Master Business English & Uncover Alice Cooper’s Persona

Master essential Business English vocabulary, correct the ‘I am agree’ mistake. Next, learn.

Why English Homophones Matters

This program offers various educational segments, including business vocabulary, pronunciation practice, analysis of reviews, and pop culture trivia spanning American history, Broadway, and rock music.

English Homophones: Fast Recap

The program covers diverse educational segments: business vocabulary, pronunciation practice, review analysis, and pop culture.

The focus is on mastering practical, everyday English for professional and casual use.

Key skills include correcting common grammatical errors, choosing appropriate email tone, and using idiomatic phrases naturally.

What to Practise

• First, use ‘to get back to someone’ as a polite and versatile business phrase to indicate you will reply to a message or call later.
• Next, when dictating email addresses, the ‘@’ symbol is pronounced ‘at’, ‘_’ is ‘underscore’, and ‘.’ is ‘dot’.
• Also, avoid signing off professional English emails with ‘hugs’; opt for ‘sincerely’ or ‘best regards’ instead.
• However, never say ‘I am agree’; the grammatically correct forms are ‘I agree’, ‘I completely agree’, or ‘I disagree’.
• Therefore, the word ‘advice’ is uncountable, meaning you should never say ‘advices’.

English Homophones: Episode Roadmap

Using ‘to get back to someone’

Teaches a polite, versatile business phrase to delay replying to an email or call, correcting the mistake of a literal translation.

Pronouncing email symbols (@, _.)

Teaches correct pronunciation for dictating email addresses: ‘at’, ‘underscore’, and ‘dot’.

Professional email sign-offs

Warns that translating the Spanish ‘un abrazo’ to ‘hugs’ is unprofessional in English, advising ‘sincerely’ or ‘best regards’.

Mini-dialogue teaching sports idioms

Uses a practical roleplay about weekend plans to naturally introduce native idiomatic expressions derived from sports, such as ‘touch base’, ‘the ball’s in your court’, and ‘par for the course’.

Homophones: ‘Cell’ vs. ‘Sell’ and related phrasal verbs

Clarifies that ‘cell’ and ‘sell’ sound exactly the same despite different spellings, and expands the learner’s vocabulary with useful phrases like ‘to be a sellout’, ‘to sell yourself short’, and ‘to not be sold on an idea’.

Learning the idiom ‘getting the short end of the stick’

Demonstrates the practical use of this native idiom through the analysis of a real online customer review, perfectly explaining how to describe walking away with an unfair deal.

Key Ideas to Remember

• First, use ‘to get back to someone’ as a polite and versatile business phrase to indicate you will reply to a message or call later.
• Next, when dictating email addresses, the ‘@’ symbol is pronounced ‘at’, ‘_’ is ‘underscore’, and ‘.’ is ‘dot’.
• Also, avoid signing off professional English emails with ‘hugs’; opt for ‘sincerely’ or ‘best regards’ instead.
• However, never say ‘I am agree’; the grammatically correct forms are ‘I agree’, ‘I completely agree’, or ‘I disagree’.
• Therefore, the word ‘advice’ is uncountable, meaning you should never say ‘advices’.
• Finally, the words ‘cell’ (a mobile phone or jail room) and ‘sell’ (the transaction verb) are homophones and sound exactly the same.
• The idiom ‘getting the short end of the stick’ perfectly describes walking away with a bad or unfair deal.
• To describe financial trends, use ‘skyrocket’ to say something goes up quickly, and ‘plummet’ or ‘nose dive’ for things dropping fast.
• If you feel trapped inside, you are ‘cooped up’, and if you leave to gain independence, you ‘fly the coop’.
• The acronym ‘POTUS’ stands for President of the United States.

English Homophones: Vocabulary

English	Español	Note / Uso
a breath of fresh air	algo fresco	This episode translates it part by part, transcribed as ‘algo fresco’.
a breeze	pan comido	This episode jokes about ‘eaten bread’. This the lesson captures as ‘pano’, referring to the Spanish idiom ‘pan comido’.
@ (at symbol)	arroba	The auto-captions transcribed the Spanish translation as ‘arova’.
to sign off	despedirse	This episode explains this means to say goodbye, transcribed as ‘desp’.
hugs	un abrazo / abrazos	This episode notes that in Spain people often use this sign-off incorrectly in professional settings, implying the direct translation of ‘un abrazo’.
on deck	próximo	This episode explicitly explains that this means ‘proximo’.
to skyrocket / shoot up	dispararse	When asking for the Spanish equivalent of going up very fast, you hear a word transcribed as ‘despar’.
finances	finanzas	The auto-captions transcribed The episode’s Spanish pronunciation as ‘finanas’.
to plummet / nosedive	en picada	Describing downward financial trends, The episode uses the Spanish phrase transcribed as ’empicada’.
take a dip	dar un chapuzón	When talking about going into the ocean, the Spanish term is transcribed phonetically as ‘chapon’.
a breath of fresh air	algo fresco	Used to describe something new and relieving when things have been hard for a long time.
a breeze	pan comido	An expression meaning that something is going to be very easy, equated to the Spanish literal translation ‘eaten bread’.
to hit the sack	irse a la cama / a dormir	An informal expression used to describe going to bed early.
out of whack	desequilibrado / desajustado	Used to describe when your routine or sleeping schedule is thrown off and unbalanced.
to get back to someone	responder más tarde	A polite, essential business expression used when you need to reply to a phone call or email at a later time, replacing the literal and incorrect translation ‘I’ll tell you something’.
out of the box thinking	pensar de forma creativa / innovadora	A business cliché used to encourage creative, unconventional thinking.
touch base	contactar / hablar brevemente	A sports idiom originating from baseball, used when planning to communicate or check in with someone at a later time.
that’s the way the ball bounces / that’s the way the cookie crumbles	así es la vida	Idioms used to express that things happen and you simply have to accept them. Therefore, ‘that’s life’.

Practice Ideas

Concept	Explanation	Why it matters
To get back to someone	A phrasal verb meaning to reply to a message or phone call at a later time.	It is a simple, polite, and highly effective business expression that works broadly for emails and calls, avoiding the awkward literal translation ‘I’ll tell you something’.
Pronouncing Email Symbols	When dictating an email address, the ‘@’ symbol is pronounced ‘at’, ‘_’ is ‘underscore’, and ‘.’ is ‘dot’.	Knowing this prevents embarrassing mistakes, such as pronouncing ‘@’ as ‘a robe’ or ‘.’ as ‘point’, ensuring smooth professional communication.
Professional Email Sign-offs	In professional English, you should sign off with ‘sincerely’, ‘best regards’, or ‘warm regards’ instead of translating the Spanish ‘un abrazo’ to ‘hugs’.	It highlights an important cultural difference; using ‘hugs’ in a professional context is considered weird, and it is always safer to err on the side of formality.
Grammar rule: ‘I agree’ vs ‘I am agree’	The phrase ‘I am agree’ is grammatically incorrect; the proper forms are ‘I agree’, ‘I completely agree’, or ‘I disagree’.	Saying ‘I am agree’ is one of the biggest mistakes English learners make, and mastering the correct form is crucial for job interviews and the executive level.
Uncountable Noun: ‘Advice’	The word ‘advice’ is an uncountable noun, meaning you can ask for ‘some advice’ or ‘a piece of advice’, but you can never say ‘advices’.	It is a very common mistake heard in spoken English and podcasts, and correcting it improves overall fluency.
Homophones: ‘Sell’ vs. ‘Cell’	The words ‘cell’ (like a mobile phone or jail room) and the irregular verb ‘sell’ (sell, sold, sold) sound exactly the same despite different spellings and meanings.	Understanding these homophones aids in pronunciation and listening comprehension, and helps learners unlock related phrasal verbs like ‘sellout’ or ‘don’t sell yourself short’.
Getting the short end of the stick	An idiomatic expression describing a situation where a negotiation or transaction did not go well for you.	It is a perfect native phrase to describe unfair situations, such as receiving poor service or being overcharged by a business.
Skyrocket vs. Plummet/Nosedive	‘Skyrocket’ and ‘shoot up’ describe prices or trends going up very fast and hard, whereas their antonyms ‘plummet’ and ‘nose dive’ describe them coming down rapidly.	These dynamic verbs are essential for clearly communicating business trends, such as describing graphs, housing prices, or purchasing power.

Examples From the Episode

Source / Moment	Why it helps	Review cue
Mini-dialogue: Sports Idioms	A roleplay scenario planning weekend activities is used to teach multiple sports-related idioms natively used in business/life: ‘touch base’, ‘that’s the way the ball bounces’, ‘the ball’s in your court’, ‘par for the course’, and ‘behind the eightball’.	Use this as context while reviewing the video.
Cultural Reference: Professional Email Sign-offs	Translating the Spanish ‘un abrazo’ literally to ‘hugs’ in English professional emails is considered weird and inappropriate. Standard sign-offs like ‘sincerely’ or ‘best regards’ should be used.	Use this as context while reviewing the video.
Cultural Reference: NY vs. NJ Sales Tax	This episode mentions New Yorkers sometimes drive to New Jersey to make big purchases to save money, estimating that NY’s sales tax is around 7% while NJ’s is 6%.	Use this as context while reviewing the video.
Cultural Reference: American vs. British Date Formats	Americans typically put the month first (e.g. February 22nd, 1732). Meanwhile, the British put the day first (22nd of February, 1732). To avoid confusion with numbers under 12, it is advised to write the month out.	Use this as context while reviewing the video.
Person & Pop Culture: Alice Cooper	Used for a listening comprehension exercise (‘Say What’). The lesson highlights the contrast between his wild ‘shock rocker’ stage ‘persona’ (snakes, dark makeup) and his real life as a polite, golf-playing Christian.	Use this as context while reviewing the video.
Musical/Film: Rent (1996)	Described as the ‘Hamilton of the 90s’. Set in New York’s ‘gritty’ East Village, it teaches advanced vocabulary like ‘bohemians’, ‘enduring’, and ‘strife’.	Use this as context while reviewing the video.
Person & Fact: Jonathan Larson	The creator of the musical ‘Rent’. This episode shares the tragic fact that he died of a brain aneurysm right before opening night, serving as the ‘epitome of a starving artist’ who never saw his own massive success.	Use this as context while reviewing the video.
Song: ‘Seasons of Love’ (from Rent)	The lyrics ‘525,600 minutes, how do you measure a year?’ are recited to teach the verb ‘to measure’ and the noun ‘strife’ (meaning conflict or problem).	Use this as context while reviewing the video.

Common Learner Traps

Watch out for	Why it matters	Better move
finances	The auto-captions transcribed The episode’s Spanish pronunciation as ‘finanas’.	Say it in a short sentence, then check whether the meaning changes if you translate it literally.
Pronouncing Email Symbols	When dictating an email address, the ‘@’ symbol is pronounced ‘at’, ‘_’ is ‘underscore’, and ‘.’ is ‘dot’.	Knowing this prevents embarrassing mistakes, such as pronouncing ‘@’ as ‘a robe’ or ‘.’ as ‘point’, ensuring smooth professional communication.
Grammar rule: ‘I agree’ vs ‘I am agree’	The phrase ‘I am agree’ is grammatically incorrect; the proper forms are ‘I agree’, ‘I completely agree’, or ‘I disagree’.	Saying ‘I am agree’ is one of the biggest mistakes English learners make, and mastering the correct form is crucial for job interviews and the executive level.
Uncountable Noun: ‘Advice’	The word ‘advice’ is an uncountable noun, meaning you can ask for ‘some advice’ or ‘a piece of advice’, but you can never say ‘advices’.	It is a very common mistake heard in spoken English and podcasts, and correcting it improves overall fluency.
Homophones: ‘Sell’ vs. ‘Cell’	The words ‘cell’ (like a mobile phone or jail room) and the irregular verb ‘sell’ (sell, sold, sold) sound exactly the same despite different spellings and meanings.	Understanding these homophones aids in pronunciation and listening comprehension, and helps learners unlock related phrasal verbs like ‘sellout’ or ‘don’t sell yourself short’.
Skyrocket vs. Plummet/Nosedive	‘Skyrocket’ and ‘shoot up’ describe prices or trends going up very fast and hard, whereas their antonyms ‘plummet’ and ‘nose dive’ describe them coming down rapidly.	These dynamic verbs are essential for clearly communicating business trends, such as describing graphs, housing prices, or purchasing power.

Try It Yourself

Use these prompts after reading the article. They are designed for active recall: say the answer aloud first, then check the tables above.

1. Explain this in your own words: Use ‘to get back to someone’ as a polite and versatile business phrase to indicate you will reply to a message or call later.
2. Explain this in your own words: When dictating email addresses, the ‘@’ symbol is pronounced ‘at’, ‘_’ is ‘underscore’, and ‘.’ is ‘dot’.
3. Explain this in your own words: Avoid signing off professional English emails with ‘hugs’; opt for ‘sincerely’ or ‘best regards’ instead.
4. Make one original sentence with “sincerely” without starting from “algo fresco” in Spanish.
5. Make one original sentence with “best regards” without starting from “pan comido” in Spanish.
6. Make one original sentence with “uncountable” without starting from “despedirse” in Spanish.

English Homophones: Glossary

Term	Meaning / Spanish
sincerely	algo fresco
best regards	pan comido
uncountable	despedirse
hugs	un abrazo
on deck	próximo
to skyrocket / shoot up	dispararse
finances	finanzas
to plummet / nosedive	en picada
take a dip	dar un chapuzón
to shed light	arrojar luz
shortly	en poco tiempo
stoked	súper motivado

Questions Learners Ask

What does the phrase 'to get back to someone' mean in Business English?

In Business English, 'to get back to someone' is a polite, versatile, and effective expression used to indicate that you will reply to a message, email, or phone call at a later time.

How do you pronounce email address symbols like @ and _ in English?

When dictating an email address verbally, the '@' symbol is pronounced as 'at', the '_' symbol is 'underscore', and the '.' is pronounced as 'dot'.

Is it grammatically correct to say 'I am agree'?

No, saying 'I am agree' is a very common grammatical mistake. The structurally correct phrasing is always 'I agree', 'I completely agree', or 'I disagree'.

What does the idiom 'getting the short end of the stick' mean?

This idiomatic expression describes a situation where a transaction or negotiation did not go well for you, meaning you walked away with a bad or unfair deal.

What are the antonyms for the financial verb 'skyrocket'?

While 'skyrocket' or 'shoot up' describes prices or trends going up very fast, its antonyms are 'plummet' and 'nosedive'. This mean to fall very quickly and hard.

Do the words 'sell' and 'cell' sound the same in English?

Yes, 'sell' (the verb) and 'cell' (as in a mobile phone or jail room) are homophones. They are pronounced exactly the same despite having different spellings and completely different meanings.

English Homophones: Quick Quiz

Review Cards