Business English Vocabulary · Lesson 7

Sound Dynamic When Discussing Progress

From making strides to bringing a project to fruition: the phrases senior professionals use to give updates, discuss progress and keep a project moving – clear, precise and easy for everyone to understand.

ARead: the weekly update

Read the meeting. The phrases in bold are for exercise B. The underlined phrases are useful meeting phrases for exercise C.

Project Horizon – weekly update

A bank is building a new app for its customers. Olivia, the Head of Digital, is running the weekly update meeting with her project team.

OliviaHead of DigitalMorning, everyone. Let’s get started. Sam, where are we at with the new app?

SamProduct LeadGood progress. We’ve made real strides in the last month: the booking feature is finished, and the payment system is almost ready.

OliviaGreat. Ben, could you bring us up to speed on the testing? I missed last week’s call.

BenEngineeringSure. We tested the app with fifty customers. Overall, the feedback was positive, but nobody liked the search function, so we’ve decided to scrap it completely and replace it with something much simpler.

NadiaCustomer ExperienceEverything else just needs small improvements. We’re refining the design based on what customers told us – slightly clearer buttons, a few new colours, nothing major.

OliviaGood. So what would you say has been the main driver of our progress so far?

SamHonestly, the new automated testing tools. They facilitate the whole process: what used to take a week now takes a day. That’s really what’s driving the project forward.

NadiaAnd the team itself. We’ve been honing our approach to customer feedback for two years now, and it’s much sharper than it used to be.

OliviaAgreed. Customers expect more from us every year, so we need to keep raising the bar. Moving forward, I think we should test with customers every two weeks, not every month.

BenMakes sense.

OliviaGreat. If we keep going like this, we’ll bring this project to fruition by the summer – after two years of work, the app will finally be live. Sam, keep me posted on the payment system. And Nadia, please keep me in the loop on any decisions about customer complaints.

Bold = key words (exercise B)Underlined = meeting phrases (exercise C)

BKey words from the meeting

Based on the meeting, choose the phrase that matches each definition. Then complete the example sentence. You may need to change the form of the phrase.

To set a higher standard than before

“Their new service has really for the whole industry.”
To make small changes to something in order to improve it

“We’re still the wording of the proposal.”
The most important factor that causes something to happen or to progress

“Lower prices were of our growth last year.”
To get rid of a plan, an idea or a system completely, because it isn’t working

“The company the project after the trial failed.”
To finally complete a plan or a project successfully, after a long time

“After years of planning, the expansion was finally .”
To make a process easier or faster

“The new software will communication between our offices.”
To make good progress in something

“The company has reducing its carbon footprint.”
To improve a skill, a method or a strategy gradually, through practice and experience

“She spent years her negotiation skills.”
To keep a project making progress, especially by giving it energy and leadership

“Anna has been since day one.”

CWhat would you say?

Read each situation. Which phrase would you use?

DSay it better

Each sentence below is correct, but it sounds simple. Rewrite it using a phrase from this lesson, then compare your version with the model answer.

“We have made a lot of progress with the new system.”

Use: strides

Show model answer
“We’ve made real strides with the new system.” or “We’ve made great strides in developing the new system.”
“This idea isn’t working. Let’s stop it completely.”

Use: scrap

Show model answer
“This idea isn’t working, so I suggest we scrap it.”
“We need to make our standards higher.”

Use: raise the bar

Show model answer
“If we want to stay ahead, we need to raise the bar.”
“Tell me if anything changes.”

Use: posted

Show model answer
“Please keep me posted.”
“The new tool makes the process much easier.”

Use: facilitate

Show model answer
“The new tool really facilitates the process.”
“After three years, we finally finished the project successfully.”

Use: fruition

Show model answer
“After three years, we finally brought the project to fruition.”

EKey words in a new context

Complete the email with the phrases from the box. You may need to change the form of some of the words.

Word box

make strides
scrap
refine
facilitate
the main driver
drive the project forward
raise the bar
hone
moving forward
bring to fruition
keep you posted
keep you in the loop

From: Tomasz Nowak, Programme ManagerTo: Helen Price, CEOSubject: Monthly update – customer portal

Hi Helen,

Here is this month’s update on the customer portal. Overall, we have in the last four weeks: registration and billing are now live, and the feedback from customers has been very positive.

We have also made two changes to the plan. First, we have decided to the live chat feature, because it was expensive and very few customers used it. Second, we are the dashboard – nothing major, just a few small changes to make it clearer.

The new project management software has made a big difference. It communication between our teams in Warsaw and Lisbon, and it has been of our faster progress this month. I would also like to mention Katya, who has really since she joined in May.

Two of our competitors have launched similar portals this year, so we need to keep . Our designers have spent the last year their skills in accessible design, and it really shows.

, I suggest that we hold a short review with you every two weeks rather than every month. If everything goes to plan, the portal will be by the end of March.

I will on the final round of testing, and I will make sure to on any decisions about the budget.

Best regards,
Tomasz

Use it well

Three things professionals often mix up when they talk about progress.

Hone or refine?

Hone – improve a skill or an approach slowly, through practice over time.

Refine – make small changes to a product, a plan or a text to improve it.

Hone your presentation skills. Refine your slides.

Posted or in the loop?

Keep me posted – tell me when there is news.

Keep me in the loop – include me in the emails, meetings and decisions.

If nobody told you, you were out of the loop.

Sorry, I was out of the loop – nobody copied me in.

Asking for an update

Where are we at with…? is very common in meetings, but it is informal. In writing, or with senior people, try:

What’s the latest on…? Could you give us an update on…?

Someone who missed the news needs to get up to speed; you bring them up to speed.

Glossary

All the phrases from this lesson.

Making progress

to make strides into make good progress in something
to honeto improve a skill, a method or a strategy gradually, through practice
to refineto make small changes to something in order to improve it
to scrapto get rid of a plan, an idea or a system completely
to raise the barto set a higher standard than before
to facilitateto make a process easier or faster
to drive a project forwardto keep a project making progress
the main driverthe most important factor that causes something to happen
to bring to fruitionto finally complete a plan or a project successfully

Meeting phrases

Where are we at with…?asking for a quick status update
Could you bring us up to speed on…?asking someone to share the latest information
Moving forward, we should…suggesting what to do from now on
Keep me posted.asking someone to tell you when there is news
Keep me in the loop.asking to be included in emails and decisions