Business English from All Ears English
Lindsay McMahon
Want to feel more confident with your business English?Lindsay and Michelle show you real, business English vocabulary for the global economy in this podcast from All Ears English. Learn spoken English for business with native speakers.Get advanced skills for English meetings, presentations, small talk and socializing at work, job interviews, telephone English and more.Write more clear and concise business emails in English to sound professional.Be respected when you speak to colleagues, bosses, partners, suppliers, and stakeholders.Increase your self-esteem at work to participate, facilitate, persuade, and respond quickly in English.Learn formal, informal, and semi-formal English for different workplace situationsIncrease your salary and get a promotion.This podcast is perfect for you if you are at the mid-career or middle management stage, early career, senior-level or C-suite, entrepreneur, self-employed freelancer, or a small business owner.The English level for this podcast is intermediate to advanced English CEFR B1 Intermediate English, CEFR B2 Upper-Intermediate English, CEFR C1 Advanced English, CEFR C2 Proficiency EnglishThis podcast is great for software engineers, senior executives, MBA students, marketing managers, doctors, lawyers, accountants, project managers, HR professionals, customer service professionals, IT, financial planners, import/export businesses, biotech professionals, sales reps, and any career that involves international business or using English.With every episode, we show you how to organize and deliver your message clearly.You’ll be able to understand phone calls and conference calls by improving your listening skills.Use the right English grammar and the right English tenses in every situation.We also cover: Assigning tasks to the team, global leadership and management, English pronunciation and accent, American culture and business, cross-cultural communication skills for business, negotiation idioms, vocabulary, slang, and business proverbs and sayings.Learn how to tell stories that convince people to take action in business.Speak with customers and resolve client issues.Be polite with the right English vocabulary when you speak with your colleagues.This podcast is a collection of episodes that were originally published on All Ears English Podcast and new Business English episodes.
Episodes
Mentioned books
12 snips
Mar 8, 2026 • 17min
BE 539: Finally, the Episode You’ve Been Waiting For!
Clear breakdowns of how to use finally, eventually, in the end, and after all. Short comparisons that show differences in tone and timing. A role play demonstrates the words in a traveled story. Practical tips for choosing the right word at work or everyday conversation.
33 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 17min
BE 538: Should You Say Essential, Necessary, or Important?
They compare three similar words and when to use each in professional settings. Listeners hear clear definitions and real workplace examples. A calendar role-play shows the words in action. Practical tips help you choose the right term for clarity at work.
9 snips
Mar 3, 2026 • 14min
BE 537: Perfect This Word Stress For Perfect English Pronunciation
They dig into why word stress changes meaning and matters in professional conversations. Handy drills are shared: contrast noun/verb pairs, exaggerate and record, and shadow native speech. Practical practice tips include drilling with prompts and using target words in real conversations. The conversation emphasizes rhythm and stress over accent for clearer communication.
17 snips
Mar 1, 2026 • 15min
BE 536: Get More Bang for Your Buck When You Make Decisions at Work
They unpack the phrase "best bang for your buck" and what it means at work. They explore value beyond price, like quality, longevity, and time saved. Everyday examples like jeans and furniture make the idea tangible. Practical business scenarios such as flooring, catering, and software decisions show how to weigh trade-offs and persuade colleagues toward cost-effective choices.
21 snips
Feb 26, 2026 • 17min
BE 535: Take Part or Partake? How to Avoid Overly Formal Vocabulary
Clear comparisons of similar verbs like take part versus partake, and when to use in or of. A plain explanation of undertake versus undergo and their different tones. Practical role play showing these verbs in workplace conversations. Handy tips on prepositions and when certain words sound formal or old-fashioned.
12 snips
Feb 24, 2026 • 13min
BE 534: Should You Say Almost, Most, or Almost All?
Clear explanations about the differences between almost, most, and almost all. Rules for using almost as an adverb and why you should not place it directly before a noun. How to express majority vs near-total amounts in work and team contexts. Role-played examples showing natural phrases for meetings, campaigns, and employee counts.
14 snips
Feb 22, 2026 • 16min
BE 533: How to Show Hesitation With “I Suppose” and “I Guess”
Clear comparison of "I guess" and "I suppose" and how formality changes meaning. Examples of using each phrase to show hesitation, tentative agreement, or reservation. Several role plays that demonstrate workplace uses and scheduling conversations. Warnings about overusing these softeners and tips for when to be more direct.
8 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 13min
BE 532: Final and Formal Ways to Say Something Has Ended
Clear guidance on using 'no longer' to signal formal, final change. Contrasts 'no longer' with casual 'not anymore' and shows sentence placement. Covers diplomatic phrasing for sensitive situations and other formal verbs like discontinued, stopped, and ended. Includes role-played client dialogues and real-life examples to practice tone and usage.
10 snips
Feb 17, 2026 • 19min
BE 531: How to Politely Turn Down Offers in English
Practical language for saying no politely in professional settings. Cultural pressures and emotional reasons that make refusals hard. Phrases that soften refusals, like opening with appreciation and using “but” or “I’m afraid.” Tips on offering alternatives and role-played examples of turning down projects while staying cooperative.
9 snips
Feb 15, 2026 • 20min
BE 530: How Not to Step on Toes at Work
They unpack the 'step on someone’s toes' metaphor and its workplace meanings. Listeners get alternative verbs to avoid sounding harsh. The hosts model polite phrasing and role-play meeting scenarios. Cultural differences in hierarchy and emotional intelligence at work are highlighted.
