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English in a Minute Series 4

Intermediate level

Verbs to use with 'business'

Episode 241112 / 12 Nov 2024

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Introduction

Business is connected to work and any commercial activity, especially buying and selling. There are some words that we often use together. These are called collocations. Learn some of the verbs that we often use with the noun 'business' with Beth in this video.

Common collocations with 'business'

mean business
If you mean business, you are serious and determined about what you're doing. This is mostly used in informal situations, and can be used in a jokey way.

  • Right. I'm going to deep clean the kitchen today. I've got my cleaning products, rubber gloves, mop... I really mean business. 

work in business
People that work in business have a job with activities that involve companies, customers and everything that makes a business run. 

  • My sisters work in business. My older sister is a marketing executive and my younger sister is a financial analyst. 

set up a business
If you set up a business, you create a business from the beginning – preparing, planning and then opening the business. 

  • Guillerme has set up a restaurant. He's hired and designed the space, hired staff, created the menu with a chef and it'll open tomorrow!

run a business
If you run a business, you manage it. You oversee the daily operations and set and try to achieve long-term aims.

  • I run a doctor's surgery. I make sure everything is running well and that staff and patients are happy. 

go out of business
If you go out of business, you don't make enough money and you have to close down.

  • They're scared to put up their prices because they don't want to lose customers and go out of business. 

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TRANSCRIPT

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Beth

We hope you're ready to learn because we mean business.

If you mean business, you are serious and determined about what you're doing.

Meet Barbara. She works in business. It's the area of work she does.

I'm an operations analyst, and my husband is an auditor. We work in business.

Now meet Joshua. He's set up a business. That means he's prepared, planned and now has a business. 

I've set up a bakery. I make and sell cakes and bread.

He's the owner but he's also running the business. That means he's managing it and working in it.

Unfortunately, his customers aren't very happy.

£10 for a load of bread? You're going to go out of business with those prices!

If you go out of business, you don't make enough money and you have to close down. Poor Joshua!

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