In this business English podcast lesson we explore language that you can use to socialize with colleagues during happy hour or during other informal occasions.

Whether you drink alcohol or not, in many places around the world you will likely be invited to the bar or pub with colleagues. It’s important to know how to offer to buy drinks for others and how to make polite excuses when you’ve had enough or when it’s time to go. The same skills are also useful for other types of after-work social activities.

In the dialog, we join Greg, a manager, and three people in his team – Joanna, Gary, and Ben – as they order.

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Study Notes	Phrases & Practice	BEP 77 INT – Happy Hour – Quiz BEP 77 INT – Happy Hour – Gap-fill BEP 77 INT – Happy Hour – Dialog & Vocab BEP 77 INT – Happy Hour – Language 1 BEP 77 INT – Happy Hour – Language 2 BEP 77 INT – Happy Hour – Language 3 BEP 77 INT – Happy Hour – Flashcards

Listening Questions:

1) Who is paying for the first round of drinks? How can you tell?

At the beginning of the dialog, Greg signals he’s paying for the first round of drinks by saying “This one’s on me.”

2) Who is the person who doesn’t drink?

Joanna doesn’t drink. She says though she likes a drink once in a while, tonight she is meeting friends, so she’d better not.

3) When it’s time for her to go, what excuse does Joanna make?

Joanna’s excuse has a four-part structure: 1. Interrupt if necessary; 2. Polite comment; 3. Excuse; 4. Say thank you. In Joanna’s case, her excuse is that she has to meet with friends, which she was careful to mention at the beginning so that no one would be caught by surprise.