Essential English Skills: Verbs, Vocabulary, and Communication Phrases

Time for a Break? Essential English for Daily and Professional Use

➜ Verb Collocations for Activities

Understanding which verbs pair with specific activities is crucial for natural English. Here are common collocations:

• Go: bowling, dancing, jogging, horse-riding.
• Play: rugby, netball, tennis.
• Go to: the spa, the driving range.
• Join: a reading group.
• Play for: a local soccer team.
• Take: a computer course, pottery classes.
• Take part in: an athletics competition.
• Take up: a new hobby, t'ai chi.
• Go for: a run, a walk.

➜ Vocabulary: Active Workplace

Expand your professional vocabulary with these terms related to a dynamic work environment:

• Gathers: reuniones/encuentros
• To be about to: estar a punto de
• On-site runs: carreras en el lugar (or actividades en el sitio)
• Lobby: vestíbulo
• Initiatives: iniciativas
• Court: pista (e.g., tennis court)
• Aromatherapy: aromaterapia
• Conventional: convencional
• Fitness: bienestar físico
• Encouraged: fomentado/animado
• Flexible: flexible
• Onsite: en el lugar
• Made-to-order: hecho a medida/por encargo
• Weight-watchers: personas preocupadas por su peso
• Walking group: grupo de caminata
• Staff: personal
• Lunchtimes: la hora del almuerzo

➜ General Vocabulary

Enhance your general English with these useful words and phrases:

• Mud: lodo
• Unusual: inusual/poco común
• Awaits: espera/aguarda
• As well as: además de
• The accommodation: la estancia/el alojamiento
• Light-colored: de color claro
• Wonderful: maravilloso
• Beachside: junto a la playa
• Formal business suits: trajes formales de negocios
• Feedback: retroalimentación/opiniones
• I hope this policy won't be changed: Espero que esta política no cambie
• Conference facilities: instalaciones para conferencias
• Fitness center: gimnasio
• Year-round sunshine: sol todo el año
• Health treatments: tratamientos de salud

➜ Passive Voice Structures

Master the passive voice with these common tenses:

• Present Simple Passive: is/are + past participle
• Present Continuous Passive: is/are + being + past participle
• Past Simple Passive: was/were + past participle
• Present Perfect Simple Passive: has/have + been + past participle
• Will Future Passive: will + be + past participle

➜ Communication Skills: Leaving Pre-recorded Answerphone Messages

Learn how to set up professional and clear answerphone messages:

• Hi, you've reached...: Hola, has llamado a...
• I'm not here right now to take your call: No estoy aquí para atender su llamada en este momento.
• I'm sorry, I can't take your call at the moment: Lo siento, no puedo coger su llamada en este momento.
• If you'd like to leave a message, I'll get back to you as soon as possible: Si desea dejar un mensaje, me pondré en contacto con usted tan pronto como sea posible.
• Please leave your name, number, and a message, and I'll call you back: Por favor, deje su nombre, número y un mensaje, y le llamaré.

➜ Communication Skills: Leaving a Recorded Message (for someone else)

Practice leaving concise and effective messages for others:

• This is a message for: Este es un mensaje para...
• This is... on...: Soy... llamando desde... (or Esto es... el... if referring to a date/time)
• Hi... It's: Hola... Soy...
• I'm just calling to: Llamaba para...
• I just wanted to: Solo quería...
• Could you get back to me soon, please? ¿Podría devolverme la llamada pronto, por favor?
• Call me back: Llámame/Llámenos.
• Call me when you get a moment: Llámame cuando tengas un momento.
• Speak to you soon. Bye: Hablamos pronto. Adiós.