Common Phrases

Contents
BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

9 Business Letters
- Better Writing
- 10 Deadliest Words and Phrases in Business Letters
9 Job Responsibilities
9 Welcoming Visitors
9 Requesting
q g
9 Speaking in Presentations
9 Useful Phrases in Business Meeting
- Participating in a Business Meeting
9 Technical Report Writing
The right way to do things is not to try to persuade people you're right but to challenge them to think it through for 
themselves. ‐‐ Noam Chomsky 
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Business
Bus ness Letters
Request for information

I am writing to inquire about . . .

I am writing in reference to . . .

Could you please send me . . .

I look forward to hearing from you.

Response to request

Thank you for your interest/inquiry

Enclosed is the information you requested.

If I can be of more help, please feel free to contact me at . . .

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Business
Bus ness Letters
Sample Sentences: Requests

Could you please send me your most recent brochure?

Could you fax me the results of the market survey?

I would be very grateful if you could send me this information.

Sample Sentences: Goodwill

Thank you for your hospitality.

Congratulations on your promotion to General Manager.

I want(ed) to congratulate you on your new position.

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Business
Bus ness Letters
Sample Sentences: Introduction of Product/Service.

I am writing to tell you about . . .

(Our new product) is coming out next month.

This product/service is designed to (help you) . . .

Sample Sentences: Reference

I am writing in regard to . . .

Please refer to the enclosed invoice/brochure.

Sample Sentences: Confirmation

I am writing to confirm . . .

I would like to confirm what we discussed last Friday.

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Business
Bus ness Letters
Sample Sentences: Notification

Please be aware/informed that . . .

I would like to inform you of a recent policy change. I am happy to inform

you th
thatt . . .

Your request for funding has been approved.

S
Sample
l SSentences:
t : Off
Offering
i gAAssistance
i t

We would be happy to . . .

If we
e can be of assistance,
assistance please don't
don t hesitate to ask.
ask

Sample Sentences: Collection

Our records show that . . .

Your monthly installment is past due.

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Business
Bus ness Letters
• Using Tense Appropriately in Business Descriptions
Use simple past tense to describe something that wholly occurred at a specific
time in the past:

I finished the Hollins p

project
j last week. ((Specific
p time))

I have finished the Hollins project last week. (Incorrect!)

Use p
present perfect
p f tense to describe something
g that has been in effect from a
certain point in the past until now.

I met Mr. Flinders last year at a Convention in Little Rock. (Specific time)

I have met him since last year. (Incorrect!)

I have known him since last year. (Correct!)

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Business
Bus ness Letters
• Using Tense Appropriately in Business Descriptions (Cont..)
Use simple present tense to describe facts.
I work for IBS Corporation.

He is a sanitation engineer.

I am responsible for orienting new employees.

Use present progressive tense to describe ongoing projects.

I am developing new software.

We are building a new mall in East Heights.

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Business
Bus ness Letters
• Apologizing

I'm sorry.

Please accept my apologies. That's okay.

N problem.
No bl
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to . . .

• Prefacing bad news

I'm sorry (I have) to tell you this, but . . .

I don't know how to tell you this, but . . .

• (Formal) written apologies

We regret to inform you that . . .

Unfortunately, . . .
7 of 7 Better Writing Î
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Better Wr
Writing
t ng
Openings:

The standard opening for formal correspondence is Dear

Dear Sir Dear Mr
Dear Madam Dear Mrs
Dear Sir or Madam Dear Ms
Dear Sirs
Thank you for your letter of [date] concerning I wish to draw your attention to the …

Further to our telephone conversation of [date] I wish to inform you that

I am contacting
t ti you regarding
di I am writing
iti tto iinform
f you th
thatt …

I am writing to complain I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with …

1 of 1 10 Deadliest Words… Î
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

The 10 Deadliest Words and Phrases in

Business Letters
Here are the 10 phrases that you should avoid in using in business letters. Either delete or find
substitutes:

1. "Yours very truly" (also "Sincerely yours" and "Very truly yours"). You are not theirs.
These closings are antiquated. Use "Sincerely”.

2. "Respectfully" - This closing has a solemn, It adds a somber tone and won't make the
reader any happier about having his or her claim denied.

3. "Please
lease be adv
advised
sed ...
...”You
ou a
are
e "telling'
tell g o or "informing."
o g. Save tthiss p
phrase
ase for
o tthe
e act o
of
giving of advice.
4. "Kindly" - "Please" works better than this old fashioned word.

5 "II have forwarded...

5. forwarded " "II am forwarding
forwarding" - In e-
e mail,
mail "forwarding"
forwarding does have a specific
meaning: just use "send.“

6. . "Above-captioned" (also: "above referenced") - Any of these phrases tells the reader
to stop reading
reading, roll his eyes back to the "RE line ”
RE line,”

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

The 10 Deadliest Words and Phrases in

Business Letters
7. "Please do not hesitate to contact me." - It does portray its writer as blandly
impersonal. Use: "please
please call me,
me," polite with out the cliché connection.

8. "Please note that… A rather schoolmarmish tone ( "Now, pay attention!") I'd omit the
phrase.

9. "Enclosed please find." - There's nothing to "find." Use "enclosed is..." or "I've
enclosed.“

10. "Under separate cover" - When you write, "I am sending you this "under separate
cover," you are perpetuating a formalistic and old fashioned phrase.

2 of 2 Job Responsibilities Î
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Job Responsibilities
Respons b l t es
What do you do ((in your job)?
)

What is your main job?

What are you in charge of?

I am in charge of ---------.

I am responsible for --------.

I take care of ------.

I mainly ----------.

I repair ----------.

1 of 1 Welcoming Visitors Î
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Welcoming
Welcom ng Visitors
V s tors
Welcoming

Welcome to (Cando Enterprises).

Welcome to (London). I'm (John Taylor).

Meeting someone you don

don'tt know

1. (Patricia Murphy)?

Hi, I'm
I m (Kevin Chen of Myotex Industries).
Welcome to ( ).

2. Are you (Mr. Blanks)?

Yes, I am.

I'm (Jane Placid. (We talked by telephone.))

Welcome to (Sydney.)

It's nice to meet you in person.

1 of 1 Requesting Î
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Requesting
Request ng
Informal

Please . . .

Would you please . . . .

Could you possibly . . .

Would you mind (Verb + ing) . . .

Formal

Could I ask you to . . .

Would you mind if I asked you to . . .

1 of 3
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Requesting
Request ng
Making Appointments

I'd like to make an appointment with (Dr. Bill).

I'd like to schedule a meeting with (Ms. Terry).

Could I schedule a time to meet with (Mr. East)?

What time is best for you?

Would (9:00) on (Thursday) be okay?

His schedule is open (all day Monday).

Monday)

Dr. Itup will be away (until Friday).

2 of 3
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Requesting
Request ng
Making Appointments (cont…)

Will (Mr. Rodgers) be in (tomorrow)?

Is he (available next Wednesday)?

Sorry, (her/his calendar is full on Monday.)

He doesn't
doesn t have time on (Tuesday).
(Tuesday)

How about (Friday at 4:00)?

Thursday (at 10:00 will be fine).

Okay. (Tuesday morning at 9).

(Monday at 8:00) is (not good for me).

3 of 3 Speaking in Presentation Î
 Speaking in
BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

P
Presentation
t ti
Introduction

(Good morning, afternoon, evening)

I'm glad to have this opportunity to . . .

Today, I'd like to talk (to you) about . . .

My topic today is . . .

Main points

Let me start by . . .

First, let me tell you about . . .

I've divided my topic into (three) parts: (They are . . .)

1 of 2
 Speaking in BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

P
Presentation
t ti
Giving examples

For example,

For instance,

Let me illustrate,

To illustrate,

Conclusion

In conclusion,

To conclude,

To summarize,

To sum up,
2 of 2 Useful phrases in Business Meeting Î
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Useful Phrases for Running a Business

Meeting

Interrupting

May I have a word?

Excuse me for interrupting.

May I come in here?

Giving Opinions

I (really) feel that...

In my opinion...

Asking for Opinions

(name of participant) can we get your input?

How do you feel about...?

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Useful Phrases for Running a Business

Meeting

Commenting on Other Opinions

I never thought about it that way.

Good point!

I get your point.

I see what you mean.

Agreeing with Other Opinions Disagreeing with Other Opinions

Exactly! Up to a point I agree with you, but...

That's (exactly) the way I feel.
(I'm afraid) I can't agree
I have to agree with (name of participant).

2 of 4
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Useful Phrases for Running a Business

Meeting

Advising and Suggesting Requesting Information

We should... I'd like you to...

Why don't you.... Would you mind... I wonder if you
How/What about...

I suggest/recommend that...

Clarifying

Have I made that clear?

Let me put this another way...

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Useful Phrases for Running a Business

Meeting

Keeping the Meeting on Time

Well, that seems to be all the time we have today.

Please be brief.

I'm afraid we've run out of time.

I'm afraid that's outside the scope of this meeting.

Let's get back on track, why don't we?

We'll have to leave that to another time.

Are we ready to make a decision?

4 of 4 Participating… Î
 Participating in a business
BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Meeting
The following phrases are used to participate in a meeting. These phrases are useful for
expressing your ideas and giving input to a meeting
meeting.

Getting the Chairperson's Attention

(Mister/Madam) chairman.
chairman

May I have a word?

Giving Opinions

I'm positive that...

I (really) feel that...

that

In my opinion...

1 of 6
 Participating in a business
BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Meeting
Commenting

Good point!

I get your point.

Agreeing

I totally agree with you.

Exactly!

I have to agree with (name of participant).

2 of 6
 Participating in a business
BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Meeting
Disagreeing

Unfortunately, I see it differently.

(I'm afraid) I can't agree

Advising and Suggesting

We should...

Why don't you....

How/What about...

Clarifying

Let me spell out...

Have I made that clear?

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 Participating in a business
BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Meeting
Requesting Information

Please, could you...

Would you mind...

Asking for Repetition

I didn't understand that. Could you repeat what you just said?

I didn't catch that. Could you repeat that, please?

I missed that. Could you say it again, please?

Asking for Clarification

I don't quite follow you. What exactly do you mean?

Could you explain to me how that is going to work?

4 of 6
 Participating in a business
BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Meeting
Asking for Verification

Do you mean that...?

Is it true that...?

Asking for Spelling

Could you spell that, please?

Asking for Contributions

What do you think about this proposal?

Would you like to add anything, (name of participant)?

Are there any more comments?

5 of 6
 Participating in a business
BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Meeting
Correcting Information

Sorry, I think you misunderstood what I said.

I'm afraid you don't understand what I'm saying.

That's not what I meant.

Keeping the Meeting On Target (time, relevance, decisions)

We're
We re running short of time.

Let's get back on track, why don't we?

Why don't we return to the main focus of today's meeting.

We're beginning to lose sight of the main point.

6 of 6 Writing Technical Report Î

 Writing Technical
BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

R
Reportt
Technical writing is an important skill for engineers. A report is written for a specific audience.
Thus, it is important to first identify the intended audience (e.g., a supervisor as compared to a
colleague) and to recognize the type and order of information the reader is seeking.

Brevity and clarity are important and the report should be easy to read. All reports should be
written in the third person (e.g., use "the pressure was measured..." instead of "we measured the
pressure...").

If possible, have a friend read the report for grammar, style, spelling, clarity, and typographical
errors. Make sure nouns and verbs agree.

(Please see the report format on the next slide).

1 of 2
 Writing Technical
BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

Report
R t
TECHNICAL REPORT FORMAT

1. TITLE PAGE
2. ABSTRACT
3. TABLE OF CONTENTS
4. INTRODUCTION
5. BRIEF STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT.
6. BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SYSTEM MODEL, APPROPRIATE BLOCK DIAGRAMS AND PARAMETERS.
7
7. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS ((all
ll plots
l t and
d ttables
bl iincluded
l d d iin th
the reportt mustt b
be di
discussed
d iin th
the
text).
8. CONCLUSIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED.
9. REFERENCES
10. APPENDICES

2 of 2 End of PresentationÎ
PresentationÎ
 BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMON PHRASES

The test of a first‐rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, 
and still retain the ability to function. ‐‐
d till t i th bilit t f ti F S tt Fit
F. Scott Fitzgerald 
ld

The most difficult thing in the world is to know how to do a thing and to watch someone else doing it 
wrong, without commenting. ‐‐ T.H. White 
wrong, without commenting.  T.H. White