How to improve at work with online English classes

We already know that learning English is important in many areas, but today we want to focus on the purely professional aspect. Knowing English in a company can bring you a lot of benefits: higher salaries, better working relationships, opening up to international markets, access to more information, etc. If you want to know all these benefits of learning English at work, don't miss this article.

You may have some English now but do you think you have enough to survive an international business meeting? You can find out with our free English level test. Whatever your result, read on - we'll tell you things about business English that will help you shine above your colleagues in any job.

Key phrases in English for work meetings

No matter how many years you have been working in your job, in the same position or with the same colleagues, there are certain meetings that will continue to put you under stress, meetings that, no matter how you are, make you nervous because of the context in which they take place. Yes, we are talking about work meetings in English.

With the following English phrases and a couple of online English lessons with a Classgap teacher, we are sure you will be able to get rid of those pre-meeting jitters.

At the start of the meeting:

It looks like everyone’s here, so let’s get started / Parece que ya hemos llegado todos ¡Empezemos!

First of all, thank you everyone for attending the meeting / Lo primero de todo agradeceros la asistencia a la reunión.

I’ve called this meeting to…/ He preparado esta reunión para...

Our goal today is.../ Nuestro objetivo de hoy es...

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During the meeting:

Let’s move on to…/ Continuamos con... o pasamos a...

If you look at this graph, you will see.../ En este gráfico verán...

I agree with you a hundred percent / Estoy de acuerdo contigo al 100%

Sorry to interrupt but… , Excuse me for interrupting / Perdona por interrumpirte

I know what you mean but…/ Se a lo que te refieres pero...

To conclude:

So, in a nutshell, what I’m saying is…/ En pocas palabras lo que estoy diciendo es...

I’m going to summarize the main points of this discussion / voy a resumir los puntos principales de esta conversación

Does anyone have anything else to say before we finish? / Alguien tiene algo que decir antes de terminar?

I would like to make a decision before closing the meeting / Me gustaría tomar una decisión antes de acabar la reunión

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To close the meeting

If there aren't any other questions, we should begin working on the new project / Si no hay más preguntas podemos empezar a trabajar en el nuevo proyecto

Ok. Let’s finish here. Thank you all for coming / Vale, lo dejamos aquí. Gracias a todos por venir.

Let’s set a time for our next meeting / Pongamos una fecha para la próxima reunión

Things you need to know about doing business with English people

Each culture is a totally different world and this diversity is reflected perfectly in the way they do business in each country, so before you set out to conquer the world of international business you must be well prepared.

Classgap's online English classes can be your great ally in this task as geographical barriers are completely blurred by technology, giving you access to native teachers who know first-hand the customs and protocols of their country. We have compiled some of the most famous curiosities when it comes to doing business in the UK:

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Be punctual: it is no myth that the English take punctuality very seriously, especially when it comes to business. For them, arriving on time is a sign of respect and commitment to the project.
The dress code is important: it varies a lot depending on the sector and the type of company. Younger companies tend to accept a more casual type of dress, but if it is business with traditional companies, it is recommended to dress a little conservatively, suits for men and formal clothes for women.
The greeting: it is common to say "Hello, how are you?" and this question must be answered, unlike in other countries such as Spain or Colombia.
The small talk: all business meetings begin and end with a polite chat in which you should not ask for personal details; the correct thing to do is to talk about trivial matters such as the journey or the weather.

After reading this article you are more than ready to take on international business, leave your boss open-mouthed or succeed in your company's meetings. With these tips and a few online English lessons at Classgap, we are sure you will succeed. Start enjoying the freedom that online classes will give you today.