How to Sound More Confident Using Professional Verbs at Your Job

By Dawn Thomas-McFarland

When you’re an English student in the classroom, you learn a lot of basic verbs and grammar tenses that help you communicate and express yourself. Once you’re outside of the classroom and begin to dominate the English language, you may find yourself in more professional environments that force you to widen your vocabulary and use words that sound more professional for workplace settings.

If you begin to work in an American company with native speakers, you may notice that your coworkers use more casual English outside of the office, but use more professional words while in the office and in typed emails. As you practice and get to know these words you’ll know intuitively when to switch from casual to professional language. This will help you to stand out and let your coworkers and supervisors know how confident you are with the English language. Let’s take a look at a few examples.

The chart below shows a few words that you can change out for more professional sounding words. The first column shows a list of casual verbs and the second column shows the professional synonyms. Of course, you can continue to use the casual verbs at work but it’s good practice to widen your vocabulary and communicate in a variety of ways.

Note: You may need to change the order of the sentence or change a verb to a noun to make the sentence grammatically correct. 

Let’s change each casual verb to a more professional verb.

1. 1. Change fix to → troubleshoot
      We need to fix the issue with the computers in the lab room.
      We need to troubleshoot the issue with the computers in the lab room.

2. Change ask to → request
I will ask the vendors to send the materials this week.
I will request the materials from the vendors this week.

3. Change let me know to → follow up
Please, let me know if you have any questions after the meeting.
Please follow up with me if you have any questions after the meeting.

4. Change say to → stating
I got an email from my boss saying that the materials are ready for pick up.
I got an email from my boss stating that the materials are ready for pick up.

5. Change get to → receive
I got an email from my boss stating that the materials are ready for pick up.
I received an email from my boss stating that the materials are ready for pick up.

6. Change ASAP to → as soon as possible (*you can use asap in writing but it can
come across as harsh. You should only use if it’s an emergency.)
Hello, Mr. Johnson, We are waiting for your response. Please respond to the rsvp ASAP.
Hello, Mr. Johnson, We are waiting for your response. Please respond to the rsvp as soon as possible.

7. Change buy to → purchase
We bought two large printers for the new office.
We purchased two large printers for the new office.

8. Change help to → assist or assistance
This project is a job for more than one person. I will need some help.
This project is a job for more than one person. I will need some assistance.

9. Change talk to → discuss
I’m writing to talk to you about yesterday’s meeting.
I’m writing to discuss yesterday’s meeting.

10. Change about to → regarding
I would like to talk to you about your thoughts on the new project.
I would like to talk to you regarding your thoughts on the new project.

Try changing out some of the casual verbs for professional verbs you’ll hear in the workplace.