Homework:

1. How to make suggestions:

Why don't/doesn't you/we/they/he/she/it ...? Why don't we call for an emergency meeting?
You/We could/might ... We could take them to the new Italian restaurant.
What about ... ? What about hiring more people?
How about ... ? How about extending the deadline?
I suggest ... I suggest we postpone the launch.
Let's ... Let's have a short break.

Greg and Cathy are organizing the company's anniversary party.

Cathy: I suggest a '70s theme for the company's anniversary party.
Greg: That's a good idea. Why don't we dress up as the cast from Mamma Mia?

Aaron and his team have been meeting for two hours.
Aaron: I think we are all feeling a bit tired. How about a short break before we resume the
meeting?
Anna: Let's have a 15-minute coffee break.

Carter and Michelle are making plans for their German clients.
Carter: Let's take our new clients out to dinner. Which restaurant should we take them to?
Michelle: What about the new restaurant that serves a fusion of Italian and Spanish dishes?

2. Simple future tense (To talk actions that not has not yet started): "will" or "shall" + verb

I WILL EAT DINNER AT 8PM.

EMMA WILL TRAVEL TO PARIS TOMORROW.

I SHALL LOOK FOR A JOB NEXT WEEK.

I SHALL NOT LOOK FOR A JOB NEXT WEEK.

I AM GOING TO TRAVEL TOMORROW.

I AM NOT GOING TO HELP DAVID.

I will sleep at 10 p.m.

He will use the computer later.
Marie will take the bus to work tomorrow.

3. To VS For

The prepositions "to" and "for" can be used interchangeably to state the reason for
doing something. "To" is followed by a verb, while "for" is followed by a noun.
"To" is also used when:

 identifying the direction, destination, or recipient of something

 telling the time or its duration
 expressing preferences
 introducing infinitives that follow certain verbs, like "allow" or "learn"
 forming idiomatic expressions, like "to excess" or "to date"

"For" is used when:

 identifying the direction, destination, or recipient of something

 describing a period of time or a future event
 indicating a substitution
 expressing gratitude or talking about a favor done
 talking about the benefits of something
 showing agreement or support for something
 forming idiomatic expressions, such as "for good" or "for a living"

4. COLON (:) VS SEMICOLON (;)

Here are ways of using the colon and the semicolon:

Use the colon:

 to introduce a list of items after a complete sentence

 to introduce a direct quotation longer than three lines
 to follow the salutation of a business letter

Use the semicolon:

 to separate items in a series with a comma

 to separate two clauses without a conjunction

5. IN/ON/AT

"In" is used before spans of time, such as seconds, minutes, days, weeks, months,
seasons and years. "In" is also used for parts of the day.

We met in January.
We will visit you in the spring.
I visited France in 1977.
She goes home in the afternoon.
He will be home in a day or two.

"On" is used before days and dates.

He will come on Tuesday.

She was born on Jan. 6, 1982.

"At" is used before precise times.

We will meet at 9:00.

I am leaving at 5:00.
 6. Phrasal verbs for giving instructions

Separable phrasal verbs

Fill out: to write or type information in the spaces provided in a document
Please fill out the immigration form.
Kindly fill the arrival card out.

put away: to place an object in its assigned container or area

Please put away your bag.
Can you put the magazines away, please?

put up: to raise an object back to its original position

Could you please put the tray table up?

strap in: to keep a person in position by placing a seat belt around him or her
Can you strap the child in?
Please make sure to strap in before takeoff.
*put the sit belt on!*

turn off: to make a machine stop working by pressing a button

Please turn your mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices off.

Inseparable phrasal verbs

call on: to ask someone to do something
If you need help with your luggage, please call on one of our cabin crew members

look after: to take care of or be responsible for something or someone

Please look after your belongings at all times.

look around: to turn one's head in order to see something

Please look around your seat area for personal belongings before leaving the plane.

7. VOCABULARY:

allure: attractiveness
The allure of the city encourages millions of foreign tourists to visit every year.
allure

[El atractivo de la ciudad anima a millones de turistas extranjeros a visitarla cada

año.]

picturesque: pleasant or beautiful to look at

The picturesque town is famous for its green fields and mountain views.
[La pintoresca ciudad es famosa por sus verdes campos y sus vistas a la montaña.]

make the most of (something): to enjoy or use something completely

George's family hired a private tour guide to help make the most of their vacation in
Bangkok.
[La familia de George contrató a un guía turístico privado para aprovechar al máximo
sus vacaciones en Bangkok.]
surge: to increase in a strong and quick manner
Laptop sales are expected to surge because of the increase in the number of
employees working from home.

bespoke: made or designed to fit the needs of someone or something

Harry feels more confident in bespoke suits than in ready-to-wear business attire.

excursions: short trips that are done for pleasure

OnFoot Travel offers budget-friendly walking excursions to major tourist sites in the
city.

noticeably: in a way that is clear or easy to see

The office looked noticeably brighter and wider with the new lights and furniture.

8. Non-restrictive relative clauses provide information that can be removed from a

sentence without affecting its meaning. These clauses are separated from the rest of
the sentence using one or more commas.

- The airline, which was established in 1985, flies to 161 destinations

in 85 countries.
- The building that stands on the left side of the hospital belongs to
the McMeer Group.
- Employees who wish to take a vacation must email their supervisors
at least a week in advance.
- The restaurant will be closed to the public on May 25th, when it will
serve as a venue for a company party.

Vocabulary:
greenlight - Luz verde

8. Grammar:
apostrophe:

 Use the apostrophe and "s" to form a possessive noun.

Peter's house (the house of Peter)
 Use the apostrophe and "s" to form a possessive pronoun that includes "one" or
"body."
 Use the apostrophe to replace letters removed from a word.
 Use the apostrophe to replace numbers removed from a year.

9. Suffixes that form adjectives

-able: can receive an action; inclined towards something (verbs)

I need to choose a more readable font for my report.

washable | drinkable | readable | sociable | charitable | agreeable

-al having the qualities of (noun)

accidental
seasonal
medical
functional

Their accidental meeting led to a discussion of a new business idea.

-ful; full of
Mr. Anderson is a successful manager.
useful
successful
beautiful

-ic: possesses or uses up something (noun)

He plays an electric guitar.
electric
hygienic
historic

energizing cereals.

-ly; acts like (noun) copying something

Laura’s friendly smile welcomed the participants to the conference.

friendly
motherly
fatherly

-ish: has some qualities of

His childish behavior makes him very unreliable at work.
childish
boyish
whitish

-less; without
You shouldn't be careless in calculating the costs of the project.
careless
homeless
loveless

-ous; having a lot of; full of

Ms. David is very ambitious.

virtuous
ambitious
amorous
10. Vocabulary:
Greenlight (aprobar)
Germany aims to be the first country in the world to greenlight the use of self-
driving vehicles on the road.
[Alemania pretende ser el primer país del mundo en dar luz verde al uso de
vehículos de autoconducción en la carretera.]

Sustainable (sostenible)

Alternatives (alternatives)
Parity (paridad)
Rolled out (despliegue)
Conventional (convencional)
Projected (proyectado)
Hub
Viable (viable)

11. Despite, in spite of vs. although, even though, though

"Despite" and "in spite of" can be followed by a noun or noun phrase.
"A pesar de" y "a pesar de" son preposiciones. Estas dos preposiciones son intercambiables.
Despite (a pesar de) / In spite of (a pesar de)

Despite the rain, ABC Foods Inc. went ahead with its product launch.
[A pesar de la lluvia, ABC Foods Inc. siguió adelante con el lanzamiento de su
producto.]

Despite the absence of her friends, Lucy went ahead with her birthday celebration.
A pesar de la ausencia de sus amigos, Lucy siguió adelante con la celebración de su
cumpleaños.

Lucy went ahead with her birthday celebration in spite of the absence of her friends.
Lucy siguió adelante con la celebración de su cumpleaños a pesar de la ausencia de sus
amigos.

"Despite" and "in spite of" can also be followed by a gerund or gerund phrase.
In spite of failing, Johann is still hopeful about his business ventures.
A pesar de haber fracasado, Johann sigue teniendo esperanzas en sus negocios.

Harold continued to work hard, despite experiencing several challenges.

Harold continuó trabajando duro, a pesar de experimentar varios desafíos.

"Despite" and "in spite of" can be placed at the beginning of the sentence.
Despite her injury, Monica was able to win the race.
In spite of her injury, Monica was able to win the race.

"Despite" and "in spite of" can also be placed in the middle of the sentence.
 The band continued playing despite having a small audience.
The band continued playing in spite of having a small audience.
La banda siguió tocando a pesar de tener poco público.

Although (aunque)
Even though (a pesar de)
Though (a pesar de)

Even though it was raining, ABC Foods Inc. went ahead with its product
launch.
[A pesar de la lluvia, ABC Foods Inc. siguió adelante con el lanzamiento de su
producto.]

Although ABC Foods Inc. is just a startup, the company was awarded the best
ingredient supplier of the year.
[A pesar de que ABC Foods Inc. es sólo una startup, la empresa recibió el
premio al mejor proveedor de ingredientes del año.]

ABC Foods Inc. was awarded the best ingredient supplier of the year though it is just
a startup.
[ABC Foods Inc. fue galardonada con el premio al mejor proveedor de ingredientes del
año a pesar de ser sólo una empresa emergente.]

DESPITE, IN SPITE OF

 used as prepositions
 followed by a noun or noun phrase
 followed by a gerund or gerund phrase
 placed either at the beginning or in the middle of the sentence

ALTHOUGH, EVEN THOUGH, THOUGH

 used as conjunctions for connecting clauses

 placed at the beginning or in the middle of the sentence
 could be followed by an adjective or adjective phrase describing an omitted
subject (for "although" and "though")

---

12. WHEN

 introduces a clause at the beginning or middle of a sentence

 refers to an exact date, event or time
 replaces "if" in a conditional sentence
 talks about two simultaneous actions that are always true

WHILE
  introduces a clause at the beginning or middle of a sentence
 shows two actions happening at the same time
 shows two contrasting ideas

MEANWHILE

 suggests an action that can be done during another action

 follows a sentence that states a situation

concentrate

 to direct one's attention to a specific object or action

[be] concentrated

 gathered together; not scattered

 having no or less liquid content; not mixed with other things

focus

 to give one's attention or effort to a specific person or thing. "Focus" is often

used to describe a mental activity.

13. First conditional (CONDITION + A RESULT)

condition (simple present tense) + a result (simple future tense).

If you don’t lower the price, the client will reject the proposal.
[Unless you lower the price, the client will reject the proposal]

If you prepare well, you will win the account.

Real possibilities:
It is formed with a condition (simple present tense) + a result (simple future
tense).

If John wakes up late, he will miss the bus to work

If the price of oil increases, the price of oil-based products will also increase
If Joey's presentation fails to be persuasive, his buyers will look for a different
supplier
If your boss hears your loud music, he will ask you to turn it down
If Darla comes in late for the sixth time, she will receive a memo from the boss
about her tardiness
If Rebecca fails to submit her work on time, she will be given a warning
 14. How to negotiate win-win deals

Katy: After reading the specifications you stated in your email and analyzing what needs to be done,
I'm afraid our team can't finish it on the date you want.

Client: I see … Isn't there any way of speeding things up? How about working overtime?

Katy: That sounds okay, but we do charge by the hour for overtime work. If that's what you want,
then I'll tell my team that we'll be putting in some extra hours.

Katy: What if you extend the deadline for around two days? That way, you won't have to pay us for a
week's worth of overtime hours. You can be sure that our work will still be of top quality. Does that
sound reasonable?

Client: It does. I agree to your proposal.

Katy: We have a deal then. Thank you.

 We can use question words and modal verbs to make proposals and
compromises for win-win deals.
What/How about ... ?
I think ... What/How about you?
What if ... ? (Does that sound okay/reasonable?)
I/We can/could ... , but that means ...
How about ... ?
How about cutting the guest list from 100 people to 75?
What if ... ?
What if we separated the team into three groups?
What about ... ?
What about working over the weekend?
I think ... What do you think?
I think we should hire contract-based workers to finish the project on time.
What do you think?
What if ... Does that sound okay/reasonable?
What if I buy three pairs of these and you give me a discount? Does that sound
okay?
We/I could ... but that means ...
I could do a rush job, but that means the quality may suffer.

 First-conditional statements are useful for describing the consequences of

proposed actions and solutions.

If ... , then ...

If I work over the weekend, then that means you will have to pay me for
overtime work.
If that's what you want, then I'll tell my team that we'll have to put in extra
hours.
You'll have to pay us for overtime work if we work over the weekend

14. Explaining problems using adverbs of cause and effect

Adverbs that show cause

 because
Because many farmers rely on fertilizers that emit toxic chemicals, the air
quality in the agricultural region has become depleted.
 in order to
Although fossil fuel use increases local pollution, companies still use this
resource in order to cut down on production costs.
 Since
The company CEO considers letting all employees work from home since
working in the office costs more energy and produces more waste.

Adverbs that show effect

 thus
A recent company survey reveals that working in the office causes many
employees to buy takeout meals, thus increasing the amount of garbage from
plastic cutlery.
 as a result
Research says that aluminum waste from ships eventually forms unwanted
debris on the ocean surface. As a result, the waste hinders the healthy
development of marine plants and other creatures.
 consequently
Most companies use printed meeting reports as a norm. These printouts are
usually discarded after a meeting, and consequently produce a huge amount of
waste.

15. Presenting solutions using adverbs of emphasis

 naturally
By using their own reusable containers for buying grocery items, customers and
retail stores naturally eliminate waste and save on production costs.
 Positively
Using fully electric vehicles can positively lessen the amount of produced
gasses that contribute to global warming.
 undoubtedly
Having machines that are powered by renewable sources will undoubtedly
lower the company's carbon footprint.
 clearly
Using wind energy instead of oil is clearly an affordable method of operating a
green business.
 certainly
With an employee shuttle service, the company can certainly reduce its
greenhouse gas emissions.

 very good!

Last week I celebrated my graduation for my master's degree. It was a bit tiring because it was
on a weekday, so the next day I had to work. can you imagine that it ended after almost 3
hours because we were almost 1000 graduates? crazy!

The words "can," "must," "will," "should" and "might" are called modals. Here are the
general rules for using modals:

 Modals do not change form for singular or plural subjects.

 Verbs that follow modals are always in the base form.
 A verb is attached to only one modal.
 For present and future tenses, use modal + base verb.
 For past tense, use modal + base form of "have" + past participle.

Can = ability
 Could (past can)
Will be able to

Must = PRESENT OBLIGATIONS

should
ought to
Have to (Had to IN PAST)

WILL Have to = FUTURE OBLIGATIONS (Will be able to)

CAN, COULD and BE ABLE TO

CAN = Present Ability

Negative form = CANNOT (CAN’T) = inability

COULD = Past Ability

Negative form = Could not (COULDN’T) = Past inability
When I was younger, I could run five kilometers every morning
When he got home, he could not find his key.
I couldn’t understand what the speaker was saying at the presentation today.

BE ABLE TO = Future ability

Will not = Won’t = future inability
If you don't make a decision today, you will not be able to join the conference.
I need to finish this project by Friday, or I won't be able to enjoy my weekend
Jeremy is not able to wake up early every morning.
He was not able to catch his plane.
He will not be able to join the exhibit in Berlin.

HOW TO ASK FOR AND GIVE ADVICE

 Here are useful expressions when asking for advice:

What do I/we do about...?
What do you advise/suggest I/we do (in this situation)?
How do/can I/we handle...? COMO LO PUEDO MEJORAR…
how can I handle low sales?
how can I handle problems when my sales go down?
How do/can I/we deal with...?
What is the best thing to do (about.../ in this situation)?

 Here are useful expressions when giving advice:

I advise/suggest (that)...
Why don't you...?
How about if you...?
I believe it would be best if …
How about if you …?
 I suggest you …

 Modals and the second conditional are also commonly used when asking for or giving advice.
Modals
What/Who/Where/When/How should....?
(I think) You/He/She/We/They should/shouldn't...
(I think) You/He/She/We/They ought (not) to...
(I think) You'd/He'd/She'd/We'd/They'd better (not)...

The second conditional

What would you do in this situation?
If I were you, I would/wouldn't...
I believe it would be best if... YOU+VERB …
I believe it would be best if he chooses the field that he really likes.

Vocabulary: FRENCH START-UP HUB STATION F BUZZING WITH FOREIGN INNOVATION

program: a set of events and activities that people do for a purpose or goal
The city started a program that will help people find jobs in the area.

access: permission to use something

Everyone with a password can have access to the computer's database.

workshops: short educational programs for a small group of people where they learn and
practice new skills
The publishing firm offered writing workshops for people who want to be authors
someday.

formal: following convention or etiquette, usually for an official or important occasion

Guests are required to wear formal clothes to the wedding.

dynamic: interaction between people, relantionship. NOUN, NOT ADJECTIVE.

John loves working with Gregory because the dynamic between them is friendly.

entrepreneurs: people who run businesses

Entrepreneurs gathered for the business conference on the latest market trends.

Comparative Adjective: is used to compare two things. (-er.)

The amount of support given to entrepreneurs is ... much stronger than we could
possibly get in the [U.K.] at the moment."

The word more is added before some adjectives if they have more than one syllable.
some of them have little bean [bag chairs], some of them are more formal."
Present perfect tense = "has/have" + past participle
He has seen "The Mona Lisa."
They have finished the project.
They haven't started the meeting.

Past action is still related to the present

There have been many problems with the new computer system.

When you have done or experienced something in the past

I have visited France three times.

When you have never done or experienced something before.

I have never visited France.

To talk about change that happened over a period of time

Your work has improved since your last performance appraisal.

Using if-then statements

If (condition), then (consequence).

Vocabulary

CONFINED - limited to a certain place

The sale of the film's Blu-ray version was confined to Southeast Asia,
before it was sold in Europe after a few months.
SLEEK - smooth and shiny
The sleek luxury sedan never failed to get people's attention whenever it
passed by the avenue.
DEVOTEES - people who are deeply interested about someone or something
Comic book devotees are usually looking for rare copies that feature
their favorite superheroes.
FORK OUT - pay a certain amount of money for something
Jerry had to fork out $200 to buy baseball tickets for himself and his
friends.
SATURATION POINT - a situation in which new things can no longer be added
because there is already too much of them
The market for coffee shops in the city has reached saturation point
after 50 new coffee shops opened up in the last three years.
SATURATION POINT - a situation in which new things can no longer be added
because there is already too much of them
The market for coffee shops in the city has reached saturation point
after 50 new coffee shops opened up in the last three years.
RAVE REVIEWS - reports that praise or approve of something in a positive and
enthusiastic way
The newly opened restaurant had a lot of rave reviews that focused on
the delicious food it serves.
UP (ONE'S) GAME - do something better; improve one's performance
The football team promised to up their game after their poor
performance last season.
PULL FACTOR - a quality that causes people to like or choose one thing over
another
The promise of a smooth ride was a pull factor that made the new car
more popular than other vehicles in the market.

Acronyms and abbreviations

CEO "Chief Executive Officer
VIP "very important person"
VP "vice president"
Co. "company" (Tiffany & Co., Merck & Co.)
Corp. "corporation" (Microsoft Corp.)
Inc. "incorporated" (Apple Inc.)
LLC "limited liability company" (CNBC LLC)
Ltd. "limited company" (Reebok International Ltd.)
B2B "business to business" (The healthcare company follows a B2B model, so it only
sells its services to companies.)
B2C "business to consumer" (Amazon uses a B2C approach: it sells products directly
to consumers.)
HQ "headquarters" (The company's HQ is in the business district)
HR "human resources" (The HR department prepared Paula's employment contract.)
R&D "research and development" (The R&D department creates the soaps)
COD "cash on delivery" (The online store accepts payments via Paypal, credit card,
or COD.)
EOD "end of day" (Daryl's supervisor asks him to complete the report by EOD.)
KPI "key performance indicator" (The number of products sold and customer
satisfaction are some of the KPIs that the company uses.)
QC "quality control" (The factory incorporates QC into its production process)
ad "advertisement" (The company will create an ad for its new delivery service.)

REGRET
"Regret" + gerund expresses that one feels bad about an action and wishes that it
had not been done.
Margaret regrets informing her colleagues about the changes in the software
they will be using for their work. Now, they are all complaining about it.
"Regret" + infinitive is usually used to give negative information with verbs such as
"inform," "announce," "tell" or "say."
The company regrets to announce the closure of its office in Berlin.
FORGET
"Forget" + gerund is often used with "can't" or "will never" to talk about a
memorable (unforgettable) event.
I can't forget seeing "Guernica" for the first time. It's a very powerful
painting.
"Forget" + infinitive means to fail to remember something.
Don't forget to print another copy of the contract.
REMEMBER
"Remember" + gerund usually refers to things you have already done.
I remember replying to that email. I did it yesterday morning.
"Remember" + infinitive usually refers to obligations -- things you have to do.
I always remember to reply to my emails.

Gerunds vs. infinitives: STOP, GO ON, and TRY

 Stop
"Stop" + gerund means to stop an activity completely.
"Stop" + infinitive means to stop another activity in order to do the action
stated in the infinitive phrase.

 Go on
"Go on" + gerund means to continue what one is already doing.
"Go on" + infinitive means to move on to a different action that is related to
the first one.

 Try
"Try" + gerund means to test out an option.
"Try" + infinitive means to make an effort or to attempt.
It has come to my attention that …
Me he dado cuenta de que...

It has come to my attention that some of you haven't been submitting output reports.
Ha llegado a mi atención que algunos de ustedes no han estado presentando informes
de salida.

I've noticed that …

He notado que ...

I've noticed that our printer hasn't been working properly.

He notado que nuestra impresora no ha estado funcionando correctamente.

It seems that …
Parece que ...

It seems that the program we're using isn't the latest version.
Parece que el programa que estamos usando no es la última versión.

I wanted/would like to let you know (that/about) …

Quería/quisiera hacerle saber (que/sobre) ...

I wanted to let you know the company has a new overtime policy.
Quería hacerle saber que faltan varios archivos.

Quería hacerle saber que la empresa tiene una nueva política de horas extras.
Quería informarle de las nuevas tarifas de pago de horas extras de la empresa.
I wanted to let you know that several files are missing.
I wanted to let you know about the company's new overtime pay rates.

I'd like to remind you that …

Me gustaría recordarle que ...

I'd like to remind you that using Facebook at work is a major offense.
Me gustaría recordarte que usar Facebook en el trabajo es una infracción grave.

I think you should know that …

Creo que deberías saber que ...

I think you should know that our latest product isn't doing so well.
Creo que deberías saber que nuestro último producto no va muy bien.

SUMMARY:

When bringing up work issues, you may

Al plantear cuestiones de trabajo, puede

Express observations Expresar observaciones

I've noticed that our printer hasn't been working properly.
Me he dado cuenta de que nuestra impresora no funciona bien.

Share new information Compartir información nueva

I wanted to let you know the company has a new overtime policy.
Quería informarte de que la empresa tiene una nueva política de horas extras.

I think you should know that our latest product isn't doing so well.
Creo que deberías saber que nuestro último producto no está funcionando bien.

Give reminders Dar recordatorios

I'd like to remind you that using Facebook at work is a major offense.
Me gustaría recordarte que usar Facebook en el trabajo es una infracción grave.

You may use present perfect tense when bringing up work issues:
Puedes utilizar el presente perfecto cuando plantees cuestiones de trabajo:

It has come to my attention that...

Me he dado cuenta de que...
I have noticed that...
Me he dado cuenta de que...
beat the clock
vencer al reloj

to finish something before the time allotted for it has ended

terminar algo antes de que se acabe el tiempo asignado para ello

We asked our colleague in Singapore to email his marketing proposal two days from
now, but he beat the clock and sent it earlier today.

buy time
comprar tiempo

to do something so you can have more time to finish a certain task

hacer algo para tener más tiempo para terminar una determinada tarea

The American team wants the financial report by Friday, but we need to buy time to
include a lot of updated figures in the report.

call it a day/night
dar por terminado el día/la noche

to decide to stop doing something; to stop working for the day or night
decidir dejar de hacer algo; dejar de trabajar por el día o la noche

You've been preparing for tomorrow's presentation since early morning. It's already 5
p.m., so you should call it a day.

call time (on something)

dar por terminado (algo)

to say that it is time for something to end; to end something

decir que es hora de que algo termine; terminar algo

The HR department organized a series of workshops on communication styles to call

time on conflicts among employees of different nationalities.

about time
sobre el tiempo

If it is about time that someone did something, he or she should do it soon. This idiom
is also used to say that someone should have done something sooner or a long time
ago.
Si ya es hora de que alguien haga algo, debería hacerlo pronto. Esta expresión
también se utiliza para decir que alguien debería haber hecho algo antes o hace
mucho tiempo.

Considering the latest developments in technology and the worsening city traffic,
it's about time the company offered work-from-home options.

against the clock

contrarreloj

To do something against the clock means to do it quickly so it can be finished before a

specific time, or within the allowed time.
Hacer algo a contrarreloj significa hacerlo rápidamente para poder terminar antes de
una hora determinada, o dentro del tiempo permitido.

Our team is working against the clock to finish the annual report for the company's
South Korean investors, who want it done before the deadline.

around the clock

las veinticuatro horas del día

To do something around the clock means to do it throughout the day and night without
stopping.
Hacer algo las 24 horas del día significa hacerlo durante todo el día y la noche sin
parar.

IT specialists are working around the clock to reverse thousands of flight booking
cancellations caused by a technical glitch on the airline's website.

ahead of time
antes de tiempo

To do something ahead of time means to do it earlier than expected.

Hacer algo antes de tiempo significa hacerlo antes de lo previsto.

Ms. Anderson's sharp focus and excellent time management allowed her to finish all
her administrative tasks ahead of time.

behind time
con retraso

To do something behind time means to do it later than expected.

Hacer algo con retraso significa hacerlo más tarde de lo previsto.

Slow internet connection can lead to completion of tasks behind time, especially for
teams with members in different countries.

SUMMARY:

Here are time-related idioms you can use when talking about deadlines and tasks:

Verbs

 beat the clock

  buy time
 call it a day/night
 call time (on something)

Adverbs

 about time
 against the clock
 around the clock
 ahead of time
 behind time

Simon Sinek: Getting the natural best out of your people

get the most out of (someone): to gain, use, or bring out the most effective possible results from
a person or people
[sacar el máximo provecho de (alguien): obtener, utilizar o sacar los resultados más
eficaces posibles de una persona o personas]

To maximize success and profits, leaders try to discover how to get the most out of
their employees.
[Para maximizar el éxito y los beneficios, los líderes intentan descubrir cómo sacar el
máximo partido a sus empleados.]
"Simon, how do we get the most out of our people?"
["Simón, ¿cómo sacamos el máximo partido a nuestra gente?"]
* In order to present excellent monthly reports, we must get the most out of meetings

flawed: containing errors, faults, mistakes or defects (/flowd/)

[defectuoso: que contiene errores, fallos, equivocaciones o defectos]
Many files were stolen from the computer database because the security system is
flawed.
[Se robaron muchos archivos de la base de datos informática porque el sistema de
seguridad es defectuoso.]
"It's a flawed question, which means we're gonna get flawed answers."
["Es una pregunta defectuosa, lo que significa que vamos a obtener respuestas
defectuosas".]
Last week the system was flawed. This is why the project is slightly behind schedule.

profoundly: completely and deeply

[profundamente: completa y profundamente]

Gladys is profoundly grateful to the taxi driver for returning the laptop that she
accidentally left inside the car.
[Gladys está profundamente agradecida al taxista por haberle devuelto el ordenador
portátil que dejó accidentalmente dentro del coche.]
"And the answers will be profoundly different."
["Y las respuestas serán profundamente diferentes".]
There was a profoundly investigation for the data collection at the customer's warehouse
visit.

retribution: serious punishment received because of a certain action

[replesalias: castigo grave recibido a causa de una determinada acción]
The employee hesitated to report the company's illegal activities, because of his fear
of retribution.
[El empleado dudó en denunciar las actividades ilegales de la empresa, por su miedo a las
represalias.]
"'I need help,' without any fear of humiliation, without any fear of retribution."
["'Necesito ayuda', sin miedo a la humillación, sin miedo a la retribución".]
More than 40% of women do not report sexual harassment at work for fear of retribution.

undue: greater or more intense than expected or necessary (/andiu/)

[indebido: mayor o más intenso de lo esperado o necesario ]
Leo assured the new employee that the tasks given to her would not cause undue
hardship.
[Leo aseguró a la nueva empleada que las tareas que se le encomendaban no le causarían
un estrés indebido.]
"They would never tell you that they're suffering undue stress because of something
that's happening at home ..."
["Nunca te dirían que están sufriendo un estrés indebido por algo que está pasando en
casa...".]
For the selection of the new project management manager, the committee (/camiti/)shall
make the decision without undue influence from anyone.

shortlist: a list of competing people or things that have already been chosen out of a larger list
[preselección: lista de personas o cosas que compiten y que ya han sido elegidas de una
lista más amplia]

Quentin was included in a shortlist of three candidates for the best employee of the
month.
[Quentin fue incluido en una preselección de tres candidatos al mejor empleado del mes.]
"... they will find themselves on some shortlist for the next round of redundancies."
["... se encontrarán en alguna lista de preseleccionados para la próxima ronda de
despidos".]
 Hopefully the company where I work will be shortlisted as one of the best SAP consulting
companies in Spain. (CONSULTAAAR)

redundancies: instances of firing people from employment

[despidos: casos de despido de personas]

The sudden financial crisis caused redundancies in many companies; hundreds of

people lost their jobs.
[La repentina crisis financiera provocó despidos en muchas empresas; cientos de personas
perdieron su empleo.]
"... they will find themselves on some shortlist for the next round of redundancies."
["... se encontrarán en alguna lista de preselección para la próxima ronda de despidos".]
The number of redundancies in 2020 increased due to the covid pandemic.

Phrasal verbs with GET

Interacting with people

get after (ir detrás) = nag somebody (fastidiar a alguien)
I have to continually get after him to meet his sales quota.
(Tengo que perseguirlo continuamente para que cumpla su cuota de ventas.)

get back at (vengarse) = have revenge; return harm to another (vengarse; devolver el daño a otro)
Tom got back at his rude colleague by not telling him about an important meeting.
(Tom se vengó de su colega maleducado al no avisarle de una reunión importante.)

get across (transmitir ) = make something understood (hacer que se entienda algo)
I need to get across to you how important it is to be on time for the meetings.
(Tengo que transmitirte lo importante que es llegar a tiempo a las reuniones.)

What makes our product unique and practical -- that is exactly what we need to get across to our clients.

get around/about (desplazarse) = socialize or visit different places (socializar o visitar diferentes
lugares)
He doesn’t get around very much. (No se mueve mucho.)

Phrases with more than one meaning

get around (evitar)
1. solve or avoid a problem (resolver o evitar un problema)
We managed to get around the late arrival of the raw materials.
(Conseguimos sortear la llegada tardía de las materias primas.)
We managed to get around setbacks in the project.

2. become publicly known (hacerse públicamente conocido)

If this news gets around, he could lose the election.
(Si esta noticia se da a conocer, podría perder las elecciones.)
We need the new labor law to get around to promote workers' rights.

I will use my vacation to get around Perú and visit my family.

When will you get around you submitting your report?

get at (llegar a)
1. mean or express something (significar o expresar algo)
I don't understand what you mean. What are you getting at?
(No entiendo lo que quieres decir. ¿A qué quieres llegar?)
2. find something out; discover (encontrar algo; descubrir)
We were determined to get at the cause of this problem.
(Estamos decididos a llegar a la causa de este problema.)

If you don't try to get at what a customer really needs, you won't be able to help him or her.

get along (llevarse bien)

1. be friendly with somebody (ser amigable con alguien)
It would be great if those two employees could get along with each other.
(Sería estupendo que esos dos empleados se llevaran bien.)
The new worker does not get along well with his coworkers.

2. move forward or progress (avanzar o progresar)

How are you getting along with the new project?
(¿Cómo te llevas con el nuevo proyecto?)
How is the new project getting along?

Hans is easy to work with because he can get along with anybody.

get away (escaparse)

1. Escape (escaparse)
This is a boring presentation. Maybe we can get away when they turn off the lights.
(Esta es una presentación aburrida. Quizá podamos escaparnos cuando apaguen las luces.)

2. spend time away to relax (pasar un tiempo para relajarse)

We will take a week off from work and get away to a quiet resort.
(Nos tomaremos una semana libre del trabajo y nos escaparemos a un complejo turístico tranquilo.)

get back to (volver a)

1. return to something (volver a algo)
We will move on to the next agenda of the meeting now, but when the director arrives, we will get
back to discussing the merger.
(Ahora pasaremos al siguiente orden del día de la reunión, pero cuando llegue el director,
volveremos a hablar de la fusión.)
We need to get back to the data collection phase to ensure the interpretation of results in the
system.

2. reply to somebody (responder a alguien)

Jim, I'm too busy to talk on the phone now, but I’ll get back to you tomorrow afternoon.
(Jim, estoy demasiado ocupado para hablar por teléfono ahora, pero te contestaré mañana por la
tarde.)
I will get around to finishing my reort before lunch today.

Other phrases
get ahead (salir Adelante) = be successful (tener éxito)
He's a good worker, but he is too shy to get ahead in his career.
(Es un buen trabajador, pero es demasiado tímido para avanzar en su carrera.)

Melissa is very ambitious, which has helped her get ahead in her career.

get around to (ponerse a hacer )= say or do something at last (decir o hacer algo por fin)
When are you going to get around to finishing the report?
(¿Cuándo vas a terminar el informe?)

get away with (salirse con la suya) = escape punishment for a mistake or crime (escapar del
castigo por un error o delito)
You can't get away with stealing office property because there are security cameras everywhere.
(No puedes salirte con la tuya si robas bienes de la oficina porque hay cámaras de seguridad por
todas partes.)

Using phrasal verbs with get

Dave used his vacation time to get around and recover from the stress at work.
(Dave aprovechó sus vacaciones para desplazarse y recuperarse del estrés del trabajo.)

It is easy to follow Ryan's presentations because he immediately explains what he's getting
at instead of providing unnecessary details.
(Es fácil seguir las presentaciones de Ryan porque explica inmediatamente lo que quiere decir en
lugar de dar detalles innecesarios.)

The new president gets along with most employees because he spends time chatting with them
during lunch breaks.
(El nuevo presidente se lleva bien con la mayoría de los empleados porque dedica tiempo a charlar
con ellos durante las pausas para comer.)

SpaceX and T-Mobile unveil satellite plan to end cellphone "dead zones"
(“SpaceX y T-Mobile presentan un plan de satélites para acabar con las "zonas muertas" de la
telefonía móvil”)

CELL TOWERS (TORRES CELULARES)

physical structures that allow wireless communication by sending and receiving
signals to and from devices (estructuras físicas que permiten la comunicación
inalámbrica mediante el envío y la recepción de señales hacia y desde
dispositivos)
The new cell towers improved mobile phone signals and enabled better call quality
in the region.
(Las nuevas torres de telefonía móvil mejoraron las señales de los teléfonos
móviles y permitieron mejorar la calidad de las llamadas en la región.

SATELLITES
man-made objects or devices sent into space to receive and send signals or
information around the Earth
(Objetos o dispositivos artificiales enviados al espacio para recibir y enviar señales
o información alrededor de la Tierra.)

Satellites help people access the internet and communicate with others around
the world.
(Los satélites ayudan a las personas a acceder a Internet y a comunicarse con
otras personas de todo el mundo.)

DEAD ZONES
areas or places where phone or radio signals cannot be sent or received
There are no signals in dead zones because weather conditions and long distances
stop the signals from reaching the areas.

CELL ZONE
an area with phone or radio signals allowing wireless communication across
devices
Mobile phone users in the cell zone can communicate with each other through
texts and calls.
GET IN ON THE ACT
become involved in something started by someone else or do something similar
After the shop's success with its online payment services, many other shops
wanted to get in on the act.

BETA TEST
a process or trial where a new product is used and given feedback by a limited
number of people before it is released to the public
The IT team began the beta test to check if their new mobile app meets the needs
and interests of users.

ROAMING
referring to the ability to access cellphone services outside of a certain network or
area
The roaming service of CallnText Company allows users to send texts to over 30
countries at no extra cost.

Richard Branson: Choosing the best talent (Richard Branson: Elegir los mejores
talentos)

Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, talks about the qualities that the
company looks for in new employees. (Richard Branson, fundador del Grupo Virgin, habla de las
cualidades que la empresa busca en los nuevos empleados.)
He talked about qualities that employees must have in order to get ahead in his company’s career
I was impressed by his performance in picking up his prospective workers. I
mean when he disguised/disgais/ himself as an elder to assess who cared
more about the senior citizen. And finally, there was only one person who
cares about him.

criticize: to express disagreement with, or find fault in, something or someone

criticar: expresar desacuerdo con algo o alguien, o encontrarle defectos
As an editor, Jack does not just criticize his writers' work, but also makes suggestions
to improve it.
(Como editor, Jack no se limita a criticar el trabajo de sus escritores, sino que también hace
sugerencias para mejorarlo.)
"... somebody who doesn't criticize but who praises and brings out the best in people."
"... alguien que no critica, sino que alaba y saca lo mejor de la gente".
I think that the person who criticizes in the company not only wastes his own time, but also that
of his colleagues.

genuinely: in a manner that is truthful and real /genuin/

genuinamente: de manera veraz y real
Paolo teases Oliver frequently, but genuinely believes that he is one of the best
employees in the team.
Paolo se burla de Oliver con frecuencia, pero cree de verdad que es uno de los mejores
empleados del equipo.
"So we look for people who are, you know, great leaders of people because they
genuinely care about people ..."

"Así que buscamos personas que sean, ya sabes, grandes líderes de personas porque se
preocupan genuinamente por la gente..."

I used to believe that it was very difficult to find people who really genuinely care about others
not only in companies, but also in society in general. But now that I am part of a volunteer
group,, I am starting to believe in humanity again, because I have met some fabulous people,
who take action without expecting anything in return. So, this is amazing!

morale: feelings of happiness and motivation about work or a particular task

moral: sentimientos de felicidad y motivación por el trabajo o una tarea concreta
The manager gave her employees a free dinner to boost their morale as they worked
on a project with a tight deadline.
La directora dio a sus empleados una cena gratis para subirles la moral mientras trabajaban en
un proyecto con un plazo muy ajustado.
"If you destroy the morale in a company, it's very, very difficult to get that morale back."

"Si se destruye la moral en una empresa, es muy, muy difícil recuperar esa moral".
If the company organizes a free dinner to celebrate a company triumph, to celebrate special dates
such as Christmas or when it recognizes its employees for their good performance and productivity,
it will boosts employee morale.

generally: in most cases

generalmente: en la mayoría de los casos
The company generally follows an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work schedule, with a few
exceptions.
La empresa suele seguir un horario de trabajo de 8 a 17 horas, con algunas excepciones.
"And so we try generally to promote from within our companies, so we know people's
strengths and weaknesses before we promote them."
"Y por lo general intentamos promocionar desde dentro de nuestras empresas, así conocemos
los puntos fuertes y débiles de la gente antes de promocionarla".
Client meetings for this project are generally on Thursdays.

promote: to move a person to a higher position or more important job within a company
ascender: trasladar a una persona a un puesto más alto o más importante dentro de una empresa
The company will promote Erika to supervisor because she has a good working
relationship with her teammates and reliable management skills.
La empresa va a ascender a Erika a supervisora porque tiene una buena relación de trabajo con
sus compañeros y una capacidad de gestión fiable.
"And so we try generally to promote from within our companies, so we know people's
strengths and weaknesses before we promote them."

"Por lo general, intentamos promocionar desde dentro de nuestras empresas, así conocemos los
puntos fuertes y débiles de las personas antes de promocionarlas".
Nowadays, it is not only necessary to have knowledge and master the theory, but it is also
highly valued to possess and demonstrate soft skills, because this can help you to be promoted
quickly in the company.

get on with: to have a friendly and good relationship with someone

llevarse bien: tener una relación amistosa y buena con alguien
People find it easy to get on with Connie because she is nice and willing to talk about
any topic.
A la gente le resulta fácil llevarse bien con Connie porque es agradable y está dispuesta a
hablar de cualquier tema.
"... we try very hard to, you know, to make sure that they're the kinds of people that we'll
get on with."

"... nos esforzamos mucho para, ya sabes, asegurarnos de que son el tipo de personas con las
que nos llevaremos bien".
In the company where I work, I try to make an effort to be pleasant and get along with
everyone.

interviewing (someone): meeting a person and asking them questions to learn whether they are
suitable for a job or field of study
entrevistar (a alguien): reunirse con una persona y hacerle preguntas para saber si es adecuada
para un trabajo o campo de estudio
The HR employee is interviewing people today to know who will best fit the position of
software engineer.
El empleado de RRHH está entrevistando a gente hoy para saber quién encaja mejor en el
puesto de ingeniero de software.
"I was interviewing somebody who was coming to my country ... there were six people
coming for a job."

"Estaba entrevistando a alguien que venía a mi país... había seis personas que venían a buscar
trabajo".
When I was being interviewed by the human resources area I remember I was very nervous, but they
were so nice so that I felt confident.

Grammar tip: The first conditional = if + simple present tense and the result (simple
present tense or will + infinitive.
"... if they're going to be happy people, they've got to be led by somebody
who is happy themselves ..."
"... if a company brings in somebody that's not that kind of person,
they can destroy a company very quickly ..."

"... si una empresa trae a alguien que no es ese tipo de persona, puede destruir una empresa muy
rápidamente..."
 "If you destroy the morale in a company, it's very, very difficult to get that
morale back."
"Si se destruye la moral en una empresa, es muy, muy difícil recuperar esa moral".
More examples:

If Bea wakes up early, she goes on a run and then eats breakfast.
If a lot of employees want it, the company will allow people to work from home.
If the supplier does not respond on time, the company will look for other providers
for raw materials.

Most commonly used conjunctions I

 and
 but
 or
 because (porque) given a reason
 so (así que) is used to express a result.
Ferdinand was late so his colleagues had to wait for him.
 so that (para que) is used to express a purpose.
You have to simplify your ideas so that everyone can understand them.
We have to finish the report today so that the supervisor can start reviewing
it.
Let's have a meeting so that we can discuss all our concerns.
 if
 unless (a menos que)
 when

to (doing to) verb in infinive

for (purpose)