BUSINESS ENGLISH 1

WELCOME
ivana.nikolic@fmz.edu.rs

019/430-803 430-804
Textbook:

Business Benchmark, Student’s Book, Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate (Norman

Whitby)

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Extra texts /vocabulary
 Company Structure
 What is economics about?
 The manager’s role

 Word web: economy; cost; compete; supply, demand; market

 Easily confused words: job vs work;
 Business Benchmark

Unit 1 – Vocabulary: Describing jobs; Job titles and names of company departments; The Present
Simple and Present Continuous;
Unit 2 –Text: The power of word of mouse; Emails: Vocabulary and writing;
Unit 3 –The Past Simple and Past Continuous;
Unit 4 –Vocabulary: Collocations;
Unit 5 – Describing equipment; Getting started; Vocabulary (Describing objects and dimensions;
Problems with equipment)
Unit 7 – Text: Thinking of selling your product abroad? Modal verbs of obligation;
Unit 9 – Making arrangements - Vocabulary; Expressing the future;
Unit 10 –Vocabulary: compound nouns; Text: Eurostar;
Unit 11/12 –Comparison of adjectives;
Unit 13 – Present Perfect and Past perfect;
Unit 14 – Text: Top promotional items; Countable and uncountable nouns; Articles and
quantifiers
Unit 17 – Adjectives and adverbs
Unit 18 – Vocabulary: Company finances
Unit 20 – Relative clauses
Unit 21 – Writing your CV
Unit 24 – Infinitive and –ing forms;
 Mid-term exams:

 51-60 points grade 6

 61-70 7
 71-80 8
 81-90 9
 91-100 10

I 51 points: Basic English – Grammar test March 29 (10:15) + lessons

II 9 points: CV writing April 12 (11:15)

III 20 points: Vocabulary + Grammar test May 3 (11:15)

IV 20 points: Vocabulary + Grammar test May 31 (11:15)

 Written test – grammar – Basic English

 Put the verb in brackets into the Present Simple Tense:

- He ________ (go) to work every day.
 Put the verb in brackets into the Past Simple Tense:
- Tom and Mary ________ (be) here yesterday.
 Circle the correct word:
- Nowadays many companies have expanded global / globaly / globally.
- He has many / much / no free time so he always goes to work by car.
- He has never travelled by / in a / on a boat.
 Articles and quantifiers:
- He has worked as ____ bank manager in ____ Bon since ____ 1990s.
 Make a question for the underlined word/phrase:
- __________________________________________ - It’s rather windy.
 Write the following: ₤870 ________________________
 Written test - Grammar

 Put the verbs in brackets into the right tense:

- This is the third time I ___ (apply) for the job of a sales manager.
 Circle the correct word:
- Could / May / Shall we make a break?
- The entrance is free so you mustn’t / don’t have to / shouldn’t buy the tickets.
- He quit smoke / to smoke / smoking / to smoking a few years ago, although he used
smoke / to smoke / smoking / to smoking more than 40 cigarettes a day.
- He is at / on / in charge of / from / out the Accounting Department.
 Insert the correct form of the word in brackets:
- If you have a long distance to travel, it is ___ (good) and ___(fast) to go by plane. –
Well, however ___ (good) intentioned you are, I don’t like flying.
 Make a question for the underlined word/phrase:
- He had been working in Japan. ________________________
 Written test - Vocabulary

 Circle the correct word:

- He is a professor of economy / economics / economists / economies.
- Share prices don’t always go up, as I found at cost price / to my cost / at any cost.
 Explain the meaning of the underlined word(s):
- It is the direct result of the scarcity of resources.
 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in brackets:
- They encompass all types of labour including management or ____ (entrepreneur).
 Make 2 collocations and then use them in your own sentences:
PAYOUTS / BANKRUPT / FAILURE / GO / CREDITORS / WAIT FOR
 Complete with your own ideas.
In the first days of a new job, you are likely to discover that your ___ expects you to
know a host of things he or she hasn’t taken the time or ___ to tell you. Here is a remedy
for the sinking feeling ___ you’ve failed before you’ve even begun.
 Explain the difference between: employer vs employee
 Discussion topics

1. People study economics / business & management for various reasons (to make money,
worry that they will be illiterate if they cannot understand the laws of supply and demand,
to learn how budget deficits and inflation affect their future, etc.) Why have you chosen to
study economics / business & management?
2. What skills / qualities / qualification should a good manager have? Can you give some
examples of successful managers?
3. How often do you use the Internet? What do you use it for (fun, learning…)?
4. Many people download MP3 music or films without paying any money for it. Is this a
problem? Is it illegal? How do we break Copyright law on the Internet?
5. In your opinion, what is the most important feature of the Internet? How has the Internet
changed society? Many Universities are offering online courses. Is this is a good or a bad
thing?
6. E-commerce has become very popular. Why? Is it better to buy online or to go to a
shop? Why? Is the Internet making people more impatient and are we becoming a society
in which people want instant satisfaction?
7. What products does your country export? Does your country produce anything which
you think would (not) sell well abroad? Why?
8. Would you like to set up your own company? What business would it be? Would you
operate only on the local market / only abroad / both? Why?
 Discussion topics

9. What is the most advertised product in your country? What gets you interested in an
advertisement? What is the best form of advertising in your opinion? How would you
advertise something you want to sell?
10. Is there a stock exchange in your country? Do you know anyone who trades on the
stock exchange? Do you think men and women have different approaches to investment?
Do you think they prefer different kinds of stock?
11. What are some possible ways of getting the money to start up a new business? Which
do you think are the most common ways in your country?
12. What is the difference between a sole trader and a partnership?
13. What is the difference between a limited company and a partnership?
14. Think of the desk you use in your workplace or at home. What objects are on it? What
do you use them for? Choose one and describe it.
15. Which of the following is most important to you when choosing which airline to fly
with to go on holiday: cost, comfort or service? Would your choice be different when
travelling on business? Why/why not?
16. What are the advantages and disadvantages of flying and travelling by train for
business trips? Try to think of two advantages and two disadvantages for each method of
transport.
 Asking basic questions

 __________ - It is Monday.
 __________ - It is November 28th, 2016.
 __________ - It is autumn.
 __________ - It is November.
 __________ - It is 11am / 13.45 / 08.10 / 10.30
 __________ - It is snowy and very windy.
 Talking about yourself
Make questions for the following answers:

 _________ - My name is John.

 __________ - My last name (surname) is Smith.
 __________ - My current address is 25, Sunshine Street, UK.
 __________ - I am 25.
 __________ - I was born 20 April, 1998.
 __________ - My birthday is on 3rd June.
 __________ - I come from England.
 __________ - I am British.
 __________ - I am a student (of Economics / Business & Management / Law)
 __________ - I live on my own / with my family.
 __________ - My sister is tall, has brown hair and blue eyes.
 __________ - She is a really nice person. Attractive and talkative.
 NUMBERS

Whole (Cardinal ) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ………13, 14, …19, 20, 21, 22,…105, …

&
Ordinal 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, ….16th, 17th, … 20th, 21st, …

 Fractions 1/2, 2/ 3, 4/5,…

 Decimals 1.36
 Per cent 5%

 Thousand: 1,000 (1k)

 Million: 1,000,000 (1m)
 Billion: 1,000,000,000 (1bn)
 DIFFERENT WAYS TO SAY O IN ENGLISH:

 Oh after decimals: 9.02

for rooms/buses: room 602
phone numbers: 556-002
years: 1906

 Naught before decimals 0.06

 Zero temperature -10°C
 Nil football 2:0
 Love tennis 15-0
 Write the following numbers:

a) 3.2 b) €9bn c) 2% d) 10,000

e) 815 f) €102 g) 10.98 h) 1/3
i) 48% j) $4,000 k) 4,905 l) 15.361
m) 2/7 n) 91.3% o) £ 9m p) 1/8
q) -32°C r) RSD5k s) 6.09 t) 8/9
u) £ 76 v) 719 w) 99 x) 999
y) £100 z) 0.01
 POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES & POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

 Her hair is black. Mine is brown.

 Her job is so complicated. What about his?

 Their promotions are so successful! What are we going to do to improve ours?

 I forgot my purse at home. Where is yours?

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES & POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

This is The HOUSE is

my mine.
your yours.
his his.
her hers.
its -
our ours.
your yours.
their theirs.

HOUSE.
 he – she – it
his – her – its

There is a man. He is wearing a grey hat. I don’t know his name.

This is Mary. She works as an accountant. Her job is not easy.

This is a restaurant. It is very famous. Its name is written above the entrance.
I have a dog. It is black. Its name is Max.
She has a cat. It is over there. I can’t remember its name.
 Complete the following sentences:

 This is John. _____ job is difficult.

 This is Mary. _____ job involves hiring people.
 This is the company I work for. _____ name is written on the gate.
 This is my neighbour’s cat. ____ name is Tim.
 The money is not ___ but ____ (you – I).
 That’s not his bag; It’s ____ (she).
 It is our classroom. ____ is on the third floor (they).
 ARTICLES

 Indefinite: a manager / an engineer

a unique person, an hour

 Definite: the bank manager / the engineer

----------------------------------------

 No article (Ø article):

He is studying economics. He plays football.

Managers may be cunning.

This antibiotic is by definition the most effective now.

 THE + PROPER NOUNS

 My best friend is John / Paris is the capital of France.

 The John I used to know is… / The Paris he visited in 1958…
 the UK; the Kingdom of Nepal; the USA; the People’s Republic of China;
 The Vatican; the Hague; the Netherlands; the Philippines;
 the Himalayas; the Canaries; the Atlantic; the Amazon; the Adriatic; the Panama Canal.
 The Orient, the Far East, the North Pole, the Sahara;
 the Empire State Building; the Taj Mahal; the Mona Lisa;
 the United Nations; the Politika; the Times; the Italians / the Simpsons;
 the Titanic / the Odeon / the National Theatre;
 the Ritz (Hotel); BUT Brown’s; Brown’s Hotel / Restaurant
 Downing Street / Michigan Avenue BUT: the High Street, the Mall, the E5
 Complete with:
A/AN/THE or Ø article :

____ Mr Jones is very fond of climbing _____ mountains so ______ one year he went to
______ Switzerland on his holidays. After he climbed the easy mountains, he decided to
climb a more difficult one. He did not want to do it alone so he found ____ Swiss guide
who often climbed that mountain. At first it was not difficult but then they came to _____
place which was not easy. ______ guide stopped to turn around and warned _____ Mr
Jones to be careful because he could easily fall. He also told him to look to ______ right
because there was ______ extraordinary beautiful view there.
 NOUNS

 COUNTABLE book, man, aspect, diamond, nation

 UNCOUNTABLE (MASS) advice, information, furniture, money, sand, software,

music, cattle, traffic, equipment, mathematics, meat, inflation

NEVER!!! an advice / advices / two advices

an information / informations / two informations

C: I have a book. I have two books. The books on the desk are mine. Books are
expensive.

UC: Inflation is rising. The inflation that happened in 1993 was terrible.
 Countable Nouns

singular plural

There is a dog. There are some dogs.

Is there a dog? Are there any dogs?
There isn’t a dog there. Would you like some cakes?
There are not any dogs.
There is a dog. The dog is black.
There are some dogs. The dogs are black.
It is my dog.
How many dogs are there?
This dog is black.
There are 10 / a lot of dogs.
That dog is brown.

My dogs, your dogs, …

These dogs / those dogs are brown.
 Uncountable Nouns

 I have some money.

 Do you have any money? Would you like some coffee?
 I don’t have any money.

 There is some money on the table. I will take the money to buy …

 How much money is there?

 There is a lot of money.

 My money, your money, …

 This money/ that money is mine.
 ANY / SOME?

1. Have they got ____ children?

2. They don't want ____ help moving to their new house
3. I will have ____ news next week.
4. There isn't ____ reason to complain.
5. She has ____ valuable books in her house.
6. Would you like ____ more roast beef?
7. Philip wants ____ help with his exams.
8. Are there ____ problems with your work?
9. There is ____ butter in the fridge.
10. No, thank you. I don't want ____ more cake.