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How can I improve my English for work?

There are many different ways you can improve your English, including watching English TV shows, having conversations with native speakers and reading English magazines. However, when you are looking to improve your English for work, it is best to make sure that the English you use is professional and business orientated. You want to avoid using slang, abbreviations and overly familiar English as this may come across as unprofessional.

So, what should I do?

That’s easy – you simply use resources that are business orientated! This way you’ll learn the phrases, vocabulary and etiquette that are appropriate to a work environment. The suggestions below will test and improve your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills:

1. Take a course – this is the most obvious way to improve your English for work as many courses will teach the specific language used in work environments. You should look for a course that teaches you the English used for letters, reports, memos etc. A simple Google search for Business English courses will give you an idea of the vast array of courses available. They come in all shapes and sizes – from homestudy to full-time university – and there are courses to suit all pockets.
   
   
2. Read business magazines and books – these will help you improve your reading skills and expand your vocabulary. And, you don’t always have to spend money buying expensive magazines and books – they can often be found online as sample or second hand copies in places such as Amazon Marketplace and eBay.
   
   
3. Use the internet – the internet offers you many different avenues for learning business English, such as:
   
   
   • forums – here you’ll be able to have conversations with people involved in business, or, if you don’t feel too confident yet, you can just read the posts being made by other forum members.
   • business websites – these feature articles on the latest business news, allowing you to keep abreast of the ideas and the language used to describe them. And they often allow you to offer comments, so you can practise your English in your responses.
   • blogs – set up a business English blog of your own or read and comment on other peoples.
   • podcasts – these are great for improving your listening comprehension and vocabulary skills.
   • business English websites – make use of the many business English websites out there. They often have tests and games for you to play as well as listening, reading and writing exercises for you to complete.
   • join business groups – a good example of this is LinkdIn. Once you’ve started to make connections with people, you can arrange to converse using technology such as Skype.
     
     
4. Watch business programmes – these will help you in much the same way as the internet and magazines. You can often
   find these on YouTube or other video websites.
   
   
5. Join a speaking practice group – if you can find a group of English learners in your area, why not join them? Even if the group is not specifically for business English, there’s nothing stopping you from suggesting that they take some time to concentrate on that area.
   
   

So, as you can see, there are many different ways you can improve your English for work. Try them all and choose the ones you like the most.

If you’d like our help to improve your English for work, request a copy of our Business English with Spoken English course prospectus. You’ll learn all you need to be professional and successful in any work environment and with our free trial period you’ve nothing to lose.