This lesson will focus on using a variety of expressions related to success.
This lesson will help you use these idioms describing success. You will also get a chance to talk about your own experiences.
The topic is success, which is hopefully a familiar subject for most students.
Guide to Business Idioms
Why idioms?
Idioms bring up a lot of pre-packaged imagery. They are emotive and they resonate with native speakers.
Don't over-use them, but on the other hand, a well-placed idiom will bring your language to life.
Warm Up
- Be quick & interesting.
- Note idioms the student uses unprompted.
- You may say, "That was a clear answer, but it wasn't very natural. Let's add some natural expressions using the phrases in the Language section."
- Praise or recommend good spoken grammar:
- use of contractions (it isn't, they're, etc...);
- short, active sentences (clear spoken English often employs such language);
- emphatic language.
Language section
You may take multiple classes for this.
- Encourage short answers, but don't move too quickly (find a balance).
- Focus on the phrase at hand.
- Make sure the student is confident with each one before moving on.
- Encourage the student to express themselves using their own experiences or knowledge as much as possible.
- Model the target language as much as possible.
Can you think of a famous success story? How is "success" defined in that context?
This warm-up should take 2–3 minutes.
Example: Oprah Winfrey
Born into poverty to a single mother, Oprah grew up in rural Mississippi in the American South and then in an inner-city Milwaukee ghetto. Despite her difficult beginnings, she became a world-famous billionaire; philantropist; talk show host, actor, director and producer with her own production company; and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, the highest honor for a civilian in the U.S.
Quotes from Oprah about her success:
- "The reason I've been able to be so financially successful is my focus has never, ever for one minute been money."
- "The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance—and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning."
Please consider each expression and match them to the images. Your instructor has an example and a question regarding each one.
- ahead of the pack/curve—ahead of your competitors, a trend or a way of thinking.
- corner a market—gain control of the market for a commodity.
- from the ground up—from the very beginning; starting with the basics; from the foundations.
- go through the roof—rise very quickly.
- ground-breaking—innovative, pioneering.
A. |
B. |
C. |
D. |
E. |
Spend as long or as short a time as necessary on each phrase, but make sure the student can use it smoothly before moving on. The student should rephrase the "Practice" sentence with the target idiom, and then answer the "Question" using the target idiom.
1. (B) ahead of the pack/curve
NOTE: can be used with the verbs to be, to stay, to get, etc.
E.g.: In order to stay ahead of the pack (curve), we must invest in more R&D.
Practice: The company was keen to maintain its advantage over the competition.
→Example answer: The company was keen to stay ahead of the pack (curve).
Question: How does a company stay successful in a competitive market?
→Example answer: If a company wants to be ahead of the curve (pack), it needs to hire the best people with the best minds.
2. (E) corner a market
E.g.: After months of calculated investment, the company cornered the market in semi-conductors.
Practice: If we pursue an aggressive M&A policy, we will dominate the market within two years.
→Example answer: If we pursue an aggressive M&A policy, we will corner the market within two years.
Question: Do you know of any company that has a monopoly in a certain sector?
→Example answer: The Italian corporation Luxottica has cornered the world optical market with its brands Ray-Ban, Persol, Oakley, Chanel, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Miu Miu, Donna Karan, Stella McCartney and Tory Burch.
3. (C) from the ground up
E.g.: He built this company from the ground up.
Practice: We need to review the whole process, starting with the basics.
→Example answer: We need to review the whole process from the ground up.
Question: Do you know of an entrepreneur who created a business from the beginning?
→Example answer: The CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, started the company himself in his own house and built the company from the ground up.
4. (D) go through the roof
E.g.: When the oil crisis began, shares in oil companies went through the roof.
Practice: When there is a shortage of something, it usually becomes very expensive, very quickly.
→Example answer: When there is a shortage of something, prices usually go through the roof.
Question: Why do the prices of some commodities sometimes rise dramatically?
→Example answer: If a commodity becomes very popular, very quickly, or if the demand is greater than the supply, prices can go through the roof.
5. (A) ground-breaking
E.g.: The scientist was awarded the Nobel prize for her ground-breaking work in the field of X-rays.
Practice: This revolutionary new technology will change the way we communicate.
→Example answer: This ground-breaking technology will change the way we communicate.
Question: What invention can you think of that changed life dramatically?
→Example answer: I think the telephone was a ground-breaking invention.
A. Complete the anecdote
Read each section and choose an appropriate idiom from the list above.
- When Apple released the iPhone, their competitors were still years away from making a competitive product. Apple was well...
- The consultant made a thorough review of the client company structure and reported that the entire business was inefficient. The solution they recommended was that it needed to be completely rebuilt...
- The CFO was really worried. The project's budget was tight anyway, and another delay would mean that costs would...
- When a company has a monopoly on a product or service, it makes an enormous profit. So if you want to make a lot of money, develop a product and then...
- Innovation is one way to create a strong market identity. Brands that offer new, more advanced technology on a regular basis develop a reputation for being...
B. Discussion
Use idioms to discuss the following topics.
- Describe the development of a successful start-up.
- How can a company achieve and maintain a significant market share?
- What products made in your country are the most technologically advanced?
—
Images:
NASA via Picryl
Kenneth Allen via Geograph.ie
Phillip Pessar via Flickr
Neil Cummings via Flickr
via PxHere