has already begun researching potential solutions.
"Building on what [name] just said..."
Building on what Sarah just said, we might also want to consider our budgetary constraints.
"From my perspective..."
From my perspective, we need to prioritize the customer experience over short-term cost savings.
Concluding a Meeting
Key Phrases:
"To wrap up..."
To wrap up, we've agreed on the marketing budget and timeline for the next campaign.
"Let me summarize the action points..."
Let me summarize the action points: Jane will prepare the report, Tom will contact the client, and I'll arrange the follow-up meeting.
"We'll reconvene on [date] to follow up on these items."
We'll reconvene on Tuesday next week to follow up on these items and check our progress.
"Thank you all for your contributions today."
Thank you all for your contributions today. I think we've made good progress on this project.
Email Communication: Writing Clear and Professional Messages
Email remains the primary written communication channel in most businesses. These phrases will help you craft emails that are professional, clear, and effective.
Opening Lines
Key Phrases:
"I hope this email finds you well."
Dear Mr. Johnson, I hope this email finds you well. I'm writing regarding our upcoming meeting.
"I'm writing to follow up on our discussion about..."
I'm writing to follow up on our discussion about the software implementation project.
"Further to our conversation yesterday..."
Further to our conversation yesterday, I've attached the proposal you requested.
"I'm reaching out regarding..."
I'm reaching out regarding the changes to our supply chain procedures.
Making Requests
Key Phrases:
"I would be grateful if you could..."
I would be grateful if you could review the attached document and provide your feedback by Friday.
"Would it be possible for you to..."
Would it be possible for you to share the quarterly report with the team before our next meeting?
"At your earliest convenience, please..."
At your earliest convenience, please confirm if you can attend the client meeting next Thursday.
"I would appreciate your input on..."
I would appreciate your input on the marketing plan I've drafted for the new product launch.
Closing Lines
Key Phrases:
"I look forward to your response."
I look forward to your response and am happy to provide any additional information needed.
"Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions."
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or require further clarification.
"Thank you in advance for your assistance."
Thank you in advance for your assistance with this matter.
"I appreciate your time and consideration."
I appreciate your time and consideration, and I look forward to discussing this further.
Negotiation Language: Achieving Mutually Beneficial Outcomes
Negotiation requires a balance of assertiveness and diplomacy. These phrases will help you express your position clearly while maintaining positive business relationships.
Making Proposals
Key Phrases:
"We would like to propose..."
We would like to propose a 12-month contract with the option to renew under the same terms.
"What we can offer is..."
What we can offer is a 10% discount if you commit to a minimum order quantity of 500 units.
"From our perspective, a fair arrangement would be..."
From our perspective, a fair arrangement would be to split the delivery costs equally between our companies.
"We're prepared to..."
We're prepared to extend the payment terms to 60 days if we can finalize the contract this week.
Responding to Proposals
Key Phrases:
"That's an interesting proposal, however..."
That's an interesting proposal, however, we would need more favorable terms regarding the delivery schedule.
"We appreciate your offer, but..."
We appreciate your offer, but our budget constraints won't allow us to accept those pricing terms.
"I understand your position, and I wonder if we could..."
I understand your position, and I wonder if we could find a compromise on the warranty period.
"What if we were to..."
What if we were to increase the order volume in exchange for a better unit price?
Finding Compromise
Key Phrases:
"Let's try to find a middle ground..."
Let's try to find a middle ground that addresses both your concerns about quality and our limitations regarding cost.
"Perhaps we could meet halfway on this issue..."
Perhaps we could meet halfway on this issue by extending the deadline by one week instead of two.
"I think we can both agree that..."
I think we can both agree that maintaining a long-term relationship is in our mutual interest.
"If you can be flexible on [X], we can be flexible on [Y]."
If you can be flexible on the payment terms, we can be flexible on the delivery schedule.
Presentation Phrases: Delivering with Impact
Presenting information clearly and confidently is a vital business skill. These phrases will help structure your presentations professionally.
Introduction and Overview
Key Phrases:
"Today I'll be talking about..."
Today I'll be talking about the results of our market research and what they mean for our product strategy.
"I've divided my presentation into three parts..."
I've divided my presentation into three parts: first, the current market situation; second, our competitors' strategies; and finally, our recommended approach.
"The aim of this presentation is to..."
The aim of this presentation is to give you an overview of the project timeline and key milestones.
"By the end of this presentation, you'll understand..."
By the end of this presentation, you'll understand the challenges we're facing and the solutions we're proposing.
Transitioning Between Sections
Key Phrases:
"Now, let's move on to..."
Now, let's move on to the financial implications of the proposed changes.
"This brings me to my next point..."
This brings me to my next point about the resources we'll need to allocate for this project.
"Having looked at [X], I'd now like to consider [Y]."
Having looked at the current market trends, I'd now like to consider how we can position our products accordingly.
"The next aspect I want to focus on is..."
The next aspect I want to focus on is the implementation timeline for the new system.
Handling Questions
Key Phrases:
"That's a good question..."
That's a good question. The market research data suggests that customer preferences are shifting toward sustainable products.
"I'm glad you asked about that..."
I'm glad you asked about that. We've actually been working on a solution to that very problem.
"If I understand correctly, you're asking about..."
If I understand correctly, you're asking about how we plan to finance this initiative? Let me address that.
"I'll need to get back to you with more details on that."
That's an excellent question. I'll need to get back to you with more details on that specific aspect of the project.
Networking and Small Talk: Building Professional Relationships
Networking is essential for career development and business growth. These phrases will help you initiate and maintain conversations in professional settings.
Introducing Yourself
Key Phrases:
"I don't think we've met before. I'm [name] from [company/department]."
I don't think we've met before. I'm Sarah from the Marketing Department at Global Solutions.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I work in [field/role]."
It's a pleasure to meet you. I work in project management for the IT sector.
"May I join you? I'm [name] and I'm interested in [topic of the event]."
May I join you? I'm Robert and I'm interested in the digital transformation discussion that's happening today.
Keeping the Conversation Going
Key Phrases:
"What brings you to this event/conference?"
What brings you to this conference? Are you particularly interested in any of the sessions?
"How long have you been working in this industry?"
How long have you been working in this industry? You seem to have a lot of experience in this field.
"Have you been following the developments in [industry trend]?"
Have you been following the developments in artificial intelligence for customer service? I'd be interested in your thoughts.
"What do you think will be the next big thing in our industry?"
What do you think will be the next big thing in our industry? I've heard a lot about blockchain applications lately.
Exchanging Contact Information
Key Phrases:
"I'd love to continue this conversation. Could we exchange contact details?"
I'd love to continue this conversation. Could we exchange contact details? I think there might be opportunities for our companies to collaborate.
"It would be great to keep in touch. Here's my business card."
It would be great to keep in touch. Here's my business card. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about what we discussed.
"Would you be interested in meeting for coffee sometime to discuss this further?"
Would you be interested in meeting for coffee sometime to discuss this further? I think your expertise would be valuable for our upcoming project.
Telephone Communication: Clarity in Voice-Only Conversations
Phone conversations can be challenging, especially for non-native speakers. These phrases will help you navigate telephone calls professionally.
Beginning a Call
Key Phrases:
"Hello, this is [your name] from [your company]."
Hello, this is Michael Patel from British English Academy.
"May I speak with [person's name], please?"
May I speak with Ms. Johnson, please? I'm calling regarding the training programme we discussed last week.
"Thank you for taking my call."
Thank you for taking my call. I know you must be very busy at this time of year.
"Is this a good time to talk? This will take about [time estimate]."
Is this a good time to talk? This will take about 15 minutes to go through the proposal details.
Managing Communication Difficulties
Key Phrases:
"I'm sorry, could you speak a little more slowly, please?"
I'm sorry, could you speak a little more slowly, please? I want to make sure I understand all the details correctly.
"Could you repeat that, please? The line isn't very clear."
Could you repeat that, please? The line isn't very clear and I missed what you said about the delivery date.
"Just to confirm, you said [repeat what you understood]."
Just to confirm, you said the meeting has been postponed until next Thursday at 2 PM, is that correct?
"Let me just make a note of that."
Let me just make a note of that. So the new specifications require an additional 500 units by the end of the month.
Ending a Call
Key Phrases:
"Thank you for your time today."
Thank you for your time today. The information you've provided has been very helpful.
"I'll send you an email to summarize what we've discussed."
I'll send you an email to summarize what we've discussed and outline the next steps.
"Let's schedule a follow-up call for [date/time]."
Let's schedule a follow-up call for next Tuesday at 10 AM to discuss your decision.
"Is there anything else you'd like to discuss before we end the call?"
Is there anything else you'd like to discuss before we end the call? I want to make sure we've covered all your concerns.
Handling Difficult Situations: Maintaining Professionalism
Challenging workplace situations require careful communication. These phrases will help you address problems constructively and diplomatically.
Giving Feedback
Key Phrases:
"I appreciate the work you've done, and I have some suggestions that might enhance it further."
I appreciate the work you've done on the report, and I have some suggestions that might enhance it further before we present it to the client.
"One area where we could improve is..."
One area where we could improve is the response time to customer inquiries. What do you think might help us address this?
"I noticed that [observation]. Have you considered [alternative approach]?"
I noticed that the project timeline is quite compressed. Have you considered adding another team member to help meet the deadline?
Disagreeing Respectfully
Key Phrases:
"I see your point, however..."
I see your point about cutting costs, however, we also need to consider the impact on quality.
"I understand where you're coming from, but my concern is..."
I understand where you're coming from, but my concern is that this approach might not align with our long-term strategy.
"I have a different perspective on this. May I share it?"
I have a different perspective on this. May I share it? I think there are some additional factors we should consider.
"Let's look at this from another angle..."
Let's look at this from another angle. What would our customers think about this decision?
Apologizing Professionally
Key Phrases:
"I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused."
I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. We understand the impact on your operations.
"We take full responsibility for the mistake and are implementing measures to prevent it from happening again."
We take full responsibility for the mistake and are implementing measures to prevent it from happening again, including additional quality checks.
"Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will address it immediately."
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will address it immediately and update you by the end of the day.
"Please allow me to make this right by [proposed solution]."
Please allow me to make this right by offering you a discount on your next order and expediting the current shipment.
Conclusion: Putting It All Together
Effective business communication in English combines appropriate vocabulary with cultural awareness and professional etiquette. The phrases presented in this article provide a foundation that you can adapt to your specific context and industry.
Remember that authenticity is important; don't use expressions that feel unnatural to you. Start by incorporating a few phrases into your daily communications and gradually expand your repertoire as you become more comfortable.
Also, be mindful of cultural differences when working in international environments. What's considered appropriately direct in one culture might be perceived as too blunt in another. Adjust your communication style accordingly.
At British English Academy, our Business English courses provide comprehensive training in professional communication, from everyday workplace interactions to high-stakes negotiations. If you're looking to enhance your business English skills further, consider joining one of our courses tailored to your specific needs and industry.
With practice and persistence, you'll develop the confidence and fluency to communicate effectively in any business situation, opening doors to new professional opportunities and success.
