The 10 most essential phrasal verbs for professional emails and business meetings include key actions like follow up, bring up, look into, carry out, and set up. Mastering these common phrases will significantly improve the clarity, fluency, and professionalism of your workplace communication.
Navigating the world of business English can be challenging, but understanding certain phrases is a game-changer. Phrasal verbs—those tricky combinations of a verb and a preposition or adverb—are everywhere in the modern workplace. Using them correctly not only makes you sound more like a native speaker but also helps you communicate complex ideas concisely. This guide breaks down the 10 most essential phrasal verbs for professional emails and business meetings to help you write and speak with confidence.
Why Are Phrasal Verbs Important in Business Communication?
In a professional setting, clear communication is crucial. While you can often find a more formal, single-word equivalent (e.g., 'investigate' instead of 'look into'), phrasal verbs are an integral part of day-to-day business language. They are frequently used in conversations, presentations, and emails among colleagues. Avoiding them can make your English sound unnatural or overly academic. By learning the right phrasal verbs, you can better understand your coworkers and express your own ideas more effectively.
What Are the 10 Essential Phrasal Verbs for Professional Emails and Business Meetings?
Here is a breakdown of the top 10 phrasal verbs you will encounter and need to use in a business context. Each includes its meaning and practical examples for both written and spoken communication.
Follow up
- Meaning: To take further action or contact someone again to continue a previous discussion.
- Email Example: "Thank you for the productive meeting. I will follow up with a summary of the key action points by the end of the day."
- Meeting Example: "Let's follow up on this with the marketing team next week."
Bring up
- Meaning: To introduce a topic for discussion.
- Email Example: "In our next call, I'd like to bring up the Q4 budget projections."
- Meeting Example: "That's a good point. While we're on the subject of marketing, I'd like to bring up our social media strategy."
Look into
- Meaning: To investigate, research, or examine a problem or situation.
- Email Example: "We have received your report on the system bug. Our technical team will look into it immediately."
- Meeting Example: "I wasn't aware of that supply chain issue. I'll look into it and report back."
Carry out
- Meaning: To perform, execute, or complete a task, plan, or instruction.
- Email Example: "The necessary research has been carried out, and the findings are attached."
- Meeting Example: "We have a solid plan, and now it's time to carry out the next steps."
Set up
- Meaning: To arrange, organize, or establish something.
- Email Example: "Could you please set up a meeting with the client for next Tuesday?"
- Meeting Example: "We need to set up a new system for tracking project milestones."
Go over
- Meaning: To review, check, or discuss something in detail.
- Email Example: "Please go over the attached draft and let me know if you have any feedback."
- Meeting Example: "Before we conclude, let's quickly go over the main decisions we've made today."
Draw up
- Meaning: To prepare a written document, such as a plan, contract, or proposal.
- Email Example: "Our legal team will draw up the contract and send it to you for review."
- Meeting Example: "John, could you draw up a proposal based on the ideas we discussed?"
Put forward
- Meaning: To propose or suggest an idea, plan, or candidate for consideration.
- Email Example: "I would like to put forward a new strategy for our content marketing."
- Meeting Example: "Does anyone else want to put forward an alternative solution?"
Break down
- Meaning: To divide something complex (like a project or cost) into smaller, more manageable parts.
- Email Example: "I've attached the project plan, which breaks down the work into four distinct phases."
- Meeting Example: "Let's break down the budget to see exactly where our costs are highest."
Call off
- Meaning: To cancel a planned event.
- Email Example: "Please be advised that tomorrow's team-building event has been called off due to unforeseen circumstances."
- Meeting Example: "We had to call off the meeting because the key stakeholders were unavailable."
By incorporating these essential phrasal verbs for professional emails and business meetings into your vocabulary, you will enhance your fluency and professional image. Start by listening for them in your workplace and try using one or two in your next email or meeting. Practice is the key to mastering this crucial part of business English.
Frequently Asked Questions About Business Phrasal Verbs
Can I avoid using phrasal verbs in business English?
While you can often find a single-word alternative, avoiding phrasal verbs entirely can make your English sound stilted and unnatural. They are very common in everyday workplace communication, so learning them is highly recommended for fluency.
What is the difference between a phrasal verb and an idiom?
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or adverb (e.g., 'look into'), where the meaning can often be deduced. An idiom is a fixed expression with a figurative meaning that is not predictable from the individual words (e.g., 'bite the bullet'). While some phrasal verbs are idiomatic, not all are.
How can I practice using these professional phrasal verbs?
Start by actively listening for them in meetings and reading them in emails. Then, challenge yourself to use one or two in a low-stakes conversation or email. You can also create your own example sentences related to your job to make them more memorable.
Are phrasal verbs too informal for a formal report?
It depends on the specific phrasal verb and the context. Some, like 'look into' or 'carry out,' are widely accepted in formal reports. However, others might be considered too conversational. When in doubt, you can opt for a more formal single-word verb like 'investigate' or 'execute.'