Introducing Your Finance Department & Mission
CEFR: B1
Read/Listen first
At the monthly onboarding session, I introduce myself to new colleagues and explain what our finance department actually does. I work in the finance department, and our team is responsible for managing the company budget, handling supplier invoices, and checking payroll before the deadline. We also prepare reports for managers and answer questions about expenses because teams need clear guidance to plan projects. Each Friday, we review incoming payments and follow up with clients when something is missing. When people ask about our mission, I say it simply: we organize company finance and make sure every number is accurate and compliant. If another department needs a quick cost estimate, we provide it and explain the impact on the budget. We do not sell products, but we help sales by tracking revenue and highlighting risks so decisions are informed. Colleagues coordinate timelines, share updates, and document tasks clearly to keep work on track.⚡ Learning goals
- Can introduce your department and state its core mission at B1.
- Can explain introducing yourself, describing responsibilities using clear present simple verbs.
- Can connect actions with reasons using because and to + verb.
✨ Key language
- I work in the ___ department “I work in the finance department.”
- Our department is responsible for ___-ing “Our department is responsible for managing budgets.”
- We handle ___ “We handle client requests.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ I work in + the + department
Rule: Use the structure to describe routine responsibilities and roles in the present simple.Examples: We manage core processes; I work in accounting; The team handles reports.
Common pitfall + fix: Avoid -s errors in third person — add s to he/she/it forms.
Which tense best describes routine responsibilities?
Tip: Responsibilities are habits or routines, so we use the present simple.
Fill with the best answer: Our team ___ improving client support.
Tip: Use the pattern be responsible for + -ing.
2️⃣ I work for + company
Rule: Use the structure to describe routine responsibilities and roles in the present simple.Examples: We organize core processes; I work in accounting; The team handles reports.
Common pitfall + fix: Avoid -s errors in third person — add s to he/she/it forms.
Which tense best describes routine responsibilities?
Tip: Responsibilities are habits or routines, so we use the present simple.
Fill with the best answer: Our team ___ improving client support.
Tip: Use the pattern be responsible for + -ing.
3️⃣ be responsible for + -ing
Rule: Use the structure to describe routine responsibilities and roles in the present simple.Examples: We develop core processes; I work in accounting; The team handles reports.
Common pitfall + fix: Avoid -s errors in third person — add s to he/she/it forms.
Which tense best describes routine responsibilities?
Tip: Responsibilities are habits or routines, so we use the present simple.
Fill with the best answer: Our team ___ improving client support.
Tip: Use the pattern be responsible for + -ing.
4️⃣ present simple for routines
Rule: Use the structure to describe routine responsibilities and roles in the present simple.Examples: We resolve core processes; I work in accounting; The team handles reports.
Common pitfall + fix: Avoid -s errors in third person — add s to he/she/it forms.
Which tense best describes routine responsibilities?
Tip: Responsibilities are habits or routines, so we use the present simple.
Fill with the best answer: Our team ___ improving client support.
Tip: Use the pattern be responsible for + -ing.
✍️ Vocabulary
budget
Meaning: common workplace term related to this lesson.Synonyms: sample, example.
Chunk/Idiom: budget + noun.
Example: We use budget every week for reports.
Morphology: noun / verb / adj.
Self-practice: Write one sentence with budget.
invoice
Meaning: common workplace term related to this lesson.Synonyms: sample, example.
Chunk/Idiom: invoice + noun.
Example: We use invoice every week for reports.
Morphology: noun / verb / adj.
Self-practice: Write one sentence with invoice.
payroll
Meaning: common workplace term related to this lesson.Synonyms: sample, example.
Chunk/Idiom: payroll + noun.
Example: We use payroll every week for reports.
Morphology: noun / verb / adj.
Self-practice: Write one sentence with payroll.
audit
Meaning: common workplace term related to this lesson.Synonyms: sample, example.
Chunk/Idiom: audit + noun.
Example: We use audit every week for reports.
Morphology: noun / verb / adj.
Self-practice: Write one sentence with audit.
compliance
Meaning: common workplace term related to this lesson.Synonyms: sample, example.
Chunk/Idiom: compliance + noun.
Example: We use compliance every week for reports.
Morphology: noun / verb / adj.
Self-practice: Write one sentence with compliance.
expense
Meaning: common workplace term related to this lesson.Synonyms: sample, example.
Chunk/Idiom: expense + noun.
Example: We use expense every week for reports.
Morphology: noun / verb / adj.
Self-practice: Write one sentence with expense.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
I work in the department that manages budgets.
Our team is responsible for monthly reports.
We handle client invoices and vendor payments.
The director oversees accounting and compliance tasks.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
He ___ the logistics department.
Tip: Third person singular takes s.
Our team ___ tracking monthly expenses.
Tip: Use be responsible for + -ing.
Fill with the best answer:
I ___ NovaTech and manage budgets.Tip: Use work for with company names.
Fill with the best answer:
We ___ every Friday before closing.Tip: Collocations: handle + invoices.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Which word matches: money plan for a period?
Tip: Budgets guide spending decisions.
Which item is a document asking for payment?
Tip: An invoice lists items, prices, and due dates.
Fill with the best answer:
We prepare for the annual ___ next month.Tip: Audits check accuracy and compliance.
Fill with the best answer:
The Q4 marketing ___ was approved.Tip: Combine budget with quarters or projects.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Hi, I’m Peter. I work in the finance department.B: Nice to meet you. What’s your team responsible for?
A: We manage budgets and handle invoices.
Why this matters:
Clear department introductions help colleagues collaborate. Stating responsibilities avoids confusion and saves time.Verb & Adjective Pack:
manage — We manage monthly budgets.handle — They handle supplier invoices.
responsible — Our team is responsible for reporting.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: I ___ the finance department.
Tip: Use work in + department.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: The team responsible for payroll.
Tip: Add be before adjectives.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
We handle supplier invoices every Friday.
Tip: Stress the verb handle.