Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Monica Cojocaru
Introducere
1 FACE TO FACE
Allotted time: 2 hours
Objectives:
Content
Asking questions
Grammar
A Sample sentences
A: Who approved this order?
B: I'm afraid I really have no idea.
A: It was Jim, wasn't it?
B: Jim, you approved this order?
C: Yes, I did. Why? Is there a problem?
A: Yes, half of the goods haven't been delivered.
C: Yes, I know. But could you just look at the accompanying note? It explains everything.
Form
1. Direct questions
There are two types of direct questions:
-wh-questions, which start with a wh-question word (including how):
Who approved this order?
2. Indirect questions
Indirect questions comprise:
-a question word (wh-, if or whether)
-a clause with the verb in statement word order:
I don't know which results you are talking about. (not: are you talking about)
But could you tell me where I can find the book? (not: can I find)
3. Statement questions
There are two types of statement questions:
-a statement with rising intonation:
Jim, you approved this order?
-a statement + question tag
Jim, you didn't approve this order, did you?
C Uses
1. Direct questions
Below are the main wh-questions according to question word:
a Asking about people -who, whom:
Who approved this order? (who asks about the subject.)
Who(m) are you going to visit in Japan? (In normal speech we use who to ask about the object as
well; in formal speech and writing we use whom.)
Who(m) did you place the order with? (In normal speech we use who to ask about the
prepositional object; in formal speech and writing we use whom.)
With whom did you go to France? (whom asks about the prepositional object. This structure is
more formal than the previous one.)
b Asking about things -which, what:
Which agency are you going to use? (which + noun asks about the subject.)
What did you decide in the last meeting? (what asks about the object.)
c Asking about the time -when, (at) what time:
When do you plan to be in Paris?
(At) what time/when did you leave the office?
d Asking about the place -where:
Where did you hold the conference last year?
e Asking for the reason -why:
Why are you so concerned about the quality?
f Asking about the length of time -how long:
How long does it take you to get home in the evening? (not: how long time?)
g Asking about the distance -how far:
How far do you have to travel each day?
h Asking about the frequency -how often:
How often do you travel abroad?
i Asking about the manner -how:
How are you going to persuade your staff to accept the new contracts?
j Asking about quantity and amount -how many, how much:
How many subsidiaries do you have in Europe?
How much did you pay for the address list? (not: how much money?)
k Asking about dimensions and specifications -how long/small, etc.
How big/long/wide/deep/high/small will the cabinet be?
2. Indirect questions
We use indirect questions in:
-Reported questions
She asked which order Jim had approved.
-Polite requests
Could you tell me which order you approved?
Exercises
Exercise 1: Read the following list of questions. Classify them according to the question types
(A. Direct yes/no questions; B. Direct wh-questions; C. Indirect questions; D. Statement questions
with rising intonation; E. Statement questions + tag)
Exercise 2: Imagine that you're talking to someone who talks rather unclearly, and that you can't
catch some of the information he gives you. Write down the questions you'd ask this person to find
out the missing (- - -) information. The first has been done for you.
Exercise 3: Complete these sentences, using question tags. The first has been done for you.
Note: A question tag is a short clause added to a statement to turn it into a question, e.g. 'don't you' or
'isn't it?'. The main function of a tag question is to cue a response from the listener or obtain his or her
agreement to the original statement.
Exercise 4: What would you say in these situations? Write down the exact words you'd use. The first
has been done for you as an example.
1. The customer services manager, Mrs Hanson, doesn't know Linda Morris, the new export clerk.
'Mrs Hanson, I'd like you to meet Linda Morris. She's our new export clerk.'
2. Your boss says to you, 'This is Tony Watson. He's visiting us from Canada.'
3. Tony Watson says, 'Hi. I think you know one of my colleagues: Ann Scott.'
4. You've been introduced to someone by name, but later in the conversation you can't remember the
person's name.
5. You enter an office full of strangers one morning. Someone asks if they can help you.
6. A visitor arrives after travelling a long distance to see you.
7. Your visitor looks thirsty.
8. It's time for you to leave. You look at your watch and see that it's later than you thought.
Exercise 5: Complete each sentence with the appropriate nationality word. Remember to use Capital
Letters. The first one has been done for you.
TEST
I. Complete the following statements using the correct question tag. Choose from a, b, c and d.
1. The secretary is talking on the phone, .........?
a. doesn't she
b. isn't she
c. isn't it
d. is she
2. The manager won't forgive him for sending the wrong order, ...........?
a. will he
b. isn't it
c. won't he
d. would he
3. This company develops new products every year, .........?
a. isn't it
b. does she
c. does it
d. doesn't it
4. You got the loan last year,..............?
a. didn't you
b. got you
c. did you
d. do you
5. The staff can attend the meeting, ..........?
a. can't it
b. can it
c. can't they
d. can't it
10
Key
I
1/b
2/a
3/d
4/a
5/c
6/a
2/c
3/d
4/b
5/a
6/d
II
1/b
Summary
This is an introductory or a review lesson on interrogative sentences, the language of meeting and
greeting people, and the names of countries and nationalities.
Bibliography
Brieger, Nick and Simon Sweeney. The Language of Business English. Grammar and
Functions. Prentice Hall, 1994
Jones, Leo and Richard Alexander. International Business English. Cambridge
University Press, 1990
11
2 ON THE PHONE
Allotted time: 3 hours
Objectives:
to introduce or review the form and uses of the present simple and present continuous tenses;
Keywords: present tenses, making a phone call, taking and leaving a message on the phone
Content
Using the phone. Present simple and present continuous. Making different kind of calls; taking and
leaving messages.
Vocabulary
Exercise 1: Decide which of the verbs fit best in the following sentences. What other verbs could
you use instead?
be over
look up
pick up
cut off
put on
give up
put through
hang up
hold on
get through
12
10. You'll never get New York at this time of day. If I were you, I'd
11. If an American telephonist asks "Are you through?", she wants to know if your call ..
Present Tenses
Grammar
Present Simple
A Form
The present simple tense comprises:
one part in the positive, i.e. V1 (s) ( the infinitive without to + s in the third person singular)
two parts in the negative and interrogative, i.e. do/does + V1
1 Positive form
2 Negative form
3 Interrogative form
report.
We/you/they work...
He/she/it works...
B Uses
We use the present simple tense to talk about:
1 general or permanent states or situations:
The company manufactures a wide range of products.
2 regular habits or happenings:
He spends every other week in New York.
3 officially programmed future actions:
The plane takes off at 5 p.m.
4 a truth or current belief:
Company cultures evolve and develop.
13
always
generally
on a regular basis
occasionally
regularly
frequently
twice a year
sometimes
once a week
often
every year
never
rarely
usually normally
every two weeks
hardly ever
seldom
Present Continuous
A Form
The present continuous tense comprises two parts:
the present tense of to be + V1...ing ( the infinitive without to + ing)
1 Positive form
2 Negative form
3 Interrogative form
Am I doing it correctly?
a reply today.
We/you/they are/'re checking...
aren't expecting...
He/she/it is/'s checking......
He/she/it is not/isn't
Is he/she/it doing...?
expecting...
B Uses
We use the present continuous tense to talk about:
1 actions in progress at the moment of speaking:
I'm phoning to my manager now.
2 temporary actions not necessarily in progress at the moment of speaking:
While she's looking for accommodation, she's staying with us.
3 planned future actions:
We're having a meeting tomorrow.
right now
this morning
today
presently (US)
Some verbs (known as "stative verbs") are not normally used with the present continuous.
e.g. I realise that their product costs less than ours, but
14
prefer
fit
remember
consist of
realise possess
depend on
lack
appear
Some "stative" verbs can be used in a "dynamic" way, with a change in meaning.
e.g. I'm seeing my manager today. (I'm meeting him)
The judge is hearing the witness. (He is listening to him)
I'm thinking of my holidays. (compare: I think you're right.)
He's a good boy but today he's being naughty. (temporary state as opposed to the usual
characteristic)
My boss is always complaining about everything. (an action that annoys the speaker)
Exercise 2: Fill the gaps with a suitable verb from the list and (if possible) a suitable adverb too. The
first has been done for you as an example.
analyse block depend look pay prefer require sound speak specialise take try
1. Her secretary generally takes all her calls when she's out.
2. We .. a 10% deposit for orders of this kind.
3. He . to be self-employed, rather than have a permanent job.
4. The switchboard outside calls from this extension.
5. I .. the statistics so I can't give you a decision yet.
6. We . to boost our sales in the Japanese market.
7. He rudely to me whenever I call him on the intercom.
8. He .. strange on the phone, but really he's very nice.
9. We . our agents 12.5% commission.
10. Our firm .. in acquiring real estate in Southern California.
15
11. I know it . like our original model, but we've updated it.
12. I can't give you a definite date: it on our own supplies.
Exercise 3: Fill the gaps in the sentences, using the verbs in this list. Choose between the present
simple and present continuous.
assist
print out
attend
call back
deserve
get through
look up
put through
Useful expressions:
Requesting (when you want somebody to do various things for you):
Sure/Certainly.
Unfortunately,...
Offering help
Would you like/Can I give you... a hand/lift?
Would you like me to...
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make
pick up
Shall I.../
Perhaps I can help? Can I help at all?
If you need any help, just let me/us know.
Yes, go ahead/Sure.
Certainly.
Exercise 4: Imagine you're writing a letter to a client. Write down the words you would write in
place of the words given, which you might use if you were on the phone.
1. "Oh, do you think you could call me about this next week?"
Could .
2. "Do you think you could confirm this by telex?"
Would.
3. "Sorry, but we can't give you a special discount."
I regret to say that .
4. "If you like, we can send you a sample of this product."
Please let us know if
5. "Will it be OK to ship the order in two separate consignments?"
With your permission, we propose.
6. "Thanks a lot for all your help. It was very kind of you."
Thank you ..
7. "Terribly sorry, but we can't amend an order over the phone."
17
Unfortunately, we ..
A
Answer the phone.
B
Ask to speak to X.
C
Answer the phone.
Ask to speak to X.
18
Useful expressions:
Hello, is that.......?
Is ........ available, please? My name's.......... I'm sorry, I've got the wrong number.
Speaking.
Oh hello,.........., this is ........ speaking. What is your extension number? I'll put you
through to..........
Exercise 6: Read the following recorded message and then leave your message on the answering
machine.
RECORDED MESSAGE
"This is ABC International, we are sorry that there is no one available to answer your call at the
moment; if you would like to leave a message please speak after the tone and we will contact you as
soon as possible."
TEST
I. Find the correct form of the verb in brackets. Choose from a, b, c and d.
1. The manager (talk) on the phone right now.
a. talk
b. talks
c. is talking
d. will talk
2. They usually (offer) 10 % discount for large orders.
a. are offering
b. offer
c. will offer
d. have offered
3. She (see) the Sales Manager today.
a. is seeing
b. sees
c. had seen
d. see
19
20
5. A "switchboard" is
a. a button
b. a keypad
c. a device for connecting telephone lines
d. a device for putting the lights on and off.
6. We use an "answering machine" to:
a. a device used to route transmissions within telephone exchanges
b. a calculating machine
c. a cell phone
d. a recording device connected to a telephone
III. What expressions would you use in each of the following circumstances? Choose from a, b, c, and
d.
1. When you want someone to do something for you:
a. May I...?
b. Certainly.
c. Do you think you could...?
d. Perhaps I can help?
2. When you ask for permission:
a. Do you mind if I...?
b. Never mind.
c. Would you mind doing...?
d. Can I help at all?
3. When you offer help:
a. Would you mind if I...?
b. Would you like me to...?
c. I'm afraid I can't.
d. You're welcome.
4. When you thank someone:
a. I see.
b. I'm sorry, but...
c. Yes, that's correct.
d. Well, thank you very much for your help.
5. When you end a phone call:
a. Can I help you?
b. I'll call back later.
c. I look forward to hearing from you.
d. Good morning.
6. When you ask to speak to someone on the phone:
a. Could I speak to....?
b. Who's speaking, please?
21
Key
I
1/c
2/b
3/a
4/d
5/c
2/a
3/b
4/d
5/c
6/d
2/a
3/b
4/d
5/c
6/a
II
1/b
III
1/c
Summary
This is an introductory or a review lesson on the present simple and present continuous tenses, the
language of making phone calls, and the various phrases used when taking and leaving messages on
the phone.
Bibliography
Brieger, Nick and Simon Sweeney. The Language of Business English. Grammar and
Functions. Prentice Hall, 1994.
Ciuciuc, Olea and Eugenia Tnsescu. English for Business Purposes. Teora, 1998.
Jones, Leo and Richard Alexander. International Business English. Cambridge
University Press, 1990.
22
Content
Letters
In a letter, the emphasis is on a high quality appearance. Letters have to be typed accurately with a
smart, clear layout. A typical 'standard' business letter in English consists of 8 parts, though many
firms use a different 'house style' that their staff are expected to follow.
1. Sender's address
2. Date
23
Dear Madam,
__________, we enclose for your attention our 2009 _______ . I would like ________ to the fact that
all our products are made from completely natural ingredients and that we do not use any artificial
additives.
There are 213 different items in the catalogue and our prices are reasonable and our quality is good.
This is ______ that we have included Scratch 'n' Sniff samples of our ten most popular aromas.
Should you require ________ , please do not hesitate ________ . If the undersigned is unavailable,
the Sales Manager's ___________ will be delighted _________ you.
We ________ your esteemed order _________ .
_____________ ,
J.G. O'Reilly
Sales Manager
Exercise 2: The previous letter is the answer to a letter of request. Try to draw up this letter! You
may find the following phrases useful:
Your firm has been recommended to us by
24
Grammar
e.g. I called her back so that I could confirm one or two details.
The consignment was delivered while we were very busy.
The goods were repacked so quickly that we had no time to inspect them.
By using a linking adverbial phrase (often starting a new sentence):
TIME: Before that, After that, And then, During this time
REASON, CAUSE OR CONSEQUENCE: Because of this, This is why, As a result, Consequently
CONTRAST: Nevertheless, However
e.g. I wanted to confirm one or two details. That is why I called her back.
The consignment was delivered. During this time we were very busy.
The goods were repacked at once. Consequently, there was no time to inspect them.
By using a preposition:
TIME: before, after, during
REASON, CAUSE OR CONSEQUENCE: because of, due to
CONTRAST: in spite of
e.g. I called her back because of the need to confirm one or two details.
The consignment was delivered during a very busy time.
Due to our prompt repacking procedure, the goods were not inspected.
25
Exercise 3: Join the two halves of these sentences so that they make sense:
1. I never sign a letter
3. I usually telephone
Exercise 4: Use a prepositional phrase instead of the conjunctions in these sentences. Rewrite each
sentence using the phrase on the right. The first has been done for you as an example.
1. Who is dealing with your correspondence while you are away?
during
after
3. I'll have to see the shipping manager before I confirm the order.
before
because of
in spite of
6. The visitors arrived while you were having your lunch break.
during
due to
after
Exercise 5: In the following sentences "and" is used with different meanings. Rewrite each sentence,
beginning with the words below.
1. First we will check our inventory and then let you know our delivery date.
After..
2. Please send us another copy of your invoice and we will pay it at once.
If .
26
3. The consignment was packed for export and loaded on the truck.
Before .
4. Each order is manufactured and the packaging is printed at the same time.
While ..
5. Please inform us of your telex number and we will be able to reply to your query at once.
So that ..
Abbreviations
Exercise 7: Complete these sentences by explaining what the abbreviations printed in bold type
mean:
1. Rd., St. and Sq. are short for .
2. #24 in the USA and No. 24 in Britain both mean .
3. On an envelope the abbreviations c/o, Attn. and P.O.B. mean.
4. You may see these on a report or textbook: e.g. or eg, i.e. or ie, etc. or etc and P.T.O. They stand
for ..
5. An American firm's name may be followed by Corp. or Inc., meaning.
6. A British firm's name may be followed by plc or PLC, Ltd, Bros or &Co. These are short
for.
27
7. In a printed text you may see this abbreviation: Macintosh TM. It means .
8. At the end of an informal letter, you might add a P.S., in other words a
9. At the end of a formal business letter it is common to use the abbreviations c.c. and enc. or encl.,
which stand for.
Exercise 8: Fill the gaps in these sentences with words from the list:
carbon copy
photocopy
courier
duplicate
RSVP
separate cover
registered
stationery
1. A package can be delivered by the mailman (US) or the postman (GB) or by a private
..service.
2. Purchases usually carry an extra charge for .. if they're sent by ..
3. An important or valuable document is best sent by mail.
4. It shows that you are efficient if you reply to a letter by ..
5. If you want people to reply to an invitation, put . at the bottom.
6. If you send some documents in a separate envelope from your letter, these documents are sent
under .........
7. If you're sending someone a letter, you should keep a or a ., so that you can
keep a . for your files.
8. Envelopes, ball-points, felt tips and paper clips are all items of
9. A letter can be collected from a post office if it is addressed to
Look at the following memo:
FROM : A. Peters
DATE 24-10
SUBJECT Sun Ltd.
Would you let us know whether the import documents should be released against payment of 20 or 22m.
francs? Then let Sun Ltd. know.
Thanks.
COPIES TO: -
INITIALS: AP
28
TEST
I. Find the correct spelling for each of the following words. In some cases both versions are corect:
1. personnel
or
2. address
or
3. negociation
6. stationary
adress
or
4. principle
5. organise
personell
negotiation
or
principal
or
or
organize
stationery
II. Find the odd one out in each of these groups of business words and phrases:
1. a. sack
b. dismiss
c. demote
2. a. predict
b. forecast
3. a. lay off
b. employ
4. a. banned
b. prohibited
5. a. You're welcome
6. a. rewrite
c. anticipate
c. take on
d. analyse
d. recruit
c. postponed
b. Dont mention it
b. redraft
d. fire
c. reword
d. forbidden
c. It was a pleasure
d. Excuse me
d. restore
Key
I
1. personnel
2. address
3. negotiation
4/c
6/d
II
1/c
2/d
3/a
5/d
29
4. both
5. both
6. both
Summary
International business correspondence can take various forms: not only letters, but also fax and
electronic mail ('email') are being used more and more. Within a company, memos are commonly sent
to convey information in writing.
Bibliography
Brieger, Nick and Simon Sweeney. The Language of Business English. Grammar and
Functions. Prentice Hall, 1994.
Brooks, Michael and David Horner. Business English. Teora, 1998
Ciuciuc, Olea and Eugenia Tnsescu. English for Business Purposes. Teora, 1998.
Jones, Leo and Richard Alexander. International Business English. Cambridge
University Press, 1990.
30
Content
Any report has 3 main parts:
Introduction
Facts
Conclusions
It is important in any writing -and especially in business- to be clear about the aims and purposes of
your writing. In order that your reader can make sense of what you have written, follow these 'Golden
Rules':
be accurate
be brief
be clear
Exercise 1: Read the following memo and imagine you are one of the divisional personnel managers
to whom the memo is addressed:
31
MEMORANDUM
Date: 27/4/-
1. What do you think the managing director's aims were in writing the memo?
2. What, if anything, are you expected to do as a result of reading the memo?
Exercise 2: Look at the following report which was written after receiving the above memo from the
MD. Do you think the report is what the MD asked for? How effective do you think the report is?
Describe what you find good and what you find bad about it.
32
Exercise 3: You probably agree that the MD's intentions were unclear. What kind of report you
write depends on how you interpret the memo.
1. Look at the following memo for a clearer specification of what the MD really wanted:
MEMORANDUM
for
please
ACTION
DISPLAY
COMMENT
FILE
INFORMATION
RETURN
DISCUSSION
PASS
Division A
Date: 27 April 19-
TO:..
33
Now look at the 'model' report below. Consider some of the things you find good about it.
34
Grammar
A Sample sentences
Finished products are stored in the warehouse.
The new plant will be opened by the Corporation President.
Staff has been recruited by the Human Resources Department.
35
B Form
ACTIVE VOICE
TENSE
Present Simple
loans.
PASSIVE VOICE
am/is/are + V3 (Past Participle)
Such loans are usually granted
by this bank.
Present Continuous
such loans.
Past Simple
last year.
Past Continuous
such loans.
such loans.
Future Simple
such loans.
would + be + V3 (Past
Participle)
They said such loans would be
granted by that bank.
36
Modals
modal + be + V3 (Past
Participle)
Such loans can be granted by
this bank.
C Uses
We use the passive:
-to avoid mentioning the person who performs the action
-to emphasise the person who performs the action with a 'by' phrase
-in process description
-in impersonal language
Exercise 4: Consider what the difference in emphasis between each of these pairs of sentences is:
A room has been reserved for you at the Grand Hotel.
We have booked a room for you at the Grand Hotel.
The consignment was sent last week, so you should receive it soon.
We sent the consignment last week, so you should get it soon.
37
Exercise 5: Rewrite each sentence, starting with the words given, so that it has the same meaning:
1. Six out of seven of the world's largest corporations use IBM computers.
IBM computers..
2. We enclose payment together with our order.
Payment..
3. We will send the report as soon as it has been completed.
The report
4. The customer should receive the delivery by Friday.
The delivery
5. They may have notified him before the invoice arrived.
He.
6. The partners paid the staff every Friday evening.
The staff
7. When he came back from lunch, the secretary had corrected and retyped the report.
The report.
8. They have enlarged the premises since my last visit.
The premises..
9. According to a recent report the group is making similar investments in other parts of the world.
Similar investments.
Exercise 7: Rewrite these passive sentences in the active form. Begin with the words given.
1. The first automatic coffee machine was installed in 1982.
The firm
2. Further modifications will be made to this service for other customers.
The suppliers..
3. The machines can be easily operated by ordinary office staff.
Ordinary office staff
4. The new generation of PCs can be placed comfortably on your desk.
38
You..
5. Better results can be achieved only if you work harder.
You..
6. All relevant information about the meeting will be supplied in advance.
The organisers..
Why do you think the passive forms are used in these sentences? Would you like to receive letters or
to read reports written like this? Who do you think is making the suggesting, regretting and feeling in
each case? How would you rewrite the sentences?
Note: The style of writing has undergone some changes in recent years. Traditionally, there has been a
tendency to over-use the passive voice in business writing, particularly in reports. The habit was
probably connected with the mistaken idea that reports need to be "objective". This led to a style of
writing which was cold, lifeless. If the impersonal passive is used a lot, it makes it difficult to read
letters or reports. There is a trend now towards using the active form.
Punctuation
Exercise 9: What are the names of these punctuation marks in English?
1. comma
" "
()
''
39
'
9. colon
Exercise 10: Look at the following text. Decide where to add punctuation. You'll also need to add
some Capital Letters.
memo from the md to all staff date 25th november 19- as a result of the productivity survey carried
out in the factory more rapid and efficient ways of operating are now being applied in the factory
productivity has been increased by over 50 per cent the management intends to apply these same
methods to office staff in order to reduce costs our company must adapt in a competitive world we
aim to find ways of avoiding unnecessary actions by all staff we therefore propose to pay a months
extra salary to any person who in the managements opinion has put forward the most practical
suggestions to improve a particular office routine all suggestions should be sent to the mds office
before the end of next month
Vocabulary
Exercise 11: Fill the gaps with words from the list:
circular
classify
observe
recipient
submit
topic transmit
1. The purpose of writing letters, memos and reports is usually to information from one
person to another.
2. But before you begin writing a report about anything at all, you need to.the purpose for
which you are writing it.
3. Before writing a report about a complicated process, you will find it helpful to. it first
for a period of time.
4. You will also need to.. all the data you have collected.
5. At the top of the memo or report don't forget to name the .
6. You should start a new paragraph for each new. .
7. When you finally do write a report, the pieces of information you should never forget are
the .
8. The deadline is the latest time you can.a report.
40
9. When you are writing a summary of what has happened, you should always try to the
main points.
10. A letter that is sent to any different people in a company is called a .. (letter).
TEST
Key
1/b
2/a
3/b
4/b
5/a
6/b
7/b
8/b
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9/a
Summary
It is important to remember that there are several types of report. Reports can be transmitted in the
form of conversations, letters, memos, special forms, separate documents of several pages. Reports
can serve various purposes. There are reports which inform, reports which provide background
information to help someone make up their mind about something and there are reports which in
themselves make recommendations or indicate the course of action.
Bibliography
Brieger, Nick and Simon Sweeney. The Language of Business English. Grammar and
Functions. Prentice Hall, 1994.
Brooks, Michael and David Horner. Business English. Teora, 1998
Ciuciuc, Olea and Eugenia Tnsescu. English for Business Purposes. Teora, 1998.
Jones, Leo and Richard Alexander. International Business English. Cambridge
University Press, 1990.
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Anexa 1
1. Think of a situation where you might telephone an organisation and request information. Write 10
examples of questions you might ask, using as many types of questions as possible.
2. Imagine you are on the telephone, discussing computing and word processing problems with your
Creatif software User Service Centre. You have heard that there is something called fragmentation.
Use the prompts below to request either information or action
1) Ask what it is.
Q:....................................
A: It happens when the files are broken into fragments -small parts- for storage on your hard disk.
2) Ask if it affects the files you write.
Q:................................
A: No, but it makes some actions slower -such as retrieving or saving files.
3) Ask what the solution is.
Q:............................
A: You can compact the hard disk. To do this you need a special program , called Compact.
4) Ask if Compact is already supplied with your Creatif software.
Q: ..........................
A: No, you have to buy it separately.
5) Ask him to send you this Compact program.
Q:.......................
A: I suggest you contact your computer store.
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5. Fill in the blanks in the following phone conversation, using only one word for each blank:
'' Finance, can I ________ you?''
''Department of Finance? I'm __________ to contact Patricia Heller.''
''Patricia? Let me _______ , I don't think she's in her ______ at the moment.''
''No, she isn't. I asked to be put ________ to her extension but there was no ________.''
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''Oh, I don't think she's going to be in at all today. ________ I take a _________ for you?''
''Yes, please, this is Andrei Dumitru. I'm _________ from Consultana Expert. I have some ________
which Mrs Heller ________ urgently.''
''Perhaps I could take them ________ for her...''
''Oh no, I really need to explain ______ to her... Could you _______ that I rang and ask her to
________ me back when she ________ back?''
''Of ________. I'll see that she gets our message as soon ____ she gets back.''
''Thank you, I look forward to _________ from her soon.''
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(adapted from Ciuciuc, Olea and Eugenia Tnsescu. English for Business Purposes. Teora, 1998, pp.
16-17)
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Anexa 2
1. Draw up a letter of request to a supplier, requiring information regarding a product you would like
to order. The letter should include the main parts of a standard business letter.
Note: Pay attention to the layout of the letter (i.e. the way the main parts are arranged on the page).
2. Imagine that you work for a small transport company. Write a memo (short note) to one of your
colleagues complaining about a problem you have encountered and asking him to solve it.
"Since economics deal with human behaviour, economists cannot test their theories in laboratory
experiments; these can only be tested against events as they unfold. The fact that the behaviour of any
individual is highly unpredictable does not invalidate the formulation of economic theories because
the subject is concerned with the behaviour of large groups (workers in an industry, the consumers of
a particular product, or the members of a trade union). It is possible to make successful predictions
about behaviour of large groups."
(adapted from Ciuciuc, Olea and Eugenia Tnsescu. English for Business Purposes. Teora, 1998, p.
62)
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5. Turn the following sentences from the active voice to the passive voice:
The Sales Manager increased the commission paid to agents.
At the final stage, we pack the finished products into boxes.
The warehouse will store new products.
Our new accountants have prepared the figures.
The company is expanding its range of products.
We will send the report as soon as it has been completed.
The Human Resources Department recruits staff.
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Bibliography:
Alexander, L.G. Longman English Grammar. Longman, 1996
Brieger, Nick and Simon Sweeney. The Language of Business English. Grammar and
Functions. Prentice Hall, 1994
Brooks, Michael and David Horner. Business English. Teora, 1998
Ciuciuc, Olea and Eugenia Tnsescu. English for Business Purposes. Teora, 1998
Engleza pentru marketing i publicitate. Metod Larousse. Teora, 2000
Jones, Leo and Richard Alexander. International Business English. Cambridge
University Press, 1990
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