Professional English is not a higher level of general English. It is a narrower set of situations performed under pressure, usually with a real consequence attached. That is why general improvement alone often fails to fix it.
Interviews
An interview is a predictable format, which makes it very trainable. Most of the difficulty is not vocabulary but structure: giving an answer that has a shape, and recovering when a question is unexpected. Useful preparation includes rehearsing answers about your experience, practising the ability to buy thinking time in English rather than in silence, and being questioned by someone who will push back.
Presentations
Presenting is a monologue under observation, so the failure mode is different: pace, signposting and the ability to handle questions at the end. Rehearsal in front of one person who interrupts you is far more useful than reading your slides again.
Meetings and everyday work communication
This is where most people actually lose confidence — interrupting politely, disagreeing without sounding blunt, checking you have understood without appearing lost. It is a fluency and register problem more than a grammar one.
Which format suits which problem
| Your situation | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A specific interview or presentation coming up | Private lessons | Every one-to-one student completes a needs analysis, so the whole lesson targets your case |
| General professional communication | Intensive English 30 with Business English | 20 General English lessons plus 10 specialised professional lessons a week |
| Everyday workplace situations | Intensive English 30 with Workplace English | Practical language across working environments |
| You cannot travel | Online one-to-one | 60-minute sessions in packages of 5 or 10, Monday to Friday |
What private lessons can cover
- Business English and workplace communication
- Interviews and presentations
- Pronunciation
- Academic writing
- Conversation and fluency
- IELTS, Cambridge or TOEFL preparation
- Other English for Specific Purposes
Face-to-face private lessons are 45 minutes and normally booked at least two per day, most commonly in the afternoon. Two colleagues at the same level with the same goal can share two-to-one lessons.