Ten Business English Idioms: Practice Exercises and Worksheets

Erin West
Apr 5, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Jul 5

Business English, idioms, American English, phrases, quiz, practice exercises, worksheet — Business English Idioms

Business English idioms can make you sound more confident and natural at work. In this article, you'll learn 10 common American Business English idioms used in meetings, presentations, and daily office conversations. We explain each idiom clearly, give examples, and include practice exercises and worksheets so you can master them and use them naturally in your job.

To check your answers, scroll down to the bottom of the page. For each part, there's a worksheet available for download.

Let's get started!

PART 1. Five Essential Business English Idioms

Step 1. Match the idioms to their definitions.

stand the test of time	A. to start doing something new with energy and enthusiasm
2. double down on something	B. to remain good and effective for a long time
3. read between the lines	C. to think creatively
4. think outside the box (also think out of the box)	D. to put more effort into something
5. hit the ground running	E. to understand the hidden meaning

Step 2. Complete the sentences with one of the idioms from Step 1. Use verbs in the correct form.

They've seen promising results so far, that's why they've decided to _____ on their efforts.
He didn't explicitly say it in his email, but if you _____, it seems like he's not happy with the proposal.
They've been friends and business partners for more than 20 years, so it's true to say that their friendship has _____.
It seems to me that to solve this problem, we need to _____. Traditional solutions are not going to work here.
We expect our new employees to get involved right away. They should _____ from day one.

WORKSHEET PART 1

PART 2: More Business English Idioms to Boost Your Communication

Step 1. Complete each idiom with the correct word from the box.

feet pipeline plug lengths corners

business English idioms, exercises, practice, Business English training — Business English Idioms. Part 2.

Our company goes to great _____ to ensure customer satisfaction. For example, we offer discounts, have 24/7 customer support, resolve complaints promptly and train our employees to prioritize client needs.
She deals with unexpected challenges with such ease. - Yes, she's used to thinking on her _____.
In 2021, they started having financial issues. As a result, they decided to pull the _____ on the project.
We can't afford to cut _____ if we want to keep our customers happy.
More products are in the _____, so we can expect some exciting releases soon.

Want to learn more? Check out our 20 Must-Know Business English Phrases for Work or Common Business English Idioms: How Many Do You Know?

Step 2. Match each idiom with the correct definition.

go to great lengths	A. to stop something from continuing, like a project or activity
2. think on your feet	B. to do everything possible to solve a problem or achieve something
3. pull the plug on something	C. it's being planned or worked on and will soon be available
4. cut corners	D. to do something quickly or cheaply, often resulting in a loss of quality of safety
5. in the pipeline	E. to be able to quickly make decisions

WORKSHEET PART 2

Step 3. Quiz (Idioms from Parts 1-2).

QUIZ: idioms Parts 1 and 2

Now that you've practiced these 10 business idioms, try using them in your next meeting or email. Download the worksheets to keep practicing, or check out our other quizzes to keep building your business English skills!

ANSWER KEY

Part 1.

Step 1.

Step 2.

1.double down

2. read between the lines

3. stood the test of time

4. think outside the box (think out of the box)

5. hit the ground running

Part 2.

Step 1.

1.lengths