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English at Work 66
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An Introduction – Meet Anna, Paul, Denise and Tom 10 minLecture1.1
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The Interview – Language for interviews 10 minLecture1.2
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The Interruption – Structuring answers 10 minLecture1.3
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The Crisis – Making suggestions 10 minLecture1.4
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Doing lunch – Introducing yourself 10 minLecture1.5
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The Queen of Sheba – Polite requests 10 minLecture1.6
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Double-booked – Offering to help 10 minLecture1.7
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Mr Lime’s grapefruits – Apologising 10 minLecture1.8
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Room 301 – Giving praise 10 minLecture1.9
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The warehouse – Checking information 10 minLecture1.10
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The brainstorm – Language for disagreeing 10 minLecture1.11
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Overtime – Language for working long hours 10 minLecture1.12
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The big day – Opening presentations 10 minLecture1.13
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The Imperial Lemon – Making a pitch 10 minLecture1.14
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Telephone tell-tale – Giving feedback 10 minLecture1.15
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Seb Lime – More about telephone manner 10 minLecture1.16
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Slimy Limey! – Politely refusing 10 minLecture1.17
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Lemon-sized luxury boxes – How to place an order 10 minLecture1.18
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The email – Writing an email 10 minLecture1.19
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The open window – Language for explaining a misunderstanding 10 minLecture1.20
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The Team Meeting – Setting an agenda for a meeting 10 minLecture1.21
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Don’t panic! – Language for asking for help 10 minLecture1.22
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The smoker – Language for making polite requests 10 minLecture1.23
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Risky business – Health and safty policy 10 minLecture1.24
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No smoke without fire – Words to use in an emergency 10 minLecture1.25
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The big cheese – Language for booking a hotel room 10 minLecture1.26
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You cannot be serious! – Language for complaining 10 minLecture1.27
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Getting down to business – Language for delivering bad news 10 minLecture1.28
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Home truths – Keeping your language professional 10 minLecture1.29
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Putting the feelers out – Language for making a cold call 10 minLecture1.30
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Two heads are better than one – Language for negotiation 10 minLecture1.31
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Sign on the dotted line – Language for project management 10 minLecture1.32
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The deal is off! – Further language for negotiating a deal 10 minLecture1.33
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The deal is off! – Language for booking a flight 10 minLecture1.34
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The business trip – Language for clinching the deal 10 minLecture1.35
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Lost in France – Language for briefing the manager 10 minLecture1.36
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The power struggle – Language for working with someone new 10 minLecture1.37
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Rachel the rabbit! – Language for dealing with a difficult colleague 10 minLecture1.38
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Oranges and lemons – Language for maintaining good customer relations 10 minLecture1.39
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A step too far – Language for giving someone a verbal warning 10 minLecture1.40
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The Appraisal – Language to use in an appraisal 10 minLecture1.41
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Doing it by the book – Language to use in a health and safety report 10 minLecture1.42
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The dinner date – Language to use in a business proposal 10 minLecture1.43
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Doing your homework – Language to use in customer research 10 minLecture1.44
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Computer crisis – Language to use in dealing with IT problems 10 minLecture1.45
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The plastic aubergine – Language to use in an ‘elevator pitch’ 10 minLecture1.46
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Acting up – Language to use when you’re in charge 10 minLecture1.47
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Talking sense – Language to use for clearing up confusion 10 minLecture1.48
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Face-to-face – Language to for networking 10 minLecture1.49
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Award-winning! – Language to use when accepting an award 10 minLecture1.50
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Reality bites – Language to use when making someone redundant 10 minLecture1.51
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Taking shape – Language to use for conveying your ideas to others 10 minLecture1.52
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So long Denise! – Helping others with advice about their career 10 minLecture1.53
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Help! We need somebody – When taking a phone message at a busy time 10 minLecture1.54
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Eating humble pie – Language to use when you need to stand your ground 10 minLecture1.55
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To show you the ropes – Language for telling someone what to do 10 minLecture1.56
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Pushed to the limits – Language to use when trying to set priorities 10 minLecture1.57
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A room with a view – Language for booking a venue 10 minLecture1.58
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Pulling out the stops – Language for getting things done quickly 10 minLecture1.59
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The show must go on – Language for presenting a new product 10 minLecture1.60
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Stepping aside – Language related to getting the sack 10 minLecture1.61
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Decision time – Being offered and accepting a promotion 10 minLecture1.62
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Anna’s decision – Language to announce your decision 10 minLecture1.63
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Tom’s tantrum – Language to persuade someone to change their mind 10 minLecture1.64
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Something’s missing – Language for getting down to business 10 minLecture1.65
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Last call for Tom – Language to say you’ve changed your mind 10 minLecture1.66
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The Wedding Day – Language for a wedding 10 minLecture1.67
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An Introduction – Meet Anna, Paul, Denise and Tom
Meet Anna, Paul, Denise and Tom.
English at Work focuses on English communication in the office. Join Neil in this special introductory programme as he finds out about the characters who work in the offices of Tip Top Trading.
Here are the key phrases in this episode:
- A good example that comes to mind…
- I’m particularly proud of…
- Timekeeping is important to me.
Listening Challenge
What kind of company is Tip Top Trading?
The answer is at the bottom of the transcript below:
Transcript
Narrator
Hi, I’m Neil. Thanks for joining me on English at Work – a new series of programmes set in an office, full of top tips to help you learn some useful business language which you could use in the workplace. In the next few minutes you can join me on an introductory tour around one of London’s biggest imitation plastic fruit manufacturers, called Tip Top Trading. We’re going to hear from some of the employees that work so hard to keep the business running smoothly. So come on then! Let’s step into the office and eavesdrop on Tip Top Trading’s possible newest recruit. I say ‘possible’ because she is still being interviewed for the job of Sales Executive…
Anna
Firstly, this job is an ideal match for my skills and experience: I’ve spent several years working in sales and I get on with people easily. Well, I mean, apart from the ones I don’t like of course! Secondly, I know Tip Top Trading is one of the fastest-growing companies in London, and I want to be part of that.
Paul
That’s absolutely right. Tip Top Trading is the fastest-growing company in the plastic fruits sector.
Narrator
Well said, Anna! If she gets that job I’m sure she’ll be an asset to the company. The decision is in the hands of Manager, Paul, who we heard there. He’s a nice guy really, a little disorganised, but when things go wrong he’s got to take charge…a bit like this…
Paul
Yesterday was not a great day. Two clients came in with serious complaints. Mrs Kumquat received a delivery of imitation bananas that were purple – not very convincing, and Mr Lime ordered grapefruits, but got pineapples. Tom!
Tom
Yeah, listen…
Paul
Were you responsible for these errors?
Tom
Well… yes, but –
Paul
Look, mistakes happen. But it seems that Mrs Kumquat left our offices even angrier than when she came in and she says she will never use Tip Top Trading again!
Tom
I tried my best.
Paul
Hmmm.
Narrator
Ah yes, Tom! I hadn’t warned you about Tom, one of the company’s top Sales Executives – he’s good….
Tom
[on phone] Tom speaking. Yah! Frankie! So what’s the latest, are we on?
Narrator
…but his interpersonal skills need working on. Listen to this!
Tom
My computer has crashed. I’ve lost my phone. And there’s a big, BIG problem with my timetable. I have two meetings scheduled at the same time with two extremely important clients. I can’t do them both at once!
Narrator
See what I mean! Now, every office needs a good office assistant – and Tip Top Trading is no exception. It’s got Denise, who’s there to assist, organise and sometimes make the tea…
Denise
Oh sorry excuse me, here’s your tea Paul.
Paul
Thanks Denise.
Narrator
But goodness! She likes to talk…
Denise
Really! “Denise do this! Denise do that!”\I’m telling you Sharon, I’ve almost had enough! I get treated like I’m some kind of servant!
Narrator
That’s Denise! I think we’ll just leave the office now and let them get on with their work. So that’s Tip Top Trading. There are plenty of other people we’ll meet along the way – so go on – why don’t you join me for English at Work from bbclearningenglish.com. See ya!
Listening Challenge – Answer
What kind of company is Tip Top Trading?
Tip Top Trading is a plastic fruit manufacturer

2 Comments
This course I can not find the completed button.
The first Lecture is a part that anyone can see without registration. So there is no “COMPLETE” button.
Have fun with this exciting course! 🙂