VIP Class Notes (Tony)

Book:

How to speak business English like an American: Amy Gillett.

Vocabulary

about to – going to do sth. very very very very soon

eg: I was about to ask you that.

eg: I’m about to have dinner with my friend.

eg: I was about to send her all the e-mails before she told me.

thread / string – a series of comments or e-mails, replies to each other, and about the same (subject/topic)

eg: Do you want me to reply once? Just to start the thread? Then we can easily go back to this thread.

spinning your wheels – like a car, if the wheels are spinning and you are not moving

eg: Well let’s stop spinning our wheels and get it taken care of. (I don’t think our communication is helping the project)

yet – implies you will do it

eg: I haven’t washed the dishes. (Maybe I will, maybe I won’t) And I’m not going to. (OK, he won’t)

eg: I haven’t washed the dishes yet. (I will do it)

eg: We’re not married. / We’re not married… yet.

bankrupt – basically means, you have more debt than your company can ever pay back. So you cancel all of it, debts, loans, company

be hard on someone (be strict with them)

I can’t find the e-mails from… (when / what time)