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BEP 416 – Accounting English: Discussing an Audit (1)

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, English Collocations, Finance and Accounting /

BEP 416 LESSON - English for Accounting: Discussing an Audit 1

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson, the first in a two-part series on financial English for discussing an audit.

Financial audits have a way of increasing stress within a company. Suddenly everyone’s paying attention as reports get checked, numbers are reviewed, and details that seemed minor yesterday become urgent today. Audits can feel intense, but they are a critical part of good business practice.

Like many other financial processes, the world of audits has its own language or vocabulary. And much of this language comes in the form of “collocations.” Collocations are words that go together naturally. They are combinations of words that we learn as a group, rather than individually.

For example, a minute ago I said “everyone suddenly pays attention.” We always use that verb “pay” with the noun “attention.” It’s a strong collocation. That expression includes a verb and a noun, but collocations can feature any word forms. “For example” is a collocation that has a preposition and a noun, for example.

In today’s dialog, we’ll hear a conversation between Ray and Marcia. Ray is the Chief Financial Officer for an international company. Marcia is an auditor with an accounting firm hired to do an audit of Ray’s company. During their conversation about the upcoming audit, Ray and Marcia use many English collocations. We’ll explain these collocations later in the debrief.

Listening Questions

1. What does Ray hope to do in the week following the 15th of the month?
2. What does Marcia want to “walk through,” or review, with Ray?
3. Ray asks about something that is a hot topic, in Marcia’s opinion. What does he ask about?

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Business English News 60 – Tariffs: Rewiring Global Trade

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business News, Supply Chain /

Business English News 60 - Tariffs

In this Business English News lesson on the effects of tariffs on global trade, we look at business English vocabulary related to the global supply chain and economics.

With his recent moves, Donald Trump has plunged the global economy into a new era of mercantile competition. He slapped tariffs on numerous trading partners even as he finalized new deals with others, such as Japan and the EU. The US president’s executive order last month announcing the tariffs said they were designed to reduce America’s trade deficit. As the Washington Post reports:

Since returning to office, Trump has raised US tariffs to their highest level since the 1930s, with an average rate of about 17% on nearly 45% of all imports. New 25% tariffs have been announced on India, with 50% on Brazil and copper imports. Although the administration has signed framework deals with key partners such as the EU and Japan, analysts warn these agreements remain fragile and insufficient to offset rising input costs and legal challenges.

The consequences of these sweeping tariff increases are being felt deep within the mechanics of global trade. As costs rise and agreements remain uncertain, businesses are struggling to maintain operational stability. Nowhere is this more evident than in global supply chains.

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BEP 45c – Socializing: Keeping a Conversation Going

Business English, Intermediate English, Socializing /

BEP 45c - English for Socializing: Keeping a Conversation Going

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on how to keep a conversation going while socializing at work.

Some people are natural talkers. They seem to be able to start conversations, and maintain conversations, so easily. You might think this is an ability people are born with. Either you have it or you don’t. Either you have a social personality, or you don’t. But conversation is actually a skill.

And if conversation is a skill, then you can develop it through practice. In our last lesson, we practiced starting a conversation with someone. Once you’ve got the conversation started, it sure is uncomfortable if you don’t know how to keep it going. So we need a different set of skills and language to maintain the flow of conversation.

One thing you might do in this situation is direct the conversation or change the topic. And to keep the other person engaged, you’ll want to show interest and comment on what they’re saying. That makes them feel good and want to keep the conversation going. Showing interest often means asking follow-up questions and showing empathy or personal care or attention.

In this lesson, we’re going to go back to the first dialog we heard in the previous lesson, which featured Penny and George. Penny and George work for an international company called Multi-Fresh, which is hosting a conference for its employees. We’ll hear how Penny develops her conversation with George.

Listening Questions

1. What is the word or topic that Penny uses to change the topic of conversation?
2. What experience of George’s does Penny show interest in?
3. How does Penny react when George tells her about how difficult his experience was?

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BEP 44c – Socializing: Starting a Conversation in English

Business English, Intermediate English, Socializing /

BEP 44c - English for Socializing: Starting a Conversation

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on how to start a conversation while socializing at work.

For many people, starting a conversation with someone can be a huge challenge. And it doesn’t get any easier when you’re doing this in another language! But it is one of the most important skills for building professional connections. A simple chat at a conference or event can lead to new opportunities, ideas, or contacts helpful for your career.

Learning to network confidently will help you feel more comfortable and prepared in professional and social situations. So what are some of the things you should think about? Well, you might start by introducing yourself, especially to someone you recognize but haven’t met in person before. You might also use questions to break the ice and start a conversation on a simple and safe topic.

Informal conversations can be tricky. For one thing, you need to know how to handle a situation where you forget someone’s name. You also need to be able to find ways to keep a conversation going and, when the situation calls for it, end it politely.

In this lesson, we’ll hear two dialogs that take place at an HR conference for an international company called Multi-Fresh. In the first dialog, we’ll hear Penny strike up a conversation with George. In the second dialog, Pat tries to strike up a conversation with George.

Listening Questions

1. What information does Penny give when she introduces herself to George?
2. What topic does Penny mention to get the conversation started?
3. What excuse does George give for finishing his conversation with Pat?

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BEP 43c – Meeting English: Managing the Discussion

Business English, English for Meetings, Intermediate English /

BEP 43c - Meeting English: Managing a Meeting

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on how to manage the discussion during a meeting in English.

Bad meetings can waste time and leave everyone confused. But a well-run meeting can help create new ideas, solve problems, and move a project forward. Running a great meeting is about more than just following an agenda. It means guiding the conversation effectively.

If you’re running formal meetings as a manager or team leader, this skill is essential. But even if just you’re a team member who wants to make sure your team has good discussions, it’s good to understand what’s behind running a meeting. And you never know when it might be your job to facilitate.

Good meeting management often means keeping the discussion focused and inviting different viewpoints or opinions. It also means widening the discussion, moving to a new agenda item, and checking for agreement.

In this lesson, we’ll rejoin a meeting about budget cuts at an international shipping company. Martin, the General Manager, is facilitating the meeting. We’ll also hear Sandra, Sam, and David, three employees in the meeting.

Listening Questions

1. How does Martin respond to Sam’s comment about pizza?
2. What does Martin say once they have finished talking about the outsourcing issue?
3. At the end of the conversation, what question does Martin ask everyone if they agree on?

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BEP 42c – Meeting in English: Starting a Meeting

Business English, English for Meetings, Intermediate English /

BEP 42c - Meeting in English: Starting a Meeting

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on how to start a meeting in English.

Many jobs require us to spend a lot of time in meetings. Sometimes we might think there are too many meetings. In part, we might feel this way because a lot of meetings aren’t run very well or facilitated effectively.

There’s a good chance that you will have to run meetings some day, if you don’t already. You have a chance to make sure those meetings are effective by running the meeting well. Fortunately, running a meeting involves skills that you can learn.

Today we’ll focus on starting a meeting, which begins with getting people’s attention and acknowledging them. Next, you might clearly state the purpose or goals of the meeting before reviewing the agenda with everyone. Then you may invite someone to begin speaking about the first item on the agenda.

In this lesson, we’ll hear the start of a meeting about budget cuts at an international shipping company. The meeting is being led by Martin, the General Manager. We’ll also hear Sandra, David, and Sam, employees who are attending the meeting.

Listening Questions

1. What does Martin apologize for as he is acknowledging the meeting attendees?
2. What does Martin say is the objective of the meeting?
3. What does Martin invite Sandra to do at the end of the conversation?

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Skills 360 – Fostering a Culture of Collaboration (2)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Management English /

Skills 360 LESSON - Collaboration 2

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we look at how to build a collaborative workplace culture.

Even in the most competitive companies, collaboration is key to success. In our last lesson, we looked at the benefits of collaboration, like innovation and employee engagement. Now we’ll look at the systems and approaches to make it happen.

Collaboration starts with leadership. Leaders need to focus on “we,” not “I.” That means trusting their teams, being open about goals and challenges, and involving others in decisions. When teams feel trusted and included, they’re more likely to work together.

Communication is key too – and it changes when you give up control. It’s no longer just about giving clear instructions. It’s about listening, understanding different ideas, and building consensus. That takes more time and effort, which means teams need some flexibility in their schedules.

Collaboration also needs structure. Cross-functional teams, shared roles, and communities of practice all help break down silos. And digital tools like Slack or project management platforms make it easier to share work and ideas.

Of course, not every decision has to be made as a group. Some are simple or urgent. And when trust is low, it may be best to focus on rebuilding that first.

But if you want the real benefits of collaboration, you need to create the right environment: one built on trust, open communication, and the systems to support teamwork.

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Skills 360 – Fostering a Culture of Collaboration (1)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Management English /

Skills 360 LESSON - Fostering Collaboration 1

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we look at how to build a culture of collaboration at work.

Collaboration is more than just working together or coordinating tasks. It means people share goals, ideas, decisions, and responsibility. True collaboration often involves people from different teams coming together to solve shared problems or create something new.

So why is collaboration so important? One key reason is innovation. When people with different backgrounds and skills come together, they bring fresh ideas. These creative clashes often lead to breakthroughs. Collaboration also helps spread knowledge across teams. If one team finds a better way to work, others can learn from it – if they’re connected.

Stronger connections also lead to greater resilience. When teams share skills and experiences, they can support each other when challenges come up. And beyond business results, collaboration boosts employee engagement. People feel more connected, valued, and motivated when they work toward shared goals.

But collaboration takes effort. It’s not instant or easy. It takes time, trust, and a willingness to share control. If you want others’ input, you have to be open to their ideas, not just your own.

Collaboration can bring big rewards, but it also comes with challenges. In part two, we’ll explore what teams and leaders can do to support collaboration through strong communication, trust, and the right systems.

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BEP 415 – Purchasing 6: Managing Purchase Orders

Business English, Purchasing, Sales English /

BEP 415 LESSON - English for Purchasing 6: Managing Orders

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on English for purchasing. This lesson looks at language for evaluating proposals from vendors.

Business is all about buying and selling. And just as your company sells products to individual consumers or other companies, you also have to purchase goods and services to make it all happen. For ongoing purchasing relationships, this means evaluating different vendors to find the best match.

So, when you sit with your team to evaluate vendor proposals, what will you talk about? These discussions often involve comparing pricing, timelines, quality, and service. You might also talk about warranties, reliability, and risks. And just like any group process, the quality of the decision will come down not just to the facts in front of you, but your ability to communicate clearly about them.

In conversations about vendor proposals, there are several aspects you might consider. You might assess risk as well as vendor capacity. You might also evaluate the total cost and compare value, as opposed to the basic contract price. And finally, you might prioritize the different criteria you use to assess the vendors.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to a conversation between managers at a fitness equipment company called xFit. Hazel, Adam, and Nick are evaluating proposals to choose a manufacturer of a specific part for their line of treadmills. In previous lessons on purchasing, we heard xFit choose a company called VinMech to produce a part for a different exercise machine.

Listening Questions

1. What does Adam say about SteelWorks production capacity?
2. What does Nick say adds value to VinMech as a possible vendor?
3. Which criteria does Adam say are the most important consideration in this decision?

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BEP 414 – Purchasing 5: Evaluating Vendor Proposals

Business English, Purchasing, Sales English /

BEP 414 LESSON - English for Purchasing 5: Evaluating Vendors

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on English for purchasing. This lesson looks at language for evaluating proposals from vendors.

Business is all about buying and selling. And just as your company sells products to individual consumers or other companies, you also have to purchase goods and services to make it all happen. For ongoing purchasing relationships, this means evaluating different vendors to find the best match.

So, when you sit with your team to evaluate vendor proposals, what will you talk about? These discussions often involve comparing pricing, timelines, quality, and service. You might also talk about warranties, reliability, and risks. And just like any group process, the quality of the decision will come down not just to the facts in front of you, but your ability to communicate clearly about them.

In conversations about vendor proposals, there are several aspects you might consider. You might assess risk as well as vendor capacity. You might also evaluate the total cost and compare value, as opposed to the basic contract price. And finally, you might prioritize the different criteria you use to assess the vendors.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to a conversation between managers at a fitness equipment company called xFit. Hazel, Adam, and Nick are evaluating proposals to choose a manufacturer of a specific part for their line of treadmills. In previous lessons on purchasing, we heard xFit choose a company called VinMech to produce a part for a different exercise machine.

Listening Questions

1. What does Adam say about SteelWorks production capacity?
2. What does Nick say adds value to VinMech as a possible vendor?
3. Which criteria does Adam say are the most important consideration in this decision?

Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3