Talking business — ready-made English lesson, C1

Lesson goal: Business idioms and mixed conditionals: discussing decisions, risks and their results.

Add the lesson to get your own copies of the word set and exercises; the lesson opens in the builder, where you can adjust the steps and teach it.

Lesson plan

1
Warm-up
Questions to get the student talking and lead into the topic.
- Would you like to run your own business?
- What makes a good boss?
- Tell me about a risky decision you took.
2
New words
Meet the words and practise them in games.
FlashcardsUnjumble
think outside the box · get the ball rolling · back to the drawing board · a ballpark figure · touch base · on the same page · the bottom line · a win-win situation · go the extra mile · cut your losses · in the pipeline · ahead of the curve · a level playing field · call the shots · learn the ropes
All words in the set
3
Exercises
The lesson's words in context. Only you see the answers.
1. Multiple choice
  If I had accepted that job in Singapore, I ___ in Asia now.
  would be livingwould have livedwill livehad lived
2. Multiple choice
  If she weren't so stubborn, she ___ the argument with her boss last week.
  wouldn't startwouldn't have startedhadn't startedwon't have started
3. Multiple choice
  Which sentence describes a past cause and a present result?
  If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.If I studied medicine, I would be a doctor.If I study medicine, I will be a doctor.If I had studied medicine, I would have become a doctor.
4. Multiple choice
  'If he spoke Chinese, he would have understood the negotiations.' What does this mean?
  He doesn't speak Chinese, so he didn't understand the negotiations.He speaks Chinese, so he understood the negotiations.He will learn Chinese to understand the negotiations.He didn't speak Chinese then, but he does now.
5. Fill the gap
  If we hadn't missed the ferry, we ___ on the island right now.
  Answer: would be
6. Fill the gap
  If I ___ afraid of flying, I would have visited you in Canada last summer.
  Answer: weren't / wasn't
7. Fill the gap
  If you had listened to my advice, you ___ in this mess now.
  Answer: wouldn't be / would not be
8. Fill the gap
  I would be fluent in French by now if I ___ (practise) more when I lived in Paris.
  Answer: had practised / had practiced
9. Fill the gap
  If he were more organised, he ___ his passport at home yesterday.
  Answer: wouldn't have left / would not have left
10. True / false
  This sentence is correct: 'If I didn't lose my keys yesterday, I would be at home now.'
  Answer: False
11. True / false
  This sentence is correct: 'If she weren't so shy, she would have spoken up at the meeting.'
  Answer: True
12. Discussion question
  Think of an important decision you made in the past. How would your life be different now if you had decided differently?
  Sample answer: If I hadn't moved to the capital after school, I would probably be working in my parents' shop now. And if I weren't so curious, I wouldn't have taken that risk in the first place.
4
Speaking
The student answers using the new words.
- Case study
- A start-up is losing money. Suggest a plan using at least five idioms.
- Reflect: 'If they had…, they would now…'
5
Review
A quiz on the lesson's words. With a student, it's homework on their link.
Quiz

Lesson plan

Warm-up

Questions to get the student talking and lead into the topic.

Would you like to run your own business?
What makes a good boss?
Tell me about a risky decision you took.

New words

Meet the words and practise them in games.

FlashcardsUnjumble

think outside the box · get the ball rolling · back to the drawing board · a ballpark figure · touch base · on the same page · the bottom line · a win-win situation · go the extra mile · cut your losses · in the pipeline · ahead of the curve · a level playing field · call the shots · learn the ropes

All words in the set

Exercises

The lesson's words in context. Only you see the answers.

Multiple choice
If I had accepted that job in Singapore, I ___ in Asia now.
would be livingwould have livedwill livehad lived
Multiple choice
If she weren't so stubborn, she ___ the argument with her boss last week.
wouldn't startwouldn't have startedhadn't startedwon't have started
Multiple choice
Which sentence describes a past cause and a present result?
If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.If I studied medicine, I would be a doctor.If I study medicine, I will be a doctor.If I had studied medicine, I would have become a doctor.
Multiple choice
'If he spoke Chinese, he would have understood the negotiations.' What does this mean?
He doesn't speak Chinese, so he didn't understand the negotiations.He speaks Chinese, so he understood the negotiations.He will learn Chinese to understand the negotiations.He didn't speak Chinese then, but he does now.
Fill the gap
If we hadn't missed the ferry, we ___ on the island right now.
Answer: would be
Fill the gap
If I ___ afraid of flying, I would have visited you in Canada last summer.
Answer: weren't / wasn't
Fill the gap
If you had listened to my advice, you ___ in this mess now.
Answer: wouldn't be / would not be
Fill the gap
I would be fluent in French by now if I ___ (practise) more when I lived in Paris.
Answer: had practised / had practiced
Fill the gap
If he were more organised, he ___ his passport at home yesterday.
Answer: wouldn't have left / would not have left
True / false
This sentence is correct: 'If I didn't lose my keys yesterday, I would be at home now.'
Answer: False
True / false
This sentence is correct: 'If she weren't so shy, she would have spoken up at the meeting.'
Answer: True
Discussion question
Think of an important decision you made in the past. How would your life be different now if you had decided differently?
Sample answer: If I hadn't moved to the capital after school, I would probably be working in my parents' shop now. And if I weren't so curious, I wouldn't have taken that risk in the first place.

Speaking

The student answers using the new words.

Case study
A start-up is losing money. Suggest a plan using at least five idioms.
Reflect: 'If they had…, they would now…'

Review

A quiz on the lesson's words. With a student, it's homework on their link.

Quiz