Introduction
Who is this book for?
Practical Business Vocabulary is designed to enable immediate learners of business English to expand their business stock of vocabulary. It also gives invaluable assistance to people studying English before they start work and for those already working who need English in their job.
How is the book organized?
The book has 10 units, each of which is based on a different topic and introduces the vocabulary of business areas such as jobs, skills and qualifications, organizations, marketing, etc…
Each unit contains twe parts: theory and practice. The two- or three-page theory introduces new words and expressions, and the practice enables learners to check and practise them through varied and useful exercises.
The Test Yourself at the end of each unit is intended for writing and/or discussion about yourself, your family and your company. This gives learners the opportunity to put into practice the words and expressions in the unit.
There is a glossary with explanations in Vietnamese and an Answer Key at the back of the book.
The Theory
This part introduces the new vocabulary and expressions for each topic or language area. The presentation is divided into a number of sections marked by letters: A, B, C, or D with clear titles. Within each section, new words and expressions are printed in italics and explained using some techniques such as:
-A short definition. It follows directly after the word, or comes at the end of the phrase or sentence. It is usually put in brackets: e.g., to be self- employed (to work for yourself).
– Sentence examples. These examples indicate the words in context in order to illustrate their meaning and special grammatical structures.
I’ve been offered a job in London.
She complained to the waiter about the food.
(she was not satisfied about it)
In a few units, however, there are words without explanations. Learners should spend some time guessing their meanings from contexts, then look at the glossary to find their Vietnamese equivalents.
Apart from the explanations of new vocabulary and expressions, this part looks at word combinations, word building, phrasal verbs, and the grammar associated with particular vocabulary, for example the verbs followed by to infinitive or -ing (pages 41-42) and so on.
The Practice
The practice gives the learners the opportunity to practise the new vocabulary and expressions presented in the Theory. Usually, the first exercise focuses on using the words and expressions in context. Other exercises aim to practise the grammatical forms of items from the Theory.
Work Book
The Work Book complements this Practical Business Vocabulary book with additional practice exercises, primarily for individual study between units. Most exercises test only the vocabulary and phrases presented and practiced in the book. Some reading exercises give learners the chance to extend their knowledge of vocabulary beyond what have already been learned in the book. The Workbook includes a complete Answer Key, which helps learners to check their work themselves.
To The Learner
Why is vocabulary important?
Vocabulary is important because it is words that carry the content of what you want to say. Grammar combines words together, but most of the meaning is in the words themselves. The more words you know, the more you will be able to communicate with others.
How do we learn vocabulary effectively?
The best way to increase your stock of vocabulary is by reading a lot of English regularly. You should avoid simply going through the book ‘Filling in the blanks. Give yourself time to practice and use what you have learnt before going on to learn more. It is not sufficient simply to complete the exercises and understand the new words encountered. You must actually use them in communication (conversation, essays or letters) before you may feel that these words truly become a part of your active vocabulary.
We hope you enjoy using Practical Business Vocabulary!
