Business english presentation 07 22 13

Business English

Business Lexicon and Idioms in Use

Sales Idioms

• buyer's market

- a situation where there are more sellers than buyers of a product or service and the buyers have an advantage

It was a buyer's market and the price of fruit was very cheap.

Sales Idioms

• come down in price

- to lower the price of one's product, to become cheaper We were forced to come down in price in order to sell our target number of cars for the month.

Sales Idioms

• come in high

- to charge too much for your services, to ask for a price that is too high

The salesman came in high during the negotiations and could not sell his product.

Sales Idioms

• come in low

- to offer a low amount of money for a product or service

The company came in low with an offer for our product.

Sales Idioms

• corner the market

- to dominate a particular market with your product

The large company has cornered the market for cell phones in our city.

Sales Idioms

• a hard sell

- a way of selling something that is very aggressive and uses much pressure

The car salesman gave us a hard sell so we went to another car dealer.

Sales Idioms

• have good contacts

- to know people who can help you get a job or do some kind of business

The salesman has good contacts and always sells many products.

Sales Idioms

• knock down the price of (something) or knock the price of (something) down

- to lower the price of something

I bargained hard so that I could knock down the price of the DVD player.

Sales Idioms

• land an account

- to acquire an account

The salesman landed a large account on his first day of work.

Sales Idioms

• line of products

- a group or category of products that are similar to each other

Our company will introduce a new line of products in the autumn.

Sales Idioms

• make a cold call

- to visit or telephone a potential but unknown customer from a list of people

When he first started to work at his company the salesman was asked to make cold calls from the telephone book.

Sales Idioms

• make an offer

- to make a financial proposal for a product or service

We plan to make an offer to buy the house on Saturday.

Sales Idioms

• move a product

- to sell a product

We should have no trouble to move the new product

Sales Idioms

• preferred customer

- a customer who does much business with you and who you give special discounts to

The man is a preferred customer and we always give him a good price.

Sales Idioms

• sell like hotcakes

- to sell very quickly

The children's toys were selling like hotcakes at the end of the year.

Sales Idioms

• seller's market

- a situation where there are more buyers of a product/service than sellers so the sellers have an advantage

It was a seller's market for houses and the houses were increasing in value.

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

After the fire the company was forced to sell most of their merchandise (although they lost money). (a) by a long shot(b) at a loss (c) in black and white (d) in the long run

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

After the fire the company was forced to sell most of their merchandise (although they lost money). (a) by a long shot(b) at a loss (c) in black and white (d) in the long run

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The price of oil (reached its lowest point) in July and began to rise soon after.

(a) cut corners (b) closed out (c) broke even(d) bottomed out

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The price of oil (reached its lowest point) in July and began to rise soon after.

(a) cut corners (b) closed out (c) broke even(d) bottomed out

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The computer company had much trouble trying to get their new business to (make a successful start).

(a) be in the red (b) get off the ground(c) mean business (d) strike while the iron was hot

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The computer company had much trouble trying to get their new business to (make a successful start).

(a) be in the red (b) get off the ground(c) mean business (d) strike while the iron was hot

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The price of computer chips (collapsed) after personal computer sales began to decrease.

(a) took a nosedive (b) turned over (c) bottomed out (d) carried the day

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The price of computer chips (collapsed) after personal computer sales began to decrease.

(a) took a nosedive (b) turned over (c) bottomed out (d) carried the day

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The automobile dealer had no trucks (available to sell) so we had to wait for two months to buy one.

(a) in the works (b) on credit (c) in stock (d) written off

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The automobile dealer had no trucks (available to sell) so we had to wait for two months to buy one.

(a) in the works (b) on credit (c) in stock (d) written off

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The large drug company (took control of) the small drugstore chain.

(a) took over (b) took stock of (c) turned over (d) sold out

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The large drug company (took control of) the small drugstore chain.

(a) took over (b) took stock of (c) turned over (d) sold out

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

There is a chance to make much money during the summer so we will (take advantage of the opportunity) and work hard.

(a) throw money at it (b) strike while the iron is hot (c) sell like hotcakes (d) mean business

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

There is a chance to make much money during the summer so we will (take advantage of the opportunity) and work hard.

(a) throw money at it (b) strike while the iron is hot (c) sell like hotcakes (d) mean business

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

Our plans for marketing the new computer are still (in preparation).

(a) coming on strong (b) in short supply (c) going public (d) in the works

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

Our plans for marketing the new computer are still (in preparation).

(a) coming on strong (b) in short supply (c) going public (d) in the works

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The bank (cancelled) the loans to the bankrupt company.

(a) wrote off (b) worked out (c) took over (d) paid off

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The bank (cancelled) the loans to the bankrupt company.

(a) wrote off (b) worked out (c) took over (d) paid off

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The construction company (hired) hundreds of new workers last month.

(a) took over (b) turned over (c) took on (d) made a go of

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The construction company (hired) hundreds of new workers last month.

(a) took over (b) turned over (c) took on (d) made a go of

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

Our company needed to raise money to expand so we decided to (sell its shares on the stock market).

(a) take a nosedive (b) sell it out (c) take it over (d) take it public

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

Our company needed to raise money to expand so we decided to (sell its shares on the stock market).

(a) take a nosedive (b) sell it out (c) take it over (d) take it public

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The steel company finally went bankrupt after being (burdened with losses) for many years.

(a) jacked up (b) on the block (c) saddled with debt (d) paid off

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The steel company finally went bankrupt after being (burdened with losses) for many years.

(a) jacked up (b) on the block (c) saddled with debt (d) paid off

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

We are (ready to buy) a new car but we have not found anything that we like.

(a) in the loop for (b) in the market for (c) in charge of (d) cutting back

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

We are (ready to buy) a new car but we have not found anything that we like.

(a) in the loop for (b) in the market for (c) in charge of (d) cutting back

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The salesman tried to sell the house by (being very aggressive) which made us uncomfortable.

(a) a hard sell (b) keeping books (c) a kickback (d) a company man

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The salesman tried to sell the house by (being very aggressive) which made us uncomfortable.

(a) a hard sell (b) keeping books (c) a kickback (d) a company man

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

We decided to sell the business in order to (stop losing money).

(a) bottom out (b) mean business (c) cut our losses (d) strike while the iron is hot

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

We decided to sell the business in order to (stop losing money).

(a) bottom out (b) mean business (c) cut our losses (d) strike while the iron is hot

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

(Someone will be punished) if we do not quickly deal with the poor sales of our product.

(a) Someone will fill the bill (b) Someone will get a break (c) Someone will deliver the goods (d) Heads will roll

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

(Someone will be punished) if we do not quickly deal with the poor sales of our product.

(a) Someone will fill the bill (b) Someone will get a break (c) Someone will deliver the goods (d) Heads will roll

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

Gas and oil were (in less than the amount needed) during the busy summer season.

(a) in short supply (b) in stock (c) in the works (d) filling the bill

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

Gas and oil were (in less than the amount needed) during the busy summer season.

(a) in short supply (b) in stock (c) in the works (d) filling the bill

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The (amount of sales) of computers increased dramatically last year.

(a) write-off (b) turnover (c) calculated risk (d) double check

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

The (amount of sales) of computers increased dramatically last year.

(a) write-off (b) turnover (c) calculated risk (d) double check

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

We closed the store early in order to (count the number of items we had).

(a) take stock (b) run short (c) work overtime (d) gain ground

Your turn now

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:

We closed the store early in order to (count the number of items we had).

(a) take stock (b) run short (c) work overtime (d) gain ground

English Grammar – Past ProgressiveThe past progressive or continuous tense expresses action at a particular moment in the past.

The action started before that moment but has not finished at that moment. For example, yesterday I had a meeting at the office. The meeting started at 9am and finished at 10am.

English Grammar – Past ProgressiveWhen we use the past continuous tense, our listener usually knows or understands what time we are talking about. Look at these examples:

• I was working at 10pm last night.• They were not playing football at 9am this morning.• What were you doing at 10pm last night?• What were you doing when he arrived?• She was cooking when I telephoned her.• We were having dinner when it started to rain.• Ram went home early because it was snowing.

English Grammar – Past ProgressiveExercise on Past Progressive

Complete the sentences in Past Progressive.

Yesterday at six, John (drive) __________________to the airport.

While Claire (have)______________lunch in the canteen, Mary and Will (talk) ____________to a customer.

I (prepare)_________________the invoice, when my computer suddenly crashed.

English Grammar – Past ProgressiveExercise on Past Progressive

When we (sit)________________in the meeting, Joseph suddenly got a hiccup.

I (gossip / not)_______________with Amy when you came in - we (discuss)  a serious problem.

Bob and I (walk) ______________to the office, when it suddenly started to rain.

During the week of the conference, I (stay) ______________at a nice B&B.

Where (you / stay)_______________during your time in London?

Who (do) _____________my job while I was in hospital?