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B2.2 — Matices
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Lessons in this level

00Introduction01Talk about services done for you02Add emphasis to speech and writing03Write more fluidly04Sound natural at work You are here
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Sound natural in a professional conversation: business idioms and phrasal verbs.

Native speakers use idioms and phrasal verbs constantly in professional settings. These expressions will make your English sound much more natural — and help you understand real workplace conversations, meetings, and emails.

Why this matters This lesson connects directly to your progress: it covers common idioms; phrasal verbs for work; more useful expressions. Mastering this content lets you move forward confidently, and reinforces patterns you'll use again later. Take time to review every example before moving to the assessment — repetition is what actually locks knowledge in long-term.

01

What will you be able to do?

The goals of this lesson.

02

Before you start

You've now covered the full grammar of B2. This lesson focuses on natural, professional vocabulary: business idioms and phrasal verbs used constantly in real workplace English.

03

Common idioms

Figurative expressions that come up constantly in meetings and workplace conversations.

Get the ball rolling
To start a process or activity.
Think outside the box
To think creatively, beyond usual limits.
Cut corners
To do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often lowering quality.
Touch base
To make brief contact with someone, usually to check in.
Back to the drawing board
To start planning something again, after the first attempt failed.
Learn the ropes
To learn how to do a new job or task.
On the same page
To have the same understanding or opinion as someone else.
Bite the bullet
To force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult.

04

Phrasal verbs for work

Multi-word verbs that are essential vocabulary for professional English.

Set up
To arrange or establish something, such as a meeting or a business.
Follow up
To do something additional to check on progress, or continue a conversation.
Carry out
To perform or complete a task or plan.
Look into
To investigate or examine something carefully.
Bring up
To introduce a topic in a conversation or meeting.
Roll out
To introduce a new product, service, or policy.
Iron out
To resolve small problems or disagreements.
Take on
To accept a new responsibility or task.

05

More useful expressions

Additional idioms and phrases common in business contexts.

Break even
To reach a point where costs equal income, with no profit or loss.
Go the extra mile
To make an extra effort beyond what's expected.
Down to the wire
Something that is decided at the very last moment.
Wrap up
To finish or complete something.
Keep someone in the loop
To make sure someone stays informed about something.
A win-win situation
A situation where every party involved benefits.

06

Key Points

The essentials of this lesson, summarized.

07

Vocabulary in This Lesson

Key terms to remember.

Get the ball rolling
idiom

to start a process or activity

"Let's get the ball rolling on the new project this week."

Collocations: get the ball rolling on, keep the ball rolling

Traducciónponer las cosas en marcha
Think outside the box
idiom

to think creatively, beyond usual limits

"We need to think outside the box to solve this problem."

Collocations: think outside the box, thinking outside the box

Traducciónpensar fuera de lo convencional
Cut corners
idiom

to do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often lowering quality

"The company cut corners on safety to save money."

Collocations: cut corners on, without cutting corners

Traducciónhacer las cosas a medias, ahorrar en calidad
Touch base
idiom

to make brief contact with someone, usually to check in

"Let's touch base next week about the budget."

Collocations: touch base with, touch base soon

Traducciónponerse en contacto brevemente
Back to the drawing board
idiom

to start planning something again, after the first attempt failed

"The plan failed, so it's back to the drawing board."

Collocations: back to the drawing board, go back to the drawing board

Traducciónvolver a empezar de cero
Learn the ropes
idiom

to learn how to do a new job or task

"It took her a month to learn the ropes at her new job."

Collocations: learn the ropes, still learning the ropes

Traducciónaprender los detalles de un trabajo

08

Build the Sentence

Tap the words in the correct order to form the sentence. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.

09

Choose the Correct Verb

Tap the correct verb form to complete each sentence. The other options are conjugations from other tenses — on purpose, so you learn to tell them apart.

Set

Look

Down the wire

Roll

Keep in the loop

11

Assessment

You need at least 80% to unlock the next lesson. You can retake it as many times as you want — your best score is saved.

1. Choose the equivalent of: "Carry out"

2. Select the correct match for: "Set up"

3. Choose the equivalent of: "Wrap up"

4. What does this mean: "Keep someone in the loop"?

5. Select the correct match for: "Take on"

6. Which option matches: "Iron out"?

7. Which option matches: "On the same page"?

8. "Cut corners" — which one is correct?

9. Select the correct match for: "Look into"

10. Select the correct match for: "A win-win situation"

Review — Lesson 48 What matches: "He could be at the gym right now."?

Review — Lesson 48 What matches: "He could have forgotten his phone at home."?

12

Summary and next step

You've completed B2! You now handle nuance, contrast, and natural workplace idioms. Next: C1, where your English becomes genuinely sophisticated.

🗣️ Practice out loud

Use the conversational tutor to practice this topic.

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Vocabulary Guide · EN-B2.2-V07

00

Games

Practice this lesson's vocabulary with a word search and flashcards. Ungraded — play as many times as you like.

Word Search

Tap the first and last letter of a hidden word to find it. Los términos de varias palabras van sin espacios en el tablero (ej. "give up" aparece como GIVEUP).

Flashcards

Elige la respuesta correcta. Si aciertas, la tarjeta queda lista por hoy; si fallas, vuelve a aparecer pronto para reforzarla. Tu progreso se guarda en este dispositivo.

Term