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Martin, why does this email sound like a sportslesson?
Which email?
The one from your new client. It says,
Let's touch base, look at the bottom line, raisethe bar, and go the extra mile.
That is not sport. That is business English.
It contains a base, a bar, a line, and a mile.
Alright, it sounds slightly athletic.
And today we are going to make every expressionclear.
Welcome to Your English Toolbox. I am Martin.
And I am Julia.
Today we are exploring Lesson 7 of our free IdiomToolbox course, Business.
You can find the course at YourEnglishToolbox.com.
Open the Idioms section and choose Lesson 7,Business.
You will find a slow dialogue, clear meanings,multilingual support,
examples, and interactive retrieval practice.
The direct link to this free lesson is also in theepisode description.
Let us begin with Touch Base.
To touch base means to make brief contact withsomeone to exchange information.
You can say, Let's touch base on Friday.
Or, I'll touch base with the supplier thisafternoon.
Notice the two useful patterns, touch base with aperson, and touch base about or on a topic.
It normally suggests a short conversation, not along formal meeting.
So, when the client says, Let's touch basetomorrow, she wants a quick update.
Exactly. She does not want to play baseball.
Good. Now, what is the bottom line?
The bottom line is the most important fact or thefinal result.
In business, it can also mean the final financialresult, profit or loss.
For example, the bottom line is that we cannotfinish by Monday.
Or, better service helped improve the company'sbottom line.
The first example means the essential conclusion.
The second refers to financial performance.
So, what is the bottom line of your client'semail?
She wants better results without increasing thebudget.
03:01
That sounds challenging.
It does. She also wants us to raise the bar.
To raise the bar means to set a higher standard.
For example, the new design has raised the bar forthe whole industry.
Or, her presentation raised the bar for the restof the team.
If someone raises the bar, other people may needto improve to reach the new standard.
Can we lower the bar?
Yes, that means accepting a lower standard.
But I would not suggest it to the client.
Probably wise. Her final request was to go theextra mile.
To go the extra mile means to make more effortthan is normally expected.
A hotel employee might go the extra mile byhelping a guest recover a lost passport.
Or a colleague might go the extra mile to help youmeet a deadline.
It is usually positive. It suggests care,commitment and additional effort.
But there is an important limit.
Going the extra mile should not mean acceptingimpossible demands every day.
Exactly. Extra effort is valuable when it is achoice, not a permanent expectation.
Let us compare all four idioms.
Touch base means make brief contact and exchangeinformation.
The bottom line means the essential fact or finalfinancial result.
Raise the bar means set a higher standard.
And go the extra mile means make more effort thanexpected.
Time for a quick challenge.
Choose the best idiom before we answer.
Situation 1. Your manager wants a five-minuteupdate tomorrow.
Let's touch base tomorrow.
Situation 2. One restaurant creates a new standardfor service in the city.
It raises the bar.
Situation 3. A team member stays late to help acolleague complete an urgent proposal.
She goes the extra mile.
Situation 4. After a long discussion, you want tostate the essential conclusion.
You say the bottom line is...
Now complete one sentence about your work orstudies.
This week I need to touch base with...
Personal examples help turn recognition intoactive English.
Continue with Lesson 7 in the free Idiom Toolboxcourse at YourEnglishToolbox.com.
Its retrieval exercises bring these expressionsback at the right moments.
So you practice remembering instead of simply re-reading.
The direct lesson link is in the episodedescription.
So what will you write to the client?
Let's touch base tomorrow.
The bottom line is that we can raise the bar,
06:01
but we cannot double the work without changing thebudget.
Clear, professional, and honest.
Should I also promise to go the extra mile?
Only if the extra mile is included in theschedule.
That may be the real bottom line.
See you next time, friends.
Goodbye.