Business English: Conversation prompts using English business vocabulary

Talk about business with your English students! In this set you will find 70 conversation prompts designed to:

a) demonstrate the usage of common English business vocabulary, in their common collocations.

b) elicit the usage of these words and phrases.

The prompts cover a diverse range of topics, from types of industry to employment concerns, and from economic issues to business ethics.

Each question is carefully selected to demonstrate the vocabulary in an appropriate, natural way, eliciting open-ended responses to encourage evolving conversations among learners and teachers.

Vocabulary and phrases included in this set:

bankrupt
blue-collar worker
white-collar worker
pink-collar worker
foreign investment
industry
to invest in
service industry
manufacturing industry
entertainment industry
food industry
primary sector
secondary sector
tertiary sector
unemployment
mass-unemployment
employment rates
unemployment rate
to stem unemployment
free market economy
startup
workforce
overtime
overtime culture
inclusive
discrimination
maternity leave
paternity leave
ethics
ethical
unethical actions
to take vacation
work-life balance

These colour-coded prompts are suitable for all learners of English of above intermediate levels of proficiency, especially for adult learners of English with experience in the world of business.

Enliven your language classroom with engaging discussions!

Example questions:

What is a good idea for a startup company?
What industry do you work in?
What are some big companies in the service industry?
What do you understand by the term free market economy?
What actions can be taken to prevent discrimination in the workplace?