English Grammar, Third edition (2011)

The grammar of business English

Presenting

Describing change

the past compared to the present

You can use the present perfect simple to talk about events or situations that are still important in the present (see 4.33).

The FTSE Index has strengthened further since this morning.
We have made changes based on your concerns and feedback.

the present moment

To talk about change that is still in progress at the present moment, you can use the present progressive (see 4.19).

The economy is growing, but if we look closer there are some worrying trends.
In the country’s major cities, the quality of life is improving.

Making predictions

opinions about the future

You can use will when you are certain about a situation in the future (see 4.53).

The cuts will certainly have a negative effect on the economy.
I believe this attitude will soon become the norm.

You can also use be going to instead of will to make predictions (see 4.58).

She predicts that earnings are going to come down sharply.
We are trying to decide whether the economy is going to go into recession.

expressing a negative opinion about the future

If you want to make a negative prediction, it sounds more polite to introduce an affirmative clause with a phrase like I don’t think than to use a negative clause.

I don’t think this will go down well with the union.
I don’t think it’s going to be a great success.

degrees of certainty about the future

You can use could, may, or might to say that it is possible that something will happen (see 5.124).

These economic problems could cause huge problems for the rest of Europe.
New technology might be able to halve the amount of water we use.
The market may eventually accomplish what environmentalists want.

You use be likely followed by a to-infinitive to say something will probably happen.

Emerging economies are likely to face continuing problems.

You use be bound followed by a to-infinitive to say strongly that something is certain to happen in the future (see 5.232).

The pressure on margins is bound to make success difficult.

Contrasts and comparisons

concessive clauses

You use conjunctions like while, although, in spite of, and despite to contrast one idea with another (see 8.66).

Until now, only 8,000 people have registered with the site, although the company said the number is still increasing.
In spite of the crisis, sales are actually up on last year.
Retail sales are plummeting, while consumer prices are rising.

Whilst and whereas are more formal.

In France there was a small improvement, whereas there was no change in Germany.
Micro’s online store is almost empty, whilst Azar’s has nearly 50,000 products.

making comparisons

You can use an adjective with either -er added to the end (cheaper, older) or more placed in front of the adjective (more expensive,more interesting), followed by than (see 2.103 to 2.111).

The chip is more economical than a dedicated system.
Kondex is bigger than Gartex in terms of sales.

You can also use not as … as or not so … as to compare things (see 2.128).

Our factories are still not as efficient as the car plants in Japan.
Traditional forms of advertising are not as effective as they used to be.

emphasizing degrees of difference

You can use much, a lot or far in front of comparative adjective forms to emphasize a big difference.

Manufacturers are much more cautious than before about investment plans.
The job provides her with a far greater challenge than ordinary office work would.

You can use slightly, a bit or a little to emphasize small differences.

The first-quarter increase was slightly higher at 1.2 %.
If anything, European and Pacific Rim executives are a little more aggressive than the Japanese.

To emphasize small differences with the not as … as structure you can add quite.

But by other measures, oil is not quite as expensive as it seems.

Linking ideas

You can show what sort of connection there is between one sentence and another by using sentence connectors. In a presentation, these connectors prepare the listener for what is coming next.

adding strength to your argument

Connectors such as on top of that and at the same time can be used to add strength to your argument. In writing, or in more formal situations, you can use moreover or furthermore (see 10.49).

The financial crisis continues. On top of that, exceptional weather has devastated crops.
Unemployment has grown rapidly. At the same time, there is low demand for existing skills.
Experts predict that the downturn will be less severe than expected. Furthermore, banks plan to lend more freely in the next three months.

contrast

You use connectors like however, on the other hand, or nevertheless when you want to give another point of view (see 10.51).

If you want job security, this is not the post for you. On the other hand, the salary is good.
There was a fall in sales last month. However, revenue from digital products rose by nearly 20% in the first half.
It is necessary for foreign currency traders to think quickly and accurately. Nevertheless, mistakes do occasionally occur.

cause and effect

When you want to show that the fact or situation you are mentioning is a result of what you have just referred to, you can begin your statement using a connector like so or as a result. If you want to sound more formal you can use consequently or therefore (see 10.52).

Another 3,100 jobs were lost last year. So people no longer trust the company.
We lost sight of what our customers wanted. As a result, sales slumped.
Confidence is still low. Consequently, firms are not willing to make new investments.

Distancing yourself

the passive

You use the passive when you want to focus on actions, views and decisions, rather than on the people responsible for them (see 9.8 to 9.24). It is frequently used in reports, and it is more common in written English.

In 2006, 18.3 % of the world’s electricity was produced using renewable sources.
When materials were coated in the substance, the plating remained stable at room temperature.

The passive is often used to describe processes with adjuncts like first, second, then, and finally to indicate order (see 10.54).

First, the raw data is collated in tables, It is then prepared for processing. Finally, the data model is produced.