Vocabulary
8 key words for this lesson
DEPARTMENT
A part of a company. Each part has a different job.
I work in the marketing department. We look after all the campaigns.
OFFICE
A place where people work.
Our office is in Manchester city centre.
HEADQUARTERS
The main office of a company.
Our headquarters is in Manchester. That is where the main team works.
GLOBAL
In or for many countries.
Brightline is a global company. It has clients in many countries.
LOCAL
In or near one place or area — not far away.
We started as a local company in Manchester.
SECTOR
The type of work a company does. For example: technology, food, or health.
Brightline works in the technology sector.
STAFF
The people who work for a company.
We have about 250 staff in our company.
LOCATION
The place where a company or office is.
Our main location is in Manchester.
Phrases
6 phrases and their meanings
WE ARE BASED IN
Say where your company is.
We are based in Manchester, but we work with clients all over the UK.
OUR HEAD OFFICE IS IN
Say where the main office is.
Our head office is in Manchester — that is where most of the team works.
WE HAVE OFFICES IN
Say which cities or countries your company has offices in.
We have offices in London, Berlin, and Singapore.
I WORK IN THE [X] DEPARTMENT
Say which part of the company you work in.
I work in the marketing department — we look after all campaigns and content.
WE ARE A GLOBAL COMPANY
Say that your company works in many countries.
We are a global company — our clients are in many different countries.
WE WORK IN THE [X] SECTOR
Say what type of work your company does.
We work in the technology sector — we make software for marketing teams.
Videos
Watch these terms used in context
Dialogue
Read the dialogue and hover the blue words for definitions
Dana
RileyThanks for the call, Riley. Can you tell me a bit about Brightline?
Of course. We are based in Manchester — that is where our headquarters is.
And do you have other offices?
Yes — we have offices in London and Berlin too. We started as a local company, but we have grown a lot.
So you are more of a global company now?
Yes — we now have clients in over 20 countries, so we are becoming more global.
What sector do you work in?
We are in the technology sector. Our product is used by marketing departments all over the world.
How many people work there?
We have about 250 staff in total. I work in the marketing department — about 20 of us.
And your main location is still Manchester?
That's right. Our head office is in Manchester. That is where the main team works.
Great — it's good to know more about the company. I think this could be a good fit for us.
Exercises
Complete all three exercises to see your final score
Matching
Click a word, then click its correct definition.
Click a word on the left, then its definition on the right.
Words
Definitions
Fill in the Blank
Drag the correct words from the word bank to complete each sentence.
Sentence 1
I work in the marketing— — —. We look after all the campaigns.
Sentence 2
Our— — —is in Manchester city centre.
Sentence 3
Our— — —is in Manchester. That is where the main team works.
Sentence 4
Brightline is a— — —company. It has clients in many countries.
Sentence 5
We started as a— — —company in Manchester.
Sentence 6
Brightline works in the technology— — —.
Sentence 7
We have about 250— — —in our company.
Sentence 8
Our main— — —is in Manchester.
Tip: Think about the meaning of each word and what makes sense in the sentence.
Multiple Choice
Choose the best answer for each question about the dialogue.
1.Where is Brightline's headquarters?
2.How many countries does Brightline have clients in?
3.What sector does Brightline work in?
4.How many staff does Brightline have in total?
5.Which department does Riley work in?
6.How many people are in Riley's department?
7.Which cities have a Brightline office?
8.How did Brightline start?
Group Activities
Role-play scenarios and discussion questions for group classes
🎯 Choose the Best Response
Work in groups. Read the question. Talk about which answer (A, B, or C) is best. Choose together, then click to check.
Customer says
“Where is your company based?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“Is your company big?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“Do you only work in the UK?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“What does your marketing department do?”
Salesperson responds…
🔗 Customer Profile Match
You are Riley. Three people ask about Brightline. As a group, talk about which way to answer fits each situation. Use phrases from this lesson. Click 'Check Matches' when you agree.
Plans / Options
Short and simple
One sentence about what the company does. One sentence about where it is based. No extra information. Best when you need to be quick.
Step by step
Talk about the sector, size, offices, and departments one by one. Give the person a clear picture of the company. Best when you have time and the person wants to know more.
A short story
Start with where the company started. Say how it has grown. End with where it is now. Best for a casual chat where a list of facts would feel too formal.
Customers — which plan fits each one?
A quick LinkedIn reply
Someone replied to your LinkedIn post and asked what Brightline does. You have 2 or 3 sentences.
A first call
A marketing manager is on a 30-minute call with you. They want to know about the company before you talk about the product.
A casual chat at an event
You are talking to someone at an event. They ask 'so what does Brightline do?' You have about one minute.
✏️ Finish the Salesperson's Line
The marketer's line is not finished. As a group, talk about how you would finish it. Use words from this lesson. There is no one right answer — share your ideas, then click to see one example.
Customer
“Where exactly is your company?”
Salesperson
“Our headquarters is in Manchester, but we also have …”
Customer
“How is the company set up?”
Salesperson
“We have a few departments — I work in marketing, but there is also …”
Customer
“Is this a local company or do you work in other countries?”
Salesperson
“We started as a local business in Manchester, but now we are …”
Customer
“How many people work there?”
Salesperson
“We have about 250 staff in total — about 20 of us are in the marketing …”