Do you, or are you hoping to, find a job using English? Are you worried about your English ability, and whether you will be able to follow everything that is said? Then you’ve come to the right place, because in this article we will help you to learn English idioms for work, for free! You can find a worksheet and the answers at the bottom of this article.
English idioms for careers and business – what to expect:
English idioms and metaphors are used a lot in English-speaking businesses and jobs. A lot. Many of these English business idioms and metaphors come from areas such as sports, music, and popular culture, though many more come from historical events and figures such as Shakespeare! Find out how many of these you know by testing yourself with the questions below:
Learn English idioms for work – Test 1: Sports idioms
What do the following English business idioms mean? Match the idiom to the correct meaning.
1. A ballpark figure
a. a large number
b. a small quantity
c. an estimate
2. An own goal
a. a stupid mistake
b. a great success
c. a failed project
3. A game plan
a. a vacation
b. a plan or strategy
c. a new project
4. To throw in the towel
a. to clean the office
b. to try again
c. to give up
5. To play ball
a. to start a new project
b. to cooperate
c. to work hard
6. To throw in the towel
a. to clean the office
b. to try again
c. to give up
7. A rookie
a. a new employee
b. a skillful employee
c. a bad employee
8. To call the shots
a. to fire someone
b. to make the final decision
c. to ask for advice
9. To be ahead of the game
a. to be successful
b. to be constantly punctual
c. to be more prepared than the competition
10. To learn the ropes
a. to learn about your new job’s responsibilities
b. to meet your boss and coworkers
c. to meet a new client
Learn English idioms for work – Test 2: Weather idioms
What do the following English business idioms mean? Match the idiom to the correct meaning.
1. A business with a gloomy outlook
a. A business whose future has little hope of success
b. A business with a bad reputation
c. A business with a large number of staff
2. To get wind of a new business deal.
a. To fail to make a new business deal
b. To make a new business deal
c. To hear a rumour about a new business deal
3. A stormy meeting.
a. A meeting where people got angry and fought
b. A meeting where lots of decisions were made
c. An online meeting
4. A problem with a silver lining.
a. A problem with an easy solution
b. A problem that can not be solved
c. A problem that also has a positive side
(Note: Number 4 comes from the English proverb “Every cloud has a silver lining.“)
5. To take a rain check on a meeting.
a. To cancel a meeting
b. To change the location of a meeting
c. To postpone a meeting
6. To make the deadline come rain or shine.
a. To finish a project on time regardless of any problems
b. To complete a project late
c. To finish a project efficiently
7. To be snowed under with work.
a. To be extremely tired
b. To be extremely busy
c. To be extremely cold
8. For a business to have a bright future.
a. For a business to have excellent prospects
b. For a business to use a lot of electricity
c. For a business to invest in power generation
9. For pressure to cloud your judgement.
a. For pressure to cause you to quit your job
b. For pressure to cause you to make errors in judgement
c. For pressure to cause you to work harder
10. For a business to weather the storm.
a. For a business to survive a difficult situation
b. For a business to cause problems for others
c. For a business to fail
Learn English idioms for work and business
English business idioms and metaphors are vital for speaking English naturally. To learn idioms for work, you can find many resources on the internet and in books, and many ways to learn English idioms free on our website. Check out these posts for more metaphors and activities:
Download the answer sheet here
Find more free English activities at https://denwasensei.com/category/free-english-activities/