Collins Cobuild English Grammar (210 page)

The grammar of business English

Introduction

There are certain areas of life and activity where particular features of language are found more frequently than in other areas. For example, doctors and engineers commonly use very specific vocabulary in their work-related communication.

Apart from specialized vocabulary, there are also grammatical patterns that occur more frequently in particular contexts. This section looks at forms that are common in the field of business and commerce. Examples of how language is used are organized into four areas:

Networking

Negotiating

Presenting

Meetings

In many cases, of course, the language that is described can be used in more than one of these topic areas.

Networking

Making social and business arrangements

The dialogue below is an example of the type of conversation that might take place between two people who want to make an arrangement to meet at a later time.

A Do you want to meet up for lunch sometime next week?

B Yes. That would be nice. We can talk about the FCL deal. I’m not in on Monday. I’
m going to work
from home.
How about
next Tuesday?

A Let’s see. No, I can’t. I’
m taking
some clients to the riverside development.
What about
Wednesday?

B I’
m going
to Germany on Wednesday. My flight
leaves
around five so I don’t need to get away until after lunch. Is that okay?

A Fine.
Let’s
meet at one.

use of verb forms with future meaning

You can use the
present progressive
(see
4.60
) to talk about future arrangements that you would put in a diary. Normally these arrangements involve other people.

We’
re having
a meeting to discuss the proposal next Tuesday.
The people from ILC
are coming
for lunch at two.

When future arrangements are not firm plans, but it is your intention that they will happen, you use
be going to
followed by an infinitive (see
4.58
).

I’
m going to have
an early night because I’m tired.
We’ll have some time after the meeting so we’
re going to explore
the old part of the city.

You use the
present simple
to talk about events in schedules such as transport timetables or conference programmes (see
4.60
).

Our flight
leaves
at six and gets in at eight.
The morning plenary session
starts
at nine thirty.

expressions for making suggestions

There are several ways in which you can make suggestions about what you and someone else should do.

You can use
Let
followed by
us
shortened to
Let’s
(see
5.39
).

Let’s have
a break and go for a coffee.
Let’s stay
in contact.

You can use a question beginning with
Shall we
(see
5.186
).

Shall we
meet outside the restaurant?
Shall we
reward ourselves with a little lunch?

You can use a question beginning with
Why don’t we
(see
5.46
).

Why don’t we
have a working breakfast in the hotel?
Why don’t we
stay an extra day?

You can use a question beginning with
What about
or
How about
in front of a noun phrase (see
5.46
).

How about
a drink after the meeting?
How about
next Sunday?
What about
the twentieth of March?

Asking for and confirming information

To form the different type of commonly used questions in English you can use a variety of structures, where the word order and the use of auxiliaries can be confusing. The dialogue below is a phone call which might take place between two people where details of an order are discussed.

A Hello. I’m phoning about an order. The ID number is 28443AB.

B
When did you place the order
please?

A Last week.

B Sorry.
What was the order number again
?

A 28443AB.

B Oh yes, it was for some switcher units,
wasn’t it
?

A That’s right. Can you tell me if it’s been processed yet?

B Yes. They were out of stock but we got some in yesterday.
Didn’t you get an email
?

A Er, no.
Haven’t they been sent off yet
?

B They went off this morning.

A So
do you have any idea when we can expect delivery
?

B They should be with you tomorrow.

A Okay. Thanks.

yes/no
questions

When you are using the present simple or past simple form of
be
you simply put the verb at the beginning of the clause, followed by the subject (see
5.14
).

Are you
with me so far?
Is Simon
up to the job?
Were they
at the meeting?

When the verb is not
be
you need to use an auxiliary verb (or
do
,
does
, or
did
), followed by the subject and then the main verb (see
5.12
and
5.13
).

Is he staying
here tonight?
Do you work
in a team?
Did they want
to talk to me?
Will they accept
that?
Have you got
the figures with you?

If there is more than one auxiliary verb, the first auxiliary comes at beginning of the clause, followed by the subject and then other auxiliaries and the main verb.

Has the problem been reported
?
Have they been waiting
long?

wh
-questions

If you are using the present simple or past simple form of
be
, the verb goes after the
wh-
word and in front of the subject (see
5.24
).

How was your meeting
?
Where is the customer
?
So
where were your auditors
during all of this?

If you are using the present simple or the past simple of any verb except
be
, you put
do
,
does
, or
did
in front of the subject (see
5.24
).

Which department
did you want
?
Who
do you work
for?
How
did she make
the decision?
What
does he
really
think
about the deal?

When a
wh
-word is the
subject
of a verb, or when it forms part of the subject, the word order is the same as in an
affirmative clause
(see
5.23
).

Who invited you
?
What happened
earlier on?
Which bid won
?

other types of question

You can use indirect questions like
Can you tell me
,
Could you tell me
,
Do you know
and
Have you any idea
in order to be more polite.