Business English Grammar and Vocabulary Exercises

Do business, a job • make money, a loss • launch a product, a campaign • cut costs, jobs • reach a decision, a target • run a business, a company

PAST SIMPLE • Yesterday • Last week/month/year etc • Ago • In/at/on + time e.g. on Monday

PRESENT PERFECT • Since • For • Yet • Already • Just • So far/up to now • Always/ever/never

• 1. The staff training programme was upgraded a) Last year b) in the late 1990s • 2. The first computer was invented a) In the 20th century c) many years ago • 3. It has been a difficult year in Portugal b) so far c) till now • 4. They have b) already c) never met their targets • 5. How many new products have they launched a) Since last summer b) this year?

•In – for long periods e.g. in March •At – for short periods e.g. at the weekend •On – for one day e.g. on Monday •Last/this/next – no preposition is used

•In – geographical references e.g. in Lisbon •At - general references e.g. at work •In - specific reference e.g. in the classroom •On – contact of 2 surfaces e.g. on the table

We use on with all transport; on the coast; at sea; on the island

CONDITIONALS • Type 1 – a possible future Structure: If + present tense, future (will) Example: If you study, you will get good results Note: Unless = if not Example: you won’t get good results unless you study • Type 2 – a hypothetical future Structure: if + past, would + infinitive without to Example: If your English was perfect, you wouldn’t need to study. Note: Alternatives to if include: As long as, on condition that, providing that • Type 3 – hypothesising about the past Structure: if + past perfect, would have + past participle Example: If we hadn’t made a risky investment, we wouldn’t have lost all our money.

• From – to Example: VAT rose from 21% to 23% • Between – and Example: The price ranges between €50 and €70 • By (after a verb to indicate the difference between 2 points) Example: The price fell by €10 • Of (after a noun to indicate the difference between 2 points) Example: There was a fall of €10 • At: when there is no movement Example: In January, sales stood at €5m. • We also use up and down when describing stock price changes Example: Shares closed the day up/down at 1.55 per share