INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF FINANCE

TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE

I. Starting a conversation

ISFT – 2024
Agenda:

 Part I: Speaking
 Useful tips for starting a conversation
 Listening task (Conversations)
 Activities
 Part II: Writing
 Planning and writing objectives
 What is EAP?
• English for Academic Purposes, or EAP for short,
is the English which is needed to study or
conduct research using that language. It is most
commonly associated with preparation for
undergraduate study, via short (4-12 week) pre-
sessional courses, i.e. ones which take place
before the study begins, though many other EAP
contexts exist, including courses to prepare
students for post-graduate study, longer courses
such as foundation year programmes, and courses
which take place at the same time as the study,
called in-sessional courses.
 A family tree of ELT
English Language
Teaching (ELT)
English as a second
English as a
language(ESL)
mother tongue
English as a foreign
(EMT)
language (EFL)

English for specific

puposes (ESP)
English for Academic
Purposes (EAP)
English for Occupational
Purposes (EOP) English for Specific
English for general Academic Purposes
Purposes (EGAP) (ESAP)
 Aspect EAP General English
Aims Meet the needs of particular learners Improve overall English
To study another subject in English, to enter
Reason for study Compulsory, or for interest
university

Course focus Needs driven, begins with learner and situation Level driven, begins with language

Time Short, fixed Extended, flexible

Stakes High stakes Low stakes

Main skills focus Reading and writing Listening and speaking

Text type and Interesting, conversational/social, topic based, not

Authentic, academic, genre based, explored fully
approach explored fully

Style of
Clarity, objectivity Self expression, creativity
expression

Role of teacher Equal Expert

Study skills, especially learner autonomy and

Learning skills None, or limited to language learning skills
critical thinking
 PART I. USEFUL TIPS
 Successful small talk is not about saying brilliant things. It's about commenting on
and asking about ordinary things with conviction, interest, and enthusiasm.
 Match the mood of your conversation partner. If they are smiling and cheerful, be
ready to laugh. If they seem serious, be serious too.
 Ask where your partner comes from and, when somebody asks you the same thing,
be ready to add something interesting about the place.
 Ask what your partner does and, when you're asked the same question, don't only
give a title. Add a small piece of interesting or amusing information about the job
or responsibility
 Listen to the conversations
Rec:1
1.
A: That was really interesting what the last speaker said about opening
1_______ in the Cayman Islands.
B: Yes, it was. So, what do you do 2)_______?
A: I'm an auditor, a forensic auditor.
B: Ah, urn, you're a forensic, urn, 3)______?
A: Yes, that’s 4)______.
B: Right, oh. I see. Look at the time! I must get to the next 5)________
 Listen to the conversations
2.
•C: Mmm, lovely coffee! I needed that. I just flew in from London very early
this 1)______. How did you get here?
•D: I came on the TGV train 2)______ Paris.
•C: Really? I've never been on the TGV. How long did that 3)______?
•D: Oh, about four hours. But I was able to have breakfast and do some
4) _______.
•C: That sounds nice. I must try it sometime. Marseille's really beautiful, isn't it?
• D: Yes, it is. Have you been here 5)______? If you haven't, you must…
 Listen to the conversations
3.
•E: ...I'm certainly looking forward to the dinner this 1)_______.
•F: I am too. Especially the fish. We don't have much fish where I 2)_____.
•E: Really? Where do you 3)_____ from then?
•F: Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It's in the mountains just near Munich. What about 4)_____?
•E: I'm from Cork in Ireland. The high street is supposed to have more pubs than any other
5) ______in Ireland.
•F: Really? I'm going there on a business trip soon to visit the Apple 6)______. I must see if I can
find time to 7) ______ some ..
 Listen to the conversations
4.
•G: ...and then I went jogging early this morning along by the 1)____. Fantastic sunrise coming up
over the 2) _____.
•H: Really? Sunrise, you 3)_____?
•G: Yes, amazing! Do you like jogging? You should try it, you know. It makes you feel really
great all day long. Just set the alarm for 5.30, jump out of bed and after you've been running for
about an hour or so, go back, have a 4)_______and —
•H: Sorry, but do you know where I can smoke? I think I want a cigarette before the next
presentation. Ah, that way? 5)______
• Look again at the conversation strategies outlined in Useful tips. Match
the conversations to the strategies they illustrate successfully or
unsuccessfully.
Conversation 1: A) Talk about ordinary things with
conviction and enthusiasm
Conversation 2: В) Match your mood to that of the
speaker.
Conversation 3: С )When saying where you come from,
add something interesting about the
place.

Conversation 4: D) When saying what your job is, add a

small piece of information about it as
well.
 Complete the sentences with words from the box.
looking from long been do means get lovely come isn't

1 Have y o u ........................here 8 Marseilles's really

before? beautiful, ........................ it?
2 M m m,...................... coffee! I 9 So, what do
needed that. you ........................exactly?
3 How did you...................... here? 10 Where do you ........................from
4 H o w ........................did that take? then?
5 I'm a forensic auditor, which ….
that I help banks make sure none of
their staff are doing anything illegal.
6 I’m certainly.................... forward
to dinner.
7 I’m …. Athens. It's a great place to
live.
 When starting a conversation, it is important to sound friendly and enthusiastic. Listen to
the speakers and decide whether they sound friendly or unfriendly.
• Rec.4
1 What do you do? Friendly Unfriendly
2 Where are you from? Friendly Unfriendly

3 How did you get there? Friendly Unfriendly

4 Have you been here before? Friendly Unfriendly

5 Paris is great, isn't it? Friendly Unfriendly

 PART II. WRITING
• Common objectives The following are all common reasons for
writing (whether in formal letters or in more informal memos
and emails.)
• To confirm I am writing to confirm our appointment on ...
• This is to confirm next week’s meeting at your offices.
• I would like to confirm the details of my order.
• To ask for confirmation(=verification)
Following our meeting yesterday, I would be
grateful if you could confirm the following
points.
• Please could you confirm the date of ...?
• To inform Please note that the office will be closed from ...
• I am writing to inform you that ...
• Please be informed that, due to restructuring, the Sales Dept
will...
• It has come to our notice/attention that ...
• Please be advised that the office will close from…
• I am writing to advise you that the office will close from ...
• To explain or clarify
• I am writing to explain the company's new procedure
concerning…
• In response to the questions in your letter of ..., I am writing
with further information.
• I would like to clarify our policy regarding ...
• In response to your recent inquiry, I hope that the following
information clarifies
• To reply to someone's request
• As you requested, I am enclosing ...
• As you suggested, I am sending you ...
• I answer to your inquiry, I ...
• As promised, I am sending you...
• To thank Thank you for your letter of February 15.
• I greatly appreciated your assistance during …
• To enclose something Please find enclosed the brochure you requested.
• Enclosed please find an order form.
• Enclosed is / are ... ;I am enclosing a ...; I have enclosed …
• To attach (=add) something
• Please find attached a route description.
• Attached please find this month's order.
• Attached is/are…
• To complain I am writing to complain about …
• To apologize Please accept our apologies for the delay.
• On behalf of the company, I would like to extend our sincerest apologies
for ...
• We were very sorry to hear about your recent problem with …
 Planning
• In your plan, aim to:
• - group your ideas logically;
• - keep your text relevant, and focused on your
objective;
• - avoid repetition.
 How to plan – the brainstorming approach
• 1. Decide on your objective - why are you writing? What information does the reader
need to know?
• 2. Consider your reader. Is your reader an expert in the subject, or will you have to
simplify technical language or concepts?
• 3. List everything you want to write - jot down your ideas as you think of them.
Then, decide which ideas are relevant and which ideas you can leave out.
• 4. Make a paragraph plan – order your ideas into logical paragraphs, and decide what
linking words/phrases you'll need such as "Firstly, secondly, finally" or "However",
or "In addition".
• 5. Write, following your plan, and then check what you have written against your
plan. Have you included everything? Will the reader know what the next step is?
 Putting your ideas into paragraphs
• If ideas fit together, they can be put together in one paragraph. However, if many
ideas fit together, think about how you can separate them.

We regret that we have no vacancies at the moment for computer

programmers. However, we have vacancies for graphics designers as
well as for database managers. We are interested in applicants who
have at least two years' experience in graphic design and who have
had some project management experience. For the database
management posts, we are particularly interested in applicants with
substantial background in database programming, application and
maintenance. We would be especially interested in hearing from
applicants with good working knowledge of php and MYSQL.
This text could be separated into these paragraphs:

We regret that we have no vacancies at the moment for computer programmers.

However, we have vacancies for graphics designers as well as for database

managers.
We are interested in applicants who have at least two years' experience in graphic
design and who have had some project management experience

For the database management posts, we are particularly interested in applicants

with substantial background in database programming, application and
maintenance. We would be especially interested in hearing from applicants with
good working knowledge of php and MYSQL
Thank you
References

1. Business writing essentials. How to write letters,

Reports and emails.
Clare Whitwell
2. Collins English for business. SPEAKING.
James Schofield & Anna Osborn