Boost your TOEIC exam score with practical onboarding English. Master day-one office phrases, policies, and instructions—study and apply today.
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💬 Dialogue Section
Scenario: In-person onboarding at the office (HR paperwork, IT setup, and manager instructions).
HR (Nina): Good morning, Alex. Welcome to the team—ready for your first day?
Alex: Morning! Yes, a little nervous but excited.
Nina: First, please sign this form and show your ID for verification.
Alex: Sure. Here you go.
Nina: Just to confirm, you’ll be working under the Marketing team, correct?
Alex: Correct.
IT (Kevin): Hi Alex, I’m Kevin from IT. Here’s your laptop and access badge.
Alex: Thanks! Do I need to set up anything right away?
Kevin: For your reference, I printed a quick-start guide. Please change your password before lunch.
Alex: Got it.
Manager (Sophie): Hi Alex. As discussed, you’ll shadow Jamie today and learn the workflow.
Alex: Sounds good. Where should I sit?
Sophie: Desk 14 by the window. Also, please don’t store confidential files on a personal USB drive.
Alex: Understood. I’ll follow the policy.
Nina: If anything is unclear, feel free to reach out anytime.
Alex: Will do—thank you, everyone.
📚 Vocabulary Boost — Key TOEIC Words
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech | Meaning | English Example Sentence (bold target word) |
|---|---|---|---|
| verification | noun | identity check | Please provide your ID for verification. |
| sign a form | verb phrase | complete paperwork | New hires must sign the form on day one. |
| just to confirm | phrase | polite verification | Just to confirm, you’re assigned to Marketing. |
| access badge | noun | entry card | Your access badge will be activated today. |
| quick-start guide | noun | setup instructions | A quick-start guide is attached for setup. |
| change your password | verb phrase | update credentials | Please change your password before lunch. |
| as discussed | phrase | referring to agreement | As discussed, you’ll shadow a teammate today. |
| shadow | verb | learn by observing | You will shadow Jamie to learn the workflow. |
| confidential | adjective | private/secret | Do not store confidential files on personal devices. |
| policy | noun | rule/procedure | Please follow the security policy. |
🔍 Grammar Points
| Structure / Pattern | Meaning | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| Just to confirm, + S + V… | polite check | Just to confirm, you’re on the Marketing team. |
| For your reference, + S + V… | adds info | For your reference, I printed a guide. |
| As discussed, + S + will + V… | refers to agreement | As discussed, you’ll shadow Jamie today. |
📖 Transcript
J: Hello and welcome to Win in 5 Minutes English.
M: Hey everyone.
J: Okay, let’s talk about something we’ve all been through. The first day at a new job.
M: Oh, the sweaty palms, trying to find your way around. It’s a lot.
J: It is. And you’re just bombarded with instructions. Get this ID card, sign these papers, find your desk.
M: And because it’s so full of instructions like, you know, “go here” or “sign this”.
M: If you can master the rhythm of these conversations, you’ll feel a lot better in real life and, uh, on the exam.
J: So we’ve got a little scene here that really captures that first-day chaos.
M: Let’s give it a listen.
Scenario: In-person onboarding at the office (HR paperwork, IT setup, and manager instructions).
HR (Nina): Good morning, Alex. Welcome to the team—ready for your first day?
Alex: Morning! Yes, a little nervous but excited.
Nina: No worries. First, please sign this form and show your ID for verification.
Alex: Sure. Here you go.
Nina: Great. Just to confirm, you’ll be working under the Marketing team, correct?
Alex: Correct.
IT (Kevin): Hi Alex, I’m Kevin from IT. Here’s your laptop and access badge.
Alex: Thanks! Do I need to set up anything right away?
Kevin: For your reference, I printed a quick-start guide. Please change your password before lunch.
Alex: Got it.
Manager (Sophie): Hi Alex. As discussed, you’ll shadow Jamie today and learn the workflow.
Alex: Sounds good. Where should I sit?
Sophie: Desk 14 by the window. Also, please don’t store confidential files on a personal USB drive.
Alex: Understood. I’ll follow the policy.
Nina: If you have questions, feel free to reach out anytime.
Alex: Will do—thank you, everyone.
J: Okay, poor Alex. That was a whirlwind of instructions. Let’s break down some of that vocabulary.
M: There were some very specific business terms in there.
J: The first one that stood out to me was when HR asked for his ID for “verification”. What does that really mean?
M: Right, verification. It’s a noun that basically means the process of checking if something is true or valid. She just needs to prove he is who he says he is.
J: Then Kevin from IT handed him an “access badge”. I feel like every office has a different name for this.
M: A fob, a key card… But “access badge” is the standard formal term. You’ll see it on tests and in handbooks.
J: And Kevin also mentioned a “quick start guide”.
M: Which is just what it sounds like. A manual to get set up fast.
J: But then Sophie, the manager… she used my favorite word of the dialogue. She told Alex to “shadow” Jamie.
M: Yes, “shadow”. In business, this is a verb. It doesn’t mean… you know… a dark shape on the ground.
M: It means to follow a colleague and watch how they work to learn the job. It’s a really common training method.
J: And then she got a little serious. She warned him about “confidential files”.
M: A crucial word. “Confidential” just means private or secret information. Things that need to be protected. It’s usually tied to “company policy”.
J: So beyond the vocabulary, the way they spoke was very… um… polite, but also very purposeful.
M: And this is where the sentence patterns come in. Did you notice how the HR manager said “just to confirm”?
J: “Just to confirm you’ll be working under the marketing team.”
M: Right. It’s such a polite way to double-check something without sounding like you don’t trust the person.
J: And Kevin used “for your reference”.
M: “For your reference, I printed a quick start guide.” You use this when you’re giving extra, helpful information.
J: I also caught that the manager said “as discussed”.
M: That’s a powerful one. It refers back to a previous conversation. “As discussed, you’ll shadow Jamie.”
J: And finally, the warning. She didn’t just say “No USB drives.”
M: No, she said “Please don’t.”
J: “Please don’t store confidential files on a personal USB.”
M: It’s a soft but firm way to state the rules. It keeps the tone professional, not aggressive.
J: It really makes a difference. These phrases can make that awkward first day go so much smoother.
M: If you can use “just to confirm” and “as discussed” correctly on day one, you already sound like you belong there.
J: That’s it for today’s Win in 5 Minutes English. Remember, 5 minutes a day is all you need to win at work, win the TOEIC, and win over your colleagues. If you found this episode useful, don’t forget to follow and share it with your friends. See you next time.
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