Essential Business English: Corporate Terminology and Grammar

Business Glossary

• Board: The group of directors elected by the shareholders to manage a company.
• Budget: An account of probable future income and expenditure during a fixed period.
• Compensation: Payment, including salary and other incentives like stock options.
• Contract: A document setting out an agreement between two or more parties.
• Damages: An amount of money paid to a person who has suffered an injustice.
• Legal action: Using the law to defend one's rights.
• Pay: Money earned by an employee as a salary or wage.
• Pension: A regular payment made to a person after they have retired from active work.
• Reward: To give a payment for services performed or for excellent work or behavior.
• Salary: An amount of money paid every month to an employee in exchange for their services.
• Severance deal/pay: Money paid by an employer when an employee's services are terminated.
• Stock option: An option given to executive employees allowing them to buy shares in the company at a favorable price.

Grammar: Present Perfect

• Changes that affect the present: The remuneration committee has finished its report.
• Situations that started in the past and continue: CEOs have been receiving huge rises for years.
• Show duration: I haven't been promoted for five years.

Grammar: Past Simple

• Finished actions: She worked here for five years (not now).
• Definite or finished time periods: I joined the company in 2003.

Vocabulary Keynotes

• Fat cats: Pez gordo.
• Pay packages: Salario más primas.
• Rewards: Recompensa.
• Pension: Pensión.
• Golden parachute: Indemnización muy alta.
• Severance deal: Kalte-ordaina.
• Remuneration committees: Comités de remuneración.

Vocabulary Synonyms

• Disapproval: Criticism.
• One-off payment: Bonus.
• Don't accept: Reject.
• Court case: Legal action.
• Recommend: Advise.
• Retirement package: Pension.
• Remuneration: Compensation.
• Cause outrage: Make a fuss.

Phrasal Verbs

• Point out: Señalar.
• Set up: Establecer.
• Look after: Arduratu.
• Call on: Acudir a.
• Buy up: Comprar todo.
• Step down: Dimitir.
• Get ahead: Aurreratu.
• Go under: Porrot egin.
• Break down: Pikutara joan.
• Call off: Deialdia bertan behera utzi.