In this video, Rebecca from www.engvid.com talks about how to speak more professionally in business situations.
Change of verb can make a difference
What's the difference between general English and business English? General English is sometimes used in business contexts. However, you also use a more advanced, higher-level language.
For example, if you want to say, "I got your email", in regular English, you might just say, "I got your email." However, if you want to make it sound more formal and more business-like, you can say "I received your email."
Suppose you want to tell someone, "I need your help" or "I need some help." What could you use instead of "need"? You could say, "I require some assistance."
Check out: Native English Speakers Need to Relearn Language
More examples
Let's try another one. "Let's talk about it later." Which business word could you use? "Let's discuss it later." That sounds much more professional than saying, "Let's talk about it later."
Next one. "Please make sure you arrive on time." Which business word could you use instead of "make sure"? "Please ensure you arrive on time."
"Please give her your travel plans." Instead of saying "give", you could say, "Please provide her with your itinerary." Instead of saying "travel plan" or "travel plans", you could use the word "itinerary". An "itinerary" is usually a piece of paper or a document that lists your travel plans, when you're departing, stating when you're arriving, as well as where, when, and so on.
Let's take a look at some more examples. "Could you please talk some more about that subject?" can instead be "Could you please elaborate?” “Elaborate” is a very useful verb if you go to a conference or a meeting and you want someone to speak some more about a particular issue. Therefore, "to elaborate" means to add information or detail (to an account).
As you see, small vocabulary changes can make a significant difference regarding the level of your business English. Just don’t forget to practise and learn new vocabulary.
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