Business English Vocabulary: How Professionals Talk About Decisions

Erin West
Apr 2, 2025
4 min read

Updated: Jan 5

Business English vocabulary and professional phrases, article and quiz for meetings, negotiations, and workplace communication, focusing on real-life professional English used by native speakers.

In real meetings, decisions shift more often than people admit. A project moves ahead, then pauses — sometimes without anyone explicitly saying so.

This article focuses on the Business English vocabulary professionals use to talk about decisions at work — clearly, calmly, and without overcommitting. You’ll see how experienced professionals signal commitment, responsibility, and next steps, even when answers aren’t final yet.

Today’s Challenge:

You’re on a short team call at the start of the week.

The work itself isn’t new. Everyone knows what needs to be done.

What’s unclear is the standard. How seriously is this being taken?

Someone asks if deadlines are flexible this month.

There’s a brief pause.

Then the manager says:

We’re _____ to getting quality work done on time.

A) decided

B) focused

C) interested

D) committed

Choose the correct option and listen to the sentence.

Did you get it right?

DECIDE

verb

to choose what you will do or what you want

I decided to take the job.
She decided to study business.
They decided to work from home.
We decided to change the plan.

FOCUSED (ON)

adjective

thinking only about one thing and not getting distracted

He is focused on his work.
Stay focused during the meeting!
She is focused on her goals.
We are focused on growing the business.

INTERESTED (IN)

adjective

wanting to know more about something or be part of it

I’m interested in marketing.
Are you interested in this job?
She’s interested in learning English.
We’re interested in your idea.

COMMITTED (TO)

adjective

giving time and effort to something because it’s important

She is committed to helping her team.
They are committed to finishing the project on time.
He’s committed to learning English every day.
The company is committed to being honest and fair.

That's right! The correct answer is D) committed.

How Professionals Talk About Decisions at Work: Practical Business English Vocabulary

Business English vocabulary professionals use in meetings and negotiations to describe decisions clearly, signal alignment, and communicate whether plans are final, under review, or moving forward.

Below are more phrases professionals use when they talk about decisions at work. These are the short sentences people rely on in meetings and negotiations to say whether something is decided, still being discussed, or moving forward. They’re simple, natural, and used every day in real professional conversations.

1. We’re aligned on this now.

Everyone agrees on the decision and what happens next.

We’re aligned on this now. If something comes up, we’ll revisit it — but for now, let’s stick with this.

We're aligned on this.

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2. It’s approved.

The decision has been accepted and can move forward.

This was pending until yesterday. It’s approved now — finance signed off, so we’re good to go.

It's approved.

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3. This is still under review.

The decision is being looked at and may change.

I know people are asking about this. This is still under review, so I don’t have an update yet.

This is still under review.

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4. We’re set on this.

A decision has been made, and we are no longer discussing other options.

At this point, there’s no need to reopen the discussion. We’re going with the second option. We’re set on this.

We're set on this.

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5. I’m accountable for that decision.

I take responsibility for the outcome.

Yes, I approved it. I’m accountable for that decision, so if there are any concerns, bring them to me.

I'm accountable for that decision.