BIZ TALK

Using English for business purposes can be challenging. Typically speaking business English is more formal than the language used in everyday situations. However you need to consider not only the use of the language, but also the culture when using English in a business environment.

Using the correct title in a business setting is important. The first time that you meet someone in business, you should greet the person with a title followed by their last or family name.

For a man, it is simple – we always use Mr. as the title. It doesn’t matter if the man is married or single. For a woman, it is a little more complicated. We use the title Mrs. if the woman is married and we know for sure that she is married. If she is unmarried or divorced, or if you are unsure, you can use the title Ms. The title Miss is usually only used for young woman and is not common in business.

If you would like more information on BIZ TALK, please email Doctor English with your questions at drenglish@vec.ca