In this lesson, students learn what to say when meeting people for the first time in a business setting. This lesson is also useful for managers who need practice introducing colleagues and putting new employees at ease with small talk.

Making Introductions at Work

In this lesson, students develop everyday skills for talking on the phone at work. They learn and practice phrases for starting phone conversations, transferring calls, taking messages, and more. Includes listening and speaking practice.

Using the Phone

In this lesson, students learn how to describe the organizational structure of a company or business. They practice talking about the job titles and duties of various staff members as well as the office environment.

Understanding Corporate Structure

In this lesson, students develop everyday skills for engaging in business meetings. Students will learn how to signal the start of a meeting as well as how to assign roles to participants and acknowledge others’ viewpoints. 

Meetings

This assessment can be used after doing lessons 1–4 of the Functional Business course. Assessment includes a vocabulary check as well as comprehension of functions related to making introductions, using the phone, understanding corporate structure, and attending meetings. 

Mid-Course Assessment

In this lesson, students listen to a presentation about market research as they look at corresponding slides. Students learn vocabulary used in presentations and practice summarization skills through role-play.



Attending Presentations

In this lesson, students will practice giving and receiving feedback in a constructive way. They will listen to a manager comment on an employee’s presentation slides as they learn phrases for sharing praise, making suggestions, and responding to different types of feedback.



Giving Feedback

In this lesson, students are introduced to phrases used during negotiations. They also read an email exchange between two professionals in the publishing sector. Then they complete a written task related to these emails in which they practice their negotiating skills.



Negotiating

In this lesson, students practice dealing with conflict in the workplace through various role-plays involving managers and employees. They learn how to avoid directly blaming someone by using the passive voice. The lesson also includes vocabulary and listening tasks.

Resolving Work Conflicts 

This assessment can be used after completing lessons 5–8 of the Functional Business course. Assessment includes a vocabulary check as well as comprehension of functions related to attending presentations, giving feedback, negotiating, and resolving conflicts.



Final Assessment

Functional Business is a dynamic Business English course tailored to professionals and job seekers, emphasizing practical communication and listening skills for the workplace. Topics include introductions, meetings, negotiations, and presentations. 