Vocabulary from Business Benchmark – Upper Intermediate
Vocabulary/Unit Definition*
Unit 1
certificate 1. An official document that states that
the information on it is true: a birth /
marriage/death certificate / a
doctor's/medical certificate.
2. The qualification that you receive when
you are successful in an exam.
course A set of classes or a plan of study on
a particular subject, usually leading to
an exam or qualification.
degree A course of study at a college or university, or
the qualification given to a student after he or
she has completed his or her studies.
development The process in which someone or something
grows or changes and becomes more
advanced.
experience (The process of getting) knowledge or skill
from doing, seeing, or feeling things.
knowledge Understanding of or information about a
subject that you get by experience or study,
either known by one person or by people
generally.
qualification 1. An official record showing that you have
finished a training course or have the
necessary skills, etc.
2. An ability, characteristic, or experience that
makes you suitable for a particular job or
activity.
skill An ability to do an activity or job well,
especially because you have practiced it.
work (U) - Something you do to earn money.
job (C) - Used to talk doubt a particular type of
work activity which you do.
training (U) - The process of learning the skills you
need to do a particular activity.
training course (C) – A set of classes or a plan of study on a
particular subject.
Unit 2
budgeting The process of calculating how much money
you must earn or save during a particular
period of time, and of planning how you will
spend it.
recruit To persuade someone to work for a company
or become a new member of an organization,
especially the army.
Example*
At the end of the four-week training course,
you will receive a certificate.
At the end of the four-week training course,
you will receive a certificate.
The degree you study for at university is
likely to decide the sort of job you do
afterwards.
With our policy of professional
development, we expect him to soon
become a manager.
There are a lot of things which you can only
learn from the experience you’ll get working
here.
You’ll gain a thorough knowledge of the
company’s activities.
1. You'll never get a good job if you don't
have any qualifications.
2. Some nursing experience is a necessary
qualification for this job.
Our training programme aims to teach you
key skills such as using spreadsheets.
He’s looking for a job.
He’s looking for a job in computer
programming.
We need to give health and safety training
to eight senior executives.
Is it possible to hold this training course with
just six trainees?
It's important to teach kids about budgeting.
Charities such as Oxfam are always trying to
recruit volunteers to help in their work.
evaluating To judge or calculate the quality, importance, It's impossible to evaluate these results
amount, or value of something. without knowing more about the research
methods employed.
promoting To encourage people to like, buy, use, do, or Advertising companies are always having to
support something: think up new ways to promote products.
investment The act of putting money, effort, time, etc. The government wanted an inflow of foreign
into something to make a profit or get an investment.
advantage, or the money, effort, time, etc.
used to do this.
funds Money, often money for a specific purpose. I’m short of/low on funds at the moment.
performance How well a person, machine, etc. does a piece High-performance cars (= those that are fast,
of work or an activity. powerful, and easy to control) are the most
expensive.
deadlines A time or day by which something must be I'm afraid you've missed the deadline - the
done. deadline for applications was 30 May.
staff The group of people who work for an The staff are not very happy about the latest
organization. pay increase.
employee Someone who is paid to work for someone The number of employees in the company
else. has trebled over the past decade.
Member of staff A person who works for a shop, company, I’m pleased to announce that every member
etc. of staff will be given a bonus.
Unit 3
master Learn how to do something well. As soon as you’ve mastered a technology, a
new one crops up.
crop up Appear unexpectedly. As soon as you’ve mastered a technology, a
new one crops up.
stay on your toes Continue directing all our attention and There’s also fierce competition that’s always
energy to what we are doing. changing, forcing us to stay on our toes and
innovate.
analytical mindset Having a way of thinking which examines The company has an open workplace where
facts and information in a very careful way. different views and mindsets are accepted
and encouraged.
challenge the status Question the present situation. Our team works hard, but we challenge the
quo status quo if we feel something is not
correct.
Unit 4
(The unit does not have
specific Vocabulary
exercises.)
Unit 5
launch Start selling for the first time. The product was launched with a powerful
promotional plan.
ploy Tactic/trick The company used a number of marketing
ploys to bring the product to the attention of
the public.
hype Publicise strongly
hit Visit (to a website) Their website received more than 943,000
hits or 20% more than the goal.
brand awareness Knowledge that a certain brand exists. Following the promotion, results included a
22% increase in general brand awareness.
market share How much of the market is taken by a After the promotion, there was a 3.0% to
particular product. 3.7% increase in the products market share.
Unit 6
(The unit does not have
specific Vocabulary
exercises.)
Unit 7
know Already have the information. In this job, everyone has to know how to
handle customers tactfully from day one.
find out Learn new information for the first time. We’re carrying out market research to find
out exactly what our customers need.
learn Get new knowledge or skills. Good sales techniques are something you
learn with practice.
teach Give people new knowledge or skills. On this course, we will teach you advanced
programming skills.
Unit 8
proxy Substitute or replace with something else. Though the most obviously stated need is
money, it can be a proxy for other physical
or more refined needs (shelter, reputation,
self-esteem).
vendor Someone who is selling something. In the case of a vendor/client, people are
often simply seeking understanding and
attention rather than money.
impact Powerful effect that something, especially It is important to realise that your choice of
something new, has on a situation or person. words and your body language will have an
impact on people and on the outcome of
your negotiation.
outcome A result or effect on an action, situation, etc. It is important to realise that your choice of
words and your body language will have an
impact on people and on the outcome of
your negotiation.
factor in Include something when you are doing a You should also factor in the fall-back
calculation, or when you are trying to options for the other side.
understand something.
fall-back or back-up Descries a plan or position which can be used You should also factor in the fall-back
options if other plans do not succeed or other things options for the other side.
are not available.
lose your cool Become angry or excited. Also remember, never lose your cool or
emotions.
Unit 9
capital A large amount of money used for starting a Many emerging economies have strong
new business. consumer demand, as well as investors with
plenty of capital.
trademark A name or a symbol which is put on a product The first thing any company considering a
to show that it is made by a particular foreign franchise agreement should do is
producer and which cannot be legally used by secure the brand’s trademark.
any other producer.
investors People who put money into something in Many emerging economies have strong
order to make a profit or get an advantage. consumer demand, as well as investors with
 plenty of capital.
outlets Shops that are owned by a particular The company has several outlets in
company and that sell the goods which the neighboring cities.
company has produced.
concept A principle or idea. The concept of free speech is unknown to
them.
lucrative Producing a lot of money. When a lucrative overseas deal suddenly
emerges, it´s important that company
owners do not lose their heads.
retail The activity of selling goods to the public, The clothing company has six retail outlets
usually in small quantities. (shops) in Perth.
supply chain The system of people and things that are All it takes is a truckers' strike to break the
involved in getting a product from the place supply chain. (WordReference.com)
where it is made to the person who buys it.
gross revenue The total income that a company receives Since our expenses exceeded our gross
regularly. revenue, we will suffer a net loss for the
year. (WordReference.com)
resources Useful or valuable possessions. The country's greatest resource is the
dedication of its workers.
profit Money which is earned after paying the costs She makes a big profit from selling waste
of producing and selling goods and services. material to textile companies.
turnover 1. The total amount of money received from 1. Large supermarkets have high turnovers
sales of goods and services. (= their goods sell very quickly).
2. The rate at which employees leave a 2. The large number of temporary contracts
company and are replaced by new people: resulted in a high turnover of staff.
asset Something valuable belonging to an A company's assets can consist of cash,
organization which can be used for the investments, specialist knowledge, or
payment of debts. copyright material.
liability Debt The business has liabilities of 2 million euros.
tax Money paid to the government, which is They're increasing the tax on cigarettes.
based on your income or profits.
costs The money you need to spend to keep an The estimated costs of the building project
organization functioning. are well over £1 million.
interest rate The amount that a bank charges on money it The bank has plans to cut/raise interest
lends. rates.
credit A method of paying for goods or services at a We only deal with companies that have a
later time, usually paying interest as well as good credit record.
the original money.
Unit 10
Business Collocations: Exercises:
p. 48 https://www.englishclub.com/esl-
raise a loan, money worksheets/vocabulary/EC_vocabulary-
borrow money business-collocations-UI_with-KEY.pdf
carry out a business
plan https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/
launch a company collocations-lists.htm
cover overheads
write a business plan http://www.better-english.com/
repay money, a loan strongcoll.htm

assets Things that are owned by a person, company, When it was obvious the company was going
 or organization, such as money, property, or bankrupt, the government ordered all their
land. assets to be frozen.
collateral (or security) Property that someone borrowing money will Banks like to use assets such as premises,
give to the loan company if he or she cannot motor vehicles or equipment as collateral
pay the debt. (or security) against loans.
tax returns Documents in which income is reported each Please fill out your tax return, reporting your
year so that income tax can be calculated. income for the 2008 financial year.
(WordReference.com)
ordinary shares Shares of a company providing the owner Venture capital is a general term to describe
with a right to vote at shareholder meetings a range of ordinary or preference shares
and to receive a part of the company profits where the investing institution acquires a
as a dividend (= part of the company’s profit) share in the business.
preference shares Shares in a company that give the owner the Venture capital is a general term to describe
right to receive a dividend before dividends a range of ordinary or preference shares
are paid to owner of ordinary shares. where the investing institution acquires a
share in the business.
equity finance The capital that a company gets from selling Equity finance is an efficient way for SMEs
its shares rather than borrowing money. (Small and Medium Enterprises) to finance
high-risk investments because it allows
investors to share more fully in the rewards
of a successful venture.
soft loans Loans with a low interest rate, often offered Government, local authorities and local
by the government of a country to another development agencies are the major success
country or organization. of grants and soft loans.
market rate The amount of money that something costs Soft loans are normally subsidized by a third
at a particular time. party so that the terms of interest and
security levels are less than the market rate.
Unit 11
place An area, building, room, etc. that is used for a Trade fairs and exhibitions remain a
particular purpose. common meeting place for retail buyers and
suppliers.
space An empty area that is available to be used. There is greater demand for downtown
office space.
room Space for things to fit into. Is there enough room for all of us in your
car?
possibility A chance that something may happen or be Is there any possibility of changing this
true. Possibility cannot be followed by an ticket.
infinitive.
opportunity An occasion or situation that makes it There will be an opportunity to discuss the
possible to do something that you want to do matter again next week.
or have to do.
option One of a number of choices or decisions you You need to think very carefully about the
can make. various options.
Unit 12
(The unit does not have
specific Vocabulary
exercises.)
Unit 13
travel Uncountable noun that is used to refer to the Air travel has become much cheaper.
activity of travelling.
journey Countable noun that is used to talk about He fell asleep during the train journey.
 when you travel from one place to another.
trip Countable noun that is used to refer to a He’s just back from a business trip.
journey in which you visit a place for a short
time and come back again.
Unit 14
Phrasal verbs:
Come up with
Deal with
Follow up
Cut off
Clear up
Pick up
Find out
Note down

Unit 15
set up (a meeting) Organize We have to set up a meeting with our major
clients to explain our new project.
chair (a meeting) Lead or supervise The superintendent chaired the meeting.
(WordReference.com)
call off (a meeting) Cancel We had to call off the meeting because of
his health.
put off (a meeting) Postpone The meeting has been put off for a week.
adjourn (a meeting) Stop temporarily The meeting was adjourned until Tuesday.
skip (a meeting) Not attend I skipped the meeting because I had to see
an important client.
interrupt (a meeting) Disturb The angry employee interrupted
practice The way of doing things in a particular What can European companies learn from
business, industry, etc. Japanese business practices?
follow-up Something that is done to finish a previous This meeting is a follow-up to the one we
action or make it more successful. had last month.
complement Make something else seem better or more The music complements her voice perfectly.
attractive when combining with it.
trim Reduce the amount or size of something. This department will have to trim its budget
next year. (WordReference.com)
critical Extremely important to the progress or The president's support is critical (to this
success of something. project).
Unit 16
(The unit does not have
specific Vocabulary
exercises.)
Unit 17
Verb-noun collocations:
1. arrange: a meeting
2. attend: a meeting
3. carry out: a survey /
research/changes
4. conduct: a survey /
research / meeting
5. do: a survey /
research
6. hold: a meeting
7. implement: changes
8. make: changes, a
mistake,
recommendations
9. meet: a deadline
10. miss: a deadline, an
opportunity
11. schedule: a
deadline, a meeting
12. set: a deadline
13. run: a course
14. place: an order
Unit 18
issues Subjects or problems that people think or talk Due to climate change, few business people
about, or need to deal with. can fail to realise the importance of the
environmental issues that now affect all
parts of our day-to-day lives.
impact upon Have an influence on something. In practice, it only takes a few steps to
achieve considerable environmental savings,
and these need not impact upon the
effectiveness of the business.
idle Not operating or not being used. Half these factories now stand idle.
foretelling Stating what is going to happen in the future. Twenty years ago, computer vendors were
foretelling the death of the printer as we
entered the age of paperless office.
foreseeable Can be known about or guessed before it Accepting that printers will be with us for
happens. the foreseeable future, there are some steps
we can take to reduce the cost of printing.
confidential Private and intended to be kept secret. All information will be treated as strictly
confidential.
maximizing Making something as big in amount, size or Some airlines have cancelled less popular
importance as possible. routes in an effort to maximize profits.
appropriately In a suitable or right way for a particular She didn't think we were appropriately
situation or occasion. prepared for the launch of the product.
way It is used on its own or followed by to (do You can pay in a number of ways.
something) or of + ing. What’s the best way to pay?
What’s the best way of paying?
method It is used for more complex techniques: Debit cards are many people’s preferred
working methods, teaching method. method of payment.
Use method of before a noun.
Unit 19
a large proportion Most… (people, cities, etc.) A large proportion of or staff (three
quarters) asked for flexible working hours.
a significant number Not a majority, but a number which is worth A significant number of our employees (29%)
taking into consideration. told me that career breaks would be
attractive for them.
a smaller percentage Less than the number already mentioned. A smaller percentage have requested
optional part-time working.
a tiny minority of staff A very small number of staff. A tiny minority of staff would like to have
child-care service.
growing numbers of An increasing number of staff. Growing number of staff required training
staff on the latest software programs.
a substantial majority Much more than 50% of staff. A substantial majority of staff requested a
of staff salary raise.
a limited number of Not many staff. A limited number of staff requested more
staff flexible schedules.
around half the staff Approximately 50% of staff. Around half the staff would like to have a
gym.
just over half the staff Slightly more than 5% of staff. Just over half the staff arrived late because
of the weather conditions.
the vast majority of Nearly all staff. The vast majority of staff would like
staff attended the conference in New York.
Unit 20
(The unit does not have
specific Vocabulary
exercises.)
Unit 21
revenue The income that a government or company Taxes provide most of the government's
receives regularly. revenue.
outcome A result or effect of an action, situation, etc. It's too early to predict the outcome of the
meeting.
bottom line The final line in the accounts of a company or How will the rise in interest rates affect our
organization, which states the total profit or bottom line?
loss that has been made.
repurchase Continue buying Our objective is to use surplus cash to
repurchase shares.
return on investment Profit made from something you have Weekly sales are running well ahead of the
bought. levels required for a 25% return on
investment.
best practice A working method, or set of working The medical team proposed a model for best
methods, which is officially accepted as being practice in the treatment of diabetes.
the best to use in a particular business or
industry.
competitive advantage The conditions that make a business more The question is how to leverage technology
successful than the businesses it is competing to create competitive advantage in the
with, or a particular thing that makes it more marketplace.
successful.
empowerment Giving someone official authority or the This amendment empowers the president to
freedom to do something. declare an emergency for a wide range of
reasons.
Unit 22
Collocations:
1. good: reputation
2. large: number
3. wide: range
4. huge/large:
quantities
5. biggest/most
important: customers
 6. great/tremendous:
effort
7. large/significant:
part
8. considerable/great:
interest
9. excellent/good:
reputation
10. extensive/wide:
range
11. big/serious:
problem(s)
12. big/vast: number of
Unit 23
the latest The newest or most recent or modern: the We enclose a copy of our latest brochure,
latest fashions. With the latest, we with our compliments.
understand there will be more in the future.
the last 1. (the person or thing) after everyone or 1. I hate being the last one to arrive to a
everything else: (+ to infinitive). meeting.
2. the only one or part that is left. 2. I’m down to my last 50p – could I borrow
3. the most recent or the one before the some money for lunch?
present one. 3. My last office had no natural light.
Unit 24
(The unit does not have
specific Vocabulary
exercises.)

*Definitions and examples taken from:

Brook-Hart Guy. Business Benchmark. Upper-Intermediate. Student’s Book. (BULATS

Edition) United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2014. 2 nd. Edition.

Cambridge Business English Dictionary

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/