Business English Lessons and Topics

Let’s talk about business English, and how English proficiency can help you excel.

1.) What career are you in?
2.) What goods or services does your company or field provide?
3.) How will improving your business English help you at work?
4.) What specific business English skills do you need to work on?
5.) What are your career goals?

Select the topic that you want to work on today!

WRITING

Resumes and Cover Letters:
A short guide to writing resumes and cover letters

Essays:
Essay writing

Emails:
A customer complaint – Put the sentences of the email in order. (Intermediate/Advanced)
Inappropriate emails – How would you rewrite the emails to be more appropriate? (Advanced)

Letters:
Complete the business letter – A phrasal verbs gap fill (Advanced)

SPEAKING AND CONVERSATION
A business dialogue – Add the correct forms of ‘be’ and ‘do’. (Pre-intermediate)
Brainstorming side hustles – A speaking activity about side hustles.
Job Interviews – Behavioural interviewing roll-play

BUSINESS SKILLS
Brainstorming – How to guide
Charts and Graphs – Vocabulary and essay writing practice exercise

FULL LESSON PLANS
Finances and Saving Money – A lesson plan (All levels)
Finances and Loans – A lesson plan (High intermediate/Advanced)
Job Interviews – A lesson plan (Advanced C2)
Labour Unions – A lesson plan (Advanced C1-C2)
Making Difficult Decisions – How do you make decisions?
Small Talk – A lesson plan (High intermediate/Advanced)
SWOT Analysis – A lesson plan (High intermediate/Advanced)

Useful External Links:

WRITING
Writing Emails:
Exercises for email and letter writing
Linking word practice

LISTENING
Business English listening exercises – Comprehension activities from ESL Lounge
Freakonomics Radio – Fabulous, free Podcasts on a wide variety of topics related to economics

SPEAKING
Employment Preferences – Put the options in order conversation activity
Business English Role Plays – Scenarios from R2G

READING
Asking about Salary – A reading and comprehension activity (C1-C2)
Investopedia – Lots of interesting articles to learn about the economy.
Business Magazine – British Council’s online business magazine

GENERAL
JimmyESL – 20 business English lesson plans on interesting topics
Business English – resources from English Club
Road to Grammar – a great collection of resources