It is common in both business and general English to talk or write about quantities of time (e.g. a day, a year etc...). Although it is possible to only use simple vocabulary like 'this week' etc..., there are words and phrases that are used when talking about quantities and points in time which will make your English sound more professional.
In this online exercise, you will learn and remember vocabulary in English that is used to talk about different quantities/amounts or points in time. Although the focus here is on time phrases used in business, many of these are commonly used in general English.
Click here to go to an exercise on times phrases used when requesting for things to be done.
Read the following conversation between Steve (a manager) and John (a new employee) about the different tasks which John will have to do in his new position as a project analyst and when they have to be done.
From the context, try to guess what the meaning of the words/phrases in bold are. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.
Steve:'OK, John. I'm going to explain what you need to do in this position and when. I think it's best if you take notes, so you can look at them later.'
John:'I have a pen and paper ready. Go ahead.'
Steve:'Right, every week we have a team meeting to discuss any issues or changes. Normally, it's on a Wednesday afternoon. In addition, you'll need to arrange a monthly meeting with the clients of your projects. It's just to update them on the progress of the project. You can arrange it whenever you want, but it's normally better to have it in the middle of the month.'
John:'In my last job, we had a meeting with the client every fortnight. Can I do that?'
Steve:'Every two weeks seems excessive. But if the client agrees, I have no problem with it. Also, every quarter you will have to write a formal report on the project's progress. You'll need to include in the report everything that has happened in that three-month period. Try to finish a draft a week before the end of the quarter and we'll both check it to see if there are any mistakes.'
John:'OK.'
Steve:'Also, at the end of the fiscal year, which in the United Kingdom is March, you'll need to complete and send a list of all the costs of the project. Remember, that's all the costs of the project from April of the previous year to March. The list is for accounting and tax purposes, so it needs to be correct. I forgot to mention earlier that in addition, to the quarterly report, you'll have to do an annual report on each project's progress for the client. But the report is not for the fiscal year period, it's for a normal calendar year period, from January to December. I need a copy of the draft of the report by the beginning of January.'
John:'OK.'
Steve:'Plus, you need to give me a daily update on what's happening with your projects. A quick phone call or a short email is enough.'
John:'I'm going to be busy.'
Steve:'Yes, you will be. But there are also periods when it's quieter. For example, throughout July and August there's normally very little to do.'
Below is a definition/description of each of the words/phrases in bold from the above text (which you can also find in the grey box below). Answer each question with one of these words/phrases in bold. Only use one word/phrase once and write it as it is in the text. Click on the "Check" button at the bottom of the quiz to check your answers.
When the answer is correct, two icons will appear below the answer. The icon contains extra information on the word/phrase. In the
icon, you can listen to the pronunciation of the word/phrase.
Now that you understand the meaning of the words/phrases and when to use them, practise using them by creating your own sentences with them in English. Also click on the "" icon under each correct answer and listen how each is pronounced correctly.
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