Before you start
Welcome
Welcome! This book helps you keep the English you learn. New words and grammar fade fast if you don’t use them again. Here you meet them again, in new sentences and real workplace texts, until they stay.
There are 24 review units, one for each unit of the B1–B2 companion books. Each unit brings together the words, the grammar and the useful phrases for one workplace topic, then checks what you remember. After every six units, a Progress Test shows how you’re doing. At the end, two Level Tests check your B1 and your B2 English.
You can do one unit a week, or two if you have more time. Little and often works best.
How this book works
Before you start a unit, study the matching chapters in the other books, or simply start here and see what you remember. The Goes with line under each unit title shows which chapters it reviews.
Do the first step from memory. Don’t look back at the other books. Trying to remember is the best way to learn. Then check your answers in the key and look back at anything you forgot.
Use the key well. All the answers are at the back of the book. When more than one answer is possible, a slash (/) shows them all. For writing, the key gives a model answer: one good answer, not the only one.
Come back later. A few days after a unit, do its Unit check again, or write the text again without looking at your first version.
How each unit works
Every unit has seven steps and about 60 practice questions.
| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1 · From memory | Remember the words and the grammar rules. No looking back! |
| 2 · Words at work | Use the words in a real email or message, and with the words that go with them. |
| 3 · Grammar at work | Choose and make the right forms. |
| 4 · Real-life task | Read a real workplace text, answer questions and complete a conversation with useful phrases. |
| 5 · Error clinic | Find and fix the kind of mistakes many learners make. |
| 6 · Write it | Write a short text of your own. Compare it with the model answer. |
| 7 · Unit check | Ten quick questions. Each answer is worth two points: ______ / 20. |
Tests and scores
Progress Tests 1–4 come after Units 6, 12, 18 and 24. Each test has 50 points: vocabulary, grammar, useful phrases, reading and writing.
Level Tests B1 and B2 come at the end of the book. Each has 80 points and mixes material from all 24 units.
What your score means
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 85–100% | Excellent. You can use this language with confidence. |
| 70–84% | Good. Look again at the questions you got wrong. |
| 50–69% | OK, but not secure yet. Do the units again in a week. |
| under 50% | Go back to the matching chapters, then try again. |
The tests in this book measure your progress against the Learn Real Business English series. They are not official CEFR results.
Using this book with B1 and B2
This book works on its own, but it works best with the B1–B2 companions: Business Vocabulary in Real Life B1–B2, Business Grammar in Real Life B1–B2 and Business Conversations in Real Life B1–B2, and with Learn Real Business English B1, B2 or the B1–B2 Collection. Each unit here reviews the chapter or unit with the same number in the three companion books.
| Unit | Vocabulary | Grammar | Conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Communicating at Work | 1 · Communicating at Work | 1 · Present Simple and Present Continuous | 1 · First Day: Introductions and Small Talk |
| 2 · Roles and Performance | 2 · Roles and Performance | 2 · Past Simple, Past Continuous and Past Perfect | 2 · Who Does What? Roles and Responsibilities |
| 3 · Company Structure | 3 · Company Structure and Departments | 3 · Present Perfect and Past Simple | 3 · How Things Work: Explaining a Process |
| 4 · HR and Policies | 4 · HR, Contracts and Policies | 4 · Present Perfect Continuous | 4 · Can You Give Me a Hand? Asking for Help |
| 5 · Teamwork | 5 · Teamwork and Working Relationships | 5 · Future Forms | 5 · On the Phone: Taking and Leaving Messages |
| 6 · Career and Growth | 6 · Career and Professional Growth | 6 · Future Continuous and Future Perfect | 6 · Video Calls: When Things Go Wrong |
| 7 · Processes and Procedures | 7 · Processes and Procedures | 7 · Questions and Indirect Questions | 7 · Starting a Meeting |
| 8 · Meetings | 8 · Meetings | 8 · Obligation and Permission | 8 · Giving a Project Update |
| 9 · Projects | 9 · Projects and Milestones | 9 · Advice, Suggestions and Possibility | 9 · Deadlines and Priorities |
| 10 · Time and Workload | 10 · Time, Priorities and Workload | 10 · Polite Requests and Offers | 10 · Sharing Opinions and Suggestions |
| 11 · Emails and Messages | 11 · Emails and Messages | 11 · Deduction: Must, Might, Can’t | 11 · Agreeing and Disagreeing Politely |
| 12 · Online Work | 12 · Calls and Online Work | 12 · Reported Speech | 12 · Wrapping Up: Actions and Next Steps |
| 13 · Customers and Service | 13 · Customers and Service | 13 · Relative Clauses | 13 · A First Call with a New Client |
| 14 · Problems and Solutions | 14 · Problems and Solutions | 14 · The Passive | 14 · Handling a Complaint |
| 15 · Sales and Marketing | 15 · Sales and Marketing | 15 · Zero and First Conditionals | 15 · Solving a Problem Together |
| 16 · Money and Budgets | 16 · Money, Budgets and Costs | 16 · Second, Third and Mixed Conditionals | 16 · Negotiating a Deal |
| 17 · Data and Reports | 17 · Data, Figures and Reports | 17 · Gerunds and Infinitives | 17 · Business Travel: Arrivals and Arrangements |
| 18 · Suppliers and Logistics | 18 · Suppliers, Orders and Logistics | 18 · Comparison | 18 · Networking at a Conference |
| 19 · Opinions and Recommendations | 19 · Opinions and Recommendations | 19 · Linking Ideas: Contrast | 19 · Presenting Results |
| 20 · Negotiating | 20 · Agreeing, Disagreeing and Negotiating | 20 · Linking Ideas: Cause, Result and Purpose | 20 · Explaining Data and Trends |
| 21 · Presentations | 21 · Presentations | 21 · Articles and Countable Nouns | 21 · Handling Questions |
| 22 · Travel and International Work | 22 · Travel and International Work | 22 · Quantifiers | 22 · Giving and Receiving Feedback |
| 23 · Change and Technology | 23 · Change, Technology and Innovation | 23 · Prepositions at Work | 23 · A Job Interview |
| 24 · Strategy and Goals | 24 · Strategy, Goals and Competition | 24 · Softening and Hedging | 24 · Moving On: A Farewell and a Fresh Start |
The people in this book
Most of the texts in this book come from Tavrin Group, a logistics and route-planning company. Its head office is in Bristol, and it has offices in Lisbon and Kraków. You’ll meet the same people again and again.
| Person | Works in |
|---|---|
| Inês Duarte | Operations, Lisbon (Team Lead from Unit 6) |
| Daniel Mensah | Operations, Bristol (Inês’s line manager; moves to Madrid in Unit 24) |
| Ollie Grant | Operations, Bristol (new in Unit 1; Operations Coordinator in Unit 24) |
| Hannah Weiss | HR, Bristol |
| Raj Mehta | IT, Bristol |
| Clara Bauer | Sales, Kraków |
| Petra Novak | Finance, Kraków |
| Sara Lund | Head of Operations, Bristol |
You’ll also meet Tavrin’s customers and suppliers: Tom Hale at Fenmoor Garden Centres, Marek at Kelvane Foods and Paul Dunne at Scanora.
All the people and companies in this book are fictional. Email addresses use the reserved domain example.com.
Ready? Let’s start.
Part 1 · People and Roles
Unit 1 · Communicating at Work
Goes with Vocabulary 1 · Grammar 1 · Conversations 1 · Your goal: You can keep people informed, use the present simple and continuous correctly, and welcome a new colleague.
Clear, friendly communication keeps a team working well. In this unit, a new colleague starts at Tavrin, and everyone helps him settle in.
1.1 From memory
Exercise 1 · Remember the words. Write the word or phrase. The first letters are there to help you.
- a short early warning about something: a h______-u______
- to add someone to an email chain: l______ someone i______
- to explain something very clearly, with all the details: s______ o______
- the person you talk to about something: p______ o______ c______
- to check something a second time: d______-c______
- to write someone a short message: d______ someone a l______
Exercise 2 · Remember the grammar. Complete the rules with simple or continuous.
- For routines and facts, use the present ______.
- For things happening now or around now, use the present ______.
- With state verbs like need, know and want, use the present ______.
- For future arrangements with a fixed time, use the present ______.
1.2 Words at work
Exercise 3 · Complete the email. Use six of the words and phrases in the box. There are two extra.
Use: heads-up · in the loop · double-check · go over · point of contact · spells out · FYI · drop me a line
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Ollie starts on Monday
Hi all,
Just a quick (1) ______: Ollie Grant joins our team on Monday. I’m his main (2) ______ for the first month, so please send any questions about his start to me.
On Monday morning, Inês and I will (3) ______ our weekly routine with him. Inês has written a one-page guide that (4) ______ who does what.
Raj, could you (5) ______ that his laptop is ready? If anyone has ideas for his first week, (6) ______ before Friday.
Thanks, Daniel
Exercise 4 · Words that go together. Choose the right word.
- I’ll keep / hold you in the loop about the new contract.
- Can you loop / ring Petra in on this email?
- Thanks to / for the heads-up about the strike.
- She’s our main point of / for contact at the bank.
- Her email was short, but it got / made the message across.
1.3 Grammar at work
Exercise 5 · Choose the right form.
- Inês works / is working in the Lisbon office.
- This week she works / is working from Bristol.
- I need / am needing the figures by Thursday.
- Look! Raj sets up / is setting up your laptop now.
- We meet / are meeting the new client at ten tomorrow.
- The guide explains / is explaining the Friday checks.
Exercise 6 · Complete with the right form. Use the present simple or the present continuous of the verbs in brackets.
- Ollie ______ (start) work at 8.30 every day.
- Sorry, Daniel can’t talk. He ______ (have) a call with Kraków.
- ______ you ______ (know) where the meeting room is?
- We ______ (not use) that system any more.
- Hannah ______ (prepare) the contracts at the moment.
- What time ______ the train ______ (leave)?
1.4 Real-life task
On Monday morning, Inês writes to the team chat.
#operations-team · Monday
Inês Duarte 08:55
Morning, all! Ollie is here today. He’s sitting next to Daniel this week. Ollie, welcome to Tavrin!
Ollie Grant 09:02
Thanks, Inês! I’m reading the team guide now. It’s really clear.
Raj Mehta (IT) 09:10
Hi Ollie. Your laptop is ready, but I’m still setting up your email. I’ll keep you in the loop.
Inês Duarte 09:14
FYI, Ollie: we usually have our team call at 9.30 on Mondays. Today it’s at 10, because Daniel is meeting a client first.
Ollie Grant 09:16
OK, thanks for the heads-up!
Exercise 7 · Read and answer. True or false?
- Ollie is sitting next to Inês this week.
- Ollie’s email isn’t ready yet.
- The Monday team call is normally at 10.
- Today, Daniel has a meeting before the call.
Exercise 8 · Complete the conversation. Later, Inês introduces Ollie to Hannah from HR. Use the phrases in the box.
Use: Let me introduce you to · I’ve just joined as · How are you settling in · I’ve heard a lot about you · I’ll leave you to it · Give me a shout
Inês: Ollie, (1) ______ Hannah. She’s our HR manager.
Ollie: Hi, Hannah. Nice to meet you. (2) ______ an operations assistant.
Hannah: Good to meet you too, Ollie. (3) ______ from Daniel!
Ollie: Only good things, I hope!
Hannah: Of course. So, (4) ______ so far?
Ollie: Really well, thanks. Everyone’s very friendly.
Inês: Great. (5) ______ now. Ollie, (6) ______ if you need anything.
1.5 Error clinic
Exercise 9 · Find and fix. Each sentence has one mistake. Correct it.
- Please contact with Raj about your laptop.
- Thanks for the head-up about the train strike.
- She work in the finance team in Kraków.
- I’m needing your signature on this form.
- Do you come to the team lunch tomorrow? (an arrangement)
- Let me introduce you Clara from sales.
1.6 Write it
Exercise 10 · Write. A new colleague, Mia, starts on your team next week. Write a message to your team chat (60–80 words). Give a heads-up, say who her point of contact is and what she’s doing on her first day, and ask people to drop you a line with ideas. Use at least three words from this unit, and both the present simple and the present continuous.