Business English Vocabulary · Lesson 5

Sound Dynamic When Starting a New Project

From getting the green light to hitting the ground running: the phrases senior professionals use to launch projects and get things moving – clear, precise and easy for everyone to understand.

ARead: the kick-off meeting

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

Opening the Singapore office

A European engineering company is opening its first office in Asia. Mark, the Regional Vice President, is running the first project meeting.

MarkRegional VPRight, everyone, let’s get things moving. Good news first: yesterday the board gave the Singapore office the green light. We finally have their approval, so we can begin.

AishaProject LeadFantastic. So we can finally get the ball rolling.

MarkExactly. But before we set the wheels in motion on anything big, I want to make sure we lay strong foundations. If the basic structures aren’t right – the legal set-up, the finances, the hiring plan – everything we build on top of them will be weak.

LinFinanceAgreed. That means thorough preparation. We need to check every detail of the local tax rules, not just the main points.

JonasHROn the hiring side, I’d like the new team to hit the ground running – to be productive from their very first day, not after three months. So we’ll prepare their training before they start.

AishaAnd we need to be quick off the mark with the office lease. Good spaces in that area disappear within days, so we have to act fast.

MarkGood. Let’s also try to anticipate problems now, before they happen. What could go wrong down the line – in six months, or a year from now?

LinCurrency risk, for one. And if our local partner pulls out, we might have to start again from scratch, completely from the beginning.

MarkLet’s hope not. Aisha, could you look into the lease options today?

AishaI’ll get on that as soon as possible.

MarkThanks. Jonas, you can get on with the job descriptions this week. Right, I have another call now. Tomorrow at nine, let’s pick up where we left off.

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.

Completely from the beginning, without using anything that existed before

“The old system was so bad that we rebuilt it .”
Official permission to start something

“The board has given us to hire two new engineers.”
To start working effectively immediately, without needing time to get used to a new situation

“We need someone who can – there’s no time for long training.”
Careful and complete, covering every detail

“Before the merger, both companies carried out checks.”
To start an activity or a process

“Let’s by booking the venue.”
At some point in the future

“We might need more staff further .”
To create the basic structures from which something can grow successfully

“A good first year will for future growth.”
Quick to react or to take action

“Our competitors were and launched a similar product within weeks.”
To start or continue doing a task

“Enough planning – let’s the work.”
To expect something and prepare for it before it happens

“Good managers problems before they happen.”

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.

“The boss said yes, so now we can start.”

Use: green light

Show model answer
“We’ve been given the green light, so we can start.”
“Let’s start the project.”

Use: ball or wheels

Show model answer
“Let’s get the ball rolling.” or “Let’s set the wheels in motion.”
“The new manager was very effective from her first day.”

Use: ground

Show model answer
“The new manager really hit the ground running.”
“We need to think about the problems that might happen.”

Use: anticipate

Show model answer
“We need to anticipate potential problems.”
“We had to start again from the very beginning.”

Use: scratch

Show model answer
“We had to start again from scratch.”
“This could cause us problems in the future.”

Use: down the line

Show model answer
“This could cause problems further down the line.”

EKey words in a new context

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

Word box

the green light
get the ball rolling
lay strong foundations
thorough
from scratch
hit the ground running
quick off the mark
anticipate
down the line
set the wheels in motion
get on with
pick up where we left off

From: Clara Stein, Project ManagerTo: Project Atlas teamSubject: We’re go!

Hi all,

Great news: the leadership team has given Project Atlas , so we can officially start. I’d like to with a kick-off workshop on Monday.

During the first month, our main goal is to : a clear plan, a realistic budget and the right people in the right roles. Please be when you review the requirements document – every detail matters at this stage. If we find mistakes later, we may have to rebuild whole parts of the system .

Several of you have worked on similar projects before, so I’m confident we can . We also need to be with the supplier contracts, as prices are expected to rise in the spring.

On Monday, I’d like each team to list the risks they over the next year, so that we don’t get any unpleasant surprises further . Once the plan is approved, IT will for the new servers.

Until then, please your current work as normal. We ran out of time at Friday’s meeting, so on Monday we’ll .

Best,
Clara

Use it well

Three things professionals often mix up when they start a project.

Quick off the mark or hit the ground running?

Quick off the mark – quick to react, often to an opportunity.

Hit the ground running – productive immediately in a new role or project.

The opposite of the first is slow off the mark:

We were slow off the mark, and a competitor got the contract.

Thorough, through or though?

Three words that look similar but are completely different:

thorough – careful and complete (a thorough review)

through – from one side to the other

though – however

The adverb is thoroughly: check it thoroughly.

Get on with or get on that?

I’ll get on that – I’ll start working on it soon.

Get on with a task – start or continue doing it.

Careful: get on with a person means to have a good relationship with them.

I get on well with my manager.

Glossary

All the phrases from this lesson.

Starting well

the green lightofficial permission to start something
to get the ball rolling / to set the wheels in motionto start an activity or a process
to lay strong foundationsto create the basic structures for future success
thoroughcareful and complete, covering every detail
to hit the ground runningto start working effectively immediately
quick off the markquick to react or to take action
to anticipateto expect something and prepare for it in advance
down the lineat some point in the future
from scratchcompletely from the beginning
to get on withto start or continue doing a task

Meeting phrases

Let’s get things moving.starting a meeting or an activity energetically
I’ll get on that as soon as possible.saying you will start a task very soon
Let’s pick up where we left off.continuing a discussion from where it stopped