Uploaded March 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Do you work with English speakers? You NEED this lesson! Business English has its own vocabulary, so follow and repeat after me as I teach 25 essential phrases that you can use in a professional environment. The English phrases in this lesson include: "reach out", "get in touch", "get back to", "check in", "reply to", "in regard to", "provide an update on", and many more. The purpose of this lesson is to share and practice language you can actually use in an English-speaking office. Test your knowledge with the quiz here: engvid.com/speak-like-a-pro-25-business-english-phrases
Get more English resources, tutoring, and more at my website: EnglishAlex.com
More videos about English for the workplace:
How to write a professional email youtu.be/3Tu1jN65slw
12 phrasal verbs for meetings youtu.be/r0QJuH0lmWg
In this lesson:
0:00 25 Essential Business Phrases
0:30 reach out
1:01 get in touch & get in contact
2:10 check in
3:43 follow up
5:48 ask about & inquire about
6:56 reply, respond, answer, get back to
9:09 Updates: provide, give, get, update
11:04 send
13:14 according to
14:04 in regard to
15:07 apologize for & my apologies for
16:21 let me
17:02 look forward to
Do you work with English speakers? You NEED this lesson! Business English has its own vocabulary, so follow and repeat after me as I teach 25 essential phrases that you can use in a professional environment. The English phrases in this lesson include: "reach out", "get in touch", "get back to", "check in", "reply to", "in regard to", "provide an update on", and many more. The purpose of this lesson is to share and practice language you can actually use in an English-speaking office. Test your knowledge with the quiz here: engvid.com/speak-like-a-pro-25-business-english-phrases
Get more English resources, tutoring, and more at my website: EnglishAlex.com
More videos about English for the workplace:
How to write a professional email youtu.be/3Tu1jN65slw
12 phrasal verbs for meetings youtu.be/r0QJuH0lmWg
In this lesson:
0:00 25 Essential Business Phrases
0:30 reach out
1:01 get in touch & get in contact
2:10 check in
3:43 follow up
5:48 ask about & inquire about
6:56 reply, respond, answer, get back to
9:09 Updates: provide, give, get, update
11:04 send
13:14 according to
14:04 in regard to
15:07 apologize for & my apologies for
16:21 let me
17:02 look forward to
![Learn English with 5 Stupid Jokes!
Learning English can be FUNNY! This special lesson is all about simple, easy jokes that dads tell their kids. We call them these dad jokes. These jokes are a great way to learn English because they are based on pronunciation, puns, and vocabulary. Youll hear five simple dad jokes along with explanations. Ill also go over the vocabulary in detail so you can really master some new vocabulary. Take the quiz, and practice speaking by telling these jokes to your family and friends. Most importantly, continue having fun with your English!
Take the quiz here: http://www.engvid.com/learn-english-with-5-stupid-jokes/
And try a free audiobook, courtesy of Alex: http://www.engvid.com/out/audiblealex
TRANSCRIPT
Hey, everyone. Im Alex. Thanks for clicking, and welcome to this lesson on improving your English with dad jokes. Dad jokes? you ask. What are dad jokes? Simply put, dad jokes are jokes that dads tell their kids in an effort to make them laugh, when in reality, they usually just make them roll their eyes or groan. Err. But, dad jokes can be an excellent way to improve your English, because they often play with word meanings and word sounds. So, especially if you are an intermediate level English learner, dad jokes can be a great way to enter the world of English jokes. So, lets look at some examples now, and well come back and talk about em.
Hey, Leah, I got a good one. Why couldnt Draculas wife fall asleep? Dont know? Because of his coffin! Get it? Because coffin is where, you know, Dracula sleeps, and, like, it rhymes with coughing, [coughs], so Draculas wife couldnt fall asleep because of his coughing. Its pretty good? No? Okay. I bet your friend Caitlin would have laughed.
Its so good. Hey, Caitlin, I got a good one. What kind of music do mummies listen to? Wrap music! Nothing? Get it? Because rap is a type of music, and mummies are wrapped in bandages. No? Still nothing. I bet your friend Roberta would have laughed.
Come on, baby. Come on. Come on. Ugh. A commercial. Hey, Roberta, I got a good one. What was Beethovens favourite food? Ba-na-na-na! Get it? Because, like, a banana is a food, and like, ba-na-na-na, thats, like, the beginning to Beethovens 5th Symphony. No? Nothing? Kids these days. I bet your friend Maria would have laughed.
Hey, Maria, I got a good one. Why didnt the shrimp share his treasure? Because he was a little shellfish! Huh, huh? You get it? Because, like, a shrimp and a crab and a lobster are, like, shellfish, and shellfish kind of rhymes with selfish, which means you dont like to share. So, he didnt want to share his treasure. Still not funny, huh? Okay, Im just going to get your Pop-tart, and I really, really bet that your friend Krystal would have laughed her head off.
I always hate this. Krystal, I got a good one. What do calendars eat? Dates! Get it? Because, like, a date is a type of food, and like, dates are also found on a calendar. No? Nothing? Whats wrong with kids these days?
As you can see, dad jokes can be pretty funny, or just bad; it probably depends on your sense of humour. So, before we go, lets review these jokes, and then you can go and tell them to your friends, your family, and be laughed at or watch people roll their eyes, or you can just explain it to them, and... Whatever.
So, number one: Why couldnt Draculas wife fall asleep? Because of his coffin! So, like the dad said in the video, a coffin is the place where, you know, vampires sleep. Coffin sounds like coughing. Pretty funny.
Next: What kind of music do mummies listen to? Wrap music! So, again, rap is a type of music, but to wrap... Mummies are wrapped in bandages.
Next: What was Beethovens favourite food? Ba-na-na-na! Which is, you know, the beginning of his most famous symphony.
Number four: Why didnt the shrimp share his treasure? Because he was a little shellfish! So, a shrimp, a crab, lobster, these are all shellfish. Shellfish sounds like selfish, and selfish means you dont like to share.
And finally: What do calendars eat? Dates! So, a date is a type of food, a date is also something you can find on a calendar.
So, again, share them with your friends and let me know what kind of reaction you get. And if you enjoyed this video, as always, you can comment on it, like it, subscribe to the channel, check me out on Facebook and Twitter. And if you want to review the jokes, as always, you can check out the quiz on www.engvid.com, where you can also donate, if you want to support the site. So, until next time, thanks for clicking. Learn English with 5 Stupid Jokes!](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bjslVzbt8cQ/mqdefault.jpg)

![Learn 50 “MAKE” Phrases in English!
Want to learn common phrases with MAKE to improve your vocabulary and speaking skills? This lesson will definitely make a difference. In it, you will learn FIFTY common phrases that use MAKE! Some examples include: make a mistake, make an observation, make an exception, make your dreams come true, make believe, make friends, make progress, make a promise, make up your mind, and many more. Once you have watched the video, make sure to check out the quiz at https://www.engvid.com/50-make-phrases-in-english/ for more practice!
If you found this lesson helpful, watch these next:
1. 20 Passive GET Expressions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzLbKEomlCI&list=PLrPhmmx5j5b-AjltXcrLI4iiqF7lsj_P8&index=16
2. 20 intransitive PHRASAL VERBS in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGsLrtjfE_M&list=PLrPhmmx5j5b-AjltXcrLI4iiqF7lsj_P8&index=7
TRANSCRIPT
If it makes you happy, it cant be that bad. If it makes you... You know the song. Hey, everyone. Im Alex. Thanks for clicking, and welcome to this lesson on fifty common make phrases. So, in this video I am going to teach you fifty phrases with the verb make. We will start with some of the common, easy ones, not really idiomatic, just common stuff, like: make breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc. and then we will move on to some more idiomatic phrases in the second part of the video, so make sure you stick around for that as well.
So, lets not waste any time and well start with this part of the board. At the top, like I mentioned, you can make breakfast. So, in the morning when you wake up, you make yourself a sandwich, or maybe you make a pizza for breakfast. I never do. Maybe you do. I dont know. You can also make lunch, make dinner. Basically, you can make a meal. Anything with, you know, breakfast, lunch, dinner - the three main meals of the day, you can make them. So, this is like cooking, or baking, or creating. You can also make different foods, so make a pizza, make a sandwich, make a snack, make a cake. So, you are putting these things together, creating them, creating a pizza. You know, you have the cheese and the dough, and the pepperoni and the sauce, and you put it together, so you can make all of these things. All right? Youre putting them together.
Now, next is an expression: make up your mind. So, if you tell someone: Make up your mind, it means that they cannot make a decision, so you want them to make up their mind; or, like I said, make a decision. Okay? So, stop going this way and that way with your mind and your options: -Oh, I dont know. Do I want the pizza or do I want the pasta? I dont know. I dont know. -Make up your mind. Okay? So, make a decision. Commit. Commit to a decision.
Next: make fun of someone. This is not a polite thing to do; some would call it bullying. Most people would call it bullying actually. If you make fun of someone, you are making a joke about that person. Maybe they have a characteristic, a feature that you think is funny, like maybe they have bigger ears than you, so you say: Haha. Look, its Dumbo. Like, you are making fun of them. Dumbo is a Disney elephant with big ears. So, yeah, dont make fun of people, unless its your family or friends and then its fine - usually, unless they dont like it. Ask my sisters. I dont know. I dont know if they liked it.
So, next: make a difference. So, if something makes a difference, it has a significant effect or a significant impact. A person can make a difference. You know, an idea can make a difference. Something that causes change in life.
Make a joke - similar to make fun of someone, you can make a joke. I have many joke videos on my channel, so one of the jokes I gave you guys was: Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven ate nine. I just made a joke. If its a good joke or a bad joke, thats up to you to decide.
Next: make a call or make a phone call. So, this is what you tell people when, you know, you want to leave a conversation maybe: Sorry, I need to make a call. Yeah. So, if you need to call someone on your phone, you can say: I need to make a phone call. I need to make a call. Or: I need to call. I just want you to know that make a call is also possible.
Make a promise. So, you can promise someone that you are going to do something, or you can also say you made a promise to this person or you are going to make a promise to this person.
Okay, next. These two are sometimes confused, so let me tell you the difference between a reservation and an appointment. You can make a reservation, you can make an appointment. Number one, you can make a reservation at a restaurant or a hotel, for example. So, when you think of reservations, think of something you have to, like, secure or you have to save your spot. Right? So, you can make a reservation at a restaurant. […] Learn 50 “MAKE” Phrases in English!](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/buem-Lsbn9A/mqdefault.jpg)





![What Do Prepositions Actually Do? 3 Things You Need to Know
In this English lesson, you will learn *what prepositions are* and *how to use them.* Do they always need objects? Can you follow them with verbs? In this video, you will learn the grammar rules related to prepositions in English, and you will also practice using them in different contexts. Finally, for more prepositions practice, watch my video on the 10 Most Frequent Preposition Mistakes in English (https://youtu.be/cRKbG4h2YQw), and do the quiz under it. Thanks for clicking! https://www.engvid.com/how-prepositions-actually-work-english-grammar/
Visit my website at https://www.EnglishAlex.com for more English resources!
In this lesson:
0:00 How do PREPOSITIONS work? 3 RULES
0:44 1. Prepositions show relationships
3:33 2. A preposition needs an object
5:32 3. Gerunds can be objects
7:48 QUIZ
9:51 Top 10 Common Preposition Mistakes
Transcript:
Im looking in the mirror. Im looking at my phone. Im looking towards the ceiling. Look in. Look at. Look towards. All of these are examples of prepositions. But how do prepositions actually work in English? That is the question that Im going to answer for you in this video.
So, I will explain what prepositions actually are, how to use them in sentences, and if you stick around for the final point of the video, I will also tell you how prepositions and gerunds go together. So, wait until the end for that one.
The first thing you need to know is that prepositions show relationships between two things. For example, this can be a relationship of place. I live in Montreal. Your phone is on the table. They can also show a relationship of time. These are the two most common things people think of when they think of prepositions. I went home at midnight. We talked after the game. Yes, after can be a preposition. Many English learners and teachers think only of at, on, in. Those are the big three that people think of with prepositions. But there are many more words that can be prepositions, and after is one of them.
Prepositions can also show the relationship between a verb and a direction. So, Shes driving to work. The relationship between, Oh, shes driving. Where is she driving? To work. Okay? I fell down. Down where? Down the stairs. Right? So, prepositions tell us, like, where something happened to something. So, I fell down the stairs. The relationship is between fell and the stairs.
Now, we also have many, many other types of relationships that are difficult to place in three categories of time, place, and direction or movement. So, these are sentences like, She lives with. Oh, Who does she live with? This talks about a relationship with people. She lives with her parents. Right? Hes the head of the department. So, the head, he means he is the boss. He is the head of the department. And here are some other examples of prepositions for you. So, as I mentioned, at, on, in are the big three most people think of, but we have with, by, before, for, towards, between. To practice these, I want you to leave a sentence in the comments or more than one sentence in the comments using some of these if you want to practice.
Okay, so the first thing we know, prepositions show relationships. Those can be place relationships, time relationships, movement relationships, or other types of relationships. Hmm, all of these example sentences have something else in common. What is it? They all have objects. Yes, prepositions need an object. For example, Danny is waiting in the car. Im so happy for you. I found it under the couch. Were waiting for them. The movie starts in five minutes and they are moving to Portugal. Pay attention to this one. Because prepositions need objects, we need to use an object pronoun, not a subject pronoun after a preposition. So, this sentence is not, We are waiting for they. Its, We are waiting for them. And when you think of the word object, its not exactly the same as a direct object that can come after a verb. For example, I want candy. Okay, candy is a direct object. It is what I want, right? Theres a hard connection. Here, you can have a relationship of, okay, in five minutes. Okay, well, five minutes isnt really like a direct object of in, but they are related. It is an object, but its not in the same way as you would with a verb and a direct object. So, you cant think about it in the same way as the object of a verb. Its the object of a preposition, which shows a relationship of some kind, whether its time, movement, place, or something else.
All right, so we know prepositions show relationships. We know that prepositions need objects. And, ah, just one more thing. I told you there was something about gerunds that I wanted to say. Gerunds can be objects. What is a gerund? Its a verb plus -ing, and it functions as a noun. Nouns can be objects. They are things. […] What Do Prepositions Actually Do? 3 Things You Need to Know](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ee9MGLIBl-A/mqdefault.jpg)

![5 types of jokes in English!
Whats the difference between a banana and a million dollars? They both have appeal. Dont get it? You will after checking out this English jokes video. In this lesson, I look at five different TYPES of jokes, including Whats the difference between X and Y jokes, knock-knock jokes, and three others. These are standard English joke formats that have been used for thousands of jokes. Especially for social situations, its great to understand their format and pacing. If you want to share any jokes of your own, please share them in the comments section, and dont forget to check out my other two joke videos if you havent already done so. Thanks for clicking, and (hopefully) for laughing!
TAKE THE QUIZ: https://www.engvid.com/5-types-of-jokes-in-english/
TRANSCRIPT
[Laughs] Its funny because cats dont wear diapers, yeah. Hey, everyone. Im Alex. Thanks for clicking, and welcome to this lesson on 5 Types of Jokes. So, specifically were going to look at five types of English jokes that often play with word meanings. Now, if youre learning a language, learning jokes in that language is usually, like, one of the final barriers you have to punch through before you can claim to be, like, a full mastered speaker person thing in that language. So, today lets see if we can break through that barrier for you and with you so that you can learn five different styles of jokes in English. Now, Im not saying these are the only types of jokes. Okay? There are tons and tons and tons and tons of joke types in every language, but Im going to look at five of the more common ones today. So, lets not waste any more time, and... Ready for it? Going to start with number one.
All right. Whats the difference between X and Y? A very common joke type. So, for example: Whats the difference between mashed potatoes and pea soup? You can mash potatoes, but you cant pee soup. Did you like it? I liked it. I think its really good. If you dont know the meaning of this joke, because you know, youre a non-native speaker, pea is a type of little vegetable... Bean? Is it a bean? A lentil? Something. Anyway, something you can make soup with. And mashed potatoes, so you can mash potatoes but you cant pee... The other meaning of pee in this situation. Number two.
Okay, joke type number two is: What does X have in common with Y? So, for example: What does a banana have in common with a million dollars? They both have appeal (a peel). Huh? Its pretty good? Not bad? Okay. Let me explain it for you so you can, like, want to hurt me some more. So, a banana, peel. And if something has appeal it means that it is attractive, like: Hmm, I want a million dollars. You get it now? Lets just... Lets just move on to number three.
Okay, next: What do you call a/an...? jokes. So, for example: What do you call a computer that sings? A Dell (Adele). Yeah, I like it. I like it. I think you like this one, too. Smiled just a bit, right? If you dont know, Dell is a computer brand and Adele is a famous singer in the 2010s to 2012 period and maybe beyond. Who knows? So lets just continue with number four.
So, next we have the Why? joke. So: Why did, Why do, Why does, Why is, Why was, Why were. For example: Why was the math book sad? Because it had too many problems. Yeah, thats the reaction. Thats what Im looking for. Thats what I want. Okay, if you dont get this joke, math books have questions you have to answer, they have problems you have to figure out. Theyre just very emotional, emotional books. Too many problems. Okay? Whew. You didnt like that one? Well, lets try for the last one, shall we? Number five.
Next and finally: Knock, knock jokes. You didnt think I was going to do this video without talking about knock, knock jokes did you? So, the general structure of a knock, knock joke goes like this: Knock, knock. And you say: Whos there? And in this case Ill say: Lettuce. And you say: Lettuce who? And I say: Hey. Let us in. Its cold out here. Youre smiling, I can see it. I can feel it. Okay. So, if you dont know, you can probably hear why this is funny. Lettuce sounds like Let us, so: Let us in. Its cold out here. Did I just touch the mic? Im not sure. Ah, it doesnt matter really, right, guys? All right, so lets review the jokes and well finish this for you.
All right. Thats it. All five jokes. But were going to review them one more time to maximize the pain. Now, you can tell these to your friends, make them laugh, make them cry, or both. So lets go from the top. Whats the difference between mashed potatoes and pea soup? You can mash potatoes, but you cant pee soup. Yeah. Number two: What does a banana have in common with a million dollars? They both have appeal (a peel). All right? Number three: What do you call a computer that sings? A Dell (Adele). Yes, yes. And number four: Why was the math book sad? Because it had too many problems. 5 types of jokes in English!](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/f6Du1sEySZY/mqdefault.jpg)