Category Archives: Intermediate

BEP 43 INT (Transcript & Exercises) – Meetings: Opening and Managing Meetings (Part 2)

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This is the second in our two-part intermediate Business English Podcast series on opening and managing meetings. In the first episode, we looked at how to open a meeting. In today’s podcast we’re going to cover how to manage the discussion.

Martin, the GM of Daneline Singapore, is discussing with his staff how to make up a budget shortfall. He has just asked Sandra to kick off the first item on the agenda – outsourcing the cleaning.

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Study Notes
Phrases & Practice		 BEP 43 INT – Opening and Managing Meetings 2 – Quiz

BEP 43 INT – Opening and Managing Meetings 2 – Gap-fill


Listening Quiz:BEP 43 INT – Opening and Managing Meetings 2 (Click a question to see the answer)

BEP 42 INT (Transcript & Exercises) – Meetings: Opening and Managing Meetings (Part 1)

This is the first in a two-part intermediate Business English Podcast series on opening and managing meetings. In this episode, we’ll look at how to open a meeting. In the second part you will learn how to manage the discussion.

The listening takes place in the Singapore offices of Daneline, an international shipping company. Martin, the GM, is chairing a meeting with Sandra, David and Sam to discuss a budget shortfall. Shortfall means their budget has fallen short of expectations. In other words, they don’t have enough money, so they need to make some cuts. To chair a meeting is to lead the meeting. We can say that Martin is the chairperson. So in these two episodes on opening and managing meetings, you’ll be learning language for chairing meetings.

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Study Notes
Phrases & Practice		 BEP 42 INT – Opening and Managing Meetings – Quiz

BEP 42 INT – Opening and Managing Meetings – Gap-fill


Listening Quiz:BEP 42 INT – Opening and Managing Meetings (Click a question to see the answer)

BEP 39 INT (Transcript & Exercises) – Reporting on Progress

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In today’s intermediate Business English Podcast episode you’ll practice reporting on progress. That means informing your boss or colleagues about your current work. This is also called updating someone on the status of a project.

Reporting on progress happens in formal settings, such as at meetings, but often also in informal settings, such as around the water cooler or maybe even over a drink after work.

Today’s listening provides an example of this very common kind of informal project update. It takes place in the offices of AirMech Services, a company that specializes in the maintenance, repair and modification of Passenger Loading Bridges, which are commonly called jetways. You’ll hear Rudi, a project manager, update his boss, Wolfgang, on the status of one such project. They meet each other during a break in the coffee room.

As you listen, pay attention to both the vocabulary and the verb tenses Rudi and Wolfgang use to discuss the progress of the project.

Answers to the listening comprehension questions will be published on this page: Listening Quiz.

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Study Notes
Phrases & Practice		 BEP 39 INT – Reporting – Quiz

BEP 39 INT – Reporting – Gap-fill


Listening Quiz:BEP 39 INT – Reporting (Click a question to see the answer)

BEP 38 INT (Transcript & Exercises) – Describing a Procedure

Today’s Business English Podcast episode focuses on explaining a procedure. We’ll also look at some common computer vocabulary.

In our jobs, we often have to tell people about procedures and processes – explaining how to do something. This can be more formal – for example giving government visitors a demonstration of a production line – or informal – for example showing a colleague how to use the photocopier.

Today’s dialogue is a common situation where describing a procedure is useful – giving someone help. It takes place at Elektra, a fashion design company. You’ll hear Sandy, an accountant, call Felipe, who works in the IT department. Sandy is having a problem with her computer and Felipe describes to her the procedure for fixing it.

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Study Notes
PhraseCast		 BEP 38 INT – Describing a Procedure- Quiz

BEP 38 INT – Describing a Procedure – Gap-fill


Listening Quiz:BEP 38 INT – Describing a Procedure (Click a question to see the answer)

BEP 35 INT – Meetings: Clarifying Meaning

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In BEP 34, we talked about clarifying what was said, for example, “What did you just say? I didn’t catch that.”

In today’s Business English Pod show, we’ll look at clarifying what was meant, for example, “What do you mean by that?” or “What I’m trying to say is …”. Clarifying the meaning is an important part of all communication because it helps us avoid misunderstanding.

BEP 35: Study Notes.