Business English: Workplace Vocabulary & Daily Tasks

★★★★★ Business English

Business English: Workplace Vocabulary & Daily Tasks

Improve your Business English with this practical lesson on workplace vocabulary and daily office tasks. Learn useful English expressions for talking about office responsibilities, computer files, workplace communication, and everyday tasks while practicing reading comprehension in a realistic business setting.

Level: Intermediate ⏱ Time: 5 - 10 minutes Categories: Business English, Real-Life English, Vocabulary

💡 What you'll learn

1
Learn useful office and workplace vocabulary
2
Understand common workplace expressions and phrasal verbs
3
Learn vocabulary related to computers, files, passwords, and databases
4
Understand and organize daily office tasks and responsibilities
5
Practice Business English vocabulary through exercises and activities

🔑 Key Expressions

Essential Business Expressions

Office VocabularyOffice ExpressionsComputer VocabularyWorkplace TasksKey VocabularyReview

Essential Office Vocabulary

Learn useful words and expressions for everyday office tasks and workplace activities.

Examples:

  • A branch office is a smaller office in another location.
  • Stationery includes items such as pens, paper, and paper clips.
  • A database is used to organize and store information on a computer.
  • A password allows you to access a computer or system.

Key Vocabulary:

branch office • odd jobs • refurbishment • stationery • database • password • contract • box file • filing cabinet

Common Office Expressions

Learn common expressions used when talking about everyday tasks and activities at work.

Examples:

  • Chuck out means to throw something away.
  • Knock off means to finish work for the day.
  • Pop in means to make a short, informal visit.
  • Get back to someone means to contact someone again with information.

Remember:

These expressions are common in informal workplace English.

Computers and Office Information

Learn vocabulary for working with computers, files, and information in the office.

Examples:

  • The files are saved on the computer’s C drive.
  • You need a password to access the computer.
  • A database organizes and stores information.
  • Loose papers can be kept in a box file or moved to a filing cabinet.

Key Vocabulary:

C drive • password • database • files • box file • filing cabinet • stationery

Everyday Workplace Tasks

Learn how to talk about common tasks an office employee may need to complete during the workday.

Examples:

  • Sort out the old bookcase and move the papers to the filing cabinet.
  • Check the answering machine for messages.
  • Make coffee for people in the office.
  • E-mail the files to someone who needs them.
  • Call a secretary to ask someone to contact you.

Remember:

Office employees often have several different tasks to complete during the day.

Key Vocabulary

  • Branch office
  • Odd jobs
  • Refurbishment
  • C drive
  • Password
  • Chuck out
  • Contract
  • Knock off
  • Hang about
  • Database
  • Pop in
  • Box file
  • Stationery
  • Get back to someone
  • ASAP

These expressions are useful for understanding and talking about everyday office work.

Lesson Review

  • Learn vocabulary for offices, computers, files, and workplace tasks.
  • Understand common workplace expressions such as chuck out, knock off, pop in, and get back to.
  • Understand vocabulary related to passwords, databases, stationery, and contracts.
  • Identify and organize different tasks Jackie needs to complete during the workday.
  • Practice using Business English vocabulary in an office context.

Use these words and expressions to understand everyday communication and tasks in an office environment.

Expression Definition Example
🏢 Branch Office A smaller office located in a different area from the main office. Mr. Parker is working at the branch office today.
🔨 Odd Jobs Small tasks or different types of work that need to be done. Jackie has a few odd jobs to do while Mr. Parker is away.
🏢 Refurbishment The process of improving or updating a room or building. The company is planning an office refurbishment.
💻 C Drive The main drive on a Windows computer where files and programs are stored. The files are saved on the computer's C drive.
🔐 Password A secret word or combination of characters used to access a computer or system. Jackie needs the password to access the computer.
🗑️ Chuck Out To throw something away. They want to chuck out the old bookcase.
📝 Contract A legal agreement between two or more people or organizations. Daniel needs to contact Mr. Parker about the contract.
🕔 Knock Off To finish work for the day. Jackie will tell Laura before she knocks off.
⏳ Hang About To wait somewhere without doing anything. Jackie doesn't want Daniel to hang about at reception.
💾 Database An organized system for storing and managing information on a computer. Mick will show Jackie how the office database works.
👋 Pop In To make a short, informal visit to a person or place. Daniel plans to pop in tomorrow morning.
📁 Box File A container used for storing papers and documents. The papers are in the box files in the stationery room.
✏️ Stationery Office supplies such as paper, pens, and paper clips. The old bookcase is in the stationery room.
📞 Get Back To To contact someone again, usually with information they requested. Daniel is expected to get back to Mr. Parker about the contract.
⚡ ASAP An abbreviation meaning “as soon as possible.” Please check the answering machine ASAP.
📂 Filing Cabinet A piece of office furniture used to store documents and files. Put the papers in the filing cabinet.
📠 Voice Mail A system that records phone messages when nobody answers the phone. Jackie needs to check the voice mail for messages.
☕ Make Coffee To prepare coffee for yourself or other people. Jackie needs to make coffee after her training.
📋 Sort Out To organize something or deal with a problem. Jackie needs to sort out the old bookcase.

📝 Practice Exercises

Think of your answer first, then click to reveal!

What is a branch office?
▼ Reveal

Answer:

🏢 A Branch Office

A branch office is a smaller office located in a different area from the main office.

What does "chuck out" mean?
▼ Reveal

Answer:

🗑️ Throw Away

Chuck out means to throw something away because you no longer want or need it.

What is a password?
▼ Reveal

Answer:

🔐 A Password

A password is a secret word or combination of characters used to access a computer or system.

What is a database?
▼ Reveal

Answer:

💾 A Database

A database is an organized system used to store and manage information on a computer.

What does "knock off" mean?
▼ Reveal

Answer:

🕔 Finish Work

Knock off means to finish working for the day.

What does "pop in" mean?
▼ Reveal

Answer:

👋 Make a Short Visit

Pop in means to visit someone or somewhere for a short, informal visit.

What does "get back to someone" mean?
▼ Reveal

Answer:

📞 Contact Someone Again

Get back to someone means to contact them again, usually with information they have requested.

What does ASAP mean?
▼ Reveal

Answer:

⚡ As Soon As Possible

ASAP is an abbreviation meaning as soon as possible.

🎙️ Podcast: A Busy Morning at the Office

Listen to the podcast first. Then listen again while reading the script. Finally, check your understanding by taking the quiz below.


A Busy Morning at the Office
▼ Reveal

Narrator: Jackie is busy at the office today. Her manager is away, and she has several tasks to complete. Listen as Jackie talks to a coworker about what she needs to do.

Jackie: Hi, Mike. Do you know where Mr. Parker is?

Mike: He’s working at the branch office today. He left you some odd jobs, right?

Jackie: Yes. I need to e-mail him some files, but I need his computer password first.

Mike: Maria knows it. She should be here soon.

Jackie: Great. I’ll ask her when she gets in. I also need to sort out the old bookcase in the stationery room.

Mike: Are you getting rid of it?

Jackie: Yes. We’re going to chuck it out. I’ll move the books to Mr. Parker’s office and put the papers in the filing cabinet.

Mike: Sounds like you’re busy!

Jackie: I am! I also need to check the voice amil ASAP. Daniel is supposed to get back to Mr. Parker about the contract.

Mike: Is Daniel coming to the office?

Jackie: Yes, he plans to pop in tomorrow morning.

Mike: Well, good luck! Are you going to knock off at five?

Jackie: I hope so! I still have IT training after lunch.

Mike: Then you’d better get started!

Narrator: If you enjoyed this free 5-Minute English lesson and want to keep improving your English, why not try a free trial group class or a free trial private lesson?

For more information, send Joe a WhatsApp message at 81-81-13-53-67. That’s 81-81-13-53-67.

We’d love to help you improve your English and reach your goals. See you in the next 5-Minute English lesson!

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📚📇 Flashcards

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Office Vocabulary Flashcards
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❓ Check your Understanding

It’s time to check what you’ve learned! If you score 80% or higher, you've done well. If you score below 80%, review the lesson and try again.

Business English: Workplace Vocabulary & Daily Tasks
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📌 Summary

1
Learned essential office and workplace vocabulary, including branch office, refurbishment, stationery, box file, and filing cabinet.
2
Practiced common workplace expressions, including chuck out, knock off, pop in, hang about, and get back to.
3
Learned useful computer and office vocabulary, including C drive, password, database, and answering machine.
4
Practiced understanding and organizing everyday office tasks, including checking messages, sending files, organizing documents, and making coffee.
5
Checked your understanding of workplace vocabulary and expressions through vocabulary exercises, a workplace conversation, and a comprehension quiz.

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Business English: Workplace Vocabulary & Daily Tasks © 2026 by Joe Ehman is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International.