Course description

Is your English good on paper, but phone calls, fast conversations, meetings and British politeness still make work harder than it should be? This course gives you the phrases, habits and confidence you need to speak and write well at work in the UK, in clear, simple English.

It's a full course, not a list of tips. There are 10 sections and 50 written lessons, each with a practical task. You follow an accountant from Romania through her first six months in a new job in Derby, with every conversation, call, email and meeting along the way, including the mistakes. Every section has a worksheet, model answers, a cheat sheet and ready-to-use phrase banks and templates.

What you'll learn

• Everyday conversations: greetings, small talk, asking people to repeat, polite requests and saying no.
• British workplace English: what people really mean, idioms, phrasal verbs, jargon, banter and unwritten rules.
• Phone and video calls: answering, making calls, taking messages, spelling names and numbers, and chasing politely.
• Emails and messages: structure, everyday emails, getting the tone right and checking your writing.
• Meetings: preparing, joining in, giving your view, agreeing and disagreeing, and giving a quick update.
• Customers and colleagues: customer service, explaining a process, handling complaints and asking for feedback.
• Writing at work: plain English, updates, handover notes, guides, and UK numbers, dates and money.
• Confidence and your career: short presentations, reviews, interviews, your rights and how to keep improving.

The final project

You'll put together your own workplace English plan, then plan and review a phone call, write a set of emails for one situation and prepare a short meeting contribution. A project brief, a plan workbook and a self-review checklist are included.

Who this course is for

• Adults whose first language isn't English, at about intermediate level.
• People working in the UK, starting a new job, or working with UK colleagues and customers.
• Anyone who wants to feel more confident on the phone, in meetings and in emails.

How the course works

Read each lesson, then do the practical task using the phrase banks and templates in the practice pack. Many tasks are short conversations or messages you can practise at work. Go at your own pace and keep lifetime access, so you can come back whenever you face something new.

What will I learn?

• Understand fast, everyday British English and ask people to repeat or explain without embarrassment
• Make small talk, polite requests and polite refusals that sound natural at work
• Understand indirect British English, common idioms, jargon and workplace banter
• Answer and make phone and video calls, take accurate messages and spell names and numbers
• Write clear emails and messages with the right tone
• Join in, give your view and agree or disagree tactfully in meetings
• Help customers, handle complaints and explain processes clearly
• Write updates, notes and guides, give a short presentation and talk confidently about your work

Frequently asked questions