Think that perfect grammar holds the key to credible Business English? Wrong! Discover why fixating on grammar can backfire, and what you should do instead when striving for effective business communication in english. 

The grammar trap: Why your fixation is damaging your credibility (& what to focus on instead)  

Think that grammar holds the key to credibility when communicating in Business English? That every verb tense, article, and preposition must be perfect if you want to be taken seriously in effective business communication in english?  

Think again.  

None of the decision makers in that pivotal pitch or negotiation (native English speaker or otherwise) will notice your perfect conjugation. But they will remember (and in a negative way) if… you… speak… very… slowly… or… lose… your… thread. And that’s what happens when you fixate on perfect grammar. 

In TLG Business English training sessions, we use various methods to help you avoid this scenario, so you communicate effectively and with authority. 

Building fluency under pressure 

Grammar and vocabulary-focused English training doesn’t prepare you for real-world meetings – it creates slow, hesitant speakers who overthink. And that’s not good for business. In our Q&A module, you answer up to 120 rapid-fire questions in 15 minutes. Then, you ask your coach questions about specific business scenarios. It’s not a conversation, it’s about getting your message out quickly. This pressure forces you to stop overthinking and start speaking more naturally as spoken English moves to the instinctive side of your brain.  

Importantly, you have to self-correct. You start with simple questions – “Can you walk us through the timeline?” – and then we increase complexity: “How does this align with our broader strategy?” or “With hindsight, what would you change about your approach?” We might ask you to incorporate phrasal verbs, or switch to third-person answers (“What does your colleague think?”). Eventually, you’ll answer questions while addressing two trainers at once as we simulate meetings with more stakeholders present. 

This isn’t standard language training, where the coach speaks for around 50% of the lesson. It’s real cognitive pressure – the kind you face in meetings, pitches, and negotiations. That’s what builds fluency. 

Enhancing small talk skills  

Making an impact involves being able to hold your own. We turn small talk into a leadership skill, teaching you how to connect, build rapport, and chat with confidence in informal moments. We practice active listening skills and standard conversation starters like: 

• What do you do? 

• Have you enjoyed the event? 

• Why are you here today? 

• How long have you been working in this field 

As with the quick-fire Q&A, this helps you avoid overthinking and hesitation. 

Navigating cultural nuance 

Most international meetings aren’t all native speakers. However, many professionals focus all their attention on the one British, American, or Australian voice in the room. We help reframe that mindset.  

• Non-native speakers often care more about grammar than native speakers do:
  Italians often know the rules of English better than native speakers do. Most anglophones won’t pay any attention to your conjugation errors, but they will notice if you aren’t engaging or speak in long monologues. 

• Mother-tongue speakers don’t automatically share a culture – and often have wildly different approaches to language: British people might ask rhetorical, witty, slightly passive-aggressive questions. Australians are more relaxed and informal, sometimes even making up words. Americans tend to be more direct and focused on outcomes. That’s why it’s always worth researching your audience before the meeting or event. 

• In mixed-nationality meetings, people typically pay attention to the most confident English communicator, not the most accurate one: That’s why Dutch and German professionals (who often speak with conviction) are often seen as strong communicators. 

In global business, your message is what matters  

Our training helps you build that strategic fluency – so you stop fixating on your grammar and start communicating with confidence. 

Ready to break free from the grammar trap? Get in touch to learn how our Business English training can help.