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Learn Business English phrases with our Phrase of the Week!
Each week, we introduce a new phrase to help you sound more natural and confident in your professional communication.
For extra practice, you can download the flashcards—just scroll down to the bottom of the page.
This Week's Phrase:
OFF-LIMITS
adjective
an area you are not allowed to enter
a subject you are not allowed to talk about
The construction site is dangerous, so it’s off-limits to the public.
Personal questions about his family are off-limits.
That area of the park is off-limits.
The topic of salary is off-limits in our team meetings.
The farm's private land is off-limits to hikers.
During the tour, the guide explained that some areas are off-limits for safety reasons.
Listen to the example sentences below. Click on each picture to hear the audio.
Learn more Business English off-phrases
Let’s take a look at more words and expressions with off.
Below there's a list of five words and expressions with off. Choose TWO that are correct.
KEY
Let's Chat!
What topics are off-limits in your workplace?
In my workplace, we don’t talk about personal life too much, like family problems or relationships. Also, religion and politics are not good topics because people can argue. It’s better to talk about work things or general topics. (Aiko, A2-level learner)
Are there any topics that are off-limits when you are with your family?
Yes, in my workplace, I was told not to discuss salaries with colleagues. It’s considered a private topic, and management prefers to avoid misunderstandings between employees. (Matteo, B2-level learner)
Have you ever been told that something was off-limits? What was it?
Yes, once my manager told me not to share project details with people outside the team. It was about confidentiality. That was not easy because I'm friends with many people in my office, and they were asking me what I was working on, but I was not allowed to say. (Valeria, B2-level learner)
