Comprehension, grammar and vocabulary: small businesses

English for Professional Purposes

Author
Affiliation

Ben Stanley

Department of Social Sciences, SWPS University

Published

September 1, 2026

Comprehension

  1. According to the article, what percentage of revenues did debt costs amount to for small businesses in 2021, and how does this compare to large businesses?
  2. What portion of US GDP do the small businesses analysed in the Goldman Sachs report produce, according to the article?
  3. What percentage of credit extended to small businesses is floating-rate, and how does this compare to larger companies?
  4. According to Goldman Sachs’ economists, what is the estimated peak GDP growth drag from small business borrowing costs, and when is it expected to occur?
  5. What potential consequence of higher small-business debt costs does the article mention that might not show up in aggregated national accounts?

Grammar

Conditionals

  1. If the government(to introduce) more stringent regulations for corporations, many (have to) revise their compliance strategies.
  2. If an LLC (to choose) to be taxed as a corporation, it (to be) subject to corporate income tax.
  3. If a company (to operate) as an LLC, what kind of tax benefits (potentially / to enjoy)?
  4. If the founders (to choose) a corporation instead of a partnership at the outset, they (to face) personal bankruptcy.
  5. If a sole proprietorship (to operate) without proper accounting practices, it (to face) inevitable financial discrepancies.
  6. If a cooperative (to manage) to effectively pool resources, it (significantly / to reduce) costs for its members.
  7. Were a cooperative (to implement) innovative technology, it (to streamline) its operations and enhance member satisfaction.
  8. Whenever a corporation (to issue) new shares, its existing shareholders (to dilute) their ownership percentage.
  9. If a partnership (to not draft) a comprehensive partnership agreement, they (to encounter) legal problems in the future.
  10. Had the business (to structure) as an LLC from the beginning, it (to enjoy) more flexibility in profit distribution.
  11. If the company (to opt) for an S corporation status, how (to affect) its tax liabilities?
  12. If a business (to want) to limit its owners’ personal liability, it (should / to consider) forming an LLC.
  13. When partners in a general partnership (to disagree) on fundamental business decisions, the partnership (to suffer) operational inefficiencies.
  14. If an investor (to be) more risk-averse, he (to prefer) investing in corporations over sole proprietorships.
  15. Were a sole proprietorship (to convert) into a corporation, it (might / to find) it easier to attract investors.
  16. Should an entrepreneur (to fail) to understand the tax implications of their chosen entity, they (to face) unexpected fiscal obligations.
  17. If the cooperative (to not meet) its members’ needs, it (to struggle) to sustain its operations.
  18. Had the entrepreneur (to understand) the implications of sole proprietorship, he (might / to opt) for a different business entity.
  19. If partnerships (to offer) limited liability, (to be) as popular as LLCs?
  20. If a cooperative (to fail) to distribute its profits equitably among members, it (would / to risk) losing its cooperative status.

Inversions

  1. Rarely (sole proprietorships / to receive) the same level of financial scrutiny as corporations.
  2. Not only (LLC / to offer) limited liability, but it also provides flexibility in taxation.
  3. Under no circumstances (shareholders / to hold) personally liable for the debts of a corporation.
  4. No sooner (partnership agreement / to sign) than disputes over management roles arose.
  5. Only when (the cooperative’s bylaws / to amend) can changes in member equity take effect.
  6. Not until (the annual general meeting / to conclude) were the new investment strategies revealed.
  7. Seldom (investors / to choose) sole proprietorships for large capital injections due to their unlimited liability.
  8. Little (the founders / to know) about the complexities of converting their partnership into an S corporation.
  9. Only by increasing their understanding of business structures (entrepreneurs / to make) informed decisions about entity formation.
  10. Hardly ever (cooperatives / to see) as the go-to option for tech startups, despite their collaborative advantages.

Vocabulary

  1. What is meant by the word “mantra”?
  2. What is meant by the phrase “lock in”?
  3. What is meant by the phrase “these one- or two-man bands”?
  4. What is meant by the term “burdensome”?
  5. What does the phrase “let’s go with it” mean?
  6. What does the phrase “grapple with” mean?
  7. What does the phrase “foot traffic” mean?
  8. What does the abbreviation “capex” stand for?
  9. What does the word “headwinds” mean?
  10. What does the phrase “rolled up” mean?