Author: Xela

3 Common English Expressions or Slang

Posted on by Xela

Every language is full of terms that are not something you learn in lessons but make up an important part of understanding and communicating with people. Using these expressions properly can make a big difference when it comes to doing business, making friends and even ordering food and dealing with people on a daily basis. We will look at more of these in the future but here are 5 common English terms known as slang and what they mean.

1.     All Right?

This is a very simple greeting term. It basically means “are you ok?” but it is used when you meet someone. In a way it is a very lazy greeting because it moves past saying hello and goes straight to the point of asking how someone is. By simply greeting someone with “all right” there is no need to then ask further. However, do not answer this greeting with an answer about how you are. The common response is to simply say it back and this if often accompanied by a small nod of the head.

This term is a very casual greeting and not to be used in formal situations like the office or meeting someone’s parents. It may be hard to understand as it is often said in a slight slur that sounds like “awwllright?”

2.     Blimey

Blimey is a short version of a traditionally London term which is “cor blimey” or “gor blimey”. The original term was “god blind me” but this has long since been lost.

Blimey is a term used to express surprise or shock at something. It is commonly used in New Zealand and Australia as well as the South of the UK mainly.

Blimey is not a rude word and will not offend anyone but it is a casual term and once again should not be used in a business or formal setting.

3.     Bottle

Bottle very simply means courage or bravery but it has a number of different uses in the English language. To say someone “doesn’t have any bottle” is simply to say they are not brave. But you could also say “he bottled it” and this would mean he was going to do something but didn’t have the courage to do it. For example, he may have been asking a girl out but got scared and didn’t do it.

As with many slang terms, this is not offensive but as has already been said, it is not for business use generally. However, there are some sales environments and other high pressure working environments where this could be acceptable.

Using slang can be very good but it is something that should be used with caution alongside your English lessons with Perfectly Spoken. Using slang in the wrong way can cause problems that are best avoided.

 

Black can mean many things

Posted on by Xela

The word black is not simply a description sued when talking about the colour of something. It is a word that carries lots of meanings and uses from describing someone’s mood to the biggest online sales day of the year. Knowing how and when to use this word is important as it is easy to learn and to write but can be very powerful in conversation and written communication.

 

What is the Colour Black

The actual meaning of the word black when talking about colour is to describe an absence of colour not a colour itself. This means when something is black it actually has no colour at all and it appears black because it doesn’t reflect any light. When something is green it is because the surface of that object only reflects green light. So when something is black…it reflects nothing at all!

 

Black Friday

Black Friday began as a sale event in the USA where stores would offer huge discounts on items on and offline. The original idea was to have a sale day just after the US holiday of Thanks Giving which is the 3rd Thursday in November.  It has now moved to many other parts of the world who do not celebrate thanks giving. It is certainly popular in the UK where 1000s of people prepare for online deals and to head out to the shops to grab some discounted items. It is a great time to sign up for subscription services, buy new games, TVs or clothing.

 

Black Mood

Black is often used to describe emotions that are sad or angry. Someone might say they were in a black mood; this would mean they were very unhappy and perhaps very angry too.

 

In The Black

It may sound like something negative but when it comes to money being “in the black” is a very good thing. The black describes a situation where you have money in your bank account. If you run out of money and have to use a loan or some of the bank’s money it is described as being in the red. If you work in sales or business being in the black in terms of customers, business targets or money being made by the company is a very good thing!

 

Black and Blue

The term black is often used in English to describe someone who has been injured. In some cases it can refer to someone suffering an attacked or having a fight; someone might say he was beaten black and blue. But it is also used to describe someone who may have fallen over; someone might say “they are ok but they are black and blue”. This would mean the person is fine but has a few bruises. If someone has a bruised eye this is often called a “Black eye”.

 

Black as Pitch?

Pitch is a tar like substance used in making roofs and roads. Often the term Pitch Black is used to describe something that is very very black. The most common place this is used is when describing how dark the night is outside. Someone might say “Don’t go out there, it’s pitch black” or “turn the light on, it’s pitch black in here”. It is a very useful term to use when you want to describe not being able to see because the room or place is very dark.

 

Blacked Out

If someone passes out or faints this is often called blacking out. This can happen if someone is too hot, feels unwell or perhaps gets hit on the head. If someone blacks out they would be unconscious for a short while and you should seek medical help for them.

 

The Black Sheep of the Family

This is a saying, or idiom used to describe a member of the family who is often in trouble or not very friendly to others. To be described as the black sheep of the family is normally negative but if someone wants to be very different from their family it can sometimes be a positive term for them.

 

 

 

The British Christmas Dinner

Posted on by Xela

Christmas is celebrated in a number of countries and often in different ways. In the UK it is celebrated over 3 days – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Christmas Eve is the 24th of December, Christmas Day which is the main day of celebration is the 25th and Boxing Day is the 26th. Boxing was traditionally the day to open presents but this is no longer common and presents are opened on the 25th.

One of the main points of celebration on the 25th is the traditional Christmas Dinner. For many, this is the highlight of the whole festive season. Knowing what the dinner involves can be important if you are going to be living or working in the UK or with people from the UK so here is our guide to everything you need to know about a British Christmas Dinner.

What Time is it Served?

In the UK the word Dinner is a difficult one. For some people, it means a meal in the evening, but when talking about a Sunday Roast type meal it is called dinner but served at lunchtime. The actual time served varies but it is normally around 1.00pm however Christmas Dinner can be as late as 3.00pm or later.

Main Course

As a meal, it is similar to a Sunday Roast however the meat is traditionally Roasted Turkey. This is meat rarely eaten at other times of the year in the UK. The meat is served with roasted root vegetables like Parsnips and Potatoes. Added to these are boiled carrots, cabbage and brussel sprouts (see below). Alongside these main vegetables can sit a range of other foods from braised red cabbage and something called cauliflower cheese. As well as the Turkey it is traditional to serve pork sausages wrapped in bacon (called pigs in blankets) and roasted as well as something called stuffing. Stuffing is made of herbs, sausage meat and breadcrumbs mixed together and then traditionally stuff inside the turkey during roasting and sliced onto the plate. On top of all of this food, it is very common to pour a liquid gravy which is a meat based sauce and cranberry sauce which tastes great with turkey.

Dessert

The traditional sweet food at the end of the meal is called Christmas Pudding. This is a very heavy and dark fruit pudding. It is made up of a wide range of dried fruits as well as brandy and sometimes other types of alcohol. It can be eaten with cream or a white sauce made from brandy. It is not eaten at any other times of the year and is a very strong tasting dessert.

Brussel Sprouts

This vegetable needs a special discussion because it is something a lot of people may talk about. It is a vegetable much like a very small cabbage and is really only ever eaten at Christmas. For many people, it is something they really do not enjoy but eat because it is tradition. For others, it is something they look forward too. It is something that is often said to cause bad gas when eaten and it is used in humour a great deal. If you are invited to enjoy a Christmas dinner in the UK or with people from the UK you must try a sprout!

 

Crackers

Alongside all of the food, there is another traditional item called a cracker. This is a cardboard tube that is decorated in bright shiny colours. Inside there is a small tape that makes a bang sound when the cracker is pulled apart. It is traditional to take one end of the cracker and offer the other to someone sitting near you. You both pull and the cracked breaks in two pieces with a loud bang. These crackers contain written jokes, small gifts and party hats that are then worn throughout the meal.

Phrases and Sayings – November

Posted on by Xela

Here is a list of all of the sayings and phrases we have looked at and discussed on our Facebook page this month. This are all commonly used and are useful to know and understand. If you are learning English these sayings and phrases can really help you add more feeling and personality to your spoken English. If you would like to join in the discussion then like or follow us on Facebook.

If you are reading this and would like to learn more English or improve your English skills then Click Here to find out more about how Perfectly Spoken can help.

Has the cat got your tongue?

This saying is used when someone is asked a question and they do not answer. They may not be sure what they can say, they may be scared to answer if they are in trouble or have done something wrong. It is not a friendly saying and should only really be used if you are having a strong discussion or argument.

On cloud nine

Cloud 9 or cloud nine is a term used to describe a very happy place. If someone is on cloud nine they are very very happy. You might see a friend who has just got a new job and see she is very happy; you could say “she is on cloud nine about her new job”.

Storm in a teacup

A storm in a teacup is a big argument or disagreement about something very small. The idea behind this is that a storm is a big thing but when it’s in a teacup it is obviously very small. You may hear about an argument among two work colleagues that was very loud and angry but about something very small. It could be described to another friend as a storm in a teacup.

The lion’s share

The lion’s share is the biggest share of something. If three people shared a pizza but one person ate almost all of it you could say “he has had the lion’s share.” This could also be used at work if the jobs were shared between workers and one person got more work than the others.

They are selling like hot potatoes

The term hot potatoes describes anything that is being bought or sold very quickly. It can even be used if something for free is being taken by people very quickly. You may have made a new product at work and the sales manager says “they are selling like hot potatoes”. This is good news and it means they are selling fast!

Don’t miss the boat

This phrase is used when there is something good that you may want to buy, or a trip you may want to go on and you do not have much time to join. Missing the boat describes the time when the offer is gone and you cannot have it anymore. There may be a sale on some new shoes but it only lasts for 2 days. Someone might say don’t miss the boat; this means go and buy the shoes before the sale finishes or the shoes run out.

Over the top

This phrase is used to describe doing more than you need too or doing something so much it is far more than it should be. For example, if someone asked you to make a cake for a party and you made 10 cakes they may say you went over the top. It is also used if someone gets very angry with another person, more angry than anyone would expect. Going over the top in an argument is not a good thing.

 

Everything You Need to Know About Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Posted on by Xela

The British Royal family is certainly important to a lot of people in the UK although not everyone is interested in what they do. There are also a lot of other countries that seem to be interested in what happens to the British Royal Family and America is one of them. This is even more important to the USA when an American is about to join our royal family.

Who is Prince Harry?

Prince Harry is the son of Prince Charles who is also known as the Prince of Wales. His mother Diana sadly died in an accident in Paris in 1997. Prince Harry has a brother called Prince William. Prince Harry is 6th in line to be King. He was further up the list but when Prince William had three children they become a more direct heir (1) to the throne. Prince Harry is now sixth in line behind his father, his brother and his 2 nephews and niece (Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis)  Prince Harry has been in the British Army and has done a lot of charity (2) work. He is generally well liked in the UK by most people.

Who is Meghan Markle?

Meghan Markle is an American Actress. She has been in a number of movies like Anti-Social and Horrible Bosses but has also starred in the hit (3) TV show Suits. She is 36 years old and comes from Los Angeles, California. She has been dating (4) Prince Harry since July 2016. Meghan has been married before which is very unusual for someone in the Royal Family.

The News

The news that Prince Harry was engaged was certainly a very big thing in the UK. Meghan’s parents have said “We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry.” Harry’s parents have said “‘We are very excited for Harry and Meghan. It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.”.

As soon as the news was announced the couple have been in the newspapers and online a lot. It is also something that many people in the UK are talking about and will be for a long time.

The Wedding

The wedding takes place (5) on the 19th May 2018 at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. This place is known to be very important and special to them both. It will be a private wedding but there will be a lot of celebrations across the UK and many thousands of people will be in London celebrating publicly.

Latest News

Meghan was baptised (6) and has joined the Church of England to be allowed to marry a member of the Royal family. She has also started working on becoming a British Citizen and will take the British Citizenship test after her marriage. She has now stopped her work as an actress and will concentrate on her charity work.

If you are working in the UK or you are going to be near the time of the wedding you will certainly hear and have conversations about the couple. We offer online English courses if you are working on planning on coming to the UK or other English speaking countries.

 

VOCABULARY:

  1. Heir: legally inherit a title or position.
  2. Charity:  organization that helps those in need.
  3. Hit: successful, popular.
  4. Dating: when a couple appear in public together.
  5. Take place: occur, happen.
  6. Baptise:  ceremony to admit someone into a particular Church.

7 Top Business English Vocabulary Terms

Posted on by Xela

Learning English has many different parts and much of the basic learning is all about day-to-day life. However, as students get more advanced they may start wanting to learn more specific terms aspects of the language. For many students learning English for work and business purposes is a big factor so below we have got 10 important business English words we think everyone should know.

Competitor

This is a word used to describe another business selling or offering the same thing as the business you work for. They are trying to do better and be more successful and so are competing with you.

 

Marketing

This term describes the way companies advertise themselves. Marketing can be TV commercials, websites, social media pages and more. In many jobs, it is important to be aware of what marketing your company does and your competitor companies.

 

eCommerce

This is a type of business that sells things through a website. Some businesses use a shop or shops others just use a website. Some companies use both. But a company selling anything online is considered at least partly an eCommerce business.

 

Client

Client is another word for customer. It is used when customers are very important as a way of making them different. You might be a customer in a supermarket but you would talk about clients if you worked for a marketing company. Client is an important term in many types of business.

 

Appraisal

The word appraisal can be used in many different ways. It means to look at something and see if it was done well or badly or how successful it was. In business and the workplace, in general, an appraisal is a meeting where a member of staff talks with the boss or bosses about how well they are doing. It is a very important part of work in the UK and other countries.

 

Agenda

An agenda is a list of things that need to be talked about at or in a business meeting. You may be asked to create an agenda ready for a meeting. But you may also be sent one before a meeting so you know what the meeting is about.

 

Notice

Notice is a term used when someone is leaving a job. The notice period is the amount of time the company gives you to find another job if you are asked to leave. It is also the amount of time you have to carry on working if you want to leave, so they can find someone to replace you. It is important to understand your notice period when you take a job.

If you found this useful why not check out our ultimate guide to business English vocabulary.

 

PRACTICE. TEST YOURSELF. FILL IN THE GAPS

  • I didn’t get the ___1___ so I wasn’t very well prepared for the meeting.
  • I’m a bit worried. I’ve been at the company for 6 months and I’ve got (a/an) ___2___ with my boss tomorrow.
  • In the legal profession, the ___3__ period tends to be 6 -12 months depending on the seniority.
  • We’ve got an important lunch with ___4__ today. I hope they renew their contract and stay with us and don’t go to the ___5__.

(Answers: 1 agenda/ 2 appraisal/ 3 notice/ 4 clients/ 5 competition)

Is Learning English Good for My Career?

Posted on by Xela

The answer to this question is yes, it really is. Learning English is useful for many reasons but if you want to work in different countries to likelihood is that knowing English will mean you can communicate with most people.

Getting Ahead

Before you even start thinking about working and speaking English as part of your job it is worth thinking about how English may help you get a job in the first place. If you are looking for work in the UK, USA or even across Europe and into the Far East you are likely to find being able to speak English during the interview will be helpful. It may actually mean you can get ahead of other people going for the job and it just might be the reason you get it!

Customer Service

One of the basic rules of customer service is being able to understand the customer and them being able to understand you. If you are working or looking to work in any kind of customer facing role then the being able to speak English well will really help. Taking the time and effort to learn English will mean companies with English speaking customers will be much more likely to employ you. Customer support and service jobs make up a huge part of the global job market using both spoken and written English. Getting good at using English will mean getting a chance at a getting a lot of different jobs.

English for Certain Business Types

As mentioned, customer support and care for the vast range of digital products and services as well as mobile phones and TV is one major sector where English is useful. But there are also other sectors where it would also be needed.

  • Tourism
  • Medicine
  • Legal
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Finance

All of these sectors have businesses who have offices all over the world and many that will use English as the main language.

Travelling the World with Work

Travelling is something many people dream of but there are different ways to do it. The idea of backpacking is certainly appealing to a lot of people but travelling around and working in different offices around the world while getting paid may seem a lot more interesting for others. The idea of taking a promotion and moving to a new country and a great salary is a real option for those who can speak more than one language. Learning English will open doors around the world for people who want to work in business.

Ways To Learn

There are many different ways to learn English. Many people attempt to learn themselves by using online videos without any structure. Others pay for expensive college courses which can be very good but not many people can afford them. Perfectly Spoken offers a way to take a full course but by doing it online make it far cheaper. Click Here for more information about our online English courses and lets us help you improve your career by learning English.

Why English is so important in Business

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How Many People Use English?

OK so here are a few facts that show how widely used English is. The British council states English is the first language for around 373 million people. But it is a second language for another 500 million on top of that number so nearly 900 million people can speak English. These numbers are very approximate but give a strong idea of the real number. The really big fact is that it is estimated another 1 billion people are learning English. As a language it is recognised officially in 80 countries and spoken widely in another 100 countries.  Another estimate suggested by 2020 another 2 billion people will be learning English. There is no doubt in this globalised world English is very very important.

 

Big Business

It is worth pointing out that English is not the most widely spoken language in terms of a native tongue. However, according to Unicode.org people speak in English live in countries that make up 29.3% of the words GDP. This means there is a lot of business power behind the language and the countries that use it.

 

English in Business

Due to the fact most big corporations have offices all over the world there was a need for a single language to be used in meetings and the like. English has become that language. It is now the default choice for teams and executives meeting up online and in person across the world. For example if a sales manager from Berlin were to meet the head of HR from Korea they would most likely choose to speak English. People that can’t speak English may well find it hard to keep up with meetings and even get the bigger jobs in the first place.

 

Branding and Language

Again, as companies become more global so too does their use of language. Corporate identity and language are becoming simpler and many big firms are choosing to use English. Nokia, Daimler and Renault are just a few big names that have done this. This not only means that, as mentioned before, all meetings and company literature uses English but also the values of the company and even names of services and products all start to rely on English and understanding it is critical.

 

English in Science and Technology

Science and Tech are big growth areas and probably always will be. If anyone wants to make a huge impact on the business world then these are the sectors where they head. Recent data suggested that around 95% of all scientific papers written in the Science Citation Index were in English. Nature is written in English as is the Lancet both of which are very important publications. What this all means is that when a publication or company wants to communicate with the most possible people they use English and this is only going to get more popular.

 

Learning English is popular, there are lots of ways you can do it. Perfectly Spoken offer a chance to do a structured course but you can do it online and it doesn’t cost as much as many other courses. Visit our online English course page for more information and find out how you can improve you English and join the global business and tech community, improve your job prospects and more.

Top Growth Sectors for Jobs in the UK

Posted on by Xela

If you are planning on coming to the UK for work, or you are working in the UK and would like a change of career there are some areas of work that are doing very well at the moment. These sectors are important to look it if you are thinking about what training or university course to do to get the best jobs.

  1. Finance and Accounting

Knowing about money and accounting in business is always something that will earn you money. Every single business needs some help at one time or another. However, when things get tough this need increases. With Brexit and a clear economic downturn there is no doubt larger companies and smaller ones are looking to accountants and financial experts to help them get the best out of less business. If you are looking for a sector that is growing and that is reliable then finance is a strong one to think about. Even if maths is not your strong point there are a wide range of jobs in any accounting firm including marketing, HR and more.

  1. Power and Energy

This is a big sector including things like Nuclear, Oil, Gas and Renewables. Most of these areas are growing. With the new Nuclear facility being built in the UK there is no doubt there will be a call for more skilled and non skilled people. Oil may be a fossil fuel but the petrol industry is far from dying and with the rise of smaller efficient petrol engines the automotive sector is booming. Renewables is also a huge area for growth. Think about companies that make solar panels and turbines, companies that fit panels to homes too. Also the number of large wind farms is increasing and with this comes more jobs. Along with all of this there are more and more new power companies opening up catering for the desire for renewable energy and all of this means more jobs. As a sector power is a strong one to look for jobs in and the range of roles, just like finance, is huge.

  1. Engineering

This is a sector that has two problems. The first is that there is huge demand for new engineering projects that meet the growing need for environmentally friendly processes. The second is that a large number of people who work in this sector are getting older and will retire by 2025. Now is the time to consider a career in engineering. There is a reported skills gap and a need for around 180,000 new skilled workers in this sector. If you are thinking about what to study at a university in the UK then engineering is a good choice. If you are already in this sector and are planning to come to the UK then now is a good time.

  1. IT and Technology

If there is one sector that will always grow it is IT and Tech. The demand for new tech is never ending and the companies providing both the tech and ways for businesses to use it are growing. First of all the creation, design, testing and marketing of new tech is huge so there are a lot of jobs in that area. But do not forget things like digital marketing where companies need help keeping there customers aware of new products from people who understand the tech itself. It is a huge growth industry and one that anyone looking for a career in the UK should look into.

 

The great thing about these sectors is they are global so working in the UK could be part of your career or it could be where you stay. These are big growth areas and a very good place to start thinking about career, education and jobs.

If you would like to improve your English for business and work then CLICK HERE for more information on our range of courses and our monthly subscription offer.

How Learning Better English Can Help With Linkedin

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LinkedIn is a powerful tool and one that is used right across the business world. It is great for people looking for new jobs, people learning more about their own careers and much more. However, how people communicate on LinkedIn can have a very big impact on if they are successful. Approaching people with badly written messages in the hope of getting a job does not work very well, and the same goes for commenting and joining in with discussions. For many people, LinkedIn is a great way to look for work in the UK and other English speaking countries but to be successful you need to make sure your English is good enough.

Conversations and Comments

One way to be successful on LinkedIn is to join in with discussions, comment of articles and posts and join groups. This is a great way of interacting with other users in a less formal way and also being noticed. It is really important to say useful and interesting things in comments so that people reply to you and engage with you. If your English is not as good as you would like you may notice people do not comment and reply as much as they do with other people. This may be because they are not sure what you meant, or they feel you may not understand their reply. By improving your English and earning more your comments and discussion points will get more response and help you build more connections.

Linking with People

If you have a shared interest or you frankly want to work with someone you can just request to connect. Along with this connection, you can add a message. Once again, if the message is written in poor English this may put the person off, and they may not accept your request. Do not forget, most people get connection requests every day and a lot of them are from salespeople or others whom they have no connection with. If your message is well written and it uses really good English you are far more likely to succeed.

After the Connection

If someone does accept your request it is really important to follow it up with something useful and engaging. If you just connect in the hope they will offer you a job, you are going to be disappointed. Once they have accepted you perhaps comment on some of their posts, get involved with discussions and become a useful connection yourself. Think about posting interesting articles you have read and information about your work. Once again, in order for this to work and to attract English speaking managers, recruiters and business owners you will need to make these posts count, and they need to be well written.

Learning English

By building on your English skills and learning more all the time you will find you become more successful in connecting and engaging with potential employers. Learning English is a powerful tool to have if you want to work in the UK or English speaking countries like the USA. We offer a range of courses and access to many hours of video lessons so you can make sure your English is as good as it can be. It is something you should always keep working on and keep trying to get better at in order to give yourself the best chance at success in working in an English speaking environment.

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