BUSINESS  LETTER  GUIDELINES

General guidelines for writing business letters.

If writing a business letter takes you much longer than in your own language, here are a few
guidelines that you may find helpful.

Plan before you write.

o Look up words you need before you start.
o Note the points you want to make, and order them into logical paragraphs.

Tone
o Write as you would speak in a business conversation.
The tone should be friendly and polite.

Names
o Make sure you check the gender of the addressee (the recipient), as well as the
correct spelling of the person's name and title.
o Use Ms. for women and Mr. for men.
You can use Mrs. for a woman if you are 100% sure that she is married.

Dates
o To avoid any confusion, write the month instead of using numbers
(e.g. January 15th, 2012  or 15 January 2012).

Be concise and clear. The easier it is to read a letter the better.
o Keep sentences and paragraphs short and simple.
o Use straightforward vocabulary to avoid any misunderstanding.
o Ask direct questions.
o Rewrite any sentence that does not seem perfectly clear.
o If the recipient is not a native English-speaker, it is preferable to avoid
words or expressions that are too technical or complicated.

Remember this word order principle

Subject Verb Object Manner Place Time

  Who Does  What   How Where  When

Example :
Mr. Brown will travel by plane to London on Monday, June 5th.
A technician will install the equipment in your office on Tuesday.
 Avoid old-fashioned words

Although they are used in legal documents and contracts, words like 'herewith',
'herein', 'aforementioned', etc. are rarely used in letters.

The following style of sentence is preferable :

"You will find more information on our products in the enclosed brochure."

WRITING BUSINESS LETTERS 

page 1
Useful phrases and vocabulary for writing business letters.

Please note that  British English spelling is used on this website.

Phrases and vocabulary to help write business letters:

Salutation • Dear Mr. Brown
• Dear Ms. White
• Dear Sir
• Dear Madam
• Dear Sir or Madam
• Gentlemen

Starting •  We are writing

- to inform you that ...
- to confirm ...
- to request ...
- to enquire about ...
• I am contacting you for the following reason...
• I recently read/heard about ..... and would like to know ....
• Having seen your advertisement in ..., I would like to ...
• I would be interested in (obtaining / receiving) ...
• I received your address from ----- and would like to ...

Referring to • Thank you for your letter of March 15.

previous contact • Thank you for contacting us.
• In reply to your request, ...
• Thank you for your letter regarding ...
 • With reference to our telephone conversation yesterday...
• Further to our meeting last week ...
• It was a pleasure meeting you in London last month.
• I enjoyed having lunch with you last week in Tokyo.
• I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed  on Tuesday. 

Making a request • We would appreciate it if you would ...

• I would be grateful if you could ...
• Could you please send me ...
• Could you possibly tell us / let us have ...
• In addition, I would like to receive ...
• It would be helpful if you could send us ...
• I am interested in (obtaining / receiving) ...
• I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
• Please let me know what action you propose to take.

Offering help • Would you like us to ...?

• We would be happy to ...
• We are quite willing to ...
• Our company would be pleased to ...

Giving good news • We are pleased to announce that ...

• I am delighted to inform you that ..
• You will be pleased to learn that ...

Giving bad news • We regret to inform you that ...

• I'm afraid it would not be possible to ...
• Unfortunately we cannot / we are unable to ...
• After careful consideration we have decided (not) to ...

Complaining • I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ...

• I am writing to complain about ...
• Please note that the goods we ordered on ( date )
 have not yet arrived.
• We regret to inform you that our order n° ----- is now
 considerably overdue.
• I would like to query the transport charges which seem
 unusually high. 
Abbreviation : a shortened form of a written word, phrase or name used in place of the whole, for
example: ‘Dr.’ for Doctor, ‘Mr.’ for Mister, ‘gym’ for gymnastics, 'Tim' for Timothy.

Acronym: A word which is formed from the first letters of other words, and which is pronounced as a
full word, for example NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation).

ABBREVIATION or ACRONYM MEANING

@ at (followed by an address)

a/c account

admin administration, administrative

ad/advert advertisement

AGM Annual General Meeting

a.m. ante meridiem (before noon)

a/o account of (on behalf of)

AOB any other business

ASAP as soon as possible

ATM Automated Teller Machine (cash dispenser)

attn for the attention of

approx approximately

A.V. Authorized Version

bcc blind carbon copy

(copy sent to another person without the knowledge of the main recipient)

cc carbon copy (copy to one or more people)

CEO Chief Executive Officer

c/o care of
(on letters: at the address of)

Co company

cm centimetre

COD Cash On Delivery

dept department

doc. document

e.g. exempli gratia (for example)

EGM Extraordinary General Meeting

ETA estimated time of arrival

etc et caetera (and so on)

GDP Gross Domestic Product

WORD MEANING

advertisement Item of publicity to promote a product or service in newspapers, magazines, on TV,

etc.

advertising Marketing services firm that assists companies in planning advertisements.

agency

AIDA Attention, Interest, Desire, Action - the aim of all advertising.

benefit Advantage of a product or service.

billboard Signboard or wooden structure used to display  advertising posters.

broadsheet Newspaper printed in a large format.

campaign Organised course or plan of action.

circulation Average number of copies of newspapers or magazines sold over a period of time.

classified ads Small advertisement in newspapers or magazines divided into categories.

commercial Advertisement on radio or television.

coupon Part of a printed advertisement to be used to order goods or samples.

direct mail Advertisement sent by post to prospective customers.

double-page Advertisement printed across two pages in a newspaper or magazine.

spread

editing Reviewing or rewriting in order to make suitable for publication.

eye-catcher Something that particulary attracts the reader or viewer's  attention.

features Special characteristics of a product.

generic Advertising for a whole sector, such as tourism, rather than a specific product.
advertising

hoarding Wooden structure or signboard, also called a 'billboard', used to carry advertisements.

hype Excessive or intensive publicity; exaggerated claims made in advertising.

jingle Catchy tune, with a short simple rhyme, used to promote a product.

key words Informative words chosen to indicate the content of a document.

launch Start an action in order to introduce something (e.g. a new product).

mailshot Piece of advertising material sent to potential customers by post.

mass media The main means of mass communication (newspapers, TV and radio).

plug Favourable publicity in a media for a commercial product (e.g. a book).

poster Large sheet of paper used in advertising.

prime time Hours on radio and TV with the largest audience, usually in the evening.

promote Use advertising and publicity to try to increase sales of a product.

roadside signs Large panels along roads and motorways used for outdoor advertising.

slogan Phrase used to advertise a product, or to identify a company or organisation.

slot Specific time in a broadcasting schedule allotted for a commercial.

soundbite Short extract from a recorded interview or speech.

tabloid Newspaper printed in small format, usually with a lot of photographs.

target Objective; what is aimed at.

U.S.P. Unique Selling Proposition; a declaration of what makes a product different.

write copy Write a text to be printed or spoken in an advertisement or a commercial.

WORD MEANING

Adware A software application which displays unwanted pop-up advertisements on your

computer while in use. Adware is often installed at the same time as free software
or shareware.

Avatar An icon or figure that represents a person in video games, chat rooms and on
Internet forums.

Application Any program designed to perform a specific function directly for the user. 
Microsoft Word, Outlook or Adobe Photoshop are examples of application
programs.

Bloatware/fatware Pre-installed software that occupies a lot of space, leaving little memory for
storing personal data.

Browser A program or tool such as Google, Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox that
enables you to browse or surf the World Wide Web and view internet sites.

Bug A defect or fault in a program that prevents it from working correctly.  Bugs are
caused by mistakes or errors made by those who write the program.

Cache A sort of fast memory used for temporary storage of recently accessed web pages,
which enables the browser to display them more quickly on the next visit.

Captcha A system used to make sure that a human being, not a machine, is using a
computer.

Catfish Someone (on the Internet and social media) who pretends to be someone else by
using a fake identity in order to deceive others.

Cookies Small piece of information on the times and dates you have visited web sites.  A
web server can temporarily store this information within your browser.  The main
 purpose is to identify users and possibly prepare customised web pages for them.

Crash What happens when a program or the entire operating system, unexpectedly stops
working. 

Cursor A blinking symbol on the screen that shows where any new text will next be
entered.

Driver A special program which enables a computer to work with a particular piece of
hardware such as a printer.

E-business Business done over the internet or any internet-based network.

E-mail Electronic mail : messages sent from one computer to another over the internet.

FAQ Frequently Asked Questions.

Firewall Specialised hardware or software designed to prevent unauthorised access into or

out of a computer or network.

Font A particular kind of lettering (e.g. Arial, Verdana, etc.)

Hardware The physical equipment of a computer system (the CPU (central processing unit),
monitor, keyboard,  mouse, external speakers, scanner, printer, etc.)

Hit A visit to a website.

Home page The main page or opening page of a website. The home page usually contains
links to other pages.

WORD MEANING

Modem A device that enables a computer to send and receive information over a telephone
line (internet, email, fax).

Netiquette Network etiquette : a set of informal rules defining proper behaviour on the
internet.

Portal A website that acts as a gateway or entry point to the internet (for example,
Yahoo). Typically, a portal offers a search engine and links to other sites grouped
into categories, as well as news or other services.

Program A sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute in order to do
a particular job.  Programs are collectively referred to as 'software'.
Provider Company that provides access to the internet.

Scannar A piece of hardware, or peripheral device, used to scan a document and create a
digital copy.

Screenshot An image of what is displayed on the screen of a computer or mobile device.

Software A collection of programs and other operating information used by a computer.

Spam Unwanted, irrelevant or inappropriate e-mail messages, especially commercial

advertising. Also referred to as 'junkmail'.

Spyware Software that collects information, without your knowledge, about your web-
surfing habits, and uses it for marketing purposes. Very often contained in free
downloads or shareware programs.

Trojan A computer program that is hidden in a useful software application and actually
used to gain access to your computer. It then performs malicious actions such as
displaying messages or erasing files.Trojans may be found in a hacked legitimate
program or in free software.

Video conference Interactive, audiovisual meeting between two or more people in different
geographic locations using two-way video technology.

Virus A malicious self-replicating program that spreads by inserting copies of itself into
other executable code or documents, and whose sole intent is to cause problems
on a computer. It acts in a similar way to a biological virus, and the infected file is
called a 'host'.

Worm A self-replicating computer program, similar to a computer virus. It infects

additional computers (typically by making use of network connections), often
clogging networks and information systems as it spreads.

wysiwyg What you see is what you get (pronounced ' wizzy-wig').

A WYSIWYG application enables you to see on the screen exactly what will
appear when the document is printed.

www World Wide Web : a hypertext information system consisting of a network of web

pages which runs on the internet and can be accessed with a browser.

Zip To zip a file is to compress it so that it occupies less storage space and can be
transferred quickly over the internet.

WORD MEANING
Assessment Evaluation of one's abilities

Background Education - qualifications - experience

Bonus Additional payment to an employee as an incentive or reward.

Curriculum vitae Summary of one's education and experience to date; resume.

Dismiss Discharge from employment (also: to fire, to sack, to let go).

Employee Person who works for a firm or company.

Employer Person or firm who employs people.

Fire To dismiss from a job.

Fringe benefits Advantages offered in addition to salary (life insurance, retirement scheme,
company car, etc.). Also called 'perks', abbreviation for 'perquisites'.

Hire Employ or take on personnel in a company.

Interview Oral examination of a candidate for employment.

Make redundant Dismiss for economic reasons.

Maternity leave Period of absence for a female employee when giving birth a baby.

Notice Advance warning of intention to leave one's job - to give or hand in one's
resignation.

Personnel People who work for a firm or company (employees).

Personnel officer Manager responsible for recruitment, training and welfare of personnel
(employees).

Promotion Advancement in rank or position in a company.

Prospects Opportunities for success or promotion in a career.

Recruit Look for and hire personnel.

Resign Leave a job voluntariily.

Retire Leave employment because of age, typically on reaching the normal age for
leaving service.

Sick leave Absence because of illness - to be on sick leave.

Staff People who work for a firm or department; employees.

Strength Strong characteristic or particular ability.

Strike To go on strike : to stop working in protest against something.

Take on Employ or hire.

Trainee Person being trained for a job e.g. a trainee salesman.

Training course A course of study to prepare for a job e.g. a computer course.

Unemployment Payments made by the state to an unemployed person.

benefits

Vacancy A position to be filled in a company or firm.

Weakness A lack of ability or a shortcoming in character.

WORD MEANING

Bid The price a buyer is willing to offer for shares in a company.

Blue Chip Stocks Stocks of leading companies with a reputation for stable growth and earnings.

Bond Certificate issued by companies and governments to their lenders.

Business angel Wealthy person who invests their money in start-ups in return for a percentage
ownership. Also called 'investor angels' or 'angel investors'.

Capital Money and other property of companies used in transacting the business.

Capital stock All shares representing ownership of a company.

Commodities Products such as agricultural products and natural resources (wood, oil and
metals) that are traded on a separate, authorised commodities exchange.

Dividend A portion of a company's earnings which is paid to the shareholders/stockholders

on a quarterly or annual basis.
Equity The value of stocks and shares; the net value of mortgaged property.

Equities Stocks and shares which represent a portion of the capital of a company.

Futures Contracts to buy or sell securities at a future date.

Insider A person who has access to inside information concerning the company.

Insider dealing / Buying or selling with the help of information known only to those connected
trading with the business.

IPO Initial Public Offering - selling part of a company on the stock market.

Issue Put into circulation a number of a company's shares for sale.

Liabilities The debts and obligations of a company or an individual.

Mortgage Agreement by which a bank or building society lends money for the purchase of
property, such as a house or apartment. The property is the security for the loan.

Mutual fund Savings fund that uses cash from a pool of savers to buy securities such as stock,
bonds or real estate.

Option The right to buy and sell certain securities at a specified price and period of time.

Par value Nominal face value.

Penny stock Shares selling at less than $1 a share.

Portfolio Various types of securities held by an individual or institution.

Securities Transferable certificates showing ownership of stocks, bonds, shares, options, etc.

Share The capital of a company is divided into shares which entitle the owner, or
shareholder, to a proportion of the profits.

Share certificate Certificate representing the number of shares owned by an investor.

Shareholder Owner of shares.

Speculator Someone who buys and sells stocks and shares in the hope of making a profit
through changes in their value.

Stock Shares (portion of the capital of a business company) held by an investor.

Stockbroker A licensed professional who buys and sells stocks and shares for clients in
exchange for a fee called a 'commission'.

Stockholder Person who owns stocks and shares.

Trader Investor who holds stocks and securities for a short time (minutes, hours or days)
with the objective of making profit from short-term gains in the market.
Investment is generally based on stock price rather than on an evaluation of the
company.

Trading session Period during which the Stock Exchange is open for trading.

Venture capital Money raised by companies to finance new ventures in exchange for percentage
ownership.

Yield Return on investment shown as a percentage.

WORD MEANING

After sales service Service that continues after the sale of a product (maintenance, etc.)

Agent Person or company that acts for another and provides a specified service.

B2B e-commerce Business to business e-commerce:

use of commercial networks, online product catalogues and other online resources
to obtain better prices and reach new customers.

B2C e-commerce Business to consumer e-commerce:

online sale of goods and services directly to consumers.

Benchmarking Comparing one's products to those of competitors in order to improve quality and
performance.

Buyer 1) Any person who makes a purchase.

2) A person employed to choose and buy stock for a company.

Cash refund offer Offer to pay back the purchase price of a product to customers who are not
satisfied and send a "proof of purchase" to the manufacturer.

Chain store Two or more shops or outlets that have the same owner and sell similar lines of
merchandise.

Client A person who buys services or advice from a lawyer, an accountant or other
professional.
Close Finalise or conclude a sale or deal.

Convenience store Small shop located near a residential area that opens long hours, seven days a
week.

Coupon A voucher offering a discount to customers when they purchase a specific

product.

Deal A business transaction.

Department store A large shop or store that carries a wide variety of product lines.

Direct investment Entering a foreign market by setting up assembly or manufacturing facilities in

that country.

Discount A reduction in price.

E-commerce Buying and selling on the Internet.

E-marketing Promoting products and services over the Internet.

Extranet Network that connects a company with its suppliers and distributors.

Follow-up Maintain contact after the sale to ensure customer satisfaction.

Franchise Association between a manufacturer or wholesaler (franchiser) and an

independent business person (franchisee) who buys the right to own and operate a
unit in the franchise system.

Guarantee A promise that the product will be repaired or replaced if faulty.

Intranet A network that connects people to each other within a company.

Joint venture A way of entering a foreign market by joining with a foreign company to
manufacture or market a product or service.

Market leader The company with the largest market share in an industry.

Mark up Percentage of the price added to the cost to reach a selling price.

Opinion leader Person with a reference, who, because of competence, knowledge, or other
characteristics, exerts influence on others.

Packaging Designing and producing the container or wrapper for a product.

Product line A group of products that are closely related.

Prespect A potential customer.

Representative A person who represents and sells for a company.

Retail To sell in small quantities, as in a shop, directly to customers.

Shopping centre Group  or complex of shops with a common area for cars to park.

Telephone Using the telephone to sell directly to customers.

marketing

Trade fair An exhibition at which companies in a specific industry can show or demonstrate
their products.

Viral marketing The Internet version of word-of-mouth marketing: email messages that customers
pass on to friends.

Wholesale To sell goods in large quantities at low prices to those buying for resale (e.g. a
shop) or for business use.

WORD MEANING

A.G.M. Annual General Meeting

Absentee Person not at the meeting, not present.

Agenda Written list of points to be discussed at a meeting.

Alternative Choice of two or more possibilities.

Attendee Participant or person attending a meeting.

Ballot System of secret voting: voters place their ballot-papers in a ballot-box.

Casting vote Deciding vote, usually by the Chairman, when votes are in equal number.

Chairman The person who conducts the meeting.

Chairperson

Clarify Make something clearer by giving more information.

Conference Formal meeting for discussion or exchange of views among people with a shared
 interest. A conference typically lasts several days. (Example: a conference on
climate change).

Conference call Telephone call linking three or more people in different places so that they can
communicate simultaneously.

Consensus General agreement.

Deadline Future date by which something must be done.

Decision Reach a conclusion or resolution concerning future action.

I-conference A meeting or discussion between two or more people via the Internet.

Interrupt Stop a person who is speaking in order to say or do something.

Item A separate point for discussion on an agenda.

Main point What is most essential.

Minutes A written summary of the proceedings at a meeting.

Objective What is aimed at, what one wants to achieve or obtain.

Point out Draw attention to something e.g. point out an increase in demand.

Proposal A course of action put forward for consideration: to make a proposal.

Proxy vote A vote cast by one person for another.

Recommend Advise a course of action: to make a recommendation.

Show of hands Raised hands to express agreement or disagreement in a vote.

Summary A brief statement of the main points.

Task A piece of work to be done: to assign a task to someone.

Unanimous In complete agreement.

Video conference Conference linking people in different locations by satellite, TV, etc.

Vote Express one's agreement or disagreement: to cast a vote.

A.T.M. Automated Teller Machine; cash dispenser 

Banknote Piece of paper money.

Bitcoin Digital currency which allows payments to be sent from one party to another
without going through a financial institution.

Borrow Obtain money which must be returned or reimbursed.

Broke To have no money.

(be broke)

Budget Amount of money available or needed for a specific use.

Cash Coins or bank notes (not cheques); actual money paid, not credit.

Cash dispenser Automatic machine from which a bank customer can withdraw money.

Cashier A person dealing with cash transactions in a bank, shop, etc.

Cheque Written order, on a specially printed form, to a pay the stated amount from one's
(US: check) bank account.

Coin A piece of metal, with an official stamp, used as money.

Currency The money used in a country.

Debt Money owed by one person to another

Deposit Sum of money payable as a first instalment on a purchase;

Money placed in an account in a bank.

Donate Give money, especially to charity:  make a donation.

Exchange rate The rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another.

Fee Payment made to a professional person (doctor, lawyer, etc.).

Instalment A sum of money due as one of several equal payments to be made over an agreed
period of time.

Interest Money paid for borrowing or investing money.

Invest To put money into a business, property, etc. in order to earn interest or profit.
Legal tender Currency that cannot legally be refused as payment.

Lend Give or allow the use of money which must be returned, usually with interest.

Loan Sum of money that is borrowed and is expected to be paid back with interest.

Owe To be in debt to someone: to owe money to somebody.

Petty cash Small amount of cash kept available by a company or firm for everyday expenses.

Receipt Written statement that money has been paid for something.

Refund Pay back money received;; reimburse.

Tip Small sum of money given to a waiter, taxi driver, etc.

Withdraw Take money from a bank account.

WORD MEANING

Agent Person or company that acts for another and provides a specified service.

Agreement Arrangement between two or more people or companies.

Bargain price Reduced price.

Bedrock price Lowest possible price.

Commitment Engagement or undertaking: to commit oneself.

Compromise Each party gives up certain demands in order to reach an agreement.

Condition A stipulation or requirement which must be fulfilled.

Contract Written agreement between two or more parties.

Counter-offer Offer made in response to an offer by the other party.

Counter- Having the opposite effect to that intended.

productive

Deal A business transaction.

Discount Reduction in price.

Estimate Approximate calculation of the cost.

Facilities Equipment (for example, parking facilities).

Feasible Possible, something that can be done.

Figure out Find a solution; calculate or estimate the cost.

Know-how Practical knowledge or skill.

Joint venture A way of entering a foreign market by joining with a foreign company to
manufacture or market a product or service.

Negotiate Discuss a business deal in order to reach an agreement.

Point out Draw attention to something (for example, the advantages of your proposal).

Proposal Course of action, or plan, put forward for consideration: to make a proposal.

Quote Give an estimated price (a quotation).

Range A selection of products sold by a company.

Rebate Reduction or discount.

Supply Provide customers with goods or services.

Supplier Person or company that supplies goods or services.

Tender A written offer to execute work or supply goods at a fixed price.

Turnkey Equipment ready for use or operation (for example, a plant or factory).

Underestimate Make too low an estimate of something (cost, danger, difficulty).

Work out Calculate (the price of something); find a solution.

WORD MEANING

Audience Group of listeners or spectators.

body language Communication through facial expressions, body movements, etc.

Chart Sheet of information in the form of a table, graph or diagram.

Diagram Graphic representation of a situation e.g. the results of an action.

Flip chart Pad of large paper sheets on a stand for presenting information.

Graph Diagram showing the relation between variable quantities.

Guidelines Advice or instructions given in order to guide or direct an action.

Handout Written information (report etc.) given to people at a presentation.

Key point Essential or main point.

Marker Pen with felt tip used for writing on a whiteboard.

Microphone Electrical instrument used to amplify the speaker's voice.

O.H.T. Overhead transparency : sheet of film with an image or printed information for

overhead projector.

Objective What one wants to achieve; one's aim

Outline Brief description or presentation.

Overhead Device that projects a transparency onto a screen or wall.

projector

Overview Short presentation of the main points.

Pointer Rod or stick used to indicate things on a map, screen, etc.

Screen Flat, reflective blank surface on which films, slides, etc. are projected.

Signposting Phrases used to help focus the audience's attention on different parts of a
language presentation.

Slide Small photographic transparency.

Summarise Make a summary of the essential points; sum up.

Topic Subject of a discussion or talk.

Transparency Image or information printed on transparent plastic or film.

Visual aids Aids such as charts, slides, etc. used at a presentation.

Whiteboard Flat white board on which to write or draw with markers.

PRESENTATIONS - USEFUL PHRASES 

Useful phrases and keywords for presentations.

Preparation is essential for an effective presentation.

When giving a presentation, certain keywords are used to signpost the different stages.
It's a good idea to memorise them and practise using them, so that they come to mind easily
during a presentation.

USEFUL PHRASES FOR PRESENTATIONS

Starting the presentation Good morning/Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen

• The topic of my presentation today is ...
• What I'm going to talk about today is ...

Why you are giving • The purpose of this presentation is ...

this presentation • This is important because ...
• My objective is to ...
• The main goal today is to ...

Stating the main points The main points I will be talking about are :
 ◊ Firstly,
◊ Secondly,
◊ Next,
◊ Finally ... we're going to look at ...

Introducing the first point • Let's start / begin with ...

Showing graphics, • I'd like to illustrate this by showing you ...

transparencies, slides, etc. • This chart shows a breakdown of ...

Moving to the next point • Now let's move on to ...

• This brings us to the next topic which is ...

Giving more details • I'd like to expand on this aspect/problem/point ...

• Let me elaborate on that.
• Would you like me to expand on/elaborate on that?

Changing to a • I'd like to turn to something completely different ...

different topic • Let's now turn our attention to ...
• The next important element is…

Referring to something • I'd like to digress here for a moment and just mention ...
which is off the topic • I might mention here that ...

Referring back to • Let me go back to what I said earlier about ...

an earlier point • This relates to what I was saying earlier about…

Summing up • I'd like to recap the main points of my presentation:

the main points ◊ First I covered ...
◊ Then we talked about ...
◊ Finally we looked at ...

• I'd now like to sum up the main points which were :

◊ First ...
◊ Second,
◊ Third,

Conclusion • I'm going to conclude by ...

 ◊ First ...
◊ Second,
◊ Third,

• In conclusion, let me ...

◊ First ...
◊ Second,
◊ Third,

Questions • Now I'd like to invite any questions you may have.
• Do you have any questions?

TRANSITIONAL PHRASES
Transitional phrases for meetings and presentations.

TRANSITIONAL PHRASES

Transitional phrases help move smoothly from one point to the next in meetings, or through the
main parts of a presentation, making a meeting or presentation flow more logically and clearly.
These words and phrases are also called "signpost language".
They tell the listener what has just happened and what is going to happen next.
They link one idea to another, introduce new elements or present more options.
They clarify some issues, expand on certain points, remind listeners of important details.
Generally speaking, they guide the listener through a meeting or presentation and help them
make comparisons and/or draw conclusions.

1.  We are here to discuss / to talk about /to learn more about ...
2.  
3.  The first thing to remember is …
4.  It must be remembered that …
5.  On the positive / negative side …
6.  Another key point to note is …
7.  A major concern is …
8.  A point often overlooked is …
9.  A significant issue this year is …
10.  For one thing …
11.  As an illustration, let me show you …
12.  This chart shows a breakdown of ...
13.  To give you an example, ...
14.  Let me expand on that point …
15.  By that I mean …
16.  Translated into real terms this means ...
17.  To put it differently / to put it another way …
 18.  In other words, what we need to do is ...
19.  The significance of this is...
20.  Simply put, that means ...
21.  So what I'm saying is ...
22.  This relates to what I was saying earlier about…
23.  Let's consider this (point/aspect/possibility) in more detail...
24.  I’d like to elaborate on that.
25.  With this in mind let’s look at …
26.  Keeping these points in mind let's turn to …
27.  Now that we understand…
28.  It’s important to realize that …
29.  There is no doubt whatsoever that…
30.  For this reason we must …
31.  Moving on to our next area of interest…
32.  This brings us to the next topic (on the agenda) which is ...
33.  We’re pushed for time, so let’s discuss….
34.  The next area I'd like to focus on is ...
35.  Let's turn our attention to ...
36.  The next important element is…
37.  Before we end the meeting, I’d like to summarise the main points …
38.  If I can just sum up the main points...
39.  Let me remind you of the points we've covered ...
40.  To recapitulate / to sum up/ in conclusion …

GRAPHS - CHARTS
The meaning of words relating to statistics, results and trends.

Graphs and charts are often used to present information and data.
Below you will find useful phrases and vocabulary for presenting figures and trends.

   

Presenting Visuals -  useful phrases and vocabulary:

 As you will see from this graph ...
I'd like to show you this chart on which you will see ...
Let me draw your attention to this part of the graph.
Let's look more closely at this month's figures.
This figure refers to the sales in China only.
This pie chart shows our share of the European market today.
As you can see, our main competitor has an even bigger share.
The bar chart represents sales in our Asian outlets.
Here you can see a comparison between ...
On the line graph you will note :

o a strong upward trend in the sales of product A ...

despite occasional fluctuations ...
with a slight drop during the holiday season ...
with occasional variations due to ...

o the overall performance of product B is good.

The initial surge in sales was followed by a period of slower growth in the
second half of the year.
The instant success of the product was followed by a period of stability in
the level of sales.

Commenting trends - useful phrases:

Increases :
o a slight/constant/marked/substantial/increase in sales
o an increase of about/roughly/approximately/in the region of ... %
o a little over/above what we predicted
o the recovery/upturn began in (month)
o an overall increase in ...
o an upward trend in the demand for ...
o sales reached record levels / reached a peak in (month)
o a strong surge in the sales of ...
o by (month), the figure had risen to ...
o we predict that sales will soar in the coming year / over the next ... months

Decreases :
o just under our target
o way below our expectations
o a slight / notable / significant decrease in ...
o the downturn began in (month)
o the situation began to deteriorate in (month)
 o the number has continued to fall

Fluctuations :
o a slow start developed into steady progress in sales
o an initial upward trend was followed by ...
o we note slight fluctuations through the year
o normal seasonal variations are the cause of occasional downward trends
o sales have been (rather) irregular
o the level / the rate has been unstable since ...
o you will note a certain instability in the rate of ...

Conclusions - useful phrases:

We must focus our attention on ...

What I suggest is ...
There is a necessity for ...
We need more ...
We have no choice but to ...
Appropriate measures must be taken
The only option we have is to ...
These changes are inevitable.
We will have to revise our estimation.
The result / outcome will be ...
I strongly recommend ...
To conclude, I am happy / I regret to announce that ...

INTERVIEW  QUESTIONS
Preparation for an interview.

Preparation for an interview is essential.

The list of questions below is designed to serve as a guide so that you are not taken by surprise.

Before the interview :

 Prepare and practise giving responses to the questions without trying to memorise them.
  Find out as much as possible about the company as well as the position you are interested in.
 Remember to take an extra copy of your CV/résumé with you so that the employer can refer to it.

30 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Tell me about yourself.

2 How would you describe yourself? (character/personality)

3 Are you married? Single? Do you have partner?

4 What are your strengths / weaknesses?

5 What do you do in your free time?

What are your hobbies? / Do you have any hobbies?

6 Why are you interested in working for our company?

Why do you want to work for this company?

7 What type of position do you think you are suited for / would suit you?

8 How would you describe the position we have to offer?

9 What aspects of the position are you most / least interested in?

10 What would you like to find in this job that you didn't have in your previous job?

11 How do you think you could develop the position?

What would be your strategy to develop the position?

12 What have you got to offer us?

What could you contribute to our company?

13 What do you think you gained by working in your last job?

14 What were you responsible for?

 What did your job involve?

15 What do you think of your (last) boss?

16 Why do you want to leave your present job?

Why do you want to change jobs?

17 What are your salary requirements?

How much would you hope to earn in this position?
How much do you think you should be offered for this position?
What salary would you expect (to be offered) for this position?

18 Have you received any offers of a job?

19 Why have you had to look for a job for so long?

Why have you been looking for a job for so long?
Why did it take you so long to find a new job?

20 How do your feel about your future in the profession?

21 What failures have you had?

Have you had any negative experiences?

22 What sort of obstacles have you come across / encountered in your work?

23 If you had to recruit colleagues, what qualities would you look for?

24 Would you be willing to relocate/to move to another part of the country/to work abroad?

25 Don't you think you have too much experience / you are over-qualified for this job?

26 How long do you think you would stay with us?

If we offered you this job, how long would you expect to stay with us?

27 Which do you prefer : to work alone or in a team?

Do you prefer working alone or with other people as part of a team?
 28 Do you know how to manage a team?
Are you capable of leading a team?
Do you think you have the ability to be a team leader?

29 Why should I recruit you?

How could you persuade me to recruit me?

30 Do you have any comments to make, or any questions to ask?

INTERVIEWS - DESCRIBING YOURSELF

Phrases to help you describe yourself, your qualities and experience at a job
interview.

When a candidate applies for a job, he/she hopes to be called for an interview.
During the interview he/she will generally be asked to describe themselves, their qualities and
their experience.
This can also be a chance to highlight experiences and specific opportunities.

Sample interview questions:

How would you describe yourself?

What can you tell us about yourself?
What have you got to offer us?
Why do you think you are suitable for the position?

It is important to prepare your own responses to the above questions.

Make sure to focus on the qualities that make you an ideal match for the job or the company.

Here are some phrases that will help you describe yourself, your experience and your qualities.
Based on these examples you can prepare your own responses.

1.  I have worked for over six years as a waitress / teacher / in retail / in the paper
industry…
2.  I am presently working for Brown and Thompson as a project manager.
3.  I am very interested in your company and this job.
4.  I’m really impressed by the quality of your products/services.
5.  I want to further my skills / my career in (accounting, marketing, events
management…).
6.  My biggest strength is that I perform well under pressure.
7.  I am capable of working without supervision.
 8.  I’m used to working in a busy environment.
9.  I’m trustworthy and able to handle confidential information / confidential matters.
10.  I’ve got good organisational skills.
11.  Paying attention to all the details of a project is important to me.
12.  I make sure that each task is completed according to schedule.
13.  I can handle multiple projects simultaneously. / I’m good at multitasking.
14.  I enjoy meeting and working with a lot of different people
15.  I like working in an international environment.
16.  I speak two foreign languages ( …… and …... )
17.  I want to take on more responsibility.
18.  I’m hard-working and regularly sets firm goals for myself.
19.  I’m known for being able to solve problems quickly.
20.  I take time to evaluate difficult situations and decide the best way to deal with them.
21.  I have excellent computer skills / communication skills.
22.  Working in a team with a collaborative spirit is important to me.
23.  My ability to anticipate problems and explore alternative solutions has made me a
good team leader.
24.  My experience in a similar field makes me a good match for this position.
25.  I feel my profile is a perfect fit for your team and I can contribute by…

Since "practice makes perfect", it's a good idea to role-play the interview.
If possible, find an English-speaking friend who can act as the interviewer and ask you sample
interview questions.
Try to speak slowly and clearly during the role play.
A mock interview can help you formulate (or reformulate) answers that you have carefully
prepared.
As a result, you should feel less nervous when the time comes for a real job interview.

Here is a list of common acronyms used in business:

ACRONY MEANING EXAMPLE
M
AGM Annual General "Last year's activities and accounts will be discussed at
Meetiing the AGM."

B2B Business to business "Here's an interesting article on B2B commerce."

(sells things to other
businesses)

B2C Business to consumer "We are thinking of re-entering the B2C market."

(sells things to the
general public)

CEO Chief Executive "Mr. Brown reports directly to the CEO."

Officer
(most important job in
a company)

CFO Chief Financial "The CFO is attending a meeting on cost reduction."

Officer
(in charge of the
company's finances)

CPA Certified public "A CPA deals with our income tax returns."

accountant
(qualified accountant)

CTO Chief technology "The town's CTO declared that all schools would have new
officer computer systems next year."
(in charge of computer
systems)

COB/EOB Close of business / "I need an estimate by tomorrow COB." (or EOB)

End of business

COD Cash on delivery "You don't have to pay now - it's COD."

N/A Non-applicable "The information requested does not apply."

NDA Non-disclosure "All those present will be asked to sign an NDA."

agreement
(agree not to reveal
information)

OT Overtime "No OT will be approved this month."

 (working extra hours)

PR Public relations "The PR department is planning a press conference."

ROI Return on investment "Investors always hope for a high ROI."

RSVP Repondez s'il vous "RSVP to Julie before the end of the month."
plait

TBA To be announced "Details of the agreement are TBA."

TBD To be determined "An appropriate course of action is TBD."

VAT Value added tax "It costs 1500€, VAT included."

YTD Year to date "What are our YTD sales figures?"

UNFINISHED SENTENCES - Business and Work

What I would like to change in my office is .........................................................

The most important quality for a manager is .......................................................

If I were transferred abroad, the country I would prefer to be sent to is ..............

If I could change the way my company was run, I would ....................................

What I would like to find in an airport is ...............................................................

I would like to have an opportunity to ..................................................................

Every employee should know ..............................................................................

Every manager should be able to ........................................................................

Work would be more fun if ...................................................................................

The best way to relax after a tiring day is ............................................................

Appearance is important at work but ...................................................................

Candidates nowadays should ..............................................................................

The thing that irritates me most in my company is ................................................

If I had the time I would ........................................................................................

It would be a good idea if all companies ..............................................................

Travelling is tiring but .........................................................................................

If I had to attend fewer meetings I could ...............................................................

If I were sent to work in another country, what I would miss most is ....................

The ideal retirement system would be ..................................................................

What's nice about learning English is ...................................................................

I like people who .................................................................................................

When I travel I generally .....................................................................................

The most interesting people I know are ..............................................................

If I live to be 100 I will .........................................................................................

In my spare time I ................................................................................................

What I regret most is ............................................................................................

What is essential for me on holiday is .................................................................

I have never had the opportunity to .....................................................................

What is missing in airports is ...............................................................................

The best way to relax is .......................................................................................

I am often disappointed by ..................................................................................

The thing that irritates me most is ........................................................................

If I had the time I would ........................................................................................

It would be a good idea if .....................................................................................

I'll never forget the day when ...............................................................................

Some people act as if ..........................................................................................

Life can be more fun when ..................................................................................

People should stop ..............................................................................................

Appearance is important, but in my opinion .........................................................

What's nice about learning English is ..................................................................

Money isn't everything but ..................................................................................

Everyone should know how to .............................................................................

Journalists should not be allowed to ...................................................................

A lot of stress today is due to ...............................................................................

Many women nowadays are ................................................................................

A lot of violence in the world is caused by ..........................................................

If everyone earned the same salary ....................................................................

Life would be easier if .........................................................................................

We can often tell people's characters by .............................................................

Qualifications are important but ..........................................................................

If it were possible to speak one's mind at all times .............................................

Sometimes I wish young people would ...............................................................

It takes a lot of courage to ...................................................................................

A lot of people waste time by ..............................................................................

The country that fascinates me most is ................................................................

If I could go back in time I would ........................................................................

If I could change one thing in the world I would .................................................

If I were only allowed a computer, a telephone OR a car, I would choose .........

If I were transferred abroad, what I would miss most is ........................................

If I had the time I would ......................................................................................

CONVERSATION TOPICS - Business English

A list of conversation topics suitable for students of Business English.

♦Note:
  It's a good idea to pre-teach essential vocabulary before beginning a
discussion.
  This will help students feel more comfortable and encourage them to
participate.

CONVERSATION TOPICS - BUSINESS

 Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

1. It doesn't matter whether you enjoy your job or not as long as it's a well-paid job.

2. Self-employment is more stimulating than working for a large organisation.

3. Social networks have rapidly become communication tools for many companies.
They will be further developed for business in the future.

4. Innovation is different from invention.

5. In the future most companies will be online companies.

There will be fewer offices and more call centres.

6. Anyone who has contact with a customer is a salesperson - and that includes the
person who answers the phone!

7. Small companies can adapt more quickly to changes in the market place than
large corporations.

8. Companies become more efficient as they grow in size.

9. More time is wasted during meetings than during any other business activity.

10. It is impossible to have a successful career and a happy family life.

You have to choose one or the other.
11. It is impossible for young people to find a (good) job today without help from
someone.

12. Qualifications are more important today than ever before.

13. A successful salesperson knows the strengths and weaknesses of competing

products.

14. Small companies cannot offer employees opportunities for promotion.

15. There is more creativity in multinational companies than in small firms.

16. Some companies do not adhere to proper rules of conduct.

17. It is dishonest for companies to avoid paying income tax in the countries where they
are established.

18. Men and women are not always treated equally in the workplace.
Women often face discrimination.

19. Whenever possible, employees should be allowed to choose their own working
hours.
 20. Technology has changed business methods to the detriment of human relations.

CONVERSATION TOPICS - Intermediate level

1. What is for you the most enjoyable type of holiday?

(camping, hotel, club, rented accommodation, touring, sports activities, etc.)
List 5 things not to forget when you go on holiday.

2. Describe your favourite pastime/hobby.

- Why is it so enjoyable?
- When did you take it up?
- How often do you do it? etc...

3. Annoying habits
- Can you think of some things that annoy you?
- What annoys you on public transport?
- Do some drivers have annoying habits?
- Does snoring annoy you?
- Do children or young people do things that annoy adults?

4. What are the 5 most important decisions in a person's life?

After making suggestions, the group decides on the order of importance.

5. Who is the greatest? (Ask students to add to the list.)

- Who is/was the greatest leader in the world?
- Who is/was the greatest athlete of all time?
- What is/was the greatest movie you ever saw?
- Who is/was the greatest inventor of all time?

6. Your experiences in life

- What is the best idea you hav ever had?
- What is your biggest stroke of luck?
- What if the best / the worst piece of advice you ever received?
- What achievement are you most proud of?
- What initiative would you never take again?

7. Environment
- What are some of the most serious environmental problems?
- What are the causes of pollution?
- What are the causes of climate change?
- Suggest ten things people can do to help the environment.
- Suggest five things governments could do to help the environment.

8. Television
- How often do you watch television?
- What do you think of the quality of television programmes today?
 - What television programs are popular in your country?
- Is watching television good for children? Why? Why not?
- What would be your ideal TV show?

9. Fake news
- Have you ever heard of fake news (fabricated news)?
- Where do we most often find fake news?
(newspapers, social media, show business ...)
- What examples of fake news can you think of?

10. Are people becoming telephone addicts?

- Could you live without a telephone?
- What would happen if our telephones no longer worked?

11. Why are social networks so popular nowadays?

- What are the positive/negative effects?
- Are social networks sometimes used for bad purposes?
- What bad purposes can you think of? (harassment, fake news ...)
- What advice would you give to people about social networks?
12. Do you think actors, singers, sportsmen, etc. earn too much money?
- Why/why not?

13. Manners and politeness

- What do you think are some good/bad manners?
- Can good manners in one country be bad manners in another country?
- What are some good manners for using a mobile/cell phone?
- Why are manners important?
- Do people have better manners now than before?

14. Under what circumstances would you :

- walk out of a restaurant?
- refuse a taxi?
- call the manager of a hotel?
- sleep in a train/bus station?
- wear casual clothes to work?

15. If you won a lot of money, what would you do?

Would you :
- keep it a secret?
- stop working?
- go shopping?
- buy a new house?
- travel around the world?
- give money to your family/friends?
- give money to charity?
 16. What is a good job? (Ask students to add to the list.)
- an interesting job?
- a well-paid job?
- a secure job?
- good working conditions?

17. If you had to move to another country because of your job (or your partner's job),
- what country would you prefer if you had a choice?
- what would you miss most?
- what would be the most important for you?

18. What have been the most important new stories in the last year?
- Are certain events given too much/too little coverage?
- Do you trust everything you read, hear or see on the news?

19. Travel
- What country would you most like to visit?
- Is there a place you would never visit again?
- If you were only allowed to take five things to an unknown destination, what would you
take?

20. Food
- What country has the best cuisine?
- What is your favourite food?
- What is the worst thing you’ve ever tasted?
- Do you worry about the safety of the food you eat?
- Do you buy organic food?

21. Equality men/women

- Are men and women always treated equally?
- Is it the same in all countries?
- Do women often face discrimination at work?

22. If .......... , what would you do?

- If your house caught fire, what three things would you save before running outside?
- If you could be another person for one day, who would you choose to be?
- If you could be invisible for one day, what would like to do?
- If you could live without sleeping, how would you spend your nights?
- If you could change ONE thing in the world, what would it be?

CONVERSATION TOPICS - ADVANCED LEVEL

1. Rich world, poor world

o What kind of aid should the governments of rich countries give to poor countries?
 (money - food - medicine - machinery/equipent - hospitals - schools - training ...)

o Do you think all citizens should be encouraged to do voluntary service overseas

so as to understand the problems of poorer countries?
o Are the poor poor because they lack opportunities or because they are lazy? What
reasons can you think of?
o Is it right for rich countries to have strict immigration controls?

2. Fake news
Fake news (fabricated news) is the deliberate spread of misinformation. Sensationalist,
dishonest or outright fabricated headlines are often used to increase readership.
o Do you agree with the above definition?
o Where do we most often find fake news? (newspapers, social media ...)
o What sort of fake news can you think of? (politics, show business...)
o How can we tell if a news story is ‘fake’ or not? (checking sources, dates,
photos…)
o What is the purpose of the misinformation?
o Is fake news used in election campaigns?
o Have any countries recently been accused of spreading fake news?
o Can you think of ways to prevent the circulation of fake news?

3. Violence in the world today

o When you hear the word "violence", what do you think of?
o Is the world more violent today?
o Are there different sorts of violence? (physical / mental /psychological/domestic
…)
o What forms of violence have you noticed?
o Do people tend to be more violent when they group together? (gangs / mobs /
crowds…)
o In what areas is there an increase in the level of violence? (football, politics,
religion, environment …)
o What are the causes of violence? (jealousy, frustration, unemployment, poverty,
conspiracy theories, fake news …)
o What violent conflicts are going on around the world?
o Does the repetition of violent images in TV news reports have a positive or
negative effect?
o Does violence ever achieve anything?
o Is the increase in violence a worldwide phenomenon?
o What could be done to reduce violence?

4. What would you do if ...?

o If you were given the opportunity to be born again, what would you change in
your life?
o If you could have dinner with someone, dead or alive, who would you choose and
why?
 o If you always had to tell the truth, what kind of problems would you encounter?
o If you could live without sleeping, how would you spend your nights?
o If you were given a choice beween great wisdom or great wealth, which would
you choose?
o If you could live forever on earth, as it is now, would you? Why or why not?

5. Annoying things
o Do people have habits that annoy you?
o Do you annoy people with some of your habits?
o What does 'pet peeve' mean?
o Do you have a pet peeve?
o What annoys you when you are driving a car?
o What are some things that car drivers do that annoy you?
o Does it annoy you if someone cuts in front of you when you are waiting in line?
o Does smoking bother you?
o Does something that your parents or friends do annoy you?
o Do some people in your office/company do annoying things?
o Can you think of any celebrities that are annoying? Why?
o What do people do on public transport or on the street that annoys you?

6. Success-Failure
o How would you define success?
o Do you have the same idea of success as your parents?
o To what extent will your encourage your children to become successful?
o Do you think failures can contribute to a person's success?
o Can you think of any famous people who encountered failure before success?

7. Social Networking
o What is social networking?
o Can social networking sites be dangerous?
o What precautions would you advise people to take?
o Should the use of social networking sites be banned at work?
o Are social networking sites changing our daily behaviour?
o Is it possible to become a social networking addict?

8. Diseases
o What dangerous diseases are people scared of nowadays?
o Should we be better-informed about the dangers of these diseases?
o What is the best way to stop diseases from spreading?
o Do diseases have an effect on travel?
o Which disease is it urgent to find a cure for?

9. Manners
o Are good manners important?
o Do people have better manners today than before?
 o Can you give examples of what you think are good manners?
o What do you think are bad manners?
o Can good manners in one country be bad manners in another country?
o What about table manners? Can you give examples of some good table manners?
o How about bad table manners?
o Can manners affect your success in life? How?
o What's the best way to teach manners to children?
o What advice about manners would you give a foreigner visiting your country?

10. News coverage in the media today.

o Do you think news coverage today correctly describes what is going on in the
world?
o Do you trust everything you hear or see on the news?
o What improvements would you make?
o What is the most important current news story?
o Do certain types of events get too much/too little coverage?
o Do you trust the media? Are you sure the information given is always true?
o Is it important to keep up with current events?

11. Job interviews

o Is it necessary to prepare for a job interview?
o How can a person make a good first impression?
o Is there a recommended dress code for an interview?
o Can you think of any difficult questions one should be prepared for?
o Is there anything a candidate should avoid mentioning?
o Is it ok to make negative comments about your present employer?
o Is it ok for interviewers to ask questions about age, marital status, etc.?
o What information should a candidate have about the company?

12. Environment
o What are some of the most serious environmental problems today?
o Can you find ten things that each of us can do to help preserve our planet?
o What is your opinion on climate change?
o In what way will our children be affected by climate change?
o How can we make our homes more environmentally friendly?
o What can companies do to help preserve the environment?
o Which countries cause the most pollution?
o If we run out of oil, where will we get our energy from?

13. Shopping on the internet

o Do you often do your shopping online?
o What do you buy online? :
- food
 - clothes
- furniture
- services : airline tickets, theatre reservations, flowers, greeting cards ...
- other
o Are the prices the same as in the shops/agencies or less expensive?
o Have you ever had any disappointments or bad surprises?
o What are the advantages of shopping online?
o What are the dangers?
o What advice would you give future online shoppers?

14. Risk
o What is your definition of risk?
o Do you know any risk takers?
o In your opinion why do people take risks? (pleasure, work, challenge ...)
o What risks do you come across in your work/life?
o Are some people obliged to take risks in their jobs?
o When is a risk stupid or unnecessary?

15. Politicians' personal lives.

o Does a politician's personal life have an effect on their ability to do their job?
o Do you think the media pays too much attention to politicians' personal lives?
o Why do certain types of media give excessive coverage to minor offences?
o Information concerning personal lives circulates quickly on social networks.
Is this good or bad?

16. History for future generations.

o You are asked to select a number of objects to represent life at the beginning of
the 21st century.
The idea is to help future generations better understand how we lived and what
major events affected us.
What objects would your choose and why?

17. Technology
o What technology would it be difficult to live without today?
o Has technology changed our everyday lifestyle?
o What technology, if any, has made our homes more comfortable?
o Has technology changed education methods?
o Has technology changed the way we do business?
o Will online education one day replace the classroom?

18. Travelling has become easier and cheaper.  What has it changed in people's lives:
o speed, comfort, health, family relationships, etc.
o work/employment
o holiday habits
o way of life/standard of living in certain countries.
19. Describe the best or worst trip you ever took:
o Where did you go?
o Did you travel alone or with a group?
o What did you do / what had you intended to do?
o What made it your best (or worst) trip?
o What advice would you give someone planning the same sort of trip?

20. Work
o Do human beings need to work to be happy?
o What motivates people to work long hours?
o Can perks (or fringe benefits) compensate for a boring job?
o What are the advantages/disadvantages of working from home?
o How do people find a balance between work and personal life?
o What would make you leave your job?
o In your opinion, which jobs are most prestigious? Why?
o In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world?
o If you could start your own business, what would it be?

21. Is life today better than in the past? Think about the following:
o Education - employment - job satisfaction
o Health : prevention, treatment, new discoveries, social security, etc.
o Comfort : standard of living (housing/transport/leisure)
o Violence
o Social issues : single mothers, unmarried couples, homosexuality ...

22. Inventions
o What invention has had the greatest impact on our lives?
o Are there some things that never should have been invented?
o Do some countries encourage inventors more than others?

23. What are the 5 most important decisions in a person's life?

After making suggestions and defending their ideas, the group retains five of them and
decides on the order of importance.

24. It is impossible to have a successful career and a happy family life.

You have to choose one or the other. Do you agree?

25. Careers today: how to advise young people

o How important is it to have a good (well-paid/secure) job?
o What advice would you give a young person today?
o Would you encourage your children to accept a job in another country?
o Would you be disappointed if your children
 left school early?
 chose a manual job?
26. The internet is an essential communication tool in today's world.
o The first and most popular use is the email. What others can you think of?
o Has fraud increased since the arrival of the internet? How?
o Is the internet sometimes used for other dishonest purposes?
o What steps would you advise to protect data and privacy?
o What do you think the internet will be used for in the future?

27. Recent physical achievements (crossing the Atlantic, mountain climbing, etc.).

o How many can you think of?
o Which achievement was the most impressive?
o Are the world's best athletes present at the Olympic Games?
o What do you think of 'extreme' sports (bungee jumping, tightrope walking...)?

28. The effects of medical and scientific progress:

o health (prevention, treatment, organ transplants, rare diseases, etc.)
o beauty (plastic surgery, dental care, etc.)
o comfort in the home
o transport

29. Honesty - Truthfulness

o Is there a difference between honesty and truthfulness?
o Can you think of occasions when people are sometimes dishonest?
o What professions are sometimes accused of giving misleading information or
half-truths?
o Is dishonesty ever justifiable?
o Are there times when it might be better to give partial truth to someone

30. Politics
o What do you think is the most important political issue right now?
o Why do you think there are not more women in politics?
o What type of information - if any - should a government keep from its citizens?