by Anna Logosh
One thing that distinguishes an amateur from an advanced speaker is the ability to adjust the vocabulary to the setting. Discussing a movie with a friend, you use simple structures and avoid professional jargon. And just the opposite, presenting a project to your team, you switch to business English. And you won't call your boss a mate unless you're that type of company. To clear things up, here is a quick recap of what is business English and how to master it.
Photo by Hunters Race on Unsplash
No other language back in history has ever spread like English. It is attributed to several factors and historical events of the 20th century. Besides, the USA is among the top 3 largest economies in the world. This fact has a direct effect on the growing influence of the language. All together, it made English a predominant language in the business sphere.
In simple terms, business English is the language used to communicate in an international workplace. It's an umbrella term comprising vocabulary you need to complete and describe your work. For example, as an accountant, you learn words that relate to your workflow and tasks. As an IT specialist, you study the terminology used in technical documentation.
Another aspect of business English is the written language. Business letters, proposals, and presentations have a specific format, structure, and style. You need to avoid misleading construction and communicate your ideas clearly. The text should be purposeful and relevant to the subject you've announced. The cost of a mistake is your reputation as an expert. If you're new to the international market and business communication, don't shy away from reaching out for help. There are companies providing professional writing services, like writemyessays.me. You can place an order for any kind of paper and get the result timely. The additional perk is that you'll learn in an example and one day, write it yourself.
Business English is used for workplace communication; still, it differs depending on the setting. The primary advice is to listen to your intuition.
Business vocabulary is spoken at conferences, job interviews, meetings, and networking events. But just as in your native language, you naturally feel when it's possible to spill here and there some colloquial words. Imagine you're at the conference. Asking questions after the presentation, you generally follow more formal rules. Once you run into a speaker at the networking event with cocktails, you start using more conversational language.
One more factor to take notice of is the nature of a company. When you're going for a job interview, do the research. Not all employers are the same. In companies like the big four, the environment is more formal than in a small startup of five people. That's being said, always analyze the setting, and if you're in doubt, follow the people around you.
Even if you're an advanced speaker, you may struggle with business English. It takes time to learn new vocabulary and memorize the rules of how to structure business letters.
One of the things you can do is choose one of the top business English courses at Coursera. You can select a course tailored to your level of English and learn at a good pace. But knowledge alone isn't enough. The most crucial phase of any learning experience is practice. You can practice with a teacher or at the workplace. Ask to take part in calls with the international partners, read professional literature, talk to colleagues.
The knowledge of business English opens you to a new world of opportunities and gives you the means to translate your ideas to a broader audience. As a specialist, you can apply for relocation options. As a company owner, you can enter new markets and look for international investors to back your idea.
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