Business English: Recruitment, Trade, Innovation & Communication Skills

Posted on Dec 8, 2024 in English

Unit 8: Employment

Recruitment Process Vocabulary

Appearance, hobbies, experience, sex, intelligence, marital status, personality, qualifications, references, age, astrological signs, handwriting, blood group, sickness record, family background, contacts and connections, train, shortlist, advertise, assemble an interview panel, references, make, check, motivated, dedicated, honest, confident, loyal, adaptable, reliable, determined, resourceful, proud, charismatic, meticulous, pep talk, mentor, CV, fast-tracking, headhunting, financial package, action points, chairperson, propose, attend, send your apologies, item, vote, any other business (AOB), participants, second, minutes, agenda.

Indirect Questions and Statements

Consider the following situation: You are talking to a man at a meeting that you have never met. However, you know his name and also that this man knows a colleague named Jack. You turn to him and ask:

Where is Jack?

The man seems a little bothered and says he doesn’t know. He isn’t very friendly. You wonder why he seems bothered…

It’s probably because you didn’t introduce yourself, didn’t say ‘excuse me’ AND (most importantly) asked a direct question. Direct questions are often considered rude when speaking to strangers. To be more polite, we often use indirect question forms. Indirect questions serve the same purpose as direct questions but are considered more formal. When using an indirect question, use an introductory phrase followed by the question itself in positive sentence structure. Connect the two phrases with the question word or ‘if’ in the case the question is a ‘yes’, ‘no’ question.

Here’s how to do it:

Introductory phrase + question word (or if) + positive sentence

Examples:

Where is Jack? > I was wondering if you know where Jack is?
When does Alice usually arrive? > Do you know when Alice usually arrives?

Here are some of the most common phrases used for asking indirect questions. Many of these phrases are questions (i.e., Do you know when the next train leaves?), while others are statements made to indicate a question (i.e., I wonder if he will be on time.).

  • Do you know … ?
  • I wonder / was wondering ….
  • Can you tell me … ?
  • Do you happen to know …?
  • I have no idea …
  • I’m not sure …
  • I’d like to know …
  • Have you any idea …

Sometimes we also use these phrases to indicate that we’d like some more information.

  • I’m not sure…
  • I don’t know…

Examples:

  • Do you know when the concert begins?
  • I wonder when he will arrive.
  • Can you tell me how to check out a book?
  • I’m not sure what he considers appropriate.
  • I don’t know if he is coming to the party this evening.

Direct and Indirect Questions

“Where is the bank?” is a DIRECT QUESTION. “Do you know where the bank is?” is an INDIRECT QUESTION. It is a polite way of getting information.

a. Do not use question formation (Unit 9) after the question word because you have already used it before the word.

  • Could you tell me how much it costs?                              NOT does it cost
  • Do you know        where        the toilets are?                   NOT are the toilets
  • Can you ask him   when         we can leave?                    NOT can we leave
  • Could you tell me what          they are doing?                  NOT are they doing

b. For an indirect question without a question word, use if:

  • Could you tell me if the flight from New York has arrived?                             
  • Do you know        if the flight to New York has left yet?

Exercises:

Managing Meetings

Good Meetings vs. Bad Meetings

Useful Language:

Unit 9: Trade

Trade Vocabulary

Barriers, open borders, free port, developing industries, dumping, tariffs, strategic industries, restrictions, quotas, laissez-faire, liberalize, customs, deregulation, subsidize, regulations, globalization, open markets, protected markets, survival, phase out, promote, producers, niche, booming, poverty, break into, carry out, to place, to meet, quoted, arrange, comply.

Negotiating

Seven Stages of Negotiations

Useful Language:

Conditionals

First Conditional

If + present simple, will + base form of the verb

If we study hard, we will get good grades.

Second Conditional

If + past simple, would + base form of the verb

If I had more money, I would pay for a trip to the mountains for the whole class.

Points to Remember

The position of the IF clause and the main clause can be changed. We cannot use will or would in the IF clause.

Conditional 0

Situations that are always true if something happens.

NOTE: This use is similar to, and can usually be replaced by, a time clause using ‘when’ (example: When I am late, my father takes me to school.)

If I am late, my father takes me to school.
She doesn’t worry if Jack stays out after school.

Conditional 0 is formed by the use of the present simple in the if clause followed by a comma, then the present simple in the result clause. You can also put the result clause first without using a comma between the clauses.

If he comes to town, we have dinner.
OR
We have dinner if he comes to town.

Conditional 1

Often called the “real” conditional because it is used for real – or possible – situations. These situations take place if a certain condition is met.

NOTE: In the conditional 1 we often use unless which means ‘if … not’. In other words, ‘…unless he hurries up.’ could also be written, ‘…if he doesn’t hurry up.’.

If it rains, we will stay at home.
He will arrive late unless he hurries up.
Peter will buy a new car if he gets his raise.

Conditional 1 is formed by the use of the present simple in the if clause followed by a comma, then will + verb (base form) in the result clause. You can also put the result clause first without using a comma between the clauses.

If he finishes on time, we will go to the movies.
OR
We will go to the movies if he finishes on time.

Conditional 2

Often called the “unreal” conditional because it is used for unreal – impossible or improbable – situations. This conditional provides an imaginary result for a given situation.

NOTE: The verb ‘to be’, when used in the 2nd conditional, is always conjugated as ‘were’.

If he studied more, he would pass the exam.
I would lower taxes if I were the President.
They would buy a new house if they had more money.

Conditional 2 is formed by the use of the past simple in the if clause followed by a comma, then would + verb (base form) in the result clause. You can also put the result clause first without using a comma between the clauses.

If they had more money, they would buy a new house.
OR
They would buy a new house if they had more money.

Conditional 3

Often referred to as the “past” conditional because it concerns only past situations with hypothetical results. Used to express a hypothetical result to a past given situation.

If he had known that, he would have decided differently.
Jane would have found a new job if she had stayed in Boston.

Conditional 3 is formed by the use of the past perfect in the if clause followed by a comma, then would have + past participle in the result clause. You can also put the result clause first without using a comma between the clauses.

If Alice had won the competition, life would have changed.
OR
Life would have changed if Alice had won the competition.

Exercises:

Unit 13: Innovation

Innovation Vocabulary

Drawing board, discovery, breakthrough, prototype, brainwave, patent, concept, setback, R&D, pioneers, brilliant, pointless, wasteful, revolutionary, beneficial, ridiculous, life-changing, space-saving, silly, time-saving, practical, ground-breaking, life-saving, annoying, money-saving, important, useful, controversial, unpopular.

Presentations

Presentation Techniques and Stages

Useful Language:

Passives

We choose a passive structure when we focus on the action itself rather than who performs the action.

We can use by to mention who performs the action.

We often use a passive to describe a process, system, or procedure.

We often use passives in impersonal constructions beginning with it.

Positive form: It’s done, it’s being done, it was done, it has been done, it will be done.

Negative form: it’s not done, it’s not being done, it wasn’t done, it hasn’t been done, it won’t be done.

Question form: Is it done? Is it being done, Was it done? Has it been done? Will it be done?

Exercises: