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Business English Conversation: Planning / Reviewing

English Dialogues

Business English conversations help professionals communicate clearly and confidently at work.

Common workplace discussions include planning team events, giving feedback, and reviewing performance.

Using polite expressions, asking the right questions, and responding professionally are important skills in a business environment.

In this lesson, you will read sample Business English conversations and learn useful phrases that can be used in meetings, planning discussions, and performance reviews.

Characters:

  • Rachel (HR Manager)
  • Ben (Team Leader)

Rachel:
Hi, Ben! How’s everything going?

Ben:
Hi, Rachel! Everything’s going well. How about you?

Rachel:
I’m good, thanks! I wanted to discuss the upcoming team event. Do you have time to talk about it?

Ben:
Yes, definitely! What do you have in mind for the event?

Rachel:
I was thinking of organizing a team-building event to improve communication and teamwork. Maybe a day of outdoor activities. What do you think?

Ben:
That sounds fun! Outdoor activities could be a great way for the team to relax and bond. What activities do you have in mind?

Rachel:
I’m thinking of some group games, like a treasure hunt, and maybe a small competition. We could also include a barbecue lunch.

Ben:
I like those ideas. The team will enjoy the competition, and the lunch will be a nice touch. When do you plan to hold the event?

Rachel:
I was thinking of next Friday, around noon. Does that work for you and the team?

Ben:
Next Friday works for me. I’ll check with the team to make sure everyone is available.

Rachel:
Great! I’ll start planning the details. Do you have any suggestions for the event?

Ben:
Maybe we could add a few icebreaker activities at the beginning, just to help everyone get comfortable.

Rachel:
That’s a good idea! I’ll make sure to include some icebreakers before we start the games. I’ll send you the final plan once I have everything in place.

Ben:
Perfect! I’m sure the team will have a great time. Thanks for organizing this!

Rachel:
You’re welcome, Ben! I’ll make sure everything is ready for next Friday.

Ben:
Thanks again, Rachel! I look forward to it.

Business English Conversation: Reviewing Employee Performance

Characters:

  • Claire (Manager)
  • James (Employee)

Claire:
Hi, James! How are you today?

James:
Hi, Claire! I’m doing well, thank you. How about you?

Claire:
I’m good, thanks! I wanted to sit down with you and go over your performance review for the last quarter. Do you have some time to discuss it?

James:
Of course! I’m happy to discuss it. How do you think I’ve been doing?

Claire:
Overall, you’ve been doing great! You’ve met most of your targets, and your work quality has been impressive. However, I’ve noticed that some tasks have taken longer than expected. Is there anything that’s been holding you back?

James:
I appreciate the feedback. There were a few tasks that I found a bit more complicated than I expected. I’ve been taking some extra time to make sure I’m getting them right.

Claire:
That’s understandable. We can work on improving your time management for those tasks. Perhaps we can set smaller milestones to help you stay on track. How do you feel about that?

James:
I think that would be helpful. Breaking the tasks into smaller parts might make them easier to handle.

Claire:
Great! I’ll also assign you a mentor to help guide you through the more complex tasks. It should help with the learning curve. Does that sound good to you?

James:
That sounds really helpful, Claire. I’d appreciate any extra support to improve.

Claire:
I’m glad to hear that! You’ve been doing well overall, and with a little more focus on time management, I’m sure you’ll continue to improve. Let’s check in again next month to see how things are going.

James:
Thank you, Claire. I’m looking forward to making improvements.

Claire:
No problem, James! Keep up the good work, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything.

James:
I will, Claire. Thanks again for the feedback!

Key Phrases Used in Business English Conversations

🔹 Starting a Professional Conversation

  • How’s everything going?

  • How are you today?

  • I wanted to discuss…

  • Do you have time to talk about this?

  • Can we go over…?

🔹 Planning and Organizing

  • I was thinking of organizing…

  • What do you have in mind?

  • What activities do you suggest?

  • When do you plan to hold the event?

  • I’ll start planning the details.

🔹 Giving Opinions and Suggestions

  • That sounds like a good idea.

  • What do you think?

  • Maybe we could add…

  • I like those ideas.

  • That’s a nice touch.

🔹 Confirming and Agreeing

  • That works for me.

  • I’ll check with the team.

  • Sounds good to me.

  • I’m sure the team will enjoy it.

  • I look forward to it.

🔹 Performance Review and Feedback

  • I wanted to go over your performance review.

  • Overall, you’ve been doing great.

  • You’ve met your targets.

  • I’ve noticed a few challenges.

  • Is there anything holding you back?

🔹 Offering Support and Solutions

  • We can work on improving…

  • Let’s set smaller milestones.

  • I’ll assign you a mentor.

  • Does that sound good to you?

  • I’m happy to support you.

🔹 Ending the Conversation Politely

  • Thanks for your time.

  • Thank you for the feedback.

  • Let’s check in again next month.

  • Don’t hesitate to reach out.

  • Keep up the good work.

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Manoj Sharma is an English teacher and soft skills trainer with more than 10 years of experience in teaching students of different age groups and levels. He specializes in spoken English, vocabulary building, grammar, phrasal verbs, and daily-use English.

Through his website Love You English, he helps learners speak English confidently using simple explanations, real-life examples, and easy learning techniques. His goal is to make English learning practical, enjoyable, and stress-free for students, job seekers, and professionals.