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Business English for Problems at Work: 12 Useful Phrases for Difficult Situations
- Jun 9, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: 10 hours ago
In this article: Workplace scenario and quick quiz
Problems happen in every workplace, and knowing how to talk about them in clear, natural Business English is important. In this article, you'll learn 12 must-know Business English phrases for discussing problems and difficult situations at work, with examples and a quiz to test yourself.
Today’s Focus:
Useful phrases for dealing with problems at work.
Business English Phrases for Problems: Workplace Scenario Quiz
Your team was almost ready to finish the project, but the computer system stopped working, and you couldn’t access an important file. It’s not a major problem, but it has slowed things down. You need to give a calm update. You say:
We’ve experienced a small ______, but we’re working on a solution.
A) setback
B) sitback
C) seatback
D) setpack
Choose the correct answer and test your Business English!
Using Business English Naturally at Work
Many learners understand the meaning of a phrase or phrasal verb when they read it. But the harder part is using it naturally in a real conversation at work.
That’s what you practice in Pro Vocabulary Lab.
Inside the program, you’ll work with:
• realistic workplace situations
• short dialogues from meetings and emails
• speaking practice with natural business English
Business English phrases for problems: meaning and examples
Here’s a quick breakdown of the options.
setback
noun
a problem that stops or slows progress for a short time
We had a small setback, but the project is still on track.
Their plan faced a setback when the data got lost.
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experience a setback
phrase, formal
to have a problem that slows progress
We experienced a setback when the computer system failed. (less formal: We had a setback when the computer system failed.)
The team experienced a setback after the client changed their mind. (less formal: The team had a setback after the client changed their mind.)
Don’t worry — many successful projects experience setbacks along the way. (less formal: Don’t worry — even successful projects have setbacks along the way.)
Sitback, seatback and setpack are not real words.
That's right! The correct answer is A) setback.
Learn More Business English Phrases for Talking About Problems and Difficult Situations
When something goes wrong at work, people do not always say problem. They use all kinds of natural phrases to talk about delays, pressure, mistakes, and solutions. Let’s look at some of the most useful ones and how they sound in real workplace English.
Talking about problems when they come up
run into
phrasal verb
to suddenly face a problem or an unexpected situation
The company ran into trouble with the new system.
We ran into some problems during the project.
experience a setback
phrase, formal
to have a problem that slows progress
The project experienced a setback when we lost internet access.
We experienced a small setback, but we're back on track now.
act up
phrasal verb
to stop working properly and start causing problems
The printer started acting up right before the meeting.
My laptop’s been acting up all morning.
The system was acting up again, so we couldn’t finish the order.
Talking about pressure, time, and difficulties
face a challenge
phrase
to deal with something difficult
She faces a big challenge at work this week.
The team faced a challenge but didn't give up.
be under pressure
phrase
to feel stressed because you have too much to do
She's under pressure to finish the report by Friday.
Everyone was under a lot of pressure before the product launch.
miss the deadline
phrase
to finish something too late
If we miss the deadline, the client won't be happy.
He worked late so he wouldn't miss the deadline.
be short on time
phrase
to not have enough time to do everything you need
We're short on time, so let's keep this meeting quick.
She was short on time and couldn't finish the task.
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Talking about mistakes or losing focus
drop the ball
idiom
to make a mistake or forget to do something important
I really dropped the ball - I forgot to email the client.
He dropped the ball, and now we're behind schedule.
get off track
idiom
to stop focusing on the main goal
Let's not get off track - we need to finish this first.
The meeting got off track when we started talking about personal stuff.
Talking about fixing the problem
tackle the issue
phrase
to deal with the problem and try to fix it
We need to tackle the issue before it gets worse.
The manager helped us to tackle the issue quickly.
work out a solution
phrase
to find a way to fix a problem
Let's work out a solution that works for both teams.
They met to work out a solution to this urgent problem.
Phrases for explaining the real cause of a problem
boil down to
phrasal verb
to be mainly about one simple reason
In the end, the delay boiled down to a communication problem.
The whole issue boils down to budget.
Related articles
Practice Business English Phrases for problems and difficult situations: Take the quiz
Choose the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence. Then listen to the correct answer.
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Practice Your Business English Phrases. Download the PDF.
ANSWER KEY - QUIZ
1. We _____ a problem halfway through the job, so we had to stop and figure out what went wrong.
A) found ourselves
B) ran into
C) carried out
The correct answer is B) ran into.
2. With two people out this week and the deadline still set for Friday, we’re _____ here.
A) facing a real challenge
B) making steady progress
C) working out
The correct answer is A) facing a real challenge.
3. There was a _____ when the shipment didn’t arrive on time, and that delayed the whole project.
A) breakthrough
B) cutback
C) setback
The correct answer is C) setback.
4. I’ve been _____ to get this report finished by Friday.
A) under a lot of pressure
B) over the stress
C) in the mess
The correct answer is A) under a lot of pressure.
5. The thing is, we were already late once. If we _____ the delivery date again, they might stop working with us.
A) lose
B) miss
C) meet
The correct answer is B) miss.
6. Someone _____ and never sent the updated file, so the client went into the call with the old version.
A) kicked the laptop
B) flipped the pancake
C) dropped the ball
The correct answer is C) dropped the ball.
7. Okay, we’re _____ time this morning, so let’s keep this brief and just cover the main points.
A) short on
B) shirt off
C) shorts up
The correct answer is A) short on.
8. We got _____ during the presentation, and before we knew it, we’d spent ten minutes talking about something completely different.
A) into action
B) along the way
C) off track
The correct answer is C) got off track.
9. They have already followed up twice, so we need to _____ this now before it turns into a bigger problem.
A) deal
B) tackle
C) talk
The correct answer is B) tackle.
10. If we talk it through, I’m sure we can _____ a solution that works for everyone.
A) boil out
B) cry out
C) work out
The correct answer is C) work out.
Erin West is a Business English coach, writer, and founder of RealBusinessEnglish.com. She creates practical lessons and quizzes based on real workplace English.
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