Business Communication Vocabulary

SUCCESS
1) A successful business is often the market GURU / LEADER / PAYOFF
2) The total number of employees (usually excluding the management) on an employers
payroll is called MANTRA / ACUMEN / WORKFORCE.
3) The CUSTOMER BASE / UNDERLINGS / HEADQUARTERS is a relatively broad
number of customers, with a smaller section of the base being comprised of repeat
customers.
4) A successful business issues BARGAINS / ALSO-RANS / SHARES which are worth
millions on the stock market.
5) A successful business has branches and OUTLETS / SUBSIDIARIES /
SHAREHOLDER RETURNS all over the world.
6) Smith and Turner were the two CO-AUTHORS / EX-AUTHORS / DE-AUTHORS of the
report.
7) Sales were very disappointing. We UNDERESTIMATED / MISESTIMATED /
OVERESTIMATED the number of people who would buy our product in Asia.
8) The reduction or elimination of government power in a particular industry is usually
enacted to create more competition within the industry. Thats what characterises
DEREGULATED / CRITICAL MASS / OVERCONFIDENT markets.
9) Turkey is enjoying one of the regions strongest recoveries from the
ENTREPRENEURIAL FLAIR / GLOBAL CRISIS / TURNING POINT.
10) In recent years the airlines industry has suffered from terrorism, ECONOMIC
RECESSION / BUSINESS ACUMEN / BUYING SPREE and rocketing oil prices.
11) The hurried acquisition by a company, of goods, assets, or other companies is called
RETURN ON EQUITY / ECONOMIC DOWNTURN / BUYING SPREE.
12) While some fashion brands such as Burberry and Louis Vuitton have married vision with
BUSINESS ACUMEN / AUTOCRACY / REBRANDING, all too often there is a tension
between creativity and corporate finance.
13) The profit figures are excellent. Once again, weve OUTPERFORMED /
DOWNPERFORMED / UNDERPERFORMED all our rivals.
14) In the late 1990s many countries experienced a severe economic DEVALUATION /
OUTBIDDING / DOWNTURN.
15) At long last, their hard work and investment is beginning to BEAR FRUIT / SELF
IMPROVE / OVERSTAFF.
16) It is partly by knowing what to delegate, and to whom, that chief executives RISE TO
THE TOP / UNDERCUT THE COMPETITION / SPIT OUT.
17) GRE has achieved (shareholder returns) RETURN ON SALES / RETURN ON EQUITY
/ RETURN ON ASSETS in the past three years of 529.5 per cent.
18) Autocracy is considerable AUTHORITARIAN MANAGEMENT / DEMOCRATIC
MANAGEMENT / SCANDINAVIAN-STYLE MANAGEMENT.
19) A soppy practice is the same as a(n) EMOTIONAL / STRONG / SOAPY practice.
20) Someone not that attractive or likeable is not very SOPPY / PERSONABLE /
SQUASHED.
 21) People who work under someone elses authority are their UNDERLINGS / PERKS /
SUBSIDIARIES.
22) Someone rejected by an organisation is PULLED OFF / BANGED ON ABOUT / SPAT
OUT.
23) Someone destroyed by an organisation is SQUASHED / SPAT OUT / HUNG ON by it.
24) If you achieve something difficult, you PULL OF A FEAR / RULE BY FEAR / BANG
ON ABOUT.
25) Those who dont win a race are called UNDERLINGS / ALSO-RANS / WITNESSES
26) An expression used in the context of organisations that do well over long periods is
PREVAILING ATMOSPHERE / VENTURE CAPITAL / UNINTERRUPTED SUCCESS
27) When you move to places you dont want to go, you DRIFT / DEVALUE / MISJUDGE.

JOB SATISFACTION AND RISK

28) If employees become too discontent, they TAKE INDUSTRIAL ACTION / SOUND OUT
/ EMPOWER.
29) Dealing with bureaucracy is often called CREDIT CRUNCH / RED TAPE /
CONTESTATION.
30) A synonym for a compensation package is GOLDEN HANDSHAKE / BURNOUT /
REMUNERATION.
31) Offering GAUGES / PERKS / STRIKES or fringe benefits rather than a salary increase
can be a way of retaining employees in traditionally high staff turnover industries.
32) You receive a golden handshake or RED TAPE / COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE /
SEVERANCE PAYMENT when you leave a company.
33) Internal factors, circumstances or events within your organisation can have a negative
impact on the operations or profitability of your business. These are called EXTERNAL
RISKS / INTERNAL RISKS
34) Factors in the wider business arena can have a negative impact on the operations or
profitability of your business. These are called EXTERNAL RISKS / INTERNAL RISKS
35) During the CREDIT CRUNCH / PENSION SCHEME / COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE,
many businesses faced the risk of running out of money.
36) It is difficult to CALCULATE / FORESEE / MINIMISE the risks involved in setting up a
new business.
37) The governments new APPRAISAL INTERVIEW / PERFORMANCE REVIEW /
PENSION SCHEME is designed to prevent widespread old-age poverty.
38) FRINGE BENEFITS / PATERNITY LEAVE / BASIC SALARY does not include
overtime, bonuses, commission or travel allowance.
39) Weve ENCOUNTERED / WEIGHED UP / PAVED THE WAY TO the pros and cons and
decided that the risk is too great.
40) Weve reduced risk by ANTICIPATING / FORESEEING / SPREADING our lending
across more markets.
41) In some cultures, DECISION MAKING / EYE-CATCHING / SOUNDING SOMEONE
OUT is done almost entirely by bosses. However, Swedish businesspeople tend to value
consensus and compromise.
 42) Being approachable is an important INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT MODEL /
LEADERSHIP QUALITY / PERFORMANCE REVIEW.
43) When the maker of a product is responsible for an injury that the product causes, we
are dealing with ACCUMULATION / OPEN-DOOR POLICY / LIABILITY.
44) The collection of all policies held by an insurer is called ACCUMULATION / SELLING
POINT / PORTFOLIO.
45) A(n) ACCUMULATION / LIABILITY / BRUNT of risk happens when there is a
concentration of risks that might give rise to very large losses from a single event.
46) When you receive the worst part of something unpleasant or harmful, such as an attack,
you SPRING TO MIND / SPREAD THE RISKS / BEAR THE BRUNT.
47) When you immediately think of something, you PAVE THE WAY / SPRING TO MIND /
MEET A NEED.
48) When you make it possible for something to happen in the future, you MEET A NEED /
PAVE THE WAY / BEAR THE BRUNT.
MANAGEMENT STYLES
49) Not caring if you have to harm others to get what you want: VOLATILE /
DEMANDING / RUTHLESS.
50) Not satisfied with anything unless it is exactly right: DEMANDING / LIABLE /
PERFECTIONIST
51) Having a natural ability to do something well: TALENTED / SELF-MOTIVATED /
RUTHLESS
52) Wanting to achieve something by yourself: ANTI-AUTHORITARIAN / SELF-
MOTIVATED / APPROACHABLE
53) Against forcing people to obey strict rules: ANTI-AUTHORITARIAN /
APPROACHABLE / TALENTED
54) Liable to suddenly become angry: DEMANDING / VOLATILE / RUTHLESS
55) People who are good at working together are STIMULATING / PRECISE /
COLLABORATIVE
56) People who have particular skills are SELF-MOTIVATED / EQUIPPED / VOLATILE
57) When companies have to stretch themselves, they WORK NEAR THE LIMITS OF
WHAT THEYRE CAPABLE / TRY HARDER THAN THEY NORMALLY DO / EMPLOY
NEW PEOPLE TO HELP THEM.

GRAMMAR REFERENCE
58) Rebecca has been with our organisation for five years and SHE DID A GREAT JOB /
SHE IS DOING A GREAT JOB.
59) His hard work really paid off HE WAS PROMOTED / HE HAS BEEN PROMOTED to
Chief Adviser.
60) There have been serious problems with the merger, but we PROCEEDED / HAVE
PROCEEDED with it anyway.
61) The motor trade has been in the doldrums LAST YEAR / ALL YEAR.
62) Shes been promoted BECAUSE SHES BROUGHT OFF THAT DEAL / WHILE SHE
WAS WORKING AS HEAD OF R&D.
 63) How long have you worked as Financial Adviser FOR YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER /
BEFORE YOU BECAME FINANCIAL DIRECTOR?
64) They say they LEFT / HAVE LEFT a message, but theres nothing on my answering
machine.
65) They HOPED / WERE HOPING / HAD HOPED to organise a reception for their visitors,
but it didnt come off.
66) The new XY3 tyre series HAD REALLY TAKEN OFF / REALLY TOOK OFF / ARE
REALLY TAKING OFF but then they were all recalled after a spate of complaints.
67) Change to passive: We interviewed union representatives
Representatives were interviewed by us
68) Change to passive: We held meetings with all heads of department
Meetings with all the heads of department were held by us
69) Change to passive: Management have ignored suggestions / complaints
Suggestions/complaints were ignored by the management
70) Change to passive: We will introduce new performance reviews for managers from 1
December
New performance reviews for managers from 1 December were introduced by us
71) Our sales results were SLIGHTLY / EXCEPTIONALLY / FAIRLY good. I made my
targets with two months to spare.
72) Do you really think we should invest in an INCREASINGLY / REASONABLY /
SOMEWHAT volatile market?
73) To be honest, I dont think she was EXCEPTIONALLY / REASONABLY / FULLY
prepared. She seemed to be reading it most of the time.
74) Entering the German market looks A BIT / EXTREMELY risky, but I dont think well
encounter any major problems. Lets do it.
75) AppleCar wants to market its auto in the United States first. THAT / THIS / IT will allow
the product to be tested before introducing it to the international market.
76) Traffic was lightnonexistent by eastern standardsmade up mostly of Jeeps or
pickup trucks, the FORMER / LATTER with a dog pacing the back bed in perfect balance.
77) I visited London and Cambridge during the holidays. The FORMER / LATTER is truly
beautiful." (Cambridge is beautiful).
78) Argentina' and 'country' are nouns. The FORMER / LATTER is a proper noun, the latter
(is) a common one.