Useful Work-Related Idioms for Business English Class (Teacher's Resource)
I have extracted the work-related idioms from a master list of 190 useful idioms I had previously compiled (view the idiom list here.) The below list is 2 printed pages and contains 36 work-related idioms.
I have provided idiom definitions in the list below. However, definitions are not available in the downloadable file for two reasons: Firstly, students are more interested when they can try to figure out the idiomatic expression and guess its meaning by themselves. I tried to provide enough context for this in my examples. Secondly, you, the teacher, will be there to define the expression if need be. You need to prove your use somehow :)
Are you learning the ropes at your job?
Advice
- Always review the idioms you studied in the previous class. Here is a good warm-up activity (requiring pictures) to review them.
- After you have taught 10 or so idioms, do this role-play activity to give your students a chance to use the expressions in conversation.
The Idiom List
Download: EC-Work-Idioms-Intermediate-Advanced (Word)
(note: "sth" = something, "sb" = somebody)
The ball is in your court | The ball is in their court now. Let's wait for their decision. Definition= used to say that YOU now have control of the situation |
be in hot water | Ken was in hot water about forgetting his wedding anniversary. Definition= to be in trouble |
a long haul | Peter told his boss that he wouldn't quit. He's in it for the long haul. Definition= the long road; the option that takes the most time |
know/learn the ropes | It took me a month to learn the ropes at my new job. Definition= the process of learning about sth so you are comfortable with it |
set the record straight | In a TV interview, the politician set the record straight about his experiences in the military. Definition= to clarify what is true/factual about a story or thing |
line of work | The fireman said that injuries were common in his line of work. Definition= job field; type of work |
burn your bridges | Jack tried to be kind to his boss when he quit in job because he didn't want to burn his bridges. Definition= ruin a relationship, resulting in you being unable to return somewhere |
get/be given the sack / sack (verb) | Alan got the sack for repeatedly coming into work late. Definition= to be fired |
on the back burner | The project was put on the back burner while the company focused on a more immediate problem. Definition= set as a lower priority |
talk shop | Everyone agreed not to talk shop at the staff party. Definition= to talk about work-related things |
start/get the ball rolling | It's time we start the ball rolling on the new project. Definition= to take the first step to begin a process |
get your foot in the door | Janice took a position as an administrative assistant to get her foot in the door at the famous fashion company. Definition= to complete the first step towards achieving an opportunity |
small talk | After some small talk, the interview began. Definition= discussion about light topics such as the weather |
put sth on hold | Greg had to put his weekend plans on hold and go into the office on Saturday for a few hours. Definition= to postpone sth |
have your work cut out | If we want to finish this by Friday, then we've really got our work cut out for us. Definition= expression that means you have a lot of work to do in little time |
see eye to eye | Mike and his father don't see eye to eye on the issue of abortion. Definition= to agree on sth; to have the same views on sth |
up-and-coming | Roger is an up-and-coming hockey player from Toronto. Definition= young and rising to the top; new and becoming successful |
call it a day | It's already 6 pm. Let's call it a day. Definition= expression said near the end of a day which means "That's enough for today. Let's end and go home." |
twist sb's arm | I really had to twist my sister's arm to get her to pick me up from the airport. Definition= to make a great effort to convince sb to do sth for you |
be in the dark / keep sb in the dark | Most of the employees were kept in the dark about the merger until the last minute. Definition= to be uninformed; to not be told know what's happening |
the bottom line | A: Doctor, what's the bottom line? B: If you don't quit smoking, you'll die within a year. Definition= the final result |
call the shots | The boss told Janet to call the shots while he was away. Definition= to make the decisions |
the fine/small print | My father reads the fine print on every contract he signs. Definition= the information typed in a smaller font, usually on a contract |
pick sb's brains | Mike is a marketing genius. People often invite him to lunch or dinner so they can pick his brains. Definition= to ask someone many questions so you can learn from him/her |
be in the red | The company has been in the red since September. Definition= at a deficit; running at a loss; losing money |
a rule of thumb | As a rule of thumb, I don't eat food that smells bad. Definition= a personal principle |
be on the same wavelength | The group members were all on the same wavelength, so they were able to finish their project quickly. Definition= to think in a similar way to others |
up to speed | After her holiday, it took Kate a few hours to get back up to speed on the recent developments in her company. Definition= to be updated; to not be behind; to have all the current information |
to be swamped | Wendy was swamped. She had so many papers on her desk, she didn't know where to begin. Definition= to have too much work to do |
headhunt | Todd was headhunted by his company's main competitor. Definition= recruited for a position |
breathe down sb's neck | Jim found it hard to focus on his work with his boss breathing down his neck. Definition= to make someone feel uncomfortable by watching them very closely |
climb the career/corporate ladder | John was happy with his promotion to senior salesperson. He was slowly climbing the corporate ladder. Definition= to ascend in a company by being promoted from lower positions to higher ones |
red tape | Mark's visa application was held up for six months because of red tape. Definition= bureaucracy; formal rules that usually make something hard to do |
give sb free rein | When his father died, Mark was given free rein to do whatever he liked with the family business. Definition= to give someone free control of something |
slack off / be a slacker | When the boss was on holiday, everyone at the office slacked off. Definition= to work unproductively and lazily |
glass ceiling | The company has a glass ceiling that prevents women from being promoted to higher positions. Definition= a metaphor for a barrier that prevents people, typically women or minorities, from ascending to high positions. |
to burn the midnight oil | Tomorrow we need to submit our annual budget, so we will be burning the midnight oil tonight. Definition= to work (or study) late into the night. |
Related Page:
- 32 Business English Idioms (Lesson Included)
Questions? Found a mistake? Leave a comment below!
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Copyright Matthew Barton of Englishcurrent.com. Do not remove website name or URL from printable materials.
Is rein the American spelling? English spelling would be reign
Hi Sarah. To answer your question, no. Rein is the verb you use when you control a horse (with reins). You rein the horses in. Reign is a separate verb.
There’s two words. Reign and rein. To rein in is to use your horse reins to control something.
Yes, rein should be spelled reign.
“The idiomatic phrase free rein, which derives from the literal meaning of using reins to control a horse, is sometimes misinterpreted and written as free reign –predictable, perhaps, in a society only vaguely familiar with the reigns of royalty or the reins of farm animals. Also confused is the related phrase rein in, sometimes written incorrectly as reign in.” – Oxford
Agree. Rein is used correctly here.
This is the best list of business English idioms that I have found. Thank you!
EYE C EYE TO EYE TO U
Awesome…. More…
INCREDIBLE AND COLLECTIVE
EYE C EYE TO EYE TO U
under the idiom: “know/learn the ropes”, the definition may have a spelling error: what is: “sth”??
Sth is a common stand-in for “something”
give me idioms for construction company?/
I always love to read idioms, and it’s a nice list of work related idioms.
Thank you Lilly
Shouldn’t “It’s time we/you etc.” be followed by a past tense? E.g It’s time we went.
“it’s time we start ” has about 30,000 more hits on google than “it’s time we started”. This suggests otherwise.
Hello
A past tense will follow only if the word “high” is inclusive but if otherwise a present tense will follow. For Example:-
1. It is “high” time we left
2. It is time we leave.
Both sentence is correct the only difference between is No.1 means that they should have gone before that time but probably due to procrastination which is why a past tense is coming after because it is what they should have done before that time in question while No.2 means the time has come for them to leave. No.1 can be used minutes after No.2 if the person is not yielding.
Thanks
what does “cut to the patchwork” mean?
Hmm. I’ve never heard that. Sorry.
Nice ones.
I have an expression I’ve heard from my colleagues in the USA: “burning the midnight oil” means working very late on something. Here is an example of it’s usage: Tomorrow we need to submit our annual budget, so we will be burning the midnight oil tonight.
Thanks! I’ve added it to the list. Great example!
Hello, would you be able to make your documents available in .pdf?
I don’t have Word on my computer, just an online version and can’t
access your helpful work.
Thank you!
Cynthia
What is with the example of “climb to the top of the career/corporate ladder”? Isn’t it sending the wrong message? The content is amazing except that one example about women, please look into it and rectify or modify the example.
Hello. Yes, I agree. I’ve made a change. Thanks for letting me know!