Business English Lesson Plans: 20 Practical Ideas for Teaching Professional English

Teaching Business English is different from general ESL. Your students are professionals. They don't have time for children's games or abstract grammar drills. They need skills they can use in Monday's meeting, this afternoon's email, or next week's negotiation.

This guide gives you 20 practical lesson plan ideas for Business English, organized by topic. Each one is designed to be immediately applicable in the real business world.

Why Business English is Different

Business English learners typically:

• Are adults with busy schedules.
• Have specific, practical goals (get a promotion, work with international clients).
• Already have some English but need professional-level fluency.
• Value efficiency—no time for fluff.

Your lessons need to be relevant, practical, and immediately applicable. Always connect language to real workplace situations.

Email Communication (4 Lesson Ideas)

Lesson 1: Writing Professional Emails

Objective: Write clear, professional emails with appropriate tone.

Activities:

• Analyze good vs. bad email examples (what makes one professional?).
• Teach the email structure: greeting, purpose, body, action, closing.
• Practice transforming casual messages into professional emails.
• Role-play: Respond to an urgent client complaint by email.

Lesson 2: Requesting and Giving Information

Objective: Make polite requests and respond appropriately in writing.

Key Phrases: 'I am writing to inquire about...', 'Could you please...', 'I would appreciate it if...'

Lesson 3: Delivering Bad News Professionally

Objective: Communicate negative information tactfully.

Activity: Teach the 'sandwich method' (positive opening, bad news, positive closing). Practice with scenarios: project delays, declining requests, price increases.

Lesson 4: Follow-Up and Reminder Emails

Objective: Write polite but effective follow-ups.

Key Phrases: 'I wanted to follow up on...', 'Just a gentle reminder that...', 'I would appreciate an update on...'

Meetings and Discussions (4 Lesson Ideas)

Lesson 5: Participating in Meetings

Objective: Contribute confidently to business meetings.

Activities:

• Teach phrases for agreeing, disagreeing, and asking for clarification.
• Practice interrupting politely.
• Role-play: A marketing budget meeting with conflicting opinions.

Lesson 6: Leading and Chairing Meetings

Objective: Run an effective meeting in English.

Key Phrases: 'Let's get started...', 'Moving on to the next point...', 'Can I summarize what we've agreed?'

Lesson 7: Conference Call Etiquette

Objective: Handle virtual meetings professionally.

Focus: Technical language (muting, screen sharing), dealing with audio issues politely, ensuring participation when you can't see faces.

Lesson 8: Decision-Making Discussions

Objective: Navigate group decision-making in English.

Activity: Simulate a team deciding on a vendor. Practice weighing options, expressing preferences, and building consensus.

Presentations (4 Lesson Ideas)

Lesson 9: Structuring a Business Presentation

Objective: Organize presentations clearly with signposting language.

Key Phrases: 'I'll start by...', 'Moving on to...', 'To summarize...', 'Are there any questions?'

Lesson 10: Opening and Closing Strong

Objective: Hook the audience and end memorably.

Techniques: Startling statistics, rhetorical questions, strong calls to action.

Lesson 11: Handling Q&A Sessions

Objective: Answer tough questions confidently.

Activities: Practice buying time ('That's a great question...'), clarifying questions, and admitting when you don't know.

Lesson 12: Presenting Data and Trends

Objective: Describe charts, graphs, and statistics clearly.

Key Language: 'This graph shows...', 'As you can see...', 'There was a sharp increase in...'

Negotiations (4 Lesson Ideas)

Lesson 13: Negotiation Basics

Objective: Understand negotiation phases and key language.

Activities: Analyze a negotiation dialogue. Identify opening positions, concessions, and final agreements.

Lesson 14: Making and Responding to Proposals

Objective: Present offers and counteroffers professionally.

Key Phrases: 'We would like to propose...', 'Would you be willing to...', 'That's not quite what we had in mind...'

Lesson 15: Bargaining and Finding Common Ground

Objective: Negotiate win-win outcomes.

Role-Play: Salary negotiation, supplier contract terms, partnership deals.

Lesson 16: Closing a Deal

Objective: Finalize agreements professionally.

Key Phrases: 'So we're agreed that...', 'To confirm...', 'I'll send the contract by...'

Networking and Small Talk (4 Lesson Ideas)

Lesson 17: Networking at Events

Objective: Start conversations and build connections.

Activities: Practice introductions, finding common ground, and exchanging contact info gracefully.

Lesson 18: Small Talk Topics

Objective: Navigate safe (and unsafe) small talk topics.

Focus: Weather, travel, industry news. Avoid: politics, salary, personal questions.

Lesson 19: Following Up After Networking

Objective: Write effective follow-up messages after meeting someone.

Template: 'It was great meeting you at... I'm following up on our conversation about...'

Lesson 20: Building Rapport with International Clients

Objective: Navigate cultural differences in business relationships.

Discussion: How do different cultures approach small talk? How direct should you be?

Tips for Teaching Business English

• Use real materials: Bring in actual emails, meeting agendas, and case studies.
• Customize: Find out what your student's job actually involves.
• Role-play everything: Business English is learned by doing, not studying.
• Teach register: Formal vs. informal, polite vs. direct.
• Focus on fluency: Professionals need to think on their feet.

Creating Business English Materials Faster

Customizing materials for each client is time-consuming. Tools like GoTeach can generate role-play scenarios, email templates, and meeting simulations in seconds. Spend less time creating, more time teaching.