There are some common phrases that you might use every day in writing emails, talking on the phone, and meeting investors. So, if you are interested in sounding like a pro in writing business emails or other types of business writing then learn the following most used phrases in business English writing.
50 Most Used Phrases in Business English Writing
| Sr# | Phrase | Meaning/Uses |
| 1 | To whom it may concern | Is a salutation that has traditionally been used in business correspondence when you don’t have a specific person to whom you are writing, or you do not know the name of the person to whom you are writing. |
| 2 | Please find attached | When sending a file into an email |
| 3 | FYI | For your information |
| 4 | ASAP | As soon as possible |
| 5 | CV | Curriculum vitae |
| 6 | Moving you to BCC | So to move someone to BCC in an email chain is to ensure that they won’t be part of the conversation going forward. And to inform them of the move is simply to be transparent, to all involved, about the upcoming silence. |
| 7 | cc’ing somebody in an email | Verb (used with object), cc’ed or cc’d, cc·’ ing. to send a duplicate of a document, email, or the like to I always cc my boss when I write a memo to my staff. to send (a duplicate of a document, email, or the like) to someone: Jim, please cc this to each of the department heads. |
| 8 | Team building | Collaboration and working in a group |
| 9 | Start from scratch | To start from the very beginning |
| 10 | 9 to 5 | When you work every day in the office. Ex: I work 9 to 5 in the office. |
| 11 | Set deadlines / Meet deadlines | Set deadline: A deadline is a time or date before which a particular work must be finished. Meet deadline: to finish work on time, by the agreed date. I have a deadline to meet, this work must be finished by tomorrow. |
| 12 | To give the green light | To give the approval |
| 13 | Behind schedule / Ahead of schedule | Behind schedule: later than planned or expected/ Ahead of schedule: in front of or before. |
| 14 | To catch up | To go through all of the tasks. |
| 15 | Stay on budget | Spend as much money you have planned. |
| 16 | Go over budget | To spend a lot of money that you have planned to. |
| 17 | Sign off on something | A signature or verbal yes to continue doing something. |
| 18 | Ahead of the curve | To plan far in advance and far ahead. |
| 19 | A ballpark figure | A ballpark figure is a rough numerical estimate or approximation of the value of something that is otherwise unknown. |
| 20 | To kick-off | To start or to begin. |
| 21 | ? | An employee who works for cooperation. |
| 22 | To look at the big picture | To look at things in general without focusing on details. |
| 23 | To play by the book | To follow the exact rules. |
| 24 | To call it a day | You have finished the work and you want to go home. Ex: Let’s call it a day. |
| 25 | To corner the market | To dominate the market. |
| 30 | Get in on the ground floor | To invest in a company in the very earlier stage and make money. |
| 31 | To think outside the box | To think in nontraditional or differently from a new perspective. |
| 32 | To touch base | Getting in touch with someone. |
| 33 | Word of mouth | Ss the passing of information from person to person using oral communication, which could be as simple as telling someone the time of day. |
| 34 | A yes man | A person who says yes to everything. |
| 35 | Red Tape | Official routine or procedure marked by excessive complexity which results in delay or inaction. |
| 36 | To play hardball | To negotiate in a very aggressive manner. |
| 37 | Downsizing | Make (a company or organization) smaller by eliminating staff positions. |
| 38 | Let Go | To fire. |
| 39 | To get/have one’s foot in the door | To make the first step toward a goal by gaining entry into an organization, a career, etc. |
| 40 | To be on the same page | To agree. |
| 41 | To drop the ball | To discontinue a task. |
| 42 | In the black/ in the red | To be in the black means when you are making a profit. To be in the red means when you lose money in a job. |
| 43 | My hand are tired | To deny or refuse something. Ex. My hand is tired sorry. |
| 44 | Staff shakeup | A period when a lot of employees are fired and new ones are hired. |
| 45 | Outsourcing | When you don’t want to hire somebody but your contract with a company to do something particular. |
| 46 | EOD | End of day. |
| 47 | Mission statement | A formal summary of the aims and values of a company, organization, or individual. |
| 48 | ROI | Return on investment. |
| 49 | From the ground up | From the scratch or from the beginning |
| 50 | EOW | End of week |