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BEP 32 – Meetings: Brainstorming & Discussing Ideas

Advanced, Business English, English for Meetings, ESL Podcast, Teleconference English /

New versions of this lesson are available here:
BEP 32 A – English for Discussing Solutions to a Problem (1)
BEP 32 B – English for Discussing Solutions to a Problem (2)

In this Business English Podcast lesson we take another look at the language used to suggest and discuss ideas in meetings and teleconferences. We’ll also provide further language for diplomatic disagreement and agreeing action points at the end of the meeting.

The teleconference is run by Jim as a type of meeting called a “Brainstorming” meeting, which is useful for gathering and openly discussing ideas as the format is more relaxed.

Members: PDF Transcript

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 31 – Meetings: Accepting and Rejecting Suggestions

A2, Business English, English for Meetings, ESL Podcast, Functions, Intermediate English /

A new updated version of this lesson is available here.

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.

Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 30 – Meetings: Making Suggestions in English

A2, Business English, English for Meetings, Functions, Intermediate English /

A new updated version of this lesson is available here.

Today’s intermediate Business English lesson is part of a two-part series on making, rejecting and accepting suggestions in English. In this lesson, we’re focused on the language used to introduce your ideas and make suggestions.

The dialog 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. Celebrity means a famous person and spokesperson is someone who gets paid to be in an advertisement for a product.

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

Members: PDF Transcript | Online Practice | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

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

YouTube video

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.”

PDF Transcript: Study Notes

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 29 – Meetings: Disagreeing in English

A2, Business English, English for Meetings, ESL Podcast, Functions, Intermediate English /

A new updated version of this lesson is available here.

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.

Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3