Since the arrival of COVID-19, business professionals have been increasingly refining their language skills. Engaging in business grammar courses, one-on-one tutor sessions, and self-study, workers worldwide have improved their job prospects in the global market.
To help you keep up with the competition, this article features business grammar rules you must know to communicate in the workplace effectively. We’ll cover how to:
help foster better relationships
make a good impression
Stop making simple grammatical errors
increase understanding between you and your colleagues, supervisors, and clients.
Explore the business grammar guide below to find out how to enhance your language skills, and then put them to use at the office.
Understand modal verbs
One of the most critical aspects of business grammar to master is the use of modal verbs. Also known as auxiliary or “helping” verbs, these words provide extra meaning to the main verbs they are next to. For example, saying to your boss, “I might complete the assignment by tomorrow,” communicates that it is a possibility but not definitely going to happen.
There are a few general rules to follow when using modal verbs.
For statements, the basic formula is:
subject (I) + modal verb (may) + main verb (finish).
To make it negative, simply add “not” after the modal verb (e.g., I may not finish).
For questions, the formula is:
modal verb (Can) + subject (you) + main verb (call?)
To make it negative, simply add “not” after the subject (e.g., Can you not call me tomorrow instead?).
Modal verbs can help you make requests, offer help, suggest ideas, and sound more polite. Check out the different purposes that modal verbs serve in the chart below. Then use the sentence patterns in the examples provided to craft your own statements and questions.
PurposeModal VerbsExample SentencesState that something is possible
May
Might (weaker possibility)
Can
Could
He may be late to the meeting.
The business plan might work.
Those clients can be rash.
She could email us the file later.
State that something is impossible
Cannot/can’t
Could not/couldn’t (past)
This report cannot be correct.
I couldn’t focus during the presentation.
State that something is probable
Must
Must have (past)
Should
Should have (past)
There must be an explanation.
We must have increased sales this year.
The interview should only last a half-hour.
It should have been updated last night.
State someone or something’s ability
Can
Could have (past)
That company can crush the competition.
The IT department could have fixed that.
Ask for permission
Can
May (more polite)
Could (more polite)
Can I help you with that project?
May I offer you some advice?
Could I get you something to drink?
Make a request
Can
Will
Could (more polite)
Would (more polite)
Can you explain what happened?
Will you share that document with me?
Could you finish the report by tomorrow?
Would you call me when you find out?
Make a suggestion
Should
Ought to
Could (more polite)
We should try a different angle.
He ought to contact the supervisor.
You could attend the conference online.
State a necessity
Must
Have to
Had to (past)
We must increase sales.
They have to raise employees’ salaries.
I had to contact every customer.
Use consistent verb tense
Mixing up tenses is a cardinal sin in English grammar, and it’s a quick way to confuse your boss and co-workers. As such, choosing the correct verb tense should be something you pay close attention to in your speech and writing.
Take a look at the following example sentences. The first statement shows verbs that do not correspond with the context of the sentence. The second statement corrects the mistake.
INCORRECT: Yesterday, she saved the file and sends it to the team.
CORRECT: Yesterday, she saved the file and sent it to the team.
INCORRECT: The meeting will begin at 11 and lasted until noon.
CORRECT: The meeting will begin at 11 and will last until noon.
INCORRECT: Last year, we have increased sales.
CORRECT: Last year, we increased sales.
Did you find it easier to understand the second sentence? Your colleagues and clients will too.
To avoid this error, make sure you determine the time frame you are talking about (e.g., past, present, future), choose the appropriate verb tense, and stick with it until you change topics.
Did you find it easier to understand the second sentence? Your colleagues and clients will too.
To avoid this error, make sure you determine the time frame you are talking about (e.g., past, present, future), choose the appropriate verb tense, and stick with it until you change topics.
Look out for homophones
Homophones are words that are pronounced the same in speech but are spelled differently in writing (e.g., our/hour, here/hear, break/brake). Some people could take personal offense to these types of errors, and there are thousands of memes to prove it.
So, carefully review the following homophones that are often used in a business environment. Commit them to memory, and save yourself from the harsh judgment spelling errors can elicit (not illicit).
They’re
Means “they are”.
“They’re arriving late.”
Their
Possessive pronoun.
“Their figures are wrong.”
There
In, at, or to a location.
“They want to meet there.”
To
Motion in the direction of.
“I’m going to the office.”
Two
Number.
“I have two emails to send.”
Too
Also, or excessively.
“She spoke too much too.”
You’re
Means “you are”
“You’re expected at the meeting.”
Your
Possessive pronoun
“Your presentation was impressive.”
It’s
Means “it is”
“It’s a shame she was let go.”
Its
Possessive pronoun
“What is its country of origin?”
Who’s
Means “who is”
“Who’s going to attend the conference?”
Whose
Possessive pronoun
“Whose files were deleted from the server?”
Affect
To have an impact on
“Our report affected their decision to sell.”
Effect
A change or result
“The new offer had no effect on them.”
Complement
Something that contributes to something else
“The slideshow complemented my speech.”
Compliment
An expression of praise
“Thank you for the kind compliment.”
Elicit
To evoke or draw out
“The new policy elicited many complaints.”
Illicit
Illegal or unlawful
“That company conducted illicit trade.”
Principle
An idea, theory, or truth
“The most important principle of hard work.”
Principal
Main, chief, primary
“Our principal concern is the market.”
Capital
Money, or main city of a state or country
“He had a lot of invested capital.”
Capitol
The build of a state legislature
“The Capitol building was open until 5pm.”
Capitalize correctly
Another fundamental business grammar feature to learn is when to capitalize certain words and letters. Capitalizing words unnecessarily can be distracting (e.g., I Need that Report now), and using all caps can come off as aggressive (e.g., I need that report NOW!). Thus, learning when to capitalize and when to keep letters lowercase is a skill that will enhance your written communication tenfold.
The table below highlights the situations in which business grammar style and usage require capitalization. If you find yourself wanting to capitalize a letter, word, or phrase that is not on this list, double-check it to be sure.
SituationExampleProper Nouns
Names of people (e.g., Lorena Milton, Frank Brown)
Names of cities, countries, and continents (e.g., Paris, Chile, Antarctica)
Names of buildings, monuments, etc. (e.g., the Capitol Building, the Hoover Dam)
Names of mountains, rivers, lakes, etc. (e.g., Mount Everest, the Atlantic Ocean)
Street names (e.g., Park Avenue, Main Street)
Names of schools and universities (e.g., the University of Kentucky)
Names of languages (e.g., Japanese, German)
Names of companies and trademarks (e.g., Google, Amazon)
Time periods and events (e.g., the Civil War, the Age of Enlightenment)
Names of gods (e.g., Zeus, God, Allah)
Names of groups and institutions (e.g., Democrats, Veterans of Foreign Wars)
Proper Adjectives
Based on nationalities (e.g., Scottish, Peruvian)
Based on religions (e.g., Christian, Buddhist)
Based on names (e.g., Shakespearean, Orwellian)
Titles
Books (e.g., Cat’s Cradle, Don Quixote)
TV shows (e.g., Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones)
Movies (e.g., Hook, The Shawshank Redemption)
Plays (e.g., Hamlet, A Raisin in the Sun)
Magazines (e.g., Reader’s Digest, The Atlantic)
Newspapers (e.g., The Sun, The Guardian)
People (e.g., President Truman, Queen Elizabeth, Dr. House, Uncle Joe)
Dates
Days of the week (e.g., Monday, Tuesday)
Months of the year (e.g., January, February)
Holidays (e.g., Easter, Ramadan
Letters/Emails
Beginning a letter/email (e.g., Dear Mr. Smith, Hi Susan)
Ending a letter/email (e.g., Sincerely, Yours truly)
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Don’t overcomplicate
There will undoubtedly be times when you want to impress the person you are speaking to in a business setting. However, the surest way to fail is by using long sentences that are hard to understand. To simplify your message and help your audience better understand you, try out the following tips:
Get rid of words and phrases that don’t add meaning to your sentence.
INCORRECT: I will send you the report in the upcoming period of three days.
CORRECT: I will send you the report in three days.
Use the active voice as much as possible to immediately and identify who did what
INCORRECT: Your email was received by me.
CORRECT: I received your email.
Shift sentences from the negative to the positive to reduce wordiness and increase clarity
INCORRECT: If the company does not accept the deal, then it will not increase sales.
CORRECT: The company must accept the deal to increase sales.
Choose vocabulary you fully understand instead of random synonyms to ensure precision.
INCORRECT: I have distinguished a vast proliferation of contemporary commerces in the territory.
CORRECT: I have noticed many new businesses in the area.
Remember, the goal of business English is to be understood, so don’t confuse your audience by trying to sound “smart.” Instead, dazzle them with accurate vocabulary and concise language.
Other common mistakes
When communicating for business purposes, there are some additional grammar rules to consider beyond the top tips listed above. Review the following chart to make sure none of these errors sneak their way into your writing or speech.
Double negative
In English a double negative is a sentence that uses two negative forms
I will not eat no meat
This example is grammatically incorrect and means the person actually will eat some meat. In English, just one negative is required
He’s the executive who negotiated the deal. (He negotiated the deal.
Whom – Refers to the object of the sentence
She’s the client to whom I was speaking. (I was speaking to her.)
Nor v. Or
Nor – Used for negative constructions; must accompany “neither”
I didn’t understand the presentation, nor did John.
Neither the memo nor the report explained why sales are down.
Or – Used for positive constructions; must accompany “either”
Should we have the meeting on Monday or Wednesday?
Either a two-year contract or a five-year contract will work.
Then v. Than
Then – Used to discuss time
We should send out the email, then wait for their responses.
Than – Used to compare two things
I would rather extend the meeting than meet tomorrow.
Business grammar: Summary
Although mastering business grammar holds many challenges, the endless benefits it can provide in the workplace make the effort worthwhile. Whether it’s creating a killer presentation, acing an interview, crafting a coherent email, or producing a clear report, these grammar rules enable you to succeed in the business world.
To up your game, consider learning from an expert English tutor on FirstWay. Working with a language specialist will exponentially improve your business English grammar. You can work towards goals based around business English and grammar with your tutor who can easily correct mistakes, design customized lessons and activities, and crucially, boost your confidence.
If you rather learn business English with your team, discover FirstWay Enterprise, our corporate language training program for international teams.
Regardless of how you decide to learn, one thing’s for sure: if you can advance your business grammar, you can grow your business career.