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  • Hi everyone, welcome back to English with Max. In  this video we're going to look at 50 advanced  

  • phrases that are commonly used in business  and work contexts. If you don't use English  

  • at work, you'll still probably find this useful if  you're trying to improve your vocabulary, because  

  • many of these can also be used in other  situations. Some of these are idioms  

  • and some are just collocations, in other  words, words that are commonly used together.  

  • Before we get started I'd just like to thank the  sponsor of this video which is the app Busuu. Now 

  • a problem that many people face when they want  to learn a new language is not knowing where  

  • to start. Do I start with grammar? Do I start  with pronunciation? Should I use a textbook? Etc.  

  • Another difficulty if you're learning by  yourself, and this is something that I've  

  • experienced when learning languages, is getting  feedback. Busuu makes the process a lot easier  

  • with a series of lessons that are very easy to  follow. And those exist for 12 different languages

  • Another very useful feature is the feedback  function. Basically there are various written and  

  • oral exercises in the lessons which you can submit  to the Busuu community so that native speakers can  

  • provide corrections. There are also a couple  of sections on the platform that are aimed at  

  • English learners who already have a relatively  high level. For example, there's a section on  

  • Business English, and some of the phrases in this  video are actually in that business course. I've  

  • been showing you what it looks like on a computerbut you can, of course, also use it on a phone.  

  • There is a free version with limited features, but if you click the link below, you can try Busuu  

  • Premium with a free 7-day trial period, so that you  can test out all of the features that I mentioned.  

  • Okay, let's get started with the  phrases. Number one: a ballpark figure.  

  • A ballpark figure is a rough estimate ofnumber or quantity. For example, if frank has  

  • an amazing business idea (I don't know, maybe he  wants to design an app that makes fart noises),  

  • I could say to him: I know you don't know exactly  how much it's going to cost, but could you give me  

  • a ballpark figure? Number two is: to be on the same  page. This relates to two or more people. It means  

  • to be thinking the same way about something  or to have the same understanding of something.  

  • For example: We should talk to our  client again to clarify some things.  

  • We need to be on the same page before we  move forward. Next we have: to be snowed under.  

  • This is informal. To be snowed under means to be  very busy or overwhelmed because you have too many  

  • things to do. For example: I'm sorry for not being  in touch. I've been completely snowed under at work.  

  • Number four is: to bring something to the tableTo bring something to the table means to provide  

  • something that will benefit a group or a companyor to provide a useful skill. It's often used when  

  • we talk about hiring or contracting peopleand the skills or experience that they have.  

  • For example: I think Clara will be a good  consultant because she's been working in  

  • this field for more than ten years, so she has  a lot to bring to the table. Honestly, Frank

  • didn't have much to bring to the table whenhired him, but I decided to give him a chance.

  • Now we have: to bring somebody  up to speed. To bring somebody  

  • up to speed means to give somebody the  most recent information about something.  

  • For example, if you've been away for a couple of  weeks, you might say to one of your colleagues:  

  • Could you bring me up to speed on what's happening  with that project? It's like saying: Can you  

  • update me on that project, or give me any new  information? Number six is: by the book. This means  

  • by following rules or systems very strictlyOur boss does everything by the book, which has  

  • its pros, but some say that he's too rigid  about things. This one is: to call the shots.  

  • To call the shots means to be the person in  charge or who makes the decisions. For example:  

  • Olivia is our manager, but her assistant Natalie  is actually the one calling the shots around here.  

  • Now we have: to chair a meeting. You probably know  the noun "chair", but did you know that it can also  

  • be a verb? To chair a meeting means to run or be  in charge of a meeting. Our supervisor was sick,  

  • so I was asked to chair the meeting on Monday. This  one is: a cold call. A cold call is an unsolicited 

  • phone call or visit with the aim of sellinggood or service. "Unsolicited" means not asked for.  

  • People who make cold calls are contacting  people who they've never contacted before.  

  • You know when people who you don't know call you  or come to your house trying to sell you something?  

  • That's a cold call. If you want to be a salespersonyou can't be afraid of making cold calls.  

  • It is also a verb: to cold-call. It simply  means to make cold calls. For example:  

  • I'm sick of these energy companies  cold-calling me all the time.  

  • An energy company is an electricity company. Next  we have a contingency plan. A contingency plan is a  

  • plan for handling an emergency or for something  that might or might not happen in the future.  

  • For example: You can't predict everything, so  businesses need to have contingency plans in place  

  • to help them deal with unexpected events. A core  competency. A core competency is a business's most  

  • important strength. It's what makes it competitive  or unique in relation to other businesses. Perhaps  

  • it's creativity, or innovation, or efficiency. It's  also possible to have several core competencies.  

  • We need to refocus on our core competenciesif we want to gain more market share. Next we  

  • have: to discontinue a product. This simply  means to stop producing and/or selling  

  • a product. They decided to discontinue the product  because sales were much lower than expected.  

  • Next we have a dress code. A dress code isset of rules or accepted standards regarding  

  • what you should wear in a specific situationWorkplaces often have a dress code. For example:  

  • We have a casual dress code in my officebut that doesn't mean that we can go to work  

  • wearing shorts and flip-flops. Now we have: due diligence. Due diligence is a formal phrase.  

  • It's the act of carefully assessing things  like costs or risks in order to prevent harm to  

  • oneself or others, especially before entering into  agreements. I know that sounds a bit complicated,  

  • but it basically means being careful about things  and doing your research before making important  

  • decisions. It's important for companies to exercise  due diligence before making major acquisitions.  

  • Next we have another formal phraseThis is: due to unforeseen circumstances.  

  • This means because of unexpected events. It's often  used in emails to provide an explanation or to  

  • apologise for something. For example: We regret to  inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances,  

  • we have had to postpone the conference until next  year. Now we have an informal phrase. This is: to get  

  • the ball rolling. To get the ball rolling means to  do something which starts an activity or process.  

  • At first everybody seemed reluctant to talk at the  meeting, so Frank put forward his opinion just to  

  • get the ball rolling. In other words, he said  something just to get the conversation started.  

  • Next we have: to give somebody the axe. This is  just an informal way of saying to fire somebody.  

  • For example: Tom kept arriving late, so one day his  boss gave him the axe. Next we have: a glass ceiling.  

  • People often talk about "the" glass ceilingThis is a metaphor that is used to describe  

  • a point in a hierarchy that is very difficult or  impossible to get beyond. It's usually used to talk  

  • about the fact that it's often very difficult for  women to be promoted to top management positions.  

  • Despite the fact that more women are working, many  still struggle to break through the glass ceiling.  

  • Next we have: to go over budget. This simply means  to spend more money than you planned to. We've gone  

  • over budget this month, so next month we need to  watch our expenses more closely. Going forward.  

  • Going forward means in the future, or from now on.  A lot of people don't seem to like this expression  

  • because they say it's overused and rather  meaningless, but it's a phrase that's commonly  

  • used in the business world nowadays. We'll need to  pay closer attention to our budget going forward.  

  • Frank, going forward it would be  best if you started work before 11am.

  • This one is: a golden parachute. This is  an informal phrase. A golden parachute is  

  • a large payment that an executive in a company  (so somebody in a top management position) receives  

  • if their employment is terminated. For exampleif a company is bought by another company  

  • and an executive loses their job, they will be  guaranteed a large sum of money. The company  

  • was criticised for giving golden parachutes to  executives who didn't necessarily deserve it.  

  • Another informal phrase. This is: to have a quick word with somebody.  

  • To have a quick word with somebody just means  to have a short conversation with somebody.  

  • For example: Could I have a quick word  with you about the report before you leave?  

  • Next we have: to hit a target. This means to  achieve a specific objective. For example,  

  • if you're a salesperson, you might be told  that you need to sell 100 units of a product  

  • in a month. If you succeed in doing thatyou can say that you've hit your target.  

  • When my team hit our targets, our supervisor  took us out for dinner. This one is: in bulk.  

  • In bulk means in large quantities and  usually at a reduced price. For example:  

  • My office buys paper and ink in bulk to save moneyThe next one is: in the loop. In the loop is an  

  • informal phrase. It means having information about  a particular subject or being part of the relevant  

  • discussions. It's usually information that only  a certain group of people have. The opposite is  

  • out of the loop. My colleague sent me emails  about the project while I was out of the office  

  • to keep me in the loop. That means that  my colleague was sending me information  

  • so that I knew what was going onNext we have: an intangible asset.  

  • An intangible asset is something thatbusiness owns that you can't physically touch  

  • and is difficult to measure in monetary termsThese include patents, copyright, brand names or  

  • even reputation. It can be difficult to calculate  the worth of a company's intangible assets.  

  • The opposite to an intangible  asset is a tangible asset.  

  • A tangible asset is something that a business owns  whose value can be measured easily. They're mainly  

  • things that you can touch like buildings and  equipment, but a tangible asset can also be money  

  • in the bank. The business's most valuable tangible  asset is a warehouse close to the city centre.  

  • Next we have: to keep on track. You can also sayto stay on track. This means to continue to work,  

  • act or progress in the way that is planned. For  example: We've been doing well, but we need to focus  

  • and keep on track if we want to hit our targetsAnd now we have: to make a good impression. This is  

  • frequently used in other contexts as well. It  means to cause somebody to form a good opinion  

  • of you. If you want to make a good impression  in a job interview, it's best to dress tidily  

  • and not wear T-shirts that have swear  words on them. Next we have: market research.  

  • Market research is the process of collecting  information about consumers and target markets.  

  • It's important to do market research  before launching a new product.  

  • Null and void. This is a formal phrase. It's a  legal term which usually relates to contracts or  

  • agreements. It means having no legal effect or not  valid. It's a bit of a silly phrase because "null"  

  • and "void" basically mean the same thing, but it's  nevertheless an expression that's commonly used.  

  • The contract became null and void when the  supplier did not fulfil his obligation. Next  

  • we have: on a need-to-know basis. This means  that people are only given the details that  

  • they need to know when they need them. It's  to talk about things that are secret or  

  • confidential. I don't know all the details of the  project because information is only being released  

  • on a need-to-know basis. Now we have: a pain pointNo, this is not about physical pain. A pain point is  

  • a problem or a need that a business's potential  customers have. The idea is that once you discover  

  • your customers' pain points, you can better  design your products and services. And marketing  

  • strategies. Reading competitors' product reviews  is one way to figure out people's pain points.  

  • Per my last email. This is a fairly formal  phrase. It essentially means as I said in my  

  • previous email, or as previously discussed. Some  people say that you shouldn't use it because  

  • it can be passive-aggressive. For examplesome people use it as a polite way of saying:  

  • I already gave you that information. But I don't  think it's always used like that. It can just  

  • be used to indicate when you mentioned somethingFor example: Would you be happy to proceed with  

  • the plan per my last email? And now an informal  phrase. This is: to put something on the back burner.  

  • To put something on the back burner means to  postpone something or to temporarily not deal  

  • with something, usually because it's of low  priority. We've decided to put that project  

  • on the back burner for the moment because  we have some more urgent issues to deal with.  

  • To reach a tentative agreement. This means to  decide on an arrangement with somebody that's not  

  • certain or definite. We haven't written a contract  yet, but we've reached a tentative agreement.  

  • Repeat business. Repeat business is a customer or  client returning to buy goods or services from  

  • the same company. For example: Focusing on repeat  business is often more profitable than trying to  

  • attract new customers. Next we have: to run behind  schedule. To run behind schedule means to do  

  • something or happen later than expected or plannedYou can also say: to be behind schedule. We had to  

  • work late on Thursday because we were running  behind schedule. Next we have: to run on schedule.  

  • To run on schedule means to happen at  the time that was planned or expected.  

  • If everything runs on schedule, the  prototype should be ready by next week.  

  • Now we have: to secure funding. This  is just a formal way of saying to get  

  • funding. "Funding" is money for a specific purposeFunding might come from governments, investors  

  • or other individuals. Frank is currently  trying to secure funding for his business idea.  

  • Good luck, Frank. Next we have: soft skillsSoft skills. These are personality traits  

  • or behaviours that enable you to succeed inworkplace. They include things like communication  

  • and problem solving skills. Most employers these  days aren't just interested in technical skills.  

  • Soft skills like time management and adaptability  are also highly valued. A stumbling block.  

  • A stumbling block is a difficulty or problem  that prevents progress. When you start a business,  

  • it's normal for there to be some stumbling  blocks, but those shouldn't make you give  

  • up. And now we have: to think outside the boxTo think outside the box means to think differently,  

  • or to try to find solutions or  methods that aren't always obvious.  

  • If we want people to remember this marketing  campaign, we need to think outside the box.  

  • Through the roof. This phrase simply  means at a very high level. For example:  

  • Prices have been through the roof lately. That just  means that prices have been very high recently.  

  • It's often used with "go". To go through the  roof. Prices have gone through the roof lately.  

  • That just means that prices have increased quickly  to a high level. Next we have: a tight budget.  

  • If you have a tight budget, you have  a small amount of money to spend.  

  • The marketing campaign was done on a tight budgetbut it was surprisingly successful. Now we have:  

  • to touch base. This is an informal expressionTo touch base means to talk with somebody  

  • or to exchange messages with somebody to  find out how they are or what is happening.  

  • It's similar to "catch up with somebody". For example, a supervisor might say to somebody:  

  • I just wanted to touch base with you to see how  your training was going. And you can't really  

  • make a list of common business phrases without  including: unique selling point (also known as USP).  

  • Unique selling point is what makes a business or  product different or better than its competitors.  

  • Our unique selling point is that all of our  products are made from recyclable materials. We're  

  • almost at the end, guys. This one is: to waive a feeTo waive a fee means to officially allow somebody  

  • not to pay an amount of money. For example, if your  bank waives an account keeping fee, it simply means  

  • that you don't have to pay it. We'll waive the  installation fee if you sign a 12-month contract.  

  • That's something that internet companies  often say, for example. And finally we have

  • word of mouth. Word of mouth is the process of  people telling other people about a particular  

  • product, service or company, normally because they  want to recommend it. It's normally preceded by  

  • the word "by". We get most of our clients by word of  mouth, so we don't spend much money on advertising

  • That's it, guys. Thank you very much for watchingRemember that if you'd like to check out Busuu,  

  • you'll find the link down below. I hope you found  this useful. Uh... this was the first video that I've  

  • made on Business English. If you'd like to see more  videos on Business English, just let me know in the  

  • comments. See you next time!   

Hi everyone, welcome back to English with Max. In  this video we're going to look at 50 advanced  

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50 Advanced Business English Phrases and Expressions You Should Know

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    joey joey に公開 2021 年 07 月 30 日
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