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Business English Tip of the Week

business-english-tipsEvery week we publish a business English tip concerning different aspects of business English. Topic areas include writing, speaking, listening, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, exams as well as general English. Many tips include audio clips. To receive 'Business English Tip of the Week' by email, just subscribe to the newsletter from the link above. 

Welcoming business visitors – Offering Help

08 Dec 2024

When welcoming a visitor to your office, you should offer to take their coat or umbrella (if they have one), offer them a seat, and offer them something to drink. There are a number of ways of making offers in English. The common ones start with these phrases:

Would you like ...?
Would you like me to ...?
Can I get you ...?

 

Let's look at how each of these phrases is used in context:

 

Would you like something to drink?
Would you like any coffee or tea?
Would you like a cold drink?
Would you like to take a seat?
Would you like a magazine to read while you wait?

Would you like me to take your umbrella?
Would you like me to get you a magazine to read?
Would you like me to get you a drink?

Can I get you any tea or coffee?
Can I get you some water?
Can I get you a cold drink?

 

Choose the most appropriate phrase to suit the context in which the offer is made.

 

 

Checklist for writing effective emails

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