Negotiations, meetings, small talk, EU & Canada contexts
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EU regulations, negotiations, small talk quizzes
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Sentence Builder
B2
โฆ Business Collocations โ B2 Level
We need to ___ a consensus before we can ___ on the proposal. The board will ___ a full review.
reachsign offconductmakeapprove
Essential Business Collocations
reach a consensussign off onconduct a reviewtable a motionchair a meetingdraft a proposalclose a dealmeet a deadlineraise concernsforge a partnership
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Word Building: Business Affixes
Key prefixes and suffixes in corporate English
re- + negotiate = renegotiate(negotiate again) out- + source = outsource(source from outside) sub- + contract = subcontract(contract below main contract)
manage + -ment = management(noun: act of managing) account + -able = accountable(able to be held to account)
๐ก re- = again ยท out- = beyond/external ยท sub- = under ยท -ment = noun ยท -able = capable of
Quick Quiz: What does "de-centralise" mean?
โฆ Business Phrasal Verbs
follow up
Contact again after initial meeting
draw up
Prepare a formal document
iron out
Resolve a problem or disagreement
back out
Withdraw from an agreement
roll out
Launch a product or service
touch base
Make brief contact to stay updated
Fill in the phrasal verb
Let's next week to discuss the contract terms.
Prepositions in Business English
The meeting is Monday.
She specialises EU trade law.
We agreed the revised terms.
The conference is Brussels.
๐ Business Preposition Rules
in โ fields & locations: in marketing, in Brussels, in the report on โ days & topics: on Monday, on the agenda, on behalf of at โ times & events: at 9 a.m., at the conference, at headquarters
Cultural awareness for international business in the EU and Canada
๐ซ๐ท France โ Business Culture
Formal hierarchy is respected. Use titles (Monsieur/Madame) until invited to use first names. Business lunches are common and important. Disagreement is expressed intellectually โ debate is valued.
๐ฉ๐ช Germany โ Business Culture
Punctuality is essential โ being late signals disrespect. Decision-making is thorough and consensus-based. Direct communication is preferred. Titles (Herr/Frau Dr.) are used formally.
๐จ๐ฆ Canada โ Business Culture
Relationship-building is key before business. First names used quickly. Bilingualism (English/French) matters in Quรฉbec. Canadians value politeness and avoid direct confrontation โ criticism is often indirect.
๐ก Current EU Business Context
The EU AI Act (2024) is reshaping corporate compliance language. Key terms to know: high-risk AI systems, conformity assessment, transparency obligations. These appear frequently in EU business negotiations and board communications.
Inclusive Language in Corporate Settings
Which opening is most appropriate for a formal business email to a group?
"Dear Sir or Madam,"
"Dear Colleagues," / "To Whom It May Concern,"
"Dear [First Name] [Last Name],"
Corporate Inclusive Language Guide
chairperson (not chairman/chairwoman) staffing levels (not manpower) synthetic/artificial (not man-made) they/their โ use as singular neutral pronoun parental leave (not maternity/paternity leave in general comms)
Diction: Corporate Pronunciation
negotiate/niet/
5 syllables: ne-GO-ti-ate. Stress on 2nd syllable.
subsidiary/sbsdiri/
4 syllables: sub-SID-i-ary. Common in EU corporate law.
entrepreneur/ntrprn/
French origin. Stress on last syllable: on-truh-pruh-NUR.
remuneration/rmjunren/
6 syllables. Formal word for salary/pay. re-myu-nuh-RAY-shun.
liability/lablti/
Legal & business term. Stress: lai-uh-BIL-i-ty.
Business Dialogues
Select a theme to explore real workplace scenarios
IT & Technology
Legal
Medical
Meetings
Negotiation
Travel & Business
Environmental Management
Real Estate Collections
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Business Games
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๐ผ Business Vocabulary Challenge
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๐ช๐บ EU Regulation Challenge
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๐ค Negotiation Simulator
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โ Small Talk Master
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Work Journal
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CEFR Benchmarks
Your current level is highlighted. Colour-coded progress across all CEFR levels.
A1
Beginner
Understands and uses basic phrases. Can introduce themselves and ask simple questions.
8% of learners
A2
Elementary
Communicates in routine tasks on familiar topics. Can describe background and immediate needs.
17% of learners
B1
Intermediate
Handles most professional situations. Produces simple connected texts on familiar subjects.
25% of learners
B2
Upper Intermediate <- Your Level
Communicates with a degree of fluency in business settings. Can understand complex business texts.
25% of learners
C1
Advanced
Expresses fluently, spontaneously and precisely. Can use language flexibly for business and social purposes.
17% of learners
C2
Mastery
Understands virtually everything. Can express with precision, differentiating finer shades of meaning.
8% of learners
Your Learning Roadmap
Current level (B2): Focus on: Negotiations, presentations, EU regulatory language, complex grammar
Next level (C1): Focus on: Board-level communication, legal English, cultural nuance, advanced writing