Business English

Business English Lesson: Phrasal Verbs at Work

Lesson Title: "Powerful Phrasal Verbs for the Workplace"

Level: Intermediate (B1–B2)

Time: 60 minutes

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Understand and use 10 common business phrasal verbs.

• Use phrasal verbs appropriately in business conversations.

• Recognize phrasal verbs in context and replace them with formal equivalents when necessary.

Target Vocabulary (10 Business Phrasal Verbs)

Lesson Plan Outline

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes)

Activity: Small group discussion
Prompt: "Have you ever had to take over a project or follow up with a colleague? What happened?"

2. Vocabulary Introduction (10 minutes)

• Present the list of phrasal verbs with definitions and example sentences.

• Students work in pairs to match each phrasal verb with its meaning.

3. Controlled Practice (15 minutes)

Activity: Fill-in-the-blank worksheet
Instructions: Choose the correct phrasal verb from the list to complete each sentence.

Example:

• We had to ___ the launch due to technical issues. → (put off)

Optional: Provide formal equivalents (e.g., "investigate" for "look into") for advanced learners.

4. Role-Play Activity (15 minutes)

Scenario: Business meeting role-play
Students role-play a team meeting where they must:

• Bring up a problem.

• Suggest how to work it out.

• Decide who will follow up.

Assign roles: manager, team member, HR rep, etc.

5. Discussion (5 minutes)

Prompt: "Which phrasal verbs do you hear most often in your workplace (or in English-language business media)?"

6. Wrap-Up & Homework (5 minutes)

• Quick review quiz (Kahoot or paper-based).

• Homework: Write a short email (100–150 words) using at least 3 phrasal verbs from today’s lesson.