POWERFUL BUSINESS IDIOMS
• Introduction.
Why is it essential to know English idioms?
• Part one.
An explanation of the meanings of some business idioms.
• Part two.
How should we use idioms?
• Conclusion.
Introduction.
• An idiom is a group of words with a special meaning which
is different from the meanings of the separate words.
• Idiomatic expressions are part of our day-to-day
conversations, and they are all common in today's business
world.
Part one.
Let’s look at some idioms connected
with different business situations
such as
• financial problems & difficulties
• stressful work situations
• good financial situation
• specific business situations
Financial Problems & Difficulties
To be in the red
To be saddled with debt
To be in hot/deep water
To get into hot/deep water
Stressful Work Situations
To cut corners
To be out of your depth
At the eleventh hour
Good Financial Situations
To be in the black
Money to burn
Specific Business Situations
Business as usual
Too many cooks spoil
the broth
GLOSSARY
Broth
A kind of soup, often with rice and
vegetables
Bring [something] to the
table
• Part two.
Idioms can confuse those who don’t know them. In order to
avoid misunderstandings, it is better to use idioms in context
explaining what you mean.
• For example in this video Victor Tang and
Sue Panay say, ‘Well, from our point of
view, we see it as an exploratory
talk – testing the water you might
say. We don’t intend to reach any
agreements at this meeting – in any
case we would need to run it past our
board first.’
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05uFs8qVCcI
TO TEST THE WATER(S)
Explanation:
• to attempt to gauge the reaction of a potential audience or
recipient of something, or to try to get an idea of what something
will be like before actually doing it.
For example:
• Perhaps you should go to a couple of meetings to test the waters
before you decide whether to join the club.
• You should go to a gym class to test the water before enrolling.
Conclusion.
If you want to succeed in the world of business, English is a
very important language to know, especially in today’s
connected world. And it is better to know how to use English
idioms in typical business situations.
Thank you for your attention!