1. We hope you are enjoying the season. 2. I hope all is well. 3. How are you?

I hope you are healthy and happy. 4. I hope you are well. 5. I hope you are fine. 6. I trust you and your coworkers are fine. 7. I trust you are doing splendidly and enjoying the season. 8. We send you our best wishes. 9. I send you and your esteemed colleagues my warm wishes. 10. Greetings from all of us at _________ [fill in organization name]. 11. Greetings from _____ [fill in a person's name] and me. 12. Greetings to you and your coworkers. 13. Best wishes to you and your family. 14. It is a pleasure to be in touch with you again. 15. It was a delight to see you in ____. 16. I hope you enjoyed your trip to ____. 17. Welcome back to work! I hope you had a wonderful vacation. 18. With reference to your letter of 8 June, I ... 19. I am writing to enquire about ... 20. After having seen your advertisement in ... , I would like ... 21. After having received your address from ... , I ... 22. I received your address from ... and would like ... 23. We/I recently wrote to you about ... 24. Thank you for your letter of 8 May. 25. Thank you for your letter regarding ... 26. Thank you for your letter/e-mail about ... 27. In reply to your letter of 8 May, ...

10 Good Closing Lines:

If you require any further information, feel free to contact me. I look forward to your reply. I look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to seeing you. Please advise as necessary. We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future.

Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Once again, I apologise for any inconvenience. We hope that we may continue to rely on your valued custom. I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter. When the recipient's name is unknown to you: Dear Sir ... Yours faithfully Dear Madam ... Yours faithfully Dear Sir or Madam ... Yours faithfully

When you know the recipient's name:

Dear Mr Hanson ... Yours sincerely Dear Mrs Hanson ... Yours sincerely Dear Miss Hanson ... Yours sincerely Dear Ms Hanson ... Yours sincerely

When addressing a good friend or colleague:

Dear Jack ... Best wishes/Best regards

Addressing whole departments:

Dear Sirs ... Yours faithfully

How to start emails

Posted on November 6, 2012by barnabyharward

If you dont know the name of the person you are writing to, start business emails with either of the following: Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear Madame, is wrong. If you dont know whether youre writing to a man or a woman use: Dear Sir or Madam, It is not usual to start an email To whom it may concern. This should be reserved for letters of reference or similar communications when the recipient is an unknown third party. It is always better to use somebodys name if you know it. If it is the first time you are writing to someone, use either of the following: For men: Dear Mr XXXX, For women: Dear Ms XXXX,

Once you get to know someone, i.e. after exchanging one or two emails or if you meet them in person, it is usually OK to use their first name. In UK English we do not add full stops after Mr and Ms. But in US English it is correct to do so: Dear Mr. XXXX, Dear Ms. XXXX, Use Dear Sirs, if you are writing to more than one person even if the group of people includes women. Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, is wrong. Ladies and Gentleman is only used in formal speech. Dear Madams, is wrong. Dear Ladies, is best avoided. If you are writing to more than one woman the strictly correct (though oldfashioned and rather pompous) salutation is Dear Mesdames, but, if possible, it is better to use their names or their title (if they all have the same one) e.g. Dear Directors, Dear Members of the Board, Once you get to know the group of people you may use the less formal Dear All, for both men and women. The word Dear may also be omitted in less formal emails. Instead, you may just open with the persons first name/peoples first names. The first line of an email or letter should always start with a capital letter: WRONG Dear Mr Smith, with reference to your email of 25 October RIGHT Dear Mr Smith, With reference to your email of 25 October Here are some example opening sentences for emails: I hope you are well. I hope you enjoyed your holiday and are finding it easy to settle back in to work. It was good to meet you in [place]. I hope you had a safe journey home. Thank you very much for your email. I am glad to hear that you and your family are well. Thank you for your prompt reply. I apologise for not replying sooner, but I have been very busy these last few weeks. Thank you for your email of [date]. Please find my reply to your query below. I am writing with regard to XXXX.

Thank you for getting in touch with us about XXXX. (Less formal, more friendly) Thank you for contacting us regarding XXXX. (More formal) With reference to your email of [date], I would like to bring the following to your attention. As a follow-up to our phone call this morning, I would like summarise the key issues. Re the question you raised in your previous email, please find my explanation below. Following our meeting on [date] / in [place], please find below a summary of the points we discussed. In reply to your query regarding XXXX, I would like to make the following points. Phrases best avoided: I hope this email finds you well. Please be informed that Please be advised as follows.
With reference to your letter of 8 June, I . I am writing to enquire about . After having seen your advertisement in , I would like . After having received your address from , I . I received your address from and would like . We/I recently wrote to you about . Thank you for your letter of 8 May. Thank you for your letter regarding . Thank you for your letter/e-mail about . In reply to your letter of 8 May, .
If you require any further information, feel free to contact me. I look forward to your reply. I look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to seeing you. Please advise as necessary.

We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future. Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Once again, I apologise for any inconvenience. We hope that we may continue to rely on your valued custom. I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.

When youre initiating email contact with someone new

Very formal Might I take a moment of your time (to begin the email) Please may I introduce myself (to begin the email) Many thanks again for your time. (to end the email) More informal/friendly Im just emailing to ask (to begin the email) Im a friend of Bobs (to begin the email) Just let me know if you have any questions. (to end the email) Drop me an email, or give me a ring, if you want any more information. (to end the email)

When youve answered someones question(s)

Very formal I trust the above resolves your queries. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. More informal/friendly I know thats a lot to take in, so let me know if anything Ive said doesnt make sense. Hope the above helps, but email again if youre still having any difficulties.

When youre asking the recipient to take some action

Very formal I would appreciate your help in this matter. More informal/friendly Could you look into this? Would you mind checking it out for me? Thanks in advance. Can you get back to me once youve had a chance to investigate? Id love to hear your advice on this one.

When you need a response (but not necessarily any action taking)
Very formal I await a response at your earliest convenience. More informal/friendly Can you drop me a quick word so I know youve received this? Look forward to hearing from you.

When youve heard nothing back and want to chase up a reply

Very formal In reference to my email of June 20th More informal/friendly Just wondered if you got my email (June 20th)? When you get a moment, could you drop me a line about my last email? Apologizing I'm sorry about... I am sorry that... I'm very sorry about... I'm very sorry for... Please forgive me for... I'd like to apologize for... Please accept my apologies. Please accept my sincere apologies. (very formal) Asking for Help I'd be grateful if you could... I would be grateful if you could... I would appreciate it if you could... Could you please... I was wondering of you could help me.(informal) I would like to know... Asking for Information I am writing to enquire about... I am writing to find out about... What I am looking for is... I would like to know about/if... Closing I look forward to seeing you. I look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to meeting you. Complaining / expressing dissatisfaction I'm writing to express my dissatisfaction with... I'm writing to express my annoyance with... I am not happy about... ...was very disappointing.

Conveying regards Please give my best regards to your family. Please pass on my best wishes to your wife and children. Please give my regards to your parents. Expressing satisfaction I was delighted to hear that... I was very happy to learn that... I was thrilled to find out that... I was glad to hear that... ...was very enjoyable. Expressing concern / sympathy I was sorry to hear about... (your accident/ illness) I am writing to express my concern about... Giving bad news I regret to inform you that...(semi-formal) I am sorry to tell you that...(informal) I regret to advise you that...(formal) I am afraid I have some bad news.(informal) Giving good news I am pleased to inform you that...(semi-formal) I am delighted to tell you that...(informal) I am happy to advise you that...(formal) I thought you might like to know that... Giving reasons This is because... This is because of... This is due to... (formal) This is as a result of...(formal) This is owing to...(formal) Making suggestions Would it be a good idea to... Perhaps it would be a good idea to... Thanking Thanks. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Thank you kindly. I can't thank you enough. No words can express my gratitude. I am extremely grateful for... I very much appreciate your ______ing

Salutation

Dear Mr. Brown Dear Ms. White Dear Sir Dear Madam Dear Sir or Madam Gentlemen We are writing - to inform you that ... - to confirm ... - to request ... - to enquire about ... I am contacting you for the following reason... I recently read/heard about ..... and would like to know .... Having seen your advertisement in ..., I would like to ... I would be interested in (obtaining / receiving) ... I received your address from ----- and would like to ... Thank you for your letter of March 15. Thank you for contacting us. In reply to your request, ... Thank you for your letter regarding ... With reference to our telephone conversation yesterday... Further to our meeting last week ... It was a pleasure meeting you in London last month. I enjoyed having lunch with you last week in Tokyo. I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed on Tuesday. We would appreciate it if you would ... I would be grateful if you could ... Could you please send me ... Could you possibly tell us / let us have ... In addition, I would like to receive ... It would be helpful if you could send us ...

Starting

Referring to previous contact

Making a request

 I am interested in (obtaining / receiving) ... I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter. Please let me know what action you propose to take. Would you like us to ...? We would be happy to ... We are quite willing to ... Our company would be pleased to ... We are pleased to announce that ... I am delighted to inform you that .. You will be pleased to learn that ... We regret to inform you that ... I'm afraid it would not be possible to ... Unfortunately we cannot / we are unable to ... After careful consideration we have decided (not) to ... I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ... I am writing to complain about ... Please note that the goods we ordered on ( date ) have not yet arrived. We regret to inform you that our order n ----- is now considerably overdue. I would like to query the transport charges which seem unusually high.

Offering help

Giving good news

Giving bad news

Complaining

Apologizing

We are sorry for the delay in replying to ... I regret any inconvenience caused (by) ... I would like to apologize for the (delay, inconvenience)... Once again, please accept my apologies for ... Thank you for your quotation of ... We are pleased to place an order with your company for.. We would like to cancel our order n ..... Please confirm receipt of our order. I am pleased to acknowledge receipt of your order n ..... Your order will be processed as quickly as possible.

Orders

It will take about (two/three) weeks to process your order. We can guarantee you delivery before ...(date) Unfortunately these articles are no longer available / are out of stock. Please send us your price list. You will find enclosed our most recent catalogue and price list. Please note that our prices are subject to change without notice. We have pleasure in enclosing a detailed quotation. We can make you a firm offer of ... Our terms of payment are as follows ... Our records show that we have not yet received payment of ... According to our records ... Please send payment as soon as possible. You will receive a credit note for the sum of ... I am enclosing ... Please find enclosed ... You will find enclosed ... If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know. If I can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you require more information ... For further details ... Thank you for taking this into consideration. Thank you for your help. We hope you are happy with this arrangement. We hope you can settle this matter to our satisfaction. We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future.

Prices

Referring to payment

Enclosing documents

Closing remarks

Referring to future business

We would be (very) pleased to do business with your company. I would be happy to have an opportunity to work with your firm. I look forward to seeing you next week. Looking forward to hearing from you, ... Looking forward to receiving your comments, I look forward to meeting you on the (date). I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience. An early reply would be appreciated. } for all customers / clients

Referring to future contact

Sincerely, Yours sincerely,} Sincerely yours,} Ending business letters

Yours faithfully, in more formal letters

Regards,

for those you already know and/or with whom you have a working relationship

Business - Work
(Idioms, page 1 : ace up your sleeve bricks and mortar )

ace up your sleeve hold all the aces

If you have an ace up your sleeve, you have something in reserve with which you can gain an advantage. Our new product is an ace up our sleeve. A person who holds all the aces is in a very strong position because they have more advantages than anyone else. Given the high unemployment rates today, employers hold all the aces. A lawyer who finds work by persuading people injured in accidents to claim money from the person who caused the accident is called an'ambulance chaser'. Peterson and Scott are well-known ambulance chasers - that's

ambulance chaser

how they make their money! back to the salt mines Saying that you have to go back to the sale mines is a humorous way of talking about returning to work, usually with some reluctance. We get two days off at Christmas and then it's back to the salt mines! This term refers to a deceptive commercial practice of advertising a low-priced item to attract customers, then telling them that the product is out of stock and persuading them to buy a more expensive article. This store is famous for its bait and switch tactics. To say that a person or organization is in the black means that they are financially sound, have a positive balance on their account and that they owe no money. The black market refers to the illegal buying and selling of goods or currencies. Be careful of what you buy on the black market - it's not always good quality. A discussion among a group of people who try to determine who or what is to blame for a particular mistake, failure or wrongdoing, is called 'blamestorming'. A blamestorming session took place following the unfavourable reviews in the press. If you give someone a blank cheque, you authorize them to do what they think is best in a difficult situation. Tom was given a blank cheque and told to negotiate the best deal possible. This term refers to a company with a solid reputation for the quality of its products and the stability of its growth and earnings. It's usually safe to invest in a blue chip company. If a situation or business is described as above board, it is open, honest and legal. There are not secret negotiations. Our dealings have always been above board.

bait and switch

in the black

black market

blamestorming

blank cheque

blue chip company

above board

get down to brasstacks

When people get down to brass tacks, they start to discuss the essential aspects of a problem or situation. The situation was so serious that after a few polite exchanges they quickly got down to brass tacks. If you work extremely hard, or put a lot of effort into achieving something, you break your back to do it. If you want the job done well, you should accept to pay more. He's not going to break his back for such a low price! An established trading company (office/shop) is referred to as a 'brick-and-mortar' business. 'Click companies' refer to internet-based operations. Companies which do both are called 'bricks and clicks'. Click businesses are usually more flexible than brick-and-mortar operations.

break your back

bricks and mortar / bricks and clicks

Business - Work
(Idioms, page 2 : business as usual copper-bottomed)

business as usual

After an unpleasant or unexpected event, this expression means that everything is continuing in a normal way, in spite of the difficulties. It was business as usual at the supermarket the day after the holdup. This expression means that it is considered preferable to finish one's work before going to relax and enjoy oneself. I'd love to have lunch with you but I've got a report to finish business before pleasure I'm afraid! This is a way of saying that in financial and commercial matters, friendship or personal feelings should not be allowed to have any influence. I'll hire your brother only if he is the best candidate. I'm sorry but business is business! If you can't stand the pace, you are unable to do things well when there is a lot of pressure. She once worked for a famous fashion designer but she couldn't stand the pace. A person or company who carves out a niche concentrates on a particular segment of the market, to which they supply a product or service, and develop their expertise in that area.

business before pleasure

business is business

can't stand the pace

carve out a niche

In today's competitive market it is better to carve out a niche and try to become the best in that area. cash cow A product or service which is a regular source of income for a company is called a cash cow. His latest invention turned out to be a real cash cow. If you cash in your chips, you sell something, especially shares, either because you need the money or because you think the value is going to fall. Andy cashed in his chips as soon as business started to slow down. This expression refers to a situation where there are too many people giving instructions and not enough people doing the work. The business wasn't successful. There were too many chiefs and not enough Indians. In a business relationship, if you clinch a deal, you reach agreement on a proposal or offer. Paul's final argument enabled us to clinch the deal. If you say that someone is a cog in the machine, you mean that, while they are necessary, they only play a small part in an organization or plan. The police quickly realized that the suspect was just a cog in the machine. If you make cold calls, you telephone potential customers from a list of people you do not know. In my first job I had to make cold calls using the telephone directory. To describe something such as a plan, a contract or a financial arrangement as copper-bottomed means that it is completely safe or reliable. He signed a copper-bottomed agreement with a distributor. If a company dominates an area of business, and leaves no room for competition, it is said to have cornered the market. By importing large quantities and selling at low prices, they have cornered the market. This term refers to the presentation of a company's results in a way that, although generally legal, glosses over the problems and makes the results appear better than they are. It was suggested that some creative accounting might help to attract investors.

cash in your chips

too many chiefs, not enough Indians

clinch a deal

cog in the machine

make cold calls

copper-bottomed

corner the market

creative accounting

cut and dried

If you refer to a situation, problem or solution as cut and dried, you mean that it is clear and straightforward with no likely complications. When the new manager arrived, he didn't find the situation as cut and dried as he had expected. This expression refers to the newest, most advanced stage in the development of something. The company is at the cutting edge of aeronautics. The term dead wood refers to people or things which are no longer considered useful or necessary. The new manager wants to reduce costs by cutting out the dead wood. Someone who does the spadework does the preparatory work or the preliminary research. Although I did all the spadework, my name was never mentioned. This expression refers to intense competition and rivalry in pursuit of one's own interests, with no concern for morality. The business world is tough today. There's a general dog-eatdog attitude. To say that a person, a business or the economy in general is in the doldrums means that the situation is gloomy and that nothing new is happening. Despite the recent measures, the economy is in the doldrums. This expression is used to refer to an agreement or decision which has been reached on a certain matter. We're still considering several proposals, so it's not a done deal yet. When a project, task or activity is done and dusted, it is completely finished or ready. I've nearly finished preparing the presentation. When it's all done and dusted I'll be able to relax. This expression is used to describe the unpleasant, repetitive or boring parts of a job. I do the donkey work - my boss gets the credit! A general atmosphere of pessimism, and a feeling that the situation is not going to improve, is referred to as doom and gloom.

cutting edge

dead wood

do the spadework

dog eat dog

in the doldrums

a done deal

done and dusted

donkey work

doom and gloom

Fortunately it's not doom and gloom for all businesses, in spite of the economic situation. down the drain To say that money, time or energy has gone down the drain means that it has been wasted or lost. His years of research went down the drain when the company went bankrupt. When faced with a difficult situation, it is sometimes necessary to take actions which in normal circumstances would appear extreme After Johnny's third accident, his father confiscated his car. Drastic times call for drastic measures! If you refer to two people as a dream ticket, you think they would work well together and be successful. Clinton and Obama teaming up for the elections would be a dream ticket for many Democrats. If you organize a rehearsal, a trial exercise or a practice session of something, in realistic conditions, to see how well it will work before it is launched, you do a dry run. Let's do a dry run of the ceremony to make sure everything goes smoothly. If a person does something which is over and above the call of duty, they show a greater degree of courage or effort than is usually required or expected in their job. The fire-fighter received a medal for his action which went above and beyond the call of duty. The term eager beaver refers to a person who is hardworking and enthusiastic, sometimes considered overzealous. The new accountant works all the time - first to arrive and last to leave. He's a real eager beaver! If you use elbow grease, you need energy and strength to do physical work such as cleaning or polishing. It took a considerable amount of elbow grease to renovate the old house. If something, such as work, is farmed out, it is sent out to be done by others. We farmed out the packaging to another company.

drastic times call for drastic measures

dream ticket

dry /dummy run

above the call ofduty

eager beaver

elbow grease

farm something out

finger in every pie

If someone has a finger in every pie, they are involved in many activities. For information about the activities in this town, you should talk to John Brown. He's got a finger in every pie. A person who works their fingers to the bone is extremely hardworking. He deserves his success; he worked his fingers to the bone when he started the business. To say that someone has a foot in the door means that they have a small but successful start in something and will possibly do well in the future. With today's unemployment, it is difficult to get a foot in the door in any profession. If you get a foothold somewhere, you secure a position for yourself in a business, profession or organization. The contract got the firm a foothold in the local administration. If you have a free hand, you have permission to make your own decisions, especially in a job. My boss gave me a free hand in the choice of supplier. A business which is conducted in a deceitful, dishonest or unethical manner is called funny business. I've got suspicions about that association. I think they're up to some funny business. If you get your hands dirty in your job, you become involved in all aspects of it, including work that is physical, unpleasant or less interesting. His willingness to get his hands dirty won the respect and approval of the whole team. If you get something off the ground, you put it into operation after having organized it. After a lot of hard work, we finally got the campaign off the ground. If you manage to put a plan or idea into action, you get the show on the road. OK, we've got all we need, so let's get the show on the road. If you give someone a run for their money, you present strong competition in circumstances where the other person expects to win easily.

work your fingers to the bone foot in the door

get a foothold

free hand

funny business

get your hands dirty

get something off the ground

get the show on the road give someone a run a run for their money

We didn't get the contract but we gave our competitors a run for their money! go belly up If a business or project goes belly up, it is unsuccessful or goes bankrupt. The restaurant went belly up before the end of the first year. If something goes for a song, it is sold at an unexpectedly low price. I was able to buy the car simply because it was going for a song. If a shop, firm or enterprise goes out of business, it closes down or goes bankrupt. If the new road bypasses the town, a lot of shops will go out of business. A business or activity that is dynamic and successful is a going concern. They opened a coffee shop that is a going concern today. The term golden handcuffs refers to a large sum of money or a generous financial arrangement granted to an executive as an incentive to stay in their job, or to ensure long-term cooperation after their departure. A golden handshake is a generous sum of money given to a person when they leave a company or retire (sometimes given to encourage early retirement). A golden opportunity is a favourable time or an excellent occasion which should not be missed. An internship in that company would be a golden opportunity for you - it might lead to a permanent job later. A golden parachute is a clause in an executive's employment contract stating that the executive will receive certain large benefits if their employment is terminated. If you accuse someone of greasing somebody's palm, you are accusing them of giving money to someone in order to gain an unfair advantage or to obtain something they want. In some countries, it is common practice to grease government officials' palms. This expression means that when people cooperate and work well together, there is a better chance of a achieving results.

go for a song

go out of business

going concern

golden handcuffs

golden handshake

golden opportunity

golden parachute

grease someone's palm

one hand washes the other (together they wash the face)

upper hand

If a person or organization gains or gets the upper hand, especially in a fight or competition, they take control over something. We increased our market share and gained the upper hand over our competitors. If a person does something which is above and beyond the call of duty, they show a greater degree of courage or effort than is usually required or expected in their job. The fire-fighter received a medal for his action which went above and beyond the call of duty. This term refers to people who do important work but have no contact with the public. Back-room boys don't always receive the credit they deserve for their work. The departure of highly qualified people (scientists, engineers, etc.) for other countries, where they have better opportunities and usually better pay, is called the brain drain. A busman's holiday is when you spend your spare time or your holidays doing the same sort of activity as you do in your job. My husband is a chef, so for him time off with the family is often a busman's holiday! This expression refers to the best people or things in a particular group. As usual, the cream of the crop of this year's graduates were offered the best jobs. The term dead wood refers to people or things which are no longer considered useful or necessary. The new manager wants to reduce costs by cutting out the dead wood. A person who receives financial assistance from the government when they are unemployed is on the dole. Their father is on the dole so the family is living on a tight budget. If you refer to two people as a dream ticket, you think they would work well together and be successful. Two world champions teaming up for the children's fund-raising project would be a dream ticket. If you are duty bound to do something, you are required to do it

above and beyond the call of duty

back-room boys

brain drain

busman's holiday

cream of the crop

dead wood

on the dole

dream ticket

duty bound

as part of your obligations. Teachers are duty bound to report a pupil's absence from school. earn while you learn This expression refers to the possibility of earning a salary while in training. Become an apprentice and get paid while in training. Earn while you learn! Someone who is in the firing line is in a position to be criticized because of their responsibilities or the position they hold. The managing director of the bank is in the firing line since the fraud was discovered. If someone gets the axe, they lose their job. When a company is restructured, the senior staff are often the first to get the axe. The term golden handcuffs refers to a large sum of money or a generous financial arrangement granted to an executive as an incentive to stay in their job, or to ensure long-term cooperation after their departure. A golden handshake is a generous sum of money given to a person when they leave a company or retire (sometimes given to encourage early retirement). A golden parachute is a clause in an executive's employment contract stating that the executive will receive certain large benefits if their employment is terminated. This term refers to a discriminatory barrier perceived by women and minorities that prevents them from rising to positions of power or responsibility. Claire knew she would never break the glass ceiling and rise to a senior management position. When a sports player hangs up their boots, they stop playing and retire. (This expression is often used to refer to retirement in general.) Dad says he's going to hang up his boots at the end of the year. This is a humorous way of referring to someone who is an accountant or who is very good at working with numbers and calculations. She's a number cruncher who perfectly understands the

firing line

get the axe

golden handcuffs

golden handshake

golden parachute

glass ceiling

hang up one's boots

number cruncher

organization's financial situation. learn the ropes If you learn the ropes, you learn how to do a particular job correctly. He's bright. It won't take him long to learn the ropes. If you are paid peanuts, you have a very low salary. Jenny has a very interesting job, but she's paid peanuts. If you play second fiddle to another person, you accept to be second in importance to that person, or have a lower position. John resented having to play second fiddle to the sales manager when the company was restructured. A desirable position which is well-paid and considered relatively easy is called a plum job. Ideally he'd like to find himself a plum job in New York. Someone who pounds the pavement walks the streets or goes from company to company, usually in search of employment. (You can also pound the pavement in an effort to raise funds or gain support for a cause.) Charlie is out there pounding the pavement since he lost his job. To say that someone has been put out to pasture means that they have been forced to retire or give up their responsibilities. He's in good health and he feels it's too early to be put out to pasture. If someone is sacked or gets the sack, they lose their job, usually because they have done something wrong. Charlie got the sack when his boss caught him stealing. If you separate the sheep from the goats, you examine a group of people and decide which are suitable and which are not. Examining job applications is the first stage in separating the sheep from the goats. This expression is used to warn someone that if they do not improve, they will have to leave their job. When Tom started neglecting the customers, he was told to shape up or ship out. If you show someone the ropes, you teach or explain to them how to do a particular job. The manager is busy showing the ropes to two new trainees.

paid peanuts play second fiddle

plum job

pound the pavement

put out to pasture

be sacked/get thesack separate sheep from goats

shape up or ship out

show someone the ropes

another string to your bow

If you have another string to your bow, you have another skill or possible course of action if everything else fails. As well as her excellent qualifications, she's got another string to her bow to help her find a job. She speaks fluent Chinese. This term refers to a clever or expert way of doing things, especially in a job. He's a tough negotiator; he knows all the tricks of the trade. If someone is waiting in the wings, they are waiting for an opportunity to take action, especially to replace someone else in their job or position. There are many young actors waiting in the wings ready to show their talent. If you are given your walking papers, your contract or a relationship has ended. After causing a diplomatic incident, Carter got his walking papers. During a conflict, when employees decide to do only the minimum amount of work required by company rules, and refuse any overtime, etc., they work to rule. In protest against the new measures, the employees decided to work to rule. Someone who deserves respect because they do their job well is a person who is worth their salt. Any inspector worth their salt would have checked the papers carefully. This term refers to the habit of using the photocopier at work for personal use. A certain percentage of photocopies are in fact xerox subsidies. This expression refers to a quick approximate calculation done informally, as on the back of an envelope. I don't need the exact amount. Just give me a back-of-theenvelope calculation. If you bet your bottom dollar on something, you are absolutely certain of it. Jack is very punctual. You can bet your bottom dollar he'll be here at 9 o'clock on the dot.

tricks of the trade

waiting in the wings

walking papers

work to rule

worth one's salt

xerox subsidy

back-of-theenvelope calculation bet your bottom dollar

tighten your belt

If you need to tighten your belt, you must spend your money carefully because there is less available. Another bill? I'll have to tighten my belt this month! A person who is born with a silver spoon in their mouth is born into a very rich family. She never has to worry about money; she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. People who live on the breadline have a very low income or barely enough money to survive. Due to the recent crisis, there are more people on the breadline than ever before. If you burn your fingers (or get your fingers burnt), you suffer financially as a result of foolish behaviour. Jack got his fingers burnt playing on the stock market. A product or service which is a regular source of income for a company is called a cash cow. His latest invention turned out to be a real cash cow. If you cash in your chips, you sell something, especially shares, either because you need the money or because you think the value is going to fall. Andy cashed in his chips as soon as business started to slow down. An amount of money considered small or unimportant is calledchicken feed. I got a job during the holidays but the pay was chicken feed. When you want to mention a different or contradictory aspect of a situation, you refer to the other side of the coin. The house is lovely and spacious, but the other side of the coin is that it is far from shops and schools. If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive. The house cost us an arm and a leg, but we have no regrets. If something costs the earth, it is very expensive indeed. She wears designer clothes that must cost the earth! If you are determined to obtain or achieve something at all costs, you want it regardless of the expense, effort or sacrifice involved. The journalist was determined at all costs to get a report from

born with a silver spoon in your mouth on the breadline

burn your fingers

cash cow

cash in your chips

chicken feed

other side of the coin

cost an arm and a leg cost the earth at all costs

the war zone. cut one's losses If you end or withdraw from something that is already failing, in order to reduce the loss of money, time or effort invested in it, you cut your losses. The project is heading for failure. Let's cut our losses before it's too late. A person or organization who has deep pockets has a lot of money. Andy's business is not doing well at the moment. He says he needs a friend with deep pockets! When someone makes a down payment, they pay part of the total amount agreed when signing a purchase deal or contract. Emma and Paul are excited. They put a down payment on their first house yesterday. To go Dutch with somebody means to share the cost of something such as a meal or a concert. Young people today tend to go Dutch when they go out together. If you eat or dip into your savings, you spend part of the money you have put aside for future use. I had to dip into my savings to have the car repaired. To say of someone that they are feathering their nest means that they are taking advantage of their position in order to obtain money and enjoy have a comfortable life. If you feed the kitty, you contribute to a collection of money called a 'kitty' in order to help a good cause. Come on! Every little helps. You should feed the kitty for a good cause! When someone feels the pinch, they begin to suffer from a lack of money. With the drop in tourism, hotels and restaurants are beginning to feel the pinch. This is a disparaging term for Swiss bankers who control a lot of money, are said to be uninterested in the provenance of funds and protect their clients' identity. The gnomes of Zurich refuse to cooperate with the investigating officials. The term golden handcuffs refers to a large sum of money or a

deep pockets

down payment

go Dutch

eat/dip into one's savings feather your nest

feed the kitty

feel the pinch

gnomes of Zurich

golden handcuffs

generous financial arrangement granted to an executive as an incentive to stay in their job, or to ensure long-term cooperation after their departure. golden handshake A golden handshake is a generous sum of money given to a person when they leave a company or retire (sometimes given to encourage early retirement). If someone is on the gravy train, they have found an easy way to make money, one that requires little effort and is without risk. Since the village has become fashionable, he charges for every photograph taken of his house - he's on a gravy train! If you are hard up, you have very little money. We were so hard up that we had to sleep in the car. If you hit (or strike) pay dirt, you are lucky and suddenly find yourself in a successful money-making situation. Charlie finally hit pay dirt with his latent invention. Something which is on the house is offered free of charge, usually in a bar or restaurant. The new owner offered us a drink on the house. Money, profit or benefits that are made in a dishonest or illegal manner are called ill-gotten gains. He won money by cheating and is now enjoying his ill-gotten gains. Someone who has an itching palm is greedy for money, for example tips or commission (as if putting money in the palm of their hand would ease the itch). He's said to have an itching palm - he does nothing without payment! To keep one's head above water means to try to survive by staying out of debt, for example a small business. Business has been slow, but we've managed to keep our head above water. In order to keep the wolf from the door, you need to have enough money to buy food and other essentials. My grandparents earned barely enough money to keep the wolf from the door. This expression refers to money paid illegally for favourable treatment.

gravy train

hard up hit pay dirt

on the house

ill-gotten gains

itching (itchy) palm

keep your head above water

keep the wolf from the door

a kickback

The property developers were accused of giving kickbacks to the local authorities. laugh all the way to the bank A person who makes a lot of money easily, especially through someone else's stupidity, is said to laugh all the way to the bank. If we fail to renew the contract, our competitors will be laughing all the way to the bank. An officially authorized activity which enables people to make a lot of money without much effort is called a licence to print money. The contract to supply computers to schools was a licence to print money. If someone lives beyond their means, they spend more money than they earn or can afford. The cost of living was so much higher in New York that he was soon living beyond his means. People who live on the breadline have a very low income or barely enough money to survive. Due to the recent crisis, there are more people on the breadline than ever before. Someone who lives in clover has enough money to lead a very comfortable life. I dream of making an enormous amount of money and living in clover for the rest of my life! If you live from hand to mouth, you don't have any money to save because whatever you earn is spent on food and other essentials. Most families in that area live from hand to mouth. Someone who lives high off the hog has a lot of money and a very comfortable lifestyle. Now he's wealthy and living high off the hog. A loan shark is a person who lends money at extremely high interest rates to people who are unable to obtain a loan from the bank. The young immigrant was beaten because he was late paying back money to a loan shark. If you look (or feel) like a million dollars, you look/feel extremely good.

licence to print money

live beyond means

live on the breadline

live in clover

live from hand to mouth

live high off the hog loan shark

look like a million dollars

With a tan and a new hairstyle she looked a million dollars! lose your shirt If you lose your shirt, you lose all your money or possessions, especially as a result of speculation or gambling. He lost his shirt when the bank want bankrupt. If you find it difficult to pay for your everyday needs because you have very little money, it is hard for you to make ends meet. Anne's salary is so low that she finds hard to make ends meet. If you say that someone has made a killing you mean that they have had great financial success. He made a killing on the stock market. If someone makes a mint, they make a large amount of money. They made a mint selling hamburgers outside the football stadium. A person who is made of money is very rich and can buy whatever they want. Hey! I can't afford that much. I'm not made of money! People who have money to burn have so much money that they can spend it on anything they want. A leather jacket is no problem for Sarah. She's got money to burn!

make ends meet

make a killing

make a mint

made of money

money to burn

money burns a hole To say that money burns a hole in somebody's pocket means in your pocket that they are eager to spend it quickly or extravagantly. As soon as she's paid she goes shopping. Money burns a hole in her pocket! money doesn't grow on trees To say that money doesn't grow on trees means that it is not plentiful or easily obtained. Watch how you spend your money Alex. It doesn't grow on trees you know! A very easy way of earning money is called money for jam. All you've got to do is hand out brochures. It's money for jam! Money earned from a task that requires very little effort is called money for old rope. Getting paid for watering the garden is money for old rope! When people launder money, they manage to conceal the source of illegally-obtained money so that it is believed to be legitimate.

money for jam money for old rope

money laundering

Certain countries have been accused of facilitating money laundering. money spinner If an activity is a money spinner, it is a very successful way of making money. Washing cars was quite a money spinner when I was a student. Money talks means that people with a lot of money have power and influence. The owner is a millionaire and he's influential - money talks! If you have more money than sense, you have a lot of money which you waste by spending it in a foolish manner. He celebrated the birth of the baby by buying a sports car. He's got more money than sense! If you say that you cannot or will not do something for love or money, you mean that you will not do it under any circumstances. I would not try bungee jumping for love or money! If you put your money where your mouth is, not only do you express your interest, you give financial support to causes that you believe in. If people are really interested in helping the underprivileged, they should put their money where their mouth is. If you rake in the money, you make money in large quantities. Bob's business is so successful, he's raking in the money. Someone who is very wealthy or has access to great amounts of money is rolling in money. Steve has no financial problems. His parents are rolling money. If you want to see the colour of somebody's money, you want to be sure that the person in question has enough money to pay you before you accept to do something. I want to see the colour of his money before shipping the goods. If you throw money at something, you try to solve a problem by spending money on it, without using any other methods. The refugee problem cannot be solved just by throwing money at it. Someone who spends additional money on something that

money talks

more money than sense

not for love ormoney

put money where mouth is

rake in the money rolling in money

see colour of someone's money

throw money at

throw

good moneyafter bad

was already considered a bad investment is said to throw good money after bad. Buying a second-hand computer and then spending money to have it repaired is throwing good money after bad!

your money's worth If you get your money's worth, you receive good value for the amount of money you spend. We bought a travel pass to use the public transport system and we really got our money's worth. nest egg If you have a nest egg, you have a reserve of money which you put aside for future needs. Our parents consider the money from the sale of their house as a nest egg for their old age. If you pay for something out of your own pocket, you cover the cost with your own money. Breakfast is included but you must pay for lunch out of your own pocket. If you pay over the odds, you pay too much or you pay more for something than it is really worth. She's willing to pay over the odds for an original Kelly handbag to add to your collection. If you are paid peanuts, you have a very low salary. Jenny has a very interesting job, but she's paid peanuts. When a person has difficulty understanding or realizing something, and then the penny drops, they finally understand. The teasing continued for some time until the penny dropped and the boy realized it was a joke! This expression means that once you start doing something, you might just as well do it wholeheartedly and not stop at halfmeasures. Joe finally accepted to be on the committee, then he accepted to be the chairman. "In for a penny, in for a pound'." he said! This phrase is used to ask someone what they are thinking about. You look pensive. A penny for your thoughts. If someone turns up like a bad penny, they appear at a place or event where they are not welcome or not wanted. I try to avoid Jane, but wherever I go she turns up like a bad penny!

out of your own pocket

pay over the odds

paid peanuts penny drops

in for a penny, in for a pound

penny for your thoughts turn up like a bad penny

pick up the tab

If you pick up the tab, you pay the bill or pay the cost of something. There was a celebration lunch for the team and Bill picked up the tab. If you play the market, you buy stocks and shares in the hope of making a profit when you sell them. It's always tempting to play the market, but it's more risky at the present time. If you price yourself out of the market, you charge such a high price for your goods or services that nobody wants to buy them. He was so eager to make money that he priced himself out of the market. If a person goes from rags to riches, they start off being very poor and become very rich and successful. By renovating old houses in the right places, he went from rags to riches. If someone robs Peter to pay Paul, they pay one debt with money borrowed from someone else, thus creating another debt. David borrowed from a friend to pay his overdraft, a typical case of robbing Peter to pay Paul. If you are saddled with debt, the amount of money that you owe is a financial burden. Be careful. If you buy a house that is too expensive, you could be saddled with debt for many years. If you scrimp and save, you spend as little as possible over a certain period of time in order to save money. The parents scrimped and saved for years so that their children could have a college education. The sum of money something sets you back is the amount it costs you. Changing the heating system will set us back about $5000. If you do something on a shoestring, you do it with very little money. When I was a student I lived on a shoestring. If you put skin in the game, you show your confidence in a company by making a considerable investment or a financial

play the market

price oneself out of the market

rags to riches

rob Peter to pay Paul

saddled with debt

scrimp and save

set you back

on a shoestring

(put) skin in the game

commitment. I got good news today. Apparently a serious investor is willing to put skin in the game. slice/share of the cake When people feel entitled to a share of the profits or benefits, they want a (larger) slice of the cake. Since profits are higher this year, the workers feel they deserve a bigger slice of the cake. A slush fund is an account or fund in politics or business where money is set aside for various unofficial purposes, often unethical or even illegal. A large commission taken from the slush fund ensured the success of the negotiations. If you splash out on something, you spend a lot of money on it. Chloe's parents really splashed out on her wedding. If you find something that you want for a very low price, much lower than what it is worth, you can say 'it's a steal!'. He's selling it for $20? At that price it's a steal! If you sting someone for an amount of money, you make them pay for something, usually in a deceitful manner. Not only was the lunch boring but I was stung for $25! This term refers to the amount of money you are able to spend or the price you can afford. The store offers a wide range of computers at prices to suit every pocket. Someone who is on their uppers has very little money or not enough to cover their needs. Because he was clearly on his uppers when he was hired, he was given an advance in salary.

slush fund

splash out it's a steal

sting someone

suit every pocket

on one's uppers

Useful telephone vocabulary and phrases in English.

Making contact :

Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon ... This is John Brown speaking Could I speak to ......... please? I'd like to speak to ..... ..... I'm trying to contact .......... I'm calling from Tokyo / Paris / New York / Sydney ...

Giving more information:

I'm calling on behalf of Mr. X ... X speaking. Can I help you? Who's calling please? Who's speaking? Where are you calling from? Are you sure you have the right number / name? Hold the line please. Could you hold on please? Just a moment please. Thank you for holding. The line's free now ... I'll put you through. I'll connect you now / I'm connecting you now. I'm afraid the line's engaged. Could you call back later? I'm afraid he's in a meeting at the moment. I'm sorry. He's out of the office today. / He isn't in at the moment. I'm afraid we don't have a Mr./Mrs./Ms/Miss. ... here I'm sorry. There's nobody here by that name. Sorry. I think you've dialled the wrong number./ I'm afraid you've got the wrong number. The line is very bad ... Could you speak up please? Could you repeat that please? I'm afraid I can't hear you. Sorry. I didn't catch that. Could you say it again please? Can I leave / take a message? Would you like to leave a message? Could you give him/her a message? Could you ask him/her to call me back?

Taking a call :

Asking for a name / information :

Asking the caller to wait :

Connecting :

Giving negative information :

Telephone problems :

Leaving / Taking a message :

Could you tell him/her that I called? Could you give me your name please? Could you spell that please? What's your number please?