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What to Say When Things Go Wrong at Work: Business English Phrasal Verbs + Quiz
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
In this article:
When something goes wrong at work, you don’t have time to think about perfect grammar. You need clear, natural language. Fast.
A deadline slips. A client complains. A project doesn’t go as planned. In those moments, what you say matters.
In this lesson, I’m going to teach you 4 natural business English phrasal verbs professionals use when handling problems at work. These are the kinds of phrases you’ll hear in real meetings and team conversations.
Let's get started.
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Today's Challenge
Your team had a tense call with a client. They were upset because they were expecting the product to go live on Monday, and it didn’t.
After the call, you check the contract and the emails. At the start, one email mentioned Monday. Later, the final plan and the signed contract both said Tuesday. The client kept Monday in their notes and never updated it.
Later that afternoon, you’re talking to a coworker.
- So what actually happened? I thought we messed something up. - No. In the end, the whole issue _____ to a small misunderstanding. They had Monday in their calendar, but the contract clearly says Tuesday.
A) fell apart B) turned up C) brought up D) boiled down
Choose the correct answer and listen to the sentences.
Business English phrasal verbs: meaning and examples
Here’s a quick breakdown of the options.
fall apart
phrasal verb
to stop working or fail because of a problem
- Are we still launching today?
- No, the plan fell apart when the main file didn’t load.
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turn up
phrasal verb
to appear or be found
- Did you find the contract?
- Yeah - it turned up in my spam folder.
bring up
phrasal verb
to start talking about something
- Should I bring up the deadline on the call?
- Yes, so everyone’s clear on the date.
boil down to
phrasal verb
to be mainly about one simple reason
- We keep arguing about which option to choose, and nobody’s happy with any of them.
- I know. But it boils down to budget. We want the nicer option, but we’re not willing to pay for it.
That's right! The correct answer is D) boiled down.
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Business English phrasal verbs: speaking practice
Read the scenario. What would you say? Use the phrasal verb you just learned. Then listen to the example answer.
Back in the office full-time?
Your company is hybrid right now. People come into the office two days a week. Your boss wants everyone in the office five days a week starting next month. In a meeting, people disagree about it. Your boss asks for your opinion.
What do you say? Use *it boils down to one key issue.
SHOW TRANSCRIPT
For me, it boils down to one key issue: are we getting the work done? If people are doing their jobs and replying quickly, five days feels too much. I’m open to coming in more, but we need a clear reason. And we should expect some people may leave.
Skip textbook phrases—get real workplace scenarios, full dialogues, and speaking practice in Pro Vocabulary Lab.
Erin West is a Business English educator, writer, and founder of RealBusinessEnglish.com. She creates practical lessons, quizzes, and learning materials that help professionals use clear, natural, and confident English at work — with just the right amount of fun.
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