0658 Documentação Administrativa // In-

glês Técnico
ÍNDICE
INTRODUÇÃO………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

ICONOGRAFIA………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

1- PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH: SECRETARIAL …………………………………………………………………………………4

2- COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE ………………………………………………………………………………:………11

3- COMMUNICATIONS ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………26

4- BUSSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION………………………………………………………………………………………35

5- PEOPLE AT WORK …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………45

BIBLIOGRAFIA E FONTES ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….51

Page 2
INTRODUÇÃO
O presente manual do formando pretende servir de apoio às sessões de formação do
módulo 3492 – Atendimento – Inglês Técnico, do curso de Técnico de Informação e Ani-
mação Turística.

É dirigido aos formandos deste curso e a todas as pessoas que pretendam adquirir / con-
solidar competências na área específica do atendimento em Língua Inglesa, em contexto
de Viagens, turismo e Lazer.

O presente manual foi concebido para utilização específica por este grupo, dado não
existir muita bibliografia sobre o tema.

Para além dos exercícios presentes no manual, recomenda-se ainda recursos adicionais
no final deste manual, com vista ao enriquecimento das matérias abordadas.

ICONOGRAFIA
Listening. Actividade de audição.

Reading. Leitura de textos / excertos.

Conversation / Discussion. Actividades de diálogo.

Watch. Visionamento de filmes / vídeos.

Write. Actividades de produção escrita.

Page 3
 Unit 1
Professional English:
Secretarial

Page 4
The office
Office items
A. Write the number of each item next to the correct word or phrase

stapler 2 drawing pins

staples post-it notes
hole punch magazine file
scissors diary
paper trimmer calculator
foldback clips correction fluid
paper clips

Page 5
Office furniture
A. Look at the drawings below and write the numbers 1- 24 next to the correct word or
phrase

desk 18 wall planner

swivel chair lamp
keyboard fire extinguisher
notice board mouse
drawer plant
waste-paper baskect shredder
monitor coart hook
bookcase printer
telephone blind
in-tray fan
clock filing cabinet
scanner personal computer

Page 6
Page 7
The Office Computer
An important part of a secretary’s work is to be able to use the computer efficiently as it is used
for a wide range of administrative purposes including official correspondence and keeping rec-
ords.

Computing-specific prefixes

A. Match the prefixes on the left-hand side of the page with the correct definition on the
right.

(1) mega- (a) many

(2) giga- (b) three
(3) mini- (c) one thousand
(4) micro- (d) one
(5) bi- (e) ten
(6) tri- (f) very small
(7) multi- (g) large
(8) mono- (h) two
(9) deci- (i) small
(10) kilo- (j) very large

Computing Abbreviations

B. Ex. What is the abbreviation for……………?

(1) Worldwide web

(2) Personal computer
(3) Internet service provider
(4) Wireless application protocol phone (mobile phone with access to internet)
(5) Joint photographic experts’ group (standard in image compression)

Routines: Phrasal Verbs

Page 8
 A. Choose the correct words in the following text

This is a very happy office so I'm sure you'll get (1) on /over with everyone here. I'll
ask Ann to show you (2) round/across the building later. First of all I'd like to go (3)
ahead/over a few points with you.
If you can't hear someone very well on the phone ask them to speak (4) up/back. If
you can't get (5) across/through to my office, connect the caller with Jan in room 202 or
take (6) down/on their number and I'll call them (7) away/back.
Your first job in the morning is to look (8) into/through the mail. You should sort (9)
from/out the private letters from the business ones.
This will be your desk. When you're filling (10) in/off the order forms make sure the
prices are correct. If you're not sure about product numbers, look them (11) over/up in
the catalogue. It can all be a bit confusing but I'm sure you'll soon pick it (12) up/out.

I'm going to a conference tomorrow, so could you look (13) out/after the slides which
I've listed here.

I hope everything is clear, and that you're looking (14) forward/ahead to working with us.
I'll let Ann introduce you to some of the others and then you can get (15) on/down to
work.

B. Now choose the phrase which is similar in meaning to the phrasal verbs above.

1. return the call 7 9. find and check

2. be happy for the future 10. become friends
3. start 11. check
4. learn 12. show the most important places
5. writing the details 13. separate
6. make a phone connection 14. speak more loudly
7. discuss 15. find and place together
8.write down

Qualities

Page 9
 The Adjectives in Box A describe the good qualities of a secretary and of a secretarial job.
Decide which adjectives describe a person and which describe a job.

A. Hard working satisfying reliable challenging well-paid calm varied

enthusiastic interesting enjoyable well-organized polite trustworthy sensible

Person
Job

Qualities

The adjectives in box B describe bad qualities and are the opposite of word in box A. Match
them with their opposite.

Deceitful lazy badly-paid unreliable unpleasant boring frustrating

B.
excitable silly monotonous uninterested chaotic dead – end rude

Page 10
 Unit 2
Commercial
Correspondence

Page 11
 1 – Administrative Documentation

1.1 Commercial Correspondence – Structure and presentation

Layout 1 (sender´s address, dates, inside address, order of addresses, style and punctuation of
addresses ´for the attention of´, salutations, the body of the letter, complimentary closes, signa-
tures); layout 2 ( letterheads, references, per pro, company position, enclosures), layout 3
(´private and confidential`, subject, titles, copies); addressing envelopes.

1.1

Layout l 1.1.2

The letter shown on the next page is Date

from a private individual in Denmark
to a company in the UK. It shows some of the
features of a simple business letter.
The date is written below the sender's address,
sometimes separated from it by a space. In the
case of correspondence with a printed letter-
head, it is also usually written on the right-
hand side of the page

The month in the date should not be written in

figures as they can be confusing; for example,
1. 1. 1 11.1.93 means 11th January 1993 in the UK but
1st November 1993 in the USA. Nor should you
Sender's address
abbreviate the month, e.g. Nov. for November,
In correspondence that does not have a as it simply looks untidy. It takes a moment to
printed letterhead, the sender's address is write a date in full, but it can take a lot longer
written on the top right-hand side of to find a misfiled letter which was put in the
the page. wrong file because the date was confusing.

In the UK, in contrast to the practice in some

countries, it is not usual to write the sender's
name before the sender's
address.

Page 12
1. Structure and presentation

Page 13
1.1.3
Inside (or receiver's) address
This is written below the sender's address and on the
opposite side of the page.
1 Surname known
If you know the surname of the person you are writing
to, you write this on the first line of the address, pre-
ceded by a courtesy title and either the person's ini-
tial(s) or his/her first given name, e.g. Mr J. E. Smith or
Mr John Smith, not Mr Smith
Courtesy titles used in addresses are as follows:
Mr (with or without a full stop; pronounced /'misto/;
the unabbreviated form mister should not be used) is
the usual courtesy title for a man.
Mrs (with or without a full stop; pronounced /'misiz/; no
unabbreviated form) is used for a married woman. Miss
(pronounced /mis/; not an abbreviation) is used for an
unmarried woman.
Ms (with or without a full stop; pronounced /miz/ or
/maz/; no unabbreviated form) is used for both married
and unmarried women. Many women now prefer to be
addressed by this title, and it is a useful form of address
when you are not sure whether the woman you are
writing to is married or not.
Special titles which should be included in addresses are
many. They include academic or medical titles: Doctor
(Dr.), Professor(Prof.); military titles: Captain (Capt.),
Major (Maj.), Colonel (Col.), General (Gen.); aristocratic
title: Sir (which means that he is a Knight; not to be
confused with the salutation Dear Sir and always fol-
lowed by a given name -Sir John Brown, not Sir J. Brown
or Sir Brown), Dame, Lord, Baroness, etc.
Page 14
2 Title known
If you do not know the name of the
person you are writing to, you may
know or be able to assume his/her title
or position in the company, (e.g. The
Sales Manager, The Finance Director),
in which case you can use it in the
address.
3 Department known
Alternatively you can address your letter
to a particular department of the company
(e.g. The Sales Department, The Accounts
Department).
4 Company only
Finally, if you know nothing about the
company and do not want to make any
assumptions about the person or depart-
ment your letter should go to, you can
simply address it to the company itself (e.g.
Soundsonic Ltd., MessrsCollier & Clerke &
Co.).
1.1.4
Order of inside addresses
After the name of the person and/or company
receiving the letter, the order and style of
addresses in the UK, as recommended and
used in this book, is as follows:
Name of house or building
Number of building and name of street,
road, avenue, etc.
Name of town or city and postcode Name of
country
Industrial House
34-41 Craig Road
Bolton BL4 8TF
UNITED KINGDOM
1.1.5.
Style and punctuation of addresses
Both the addresses may be 'blocked' (i.e.
each line is vertically aligned with the one
above) as in the letter at 1. 1, or 'indented',
as below:
Bredgade 51,
DK 1260,
Copenhagen K,
DENMARK
There are no rules stating that one style or
the other must be used, though blocking, at
least in addresses, is more common. In any
case you must be consistent, i.e. do not
block the sender's address and then indent
the inside address.
If punctuation is used, each line of the ad-
dress is followed by a comma, except the
last line, as in the letter at 1.1. But the ma-
jority of firms now use open punctuation,
i.e. without any commas.
1.1.7
Salutations
Dear Sir opens a letter written to a man whose
name you do not know.
Dear Sirs is used to address a company.
Dear Madam is used to address a woman,
whether single or married, whose name you do
not know.
Dear Sir or Madam is used to address a person of
whom you know neither the name nor the sex.
Notice that Ms Kaasen in the letter at 1.1 uses
this form; she does not assume that the Sales
Manager of Soundsonic must be a man.
When you do know the name of the person you
are writing to, the salutation takes the form of
Dear followed by a courtesy title and the person's
surname. Initials or first names are not generally
used in salutations: Dear Mr Smith, not Dear Mr J.
Smith or Dear Mr John Smith
Page 15
1. 1. 6
`For the attention of'
An alternative to including the recipient's
name or position in the address is to use an
'attention line' as in the letter at 1.1.
and as here:
International Industries Ltd
1-5 Greenfield Road
Liverpool L22 OPL
For the attention of the Production Man-
ager
Dear Sir,
1.1.8
The body of the letter
This may be indented, as in the letter at 1.
1, or blocked. It is a matter of choice.
Whichever style you use, you must be con-
sistent and use that style all through the
letter.
It is usual to leave a line space between
paragraphs in the body of the letter; if the
blocked style is used, this is essential.
1.1.9
Complimentary closes
If the letter begins Dear Sir, Dear Sirs, Dear
Madam or Dear Sir or Madam, it will close
with yours faithfully.
If the letter begins with a personal name
- Dear Mr James, Dear Mrs Robinson, Dear Ms
Jasmin - it will close with Yours sincerely.
Avoid closing with old-fashioned phrases such
as We remain yours faithfully, Respectfully
yours, etc. The comma after the complimen-
tary close is optional (Yours faithfully, or Yours
faithfully).
Page 16
 A. Translate de following letters.

Letter 1 Enquiries

This kind of letter is often the first step in a commercial transaction. It is used to
ask for catalogues, price lists and samples, quotations and information on the
terms of sale.

General Requests

16 September 200-

Mr Carlo Imparato & Figli

Via de Angelis, 44
Chieti Scalo
Itália

Dear Sirs

We have seen your advertisement in Metal Worldwide and we would be interested in

having more details about your aluminum fittings.

Please give us quotations for the supply of the items listed on the enclosed enquiry form,
giving your prices c.i.f. London. Will you also indicate delivery time, your terms of pay-
ment, and details of discounts for large repeat orders.

Our annual requirements for the goods listed are considerable, so we may be able to
place substantial orders with you if your prices are competitive and your deliveries
prompt.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully

J. Jones

Encs

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Page 17
Letter 2

Affirmative reply to an offer for an agency

28th April 200-

Mr. Hatton & Sons Ltd.

78 Queen Mary Street
Sheffield

Dears Sirs

We are in receipt of your letter of the 14th of this month and have pleasure in informing you that
your offer of acting as our sole agents for north England and Scotland has impressed us favorably.

The terms we usually grant our agents are the following: 9% commission on all orders obtained by
you and carried out by us, calculated on the net amount of the invoices sent directly to the cus-
tomers by us; account of sales to be rendered monthly on the last day on the month.

Please let us know at your earliest convenience whether you agree to the terms above, and if
affirmative we will send you two copies of the agency agreement, one of which is to be kept by
you and the other is to be returned to us duly signed.

Yours faithfully

Pedro Sampaio

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Page 18
1.2 Commercial Correspondence – Email
A. Formal or informal?

First, read the information about writing emails then match the informal phrases (1-15) with the
neutral/formal phrases (a-o).

Three different writing styles are often identified, although in real life the differences are not so
clear:
Formal This is the style of an old-fashioned letter. Ideas are presented politely and care-
fully, and there is much use of fixed expressions and long words. The language is
impersonal. Grammar and punctuation are important. This style is not common in
emails, but you can find it if the subject matter is serious (for example a com-
plaint).

Neutral/ This is the most common style in professional/work emails. The writer and reader
Standard are both busy, so the language is simple, clear and direct. Sentences are short
and there is use of contractions (I've for I have etc.). The language is more person-
al. However, the style is not similar to speech - it is too direct.

Informal This is the most common style for emails between friends. Sometimes the email
can be very short or it could include personal news, funny comments etc. This is
the style that is closest to speech, so there are everyday words and conversational
expressions. The reader will also be more tolerant of bad grammar etc.

Informal Neutral / Formal

1 What do you need? d. a) With regard to ... (or With reference to)
2 Thanks for the email of 12Feb… b) I can assure you that ...
3 Sorry, I can't make it. .. c) We note from our records that you have not ... d)
4 I'm sorry to tell you that ... Please let us know your requirements.
5 I promise ... e) I was wondering if you could ...
6 Could you ...? f) We would like to remind you that ...
7 You haven't ... g) I took forward to meeting you next week.
8 Don't forget ... h) Thank you for your email received 12 February.
9 I need to ... i) I am afraid I will not be able to attend.
10 Shall I ...? j) Would you like me to ...?
11 But ... / Also ... / So ... k) I would be grateful if you could ...
12 Please could you ... 1) Please accept our apologies for ...
13 I'm sorry for... m) It is necessary for me to ...
14 Re ... n) We regret to advise you that ...
15 See you next week …. o) However ... / In addition ... / Therefore ...

Page 19
 B. Rewrite the emails below by substituting the phrases in italics with more informal
phrases.

Use contractions (e.g. I'll) where appropriate.

Email 1

I am afraid I will not be able to attend the meeting on Friday. As I will miss the meeting, I was
wondering if you could send me a copy of the minutes? I will write to Anita as well, to inform her
that I will not be there. Once again, please accept my apologies for this, and I can assure you that I
will be at the next meeting.

Sorry I can´t make it on Friday _______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Email 2

Thank you for your email of 25 January where you requested assistance on how to order on-line. It
is necessary for me to know your a/c number before I can deal with this. I would be grateful if you
could also provide details of which version of Windows you are using.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Email 3

With reference to your order number J891 - we received it this morning, but you have not filled in
the sections on size and colour. Please let us know your exact requirements. These products are
selling very well at the moment, and we regret to advise you that the medium size is temporarily
out of stock. However, we are expecting more supplies in the near future. Would you like me to
email you when they arrive?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Page 20
 C. Opening and closing

1. Match the email beginnings (1-8) with the endings (a-h).

Beginnings… … Endings
a) Anyway, thanks again for inviting
1. I am writing with regard to your recent
email. We regret to inform you that me, and I'm really looking forward to
there it. Do you want me to bring any-
are no double rooms available for the
thing?
nights you require. ...C.

b) You know you can count on me if

2. Thanks so much for the wonderful pre-
sent. It's exactly the book that I wanted - you need any support. I'll call you at
how did you know? I'm really looking for- the weekend to see how things are.
ward to reading it...
c) Should you need any further infor-
3. Patricia I've just read your email. I'm mation about room availability, we
sorry to hear about what happened...
will be happy to assist you.
4. Sorry, I can't make it to your birthday
d) I look forward to receiving this in-
party at Fishers restaurant, as I'm away on
that day. formation as soon as possible.

5. I am mailing this via the 'Contact Us'
link on your website. I'd like to know a few
more details about the anti-virus software
that's listed on the site.
6. I am writing with reference to our order
number GH67. The goods arrived this
morning, but you only sent 200 pieces in-
stead of the 300 that we ordered...
7. Yes! Great! I'd love to come to the
Party.
8. I've just heard from Antonio about the
Paris contract. It's fantastic news – you
worked really hard on this and you de-
serve the success...
e) It really is great news, and I'm sure
that it's only the beginning of our
work in the French market.
f) Please deal with this matter urgent-
ly. I expect a reply from you by to-
morrow morning at the latest.
g) Thanks again for the gift, and give
my regards to your family.
h) Anyway, sorry again that I can't
come, but have a great time. I hope
we can meet up soon. What about
going to see that new Spielberg film?

Page 21
1.3 Filing in forms
A. Write the correct parts.

Full name____ Helen Andrews ___________________ 3300, South Dr.

__________________ 5 /28/1960 ___________________ New York

__________________ female ___________________ single

__________________ engineer __________________ 035 220 3880

1.4 Making requests

A. Complete the request.

1. I would like to know about __________________________that you are advertising.

2. ______________________________ samples of cotton prints for curtains?

3. We are interested in ___________________________ that you are exporting.

4. I would be grateful if ____________________________about the XPO Printer.

5. ______________________________about colour screens for computers.

B. Fill in the blanks to complete this letter.

Page 22
 C. Write to the Seashell Hotel asking for information about their facilities for three of your
Sales Representatives. Ask about the following:

Location – how far is it from downtown

Restaurant – do they offer vegetarian meals?
Swimming pool and bar – what time do they open and close?

The Seashell Hotell

Gulf Shore East ___________,
20_____
7th Street
Florida, FL 25407

Dear _______________,

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

1.5 Answering requests

A. Fill in the blanks with the correct word

Deal receive enclosing letter pleased about for am order with further

1. Thank you ____________ your _______________ of 21st October.

2. I was pleased to ____________ your inquiry ________________ or bicycles.
3. We will be ________________ to give you _________________ information.
4. I ________________ enclosing our purchase ___________________.
5. We will ________________ promptly __________________your orders.

6. I am __________________ a cheque for the total amount.

Page 23
1.6 Letters
A. Look at each extract carefully, then match it with one of the letter types from the list in the
box below. Underline the key words or phrases which helped you to decide. Each type of letter
can be matched with 5 extracts, and the sentences for each letter are in the same order as they
would appear in real letters. There are 5 extracts that do not match any of the letter types.

(A) Letter of introduction / application (B) Letter of apology (C) Invitation to interview
(D) Letter of reference (E) Letter of rejection (F) Letter of appointment (G) Writ-
ten warning (H) Letter of dismissal (I) Letter of resignation (J) Acknowledgement
of resignation (K) Letter of complaint

1. Following the disciplinary interview which you 2. Following your interview and our conversation
attended on 12 June, I am writing to confirm the yesterday, this letter is to confirm your post as
decision taken that you will be given a written Production Manager commencing 2 October.
reprimand under our Disciplinary Procedure.

3. Thank you for your application for the post of
Production Manager at Graffix plc.
5. Thank you for your letter of 2 October detailing
your recent unpleasant incident in our Witney
branch.
7. I have known Jan Kelly since she started working
with the company in 1999.
9. This letter and the attached terms and conditions
form the basis of your contract of employment.
4. On 7 May, following persistent neglect of duties
on your part, you were given a written warning in
accordance with the Company´s Disciplinary Proce-
dure.
6. I would like to apply for the post of Customer
Relations Manager advertised in yesterday's Guard-
ian.
8. This will be placed in your personal record file,
but will be disregarded for disciplinary purposes
after a period of six months, provided your conduct
reaches a satisfactory level.
10. As I told you yesterday, I have decided to
hand in my notice, and this letter is to inform
you of my decision to leave the company.

11. Thank you for your letter of 19 October telling 12. In a letter of 18 June, you were advised that
us of your intention to leave the company. unless your conduct improved, you would be
dismissed from your post.

13. Thank you for attending our interview sessions 14. We are naturally most sorry that you should
last week. be leaving us, but I understand your reasons for
doing so.

15. I am writing to express my dissatisfaction 16. She came to work for this company as a
with the delay in your delivery of some products Trainee in the production department, and
we ordered last month. rapidly moved up the scale to become Deputy
Production Manager three years ago.

Page 24
17. We would like you to come for a preliminary
interview with our Production Director, James Mills.
19. We notice from our records that Invoice
SB/1097 has not been paid, and we would be grate-
ful if you could settle it within 7 days.
21. We have spoken to the member of staff in ques-
tion, and he has assured us that he was acting in
accordance with company policy.
23. I am delighted that you will be coming to work
for us.
25. The nature of the unsatisfactory conduct was
your continual lateness, persistent absenteeism,
and neglect of duties on the shop floor.
27. At the disciplinary hearing held on 16 October, it
was decided that your performance was still unsat-
isfactory, and you had shown no inclination to im-
prove.
29. I am sure you will find a very pleasant working
environment here, and we look forward to welcom-
ing you as a member of our team on 2 October.
31. We would be grateful if you could send us a
copy of your current catalogue and price list.
33. Unfortunately, on this occasion, I regret to tell
you that your application has been unsuccessful.
35. However, we take customer complaints very
seriously, and I can assure you that we will look into
this matter further.
37. She is a very able manager, and is particularly
keen on keeping up to date with new technology.
Page 25
18. As you can see from the attached printout of
the order form, we placed this order via your web-
site 2 weeks ago, on 13 January.
20. I would like to reserve a single room (preferably
on an upper floor) from 23 – 31 May inclusive.
22. I am currently working as a customer care assis-
tant for Pants2U, one of the country's biggest Inter-
net suppliers of men's clothing, where I deal primar-
ily with on-line customer queries.
24. The notice period indicated in my contract of
employment is six weeks, but you agreed during our
conversation that in my case this could be reduced
to four.
26. We expect to see an improvement in your punc-
tuality and attendance, and a more professional
approach to your work by 30 June.
28. Your terms and conditions clearly state that
orders are processed, packed and sent on the same
day, but so far we have received nothing.
30. The company you are joining has an excellent
reputation, and I am sure you will be as happy there
as you have been with us.
32. As I explained to you, I have been very happy
working here, and shall be leaving with many re-
grets.
34. These will be held at our Banbury office on 29
and 30 August, and should last about 30 minutes.
36. I have however been offered a post at substan-
tially higher salary with another company.
38. You are clearly very well-motivated and have
some excellent ideas, but the panel felt that overall
you lacked sufficient experience.
 Unit 3
Communications

Page 26
1. Phone Calls
A. Listen to two telephone conversations and fill in the table

Call Number called Where is called person Country of meeting

1 Singapore

2 515 5624

What to say - what to expect

You have heard, and will hear again, phrases like these. Read them and make sure you under-
stand them. Use a dictionary to help you if necessary.

Announcing identity
Person calling Person called
Hello, this is Sue, Sue James. Hello, 7214 44 22.
Simpson here. Simpson here.
My name is Jack Simpson.
I'm Jack Simpson. Good morning.

Asking if someone is in
Person calling
Can I speak to Mr Bild, please?
Hello, is Margaret there by any
chance?
Could you put me through to Mrs
Dylan, please?
I'd like to speak to your husband if I may.

Person wanted is not there

Person called
I'm afraid she isn't in at the moment. Sorry,
she's just gone out. Would you like to ring
back later? He's away for few days. Can I give
him a message? His out to town this week,
I´m afraid.

When the wanted person be in?

Person calling
What time could I reach her?
Will he be at home this evening?
Can I contact him on Saturday?
Right, I'll phone again next week

Page 27
 B. Complete the sentences with words or phrases from the box. Use each word or
phrase only once.

a. Hello, who´s that _____________________________?

b. Just a ______________________, please.

c. I´ll __________________if she´s here.

d. I´ll get the information you want; _____________, please.

e. You asked me to _________________ when I was in town again.

f. Sorry, he´s not ______________________ at the moment.

g. You can ____________________ him any evening ____________________ six o´clock.

h. Well, I can ring ___________________ later if it´s convenient.

After back calling hold the line in

Moment reach ring up see

C. Choose the best responses.

1 I'd like to speak to Mr. Kahn, please. 4 Can I ring you back later?

a Yes. a Yes, ring me.

b I'm afraid he's not here at the moment. b Yes, please do

c Well, you can't. c Of course ring, yes.

2 Can I speak to Mr. Kahn, please? 5 When can I reach you?

a Hold on, please. a One hour.

b Don't go away. b When you want.

c All right. c I'll be in all evening.

3 Who's speaking?

a I am Fred Bentley.

b This is Fred Bentley here.

c Fred Bentley is speaking.

Page 28
D. Complete these two conversations with sentences from the list below. Use each
sentence only once.

A: 1 _______________________________________________________________
B: Good morning. Could I speak to Jane Lewis, please?
A: 2 _______________________________________________________________
B: Lesley Winwood.
A: 3 _______________________________________________________________
B: She said she´d be in all morning.
A: 4 _______________________________________________________________
C: Jane Lewis.
A: 5 _______________________________________________________________
C: Ah yes, it´s about …

D: Carl Anderson.
E: 6 ________________________________________________________________
D: Lindberg, did you say?
E: 7 ________________________________________________________________
D: There´s no one here by that name.
E: 8 ________________________________________________________________
D: Yes, this is 08 46 46 24
E: 9 ________________________________________________________________
D: That´s all right.

a) Yes, that´s right.

b) You asked me to call as soon as possible.
c) Hold the line, please, and I´ll see if she´s in.
d) Who´s calling, please?
e) Oh, isn´t there? Could I check the number?
f) Could I speak to Mrs Linderberg, please?
g) Right, I can connect you now.
h) Reynolds Bicycles, good morning.
i) Oh, I´, sorry. I must have dialed the wrong number.

Page 29
2. Present Simple
A. Put the verbs in parentheses into the present simple.

1. The technician ____________________(not repair) the typewriters in the office.

He (have to) take them to his workshop.

2. ______________________(you, like) to work overtime?

3. The receptionist ____________________( have) a very nice voice.

4. The flights to London _____________________ (take) two and half hours.

5. The messenger __________________(go) to the post office everyday.

6. How often _________________(you, make) long distance calls?

7. My boss _____________________(not, fly) on Tuesday.

B. Use the time expression to answer the question. Compare the answers with the
listening.

1. How often do you travel to Moscow?

Twice a year_______________________________________________________

2. How often does your boss send price lists to his customers?

Once a month _____________________________________________________

3. How often do the managers meet?

Once a fortnight ___________________________________________________

4. How often do you update files?

Every week ________________________________________________________

C. Debate

What area of work are you interested in?

What do you find most attractive about your job / future job?

Name typical jobs within a modern company.

Page 30
3. Telecommunications
A. Fill in the missing words in the sentences below. Choose from the box.

Redial erase codes connect key in digit tone direct

retrieve engaged display extension hands-free
Message operator handset wrong number

1. A call to someone in the same area is a local call.

2. To make a call to another town or country you will need to know the area, country
and international _______________. Make sure you don´t miss out a
_______________ in the number!

3. To make a call from your desktop phone you should pick up the ______________
and _______________ the number you want; or perhaps you have a phone with a
_________________ facility.

4. If the person you have called is already speaking to someone else you will hear a
sound which tells you the line is ________________.

5. You´ll get a __________________if you aren´t careful and make a mistake.

6. When the phone rings at the other end you will hear a ringing ________________.

7. Nowadays, you can call most countries _____________ but if that´s not possible
you have to ask the _________________ to ______________ you.

8. If you´re not available, callers can leave a ____________________ on your an-

swering machine or voice mail and you can ___________________ it later. You
can then choose to store or ________________ it.

9. If you reach a switch board you will have to ask for the ___________________ you
require.

10. You can see the last number you called on the _________________. To call the
number again simply press ________________.

Page 31
 4. Inter office memos
Polite expressions

A memorandum (memo) is a written form of communication between people who work together.
It can be inter-departmental, inter-office or inter-company. Memos are either sent on paper or by
Intranet. In multinational organizations, memos written from on subsidiary to another are sent by
e-mail

A. Fill in the blanks with polite expressions. Choose from below.

I'd like to... I'd appreciate it if... Could you / Can you... ?

I'd be grateful if... Would it be possible to... ? Could I / May I...?

1 ________________ inform Miss Dawson about the market research I’m enclosing?

2 _______________________send me the goods before next Friday?

3 ________________________confirm the prices of the new WST items?

4 I'm checking out today. ______________________give me the bill?

5 ____________________you made arrangements for our trip to Boston next month.

6 ____________________________you fax me a sample of this year's brochure?

7 __________________________use your telephone?

8 ___________________________hire a car for me?

9 I'm in room 15.____________________ bring breakfast for two?

10 ___________________________-buy one of your colour screen computer models.

B. Choose one of the verbs below to complete each sentence.

Send inform tell borrow check make arrangements ask

Collect lend take use work

1. Miss Smith, could you ______________________overtime tomorrow?

2. I´d appreciate it if you could ________________________me your laptop this evening. I
have to write up a report and hand it in before tomorrow morning.

Page 32
 3. Could you ______________________Henry Mortley to attend the press conference this
afternoon?
4. Mary, could I ______________________ the photocopier in your office? Mr. Gordon
needs a copy of this contract immediately.
5. Did you ___________________ to receive the Arab visitors next month?
6. Please ___________________ Mr. Hogan that the goods he ordered will be delivered next
week.
7. I´d like to ____________________ someone from your Department to analyze why sales
have suddenly decreased.
8. Would it be possible to ___________________ Mr. Peterson´s luggage from the airport
and take it to his hotel?

5. Frequency adverbs
A. Complete the sentences with frequency adverbs. Use information about yourself where ap-
propriate.

1. I ________________ study at night.

2. The school ________________ opens at 6 o´clock.

3. Salaries are ________________ paid by the end of the month

4. We ______________ go to the office by bus.

5. His extension _________________ busy.

6. I _______________apologize when I make a mistake.

B. Write eight sentences with phrases from the box. Use frequency adverbs.

File letters and documents type letters fill in forms repair the air conditioning system
distribute correspondence summon meetings look up phone numbers and addresses
attend meetings travel abroad answer the phone

1. A Director _________________________________________________________________

2. A secretary ________________________________________________________________

3. The Personnel Manager _____________________________________________________

4. An applicant _______________________________________________________________

5. Technicians _______________________________________________________________

Page 33
 6. Arranging appointments
Complete the following phone dialogues by choosing the missing lines from the box. Use each
line once only.

a) Yes, that´s fine. I´ll make a note of that. d) One moment please and I´ll check her
diary. Would Monday afternoon be
b) Just a moment and I´ll check. Yes, Rich- suitable?
ard´s free on Tuesday morning but only
until 11:30 a.m e) Hello again.

c) Thanks for your help and I´m sorry for f) Good morning. This is Sue Chalmers,
the confusion. Richard Bart´s PA.

Sue: (1) f_______

Alan: Good morning Sue.

Sue: I´s like to make an appointment for R chard to see Helen Grey at the beginning of next week.

Alan: (2) ________

Sue: Yes, fine. Can we say two o´clock in the afternoon at Richard´s office?

Alan: (3) ________

Sue: Thanks a lot. Goodbye.

Alan: Bye.

Alan: Hello. This is Alan Walls, Helen Grey´s secretary.

Sue: (4) ___________

Alan: I´m afraid Helen won´t be able to make the appointment which we arranged earlier. I didn´t
know that she´s already organized something for Monday afternoon. Can we find an alternative
time?

Sue: (5) ___________

Alan: That would be OK if they could meet at about 9:30.

Sue: Yes, that´ll be fine.

Alan: (6) ____________

Sue: Don´t worry. These things happen

Alan: Bye

Page 34
Unit 4
Bussiness and
Administration

Page 35
1. Abbreviations
Test your knowledge of business abbreviations and acronyms. Look at these abbrevia-
tions, then complete the crossword grid on the next page with the words that are miss-
ing from their complete forms.

Page 36
Page 37
 2. Contracts
A. The text below gives a definition and brief explanation of what a contract is. Complete it
with words or expressions from the box.

Accept agreement breach consideration contractual liability damages express

implied intention obligations offer under seal reward signed stated
sue terms verbally voided writing

A contract can be defined as an __________ between two or more parties to create legal
__________between them'. Some contracts are made '__________': in other words, they are
__________ and sealed(stamped) by the parties involved. Most contracts are made __________
or in __________. The essential elements of a contract are: (a) that an __________ made by one
party should be __________ by the other; (b) __________ (the price in money, goods or some
other __________, paid by one party in exchange for another party agreeing to do something); (c)
the __________ to create legal relations. The__________ of a contract may be __________
(clearly stated) or __________ (not clearly __________ in the contract, but generally understood).
A __________ of contract by one party of their __________entitles the other party to
__________ for __________ or, in some cases, to seek specific performance. In such circumstanc-
es, the contract may be __________ (in other words, it becomes invalid).

3. Dates and Times

A. Fill in the missing prepositions in the sentences below by choosing a word from the box.
Sometimes more than one preposition can be used.

At from by before during to for

Between in on until after

1. I have an appointment to see Chris Yang at two o'clock on Friday 16th.

2. Jules Frost is in New York _______the moment and I'm unable to make any arrangements
__________ he returns

3. She's due back in the office ________a few minutes if the meeting ends __________time.

4. He's away ________ two weeks, but Ruth Brunnel is dealing _______with the matter.

Page 38
5. I'm afraid the office will be closed _________Christmas __________four days but
________this time you can ring our emergency number.

6. I'll confirm the details ___________Tuesday morning _________the latest.

7. Could you send me details of the conference __________the ____________same time?

8. I'm sorry Barry can't make it ___________the morning but the afternoon would be possi-
ble.

9. They would like you to speak ____________the beginning of the conference.

10. Melissa Charme doesn´t work __________ Tuesdays!

11. You´ll receive the papers ____________ the next few days and then we can arrange a
meeting ____________ a week´s time.

th th
12. Regine Schmidt won´t be available ______________4 and 10 September.

Page 39
4. Company activity
A. Choose the best word to complete each of the following sentences.

1. Helmut Seddig founded the company in Leipzig in 1978.

a) Created c) founded

b) Grounded d) formulated

2. The company has been very successful over the last few years and has _______________
by 36%.

a) Expanded c) grown up

b) Risen d) developed

3. The company is now __________________in Chicago in the USA.

a) Rooted c) settled

b) Set d) based

4. Because company activities have changed they will have to ___________________ the
company.

a) Rebuild c) restructure

b) Remake d) remould

5. It has become more difficult to sell our services because we have to _________________
with larger international companies.

a) Argue c) control

b) Compete d) stand

6. Because it is increasingly expensive to employ people in Europe, the company has decided
to ______________________ to south east Asia.

a) Relocate c) transfer

b) Export d) shift

7. The company has increased its ________________________of products.

a) Offer c) palette

b) Catalogue d) range

Page 40
8. The company began by making bicycles and then ______________________ into the
manufacture of high-quality metal parts.

a) Diversified c) changed

b) Grew d) turned

9. Research has shown that people would use our services in the Newtown so we’re going to
open a new __________________ there.

a) Department c) arm

b) Branch d) deposit

10. The company has decided to __________________ the football team because of the pub-
licity it will bring.

a) Pay c)sponsor

b) Contribute d) grant

Page 41
 5. Contract of employment and job description
A. In this contract of employment, there are a lot of vocabulary mistakes. Either a
word is spelt incorrectly, the form of the word is wrong, or a wrong word has been used.
Identify and correct these words. Some of the mistakes occur more than once in the con-
tract.

1. Term and conditionals of employment

2. Name of employ: Dilligaf Toys plc
3. Name of employed: Sarah Ramus
4. Job titel: Regional Production Manager.
5. Job descriptive: To oversee the work of the Production Department.
6. Job locally: Head Office, London. Branches in South and South-East.
7. Celery: £35,000 per anum (payable monthly in rears)
8. Started date: 1 August 2007.
9. Hours of labour: Full time. 9.00 - 5.00 Monday until Friday.
10. Undertime: Extra hours worked will be paid at the normal hourly rat. Saturdays
will be paid at time x 1 ½, Sundays at time x2.
11. Holiday enticement: 21 days per anum, plus bank holidays.
12. Absent from work: If for any reason you cannot come to work, you should telephone
the central manager as soon as possible.
13. Pension sceme: The company operates its own pension sceme which is open to all
employs.
14. Dissiplinary and Information on these procedures are provided in the
grieving procedures: staff handybook, together with information on all company police.
15. Probbation: All appointments are subjective to three months' probbation, dur-
ing which time employees may be terminated with two weeks' note on either side.
16. Terminator: After successful completion of the probbation period, the note pe-
riod will be three months.
17. Referrals: All apointments are subject to satisfactory referrals.
18. Singed Sarah Ramus Date: 21 June 2007

Page 42
B. Read this informal discussion, in which the person who signed the contract in Exercise A is
telling their friend about their new job. Complete the gaps with an appropriate word or
expression from the box. Some of these words appeared in Exercise A.

accountability agree based branches commission consult deal with

delegate departments ensure evaluate full-time head office hours inspect

key responsibilities leave (noun) negotiate nine to five per annum produce

recommend report to responsible salary supervise title visit

James: Hi, Sarah. How's the new job going?

Sarah: Oh, not too bad. I'm still trying to find my feet, though.

James: Tell me a bit about it.

Sarah: Well, my official job ___________ is Regional Production Manager, which means
that my main ___________ is to ___________ the work of the production de-
partment.

James: Where are you ___________?

Sarah: Most of my work is done at the ___________ in central London, but I also have to

spend time at our various ___________ and ___________ in the area. There are
several of these in the South and South-East.

James: Who do you ___________?

Sarah: The Central Production Manager. Tom Atkinson, his name is. I've only met him a
couple of times, but he seems nice enough. We meet once a month to
___________ each other on major issues. We ___________ the current state of
production, and I ___________ any changes that I think need to be made

James: And what about the ___________?

Sarah: Pretty typical for this kind of job. I'm on a ___________ contract, which means I
work from Monday to Friday, ___________. And occasionally I have to go in at the
weekend, too. I get 21 days___________ a year, plus bank holidays.

James: Not bad. And your ___________? If you don't mind me asking?

Sarah: No, not at all. I get £35,000 ___________, plus expenses, ___________ for reach-
ing targets, overtime pay and so on.

James: That's pretty good for a job that just involves checking things are running smooth-
ly.

Page 43
Sarah: Well, there's more to my job than just that. I do have several other ___________.

James: Such as?

Sarah: First of all I have to ___________ product specifications with sales departments
and time schedules with the stock control department. Then I need to
___________ that the product is manufactured according to agreed specifications,
and I also have to ___________ the quality of the finished product.

James: That's all?

Sarah: No. I also need to ___________ with our suppliers on prices for our base materi-
als,___________ those suppliers on a regular basis to check the quality of the
base materials…

James: Do you have a car for that?

Sarah: Oh yes, the company provides me with one. I also have to ___________ problems
as they arise on a day-to-day basis, and ___________ regular sales reports for the
Directors.

James: Anything else?

Sarah: Well, on top of everything else, I'm ___________ for managing 10 machinists, 3
trainees, 2 cleaners and 2 security guards.

James: That sounds like a lot of work for one person. Can you ___________ any of it?

Sarah: Unfortunately no. I have to do it all myself!

Page 44
Unit 5
People at work

Page 45
People at work
1. Jobs and Positions

A. Look at the list of different jobs in the box, and match each one with the person
who is speaking in 1 – 15.

Assistant Manager Chairman Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Company Director

Company Secretary Girl Friday Human Resources (HR) Manager
Managing Director (MD) Non-executive Director Personal Assistant (PA)
Production Manager Receptionist Secretary Technical Support Consultant Trainer

1. Hello. Welcome to Wy-T Computers. Have you got an appointment? Good. Take a seat and I'll
call up to her office. Would you like a coffee while you wait?
2. Good morning. My name is Angela Ranscombe, and I am responsible for my company's produc
tive use of its workforce.
4. Hi. My name's Sue Smith. I do a lot of small jobs in and around the office. If you want some
filing done, some mail posted, or if you just want a cup of tea, I'm the one to ask!
3. Hello. I'm Hilary Hannah. I type letters, file documents, arrange meetings and so on, for the
various people in my office.
5. Hello. My name's Adam Dent. I help customers who are having problems with our products. I
spend most of my day on the phone.
6. I'm Anne Langsdale, and I've been appointed by the shareholders to help run the company.
7. Hello there. Don Brown. Nice to meet you. I make sure that the company is being run efficiently
and effectively.
8. My name's Liz Hamley, and I suppose I'm the big cheese around here. Basically I'm the most
important director in charge of the company.
9. I'm Judy Briers. I work directly for Liz Hamley, and for her alone. I perform various secretarial
and administrative duties for her.
10. I'm Laurence Woodham. I'm a senior employee here, with director status and administrative
and legal authority. This is a legal requirement for all limited companies in the UK.
11. Good morning. I'm Peter Feltham, and I preside over the company's board meetings.
13. Hi there. My name's Mark Searle, and I supervise the production process.
14. And I'm Bob Wheatley. I help Mark Searle.
12. And I'm Helen Brown. I attend board meetings, but only to listen and give advice. I cannot usu
ally make decisions on behalf of the company.
15. My name's Ryan Briggs. I'm responsible for developing our employees' potential through
courses and other staff development programmes

Page 46
 B. Look at the organigram. Define the activities of each department

Example: The Marketing department involves publicity, market research …

Thomton & Thiennes Associated

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MANAGING DIRECTOR

FINANCE HUMAN RESOURCES PRODUCTION & PURCHASING MARKETING SALES

Credit Computing Personnel Affairs Purchasing Publicity Training Manager

Accounts Banking Benefits Training Manufacturing Market Research District Managers
Salaries Foreign trade Unions Entertainment Transport Market Policies Sales Representatives
Market Planning

C. Look at the organigram again and ask and answer about the correct department.

Example:

Student A: I´d like to speak to someone about my salary, please.

Student B: I´ll put you through to the Finance Department.

My salary Manufacturing my product

Benefits Training new people

Publicity Market research

D. Read the dialogues and write the name of the person to speak to in each case
R=Receptionist C=Client V=Visitor

1.

R: Thomton and Thiennes Associated. Good morning.

C: Good morning. I´d like to speak to someone about the MCM machine, please.
R: Hold on a moment , sir. I´ll put you through to the Sales Department.
C: Could I have the name of the Sales Manager?
R: It’s Mr. Philips.

Page 47
 2.

R: Good morning, sir. What can I do for you?

V: Good morning: I work for Printer Manufactures, a Canadian company. Could I have an ap-
pointment with the Purchasing Manager?
R: You have to ask his secretary, Miss Jones. She´s upstairs, in office number 6.
V: May I have the name of the Manager, please?
R: Certainly. It´s Mr. Rogers. Robert Rogers.
V: Thank you very much
3.

R: Computer Service: Good afternoon

C: I´m interested in renting some equipment. Who may I speak to, madam?
R: Mr. Simpson, form the Rental Department. I´ll put you through to his secretary. Her exten-
sion is busy. Can you hold on a moment?
C: Yes. I´ll hold on
E. Read and practice with a partner.

1. What do you do? I´m Mr. Thomton´s secretary. I work in the Finance Department.

2. What does Miss Hill do? She´s a receptionist. She greets visitors and answers the phone.

3. What do they do? They´re sales representatives. They have to travel a lot.

4. What do you do? We´re clerks. We work in the Credit Department.

5. What does Mr. Lee do? He´s an account. He deals with accounts and taxes.

6. What does he do? He´s an engineer. He supervises the production Department.

7. What position does Elaine She´s a lawyer. She represents the company in court.
hold in the company?

Asking about someone´s job

What do you do?

What position do you hold?
What´s your job title

What does he / she do?

What position does he / she hold?
What´s his / her job title?

Page 48
2. Indefinite Articles

A. Answer your partner’s questions as in the example.

Example:
Your boss / an auditor
What does your boss do?
He´s an auditor.

a) Your mother / a lawyer d) George Clooney/ an actor

b) You / a psychiatrist e) those people / technicians
c) Mr. and Mrs Smith/mathematicians f) Miss Danielson / an agent

Company hierarchy
Think about the organizational structure of any com-
pany and there is always a hierarchy of some description.
The Managing Director is above the Divisional Managers;
these are above the Departmental Managers, who are above
the workers.

In some cultures, the emphasis on status within a

company is extremely important. Take Japan as an example.
Businesses in Japan tend to have a more vertical structure
than companies in the West, where status and position play
a less important role in working relationships. In a Japanese
company behavior and language are modified according to
the job position of the person you are talking to. However,
Japanese organizations give a lot of importance to group goals and every person tries to do what
is best for common good.

Page 49
 Find out about business culture in another country and share your information with the class.
How does your information compare with business culture in your own country?
In your opinion, should higher status positions keep their distance from lower status posi-
tions?
In your country, is language modified according to the person you are talking to?

3. Company departments
Which department is being described? Choose from the box.

Accounts finance marketing sales information technology legal

production purchasing research and development human resources

1. The production department is responsible for manufacturing the products which are then
sold.

2. The ________________ department decides on where to sell the products, how to advertise
them and the price.

3. The ____________________ department handles orders for the company´s products.

4. The employees in the ________________________ department read, understand and inter-

pret documents connected with the law.

5. The ____________________ department is responsible for paying salaries, employing new

staff and keeping files on each employee.

6. The people in the ______________________department compare prices and discounts from

the suppliers and buy materials.

7. All the invoices from both purchases and sales are processed in the
__________________department.

8. The end of year results are analyzed, the budget set and short – and long-term loans arranged
in the __________________ department.

9. The experts in the _______________________ department maintain the company´s comput-

er systems, up-date software and develop new computer applications.

10. The ______________________ department improves, adapts and changes the products for
the future.

Page 50
BIBLIOGRAFIA E FONTES
• Pohl, Alison, Professional English Secretarial, England, Penguin English Guide

• Toseli, Marisela (2006), English for secretaries and administrative personnel, Spain,
McGraw Hill

Page 51