UNIVERSITATEA „LUCIAN BLAGA” SIBIU

FACULTATEA DE STIINTE ECONOMICE

Suport de curs Limba engleza

Anul I

Titular curs: lect. univ. Greavu Arina

CONTENTS

Chapter 1: Socializing ................................................................3

Chapter 2: Telephoning ............................................................27
Chapter 3: Meetings .................................................................37
Chapter 4: Presentations – general considerations ...................51
Chapter 5: Company presentation ............................................56
Chapter 6: Presentations – describing trends............................66
Chapter 7: Presentations – product description ........................76
Selected bibliography: ..............................................................80

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Chapter 1: Socializing

Social language skills are the skills which enable people to be

comfortable with each other without a formal agenda- when
meeting, when making small talk, when discussing matters of
mutual interest and when partying. An effective socializer must
be characterized by:

1. the ability to behave appropriately in different cross-

cultural situations
2. the ability to start conversations
3. the ability to reply appropriately
4. the ability to select safe topics for conversation
5. the ability to develop conversations around different
topics

Socializing covers a large range of situations requiring specific

communication skills and language knowledge, such as:
1. first contact (introductions, opening small talk)
2. getting to know each other
3. more contacts (every day meetings, inclusive behaviour)
4. arrangements (understanding and responding to
invitations)
5. dinner (hosting, complimenting, inclusive behaviour)
6. after work (choosing and developing topics for
conversation)
7. farewells

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I. First contact

1. Greetings and introductions

Welcoming

Welcome to…
It’s a (great) pleasure to welcome you to …(F)
On behalf of … I’d like to welcome you to … (F)

Greeting and introducing oneself at the first meeting

Often the greetings and the introductions follow this sequence:

• greeting
• introducing oneself or someone else
• reply to introduction

Greeting Introducing yourself Reply

How do you do I’m …/ My name’s …. (F) How do you do?

I’m…./ my name’s …
(F)

Hello, you must be Let me introduce myself.

…. I’m ….

My name’s … I’m … (job Nice to meet you.

position) Mine’s …/ Pleased to
meet you. Mine’s …..

How do you do? My

name’s …

We haven’t met. I’m…

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! How do you do? is not a real question: it is not a request for
information. It is a formal greeting used only when meeting
someone for the first time. The standard reply is How do you
do? not Fine, thanks
How are you? is a real question and request for information.
Fine, thanks and Very well, thanks are correct replies.
There is usually a difference between ‘meet’ for a first meeting
and ‘see’ for a second and subsequent meeting, e.g. ‘Pleased to
meet you’ (first time), ‘Nice to see you’ (subsequent time).

Introducing someone else

May I introduce …?
I’d like to introduce you to… (F)
Have you met…?
…, this is, …

2. Opening small talk: topics

Travel

How was your trip?

Did you have any trouble finding us?

It was fine/ very smooth/ easy

It was a bit delayed/ the traffic was terrible/ it was a bit
rough.
I missed my connection/ the plane was late
There were no problems.

Weather

How do you find the weather here?

5
 What was it like when you left?
So, how was the weather in …?
What was the weather like in…
Isn’t this weather terrible/ wonderful?

It’s lovely/ sunny/ warm.

It was dismal/ cloudy/ cold/ damp/ wet/ stormy/ windy/
Oh, much the same as here.
Much warmer than here.
Absolutely awful/ fabulous.

Accommodation

How’s your hotel?

Is everything all right?

It’s very comfortable/ convenient/ luxurious.

The service is excellent.
It’s rather noisy/ dirty.
The service is rather slow.
The rooms are a bit cramped.

! We often modify our negative remarks by using words like a

little, a bit, or rather. When we insert these words, our remarks
are softened. They become less direct and sound more natural !

1. The following dialogues contain examples of first contact

exchanges. Underline all instances of welcoming, introducing
ourselves or other people to each other.

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1.
A: I’d like to welcome you to our Institute. I am Professor
Stansilav
B: It’s an honour to meet you professor.
A: Did you have a good trip?
B: Yes, thank you.
A: Good, so shall we start the tour?
B: Certainly. I’m looking forward to it.

2.
A: Hello, I’m Pete Stanford.
B: Hi. Nice to meet you. I’m Sheena, a friend of Paul’s.
A: So, do you know many people here?
B: Most of them. I’ll introduce you to a few if you like.
A: Thanks. So where are you from?

3.
A: Good morning, welcome to Bond Associates.
B: Hello.
A: My name’s Deborah Polovsky, but just call me Debbie-
everybody does.
B: It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name’s Susan Denison.
A: So, have you checked in to your hotel?
B: Yes, I have. I’ve got a great room overlooking the bay.
A: Wonderful. We’re having some lovely weather at the
moment. Let’s hope it continues. How was the weather back
home?
B: Pretty dismal actually. Cold and wet. It was great to step off
the plane into all this sunshine.

4.
A: Have you met Jonathan?
B: No, I haven’t. Please introduce me.

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A: Jonathan, this is Maggie. She works in the research
department
C: Nice to meet you Maggie. How long have you been here?
B: with the company? Oh… too long… nearly fifteen years.
What about you?
C: I don’t work here. I’m just on a visit for a couple of days.
B: Oh? Where are you staying?
C: Greg is putting me up.
B: And have you seen much of the city?
C: well, not so much as I’d like to…

2. Here are some answers, but what are the questions?

a. ……………………………………………………………
Nice to meet you. I’m Sarah Sarandon, Vice-President,
Marketing.

b. ….………………………………………………………..
Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here.

c. …………………………………………………………..
Not really. I guess we’ve never met. My name’s John Dunn.

d. ………………………………………………………….
How do you do. I’m Tania Philips.

e. ………………………………………………………….
No, I haven’t. Why don’t you introduce me?

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II. Getting to know each other.

1. Language focus: Present Tense Simple

Formation

A.Sample sentences
• The marketing director reports to the MD.
• We usually hold our European meeting in Madrid.
• I don't understand these statistics.
• My plane leaves at 10.30 on Tuesday.

B. Form
The present simple comprises:
• one part in the positive, i.e. VI(s)
• two parts in the negative and interrogative, i.e. do/does + VI
1. Positive form
I/you/we/they work in different departments.
He/she/it works in different departments.
2. Negative form
I/you/we/they do not/don't produce a monthly
report. He/she/it does not/doesn't produce a
monthly report.
3. Interrogative form
Do I/you/we/they need more information?
Does he/she/it need more information?

C. Uses
We use the present simple to talk about:
- general or permanent activities or situations
- the frequency of activities
- truths or current beliefs

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 - fixed schedules in the future
1. To indicate a general or permanent activity:
The company produces a wide range of pharmaceuticals.
I live in Frankfurt.
2. To describe how often an activity is done:
We appraise our employees once a year.
3. To describe a truth or current belief:
Managers plan, organise, lead and control.

4. To indicate a fixed schedule in the future:

The new training programme starts on 1 January.
5. With non-continuous verbs:
At present our company belongs to the ABC Group, (nor: 'is
belonging')
At the moment the board consists of six people.

The following verbs are usually used only in the simple form:
hope know understand like love mean
forget imagine remember prefer suppose want
belong concern consist of contain cost equal
have involve depend on owe possess own
remain require

2. Small talk topics

The range of acceptable topics for conversation will depend on:

• Where you are

• Who you are with
• Your relationship with the people

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Some topics may be considered to be taboo in some cultures.
Here is a list of safe topics:

• House and home

• Life at home
• Education and career
• Work
• Free time and entertainment
• Travel
• Health and welfare
• Shopping
• Weather
• The economy
• Politics (can be a delicate subject in some parts of the
world)

Topics which may be dangerous:

• Religion
• Death
• Family relationships

Jobs

Quite a lot of opening small talk centres around people’s jobs.

Most of us classify people initially in terms of their work.

What do you do? I’m a teacher/ engineer/ lawyer/

factory manager (profession/ job
title)
I work for an electronics
company (employer/ company
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 sector)
I work for myself at the moment.
(self-employed)
I’m retired/ I look after the
children/ I’m a housewife.
What line are you in? I’m in computing./ I’m in
marketing.
Who do you work for? I work for the ABC Corporation.
What do they do? We/ They make electronic
components (activity)
Where are they based? We are based in York. (location)
And what exactly do you I’m responsible for the quality
do? control of silicon chips.
How long have you been Five years now.
with them/ there?
Do you like it?/ Are they Yes, I like it a lot.
a good employer?/ Is
your job interesting?/
How is business?

Family and home

So, where do you live? Just outside York

Do you live in a house In a house.
or a flat?
Are you married? Yes/ No/ Not at the moment.
Do you have any Yes, a girl and a boy./ No I don’t.
children? what about you.

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How old are they? The boy’s seven and the girl’s four.
And does your wife Not at the moment. She’s at home
work? with out daughter.

Spare time

What do you do in the evenings?/ at weekends?

Where do you spend your holidays?
What do you do in your spare time?
Do you like films/ gardening/ walking/ sports?
What are your hobbies?

Origins

Where do you come from?

Where were you brought up?
Which part of … were you born in?
Where were you born?

3. Question types

For a conversation to develop positively, the responder in any

small talk exchange needs to give full answers. If possible these
should include a comment.

Closed questions elicit yes/no answers, and may be not very

effective:

Did you see that film on television?

Do you live near here?

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 Have you been here long?

Open questions should elicit a fuller answer:

Where do you spend your holidays?

What about the country?

Acknowledging information
When we exchange information in a conversation, we have
three strategies that we can use to indicate that we understand
and to encourage the speaker to continue:

Noises Words/phrases Echo

Uh-huh Okay Sixty thousand?
Mm Right Six hundred years?
Ah Fine The biggest in Europe?
Oh Really?
Amazing!
I see
I know
Yes
No
I didn’t know that
I can’t believe that
Quite (so)
Indeed
Of course

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Answer the following questions:

1. What do you do?

………………………………………..
1. How long have you been doing this job?
…………………………………………..
2. Do you like your work?
……………………………………………..
3. How’s business at the moment?
………………………………………………
4. What do you do at weekends?
………………………………………………
5. Do you like sport?
……………………………………………….
6. Are you married?
……………………………………………….
7. Do you have any children?
………………………………………………
8. Where were you born?
……………………………………………….
9. Were you brought up there?
……………………………………………….

Read the following dialogues and then decide whether they are
instances of good or bad conversations.

1.
A: What do you do for a living?
B: I’m in banking.
A: Oh, what sort of banking?
B: Foreign exchange transactions.
A: I see. And have you always been in that line of work?
B: Yes, I have.

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A: Personally, I’ve changed my career twice already. I started
out as a dentist, but I decided that people’s teeth didn’t really
interest me, so I moved on to become a salesman for one of the
big pharmaceutical companies. After a while I couldn’t stand it,
and now I’ve set up a garden centre just near here.
B: I see.
A: Right, well, I suppose I should think about going soon.

2.
A: Where do you come from?
B: India.
A: Oh, whereabouts?
B: The south.
A: Interesting. Which city?
B: Madras.
A: Oh, I see … and is your family here with you?
B: No.
A: So you left them at home.
B: That’s right.
A: I suppose that must be very hard for them.

3.
A: Where were you brought up?
B: In Greece, actually. But my parents are Danish.
A: That sounds complicated.
B: Not really. My father had a job as an adviser to the
government.
A: So, did you go to school there?
B: Yes, I did. It was an international school and we had to speak
English.
A: Your English is very good.
B: Thanks. In fact, I use it all the time in my current job.
A: What do you do?
B: I’m a pilot… you know, on a commercial airline.

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A: Really? My brother is training to become pilot.
B: Oh? Where’s he training?

III. More contacts

1. Language focus

Greetings

Hello./ Hi. Good morning. / Good afternoon.

How are you?
How are things?
Nice to see you again. (after a long gap)

Very well, thanks. And you?

Fine, and you?
Not so bad. How are you?/ So and so./ Could be worse.
Not too good, I’m afraid.
Absolutely awful/ terrible/ dreadful.

!The greeting ‘How are you?’ is normally part of a ritual. We

don’t expect people to reply honestly or in detail. Therefore in
most situations, we don’t respond by saying ‘Not so well’ or
‘Awful’. Clearly these responses would invite further enquiries.

Requests (favours)

The language we use for making a request will depend on the

nature of the request, and who we are asking. Normally we
would use more formal or polite language for difficult or more
personal requests, especially with someone we don’t know well.

17
For smaller requests, or with people we know well, we are
usually less formal.

We can make a request with either a direct question, an order or

a request:

Does your company organize training programmes? (direct

question)
Please finish the budget before you go home. (order)
Would you mind repeating that, please? (request)

The following phrases can be used as introductions:

I’m glad I bumped into you

I wanted to ask you something.
Have you got a moment? I wanted to ask you something.
I’m glad I saw you/ I caught you. I’ve got a favour to ask.

Please ……
Can you ….?
Will you …?
Could you …?
I’d like you to …
Perhaps you could …
Could you possibly ….?
Do you think you could …?
Do you think I could ask you …
I’ve got a favour to ask you. Could you …?
Would you mind … -ing …?
I wonder/ wondered/ was wondering/ if you could/ if you’d
mind …

Sure./ Certainly./ Of course./ Go ahead

Not at all. / It’s a pleasure.

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I suppose so./ Should be no problem
Well … that’s not so easy / a bit of a problem.

1. When we respond positively to a request we say ‘No’

Would you mind postponing the meeting?

No, not at all. / No, that’s all right.

When we respond positively we tend not to say ‘Yes (I do

mind)’

Would you mind cancelling the meeting?

Well, I’m not sure …

2. We often ask people to lend us something. Be careful how to

use lend and borrow:

Could you lend me 10p for the phone?

I wonder if I could borrow your copy of the agenda?

Complete the empty lines in the following dialogues with the

missing words and expressions:

A: Hi, Marion. How are things?

B: …………………………..?
A: Fine, thanks. …………………… ask you a favour?
B: ……………………………..
A: Could I borrow your laptop for the weekend?
B: …………………….. I’ll bring it in tomorrow.
A: Thanks, Marion. That’s really good of you.

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A: Morning, Tom. How are you?
B: ………………….?
A: Actually, I’m feeling a bit rough.
B: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.
A: …………………… a couple of aspirin?
B: Umm ………………….. . Why don’t you try Jonathan?
He’s a walking medical chest.
A: Good idea. See you later.
B: Bye. Hope you feel better soon.

A: Hello. How are you doing?

B: Hello. ……………………….
A: Fine thanks. Actually, I’m glad I bumped into you.
B: Why’s that?
A: Well, ……………………… I missed the meeting this
afternoon?
B: …………………………..
A: You see, I’ve got to pick up my son from the doctor’s.
B: If you have to, …………………
A: Thanks very much.

Invitations

Inviting
We’d like to invite you to …
Would you like to come to … ?
We wondered whether you could come to …?
What about …?

Responding
Accepting
Thank you …

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I’d love to.
That would be nice.
I’d be delighted.
That’s a good idea./ Lovely./ I’d like to very much

Declining
I’d love to, but …
I’m sorry but I’ve got another engagement.
I’m afraid I can’t come/ can’t make it tonight. I’m going to …

!When declining an invitation, an explanation or excuse should

normally be given.

Decline or accept each invitation as indicated below.

a. Could you come to dinner on Friday? Accept

b. What about joining us at the opera on Friday? Decline
(your mother’s birthday)
c. We’d like to invite you to our house on Sunday for
lunch. Decline (away from the weekend)
d. What do you think about eating out on Sunday? Accept
e. Come on. Let’s go for a drink. Accept
f. We wondered whether you’d like to come round for
dinner one evening? Accept
g. We’re going out for a bite to eat. Why don’t you join
us? Decline (another dinner engagement)
h. How about a drink after work? Accept
i. Would you like to come home one evening? Accept
j. Do you fancy a meal? Decline (work to do)

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Polite responses
Knowing the right polite response can make everyone feel more
comfortable. Here is a list of things to say and to reply in a
variety of situations.

1. When someone thanks you You respond . . .

Thanks for the present Not at all
Thanks for a lovely evening Don't mention it
My pleasure
Glad you enjoyed it
2. When someone apologises
Oh, I'm so sorry. I seem to have Never mind
lost his address It doesn't matter
Don't worry
Not to worry
3. When someone asks your permission
May I come in? Yes, of course
Can I ask you a question? Please do
Do you mind if I smoke? Certainly
Go ahead
(Refusing permission)
Well, actually I'd rather you
didn't (polite)
Yes, I do actually (direct)
(Giving permission)
No, not at all
Of course not

4. When you give something to someone

Could you pass me the . . ., Of course. Here you are
please? Yes, here they are

22
Have you got the tickets? Here are your tickets
5. When you haven't heard properly
Sorry?
(I beg your) pardon?
I didn't quite catch
that/what you said
Could you repeat that,
please?
6. To express comfort
I didn't get that job. Well, never mind.
Well, better luck next
time.
7. To express sympathy
We missed the plane. Oh, hard/bad luck!
My aunt died last night. Oh, I am sorry (to hear
that).

Vocabulary

Types of business organisation in the United Kingdom

We should ask ourselves the following questions when

considering how types of companies differ.
Where did the money to start or expand the business come
from?
Who owns or controls the company?
What happens to the profit?
What legal requirements must the company satisfy?
Does the company have limited or unlimited liability*?

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* Unlimited liability means that if a business gets into debt and eventually
fails then all the private wealth of the owner(s) can be used to pay the
creditors - the people the business owes money to. If a business has limited
liability and it fails, the owners lose only the money that they have invested in
the company and no more.

The simplest form of business organisation is the sole trader or

SOLE PROPRIETOR - one person who provides the capital
(the money needed to start), has complete control of the
business, keeps all the profit (or bears the loss), and has
unlimited liability. It is not necessary to publish the accounts
and there are no special legal requirements except that the name
of the business must be registered if it is different from the
owner's name. It is easy to start this type of business, but it can
be difficult to compete with large firms, and difficult to raise
money for expansion. When people open small shops, or work
for themselves as plumbers, decorators and so on, they are
usually sole proprietors. These are 'one-man businesses' but
they can, of course, employ others.
The amount of money available for investing in a business can
be increased by forming a PARTNERSHIP of at least two
people, who all contribute capital to the business and share the
profit in agreed proportions. Like sole proprietors, partnerships
have unlimited liability and there are no special legal
requirements. Professional people such as doctors, accountants
and solicitors often form partnerships.
PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANIES have at least two but
usually not more than fifty members who provide the capital
which is divided into shares. A private limited company is
controlled by a Board of Directors elected by the shareholders -
one share, one vote. Shares can be transferred only with the
agreement of other shareholders and cannot be offered for sale
to the general public. The profit is distributed to the
shareholders in proportion to the number of shares they own. A
24
private limited company has limited liability and this is
indicated by the letters LTD after its name. There are several
legal requirements, including the submission of a Memorandum
of Association and other documents to the Registrar of
Companies when the company is set up, and the publication of
annual accounts. Many medium-sized companies in
manufacturing and retailing are of this type. They do not
usually become very large since they must obtain capital for
expansion either from the profits or by borrowing from a bank.
Sometimes a private limited company becomes a PUBLIC
LIMITED COMPANY - which must put the letters PLC after
its name. A PLC has at least two members but no maximum
since it can offer its shares for sale to the public and may,
therefore, have hundreds of thousands of shareholders, who
have one vote for each share they own. Like private limited
companies, PLCS have limited liability, must have a
Memorandum of Association, publish their accounts and are
subject to many legal requirements as set out in the Companies
Act, 1985. The shareholders are the owners of the company and
elect the Board of Directors who control it. Shareholders cannot
sell their shares back to the company but they can sell their
shares to people who wish to buy on the Stock Exchange. The
price of shares will go up if the PLC is making good profits and
will go down if it is not doing so well. That part of the profit
which is not re-invested in the company is paid out to
shareholders as a dividend (e.g. 6p per share). It is possible for
anyone who succeeds in buying 51% of the shares to gain
control of a PLC.

Match the terms with the definitions:

1. limited liability a. a company consisting of two or

more owners who manage it together
and have unlimited liability.
25
2. sleeping partner b. you make it when the company is
not profitable
3. board of directors c. the effective management
committee of a limited liability
company
4. sole trader d. shares are traded on the stock
……….
5. partnership e. a limited liability company where
anyone has the possibility to buy
shares
6. exchange f. a person who has capital in a
partnership but takes no part in its
commercial and managerial activities
7. public g. a person who is the only owner of
a business whose manager he also is.
8. private h. a company in which the shares are
sold to a limited number of people.
9. profit i. this means that no shareholder of
such a company can be asked to pay
more than the nominal value of his
shares if the company goes bankrupt.
10. loss j. you make it when the company
does well.

26
Chapter 2: Telephoning

Background
The telephone is very much an essential part of business life. It
brings with it certain advantages for the users, but also certain
disadvantages. Let's look at both sides of the coin.

Advantages Disadvantages
Immediate contact and The receiver may be unprepared
feedback: the telephone
enables people to com- No record of the conversation
municate without a personal
meeting No face-to-face contact
Economy of time and money If used badly, can damage
relationships
More personal than writing
The receiver may feel that the
Can create, affect and correct call is an intrusion
relationships
Demands and retains
attention

Having looked at the advantages and disadvantages of the

telephone as a medium, the next question is: when should you
use the phone?
1. When speed is important.
2. When no written record is needed.
3. When you are sure you can contact the right person.
4. When you are sure that your call can be effective.

27
Structuring a call
Outgoing calls (i.e. when you make the call)

Greeting
• Good morning/afternoon/evening.
• Hello, (informal)

Identifying yourself
• My name is . . . (first introduction)
• This is . . . here, (second and subsequent introduction)
• This is . . . (speaking).

Asking to speak to someone

• Could I speak to ... , please?
• Could you put me throught to ... , please.
• Could I have extension 4356, please?
• I'd like to speak to ... , please.
• John Brown, please.

Giving further details

• It's in connection with . . .
• It's about. . .

Explaining purpose of call

• I'm calling to ask about. . .
• I'm phoning to let you know the details of. . .
• I'm ringing to tell you about. . .

28
Showing understanding
• I see.
• I understand.
• Yes/Right/Fine/Okay.

Making an appointment
• Could we meet some time soon?
• When could we meet?
• When could I see you?
• What time would suit you?
• Would . . . (day) at. . . (time) suit you/be okay?
• Can you manage . . . (day) at. . . (time)?

Leaving a message
• Could you give ... a message, please?
• Could you ask ... to call me (when he gets back)?
• (Could you tell. . . ) I'll call back later.

Confirming details

meeting you next week, then.

• Well, I look forward to receiving the contract by fax, then.
hearing from you later today, then.

Thanking
• Well, thank you very much for your help.
• Well, thanks for the information.
• I'm much obliged to you.

29
 • I'm very grateful for your assistance, (formal)
• Well, thanks a lot. (informal)

Ending the call

• I look forward to seeing/hearing from/meeting you.
• See you/speak to you soon, (informal)
• Goodbye/Bye.

Incoming calls (i.e. when you receive the call)

Identifying yourself when you pick up the phone

• Hilary Beacham.
• Hilary Beacham speaking.
• Caller: Could I speak to Hilary Beacham, please?
Receiver: Yes, speaking.

Helping the caller

• Can I help you?
• Who would you like to speak to?

Asking for the caller's identification

• Who's speaking, please?
• Who's calling, please?
• And who would like to speak to her, please?
• And your name is?

Asking for further information

30
 • What's it in connection with, please?

Explaining that someone is not available

• I'm afraid ... is not available this morning/afternoon/at
the moment.
• I'm afraid ... is out/in a meeting/with a client at the
moment.
• I'm sorry, but... is on holiday/not in the office today/this
week.
• I'm sorry, but... is on the other line at present.
• I'm afraid his/her line's engaged. Do you want to hold?

Alternative actions
• Could you ring/call/phone back later?
• Would you like to leave a message?
• Can I take a message?

Confirming information
• Yes, that's right/correct.

Confirming arrangements
that suits me fine.
• Yes, that would be fine.
that's fine.

Declining arrangements and suggesting alternatives

• I'm afraid I won't be in the office on . . . (day).
• I'm sorry, but. . . (day/time) doesn't suit me at all.

31
 • I'm afraid I can't manage/make . . . (day/time).
• Can you manage . . . (day) at. . . (time)?
• I could make it on . . . (day) at. . . (time).
• How about. . . (day/time)?

Responding to thanks
• Not at all.
• Don't mention it.
• You're welcome.

Ending the call

• I look forward to seeing/hearing from/meeting you.
• See you/speak to you soon, (informal)
• Thanks for calling.
• Goodbye/Bye

Match the words and phrases with similar meanings.

1. the line is busy a. I’ll connect you

2. will you hold? b. one moment
3. I’ll put you through c. an office number
4. a code d. could I have your name?
5. an extension number e. I’m ready
6. who’s calling please? f. the line’s engaged
7. hold on g. a country or area number
8. this is ... h. is that all?

32
9. go ahead i. can you wait?
10. anything else? j. ............. speaking

Supply the missing words in these conversations:

1.
A: Sales Department, good morning.
B: .................................................. Helena Steiner, please?
A: Hold on. I’ll get her.

2.
A: Curtis Holdings.
B: .................................2398, please.
C: Accounts Department.
B: ...................................... Jean Delmont?
C: Yes, ................................. How can I help you, Mr. Keller?

Read the following telephone conversations payng attention to

the specific language used for this function.

Conversation One

A Galaxy Computer Supplies.

B Overseas Sales Department, please.
A The lines are busy. Will you hold?
B Yes.
A The line's free now. I'll put you through.
C Overseas Sales. Lynne Noon speaking.
B Good morning. I'm interested in your firesafe cabinets.
Do you have a sales office in Spain?

33
C I'm afraid we don't, but I can arrange for a sales visit from
our agent.
B No, no. That's not necessary. Could you quote me a price
for 20 BZ11 cabinets, CIF Cadiz?
C May I have your name?
B Yes, it's Jose Rosales. That's J-O-S-E, R-O-S-A-L-E-S and
my fax number is nine one, that's the code for Madrid, four
three zero, six six eight seven. Could you read that back to
me?
C Nine one four three oh, double six eight seven. And what
company are you with, Mr Rosales?
B EVP.
C EVP. Right. I'll work out the price and fax a quotation
through immediately.
B Thank you very much. Good bye.

Conversation Two

A Galaxy Computer Supplies.

B Extension 143, please.
A Hold on.
C Overseas Sales.
B Could I speak to Mary Thatcher, please?
C Who's calling, please?
B Marcel Dupont of RGF France.
D Mary Thatcher.
B Hello. This is Marcel Dupont of RGF. I'd like to place an
order.
D Certainly Monsieur Dupont. Go ahead.
B I'd like six photoconductor units, reference number seven
six nine oh five, A stroke K. Do you have them in stock?
D Yes, we do. Anything else?
B No, that's all. This is an urgent order.
D OK. We'll send them straight away. Could you confirm this
in writing please, Monsieur Dupont?
B Of course.

34
D Thank you very much.
B Good bye.

Vocabulary: The market economy

Match the words in column A with their definitions in column B.

A. B.
a. The state of a company which is
1. subsidy unable to pay its debts and has to be
wound up.
2. overstating
b. Inability to find a job.
3. unemployment c. A component of the market forces
which when it prevails makes prices of
4. supply goods rise
d. A payment by a government to
5. demand
producers of certain goods to enable
6. ownership them to sell their products at a low price.
e. Rights over property.
7. bankruptcy f. Employment of personnel in excess of
the real necessities.
g. A component of the market forces
which when it prevails makes prices of
goods fall.

Fill in the gaps with words from the list at the end of the text.

A market economy is based on private ...(1) in contrast to

planned economy where [2) ownership prevails. In a free
market economy efficiency is the key word, while on the other

35
hand command economy most likely leads to ...(3). In a free
market economy efficient businesses go ...(4), whereas in a
command economy businesses are ...(5), is allowing them to
survive in spite of their non-satisfactory economic performance,
is enables the latter type of economy to resort to ... (6), that is
employing more personnel than actually required. Market
economy leads to high ...(7) of goods and services, die on the
other hand planned economy will not focus on offering high
quality goods d services to ...(8). This is due to the fact that in
the latter type of economy there is ually no ...(9), as there are
state ...(10) and therefore the options of customers are merely
restricted. On the other hand in a market economy companies
freely ...(11) for a larger market .. .(12), and are thus forced to
be efficient and employ .. .(13) according to real necessities and
...(14) their resources with utmost care.

bankrupt; compete; competition; customers; inefficiency;

manage; monopolies; overstating; ownership; quality; share;
staff; state; subsidized.

36
Chapter 3: Meetings

Background

Meetings can be defined as:

The gathering together of a group of people for a controlled

discussion with a specific purpose

Having defined a meeting, the next question is: when should

you call a meeting?

1. When decisions require judgement rather than

calculation or expertise, (problem-solving)
2. When pooling ideas improves the chances of good
decisions, (idea-generating)
3. If 'acceptance' of the decision is an important
consideration for members.
4. To discuss multi-faceted problems requiring different
skills or specialists.

So what are the essential elements of a meeting?

1. A purpose. The three basic purposes of meetings are

problem-solving, idea-gathering or training.

37
 2. An agenda. Without a list of points any meeting will
quickly go out of control, and an uncontrolled meeting
is most unlikely to be effective or efficient.
3. Members. There are three types:
• the chairman (or chairperson)
• the secretary
• the other participants
All the members will be expected to prepare for the
meeting, and, when there, to concentrate, communicate
and co-operate in order to produce . . .
4. A result: the whole object of the exercise. However, this
will be insufficient without. . .
5. A report: normally the minutes of the meeting.

Chairing a meeting

The chairman must control the meeting so that it can reach a

successful conclusion and achieve its purpose. Although the
exact style of chairing will depend on the purpose and type of
meeting, the diagram on the next page shows the main tasks
that the chairman needs to perform.
Some meetings need a referee; some need a captain. But they
all need someone to make sure that the maximum amount of
business is conducted in the minimum amount of time. This is
the role of chairman (addressed 'chairman', 'mister chairman' or
'madam chairman'), who needs a certain amount of language to
get things started, keep them going and lead them to a
conclusion. Here are some phrases you can use:

Opening the meeting

• Good morning, ladies and gentlemen/colleagues.

38
 If we are all here shall we start/make a start/get
started? let's start/make a start/get started? I think we
should start/make a start/get started. I'd like to
introduce …
First of all let me introduce two colleagues from our
Munich office.
• Would you like to say a few words about yourselves?
• Right, thank you.
• Have you all got a copy of the agenda?
• If everyone has got a copy of the agenda, let me first
explain the purpose of the meeting.
• The objective/purpose/aim/target of this meeting is to . .
.
• Now let's look at the agenda in detail.
• As you can see there five main points/items.
• I propose/suggest that we take them in the following
order.
• I think we will need about 30 minutes for point/item 1,
20 minutes for point/ item 2
• As we have a lot to get through this morning, can we
agree on the ground rules? I suggest/propose the
following: . .

Moving to the first point

• Right. Now let's move on to/look at the first point.

Handing over to another person

• Right, Jeremy, over to you.

Bringing people in (encouraging hesitant speakers)

39
 • We haven't heard from you yet, George. What do you
think about this proposal?
• Would you like to add anything, Margaret?
• Anything to add, Peter?

Stopping people talking

• One at a time, please!

• We can't all speak at once. John first, then Mary, then
Max.
• Would you mind addressing your remarks to the chair?
(but don't silence the person who talks too much; you
may need him or her later)
• Well, thank you, Deborah. I think that's clear now.
Could we have some other opinions?
• Right, thank you, Peter. I think we've all got the point
now. Shall we move on?
• Okay John, thanks. Susan, I think you wanted to say
something?

Listening actively

What to do What to say

Nod head Right, I see
Lean forwards Okay, I understand
Study the speaker Um, that's interesting
Show interest Right
Maintain eye contact Okay

Asking for repetition or clarification

1. If you didn't hear, you can say:

40
(I'm) sorry. I didn't hear what you said. Would you mind
repeating it, please?
2. If you didn't understand, you can say:
(I'm) sorry. I don't quite follow you. Could you go over that
again, please?
3. If you feel the speaker is being vague or imprecise, you can
say:
What exactly do you mean by ... ?

Preventing irrelevance

• I'm afraid that's outside the scope of this meeting.

• We're beginning to lose sight of the main point.
• Keep to the point, please.
• I think we'd better leave that subject for another
meeting.

Paraphrase

• So what you're saying is . . .

• In other words . . .
• So you mean . . .
• So, if I understand you correctly . . .

Summarising

• To sum up then,. . .
• So, to summarise what has been said so far, . . .

Keeping an eye on the time

• We're running short of time. Could you please be brief?

41
Moving to the next point

• Right. Let's move on to the next point

• Geraldine, would you like to introduce the next point?
• Okay, on to item 4. Who's going to open this one?
• Well, I think that covers everything on that point. Let's
move on.

Controlling decision-making

• I'd like to (formally) propose that . . .

• I'd like to propose the following amendment.
• Can we take a vote on that proposal?
• All those in favour. Right. All those against. Right, thank
you.
• So that motion has been accepted/rejected by 4 votes to
3.
• Very well, then, we agree with some reservations/
unanimously that
• Well, it seems that we are broadly in agreement that . . .

Indicating follow-up tasks

• Paul, do you think you could . . . ?

• Derek, how about preparing some figures for the next
meeting?

Closing the meeting

• Right. That just about covers everything.

• I'd like to thank Marianne and Anke for coming over
from Munich.
• So, the next meeting will be on . . . (date) at. . . (time)

42
 • Thanks for your participation
• Right, I declare the meeting closed.

Language focus:
a. Asking and giving opinions

We can express our opinions on a scale from strongly to

weakly. Below is a list of expressison to introduce the opinion:

strongly I'm convinced/sure/positive that . . .

I strongly believe that . . .
I have absolutely no doubt that. . .
I definitely/certainly think that. . .
I really do think that. . .
I really feel that.
neutrally In my opinion
I think/consider/feel that .
I believe that . . .
As I see it, . . .
To my mind . . .
From my point of view . .
I'm inclined to think that.
weakly I tend to think that. . .

Similarly we can ask for opinions on a scale from forcefully to

tactfully. Below is a list of expressions to ask for an opinion:

forcefully Do you really think that. . .

Do you really believe that. . .
Are you absolutely sure/ convinced/
positive that. . .

43
 Don't you think that. . .
neutrally Do you think . . .
Do you believe that. . .
Do you consider that . . .
Am I right in thinking that. . .
tactfully Would I be right in thinking that. . .

NOTES
1. Notice the use of the positive and negative of think:
I think we should invest in a new computer system. (positive)
I don't think we should invest. (negative; not: I think we
shouldn't invest)
I think so. (positive)
I don't think so. (negative)

2. Think versus mean

What do you think about the new model? (= what is your
opinion)
What do you mean? (= what do you want to say?)

3. Other expressions to give opinions:

As far as I am concerned, we should introduce the new security
arrangements as soon as possible.
According to the MD, the money is not yet available for the new
system, {not: according to the MD's opinion)

b. Agreeing/ disagreeing

We can use the following scale to show the range from

agreement to partial agreement to disagreement.

44
We can also distinguish between agreeing with someone and
agreeing to something.

Agreeing with someone Agreeing to something

agreement I totally agree with I totally accept that
you I fully/completely
I fully/completely agree
agree I'm all in favour of
I'm in total agreement that
with you there
partial Up to a point/To a certain Up to a point/To a
agreement extent certain extent
I'd agree with you, but... I'd accept that, but...
You may have something there, That may be so, but...
but... That may/might be
You could/may be right, right, but...
but...
disagreement (I'm afraid) I can't agree (I'm afraid) 1 can't
with you accept that
I don't agree I don't accept that
I can't go along with you I can't go along with
on that that

Agree and accept

I agree with you. (with someone; not: I am agree with you)

I agree with the chairman's statement. (with something; = I
have the same opinion as)
I agree with you about/on the new plans. (= to share the same
opinion about/on something)
I agree to your request to postpone payment. (agree to
something = to be willing to accept or allow something)
I agree to review your credit position in a few months. (agree to
do something; not: accept to do something)

45
I accept your invitation. (to accept something; not: to agree
something)

Study the following meetings paying attention to the specific

language used.

Sample 1

A The next item on the agenda is the new Spanish sales

organization. As you know, we're going to open the new sales
office in March and so we need to discuss recruitment.
Basically, we have two alternatives. We can either take on new
Spanish sales representatives and train them. Or we can teach
our French sales reps Spanish and transfer them. Any views on
this, Marcel?
B Yes. The important thing here is product knowledge, not
language. The French sales staff have already got the product
knowledge. They know how the company operates too. I think
we should teach them Spanish and transfer them.
A How do you feel about that proposal, Carlos?
C I don't agree. It takes years to learn a language. But why
don't we employ Spanish staff, and send them to France for
technical training?
B No. It's a waste of time, if they can't speak French.
C What do you think, Nancy?
A I don't know. How long does it take to train a new sales
rep, Marcel?
B It depends on the rep. Usually about a year.
A Mmm. That is a problem. But I think nationality is
important here. It's a Spanish branch so I don't think we should
employ French nationals. Now I know you're not going to agree
with me here, Marcel, but as I see it we have no choice...

46
Sample 2

A Right. Shall we get started? Everyone's got copies of the

report so I'm not going to go through the figures in detail. The
Parkview hotel isn't showing a good enough profit and we need
to decide how to tackle the problem. Kim, would you like to
begin?
B Yes, thanks. First of all, I don't think this is a problem of
bad management. It's a problem of investment. It's a beautiful
building in a wonderful country setting. It should be a top class
hotel but at the moment it's too cheap. Why don't we upgrade
it?
A What do you mean by 'upgrade' it?
B I think we should redecorate, improve the services we
offer, then we can increase our prices. I'm sure the investment
will show good returns.
A How do you feel about that, Oscar?
C Well, I don't think investment is the key issue here. The
Parkview hotel doesn't make money because it's in the wrong
location, and that's our main problem. Why don't we make
cutbacks in services and use the money we save to reduce
prices? We could offer budget weekend breaks and special off-
season deals.
A I didn't follow what you said about the hotel's location.
C Well, the hotel isn't in a prime site. It's way out of town
and we can't fill it. That's why I want to reduce our prices.
A I see. Any reaction to that, Miranda?
D Yes, I think we're getting sidetracked here. This isn't a
question of prices. This is a marketing problem. We need to
decide what customers we want to attract, and the business
conference trade is the growing market - day conferences,
weekend conferences, weekday conferences - this market is
booming and I think we should develop it at the Parkview. Of
course, this means we have to provide the right facilities. We

47
need a new conference hall for a start and an office service
centre but this is ....

Vocabulary

The business cycle

The business cycle or trade cycle is a permanent feature of

market economies: gross domestic product (GDP) fluctuates as
booms and recessions succeed each other. During a boom, an
economy (or at least parts of it) expands to the point where it is
working at full capacity, so that production, employment,
prices, profits, investment and interest rates all tend to rise.
During a recession, the demand for goods and services declines
and the economy begins to work at below its potential.
Investment, output, employment, profits, commodity and share
prices, and interest rates generally fall. A serious, long-lasting
recession is called a depression or a slump.
The highest point on the business cycle is called a peak, which
is followed by a downturn or downswing or a period of
contraction. The lowest point on the business cycle is called a
trough, which is followed by a recovery or an upturn or
upswing or a period of expansion. Economists sometimes
describe contraction as 'negative growth'.

Match the words in column A with their definitions in column B.

A. B.
a) An intermediate stage in the trade cycle
1. boom when the upward movement has started
but not reached its maximum.

48
2. slump b) The point in the business cycle when
prices and employment reach a peak.
3. inflation c) A persistent rise in the level of prices
and wages in a national economy.
4. trend
d) The point in the business cycle when
5. recovery prices and employment are at their
lowest.
6. recession e) A slowdown in the growth rate during
the trade cycle with falling levels of
7. inflation investment and employment.
8. fluctuate f) A persistent rise in the level of prices
and salaries and wages in the economy
of a country.
g) To go up and down (of prices, rates of
employment etc.).
h) A tendency, a direction in which an
economic phenomenon moves.

Fill in the gaps with suitable words at the end of the list.

A business cycle, also called a .. .(1) cycle, is the fluctuating

movement of a country's :onomy So if at the moment
production has reached a peak, employment rates, wages id
salaries are high, this stage of the cycle is called a ...(2). Sooner
or later, sales of )ods will decline, and so will output, as well as
the rate of ... (3). This means a ... (4) has t in. If the decline
becomes very severe, the demand for goods reaches a
minimum, ^employment... (5) dramatically, while output... (6),
the cycle has reached the moment : ...(7), also called slump.
This does not happen very often, as economies do not always
ach the minimum level before starting up ...(8). Depressions are
usually accompanied r a general fall in the level of prices, a
49
phenomenon termed ... (9). When the increase in itput and
demand for commodities has started and unemployment ...(10)
down, we y we have reached the point in the cycle called ...(11).

again; boom; deflation; depression; employment; is falling;

goes; recession; recovery; rises; trade.

50
Chapter 4: Presentations – general
considerations

Background

A presentation is a prepared talk given by a speaker (the

transmitter) to one or more listeners (the receivers). To be
effective, the speaker's message must pass to the listeners — it
must be heard and correctly understood. In general, two-way
communication is more effective than one-way communication;
so, encourage the audience to provide feedback — by asking
questions or making comments. In any case, remember that the
talk is given for their benefit - not for the speaker's.

So, what are the elements of an effective presentation?

1. The effective organisation of the information

2. The effective delivery of the information
3. The effective use of language

Preparing your presentation

Five easy steps:

1. Collect your material/ideas, jotting them down as they come

to you on a piece of paper or a board. Be as wide-ranging as
possible.
51
2. Select the points which seem most relevant for the situation
you have defined.
3. Group the points which have some common thread, each
group having a rough heading for the moment ('historical
background', 'features of the product', 'practical problems', etc.).
4. Sequence these groups into an order which will make most
sense for the audience.
5. Consider ways of linking the groups together, by a common
idea, an analogy, a visual.

Structuring your presentation

The introduction
Remember: First impressions count; so let the audience see your
best qualities. In particular try to be:
Organised - make your plan of your talk 'transparent'.
Human - make some reference to the immediate situation, and
relax.
Fluent - learn this part perfectly.
Brief - the audience have come for the information.

Here are some phrases you can use to introduce yourself and
your talk:

• Good morning/afternoon/evening, ladies and gentlemen/

colleagues. My name is . . . and I am marketing director
of . . .
say a few words to you today about the AZ120.
talk to you today about the AZ120.
• I'd like to
explain to you today the operation of the AZ120.

• I shall take about 15 minutes of your time.

• I aim to talk to you for abour 15 minutes.

52
 • This will take about half an hour.
• I've divided my talk into five main parts.
• The subject can be looked at under five main headings.
• During my talk I'll be looking at five main areas.

please feel free to interrupt.

• If you have any questions, I'll be glad to try to answer them at end
of my talk.

• To start with, then, I'd like to consider ...

Linking Sentences

You can use the following sentences to link the different parts
or sections of your presentation. Remember that they also give a
clear 'signal' to your listeners as to the point you have reached
in the structure of your presentation.

Introducing your first point

• To start with, then, I'd like to consider . . .
• First of all, I'd like to look at .. .

Finishing a point
• Those are the main points on . . .
• That's all I have to say about. . .
• So that, then, is . . .
• Now we've looked at/dealt with . . .

Starting a new point

• Now let's turn to . . .
move on to . . .

53
 • I'd like now to consider . . .
examine . . .
• Next we come to . . .
• Turning now to . . .
• Let's move on now to . . .
• The next point I'd like to make is . . .

Referring to what you have said

• As I said at the beginning . . .
• I told you a few moments ago that. . .
• In the first part of my talk, I said . . .
• As I've already said, . . .
• As I mentioned earlier, . . .

Referring to what you will say

• I'll come to that later.
• I'll return to this point in a few minutes.
• ... and I'll talk about this in the next part of my
presentation.
• ... I'll comment on this in my conclusion.

Summarising
• So now I'd just like to summarise the main points.
• In brief, we have looked at . . .

Concluding
• That's all I have to say for now.
• (I think) that covers most of the points.
• That concludes my talk.
• Thank you for your attention.

Inviting questions

54
• And now, if you have any questions, I'll be glad to (try
to) answer them.
• Does anyone have any questions?
• Any questions?

55
Chapter 5: Company presentation

We can describe the organization in terms of:

1. Hierarchy

Examples:
1. The company is headed by the MD
2. The sales director reports to the MD.
3. The sales director is under the MD.
4. The sales director is accountable to the MD.
5. The sales director is supported by a sales team.
6. The sales director is assisted by a sales assistant.

2. Responsibilities/ functions

Verbs frequently used to describe company organization

include:
to be in charge of
to be responsible for
to support or to be supported by
to assist or to be assisted by
to be accountable to

Examples:

1. The finance department is responsible for accounting

56
 2. The R&D department takes care of new product
development
3. The administration manager is in charge of personnel.
4. The marketing department is in charge of the sales
force.
5. The marketing department is responsible for advertising,
sales promotions and
6. market research.
7. The five department heads are accountable to the
Managing Director.

3. Titles

Below are the main managerial titles with the US

equivalents in brackets:

• Chairman (president)
• Managing director (chief executive officer/ senior
vice-president)
• Finance director (vice-president – finance)
• Sales manager (sales director)

4. Affiliates

X is the parent company.

A, B and C are subsidiaries (more than 50 per cent owned
by the parent)

5. Structure
A company can be described in terms of its departments,
divisions and sections.
The most common verbs for describing structure are:

consists of contains includes

57
is composed of is made up of is divided into

Examples:

1. The company consists of five main departments.

2. The marketing department is made up of three units.
3. The sales department is divided into two sections.

1. Read the following text on company structure.

Most organizations have a hierarchical or pyramidal

structure, with one person or a group of people at the top,
and an increasing number of people below them at each
successive level. There is a clear line or chain of command
running down the pyramid. All the people in the
organization know what decisions they are able to make,
who their superior (or boss) is (to whom they report), and
who their immediate subordinates are (to whom they can
give instructions).
Some people in an organization have colleagues who help
them: for example, there might be an Assistant to the
Marketing Manager. This is known as a staff position: its
holder has no line authority, and is not integrated into the
chain of command, unlike, for example, the Assistant
Marketing Manager, who is number two in the marketing
department.
Yet the activities of most companies are too complicated to
be organized in a single hierarchy. Shortly before the first
world war, the French industrialist Henry Fayol organized
his coal-mining business according to the functions that it
had to carry out. He is generally credited with inventing
functional organization. Today, most large manufacturing
organizations have a functional structure, including (among

58
others) production, finance, marketing, sales, and personnel
or human resources departments. This means, for example,
that the production and marketing departments cannot take
financial decisions without consulting the finance
department.
Functional organization is efficient, but there are two
standard criticisms. Firstly, people are usually more
concerned with the success of their department than that of
the company, so there are permanent battles between, for
example, finance and marketing, or marketing and
production, which have incompatible goals. Secondly,
separating functions is unlikely to encourage innovation.
Yet for a large organization manufacturing a range of
products, having a single production department is generally
inefficient. Consequently, most large companies are
decentralized, following the model of Alfred Sloan, who
divided General Motors into separate operating divisions in
1920. Each division had its own engineering, production
and sales departments, made a different category of car (but
with some overlap, to encourage internal competition), and
was expected to make a profit.
Businesses that cannot be divided into autonomous
divisions with their own markets
can simulate decentralization, setting up divisions that deal
with each other using internally determined transfer prices.
Many banks, for example, have established commercial,
corporate, private banking, international and investment
divisions.
An inherent problem of hierarchies is that people at lower
levels are unable to make important decisions, but have to
pass on responsibility to their boss. One solution to this is
matrix management, in which people report to more than
one superior. For example, a product manager with an idea
might be able to deal directly with managers responsible for

59
a certain market segment and for a geographical region, as
well as the managers responsible for the traditional
functions of finance, sales and production. This is one way
of keeping authority at lower levels, but it is not necessarily
a very efficient one. Thomas Peters and Robert Waterman,
in their well-known book In Search of Excellence, insist on
the necessity of pushing authority and autonomy down the
line, but they argue that one element - probably the product
- must have priority; four-dimensional matrices are far
too complex.
A further possibility is to have wholly autonomous,
temporary groups or teams that are responsible for an entire
project, and are split up as soon as it is successfully
completed. Teams are often not very good for decision-
making, and they run the risk of relational problems, unless
they are small and have a lot of self-discipline. In fact they
still require a definite leader, on whom their success
probably depends.

2. Which of the following three paragraphs most

accurately summarizes the text, and why?

First summary:
Although most organizations are hierarchical, with a
number of levels, and a line of command running from the
top to the bottom, hierarchies should be avoided because
they make decision-making slow and difficult. A solution to
this problem is matrix management, which allows people
from the traditional functional departments of production,
finance, marketing, sales, etc. to work together in teams.
Another solution is decentralization: the separation of the
organization into competing autonomous divisions.

60
 Second summary:
Most business organizations have a hierarchy consisting of
several levels and a clear line of command. There may also
be staff positions that are not integrated into the hierarchy.
The organization might also be divided into functional
departments, such as production, finance, marketing, sales
and personnel. Larger organizations are often further
divided into autonomous divisions, each with its own
functional sections. More recent organizational systems
include matrix management and teams, both of which
combine people from different functions and keep decision-
making at lower levels.

Third summary:
Most businesses are organized as hierarchies, with a clear
chain of command: a boss who has subordinates, who in
turn have their own subordinates, and so on. The hierarchy
might be internally divided into functional departments. A
company offering a large number of products or services
might also be subdivided into autonomous divisions.
Communication among divisions can be improved by the
introduction of matrix management or teams.

Language focus

A company can also be described in terms of its current

projects. In order to refer to such projects we must use
Present Tense Continuous.

A. Sample sentences

• Sales are increasing at the moment.

• At present we are recruiting a new sales director.

61
• What are you doing? -I am just finishing this report.
• We are starting a new sales campaign next month.

B. Form

The present continuous comprises two parts: the present

tense of to be + V . . . ing

1. Positive form
I am checking the stock.
You/we/they are checking . . .
He/she/it is checking . . .
We/you/they are checking . . .

2. Negative form
I am/'m not expecting a delivery today . . .
You/we are not/aren't expecting . . .
He/she/it is not/isn't expecting . . .

3. Interrogative form
Am I getting the right results?
Are you getting . . . ?
Is he/she/it getting . . . ?
Are we/you/they getting . . . ?

C. Uses

We use the present continuous:

1. To indicate an activity at the moment of speaking:

• What are you doing?
• I'm calculating the sales figures.

2. To indicate an activity around the time of speaking:

62
 • We are installing a new assembly line.

3. To indicate the temporary nature of an activity:

• I'm working in Paris at the moment, (but normally I
work in London)

4. To indicate a fixed arrangement in the future:

• We are running a training seminar next Monday.

NOTES
1. With C l, 2 and 3, we can use the following time expressions
(present time markers):
at the/this moment, at present, currently, now
2. With C4, we normally use a word or expression to show that
we mean future time. This avoids confusion with the present
time:
What are you doing this evening? (future) cf. What are you
doing? (present)

3. Use the present tense continuous of the verbs below to

complete the sentences.

wait, expand, leave, phone, develop, stay, go, get, build, spend

1. Philips …………………………their activities in China.

2. Our research department ……………………………… a
new drug.
3. They ………………………………at the Dorchester Hotel.
4. Someone ………………………. For you in your office.
5. We ……………………….. a new factory in Barcelona.
6. I ………………………..about order no. AJ/ 2496
7. These products ………………………….near the end of
their life cycle.
8. The dollar ……………………….up.

63
9. The EDP department …………………………a lot of
money on new equipment.
10. I’m tired so I ……………………. now.

4. Read the following company presentations and

underline all instances of Present Tense Continuous.
Also identify the words and expressions used to refer to
the companies’ structure and organization.

Presentation 1

The Philips group manufactures and sells over a million

different electrical products. About half our sales are to the
consumer market and half are to the professional and
industrial markets. The group has a turnover of 24,560
million ECUs.
Philips is a multinational company with organizations in
sixty different countries. NV Philips is the holding or
parent company and it's located in the Netherlands. It has
over 120 subsidiaries worldwide and there are 304,800
employees.
The group is also working in joint ventures with other
partners. For example, we're expanding our activities in
China at the moment, developing business ventures with the
People's Republic.

Presentation 2

BICC plc is a large multinational with 55,000 employees

worldwide and a turnover of approximately three billion
pounds. The group's main activities are construction and the
manufacture of cables.
I'd like to tell you about the five different divisions in the
group and I'll begin with Balfour Beatty. Balfour Beatty is

64
Britain's leading construction company with a turnover of
around one thousand four hundred million pounds. The
company is famous for its work constructing motorways
and buildings.
The next division is BICC Cables. The cables division is
expanding fast in Europe at the moment. It now owns the
Italian company, Ceat Cavi, Cel-Cat in Portugal, and part of
CEGB in Spain. BICC Cables has a turnover of five
hundred and eighty-three million pounds.
Now I'll turn to BICC's overseas activities. There are two
overseas divisions, Australasia, and North America Cables.
Australasia's principal activities are cables, construction,
and electronics, and it has a turnover of six hundred and
eighteen million pounds.
North America Cables has a turnover of two hundred and
fifty-seven million pounds from its operations in the US and
Canada. Its main activities are the manufacture of power
and telecommunication cables.
Now I'll move on to the final division, BICC Technologies.
Technologies is a new division and it's growing fast. It
manufactures communication and control systems for
industry and has a turnover of one hundred and sixty-six
million pounds.

65
Chapter 6: Presentations – describing
trends
Language focus

1. Past Tense Simple

A. Form

1. Positive form
Last year I/you/he/she/it/we/they worked in personnel.

2. Negative form
At that time I/you/he/she/it/we/they did not/didn't know the
forecast.

3. Interrogative form
Did I/you/he/she/it/we/they fill in the form correctly?

B. Uses

We use the past simple to talk about activities in the past.

1. To indicate an activity at a specific time in the past:

Last week the ABC Group took over our company.

2. To ask when an activity happened:

When did the new MD start?

NOTES

66
1. Once we have explicitly mentioned a specific time in the
past, all the following activities are understood to happen within
that time frame, i.e. in the past:
Last year we appointed a new sales director. After he took up
his post, he started to change the sales regions.

2. Typical past time markers include:

yesterday
. . . ago
last . . .
on + day/date, e.g. on Monday, on 21 January
in + month/year e.g. in July, in 1983
at that time

3. Already and recently

In American English already is used with the past simple:
We already finished the figures.

In British English the present perfect is used:

We have already finished the figures.

Recently is used with both the past simple and the present
perfect:

I met him recently. (at a specific time in the recent past)

I haven't seen him recently. (in the period of time from the
recent past till today)

2. Present Perfect Simple

A. Form

67
The present perfect simple comprises two parts: has/have + V3

1. Positive form
I/you/we/they have/'ve finished the project.
He/she/it has/'s finished the project.

2. Negative form
I/you/we/they have not/haven't + V3
He/she/it has not/hasn't + V3

3. Interrogative form
Have I/you/we/they + V3
Has he/she/it + V3

B. Uses

In meaning, the present perfect simple belongs to the present

tenses. This is because in the various uses below, the meaning is
always linked to the present rather than the past.

1. To indicate an activity at some non-specific time in the past

with an impact or result in the present or future:
We have completed the feasibility study. (present result = study
is now finished; future impact = we are ready to proceed to the
next stage)
cf. We completed the feasibility study last week. (specific time
in the past)

We have raised our prices. (present result = higher prices)

cf. We raised our prices at the beginning of the year. (specific
time in the past)

2. To indicate an activity within a period of time which is not

yet finished, i.e. unfinished time:

68
Sales have increased this year. (the year is not yet finished)
Sales increased last year. (last year is finished)

3. To indicate an activity which started in the past and continues

to the present:
So far/Up to now we have tested three new applications. (in the
period between then and now)
He has worked as operations manager since 1989. (he started in
1989 and he is still operations manager today)
The company has been based here for five years. (it moved here
five years ago and is still here today)

NOTES

1. As the activity in Cl happened at a non-specific time in the

past, no time marker is used.

2. In C2, typical time markers are:

this morning/week/month/year
today now

Just and just now are considered as present time markers, so

they are used with the present perfect or other present tense:
We have just signed the contract.
The delivery has just now arrived.

Recently can also be used with the present perfect (see also Past
Tense Simple):
Recently there have been many changes in the department.

Already and yet both provide a frame of unfinished time; the

time frame starts at an unspecified point in the past and

69
continues to the present. Already is typically used in positive
sentences; yet in negative and interrogative sentences:
Have you chosen an advertising agency yet? (between then and
now)
We have already appointed someone for the post, (between
then and now)

3. In C3, typical time markers are:

since (used to indicate the starting point) for (used to indicate
the period)
He has worked in this department since 1989. (starting point)
He has worked in this department for five years, (period)

Describing trends

Trends are changes or movements. These changes are normally

in numerical items, e.g. costs, production volumes or
unemployment. There are three basic trends: upward,
downward and no change (stable). For each of these there are a
number of verbs and nouns to express the movement. We can
divide these verbs into transitive and intransitive. After a
transitive verb we must put an object:

We have raised our prices in line with inflation.

After an intransitive verb we cannot put a direct object.

Our prices have risen in line with inflation.

1.
Transitive verb Intransitive verb Noun
increase increase increase
raise rise rise

70
put/push/step up go/ be up
grow growth
Extend extension
Expand expand expansion
boom boom (dramatic rise)

2.
Transitive verb Intransitive verb Noun
decrease decrease decrease
fall fall
Drop drop drop
put/push down go/be down
decline decline
Cut cut
Reduce reduction
collapse collapse (dramatic fall)
slump slump (dramatic fall)

3.
Transitive verb Intransitive verb Noun
keep/ hold … stable/ constant remain stable stability
maintain … (at the same level) stay constant stability

4. Other expressions used to describe trends.

To stand at.
We use this phrase to focus on a particular point, before we
mention the trends of movements.

71
In the first year sales in our region stood at 109,000 units.

To reach a peak of

In the sixth year sales in our region reached a peak of 24,000

units.

We can describe a trend by looking at:

• the difference between the two levels
• the end point

1. Describing the difference:

This year sales have increased by 10 per cent.
This year there has been an increase in sales of 10 per cent.

Notice the prepositions. We use ‘to increase by’ (with the

verb) and ‘an increase of’ (with the noun).

2. Describing the end point:

This year profits have risen to $2m.
This year there has been a rise in profits of $2m.

Notice the prepositions. We use ‘to rise to’ (with the verb)
and ‘a rise to’(with the noun).

Trends are changes. Sometimes we need to give more

information about the change, as follows:

Raw material cost have fallen slightly. (We modify a verb with
an adverb)
There has been a rapid increase in our expenses. (we modify a
noun with an adjective)

72
!Remember that most adverbs are derived from adjectives by
adding –ly; adjectives ending in –ic add –ally:

definite – definitely,
useful – usefully,
productive – productively,
dramatic – dramatically, etc.

Other adjectives and adverbs used to describe the degree or

speed of change are:
dramatic(ally), vast(ly), huge(ly), substantial(ly), considerable/
considerably, significant(ly), moderate(ly), slight(ly), rapid(ly),
quick(ly), gradual(ly), slow(ly), etc.

Read the following presentations and identify all words and

expressions used to describe trends.

Presentation 1

A This graph shows the sales results for last year. Can
everybody see it OK? Good. Perhaps you could run through the
figures for us, Lester?
B Yes of course. Er ... as you can see, we had a quiet start to
the year. Sales remained steady at 6,000 units in January and
February.
C When did the Spring sales campaign begin?
B In March. You can see that sales increased slightly to
7,000 then and they went up by another 1,000 units in April to
stand at 8,000 units.
C Why did we have that trough in June?
B Ah, that was due to increased competition. Our
competitors launched a rival product in May and sales fell to
73
5,000 units. They decreased by another thousand units in June.
But we increased our discounts to the wholesalers and sales
rose steadily, back to 5,000 units in July and then 6,000 units in
August. The dramatic rise came in the next two months.
Sales increased from 10,000 units in September to 13,000 units
in October.
A Was that because of the Christmas orders?
B That's right. And sales went down by 6,000 units in
November when the Christmas orders stopped. They stayed at
7,000 until the end of the year. Er ... Are there any questions?
C Yes. How do these figures compare with the previous
year's?
B Very well. I've got last year's graph here. Er ... You can
see that there was a slight improvement in January and
February but the figures for April ...

Presentation 2

Inflation fell dramatically in the UK at the start of the eighties.

It was nearly 20% in 1980 but down to 3.4% by 1986.
Unemployment, on the other hand, increased sharply. It
reached three million in the mid-eighties and then began to fall.
By 1988, it was down to around two million.
Consumer spending rose dramatically in the 1980s. Public
spending increased by only 12% but consumer spending
increased by nearly 40%. A large amount of this extra
spending went on foreign goods. This resulted in an increase
in imports. At the same time, a cutback in North Sea oil
exports and a high sterling exchange rate led to a fall in exports.
There was a small surplus of 0.2 billion pounds in the balance
of trade in
1986. This changed to a deficit of 2.9 billion in 1987. The
deficit grew and by 1989 it was over 20 billion pounds.

74
The government took action. They increased interest rates
sharply, to stop the rise in consumer spending. As a result, the
mortgage rate doubled. It went from around 8% in Spring 1988
to 15.5% in Spring 1990. The high interest and mortgage rates
led to an increase in inflation. It rose to around 9% in 1990.

75
Chapter 7: Presentations – product
description

Language focus: Adjectives

A. Form

1. Many adjectives are derived from nouns or verbs:

Ending Noun or verb Adjective

-ite define definite
-ial manager, accident managerial, accidental
-ful use useful
-less hope hopeless
-al economy economical
-ic economy economic
-ive product productive
-ous number numerous
-ab/e/ agree agreeable
ible
-ing interest interesting
-ed interest interested

2. Other adjectives, especially one- or two-syllable adjectives,

do not have a suffix:

76
good bad young old big small

NOTES

1. Some adjectives end in -ly:

lively lovely friendly lonely

2. Some adjectives have the same form as adverbs:

early late straight hard direct
short long high fast wrong

C. Uses

We use adjectives in the following instances.

1. To give more information about nouns:

The recent figures show a sharp increase in productivity.

Which figures? - The recent figures
What type of increase? — A sharp increase.

The adjective normally comes before the noun.

2. After the verb be:

We are pleased about the takeover, (adjective + preposition)
We are pleased that the company was taken over, (adjective +
that-clause)
We were pleased to hear about the takeover, (adjective +
infinitive with to)

3. After verbs of the senses:

He sounds very pleasant on the phone.

77
4. After linking verbs:
Profits have remained stable for the last two quarters.

Read the following product descriptions and underline all

the adjectives used. Think about the way they have been
formed.

Dialogue 1

A What was the trip like?

B It was very interesting, thanks.
A Tell me about the machines. What were they like?
B Very quiet and very efficient. There was very little waste.
A What about breakdowns? Were they reliable?
B Yes. The Production Manager was very pleased with
them. He says they're easy to maintain, too. I was interested in
the controls. They're very user-friendly.
A What was the output?
B Around 6,000 packages an hour.
A Not bad.
A But there's a problem.
A What's that?
B Space. They're over 5 metres high.
A How long are they?
B Just under 5 metres. That's not a problem, but the height
is.

Presentation 1

Good morning, everyone. Today I'd like to introduce you to the

new product in the range next season - a new version of the
aerobic cycle - the AC5.

78
As you know, the previous model, the AC4, was very
successful last year. It's popular with sports centres and
commercial users, but it doesn't sell well in the domestic sector
of the market.
The AC5, on the other hand, is designed for the domestic user.
It's lightweight, only eleven kilograms, so it's easy to pick up
and carry about. It's only 38 cm wide and 65 cms long, but it
has the same high stability as all our other aerobic cycles.
It has most of the usual features too: modern design,
comfortable padded handlebar grips and safety footstraps.It
comes with a liquid crystal display meter, to measure speed and
distance.
The handlebars move from 75 to 102 cms and the seat is height
adjustable. So the AC5 is suitable for every member of the
family.
But the special feature of the AC5 is that it's collapsible. When
not in use, it folds up for easy storage. This will be a strong
selling point in the domestic market.

79
Selected bibliography:
1. Brieger, N and Comfort, J: Language Reference for
Business English, Prentice Hall International, 1992
2. Hollett, V: Business Objectives, Oxford University
Press, 1991
3. Comfort, J: Effective Socializing, Oxford University
Press, 1997
4. Comfort, J: Effective Presentations, Oxford University
Press, 1997
5. Stanton, AJ and Wood, LR: Longman Commercial
Communication, Longman, 1992
6. Hollinger, A: Test Your Business English Vocabulary,
Teora, 2004
7. Mascull, B: Business Vocabulary in Use, CUP, 2004
8. MacKenzie, I: English for Business Studies, CUP, 2002
9. Bantas, A, Nastasescu, V: Dictionar economic englez –
roman/ roman – englez, Editura Niculescu, 2001
10. Longman Business English Dictionary, Pearson
Education Limited, 2000

80