Summary of Grammar s4
Summary of Grammar s4
What are some things you can say or do to create a positive first impression in a
business setting?
How can a company ensure a visitor feels welcome and valued?
In what ways do greetings differ between formal and informal situations you've
encountered?
The Present Simple isn't just a basic grammar point; it's a vital tool in the business world for
several key reasons:
1. Expressing Facts and General Information: Business often deals with objective
truths and established knowledge. Example: Our company specializes in sustainable
energy solutions.
2. Business Reports and Updates: When presenting current situations or regular
occurrences, the present simple is your go-to. Example: Sales figures show a
consistent increase this quarter.
3. Formal Business Writing: In official documents and correspondence, clarity and
directness are crucial. Example: The policy states that all employees must attend the
safety briefing.
4. Email Communication: Describing routine procedures or current states in emails
requires the present simple. Example: I send you the updated report every Monday.
5. Project Management and Planning: Outlining the regular steps or ongoing
processes of a project uses this tense. Example: The team holds weekly progress
meetings.
6. Job Descriptions and Responsibilities: Defining the regular tasks and duties of a role
relies heavily on the present simple. Example: The marketing manager oversees all
online campaigns.
7. Meetings and Presentations: When presenting information or discussing established
practices, you'll frequently use the present simple. Example: This chart illustrates the
annual growth.
8. Customer Communication: Providing information about products, services, or
standard procedures often involves the present simple. Example: Our customer
support team operates 24/7.
9. Negotiations and Agreements: Stating current terms or established conditions in
negotiations uses this tense. Example: We offer a 10% discount for bulk orders.
10. Cross-Cultural Communication: When explaining standard practices or general
information about your company or culture, the present simple provides clarity.
Example: In our company, we value teamwork and collaboration.
Consider these common phrases used when meeting someone for the first time in a business
context:
Notice how these questions and statements often use the present simple to inquire about the
current situation or offer hospitality.
Let's delve into the grammatical structure and application of the present simple:
Form:
Positive (P): Subject + Base form of the verb (add -s or -es for third-person singular:
he/she/it)
o Example: He speaks. They work.
Negative (N): Subject + do not (don't) / does not (doesn't) + Base form of the verb
o Example: He does not speak. They do not work.
Question (Q): Do / Does + Subject + Base form of the verb?
o Example: Does he speak? Do they work?
Use:
The Simple Present is primarily used for actions and situations that are true or happen
regularly in the present:
1. Facts and Situations in the Present: To express a general truth or a current state.
o Examples: Our secretary works very hard. I do not agree with you.
2. Actions in the Present (Habits and Routines): To describe actions that occur never,
once, several times, or regularly. These often go with signal words.
o Examples: Mister Brown never attends a meeting. He always sends me. I
sometimes go to work by bus. We speak English very often. I write a poem
every day. Our neighbor normally leaves the house at 8 o’clock.
3. Actions Set by a Timetable or Schedule: To talk about future events that are fixed
and beyond our control.
o Examples: The train leaves at 6:24. The conference starts at 9:30.
4. If Clause Type 1: Used in conditional sentences to talk about possible future
situations and their consequences.
o Example: If I talk too much, I get a sore throat.
Certain adverbs of frequency often accompany the present simple, acting as "signal words":
always
every (day, week, month, year, etc.)
never
normally
often
seldom
sometimes
usually
By the end of this lesson, you will have taken the first step towards more effective Business
English communication. You will also gain a foundational understanding that will help you:
Congratulations on completing Lesson 1! Practice using the present simple in your daily
communication, and we'll build upon this knowledge in our future lessons.
Business English Grammar: Lesson 2 - The Strategic Use
of the Passive Voice
Welcome back! In this lesson, we'll explore the passive voice – a grammatical tool that
allows you to shift the focus in your sentences, particularly useful in specific business
communication scenarios.
XYZ Enterprises is a global technology company known for its cutting-edge innovations. The
company is currently working on a highly confidential project to develop a revolutionary
device that will redefine the industry. The details of this project are closely guarded due to its
strategic importance. In a recent meeting, the project manager presented the latest updates on
the development. The team has made significant progress, and several breakthroughs have
been achieved.
Does the team share updates on the project's progress without disclosing specific details
about the agents (the people doing the action) involved?
Based on the scenario, the answer is yes. The language used focuses on the progress and
achievements rather than who specifically accomplished them. This hints at the strategic use
of the passive voice to maintain confidentiality.
Find sentences in the scenario referring to the agent (the doer of the action).
Go back to the scenario and try to identify sentences where the person or group performing
the action is explicitly mentioned.
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
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……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
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……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………..
You'll likely find that the scenario lacks explicit mentions of the agents performing the actions
related to progress and breakthroughs. This is a key characteristic of using the passive voice
to de-emphasize the actor.
II. The Strategic "Why": When to Use the Passive Voice in Business Writing
The core principle of when to use the passive voice in a business context can be summarized
as follows:
Use the passive voice when it's more important to focus on the action or the result of the
action, and when the agent (the person or thing doing the action) is unimportant,
unknown, obvious from the context, or when you intentionally want to avoid mentioning
them.
The scenario illustrates this perfectly. By saying "Several breakthroughs have been
achieved" instead of "The research team achieved several breakthroughs," the focus remains
on the progress itself, and the specific team responsible is kept confidential.
The passive voice allows us to change the emphasis of a sentence. Consider the active
sentence:
By using the passive voice, we can shift the focus to the action or the object of the action:
Passive: The film was directed by Aliya Monier. (Focus on The film)
Focus on the most important information: When the receiver of the action is more
relevant than the doer.
When the agent is unknown: Example: The files were deleted. (We don't know who
deleted them).
When the agent is obvious: Example: The suspect was arrested. (It's obvious the
police arrested them).
When we don't want to mention the agent: For diplomacy, to avoid blame, or for
confidentiality (as seen in the scenario).
In more formal or scientific writing: To maintain objectivity and focus on processes
or results.
Subject + be (am, is, are, was, were, been, being) + past participle of the main verb
The "doer" of the action is called the agent. We can mention the agent using the preposition
"by" if it's important:
Example: The new smoke alarm was installed yesterday by the company director
herself.
We can also use the passive voice with modal verbs (can, must, should, will, etc.):
In informal English, "get" is sometimes used instead of "be" to form the passive, often for
actions with a negative connotation:
Example: My bicycle got stolen last night. (= My bicycle was stolen last night.)
The impersonal passive is used with reporting verbs (allege, believe, claim, consider,
estimate, expect, know, report, say, think, understand, etc.) to report general opinions or
beliefs without specifying who holds them. It has two main forms:
Example: It is estimated that millions of people visit the site every year.
Example: It is believed that the walls date from the third century BCE.
Example: It is reported that mosquitoes transmit the disease.
Form 2: Someone/something + be + past participle + infinitive
Example: Millions of people are estimated to visit the site every year. (simple
infinitive)
Example: The walls are believed to have been built in the third century BCE.
(perfect infinitive - for a past action)
Example: Mosquitoes are reported to be transmitting the disease. (continuous
infinitive - for an action in progress)
IX. Conclusion:
The passive voice is a valuable tool in your Business English arsenal. Understanding when
and how to use it strategically allows you to control the focus of your message, maintain
confidentiality, and communicate effectively in various professional contexts. Remember to
consider your audience and the purpose of your communication when deciding whether to use
the active or passive voice.
Before diving into conditional questions, let's quickly recap the four main types of conditional
sentences. As you correctly noted, they all start with an "if clause" that sets a condition,
followed by a main clause that states the consequence or result.
Conditional questions are essentially conditional sentences phrased as questions. They follow
similar structural patterns, but with the auxiliary verb (will, would, could, might, etc.) moved
to the beginning of the main clause to form the question.
Let's look at how the conditional sentence structures can be transformed into questions:
The examples in Column 1 are statements in the First Conditional, expressing real
possibilities in the future. The examples in Column 2 are statements in the Second
Conditional, exploring unlikely or imaginary future scenarios.
To transform these into questions, we would apply the structures discussed above:
Notice the slight shift in emphasis from stating a consequence to inquiring about a potential
outcome.
1. If the marketing team launches a new campaign, sales will likely increase. (First
Conditional)
o
2. If the company offered a bonus, employee morale would improve. (Second
Conditional)
o
3. If the supplier had delivered the materials on time, the production schedule
wouldn't have been delayed. (Third Conditional)
o
4. If interest rates rise significantly, will our loan repayments increase? (First
Conditional - Already a question, identify the conditional sentence structure it's based
on)
o Base Conditional Sentence:
_________________________________________________
5. What would you do if you were appointed CEO of the company? (Second
Conditional - Already a question, identify the conditional sentence structure it's based
on)
o Base Conditional Sentence:
_________________________________________________
VI. Conclusion:
As highlighted, both gerunds and participles are verb forms that act as other parts of speech.
After Certain Verbs: Many verbs are consistently followed by a gerund. (Refer to the
external list mentioned in the lesson for examples).
After Prepositions: This includes simple prepositions (e.g., after, before, by, for, in,
on, of, with) and phrasal verbs (e.g., look forward to, give up on) and verb +
preposition combinations (e.g., succeed in, believe in).
o Example: We improved our efficiency by automating the process.
o Example: They are focused on expanding their market share.
After Certain Expressions: Phrases like there is no point in, it's not worth, I can't
help.
o Example: There is no point in delaying the decision any longer.
o Example: It's not worth investing in outdated technology.
As the Subject of a Sentence: When an action itself is the focus.
o Example: Networking is crucial for career advancement.
o Example: Implementing new software requires thorough training.
Participles, both present and past, play crucial roles in descriptive language and forming verb
tenses:
To form perfect tenses: Indicate completed actions with a connection to the present
or another point in time.
o Example: We have achieved our sales targets for the quarter.
o Example: The report had been finalized before the meeting.
When used with 'have' to form a perfect tense: Reinforces the completion of an
action.
o Example: They have taken steps to improve customer service.
As an adjective to describe a noun: Modify nouns by indicating a completed action
or a state resulting from an action.
o Example: The approved budget allows for new hiring.
o Example: We are dealing with unforeseen circumstances.
In passive voice: Indicate that the subject is receiving the action.
o Example: The proposal was reviewed by the management team.
o Example: The new product will be launched next month.
The lesson correctly highlights the issue of dangling participles. Ensure that the noun
immediately following an introductory participle phrase is the one performing the action
described by the participle.
Correct: Laughing, Jim chased his dog around the park. (Jim is laughing).
Incorrect: Laughing, the park was full of energy because of Jim and his dog. (The
park is not laughing).
VII. Conclusion:
Gerunds and participles are powerful tools for concise and dynamic communication in
Business English. By understanding their forms and functions, you can express actions as
nouns, describe nouns vividly, and create more sophisticated sentence structures. Pay close
attention to the rules of usage, especially regarding dangling participles, to ensure clarity and
professionalism in your writing and speaking.
Enhancing Clarity: Precise adjectives and adverbs paint a clearer picture for the
audience.
Professionalism: Careful word choice reflects attention to detail and professionalism.
Persuasion: Strategic use of positive and impactful modifiers can influence the
audience's perception.
Engagement: Vivid and descriptive modifiers can make marketing materials more
interesting and memorable.
The scenario effectively demonstrates how these modifier types are used in a marketing
context to convey information and persuade the target audience.
The lesson also introduces the concept of pre-modifiers (coming before the word they modify)
and post-modifiers (coming after). In marketing, both are used:
VII. Conclusion:
Mastering the use of modifiers is essential for effective communication in Business English,
especially in persuasive fields like marketing. By strategically choosing descriptive adjectives
and impactful adverbs, you can create clearer, more engaging, and ultimately more successful
marketing materials. Pay attention to the nuances of different modifier types and their
placement to ensure your message resonates effectively with your target audience.
What is a collocation?
Corrected Email:
To: [email address removed] From: [email address removed] Subject: bonuses
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to reach a consensus about whether to provide a bonus at the
end of the year. Three people gave presentations about various proposals but it seems like
none of them generated much interest. Several people expressed concerns about the lack
of a decision on this issue. As soon as the large conference room becomes available we’re
going to meet again to discuss solutions. Most attendees have already arrived, but
because of the heavy traffic some haven’t arrived yet. Let’s hope we can reach an
agreement later today.
Note: "strong traffic" isn't necessarily incorrect, but "heavy traffic" is a very common and
natural collocation.
Effective Communication: Using the right word combinations ensures your message
is clear, accurate, and easily understood.
Fostering Professional Relationships: Sounding natural and professional builds
confidence and credibility with colleagues, clients, and partners.
Career Advancement: Strong communication skills, including the correct use of
collocations, are highly valued in the business world and can contribute to career
success.
The Oxford Collocation Dictionary is a valuable resource for learning these natural word
pairings. The guidelines provided are accurate:
1. Look up a word: Enter the word you're interested in to see its common collocations.
2. Grouped by part of speech: The dictionary organizes collocations by the
grammatical function of the accompanying words (e.g., verbs that collocate with your
entry word, nouns that collocate, adjectives, etc.).
V. Formative Assessment
Activity 6.1. Read the email and identify the incorrect collocations.
I hope this email finds you good. I am writing to put your attention on the large problem
we encountered during yesterday's meeting. Unfortunately, there was a large mistake in the
financial report that was presented by our team. This has caused much concern among the
stakeholders.
I believe we need to make a test to identify the root cause of the problem and come up with
a suitable solution. Furthermore, we need to be very awake of the potential risks associated
with this issue.
I will enter the car to pick you up tomorrow morning so we can discuss this matter further.
Also, please bring along any relevant documents related to the investment proposal.
VI. Conclusion: