Have you ever apologised for your poor English? Have you ever felt that you have to apologise because your low level of English creates difficulties for your international colleagues or clients?

Sadly, we live in a world where not being a native speaker of English is considered a serious professional flaw. You cannot have an international career if you don’t speak perfect English. If you work for a multinational company in your home country and you don’t speak flawless English, you cannot advance your career. People whose English is less than perfect are considered less of a professional than those lucky ones who grew up speaking English from day one. Isn’t it unfair?

I know your pain because I work with professionals who suffer daily in the cut throat world of business because their English isn’t up to scratch.

If you know what I mean, then, welcome to my world! And the world of my students. I know your pain, I have been there myself. I know your pain because I work with professionals who suffer daily in the cut throat world of business because their English isn’t up to scratch. Or so they think.

Should you really apologise if English is not your mother tongue? I had a professor at university who said that a real professional should never have to apologise. After all, this isn’t your first language and how many people can say that they can communicate in more than one language? As I see it, native speakers and advanced speakers should try to put themselves in the shoes of their colleagues and dial their English down. However, that is only in an ideal world. Meanwhile, what can you do to take your English a notch up?

Practice, practice, practice!

Learning a foreign language is so much more than memorising grammar rules and committing words to memory but it is a very important step! Practice what you learn. Find every possible opportunity to practice your English, even if you make mistakes. By practising what you have memorised, you will improve your fluency.

Communicating in a foreign language is so much more than just speaking it! 

Learning a foreign language is so much more than just taking classes with a teacher! A good teacher will help you reduce your mistakes by pointing them out and thus making you aware of them. However, you actually have to do the work yourself. Listen to what your teacher says and try to apply it. Pay attention to what you hear and read and copy and imitate how others speak. If you are not confident first, then use your classes to experiment with your new words in a safe environment. Your teacher will be able to tell you how you are doing and this will make you more confident.

Communicating in a foreign language is so much more than just speaking it! If you want to communicate well, you need to learn to listen and hear what the other is saying. Ask questions. For example, say Do you mean that …? Or Are you referring to …? Check that you are both on the same page.

Communicating in a foreign language is so much more than just speaking correctly. Perfect grammar is not everything. There are many expressions that help us communicate better, not just speak. They allow us to move the conversation forward, to show agreement, disagreement, to ask for clarifications, and so on. The chances are that you already know many of these expressions. The list is too long to include everything here. There are specific expressions for various business situations, for example, presentations, negotiations, telephoning, meetings, etc.

Where can you start?

A good point to start is to download my guide to Phrases for Presentations. This is the first instalment in a series of business English guides.

I also recommend watching the video below on speaking English in international business.

Why everyone should speak a little English at your company?