English Rewind - 6 Minute English: Formality at work

???? Do you feel you can behave in a relaxed way around your work colleagues, or do you have to be very polite and a bit distant at work? Does your workplace have a dress code? Do you have to ask permission to leave the room? This programme from our 6 Minute English archive takes a look at formality at work, and we find out how things have changed over the years for some of the BBC Learning English team. Improve your English vocabulary knowledge AND practise your English listening with us. What about you - are workplaces very formal in your country? Tell us in the comments ????????????

Useful vocabulary:
✔️ to be formal - to behave in a polite, slightly distant way
✔️ to be casual, informal - to behave in a relaxed way
✔️ on first name terms - in a relationship where it's ok to use each other's first names
✔️ dress code - rules about what kind of clothes you should wear
✔️ dress-down Fridays - these are days (usually Fridays) where companies allow their workers to wear casual clothes at work
✔️ dinner jacket - a very smart, formal outfit, usually worn for special occasions
✔️ ask permission - ask if you're allowed to do something

Image: Getty
English Rewind is a collection of programmes from the BBC Learning English archive. This episode of 6 Minute English was first published on the BBC Learning English website in June 2009.

More programmes:
???? English at work Episode 1 ???? https://youtu.be/KN2jyw6D1ak
???? How to make polite requests ???? https://youtu.be/jD3JvzaqrAg
???? Formal and informal English ???? https://youtu.be/hdKYl8Tg_FQ

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