- Use "must" for internal pressure or personal obligations, and "have to" for external pressure or requirements from others
- "Must" has no past tense form - always use "had to" when talking about past obligations
- The verb "to be" is irregular in past tense: "I/he/she/it was" and "you/we/they were"
- In present simple, third person singular (he/she/it) adds -s or -es to the verb: "he works," "she decides," "it needs"
Business English Essentials
Summary
Estimated Student Level: B1-B2
This lesson focused on business-related vocabulary and grammar structures commonly used in professional contexts. The session began with a discussion about past events, specifically a business presentation that took place two weeks ago. The student learned how to describe professional situations, including presenting to long-term clients, discussing revenue, and interacting with purchasing agents.
A significant portion of the lesson was dedicated to modal verbs, particularly the distinction between “must” and “have to” in English. The teacher explained that “must” indicates internal pressure or personal obligation, while “have to” suggests external pressure or requirements imposed by others. The lesson also covered the past forms of these modal verbs, noting that “must” has no past tense form and requires “had to” instead.
The conversation touched on travel-related vocabulary when discussing a trip to Prague, including questions about transportation and accommodation. Business terminology was extensively covered, including words for factory operations, suppliers, and employees. The lesson concluded with important business concepts such as work-life balance, shareholder relations, and sales performance metrics.
New Vocabulary
| English | German |
|---|---|
| repair | reparieren |
| client | Kunde |
| to present | präsentieren / Vortrag halten |
| bullet points | Stichpunkte |
| presentation | Präsentation |
| long-term | langjährig |
| revenue | Umsatz |
| buyer/purchaser | Einkäufer |
| distance | Abstand |
| factory | Fabrik |
| supplier | Lieferant / Anbieter |
| employees | Mitarbeiter |
| decide | entscheiden |
| whether | ob |
| work-life balance | Ausgewogenes Verhältnis zwischen Beruf und Privatleben |
| major problem | schwerwiegendes Problem |
| discuss/discussion | diskutieren / Diskussion |
| city centre | Stadtzentrum |
| pregnant | schwanger |
| shareholders | Aktionäre / Anteilsinhaber |
| sales figures | Verkaufszahlen |
| review (verb/noun) | prüfen / Prüfung |
| repeat | wiederholen |
Grammar Points
Must vs. Have to
In English, both “must” and “have to” express obligation, but they have slightly different meanings. “Must” is used when the pressure or obligation comes from inside yourself – it’s something you personally feel is necessary. For example: “I must finish this report” (I feel it’s important). “Have to” is used when the pressure comes from outside – someone else requires it or circumstances demand it. For example: “I have to present in English” (my boss requires it).
An important point about “must” is that it has no past tense form. When talking about past obligations, we use “had to” regardless of whether the pressure was internal or external. So “I must go” becomes “I had to go” in the past.
This distinction helps express subtle differences in meaning and is particularly useful in business contexts where you need to distinguish between personal convictions and external requirements.
Past Tense of “to be”
The verb “to be” is irregular in the past tense. In the present, we say “I am” and “we are,” but in the past these become “I was” and “we were.” This is fundamental for describing past situations and states.
The complete conjugation is: I was, you were, he/she/it was, we were, you were, they were. Notice that “you” always takes “were,” whether singular or plural.
This is essential for forming questions about past events, such as “How did you get to Prague?” which could also be phrased as “How were you able to get to Prague?” Understanding these forms helps in both formal presentations and casual business conversations.
Present Simple Third Person
In the present simple tense, the third person singular (he/she/it) takes a special form by adding -s or -es to the verb. So while we say “I do,” “we do,” “they do,” and “you do,” we must say “he does,” “she does,” or “it does.”
This rule applies to all regular verbs in the present simple: “work” becomes “works,” “decide” becomes “decides,” and “need” becomes “needs” in the third person singular.
This grammar point is crucial for professional communication, especially when reporting about colleagues or describing company procedures. For example: “The manager decides the budget” or “The supplier needs confirmation.”
Practice Quiz
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