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Learn Business English for the workplace with BEP's free MP3 Business English Podcast training lessons.

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Talking About Your Work
Posted: June 2008

In this lesson, we’re going to be looking at the language to use when talking about your job. We’re not going to focus on vocabulary, though. Here, we’re going to focus on how to ask and answer questions about your daily work routine. You’ll learn that the present simple tense is the most important tense when talking about your work, your duties and your responsibilities. So it’s important for you to know how to construct the tense in all its forms: the positive, the negative and the question forms.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Business Small Talk - Switching Techniques
Posted: May 2008

Small talk may be used to fill silences or get to know someone you’ve just been introduced to. In this podcast lesson, we’re going to look at how to switch the topic of conversation when you want to move on from small talk to a business-related issue.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Business Small Talk - Talking About Where You Live
Posted: May 2008

BEP 44: Business Small Talk - Talking About Where You Live. Having a conversation about where you live or come from is often an effective way of introducing yourself to another person, and also of getting to know more about them. In a business environment, we often get to meet people from other countries, or parts of our own country that we haven’t been to or don't know much about.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Business Meetings - Interrupting Effectively
Posted: April 2008

BEP 43: Business Meetings - Interrupting Effectively. Interrupting may sound like an impolite aspect of conversation, but it can be effective. In this podcast lesson you’re going to hear examples of effective as well as ineffective interruptions. You will also be introduced to the INSET technique for interrupting in business meetings. Understanding and applying this technique will make you a better contributor in your workplace meetings.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Clarifying and Confirming Instructions
Posted: March 2008

BEP42: Clarifying and Confirming InstructionsWhen you’re given verbal instructions, it’s essential that you clarify anything you don’t understand.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Telephoning: Arranging a Visit
Posted: March 2008

In this Business English Podcast lesson we’re going to look at useful language for handling the practical details of a business visit, such as airport pickup and restaurant or hotel booking. And we’ll also practice ways to create and maintain goodwill by demonstrating flexibility and responding politely on the phone.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Placing, Changing and Canceling Orders
Posted: March 2008

A lot of people and businesses place their orders for products and services over the Internet these days, but many still prefer to do business over the phone. Speaking to someone personally gives a sense of security and peace of mind. And if you need to change or cancel an order, speaking directly to a representative of the company you're ordering from gives confidence that they will carry out your instructions correctly.

In this podcast lesson, you're going to listen to three telephone conversations: placing an order, changing an order, and canceling an order. As you can imagine, when business is done over the phone, it's important that details are recorded accurately. This process involves a lot of checking, repeating and confirming. We use specific phrases in English for these functions, which you'll hear throughout these dialogues

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Negotiating - Kicking Off and Outlining Your Position
Posted: February 2008

Making successful negotiations is an important part of working in a professional context. It is important to remember that you should define your position clearly before you enter a negotiation. In order to define your position, you need to be sure about the following aspects of your position:

• What you are negotiating for, or what you want;
• What compromises you are willing to make;
• What you are willing to lose; and
• What your bottom line is, that is, the least that you are willing to negotiate for.

Remember, a successful negotiation is usually one that starts well. So the initial discussions are critical in terms of how you and your business associates create favorable impressions of each other. In this podcast lesson, you're going to listen to two dialogues. In the first dialogue the participants set the scene for the negotiation by both sides outlining their positions. In the second dialogue, the participants clarify each other positions. At no point during these two initial stages does any actual negotiation occur.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Entertaining: Practical English in a Bar and Restaurant
Posted: February 2008

Entertaining is considered an important aspect of business communication. Not all professional interactions take place in an office environment, and knowing how to entertain business associates in informal environments, such as in bars and restaurants, is an important part of the communication process.

While communication with clients in social settings is not as structured as that in professional settings, it does have its unwritten rules about etiquette and language usage. Since different social settings require different aspects of communication, it's a good idea to know what to say and how to behave in such situations. You are now going to listen to a dialogue between Sheila, a consultant in Mumbai, and Jeremy, a British client with Sheila's company who is visiting the city.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Asking For and Confirming Information
Posted: January 2008

Asking for information is an important aspect of business communication. It is especially important to be clear and direct while seeking information over the telephone, since not being face-to-face with the speaker may cause misunderstandings or mistakes in noting down details. Additionally, it is also important to verify or confirm the details that we receive, so that we can be sure that we have got the correct information.

You are now going to listen to a dialogue between Violet, the receptionist of a library, and Ryan, a potential member who has called in to ask about the process of getting a membership.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Wrapping Up a Business Presentation
Posted: January 2008

Presentations are an important aspect of working in a business environment. Since they give you an opportunity to showcase your abilities and thoughts, they should be planned well and organized in such a way that your main points are highlighted constantly. One of the best ways to do this is to end your presentation effectively. Remember, audiences tend to remember best what they hear last! An effective conclusion can help your listeners to quickly recollect your main points, and also set the stage for a discussion on the topic you have covered.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.

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Talking about your Company and Work
Posted: December 2007

Meeting new people is an important part of working in a business environment. The contacts we make on an everyday basis help us to expand our knowledge about our business and create a network of people who we can turn to for help or advice with our work-related concerns.

You are now going to listen to a dialogue between two people from different companies who meet for the first time at a business conference. Note how they talk about their companies and the roles they play at their places of work. Sally is a senior manager with an e-publishing company and Josh is a project manager with a similar company. Josh has just given a presentation on the latest venture that his company is going to be involved in. Sally approaches him during a coffee break.

An audio podcast in MP3 format.