English for Business

Common Expressions:

Welcome to the meeting!

Let me start by saying that today's agenda is short and effective!

Today's presentation is about the new rate for truck 2013!

May I get in touch with Dr. Maxwell?

Let's have a talk to get acquainted!

Asking Questions - Advanced Level

Speaking Skills - Asking Questions
Students - even higher level students - often run into problems when asking questions. This is due to a number of causes: i.e., teachers are the ones that usually ask questions, the inversion of the auxiliary verb and subject can be especially tricky for many students. This simple lesson focuses on helping higher (intermediate to upper intermediate) level students focus on some of the more difficult question forms.
Exercise 1: Ask an appropriate question for the response
• It was really rather wet and windy with temperatures well below normal.
• Since eight o'clock this morning.
• I was cleaning up.
• I'd buy a new house.
• She can't be at home, I tried to call her a few minutes ago.
• Why don't you go shopping?
• For about 2 years.
Exercise 2: Ask questions to fill the gaps with the missing information
Student A
The last few weeks have been very difficult for my friend ______. He discovered that he hadn't insured his car after his car was stolen __________. He immediately went to his insurance agent, but she told him that he had only bought ____________, and not against theft. He became really angry and ________________, but, of course, he didn't do that in the end. So, he hasn't been driving for the past two weeks, but ___________ to get to work. He works at a company about 15 miles from his home in __________. It used to take him only twenty minutes to get to work. Now, he has to get up at ___________ in order to catch the seven o'clock bus. If he had more money, he would ___________. Unfortunately, he had just spent most of his savings on an _____________ before his car was stolen. He had a wonderful time in Hawaii, but he now says that if he hadn't gone to Hawaii, he wouldn't be having all these problems now. Poor guy.
Student B
The last few weeks have been very difficult for my friend Jason. He discovered that _______________ after his car was stolen three weeks ago. He immediately went to his ___________, but she told him that he had only bought a policy against accidents, and not ________. He became really angry and threatened to sue the company, but, of course, he didn't do that in the end. So, he hasn't been ___________ for the past two weeks, but has been taking the bus to get to work. He works at a company about __________ from his home in Davonford. It used to take him ____________ to get to work. Now, he has to get up at six o'clock __________________________. If he had more money, he would buy a new car. Unfortunately, he had just __________________ on an exotic vacation to Hawaii before his car was stolen. He had a wonderful time in Hawaii, but he now says that if _______________, he wouldn't be having all these problems now. Poor guy.

Aim: Improving speaking confidence when using question difficult question forms
Activity: Intensive review of advanced question forms followed by student gap question exercises.
Level: Intermediate to upper intermediate
Outline:
• Focus on auxiliary verb usage by making a number of statements in tenses the students are familiar with. Ask students to identify the auxiliary verb in each case.
• Ask a student or students to explain the underlying scheme of the object question form (i.e., ? word Auxiliary Subject Verb). Have students give a number of examples in different tenses.
• Review the question forms of some of the more difficult tenses and constructions such as: conditionals, used to, present perfect continuous, past perfect, etc.
• Split students up into pairs. Distribute worksheet and ask students to ask an appropriate questions for the given answer taking turns.
• Follow-up check of questions either by circulating through the student pairs or as a group.
• Ask students to each take the second exercise (one for Student A the other for Student B) and complete the gaps by asking their partner for the missing information.
• Solidify question forms by quickly playing a verb inversion game using the various tenses (i.e., Teacher: I live in the city. Student: Where do you live? etc.)

Question Forms

Students who are often very familiar with standard object questions can have problems with subject questions, indirect questions, and question tags. This exercise uses a quiz to help students identify and improve their understanding of the differences in structure among the various question forms. The quiz itself is then used as the basis for more class interaction while students practice using the question forms.
General Knowledge Quiz
Answer these questions with a partner or yourself.
1. Which famous author penned the words, "To be or not to be..."?
2. More people speak English than any other language in the world, don't they?
3. Where was President John F. Kennedy assassinated?
4. I wonder if you know when your teacher was born.
5. Which famous actor became the president of the United States?
6. Why do birds migrate?
7. Learning English isn't difficult for most students, is it?
8. Which language has the most words?
9. Have you any idea when the Berlin wall came down?
10. Who fought the British during the American Revolution?

Grammar Lesson: Tense Review

These pages provide a lesson aimed at reviewing names and structures of basic tenses. On the second page you will find a printable version of the lesson, as well as the answers to the exercises.
Personal Information Quiz
1. When did you last see a film?
2. How many times have you been abroad?
3. What type of books do you like reading?
4. When were you born?
5. How long have you been learning English?
6. What will the weather be like tomorrow?
7. What were you doing at 7 o'clock yesterday evening?
8. What are your parents doing?
9. Where are your classes taught?
10. What are you going to do after this course finishes?

What are the names of the tenses used in the above questions?
• Past Continuous
• Present Simple Passive
• Present Perfect
• Future Intent
• Present Perfect Continuous
• Past Simple Passive
• Future Prediction
• Present Simple
• Present Continuous
• Past Simple

Stereotypes

National Sterotypes
Young learners - especially teenage learners - are at the point in their life when they are developing their own ideas about the world around them, especially the world beyond their immediate surroundings. Learning from their elders, media and teachers, young adults pick up a lot of stereotypes about other nations. Helping them come to terms with stereotypes, and recognize that stereotypes do contain some truth, but also can not be applied across the board, is central to this lesson. The lesson also helps them improve their descriptive adjective vocabulary while they discuss perceived differences between nations through stereotypes.

Stereotypes
Choose two adjectives that you think describe the nationalities listed below. Choose two countries of your own to describe.

• punctual
• tolerant
• romantic
• respectful
• hard-working
• emotional • outgoing
• nationalistic
• well-dressed
• humorous
• lazy
• sophisticated • hospitable
• talkative
• sociable
• serious
• quiet
• formal • aggressive
• polite
• rude
• arrogant
• ignorant
• casual
American
_____
_____
_____
_____
British
_____
_____
_____
_____
French
_____
_____
_____
_____
Japanese
_____
_____
_____
_____
Peruvian
_____
_____
_____

Grammar Review Maze

Instructions
• To correctly move through this maze, choose if the sentence is correct or incorrect.
• Black arrows are for correct answers, red arrows for incorrect answers.
• Two numbers are left out of the correct path of the maze.
• If you can't find your way out you know that you have made a mistake along the way and need to check through the sentences again!
Objective:
This learning game helps students to inductively review their knowledge of forms previously studied.
Beginner Questions
IN Sentence: He usually goes to work on Monday evenings.
1. She brother has an apartment in New York.
2. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
3. When are they going to finish their homework?
4. How long time has she worked here?
5. Toms' house is on the corner.
6. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
7. He is playing a game of tennis at the moment.
8. They are carefully drivers.
9. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
10. Look at those houses over there! Aren't they beautiful?
11. Their parents sometimes travel to Europe in August.
12. What did she buy last weekend?
13. What does she look like?
14. Jack doesn't likes playing football.
Pre-intermediate Questions
IN Sentence: They would like to visit Egypt for their next holiday.
1. Jackie is much more happy than Charles.
2. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
3. I will give you a ring when I'll arrive.
4. How far does it take to travel to Boston?
5. They have lived in New York since 5 years.
6. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
7. They were watching television when I telephoned.
8. Jane usually is on time.
9. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
10. London is the most interesting city in the world.
11. We have been to Paris three times.
12. They enjoy exploring museums in their free time.
13. He has been working for 3 hours.
14. They bought three fishes at the market.
Intermediate Questions
IN Sentence: She's looking after the children for the week.
1. If I was you, I would call Fred.
2. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
3. He's been eating chicken 4 times this week.
4. Learning Russian is as difficult than learning German.
5. I wonder what did she do this past weekend.
6. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
7. You needn't arrive before 9 next Friday.
8. He took care of pay the bills last weekend.
9. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
10. Unless he studies, he won't pass the exam!
11. Why are your hands dirty? - Oh, I've been working in the garden.
12. They let their children stay up late on Saturday evenings.
13. He had already eaten by the time I arrived.
14. She needs three new pieces of office equipments.
Upper-Intermediate Questions
IN Sentence: The exercise was so difficult that he had to repeat it twice!
1. If she had knewn, she would have bought it immediately.
2. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
3. Despite I like French, I don't want to continue studying it.
4. I don't like watching documentary films when I am on vacation. - So do I!
5. I wish I know where he comes from.
6. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
7. By the time you receive this letter, I will have left home.
8. He came onto a great fortune when his great-uncle died.
9. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
10. She can't have gone to England, she telephoned from California this morning!
11. He confirmed his desire to look after raising the children.
12. He would have gone to class if he had arrived on time.
13. By this time next year, I will be studying in Rome.
14. Could you please tell me when leaves the bus?
Advanced Questions
IN Sentence: Despite the worsening weather, he decided to try the climb.
1. It took me a long time to be used to getting up early.
2. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
3. He'd better to go home soon, it's getting late!
4. I can't imagine to live in Alaska. It must be wonderful.
5. If you think the ring is too much expensive, don't buy it
6. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
7. By the time you receive this letter, I will have left home.
8. The government would build housing if it wants to help the poor.
9. I'm sorry you have made a mistake!
10. Although he wanted to begin anew, he decided to remain in the same job.
11. Jack's inability to confront his mother caused him great pain.
12. Not only does Peter wish to come, but he also plans on doing so soon.
13. He accepted the responsibility, despite his not having understood the implications.
14. I would really appreciate you coming on time.

Key Path
1. IN Sentence Correct: Move to 14
2. 14 Incorrect move to 8
3. 8 Incorrect move to 10
4. 10 Correct move to 3
5. 3 Incorrect move to 12
6. 12 correct move to 5
7. 5 incorrect move to 1
8. 1 incorrect move to 11
9. 11 correct move to 4
10. 4 incorrect move to 13
11. 13 correct move to 7
12. 7 correct move to OUT!
Sentences number 2, 6 and 9 are not used but are both correct sentences that advise students that they have made a mistake somewhere along the line!
The following are the sentences in their correct order and whether they are correct or incorrect:
IN sentence correct
sentence 1 incorrect
sentence 2 warning
sentence 3 incorrect
sentence 4 incorrect
sentence 5 incorrect
sentence 6 warning
sentence 7 incorrect
sentence 8 incorrect
sentence 9 warning
sentence 10 correct
sentence 11 correct
sentence 12 correct
sentence 13 correct
sentence 14 incorrect