Essential Business English Vocabulary and Grammar
Business Vocabulary in Context
- a) The manufacturer of these phone cases makes them in a factory in China.
- b) The quote for the shipping costs includes a 15% discount.
- c) I’ve found a buyer for the old office buildings, and they’re offering a good price.
- d) What’s the name of your contact at Zinereo? I need to ask her for some information.
- e) Don’t forget to specify the color and quantity when you order.
- f) We charge our customers by volume, not by weight.
- g) You must check the requirements for shipping to India.
- h) The ship lost all of its cargo; what can we offer clients as compensation?
Dialogue Practice
I. A: There has been a lot of demand for our products. B: Yes, it looks like our promotion was a success.
II. A: Did you know that Pórtico, a famous décor store, has gone out of business? B: Oh, my! Can you find out what happened?
III. A: What kind of people will be interested in our products? B: Well, our target population is men over the age of 35.
IV. A: We should conduct a survey about online shopping habits. B: Good idea! You should go ahead and do it.
Shipping and Logistics
- a) They’re unloading the shipping containers now.
- b) You should try exporting to foreign markets.
- c) We guarantee fast shipping.
- d) What are the shipping arrangements for sending freight to Japan?
Advanced Verb Tenses
- a) Look at those numbers! The company is going to lose money this quarter.
- b) We are meeting the bank manager tomorrow at 10 a.m.
- c) By the end of this month, we will have finished the annual budget.
- d) They are launching the new accounting system next Monday.
- e) At 3 p.m. today, I will be discussing the contract with the supplier.
- f) I forgot to call the supplier! I will call them now.
Conditional Sentences
- a) If a customer does not pay the invoice on time, we always send a payment reminder. (Zero)
- b) If the company increases prices next year, it is very possible that some customers will look for cheaper suppliers. (First)
- c) If I were the finance manager, I would reduce unnecessary expenses. (Second)
- d) If the accountant had made an error in the report yesterday, the auditors would have noticed it. (Third)
- e) If we finish the budget today, we will present it to the board tomorrow. (First)
Passive Voice and Causative Structures
Passive Voice:
- a) Money was being stolen from the company during the recession.
- b) A new system was developed by economists to keep finances in order during the pandemic.
- c) The paperwork must be sent to the clients by the assistant as soon as possible.
- d) Lewis was offered the promotion by the Marketing Director yesterday.
- e) It is believed that the company will grow next year.
Causative:
- a) We are going to have the office painted tomorrow.
- b) We had the printer repaired yesterday.
- c) The company will have the logo redesigned.
- d) They had the contract translated into English.
Glossary of Terms
A-I: advantage (ventaja), buyer (comprador/a), cargo (cargamento), compete (competir), conduct negotiations (negociar), consignee (consignatario/a), contact (contacto), container terminal (terminal de contenedores), ensure (garantizar), export (exportar), follow-up (seguimiento), foreign (extranjero/a), free of charge (gratuito/a), free of damage (exento de daños), freight container (contenedor de carga), guarantee (garantizar), import (importar), investment (inversión).
L-P: load (cargar), loss (pérdida), manufacturer (fabricante), minimise costs (reducir gastos), port of discharge (puerto de descarga), port of origin (puerto de origen), profit (beneficio).
Wordlist Plus: protect (proteger), quote (presupuesto), rates (tarifas), reliable (de confianza), requirements (requisitos), resale (reventa), risk (arriesgar), run a business (dirigir un negocio), shipper (consignador/a), shipping arrangements (trámites de envío), sourcing company (empresa de suministros), start a business (montar un negocio), supplier (proveedor/a), trade (comercio), trust (confiar en), unload (descargar), vessel (buque), volume (volumen), worldwide (a escala mundial).