Business English Tip of the Week

Use numbered lists when working with instructions that are to be carried out in sequence. If the sequence of items is not essential, use bullets.

Example of a Numbered List:

Example of a Bulleted List:

When agreeing to a request, agree to it in a positive manner. Don't just say 'Ok' or 'All right.' Use these positive phrases:

Sometimes, you may be undecided and unable to give a definite answer at that moment. In such cases, use these phrases to buy yourself a little time:

At other times, you may agree to a request but with certain conditions. Then you can use these phrases:

Declining a request is more difficult. Don't decline a request directly. Use one of tentative the phrases below and follow it up with a good reason:

There is something about writing that makes us express ourselves more formally than we would do in speech. For example, you might chat with a co-worker about how you are going to evaluate a marketing campaign. But when you sit down to write a report about it, for some reason you find yourself writing about "the evaluation of the marketing campaign".

This habit, which we call nominalisation, is very common in all areas of government and the business world. What happens is that instead of using a verb, for example, to evaluate, the writer uses the related noun, evaluation.

You're probably thinking that there's nothing wrong with that, but nominalisations appear all over our writing. They lengthen our sentences and make the writing less lively, less human and more official. They prevent our writing being clear as actions are hidden in the nouns.

Here's an example:

Of the verb-noun problems the "made" trap stands out as the most common:

• made a suggestion (suggested)
• made a recommendation (recommended)
• made a choice (chose)
• made an agreement (agreed)
• made a presentation (presented)
• made a proposition (proposed)
• made a decision (decided)
• made a revision (revised)

Other common verb-noun problems include:

• gave an explanation (explained)
• submitted a resignation (resigned)
• expressed opposition (opposed)
• took under consideration (considered)
• provided maintenance (maintained)
• reached a conclusion (concluded)
• provided information (informed)
• provided a quotation (quoted)
• came to a realization (realized)
• conducted an investigation (investigated)
• put on a performance (performed)
• led to a reduction (reduced)
• had a suspicion (suspected)
• had an expectation (expected)
• used exaggeration (exaggerated)
• gave authorization (authorized)

When you are asking someone to do something for you or trying to influence their actions, you can often show that you want to be polite by saying things in an indirect way:

Generally speaking, the more indirect the expression you use, the more polite you will seem. If you are too direct you may be considered impolite. However, the more indirect expressions can sound "too polite". When deciding which expressions are suitable for which situations it is useful to ask certain questions.

1. What is the relationship between the speaker and the listener? More direct expressions are often used between friends or when the speaker is in a position of authority.

2. How important is the action to the speaker? Usually, the more important the action, the more indirect the expression.

3. How much inconvenience will the action cause for the listener? If, for example, the listener is being asked to make a lot of effort or do something which they do not usually do, the speaker will probably use a more indirect expression.

¹ Note that 'but' and 'and' do not take a comma when both clauses are relatively short.
² restrictive relative clauses = they tell us which person or thing, or which kind of person or thing, is meant;
non-restrictive relative clauses = they tell us more about a person or thing that is already identified.
³ When an appositive is only one word, no comma is needed.

There are a number of ways of making a self introduction. It usually needs to be on a case-by-case basis; however, here's some more basic advice and sample dialogues to get someone's attention and finally make an acquaintance.

Making a Comment

Make a comment to someone about the situation you're in or the environment. Once they've responded, introduce yourself.

Use a Third Person to Get an Introduction

If the person you want to introduce yourself to is speaking to someone you already know, then take it as a chance to get acquainted. Walk towards them and say hello to your friend or the person you know. An introduction can then follow naturally. This isn't strictly a self-introduction.

When You Know the Person's Name

If you want to introduce yourself to a person you only know by name, you can start a conversation by confirming their name - "Mr Reynolds?' Once you get their attention, continue by stating how you know about them and then introduce yourself.

Many adjectives are followed by a particular preposition. Below is a list of adjectives + preposition combinations that are commonly used in business.

Some of these adjectives can be followed by either of two or more prepositions, sometimes resulting in a slight change of meaning. In other cases, the preposition which follows the adjective is determined by whether a person or a thing follows.

Now read through the following list of combinations and example sentences. Then try completing the exercise that follows by clicking the 'Next' button at the bottom of the page.

affiliated to / with

angry about something

angry with someone

associated with

aware of

bad / good at something

concerned / worried / anxious about

concerned with (= involved with)

confident of

different from / to something / someone

disappointed in a person / by something

familiar with

happy / pleased / satisfied with someone / something

interested in something

involved in / with

open to

ready for something / someone

related to

responsible for something / someone

sensitive to

specialised in

suitable for

typical of someone

直接引进

直接的方法适用于大多数的人有信心这样做。 只是去的人，你想介绍自己。 说?你好?，提供了一个握手，并告诉他们你的名字。

但是，如果你接近它是一组，礼貌地询问是否可以加入他们的行列。

给予赞赏

给人一种恭维，是一个很好的战术。 记得给你真正的意思恭维。 诚信是这里的关键。 你可以开始对话，这样的语句：?我喜欢你的衬衫?或?你有一个漂亮的手表?。 另一方可以回答了：?谢谢你。?从这一点出发，准备谈 ​​论的对象，你称赞证明你真的很佩服。后一两分钟，或在适当的时候，开始自我介绍。

下面的形容词有类似的含义。 这一点很重要，因此，你要学会在意义上的细微差别，如果你要准确地使用他们。 如果你约分歧不清楚，咨询良好的先进的单语学习者的字典。

注：参加面试时，或写简历/履历，确保您选择最适合你的潜在位置的形容词。 ?进取?的可能赶上一家律师事务所的眼睛，但可能会吓跑雇主，在客户服务领域。

有用的短语：

下面是一些有用的短语可以用在这上面的形容词：

不要试图为自己辩护或公司。 让顾客发泄。 表示理解。

2。 承认错误，并Apologise

不要把客户在防守上，或质疑他的判断。 立即承认错误。

3。 承担个人责任

对于客户来说，你是该公司。 他们并不关心它是谁的错。 你有对付它。 如果这个问题只能与人更高层次的处理，保持与客户，直到它是明确的，问题正在解决。

4。 立即行动

你正在服用他们的投诉，严重的客户。

5。 提供补偿（如果可能）

实际上，如果你能证明你的关注。 通常情况下，补偿的形式是不到重要的思想。

6。 感谢客户

我们应该感谢投诉。 它是一种方法，我们可以找出如何改善我们的服务。 还要记住，它获得一个新顾客成本的五倍之多，以保持一个老。

1）或与我们

英式英语往往用在形容词，而美国英语使用或 ：

例如： 颜色 （GB）和颜色 （美国）; 邻居 （GB）和邻居 （美国）

2）-ER-RE

一些名词的结局是重新在英式英语，但ER在美国英语：

例如： 中心 （GB）和中心 （美国）

3）冰和ISE

有些话已经结束在英国英语中的动词名词和-ISE冰结束。 例如： 实践 （名词）和练习 （动词）。 然而，在美式英语中的名词和动词的拼写实践 。

4）-L-LL

在英式英语，一个字一个单一的辅音结束时，它增加了一倍时，我们添加了一个以元音开头的后缀：

例如： 旅客;夷为平地

然而，在美国英语中的?L?没有一倍：

例如： 游客，夷为平地

5）其他常用词

英国英语和美国英语的某些词有不同的拼法：

例如： 支票 （GB） - 支票 （美国）; 方案 （GB） - 计划 （美国）

知识的问题

确保你回答这个问题的明确和彻底的。 简明，清晰和有组织。

人权问题

这些问题都问你是谁感。 现在还不是时候谈谈你如何复苏酒精或已经住监狱而感到自豪。 一些东西，让你听起来很有趣，智能和可靠的。 请记住，如果他们询问有关个人的事情，很简短，总是想，如果可以的话，将比分扳成一切回到你的职业生涯。

?如果?的问题

法则是老板永远是对的，总是与你的上司和讨论的问题你总是灵活。

?告诉我?的游戏

再次，要清晰，简洁和有组织的。

轮到你

是的，你总是要问，至少有一个或两个问题。 表明你做你的功课：问公司，它的结构。 现在还不是时候问工资，或是否可以有一个公司的车！

反光答疑

如果您提供直你的答案，他们听起来可能不是完全自然的。 你不想让面试官认为你记住他们。

表明你想了一会儿才回答某些问题，暂停，然后开始你的答案用以下的短语之一：

我想...

我想最大的成就将是我的年终奖的员工，我感到十分自豪。

我觉得...

我觉得我学会了在这项工作中大量的，我很高兴有机会。

我想...

我想，当我仔细想想，我的工作中最难的部分是与客户打交道。

我想说...

我想说的信任与同事的关系是非常重要的组成部分。

注意：也可以组合使用这些短语：

我想我会说，在接待的士气可以改善，我觉得我们的时间太长。

有逻辑的英文拼写，也有一些有用的规律可循。

? 一些通用的建议

• 提高您的拼写的最佳途径之一是通过阅读。 看到在打印的话，可以固定在你的心中拼写。 阅读尽可能多，尽可能广泛。 当你朗读自己，你也将成为更知道如何拼字，看他们如何在页面上。
  ?
• 使用拼写检查器来帮助你识别-和正确的-的话，会造成问题。 有些话总是很难正确拼写，无论你的英语为母语或不。 如果你总是怀疑一个特定的单词拼写，确保您运行拼写检查器和你要特别注意的?难?字。
  
  ?
• 练习写作的话，你有困难的拼写。 尽量不要完全避免使用这个词，但使用拼写检查字典，以帮助你拼写正确。 如果你经常用这个词，一段时间后你会开始写正确。
  
  ?
• 如果你有困难，你必须经常写一个字，你可能会想，写在一张卡片上的字，并保持你的办公桌参考卡。
  
  ?
• 使用一本字典。 好字典会告诉你如何在其他语法形式拼写的单词，以及给你一个词在上下文中的例子。

1）我除了后C（在e与 C字押韵）

例子：相信，侄女，片，实现。

后C：接收，感知，欺骗

这一规则也有一些例外：

例如：抓住

有些名字异常：希拉，基思

你还可以看到?EI?组合时，字母?i?字押韵：

例如：身高，强夺

此外，当韵字母?A?是：

?

例子：货运，体重

2）当您使用的形容词?完整?，放弃一个'L'

精彩，有品位的，感激的例子：

请注意，当你变成一个副词由形容词加-LY，同时使用?L?。

?

例子：小心-小心;感谢-感谢

3）字母'E'

字母'E'结束前一个元音的后缀开始失去了'e'的话：

例子：要求-要求;状态-说明

但后缀辅音开始之前，他们保持了'e'：

?

例子：状态-声明，要求-要求

4）使用和orous

在英国英语中，当一个字结束，我们和我们加入我们，我们成为：

?

? 例子：幽默-幽默;魅力-迷人

5）使用-Y

当一个字一个辅音和'Y'结束之前增加一个后缀更改为'I''Y'：

例子：饿-饿;尝试-尝试;婴儿-婴儿

但是，如果与元音和'Y'字结尾，保持前添加一个后缀?Y?：

?

例子：裁员-层;支付-支付

6）单，双辅音

当一个字结束，它是在一个单一的辅音增加一倍时，我们添加了一个以元音开头的后缀：

例子：

获得-获得;

旅行-旅行/旅游（在美国英语中，?L?不加倍）;

承认，承认，承认-纳

船舶-航运

但

船舶-装运（后缀辅音开头）

这里有一些提示：

• 微笑，你可以尽可能多。 微笑壁垒休息，会让你和你的面试官觉得比较轻松。
• 有信心-这并不意味着吹嘘自己或炫耀，但接受记者采访时，还不是时候要谦虚，或淡化你的经验或成就。 如果是在你的生命只有一次，当它很好地告诉你是多么伟大的人，采访的是时间！
• 不要说谎，但不卖自己的短：不谈论什么经验，你没有！ 总是转化为积极的这类问题。 例如，如果一位面试官问，如果您有任何簿记经验，你永远不希望简单地说，?号? 相反，认为任何连接可能涉及：?好吧，我没有任何直接的簿记经验，但我经常帮助簿记员，所以我很熟悉的条款，我觉得我很快学会了。? 或者说：?我从来没有做过任何簿记自己，但我花了两年会计课程，在大学和感觉，我理解它的基本原理。?
• 扮靓部分：有句古话，人们应该打扮得像他们想要得到的位置。 这意味着一个专业的外观是非常重要的。 这在很大程度上将取决于，当然，你是在哪个国家，但永远不要担心接受记者采访时，太聪明了！
• 尽可能详细：通常面试官会问你?假设?问题的问题（例如，?你会怎么做，如果你的老板要求你做一些事情，你不知道该怎么办？?），它是在问题的重要像这些要尽可能详细。

Which and that are difficult to learn for anyone studying English as a second language because no one, not even people who should know better, gets it right!

It all has to do with restrictive (or defining) phrases and clauses.

You use that to introduce a restrictive phrase or clause that describes a place or thing. Another term for restrictive is "defining". "Defining" is an easier way to remember the rule. Defining phrases and clauses add ESSENTIAL detail to a sentence. They are never introduced with a comma, because they are essential to the description.

For example:

Note: "that is marked" describes the briefcase.

Which introduces unrestricted or undefining phrases and clauses. These phrases add EXTRA detail that you can omit without changing the sentence. They are introduced and concluded with commas.

For example:

Note: "which I got from the library" is an unnecessary detail.