Business Vocabulary: Situations, Decisions & Plans

Business Situation Vocabulary

• Apprenticeship is a training program combining on-the-job experience with vocational school; example is "I'm doing an apprenticeship"
• Vocational schools specialize in practical job-related skills, for example "I attend vocational school on Mondays"
• "To improve" means to make something better; example is "I need to improve my language skills"
• Skills are the abilities to do something well; example is "I need to improve my language skills"
• An advantage is a condition or circumstance that puts one in a favorable position; for example "It's an advantage on the job market"
• The job market refers to the availability of jobs in a particular time and place, for example "It's an advantage on the job market"
• To reflect means to think deeply or carefully about something, for example "It’s important to reflect on your future"

Dialogue Phrases

• "Shall we…?" is used to make a suggestion or invitation, for example "Shall we go for a drink?"
• "I’d love to" expresses enthusiasm about an offer; for example "I’d love to, but I don’t have any time"
• "Never mind" expresses indifference or dismissal; for example "Never mind. I’ll ask someone else"
• "I’m not sure" expresses uncertainty or doubt, for example "I’m not sure if that’s a good idea"
• "Why don’t you…?" is a suggestion or piece of advice, for example "Why don’t you ask Jessica?"
• "Why not?" expresses agreement, for example "Why not. That’s a good idea"
• "Don’t worry" expresses reassurance, for example "Don’t worry. I’ll ask Marc then"
• "Let’s go" and "Off we go" indicate readiness to leave or start
• For example "I’m ready. Let’s go" and "I’m ready. Off we go"

Discussing Short and Long Term Plans

• "What a blast!" is an exclamation of excitement or enjoyment; for example "I’m going to travel to Scotland next summer. What a blast!"
• Overjoyed means extremely happy; for example "I’m going to buy a car for my daughter’s eighteenth birthday. She’ll be overjoyed!"
• "To be over the moon" means to be extremely pleased or happy; for example "Next year, Ava and I are going to get married. I’m over the moon!"
• "I can’t wait!" expresses excitement about something in the future; for example "In two years, I’m going to finish my apprenticeship. I can’t wait!"
• Amazing means causing great surprise or wonder; for example "Jonathan and I are going to move to a new house next spring. It’ll be amazing!"

General Vocabulary

• To be aware means to have knowledge or perception of a situation or fact; for example "Politicians are aware of these problems"
• To take care of means to protect or look after; for example "We need to take care of our future".
• Independent means not relying on or controlled by anyone else; for example "Young people want to be financially independent"
• Conscious means aware of and responding to one's surroundings; for example "Young people will become socially conscious adults"
• Educated means having received an education; for example "Millennials are highly educated"
• Expectations are a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future; for example "They have high expectations about their job"
• To value means to consider something important or beneficial; for example "I value a healthy work-life-balance"
• Work-life-balance means maintaining equilibrium between work and personal life; for example "I value a healthy work-life-balance"
• To invest means to allocate money in the expectation of some benefit in the future; for example "Young people invest in their future"
• Unconventional means not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed; for example "That’s an unconventional idea"
• Wellbeing is the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy; for example "My wellbeing is my priority"
• Opportunity refers to a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something; for example "There are many opportunities for young people"
• To expand means to become or make larger or more extensive; for example "I’m going to expand my company"
• A goal is the object of a person's ambition or effort; for example "That’s my personal goal"
• Lifestyle refers to the way in which a person lives; for example "I need an employer that supports my lifestyle"
• A freelancer is someone who works for different companies at different times rather than being permanently employed by one company; for example "I’m going to work as a freelancer"
• Abroad means in or to a foreign country or countries; for example "Living abroad has always been my dream"
• A degree is a qualification awarded to students upon successful completion of a course of study at a higher education institution; for example "I have a degree in economics"
• Entrepreneurial is characterized by initiative and a willingness to take risks; for example "I have great entrepreneurial spirit"
• An investor is a person or organization that puts money into financial schemes, property, or a business with the expectation of achieving a profit; for example "We need more investors"
• Success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose; for example "It will be a huge success"

Making Predictions

• A prediction is a forecast; for example "What’s your prediction for the future?"
• To hope means to want something to happen or be the case; for example "I hope my life will be amazing"
• To guess means to estimate or suppose something without sufficient information to be sure; for example "I guess the exam will be difficult"
• To imagine means to form a mental image or concept of; for example "I imagine a better world for my kids"
• Flexible means ready and able to change or adapt to different circumstances; for example "It’s important to stay flexible"
• Open-minded means willing to consider new ideas; for example "It’s important to stay open-minded"
• Further education is education or training after secondary school; for example "I will probably pursue further education"
• Concerned means worried, troubled, or anxious; for example "I’m concerned about my future"
• A belief is an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists; for example "That’s my personal belief"
• To believe means to accept that something is true, especially without proof; for example "I believe the world will be different soon"
• War is a state of armed conflict between different countries or groups within a country; for example "There might be a war soon"
• Overpopulation is the condition of being populated with excessively large numbers; for example "Overpopulation will be a problem"
• Mass unemployment is unemployment affecting a large proportion of the population; for example "Mass unemployment could become reality"
• Battery farming is a system of rearing livestock intensively, especially poultry in cages; for example "Battery farming is bad for animals"
• Nuclear catastrophe is a disaster involving nuclear energy; for example "I’m afraid of a nuclear catastrophe"
• Resources are materials, money, and other assets that can be used to support a person or organization; for example "We need renewable resources"
• Trash is waste material; refuse; for example "The sea will be filled with trash"
• Waste is unwanted or unusable material; for example "The sea will be filled with plastic waste"
• Litter is trash that is lying around in a public place; for example "The world will be covered in litter"
• Polluted means contaminated with harmful or poisonous substances; for example "The world will be polluted"
• Extinct means no longer in existence; for example "Some animals will be extinct"
• Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen; for example "What hopes do you have?"