Business synonyms and common confusions
Part One: Pairwork
Student A
Read out the words in bold to your partner without showing your worksheets to each other. Try to decide if the two words have (basically) the same meaning (SAME) or (very) different meanings (DIFF). Then read out the example sentences and see if you change your minds. They are the same kind of word each time (e.g. two nouns) and the meanings might be different for different parts of speech.
- You can buy bananas in the 100 yen shop. It’s a bargain!
- You shouldn’t invest more than half your money in stocks.
- All the staff got a bigger Xmas bonus last year.
- Harry Potter remembered the spell and turned him into a frog.
- The huge bonuses of bankers are even more controversial this year.
- It’s nearly time for our yearly office party.
- Please have a look at the agenda for today’s meeting.
- Please put up a sign in the kitchen reminding people to recycle.
- I thought the meeting would take all day, but it took just two hours.
- I’ve been getting an engaged tone for nearly an hour. Maybe he’s left the phone off the hook.
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Student B
Read out the words in bold to your partner without showing your worksheets to each other. Try to decide if the two words have (basically) the same meaning (SAME) or (very) different meanings (DIFF). Then read out the example sentences and see if you change your minds. They are the same kind of word each time (e.g. two nouns) and the meanings might be different for different parts of speech.
- I bought this for half price in a sale.
- I sold my shares in Toyota just before all the trouble started.
- The CEO sends a personal message to all new employees.
- The most difficult thing about English is the spelling.
- In the UK you don’t need a degree to become a bank clerk, but nowadays you are unlikely to climb as high as a bank manager.
- We’re really busy at the moment because the Annual General Meeting is next week.
- Just a moment, I’ll have a look in my diary and see when I’m free.
- Please put your signature here, here and here.
- The flight took exactly two hours, just as it said on the ticket.
- A busy signal could just mean that he is trying to phone you at exactly the same time.
Check as a class.
Together guess which pairs of words below have the same meaning and which have different meanings.
answer phone/ answering machine appoint/ appointment
appointment/ arrangement building/ office building
buy/ purchase challenge/ do your best
claim/ complaint clip/ paperclip
cover letter/ letter of application dash/ hyphen
depart/ department department/ department store
dismiss/ fire/ sack employment agency/ recruitment agency
England/ UK/ GB excellent company/ blue chip company
expenditure/ spending
firm/ business/ company/ corporation/ PLC/ enterprise
freephone number/ toll-free number
free gift/ service
freshman/ new recruit
full time/ permanent
headquarters/ HQ/ head office
holiday/ day off
in debt/ in the red
lift/ elevator
lorry/ truck
magic/ magic marker
mail/ email
memo/ memorandum
memo/ note
mobile phone/ cell phone
moral/ morale
native/ native speaker
nine one one/ nine eleven
note/ notebook
office worker/ businessman
period/ full stop
post/ mailbox
punch/ hole punch
reverse the charges/ collect call
salaryman/ office worker
seal/ sticker
service/ special offer
share/ market share
shop/ store
stamp/ date stamp
tenant/ to rent
vinyl bag / plastic bag
wide/ large
Check as a class.
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