Category Archives: Grammar

BEP 81 INT (Transcript & Exercises) – Meetings: Finishing Up and Action Points

In this Business English Podcast lesson, we’ll study language you can use to assign work to people and some useful phrases to finish off a meeting. In addition, we’ll cover some advanced grammar tips for using “going to,” the present continuous, and the future continuous to state action points.

We’ll be listening in to a group of bank managers discuss how to deal with credit risk problems before a major year-end report to top management. They have already discussed and decided what to do, and now they need to finish the meeting. As you listen, pay attention to how the boss, Lisa, gives action points to her team, that is, reminds them of what they need to do, as she “wraps up” the meeting.

Premium Members (Sign up): Online activities (Members / Free Trial)

Study Notes
Phrases & Practice 		BEP 81 INT – Meetings: Action Points – Quiz

BEP 81 INT – Meetings: Action Points – Gap-fill

BEP 81 INT – Meetings: Action Points – Dialog & Vocabulary

BEP 81 INT – Meetings: Action Points – Language 1

BEP 81 INT – Meetings: Action Points – Language 2

BEP 81 INT – Meetings: Action Points – Language 3

BEP 81 INT – Meetings: Action Points – Language 4

BEP 81 INT – Meetings: Action Points – Flashcards

Listening Questions:
1) When will Lisa’s team have their next round of meetings?

2) What duties does Lisa assign during the meeting, and to whom?

BEP 71 ADV (Transcript & Exercises) – Mergers: Office Gossip and Reported Speech

This is the second in a three-part series that follows some of the internal discussions that take place in a company going through a merger.

Today’s episode focuses on casual office conversation and gossip. Office gossip is a type of informal conversation in which we tell secrets or rumors about other people or other departments. Gossip is often called water cooler chitchat, since the water cooler is where colleagues meet by chance and discuss things that are happening in the office. You might also want to review some of our previous shows on socializing for more language to use in these types of conversations.

For the listening today, we rejoin Jack at the guitar manufacturer headquarters, after his short but difficult chat with his boss Jim. Jack is in the cafeteria when a co-worker meets him there by chance.

Key Language: Informal Socializing & Reported Speech

Online Activities & Exercises

Premium Members (Sign up): Online activities (Members / Free Trial)

Study Notes
Phrases & Practice 		BEP 71 ADV – Office Gossip – Quiz

BEP 71 ADV – Office Gossip – Gap-fill

BEP 71 ADV – Office Gossip – Dialog & Vocabulary

BEP 71 ADV – Office Gossip – Language 1

BEP 71 ADV – Office Gossip – Language 2

BEP 71 ADV – Office Gossip – Language 3

BEP 71 ADV – Office Gossip – Flashcards


Listening Questions: BEP 71 ADV – Mergers: Office Gossip & Reported Speech

1) What did Frances hear from Joanna?

2) Who did Michelle take off with?

3) Where does Frances tell Jack she has to go?

BEP 39 INT (Transcript & Exercises) – Reporting on Progress

Download BEP 39 INT – Reporting on Progress

In today’s intermediate Business English Podcast episode you’ll practice reporting on progress. That means informing your boss or colleagues about your current work. This is also called updating someone on the status of a project.

Reporting on progress happens in formal settings, such as at meetings, but often also in informal settings, such as around the water cooler or maybe even over a drink after work.

Today’s listening provides an example of this very common kind of informal project update. It takes place in the offices of AirMech Services, a company that specializes in the maintenance, repair and modification of Passenger Loading Bridges, which are commonly called jetways. You’ll hear Rudi, a project manager, update his boss, Wolfgang, on the status of one such project. They meet each other during a break in the coffee room.

As you listen, pay attention to both the vocabulary and the verb tenses Rudi and Wolfgang use to discuss the progress of the project.

Answers to the listening comprehension questions will be published on this page: Listening Quiz.

Premium Members (Sign up for access): Online activities:

Study Notes
Phrases & Practice		 BEP 39 INT – Reporting – Quiz

BEP 39 INT – Reporting – Gap-fill


Listening Quiz:BEP 39 INT – Reporting (Click a question to see the answer)

BEP 38 INT (Transcript & Exercises) – Describing a Procedure

Today’s Business English Podcast episode focuses on explaining a procedure. We’ll also look at some common computer vocabulary.

In our jobs, we often have to tell people about procedures and processes – explaining how to do something. This can be more formal – for example giving government visitors a demonstration of a production line – or informal – for example showing a colleague how to use the photocopier.

Today’s dialogue is a common situation where describing a procedure is useful – giving someone help. It takes place at Elektra, a fashion design company. You’ll hear Sandy, an accountant, call Felipe, who works in the IT department. Sandy is having a problem with her computer and Felipe describes to her the procedure for fixing it.

Premium Members (Sign up for access): Online activities:

Study Notes
PhraseCast		 BEP 38 INT – Describing a Procedure- Quiz

BEP 38 INT – Describing a Procedure – Gap-fill


Listening Quiz:BEP 38 INT – Describing a Procedure (Click a question to see the answer)