Business English
What does "To put something on hold" mean?
To stop something temporarily, often used in meetings or negotiations.
What’s the difference in meaning?
I stopped working late.
I stopped to work late.
One means no longer working late; the other means stopping something else in order to work.
Build a sentence with: Negotiate
E.g. Mark was so unhappy with his pay that he decided to negotiate for more.
This parasitic plant is hung in doorways; if you stand under it, tradition dictates you must kiss.
mistletoe
In New York City, this 12,000-pound object is lowered in Times Square to mark the countdown.
Ball
“We need to align on priorities before moving forward.”
What does align mean here?
To agree / ensure everyone has the same understanding or goals.
Correct the sentence:
“If I would have known earlier, I would tell you.”
If I had known earlier, I would have told you.
What’s the hidden meaning of this sentence?
“That’s an interesting suggestion.”
Often polite disagreement.
In many Commonwealth countries, the day after Christmas is known by this name, originally for giving gifts to the poor.
Boxing Day
What do these four verbs indicate:
Ascend - Scatter - Illuminate - Reverberate
Fireworks
Ascend: To move upward
Scatter: To throw in various random directions
Illuminate: To light up
Reverberate: When a sound echoes or shakes the surroundings
Paraphrase this diplomatically:
“This idea won’t work.”
e.g. “I’m not sure this approach is viable in its current form.”
“He suggested that she ___ the proposal.”
A) revises
B) revised
C) revise
C) revise
What does "come across" mean?
This horned, "half-goat, half-demon" figure from Central European folklore punishes children who have misbehaved.
Krampus
What’s the difference between a resolution and a commitment?
Intention vs stronger obligation.
Someone says:
“Let’s just see how it goes.”
Explain why this might be a red flag in a professional context.
It suggests lack of planning, avoidance of responsibility, or absence of clear strategy.
Explain the difference between:
He was to deliver the report.
He was supposed to deliver the report.
Expectation vs obligation that may not have happened.
To "call it a day" is common, but this phrasal verb means to complete a task successfully or reach an agreement.
wrap up
This famous holiday song was originally written in the 1850s for Thanksgiving, not Christmas, and was first titled "The One Horse Open Sleigh."
Jingle Bells
To start fresh and improve your behavior in the New Year, you might say you are "turning over a new..." this
leaf
Build a sentence with this idiom:
Bend over backwards
Means: To try extremely hard to help or please someone
E.g. He bent over backwards to impress his client.
Why is this sentence incorrect? Fix it.
“It’s high time we invest into better systems.”
It’s high time we invested in better systems.”
high time → past simple
invest in, not invest into
Create one sentence using concession (e.g. even though / albeit / despite) in a business context.
Open but must be accurate.
Finish this song:
Last Christmas I gave you my heart but the very next day, you gave it away ...
This year to save me from tears,
I'll give it to someone special
This Scots poem and song, traditionally sung at midnight, literally translates to "old long since" or "days gone by."
Auld Lang Syne