10 Brilliant Resources to Help You Ace American Business English
As a kid, I learned to spell and write in British English.
So naturally, I thought American English was pretty cool.
For one, spelling seemed easier. Colors didn’t have an extra “u” that no one ever pronounced. Two, the words just seemed more exotic. I liked how the Americans made the word “vacation” sound more exciting than simply saying “holiday.”
But American English differs from British English in many other small ways. When it comes to speaking, there’s a marked difference in the accents and stresses. When it comes to writing, there are a whole lot of differences in both spelling and vocabulary. There are even differences in the way certain rules of grammar are applied.
But they’re so minute, you almost don’t notice them.
So how do you tell them apart? Or rather, what do you need to know about American English to master American business English? Especially when you (like me) have grown up speaking British English or you’re a non-native speaker?
Well you’ve come to the right place.
This post is all about helping you improve your American business English, and it’s packed with (mostly free) resources and tips that cover all the different aspects of language learning.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Tips to Learn American Business English
For a quick introduction to the topic you may watch this YouTube video by Uncle Sam’s American English. Once you’re done, you can assess your skills and figure out which areas you need to work on. Ideally, your learning plan should cover the following:
- Focus on spelling. Certain common words are spelled differently in British and American English and both are equally acceptable by spell check. That means you can’t always rely on a word processor to point out spelling mistakes.
- Practice pronunciation and accents. Master the art of speaking like an American and your professional career will automatically improve.
- Know the right phrases. Every field has their own jargon (way of talking) and expressions. Knowing the right ones will help you blend in better and help you get to know your colleagues. Also, you won’t misunderstand someone’s instructions or take an idiom too literally.
- Interact with Americans. The more you talk to other people and have meaningful conversations with them, the faster you’ll improve.
10 Brilliant Resources to Help You Ace American Business English
Below are some of the best resources to help you ace American business English.
Websites
BusinessEnglishResources.com
This website is an excellent resource for both teachers and students alike, complete with lesson plans and various types of exercises. The site has lessons for many topics that include a list of vocabulary and a practice activity to help you internalize (remember) the new words.
You’ll have access to tons of materials you can start incorporating in your daily speech. For example, check out this comprehensive list of American business English idioms and common English mistakes. By completing these activities, you’re more likely to memorize the vocabulary since you’ll have lots of opportunities to practice.
FluentU
FluentU is an immersion language learning program that teaches English naturally through authentic videos. These videos include general English clips like movie trailers and music videos, as well as business English videos like interviews, career spotlights, tips from CEOs and more.
Every video has interactive subtitles that let you hover over or click on any word for an immediate definition. You can also see example sentences and clips from other videos where the word appears, as well as add it to your flashcards list.
Each video is also followed by a quiz that tests how well you understood the vocabulary you just watched in use.
Once you’re ready to review your new vocabulary words, you can go to your flashcards and take the practice quizzes. These include exercises like multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, video-based listening comprehension and even speaking questions, all of which help you memorize words in context so you can be confident in using them.
You can use FluentU in a browser, or you can download the iOS or Android app to study on the move.
Learn American English Online
Another wonderful resource, Learn American English Online has the potential to become your best friend.
Free to use, it contains important grammar and vocabulary lessons that are arranged in different color-coded learning levels. So whether you’re a beginner or at the advanced stage, there’s sure to be something of interest for you.
Newbies will begin at the blue level, where you’ll start with basic conjugations, idioms, proverbs, quizzes and lots of exercises. And if you want to stray outside of the levels, you can check out the page’s other links, like the one about American speech, where you can look up popular expressions, verbal phrases and other important speech elements by letter.
This site will help you build a strong foundation in American English skills, which will propel you forward in your quest to dominate American business English. But if you’d like to get straight to business-specific material, there’s also a section on business idioms along with an exercise to test your knowledge.
Books
“American Business English”
Of course, if you’re really serious about taking your business English to the next level and are ready for self-learning, you might consider “American Business English” by Karen Hulene Bartell. At 230 pages, it’s a handy reference guide.
The book mostly focuses on all forms of business writing in American English, and it’s ideal for those looking for a user-friendly guide to writing in the professional world.
So if you’re someone who’s only interested in improving your speaking skills, the other resources listed here (like the next one) will be of greater help.
“Speak Business English Like an American: Learn the Idioms & Expressions You Need to Succeed on the Job!”
If you want to both hear and see the phrases you’re learning, then check out the best-selling book “Speak Business English Like an American: Learn the Idioms & Expressions You Need to Succeed on the Job!” (with accompanying audio CD) by Amy Gillet.
The book is only 200 pages long, with learning exercises that teach you the important idioms and other common expressions frequently at use in the American workplace. The CD makes it the perfect complement to your study routine.
So if you’ve always thought that you didn’t quite know the right words to say at a board meeting or during a conference call, now you’ll be better prepared.
Online Courses
Coursera
Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, are a great way to improve both your English and business skills, especially when you can’t afford professional courses or you have a full-time job. Many of these are taught by faculty from Ivy League universities and can be completed at your own pace. Coursera is one of the best sites to enroll in MOOCs pertaining to business English and beyond.
When it comes to making a great first impression, your pronunciation matters a great deal. Pronounce a word in an incorrect fashion and you might leave a bad impression on your potential employer.
And if you’ve spoken British English all your life, it will be difficult for you to suddenly change the way you say certain words. You have to consciously remind yourself to pronounce common everyday words like “dance” and ” bath” differently.
So if you’re struggling, the course “Tricky American Pronunciation” by University of California, Irvine is sure to be a life-saver. It’s a beginner course that’s free to access, although a fee might be charged for certain graded assignments and quizzes.
Udemy
If you’ve signed up for a MOOC before and it’s worked for you, check out Udemy. It’s similar to Coursera, except they have greater variety in specialized courses, and a great number of them are paid.
If you’re unsure about your speaking abilities, this paid American business English course might be the one for you—Jolinda Osborne’s “American English for Success in Business” is your one-stop solution to all your difficulties with American accents and pronunciation.
They even have detailed diagrams that illustrate the right way to move your mouth, exercises to improve pronunciation and over six hours of instructional videos.
YouTube
Learn English with Steve Ford
For visual learners, YouTube is a great teacher. And when it comes to mastering American business English, the website doesn’t disappoint.
This channel has some highly useful tips. For instance, just check out this approximately five-minute video “American Business English Pronunciation 16.” There are also videos on American accents, as well as differences between American and British ways of speaking, among others.
Apps
Learn American English Free
Love learning on your own? Download this app from Google Play.
It’s built with state-of-the-art speech recognition software, contains audio snippets by professional voice actors, has monthly challenges and even a leaderboard to compare your progress with friends. Going through the lessons and practicing them is sure to give you an edge at the workplace and that too, for free!
Business English Pod
Available via iTunes, Business English Pod is the best audio-based resource out there and covers almost every aspect of business English in an easy-to-understand manner. Though you might hear a British English accent from time to time, you’ll hear lots of examples of American English in the episodes.
There are over 300 lessons, with new episodes added each week. Each episode or lesson comes with a MP3 audio file, PDF transcript, a lesson module and a quiz to test your learning.
Check out their “Video Vocab” for a ton of useful vocabulary on a variety of business topics. Monthly subscription is $7.99, but with a host of English teachers with business experience designing the lessons, you’re sure to get your money’s worth!
And finally, remember that practice makes perfect. So whatever level you find yourself at, you need to consistently practice to improve yourself.
Believe in yourself and success will surely follow you!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
