You have probably read a lot of articles or books about how to improve your English vocabulary skills, right? While it is true that learning vocabulary is important to improve your day-to-day English communication skills, it is also very important to learn common and useful vocabulary that you will help you improve your Business English.
In this article, we will look at three English phrases using ‘out of’ which are very common in Business English communication: out of date, out of the office, and out of order.
Out Of Date
First, ‘out of date’ does not refer to someone who can’t find a friend on Tinder!
It is a common English multi-word phrase (“multi-word” because it has three words) that can be used to refer to a variety of things in a workplace, such as computer programs and electronics. The basic meaning for ‘out of date’ refers to something that is not current or is too old to be used.
One example is ‘this software is out of date’, which means the software is not the current version so it needs to be updated to a newer version. Another example is ‘that fax machine is out of date’, which means that electronic device is too old to use either because most people don’t like it anymore or the technology is no longer supported in business.
Out Of The Office
The next example is ‘out of the office’, and this is regularly used by people at many workplaces. This Business English phrase is a multi-word that has four words. It means to be away from one’s workplace for a period of time, so others cannot contact you.
For example, you might see this kind of message in an automatic email reply: ‘I am out of the office until Friday, November 21st’. Reasons for using this automatic message can include going on a business trip or taking a vacation (something long term).
In addition, ‘out of the office’ can also be used if you visit or try to contact someone who has temporarily left their workplace, such as for a meeting with a client (something short term).
Out Of Order
The final example is another 3-word multi-word, ‘out of order’. This English vocabulary has more than one meaning when used at work.
One use of ‘out of order’ refers to a machine that has stopped working correctly and needs to be repaired. For example, you might see a sign in an office building that says ‘the elevator is out of order’.
Another use of ‘out of order’ can refer to not following rules or having inappropriate behavior, such as during a meeting. For example, if an employee starts shouting in a meeting, the boss might tell that employee ‘You are out of order’.
This article looked at how to use only three common English multi-word phrases with ‘out of’, but there are many more. Learning and using these common English phrases containing ‘out of’ will not only help you increase your English vocabulary skills, but can also help you improve your Business English communication for work.
