Shadowing Practice: If you know these 15 phrases, your professional English is EXCELLENT! - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello lovely students and welcome back to English with Lucy.
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Hello lovely students and welcome back to English with Lucy.
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If you know these 15 business English phrases,
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your professional English is amazing, no question.
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These are 15 advanced professional phrases.
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As always, I've created a free PDF that you can download
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and I've included 15 bonus business English phrases as an extra boost to your vocabulary.
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I've also included an interactive vocabulary exercise to test you on what you've learnt.
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If you'd like to download that PDF,
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just click on the link in the description box or scan that little QR code there.
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Enter your name and your email address and the PDF will arrive directly in your inbox.
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After that, you've joined my PDF club.
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You will automatically receive my free weekly lesson PDFs alongside all of my news,
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course updates and offers.
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It's a free service and you can unsubscribe at any time.
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There are 15 professional English phrases in total.
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I want to know how many you know out of 15.
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Let me know in the comments and let me know which ones were new to you.
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Okay, let's get down to business.
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Phrase number one.
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Touch base.
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Touch base.
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To touch base means to make contact with someone,
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usually to share updates or information.
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We usually say base with a bit more energy.
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Touch base.
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You might also hear people say check in or catch up,
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which have similar meanings.
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For example, let's touch base next week to discuss the progress of the marketing campaign.
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Moving on to phrase two, get the ball rolling.
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Get the ball rolling.
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When you get the ball rolling,
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you start or initiate something like a project or a meeting.
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This phrase comes from the idea of pushing a ball to start it moving.
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Another similar phrase is kick off.
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An example for get the ball rolling.
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I've scheduled a team meeting for Monday to get the ball rolling on the new product launch.
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Next up, phrase three.
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On the same page.
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On the same page.
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Being on the same page means that everyone agrees and understands a situation in the same way.
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Before we move forward, we need to get on the same page and figure out the next steps.
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Phrase four.
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This is a good one.
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In the loop.
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In the loop.
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Informed about what is going on.
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We normally stress the word loop.
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In the loop.
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The opposite phrase is out of the loop,
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meaning someone isn't fully informed.
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An example, I'll send a weekly update email to keep all stakeholders in the loop.
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Or I've been feeling a bit out of the loop ever since I got back from maternity leave.
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And number five, we have win-win.
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Win-win.
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Business professionals love to use this phrase.
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A win-win situation is one that benefits everyone involved.
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We say both syllables clearly,
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but the main stress is on the second win.
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Win-win.
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Win-win.
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An example, if we collaborate with their team,
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it could be a win-win for both companies.
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Now, you get a bonus point if you can come up with the opposite of win-win.
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No trick questions here.
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We do say a lose-lose, I promise.
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Phrase six is think out of the box.
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Think out of the box or think outside of the box.
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To think out of the box is to think creatively and innovatively,
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coming up with entirely new solutions.
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If someone tells you to think out of the box,
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they are basically saying think creatively.
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You will also hear people shorten out of the to out of the or out of the.
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That's in fast speech.
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As I mentioned, we also say think outside the box or think outside of the box.
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They're both very common.
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Just choose the one you like best.
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An example, we really need to think outside the box if we're going to beat our competitors on this.
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Lucky number seven is bottom line.
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Bottom line.
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The bottom line has two main meanings in business contexts.
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First, it refers to the essential point or final outcome.
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It's the most important part of the matter, the deciding factor.
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This could be meeting a deadline,
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satisfying customer needs, or achieving a specific goal.
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For example, the bottom line is that we need to ensure customer satisfaction above all else.
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In addition to this more general meaning,
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the bottom line also has a specific financial definition business English setting,
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your bottom line can refer to the final financial outcome,
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whether it's a profit or a loss after all expenses and revenues have been accounted for.
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An example, our bottom line has improved since implementing the new cost saving measures.
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For phrase eight, we have action point.
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Action point.
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An action point is a task that needs to be completed,
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usually assigned during a meeting.
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Stress action.
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You might also hear action item,
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which has the same meaning.
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An example, let's review the action points from last week's meeting.
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Phrase nine, learning curve.
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Learning curve.
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The learning curve is the time it takes to learn a new skill or understand a new process.
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We often use the strong collocation,
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steep learning curve, to talk about something that's quite difficult to learn.
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For example, we went through a steep learning curve when switching to the new software,
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but it was worth it in the end.
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Number ten.
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Game plan.
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Game plan.
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Notice how there's no pause between the two words and I blend the m and p together.
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Game plan.
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A game plan is a strategy or plan for achieving a goal.
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And this phrase likely comes from sports where teams have a strategic plan for winning.
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For For example, let's develop a game plan for expanding into international markets.
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Phrase 11, to give the green light.
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To give the green light.
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When someone gives the green light,
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they approve or give permission for something to happen.
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The emphasis is on light,
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which comes from traffic signals where green means go.
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You might also hear the verb to green light something,
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which has a similar meaning.
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An example, once the budget is approved,
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We'll give the green light to start the project.
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At 12, we have at stake, at stake.
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If something is at stake,
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it means it's at risk or there's something to be lost or gained.
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And it often implies high importance or urgency.
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For example, there's a lot at stake with this big client pitch.
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So let's bring our A game.
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A game is another great expression,
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meaning giving your best performance or effort.
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Moving on to 13, pain point.
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Pain point.
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A pain point is a problem or challenge that a customer or business is facing,
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but the emphasis is on pain.
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Identifying pain points helps businesses create solutions that customers need.
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For example, our new service addresses a major pain point for small business owners.
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Our penultimate phrase, phrase 14, is up to speed.
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Up to speed.
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When you're up to speed,
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it means you have the latest information and are fully informed about a particular topic or situation.
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We often use this phrase with on to specify the subject.
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For example, I need to get up to speed on the new project guidelines.
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Once you're comfortable with this usage,
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you'll also often hear it combined with verbs like get or be.
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For example, let's schedule a call to get the new team members up to speed on the project.
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And finally, our last one,
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number 15, we have ballpark figure.
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ballpark figure.
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I remember being so confused when I heard this for the first time.
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A ballpark figure is a rough estimate, not an exact number.
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Ballpark likely comes from baseball stadiums,
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implying a large general area.
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For example, can you give me a ballpark figure for the cost of the event?
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And there you have it.
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15 essential, quite advanced business English phrases to help you sound professional.
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How many did you know?
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Let me know in the comments.
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You can practise using these in your work conversations and emails and you'll sound like a seasoned pro in no time.
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Also, this is the first time I'm mentioning it on this channel,
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but in the next few months I will release my new professional English programme, Level 2.
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This caters to the B2 level of English in a professional context.
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If you would like to sign up to the waiting list,
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I have added a link in the description box or you can scan the QR code right here.
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This means that you'll be the first to know about all updates on the release of this programme.
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I've also left a link to level one,
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which you could take now and then you could do level two later.
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Don't forget to download the free PDF for this lesson where you have 15 bonus phrases.
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I will see you soon for the next one.
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Thank you.
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Context & Background
In the engaging video titled "If you know these 15 phrases, your professional English is EXCELLENT!", gifted English instructor Lucy introduces a selection of advanced phrases commonly used in professional settings. This resource is aimed at individuals looking to enhance their business communication skills. As she guides viewers through these expressions, Lucy emphasizes the importance of vocabulary in achieving fluency and confidence in spoken English. Her interactive approach, which includes downloadable materials and exercises, allows learners to practice in a structured way, making it ideal for anyone wishing to learn English with YouTube.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- Touch base: To make contact with someone, often to share updates. For example, "Let's touch base next week about the project." This phrase encourages a proactive attitude, essential in English speaking practice.
- Get the ball rolling: To initiate a project or task. For instance, "I've scheduled a meeting to get the ball rolling on our plans." Using this phrase can help you sound more assertive in conversations.
- On the same page: To ensure everyone shares the same understanding or agreement. An example would be, "Before proceeding, we need to be on the same page." This highlights the value of communication in teamwork.
- In the loop: To be informed about ongoing matters. You might hear, "Make sure you're in the loop regarding the changes." This phrase emphasizes the importance of staying connected.
- Out of the loop: To be uninformed or unaware of what is happening. You can use this when saying, "I was out of the loop while I was on vacation." Understanding both sides of this phrase can improve your conversational fluency.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To tackle the difficulty of incorporating these phrases into your vocabulary, consider using the shadow speak method. This technique not only helps in memorizing phrases but also enhances improve English pronunciation. Here's how to proceed:
- Watch and Listen: Start by watching Lucy’s video attentively. Repeat phrases after she says them, capturing her pronunciation and intonation.
- Practice Speaking: Utilize the Shadow Speech technique. As you listen, try to say the phrases simultaneously with Lucy. This synchronization will help reinforce your understanding and delivery.
- Record Yourself: Use your phone or computer to record your practice sessions. Listening to your recordings will highlight areas where you can improve.
- Engage with Others: Try to use these phrases in conversations, whether with classmates or in a language exchange setting. The more you use them, the more natural they will feel.
- Review and Reflect: Go back to the video and review the phrases regularly. This practice keeps your learning fresh and solidifies your grasp of the vocabulary.
By incorporating these effective phrases into your dialogues and utilizing shadowing techniques, you can greatly enhance your English speaking skills and fluency, making you more confident in various professional settings.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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