Using common business English phrasal verbs correctly involves understanding their specific meaning and context in a professional setting. For example, to 'follow up' means to continue communication, to 'bring forward' means to reschedule something to an earlier time, and to 'call off' means to cancel it entirely. Mastering these phrases will make your communication sound more natural and fluent.
If you've ever felt that your professional English sounds a little too much like a textbook, you're not alone. The key to sounding more natural and confident in the workplace often lies in mastering the small, nuanced expressions that native speakers use every day. Among the most important of these are common business English phrasal verbs. While they can be tricky, learning how to use them correctly in your emails and meetings will dramatically improve your professional communication skills.
Why Are Common Business English Phrasal Verbs So Important?
Phrasal verbs—verbs combined with a preposition or adverb—are everywhere in English, especially in a business context. Using them correctly shows a high level of fluency and understanding of the language. They allow you to be more concise and sound more like a native speaker.
For example, instead of saying, "I would like to investigate the cause of the recent system error," you could simply say, "I'll look into the recent system error." It's shorter, more direct, and exactly what a native speaker would say. Integrating these expressions into your vocabulary is a crucial step in moving from an intermediate to an advanced level of business English.
How Can I Use These Common Business English Phrasal Verbs in Emails?
Emails are a perfect place to practice using professional phrasal verbs. They give you time to think and choose the right phrase for the situation. Here’s a breakdown of how to use some of the most essential ones correctly.
How do I use 'follow up'?
To follow up means to take further action or continue communication about something that has already been discussed. It's one of the most useful phrases in professional correspondence.
- Meaning: To continue a conversation; to check on the status of something.
- Example: "Hi Jane, I just wanted to follow up on our conversation from Tuesday. Have you had a chance to review the proposal?"
- Example: "Thank you for the meeting. I will follow up with a summary of the action items by the end of the day."
How do I use 'bring forward' and 'push back'?
These two phrasal verbs are essential for scheduling. They are opposites, and it’s important not to mix them up.
- Bring forward (or move up): To reschedule something for an *earlier* date or time.
- Push back (or put back): To reschedule something for a *later* date or time (to postpone).
- Example: "Could we bring forward our 3 PM meeting to 1 PM instead? My afternoon is now busy."
- Example: "We have to push back the project deadline by two weeks to accommodate the client's new requests."
How do I use 'call off'?
To call off something means to cancel it completely. It implies that the event will not be rescheduled.
- Meaning: To cancel.
- Example: "Due to the low number of registrations, we have decided to call off the workshop."
- Example: "Unfortunately, David is unwell, so we must call off our meeting for this afternoon."
What Are Some Examples of These Phrasal Verbs in Meetings?
Meetings are dynamic, and language is often more direct. Being familiar with these phrasal verbs will help you participate more effectively. Here are five key examples you'll hear and use in meetings:
- Look into: To investigate or research an issue.
- *"There's a discrepancy in the sales figures. Can you look into it?"*
- Sort out: To solve a problem or organize something.
- *"We need to sort out the logistics for the conference before the end of the week."
- Draw up: To prepare a written document, like a contract or plan.
- *"Based on our agreement, I will ask the legal team to draw up the contract."
- Get back to: To contact someone later with a response or information.
- *"I don't have that information right now, but I will get back to you by tomorrow morning."
- Run by / Run through: To explain or review something with someone.
- *"Before we finalize the presentation, I'd like to run it by the marketing team one more time."*
Conclusion: Practice Makes Perfect
Becoming comfortable with common business English phrasal verbs is a game-changer for your professional life. Start by trying to incorporate one or two of these phrases into your emails this week. Listen for them in meetings and notice how your colleagues use them. Like any part of learning a language, consistent practice is the key to building confidence and fluency. By mastering phrasal verbs like 'follow up', 'bring forward', and 'call off', you'll communicate more effectively and sound more like a pro.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between 'call off' and 'postpone'? 'Call off' means to cancel something permanently. For example, "We had to call off the company picnic due to bad weather." 'Postpone' means to delay something and reschedule it for a later time. For example, "We will postpone the picnic until next Saturday."
Can I say 'follow up with' someone? Yes, absolutely. 'Follow up with' is very common and correct. You 'follow up on' a topic or task, and you 'follow up with' a person. For example: "I will follow up with Sarah on the marketing report."
Is 'bring forward' the same as 'move up'? Yes, in the context of scheduling, 'bring forward' and 'move up' are synonyms. Both mean to reschedule something to an earlier time. For example, "Can we bring forward the meeting?" and "Can we move up the meeting?" have the same meaning.
What's a professional alternative to 'figure out'? While 'figure out' is common in conversation, more formal alternatives in a business context include 'determine', 'ascertain', or the phrasal verb 'sort out'. For example, instead of "We need to figure out the problem," you could say, "We need to determine the cause of the problem."
How can I learn more business phrasal verbs? You can learn more by reading business articles, listening to professional podcasts, and watching business news channels. Pay close attention to how speakers combine verbs with prepositions and try to note them down with an example sentence to practice later.