BEC Wizard

Functional Language for Business In this Business English learning online post, we look at some useful phrases frequently used in communication in a business environment. There are example sentences provided below showing how to use each one. Asking for Permission Could I... May I... Can I... I would like to... Please let me know if ... is suitable (convenient). Rearranging an Appointment Unfortunately I cannot attend... on the [date] Could we meet at the [place] on the [day] to discuss... ... would suit me better. Informing I wish to inform you that... It is necessary for us to... Please feel free to contact ... if you require more details. Explaining/Giving Instructions You should... Please contact... It is necessary to... When you have completed the project, please email/deliver the details to... Example Sentences Asking for Permission Could I pop into your offi...

Business English Vocabulary Writing an email Look at the following email related to making arrangements for a business trip. Select the correct word from the options given to complete the email. Dear sirs, Please [1].......... a single room [2].......... bath for me for the nights [3].......... 18 and 19 March. If possible, I would like the room to [4].......... in a quiet part of the hotel. I shall [5].......... to meet a [6].......... of clients on the morning of 20 march, [7].......... could you make a meeting room available [8].......... me on that day from 9 am to 2 pm? I do not expect to arrive until about 11p.m. on 18 march, so please [9].......... my room for me. Also, please email me as soon as possible to [10].......... that these bookings have been made. If you [11].......... me to send a deposit in [12].........., let me know and I shall be happy to do so. Yours faithfully, 1. hold reserve get give 2. with including consistin...

Business English Quiz | Business Conference Vocabulary Look at the following sentences related to business conferences. Select the correct word from the options given to complete each sentence. 1. Phil davies works for a _____ making organisation whose aim is to encourage local people to start their own business. no profit non profit no benefit unprofitable 2. There are great opportunities for our company in _____ markets where products like ours haven't been sold before. opening appearing emerging arising 3. You should study the market _____ if you want to know how the market is going to behave in the future. indicators signs signals indications 4. One of the best ways of _____ company image is to provide first-class customer service. enhancing bettering growing increasing 5. This course will provide trainees with _____ experience of business travel-booking procedures. touching contact ha...

Business English Vocabulary Quiz | Staff Training Look at the information given in the table about professional staff training courses provided by an agency. Read the report below regarding staff training needs written by an employee and select the correct word to complete the report correctly. Professional Development Agency Skills Programme Course Basic ComputerSkills Advanced Computer Skills Introduction to Accounting Length 4 weeks 6 weeks 10 weeks Hours per week 4 6 8 Timetable Fri 4 - 8pm Mon and Fri 9 - 12am Mon - Thur 8 - 10pm Trainees per class 8 max 6 max 20 max Price (per student) €200 €300 €150 Business English Vocabulary The Professional Development Agency provides three courses (refer to table above) which might cater for some of our staff-training requirements for the coming year. The course which appears to be 1 __________ (useful) is the Basic C...

B2 Business Vantage Vocabulary Quiz - Talking about your company Business English Vocabulary Quiz My firm uses the services of a specialist agency to 1 __________ all new 2 __________ . I work in a management consultancy firm so most of the new workers that start here are graduates with a university degree even though they may have little or no relevant work experience in this specific 3 __________ . It's quite usual for people who end up working here to have had other kinds of jobs during their 4 __________ before they apply to become management consultants. The firm 5 __________ around 1,000 people in total in various regional offices. During the first eighteen months new workers are normally put on a temporary 6 __________ , and then if everything goes well, they are made permanent. Personally, I believe my firm is a good 7 __________ because new employees receive a comprehensive induction 8 __________ when they first start work with us, and then continual on-th...

Use the business-related nouns below to complete the short paragraph, selecting the most appropriate word for each blank space. You can check your answers by clicking on ‘answers’ at the end of the quiz. bill brand budget Business English Vocabulary | Nouns A recent report stated that many small businesses fail in their first year due to a lack of proper financial management. One of the most common problems highlighted by the report was how many small business owners failed to plan for their end of year tax (1) __________. This can cause major problems in terms of cash flow if a small business is struggling to survive its first year of trading. It is essential that small businesses employ strict controls over all financial processes such as invoicing, costing and collecting payments, in order to ensure they work within the set (2) __________. The report concluded that most small business owners put much more effort into marketing and (3) __________ building ...

Business English question words and phrases Look at the list of question words/phrases below. how how long how many how much how often what when where which who why Select a suitable question word/phrase from the list to complete these questions as in the example. There are more question words/phrases than necessary to complete the questions. Example: How much more time do you need to finish the monthly financial report? Questions: 1. _____ is your boss? Mr Robinson? 2. _____ have you worked at this company? 3. _____ office would you prefer to work in: company headquarters or a regional office? 4. _____ did you go to school – in this country or abroad? 5. _____ does your HR department carry out formal appraisals – every six months, or more often? 6. _____ job would you like to be doing in ten years’ time? 7. _____ people work in your office? 8. _____ don't you apply for the Head of Department po...

Busness English Vocabulary - Hotels and Business Travel Look at the graph below and the paragrapgh which describes the information given. Choose the corrrect answer from the options given to complete the paragraph. In our [1].......... of 600 business travellers, we [2].......... that 42% considered preferential service was the most important [3].........., whereas 35% [4].......... good food and drink as the most important, and 23% valued comfortable seats most [5].......... . 1. selection investigation survey 2. realized found believed 3. amenity merit improvement 4. pointed scored rated 5. important highly exceptionally Score = Correct answers:

Written communication is very important in a business context. It is essential to develop good business writing skills to score well in Business English exams and learn to write clearly and concisely. Here is some practice identifying some errors made in a business fax. This is an example of a typical business fax communcation. There is one extra word in each numbered line of this fax. Read the fax carefully and try to decide which of the words is not necessary? When you have finished, you can check your answers at the end by clicking on the [+]. Good luck! Business English BEC Vantage Writing | Identify the unnecessary words in this business fax [+] [-]   Answers 1. being 2. my 3. a 4. then 5. is 6. not 7. also 8. to

Business Vocabulary Quiz: People & Companies Here are some people describing the type of organization or work they do. Can you select the correct vocabulary from the options below to complete each sentence. entrepreneur family firm/business freelance multinational self-employed state-owned The company I work for is (1)______. People often say that these organizations aren’t run very well, but there are many initiatives now to try and make all our departments more efficient and effective. 1. entrepreneur family firm/business freelance multinational self-employed state-owned For me, the biggest benefit of working for a (2)______ company is the opportunity to get work experience abroad. Last year I was working in Germany, this year I’m back in the UK, based at our head office. 2. entrepreneur family firm/business freelance multinational self-employed state-owned I...

Business English Vocabuary Essential Business English Vocabulary Use the business-related nouns below to complete the short paragraph, selecting the most appropriate word for each blank space. You can check your answers by clicking on ‘answers’ at the end of the quiz. Business English Vocabulary | Nouns apology advantage authorization advice agenda advertisement Many corporations seek to establish a competitive (1) _____ over their competitors in a specific market sector and build their brand by creative (2) _____ campaigns. For consumers, the corporate social responsibility (3) _____ of many organizations is becoming increasingly important in terms of purchasing decision-making, and so (4) _____ from public relations experts urges corporations to prioritize this as part of their brand building strategies. Tesco is just one example of a previously highly successful retail organization plagued by corporate image problems following an accounting scandal, and more recently, i...

Business English Learning Online Cambridge Word List PDF Learn essential Business English words to help you at work or in your studies. Try using this Business English learning online resource to improve your English speaking skills for business. The Cambridge Business Vocabulary wordlist is a guide which can help you ensure your business English vocabulary contains all the words you might come across at work or in a business setting. The wordlist, developed by Cambridge ESOL, is used by the people who write or create Business English exam questions and material. It also contains what has been identified as high-frequency Business English related vocabulary. This essential Business English wordlist also includes: Receptive vocabulary - words you should understand even though a questions is not focused on them Productive vocabulary – words you need to know in order to be able to answer a question The list is updated each year to include the most commonly use...

Do you want to: - learn new words easily? - always know the right word to use? - have a plan to improve your vocabulary? - impress work colleagues and your boss? Express yourself better and experience greater success in your professional career, earn more and have better opportunites. Become an excellent communicator with a powerful vocabulary ! A powerful vocabulary and success go hand in hand It may not seem fair, but many people judge you on your appearance and the words you use when you speak. Many studies have shown that people who use and can understand a wide vocabulary are more successful, enjoy more status, earn higher incomes and generally do better in their professional careers. Imagine for a moment you are in a job interview and the interviewer uses a word such as ‘salient’ or ‘semantic.’ Unless you fully understand the meaning of the word in the context it is used, you won’t be able to respond effectively or impress the interviewer. Do you want to make people li...