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How to write a business proposal in English

A proposal that gets approved has four parts and a tone that is clear, not complicated. Here's how to write one in English.

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The four parts of a proposal

  1. 1

    Summary

    One paragraph: what you're proposing and why, before any detail.

  2. 2

    The problem

    What is not working now, in plain terms, with one supporting fact.

  3. 3

    The recommendation

    What you suggest doing, and why this option over the others.

  4. 4

    Next steps

    What needs to happen, by whom, and by when.

Phrases for each part

Proposal phrases
PartPurposeUseful phrases
SummaryState the goal fastThis proposal outlines... / The aim of this document is to...
ProblemName the issue without blameCurrently, ... / The main challenge is...
RecommendationMake the suggestion clearWe recommend... / The best option is to...
ReasoningBack it upThis is because... / Based on the data, ...
Next stepsAssign actionThe next step is to... / We propose that X do Y by Z.

Watch out if you speak Spanish

  • Spanish proposals often build up to the recommendation. English readers expect the summary first and the detail after, so put the ask in the first paragraph.
  • Avoid we think that maybe. A proposal states a position: we recommend, not a guess.
  • Keep sentences short. A proposal is a document to approve quickly, not an essay to admire.
  • Name a date and an owner in the next steps. Soon is not a next step.

Practice

Gap fill and key word transformation

Complete each sentence with the natural English. In the last one, use the word in capitals.

  1. 1. This proposal

    a new approach to onboarding.

  2. 2. The

    of this document is to request budget for Q2.

  3. 3. We

    moving the launch to March.

  4. 4. This is

    the current process takes too long.

  5. 5. Based on the

    , the second option costs less.

  6. 6. The

    step is to confirm the budget with finance.

  7. 7. Most requests currently take five

    to process.

  8. 8. I think we should maybe wait.

    RECOMMEND
    We.

0 of 8 checked

Questions

How long should a proposal be?
Short enough to read in five minutes. One page for small requests, two to three for bigger ones.
Can Pili help me review a real proposal?
Yes, in an English for work class you bring your own document and work through the structure and the phrases together.

Keep going

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