The most useful English phrasal verbs for professional communication include key terms like follow up, look into, and set up. Mastering these common verb phrases is essential for writing clear business emails and speaking confidently in workplace meetings, helping you sound more natural and fluent.
Navigating the corporate world requires more than just basic vocabulary; it demands a nuanced understanding of how native speakers communicate. This is where mastering the most useful English phrasal verbs for professional emails and meetings becomes a game-changer. These multi-word verbs can make your language more dynamic and precise, but choosing the right ones is key to maintaining a professional tone.
Why Are Phrasal Verbs Important in Business English?
Phrasal verbs combine a main verb with a particle (a preposition or adverb) to create a new meaning. For example, 'look' means to see, but 'look into' means to investigate. In a professional setting, using them correctly shows a high level of English proficiency. They are frequently used in everyday conversation, including conference calls and business correspondence, making your communication more effective and relatable.
While some phrasal verbs are informal, many are perfectly suited for the workplace. The key is to learn which ones are appropriate for formal contexts and how to use them to convey your message clearly.
What Are the 10 Most Useful English Phrasal Verbs for Professional Emails and Meetings?
Here is a curated list of essential phrasal verbs that will elevate your business communication. We've included definitions and practical examples for both emails and meetings to help you integrate them seamlessly into your daily work life.
Follow up
- Meaning: To take further action or contact someone again about a previous discussion or request.
- Why it's useful: This is perhaps the most common phrasal verb in business emails. It's used to check on progress, send reminders, or continue a conversation.
- Email Example: "Dear team, I'm writing to follow up on the action items from yesterday's call."
- Meeting Example: "Let's ensure we follow up with the client by the end of the week."
Look into
- Meaning: To investigate or research a problem or situation.
- Why it's useful: It's a professional and slightly less intense way to say 'investigate'. It shows you are taking a matter seriously and will examine it.
- Email Example: "Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will look into the issue immediately."
- Meeting Example: "The sales figures are lower than expected. Can you look into why that might be?"
Set up
- Meaning: To arrange or organize something, like a meeting, a call, or a system.
- Why it's useful: It’s a core part of daily office logistics. You'll use it constantly for scheduling and planning.
- Email Example: "Could you please set up a video conference for next Tuesday at 10 AM?"
- Meeting Example: "We need to set up a new project management workflow for the marketing team."
Bring up
- Meaning: To introduce a topic or subject for discussion.
- Why it's useful: It's a polite and natural way to steer a conversation toward a point you want to discuss in a meeting.
- Email Example: "In our next sync, I'd like to bring up the budget for Q4."
- Meeting Example: "Before we conclude, there's one more thing I'd like to bring up."
Get back to (someone)
- Meaning: To respond to someone at a later time.
- Why it's useful: It’s a polite way to say you don't have an answer now but will provide one later. It manages expectations and shows you are responsible.
- Email Example: "I don't have that information right now, but I will find out and get back to you by tomorrow."
- Meeting Example: "That's a great question. Let me check the data and get back to you this afternoon."
Put off / Push back
- Meaning: To postpone or delay an event to a later date.
- Why it's useful: Plans change frequently in business. These verbs are the standard way to communicate delays professionally.
- Email Example: "Due to a scheduling conflict, we need to put off the meeting until next week."
- Meeting Example: "Can we push back the project deadline by a few days?"
Go over
- Meaning: To review, check, or discuss something in detail.
- Why it's useful: Perfect for meetings when you need to examine a report, a presentation, or a set of key points together.
- Email Example: "Please go over the attached document before our meeting."
- Meeting Example: "Let's quickly go over the main points of the proposal one more time."
Carry out
- Meaning: To perform or complete a task, instruction, or plan.
- Why it's useful: It’s a formal and professional verb for talking about the execution of work.
- Email Example: "The IT department will carry out the system update over the weekend."
- Meeting Example: "Our team has been tasked to carry out the market research study."
Draw up
- Meaning: To prepare and write a formal document, such as a contract, proposal, or plan.
- Why it's useful: This verb is specific to creating official documents, making your language sound precise and professional.
- Email Example: "Our legal team will draw up the contract and send it to you for review."
- Meeting Example: "The next step is to draw up a detailed project plan with clear milestones."
Deal with
- Meaning: To manage or handle a situation, problem, or person.
- Why it's useful: It's a versatile verb for talking about problem-solving and management responsibilities.
- Email Example: "Rest assured, I will deal with the client's complaint personally."
- Meeting Example: "Who is going to deal with the supplier negotiations?"
By incorporating these expressions into your professional vocabulary, you'll be able to communicate with greater clarity and confidence. Mastering these 10 most useful English phrasal verbs for professional emails and meetings is a significant step toward achieving fluency and sounding like a native speaker in any business context.
Frequently Asked Questions About Using Phrasal Verbs at Work
Are phrasal verbs too informal for professional use?
Not at all! While some phrasal verbs are very informal (like 'hang out'), many are standard in business English. Verbs like 'follow up', 'set up', and 'look into' are used daily in corporate environments and are considered perfectly professional and appropriate.
What is the best way to learn and remember business phrasal verbs?
The best method is to learn them in context. Instead of memorizing lists, try to notice how they are used in emails and meetings at your workplace. Practice by writing your own sentences and using one or two new phrasal verbs in your emails each week.
What is the difference between 'put off' and 'call off'?
Both relate to events, but they have different meanings. To put off something means to postpone it to a later time or date. To call off something means to cancel it completely, with no plan to reschedule it.
Can you use 'look into' and 'investigate' interchangeably?
Yes, in many professional contexts, they can be used interchangeably. 'Look into' is slightly softer and more common in everyday business conversation, while 'investigate' can sound more formal and serious, often implying a more in-depth, official inquiry.