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  • Writer's pictureErin West

10 Essential Expressions to Talk about Performance in Business English: Phrasal Verbs and Idioms Included

Updated: Aug 23

Essential Expressions to Talk About Performance in Business English, Phrasal Verbs, Idioms, Business English for professionals, English for work
10 Essential Expressions to Talk About Performance in Business English: Phrasal Verbs and Idioms Included

Talking about performance is a crucial part of business. In this article, you'll learn 10 essential expressions, including phrasal verbs and idioms, to help you confidently discuss progress, challenges, and results in a work situation.


Step 1. Read and choose.

Read the definition and choose the correct option. You can also view example sentences by clicking EXAMPLES under each quiz card.


  1. To work harder or do more to reach a goal:




EXAMPLES

 

2. To focus on finding the main reason for something happening:




EXAMPLES

 

3. To stay informed about the latest changes and developments:




EXAMPLES

 

4. To make something better or more advanced:



EXAMPLES

 

Business English, business English vocabulary, idioms
10 Essential Expressions to Talk about Performance in Business English: Phrasal Verbs and Idioms Included


5. To set a higher standard for others to follow:



EXAMPLES

 

6. To take the initiative and offer to help with something:



EXAMPLES

 

7. To not meet the expected level or standard:



EXAMPLES

 

8. To go through a difficult time:



EXAMPLES

 

9. To make a mistake or fail to do something important:



EXAMPLES

 

10. To experience problems or difficulties:



EXAMPLES


 

Step 2. Practice.





I.              Match the expressions with their definitions.

 

1. RUN INTO SEVERAL ISSUES

A. To set a higher standard for others to follow

2. DROP THE BALL

B. To make a mistake or fail to do something

3. FALL SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS

C. To work harder or do more to reach a goal

4. RAISE THE BAR

D. To experience problems and difficulties

5. STEP UP THE EFFORTS

E. To not meet the expected level or standard

  

6. HIT A ROUGH PATCH

F. To stay informed about the latest changes and developments

7. STEP FORWARD

G. To make something better or more advanced

8. TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

H. To take the initiative and offer to help with something

9. KEEP UP WITH THE TRENDS

I. To focus on finding the main reason for something happening

10. ZERO IN ON something

J. To go through a difficult time

 

  

II.          Complete the gaps using the expressions in the box below.

 

raise the bar     hit a rough patch      step up

ran into several issues      zero in

 

1.     Our team has decided to ____________the efforts to improve our sales performance this quarter.

2.    The company had a great start but recently ________________ and is now considering restructuring its management.

3.    We should ____________on our target audience to improve sales.

4.    Despite the initial success, the project ________________ and the company faced unexpected delays.

5.    After receiving this feedback, we realized we should ________________ and set higher goals for ourselves.

  

fell short of our expectations      keep up with the trends    

step forward     take it to the next level      dropped the ball    

 

6.    With the market changing so quickly, it's important to ________________.

7.    He really ________________ when he forgot to submit the report on time.

8.    Although we worked hard, in terms of customer satisfaction the results still ________________.

9.    We’ve had some success, but now it’s time to ________________ and push for even better results.

10.                    She decided to ________________ and take on the leadership role for the project.

 

 

 

 Answer Key

I.                1D

2B

3E

4A

5C

6J

7H

8G

9F

 10 I

 

II.              1. step up

2. hit a rough patch

3. zero in

4. ran into several issues

5. raise the bar

6. keep up with the trends

7. dropped the ball

8. fell short of our expectations

9. take it to the next level

10. step forward

 

 

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