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BEP 31 – Meetings: Accepting and Rejecting Suggestions

A2, Business English, ESL Podcast, Functions, Intermediate English, Meeting English /

This Business English lesson is the second part of a two-part series on making, rejecting and accepting suggestions in English. In the first episode, we looked at how to make suggestions. In this episode, we’ll cover appropriate ways to reject and accept suggestions in English. Accept means to agree to a suggestion and reject means to disagree.

As you’ll remember, the listening takes place at a sports shoe company called Stratos. You’ll be listening to Karen, a marketing manager, meet with three members of her team, Charles, Sven and Miguel. They are choosing a celebrity spokesperson for a new product.

*** This lesson is part of our Business English eBook for meetings: Meeting Essentials. Premium members click here to download the complete eBook.

[tp no_translate=”y”]Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3[/tp]

Business News 06 – Offshoring

Business English, Business News, ESL Podcast, Management English /

This Business English News podcast examines the topic of offshoring jobs. “Offshoring” means to move part of a company’s operations (usually supporting functions such as finance or HR) to another country – literally “off shore.” Another commonly used term related to this topic is “outsourcing” – this means to use a different company to handle some supporting tasks. The key difference is that outsourcing doesn’t necessarily mean the work is done in a different country.

The topic of offshoring, or outsourcing work overseas, is certainly a popular one these days, and many people in Western Europe and North America are quite concerned that this practice will lead to less job opportunities in their countries. However, our story details a report from a well know management consultancy that concludes these concerns may be exaggerated or “overblown.”

[tp no_translate=”y”]PDF Transcript: Study Notes

Download: Podcast MP3[/tp]

BEP 29 – Meetings: Disagreeing in English

A2, Business English, ESL Podcast, Functions, Intermediate English, Meeting English /

In the previous episode (BEP 28) of this 2 part series, we looked at expressing agreement. We practiced four ways of agreeing: Using standard phrases, using synonyms, giving an example and making a general comment.

In this Business English Podcast, we’re going to focus on disagreement. We’ll learn different ways to disagree in English, from polite to strong.

As you’ll remember, the listening takes place in the R&D department of PharmaTek, a pharmaceutical company. Pharmaceutical means medicine (or drug). This meeting is between Gene, the head scientist, and Louis and Karina, two researchers. They are talking about the results of a new trial. Here, “trial” means “test” – the test of a new medicine on animals or patients. The new medicine is called Zorax.

*** This lesson is part of our Business English eBook for meetings: Meeting Essentials. Premium members click here to download the complete eBook.

[tp no_translate=”y”]Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3[/tp]

BEP 27 – Meetings: Giving Opinions in English

A2, Business English, ESL Podcast, Functions, Intermediate English, Meeting English /

For an updated lesson on expressing opinions in English, check out:
BEP 327 – Expressing Opinions in English

In this intermediate Business English Pod lesson, we look at ways to give and ask for opinions. We’ll be looking at the formal (or careful) language often used in meetings, as well as the more informal (or direct) language used in casual discussions.

This lesson is the first in a regular series of intermediate level podcasts focused on functional Business English language. Each podcasts will introduce and explain how to use a particular type, or function, of language (eg. expressing an opinion, making a suggestion or clarifying information etc.). These podcasts are also designed to support our more challenging advanced level episodes by breaking down the featured language into smaller, more easily understood chunks.

The BusinessEnglishPod.com team wishes all our listeners a successful and rewarding New Year and we look forward to bringing you many more Business English Podcasts in the months to come.

*** This lesson is part of our Business English eBook for meetings: Meeting Essentials. Premium members click here to download the complete eBook.

[tp no_translate=”y”]Members: Study Notes | Online Practice | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3[/tp]

Here’s a preview of this lesson in video format from our Business English Kickstart course:

YouTube video

BEP 26 – Travel: Connecting Flights and Travel Problems

Business English, ESL Podcast, Intermediate English, Travel /

This lesson has been updated. Click here to get the new version.

In this Business English Podcast we’re going to look at the language used for more direct requests, when our traveler and a ticket agent discuss new travel plans due to a missed connecting flight in Paris.

It might be helpful to first listen to first episode in this series (BEP 25), to hear the language of polite, indirect requests, and then listen to this podcast, which uses more direct language for requests and suggestions. As you listen, also notice the more direct tone used in parts of their conversation, especially as Robert gets excited.

[tp no_translate=”y”]Premium Members: Study Notes

Download: Podcast MP3[/tp]