N
NG ENGLISH · BUSINESS LAB A2 · Meeting people at work
A2 Warm-up
Two men shaking hands over a coffee table
A2 · Business Lab · ~60 min · nice & easy

Meeting people at work

Two coffees, a handshake, some small talk. You meet a new colleague, client, or partner — and you say hi in English. That's it, that's the whole lesson. We start easy and stay easy.

Today's focus"Nice to meet you, I'm ___"
Today's focus"So, tell me about yourself — where are you from?"
Today's focus"Have you travelled to Moscow before?"
0

Before we start · quick self-check

Tap what applies · you can pick as many as you want · no wrong answers.

4 mini-lists · pick what's true
I'm learning English…
In the past I learnt English…
Right now I want to practise…
And honestly, English feels…
My rule: whatever you pick, that's the truth — we'll build our lessons around what you actually need. No pretending.
0a

This or that · 30 seconds each

Pick a side · then say one sentence · why? No wrong answers.

10 pairs · pick + one-sentence why
or
or
or
or
or
or
or
or
or
or
Say it like this: "For me, it's coffee. I drink it every morning before I open my laptop." · "Definitely night — I close deals better after 8 PM."
0b

Small-talk toolkit · six phrases you'll use today

Tap ▶ to hear each one. Use one after every "This or That" above — and everywhere in the next exercise.

6 reaction phrases · tap + speak
Actually, I think…when you want to add your real opinion
It depends.when the answer is not simple
I'm more into…what you actually love
Not really my thing.soft way to say no
Honestly, both.when you can't (or won't) choose
Same here.quick way to agree
Now use these phrases · six real questions

Answer with a full sentence. Start with one of the six phrases above. Your real opinion, not the "correct" one.

1 · Is it OK to say no to a client because the price is too low?
2 · Do you think a strong handshake really matters in business?
3 · Would you rather work with a talkative or a quiet analytical client?
4 · Is email or WhatsApp better for business today?
5 · Should you have coffee with a client before you sign a contract?
6 · Is small talk actually useful, or a waste of time?
My rule: use each of the six phrases at least once across the six questions. Agree with me → "Same here." Disagree → "Actually, I think…" We count who used more phrases at the end.
1

Tell me about yourself · the classic warm-up

The safe, familiar way to start with strangers at work. Answer each question out loud in one short sentence. Tap ▶ to hear each question first.

5 basic questions · your real words · say them out loud
Tell me a bit about yourself.
Answer in 3 lines: name → work → city. That's it — no CV.
What's your name and where are you from?
"I'm Andrey, from Moscow. Originally from Kazan."
What do you do?
"I work in sales. I'm a sales manager at BestFood."
What company do you work for and what does it do?
"I work for BestFood. We sell frozen products to supermarkets in the Moscow region."
Why are you learning English?
"I need it for work. Sometimes I have foreign clients." · "For travel." · "For movies without subtitles."
Rule: nobody is testing your English yet. Just remember what you would say — in English, one short sentence per question — if someone at work asks you. Say each answer twice out loud.
2

Words we'll use today · tap to flip

18 base words for meeting + travel + hobbies. Tap the card to see meaning and example. Tap ▶ to hear.

colleague
noun
коллега
He's a new colleague from Berlin.
client
noun
клиент
Our client arrives at 10.
company
noun
компания
I work for a small IT company.
manager
noun
менеджер
I'm a sales manager.
business trip
noun
командировка
I'm on a short business trip.
flight
noun
рейс, перелёт
The flight was long but fine.
hotel
noun
отель
I'm staying at the Hilton.
conference
noun
конференция
I met her at a conference in Milan.
meeting
noun
встреча
Thanks for the meeting today.
coffee break
noun
кофе-брейк, перерыв
Let's continue after the coffee break.
travel
verb · noun
путешествовать · поездка
I travel for work about once a month.
weekend
noun
выходные
What are you doing this weekend?
hobby
noun
хобби
Fishing is my main hobby.
fishing
noun · verb
рыбалка
I go fishing every Saturday.
football
noun
футбол
I watch football on Sunday nights.
family
noun
семья
Do you have a big family?
hometown
noun
родной город
My hometown is Kazan.
abroad
adverb
за границей
I've never been abroad for work.
3

Small talk starters · 10 easy phrases

The first 2-3 minutes before "business". Tap ▶ to hear each one.

21 warm-up questions · work + English + hobbies + life
What's your name?first thing you'll be asked
Where are you from?city / country
What company do you work for?the second question, always
What do you do exactly?they want your role, not just "sales"
How long have you worked there?experience check
What does your company do?explain in one sentence
Who are your typical clients?"we work mostly with…"
Is this your first time here?first meeting / conference / office
What brings you here today?bridge to business
Why did you start learning English?motivation · work · travel · movies
What level do you think you have right now?"A2", "somewhere between A2 and B1"
What have you tried before? Courses, apps, tutors?Duolingo, school, private teacher, YouTube
How often do you practise English?daily, weekly, "only in class"
What is your biggest problem with English?speaking, grammar, listening, vocabulary
Do you use English at work?emails, calls, contracts, meetings
What are your main hobbies?fishing, driving, football, gym
What do you like doing after work?gym, family, series, cook, walk
What sport do you watch or play?football, hockey, gym, none
Do you have any pets?dog, cat, none — easy small talk
What kind of music do you listen to?rock, jazz, "in the car mostly"
What is your dream trip?Japan, safari, road trip
Rule: one clear sentence per answer — no CV, no paragraph. These are the questions your teacher (and any new person at work) will actually ask on the first meeting.
4

📖 Reading · Andrey's first business trip

Read the short story once. Then answer 5 questions below.

Young businessman walking through airport with a suitcase

Andrey's first business trip

A short story · ~140 words · about 1 minute

My name is Andrey and I'm a sales manager for a Moscow food company. Last month I had my first business trip abroad — a small conference in Prague.

The flight was three hours. I stayed at a nice hotel near the old town. On the first evening I was very nervous. My English is not perfect, and I didn't know anybody.

On the second day, during the coffee break, a German man came up to me. He said, "Hi, I'm Thomas. Where are you from?" We talked for ten minutes about our companies, then about our families, and finally about football. He was a big fan of Bayern Munich; I told him about Spartak.

By the end of the conference, we had exchanged business cards and Thomas invited me to visit Berlin. It was just small talk over coffee — but it opened a door.

Ex.1 · True / False / Not Stated · 5 items
1. Andrey works for a company in Prague.
He works for a Moscow food company; the conference was in Prague.
2. The flight took three hours.
"The flight was three hours."
3. On the first evening, Andrey felt nervous.
"I was very nervous. My English is not perfect."
4. Thomas is from Berlin.
The text says Thomas is German and a Bayern Munich fan, but never confirms Berlin as his hometown. He only invites Andrey to Berlin.
5. Andrey and Thomas exchanged business cards.
"By the end of the conference, we had exchanged business cards."
5

Say hi · your one-minute intro

Four small blanks. Fill them, say it out loud twice — done. Include a bit about travel or a hobby, so it feels human, not like a CV.

Ex.1 · Fill from the banks · click a word → click a gap · 4 slots
How to play: pick one word from each bank below, drop it into the sentence. Try 3 different combinations out loud.

Hi, I'm ___ . I work for ___ as a ___ . On weekends I like ___ . Nice to meet you.

1 · Name
2 · Company
3 · Role
4 · Hobby
Example: "Hi, I'm Andrey. I work for BestFood as a sales manager. On weekends I like fishing. Nice to meet you." — 4 sentences, 15 seconds. Say each combination out loud.
3 ready variants · pick your favourite
📜 Show 3 warmer variants (open only after you tried your own)

Short & friendly: "I'm Ivan. I work in sales — office equipment. My hobby is fishing, so I really enjoy weekends. Nice to meet you."

With travel: "Hi! I'm Sergey. I'm a sales manager at TechPro, mostly working with logistics companies. I love travelling — last summer I drove around Georgia. What about you?"

A bit more formal: "Good morning. My name is Andrey Petrov, I work for BestFood as a senior sales manager. We supply frozen products across the Moscow region. Outside of work I follow Spartak. Pleased to meet you."

6

🎧 Listening 1 · meeting at a conference

Two colleagues meet for the first time at a conference. Listen once, then answer.

Two men at a conference coffee break with lanyards and coffee cups
Listening 1Two conference-goers say hi
Thomas
Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Thomas, from Berlin.
Andrey
Oh, hi Thomas! I'm Andrey, from Moscow. Nice to meet you.
Thomas
Same here. Is this your first time at this conference?
Andrey
Yes, it's my first business trip abroad, actually.
Thomas
Really? Welcome. How's your hotel?
Andrey
Very good, thank you. It's very close to the venue.
Thomas
Nice. Well, would you like to grab a coffee before the next session?
Andrey
Yes, that's a great idea.
Ex.1 · Answer the questions · 5 MCQ
1. Where is Thomas from?
"I'm Thomas, from Berlin."
2. Is this Andrey's first time at the conference?
"Yes, it's my first business trip abroad, actually."
3. How is Andrey's hotel?
"Very good, thank you. It's very close to the venue."
4. What does Thomas invite Andrey to do?
"Would you like to grab a coffee before the next session?"
5. Which phrase does Thomas use to open the conversation?
A very natural way to start with a stranger you might have seen before.
7

Safety phrases · when you get stuck

You will forget a word. You will not catch something. It's normal. Use these instead of freezing.

12 phrases · tap ▶ to hear
Sorry, could you repeat that?
didn't hear · noisy room · phone glitch
Could you say it again more slowly?
too fast · accent · new topic
I didn't catch that.
short version of "please repeat"
Let me think for a second.
buy time before answering
What's the word… I mean…
when the exact word slips away
How do you say this in English?
ask directly instead of guessing
Can you spell that, please?
name of company · person · city
Give me a moment, please.
need to check something / write down
Sorry, my English is not perfect.
short apology · they will slow down themselves
Let me start again.
your sentence went wrong halfway
Do you have a minute?
open a small conversation
Just to make sure I understand — you mean…?
confirm what they said
Rule: memorise the first 4 today. In a real meeting, one rescue phrase is 100× better than three seconds of silence.
8

Full meeting · coffee, hello, business

You (host) and a Client (visiting). Read line by line, tap ▶ to hear. Then read Client's lines only — you answer from memory.

Two men in a café chatting over coffee with an open notebook on the table

The whole first meeting · 12 lines

Andrey (host, Moscow) · Thomas (guest, Berlin)
Andrey
Good morning! I'm Andrey — nice to finally meet you in person.
Thomas
Good morning, Andrey. I'm Thomas. Thanks for making time.
Andrey
Of course. How was your trip?
Thomas
Very good, thank you. Long flight, but no problems.
Andrey
Great. Would you like some coffee before we start?
Thomas
Yes, please. Black, no sugar.
Andrey
Perfect. So — I work for BestFood as a sales manager. We sell frozen products to supermarkets in the Moscow region. Today I'd like to talk about our new line.
Thomas
Sounds good. Could you say the name of your company again more slowly?
Andrey
Sure — BestFood. B-E-S-T-F-O-O-D. One word.
Thomas
Got it. What's your role exactly?
Andrey
I'm a senior sales manager for the Moscow region. So — shall we get started?
Thomas
Yes, let's do it.
9

🎧 Listening 2 · coffee break · talking travel

Two people at a coffee break. Listen once, then fill in what you heard.

Two men chatting about travel with a world map on the wall behind them
Listening 2"So, do you travel a lot?"
Thomas
So Andrey, do you travel a lot for work?
Andrey
Not too much, actually. About four or five business trips a year.
Thomas
Oh, that's not bad. Where's your favourite place?
Andrey
Probably Georgia. We had a supplier meeting in Tbilisi last spring. Beautiful city.
Thomas
Nice! I've never been. Any plans for this year?
Andrey
Yes, in September I'm going to Istanbul. First time.
Thomas
Great choice. And your family — do they travel with you sometimes?
Andrey
On holidays, yes. But not for work.
Ex.1 · Fill the gaps from what you heard · 8 items
  1. How many trips a year does Andrey have? — About business trips a year.
  2. What is Andrey's favourite place? — Probably .
  3. Which city in Georgia did he mention? — .
  4. Has Thomas been to Georgia before? — .
  5. Where is Andrey going in September? — To .
  6. Is it his first time in Istanbul? — , first time.
  7. Does his family travel with him for work? — , only on holidays.
  8. What was the reason for his Georgia trip? — A in Tbilisi.
10

Quick check · grammar & vocab

10 MCQ · one attempt each. The correct answer appears after your click.

10 items · shuffled options
1. Nice ___ you.
"Nice to meet you" — fixed phrase for first meeting.
2. I ___ for a small IT company.
Present Simple for permanent job. "I" → work, no -s.
3. How ___ business?
"Business" is singular uncountable → is.
4. Have you ___ to Moscow before?
Present Perfect "have + been" for life experience.
5. Could you say that ___, please?
Word order: "again" + adverb "more slowly".
6. ___ you like some coffee?
"Would you like…?" — polite offer.
7. I ___ in the food industry.
"I work in the ___ industry" is the fixed phrase.
8. Last summer I ___ to Georgia.
"Last summer" = finished past → Past Simple "went".
9. Sorry — ___ a moment, please.
"Give me a moment" — natural. "Wait me" is a common mistake; correct is "wait for me".
10. Just to make sure I understand — you ___ we start next month?
"You mean" — fixed clarification phrase.
Match · phrase ↔ situation · 10 pairs
11

Right response · pick the reply

Client says something. Pick the best reply from three options. Correct answer appears after your click.

Ex.1 · 10 real client lines · pick the response
1. Client: "Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Marco."
Standard first-meeting reply: repeat their name + introduce yourself.
2. Client: "So, what do you do exactly?"
One clear sentence: role + company + what the company does.
3. Client: "How was your trip?"
Polite, one line, positive tone — even if the flight was tough.
4. Client: "Would you like some coffee?"
"Yes, please" + how you take it. That's it.
5. Client: "Sorry, could you repeat that?"
Just repeat, slowly. No apology needed.
6. Client: "How long have you worked there?"
A number + "years now" or "months now" — that's the whole answer.
7. Client: "Have you been to Berlin before?"
Answer + bounce back a question. Keeps the small talk alive.
8. Client: "What brings you here today?"
Bridge to business — say the topic in one sentence.
9. Client: "Are you flying back tonight?"
Short factual answer. If you want, add one detail ("early flight").
10. Client: "Shall we get started?"
The end of small talk — a short "yes" is all you need.
12

Real situations · talk them out

Tap ▶ to hear what the person says. You answer out loud in real time. No auto-check here — just real speaking.

Two men chatting at a café
1Café · first meeting with a local client
You meet a new B2B client at a café. They walk in, sit down.
"Hi. Sorry I'm a bit late — traffic was terrible."
Greet warmly · say it's fine · offer coffee. Use one small-talk phrase.
"So tell me about your company. Who are you and what do you do?"
Use your 4-blank self-intro script (name · company · role · hobby/travel).
"Sorry, could you say the name of your company one more time?"
Repeat slowly · spell it if useful.
Two men shaking hands at a café table
2Conference · new person at the coffee break
You're at a big conference. Someone stands next to you at the coffee table.
"Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Marco, from Italy. Where are you from?"
Greet · introduce yourself · say where you're from. One extra fact.
"Oh nice. So, do you travel a lot for work?"
Talk about travel — how often, favourite place, or "not much".
"Sorry, I didn't catch the name of your city."
Use a rescue: repeat slowly. "Of course — Moscow, M-O-S-C-O-W."
Team around a laptop in a bright meeting room
3Video call · new client from abroad
You open a Zoom call. They turn on the camera.
"Hi! Can you hear me OK?"
Confirm · greet · introduce yourself briefly.
"Perfect. So — how's business on your side these days?"
One-sentence answer · then a small-talk return question, then bridge to the topic.
"Great to hear. OK, let's talk about the reason for the call — the contract for Q4."
Confirm the topic: "Yes, exactly — the Q4 contract. So…"
How to use in the office: put this page on a second screen or share it. Do one scenario per session — 3 minutes, no cheating. Then compare your answer to the hint under each line. That's the practice.
14

🌍 Travel talk · a mini-block

Travel is the easiest small-talk topic in the world. Every foreigner asks. Here's the vocab, the pattern, and 6 speaking prompts.

Passport, boarding pass, coffee, suitcase and sunglasses on a wooden table
Travel vocab · 12 words · tap chip to hear
Rule: in a first meeting, say ONE travel word and let the other person react. "I flew in yesterday, no delay this time." → they'll pick it up.
Ex.1 · "Have you ever been to...?" · 8 gap-fill
Pattern: "Have you ever been to [place]?" — Present Perfect for life experience. Answer: "Yes, I have. I went in [year]." OR "No, I haven't, but I'd love to."
  1. Have you ever to Italy?
  2. Yes, I . Twice, actually.
  3. Have you ever to Japan? — No, I .
  4. I to Turkey last summer with my family.
  5. Where did you for holidays last year?
  6. I've never abroad for work, only for holidays.
  7. Have you been to Moscow before?
  8. Next month I to Berlin for a short trip.
Ex.2 · 6 travel speaking prompts · say out loud
What's the best trip you've ever taken?
"The best trip was Georgia in 2023 — beautiful mountains, amazing food."
Which country would you love to visit and why?
"I'd love to visit Japan. I want to see Tokyo and try real sushi."
Do you prefer the sea or the mountains?
"Sea, definitely. I need to swim and relax on holiday."
Tell me about a funny travel story.
"Once I left my passport in the hotel safe. I remembered at the airport."
What do you usually pack for a business trip?
"One suit, three shirts, laptop, and a book for the flight."
How do you feel about long flights?
"I don't love them, but a good movie and coffee help."
15

Word order · build the question

Tap the words in the right order to build each question. Tap a word in the slot to send it back. Then tap Check.

8 questions · pick-to-slot
Where are you from?
How was your trip?
Have you ever been to Moscow?
What do you do for a living?
Do you travel a lot for work?
What do you like doing on weekends?
Where are you staying?
Would you like some coffee?
16

🖼 Describe the picture · 4 scenes

Look at each scene. Describe it in 2-3 sentences using: "In the picture I can see... In the background... In the foreground..." Tap ▶ to hear a model description.

Busy modern city street with tall buildings and people walking
Warm-up: describe this city street first — 3 sentences with the formula above. Then move on to the 4 smaller scenes below.
Man with suitcase at an airport terminal, plane visible through the window
Scene 1 · Airport
Include: airport, luggage, passport, flight. Use "In the picture I can see..."
A businessman walking down a city street with a briefcase
Scene 2 · City street
Include: city, tall buildings, people, walking. Use "In the background..."
Business presentation in a meeting room with charts and laptops
Scene 3 · Meeting room
Include: meeting, colleagues, presentation, laptop. Use "In the foreground..."
Beach with sun umbrella and a lounge chair, sea and sailboat behind
Scene 4 · Beach on holiday
Include: sea, beach, sun, people relaxing. Full formula.
How to practise: cover the model with your hand, describe out loud first — then tap ▶ and compare. Your goal is 2-3 short sentences per picture.
17

This or that · pick a side, one sentence why

Tap the side you prefer. Then say one sentence out loud starting with "I prefer ___ because ___". No wrong answers.

8 pairs · pick + speak
or
or
or
or
or
or
or
or
Say it out loud: "I prefer coffee because I need caffeine in the morning." · "I prefer mountains because I love hiking." Each answer = one full sentence.
18

How do you feel? · basic mood words

Ten mood words you already know from movies. Tap the one that matches how you feel right now — then say one true sentence: "Today I feel ___ because ___."

10 feeling words · tap + speak
Then talk about your week: "On Monday I felt tired because I had a long meeting." · "Yesterday I was excited because we closed a big deal."
19

Your summer in three photos

Think of three real photos from your last summer. Talk about each one in 2-3 sentences. Past Simple is fine, Present is fine too. Use the templates as a starter.

Three polaroid photos on a wooden table: beach, mountains, and city street
Lake view with mountains and a small town
Photo 1 — a place
"This is a photo of ___. I went there in ___. It was ___."
A person relaxing on the beach in a sun hat
Photo 2 — a person
"In this photo I can see ___. We were ___. He/she is ___."
Friends watching sunset over the sea
Photo 3 — a moment
"This was the moment when ___. I remember ___. It made me feel ___."
Speaking tip: don't try to describe every detail. Two-three simple sentences per photo. This is how humans talk about photos — with feeling, not a report.
20

Icebreaker · Question Spinner

Tap 🎰 Spin — a random question appears. Answer out loud in one or two sentences. Spin again for the next. Rapid-fire warm-up.

20 random questions · spin + speak · aim for 10 in a row
🎰 Tap Spin to get your first question
0 questions answered · queue reshuffles when empty
How to play: Spin → read the question aloud → answer in 1-2 sentences → Spin again. If a question is too hard, spin again. Do 10 in a row without long pauses = warm-up done.
🎴

Vocab quest · flip a card, answer the question

Tap a card to see a word. Flip it — there's a personal question with that word. Say a full-sentence answer.

12 words · 12 personal questions
Sunday
tap to flip
What do you usually do on Sundays?
breakfast
tap to flip
What did you eat for breakfast today?
friend
tap to flip
Who is your oldest friend? Tell me about them.
car
tap to flip
Do you drive? What kind of car do you have or would you like?
summer
tap to flip
What's the best summer you remember?
school
tap to flip
What was your favourite subject at school?
holiday
tap to flip
Where do you want to go on your next holiday?
music
tap to flip
What's the last song you played?
food
tap to flip
What food can you cook well?
movie
tap to flip
What was the last movie you enjoyed?
dream
tap to flip
What's one small dream you have for next year?
gift
tap to flip
What's the best gift you've ever received?
Point: a good business meeting is 50% "what we do", 50% "who we are". These questions are the second half.