Your Title Is a Ritual, Not a Label
Grammar: Verb 'to be' — fixed expressions in formal busines
A Business English English lesson exploring culture.
What's in this lesson
A Business English ESL lesson on culture, practising verb 'to be' — fixed expressions in formal busines. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: Your Title Is a Ritual, Not a Label
Here is a strange fact. In Japan, the business card is not a card. It is a ceremony. You offer it with both hands. You bow. You read it carefully before placing it on the table in front of you. You never write on it. You never put it in your back pocket. A German engineer who receives a card and immediately pockets it without looking has committed, in Japanese professional culture, something close to an insult. The card is not the title. The card is the person.
Vocabulary
- status ritual
- in charge of
- on behalf of
- responsible for
- status symbol
Grammar: Verb to Be
- to be in charge of
- She is in charge of the Tokyo office. — fixed: use with roles, teams, or places
- to be responsible for
- He is responsible for client onboarding. — fixed: use with tasks, duties, or outcomes
Discussion questions
- Do you think a professional title reflects real status or just ego?
- Is it ever right to judge someone's expertise by their job title alone?
- Do you think different cultures value professional hierarchy equally?
Your Title Is a Ritual, Not a Label
Grammar: Verb 'to be' — fixed expressions in formal busines
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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