Here are plain language explanations of the financial metaphors involving liquid:
- Pool of resources - A collection or source of money/funds that is available.
- Flooding of capital - A large influx or supply of money/investment coming in.
- Funding dries up - The source of money/financing is disappearing or becoming unavailable.
- Trickle down wealth - The idea that wealth accumulates at the top but some of it will gradually filter down to others lower in the economic system.
- Awash with laundered money - There is a large amount of illegally obtained (laundered) money present.
- Ebb and flow of money - The rising and falling of money
internship ppt on smartinternz platform as salesforce developer
Essential Business English Course
1. COURSE CONTENTS
Objectives
Grammar – the Tenses
General grammar areas
Vocabulary building
My job
Corporate culture
Diplomacy and nuances
Cultural awareness
Management/leadership
Meetings
Email writing
Punctuation
Writing Techniques
Human resources
Financial vocabulary
Newspaper articles
negotiating
Social fluency
Proverbs, Idioms& metaphors
Presentations
2. OBJECTIVES
Increase vocabulary via synonyms,
antonyms and build a collocation dictionary
Understand word functions and build
collocations from one word
To think in English, without first translating
from my mother tongue/false friends e.g. I
am going to my “room” to fetch my “map”
Listen to English broadcasts on
radio or television to enhance
passive skills
Raise accuracy level and improve
pronunciation
Practice active skills for
proficiency in meetings and
negotiations
Enhance cultural awareness and
improve diplomatic language
skills
4. The Simple Tenses
1. I do – present simple(FACTS, HABITS)
2. I am doing – present continuous (NOW)
3. I did – past simple (OVER)
4. I was doing – past continuous (WHILE)
5. I will do – future simple (DEFINITE)
6. I am going to do – future continuous (PLAN)
7. I will be talking to him tomorrow - future
continuous passive form
5. MY JOB AND ROLE
Mind map your job
Form collocations from the
vocabulary
Present your job to a group
member
Discuss a past project
Discuss future plans
Discuss your daily routine and
priorities
6. CORPORATE CULTURE
How would a small Dutch firm
differ to a Multi-national firm?
What is corporate culture?
What is staff turnover.
Define your company’s ‘public
image’
What is a mission statement?
What does it mean to be
‘globally and culturally aware’?
What is the dress code?
What are career opportunities
like at your firm?
Is the culture top down or flat?
Is it bureaucratic?
7. The Perfect Tenses
The Perfect tenses
1. I have done – present perfect
2. I have been doing – present perfect
continuous
3. I had done – past perfect
4. I had been doing – past perfect
continuous
5. I will have done – future perfect
6. I will have been doing – future perfect
continuous
yet/ever/never/already/since/for/
just
8. Past simple
I was in England last year and I met the Queen. Then I saw her last week.
She came to the Netherlands. ( All over in the past )
Have you ever been to Austria? (Connects past to now)
2010 2011
now
Regular Talked Worked Cycled Tidied
Irregular Wrote Drove Saw Ate
9. I have seen two of his films (auxiliary have + past participle)
I have been to the Efteling twice. (results, so far)
now1990 first film 1995 second film
Efteling 2005 Efteling 2008
Present Perfect
Have Have Have Have have
SPOKEN WRITTEN DRIVEN SEEN EATEN
10. Present perfect use with time
adverbs
ever, since, yet, for (+ period of time), just (BE), just.
Have you ever seen such a wonderful sight?
He has been a teacher since 2001.
They haven’t finished the assignment yet.
They’ve been friends for a long time.
I have just had lunch.
I have been trying to learn English grammar for
an hour now!
11. Complete these
I wrote a …………… in February.
I failed my ………………last year.
I finished my ……………….. last week.
I have done half of the ………………….
I have written half of ………………….
I have not learnt the ………………. yet.
12. I have been working on phase 3 for
some time now. (still ongoing)
versus
I have done 2 phases. (result)
Present Perfect Continuous
Connects events in the past to now, and adds a verb with
ing because at the moment the action is still om- going.
Have been doing…..
14. DIPLOMACY
Speech Act –
Direct – COMMANDS, IMPERATIVE, STATEMENTS
Get me a coffee Mr Koppen
You left the door open
I’ll explain
Indirect request
Could you get me a coffee please
Hhmmm It’s cold
Would you like me to explain?
I’m sorry to bother you…
Do you mind if….
Face act
Threatening
I want and I have more social power
I’m right you’re wrong
I’m the boss
Face saving
Equal status and polite
Declarative without blame
Question not a command
15. Diplomacy uses Modals and Hedges to
be pragmatic
Could, would, should,
As far as I know
I’m afraid, that’s somewhat
I wonder if you could, would it be possible to…
It seems rather….
Correct me if I’m wrong
Would you mind sending it?
That’s not very useful
I would rather
16. IMPROVE THESE
We have a problem.
Can I interrupt
There’ll be a delay
You said you can deliver by the end of March.
It would be better to ship to Rotterdam.
There are three things I want to discuss.
I assume the paperwork is okay.
We’re unhappy with the quality of this repair.
We expected a more flexible response.
We won’t agree to this.
I’m shocked you expect us to cover the costs
We are dissatisfied.
We want a bigger rebate.
19. HOW MANY PHRASES CAN YOU
THINK OF TO EXPRESS THESE?
GIVING AN OPINION
ASKING FOR AN OPINION
AGREEING 100%
AGREEING 50%
DISAGREEING 100%
DISAGREEING 50 %
PREVENTING AN INTERRUPTION
RECOMMENDING OR
SUGGESTING A PROPOSAL
REASSURING SOMEONE IN DOUBT
BEGINNING A MEETING AS CHAIR
ASKING FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
EXPRESSING OPPOSITION
EXPRESSING UNCERTAINTY OR
RESERVATION
ASKING FOR CONFIRMATION
REPHRASING AN OPTION
CORRECTING A MISUNDERSTANDING
SUMMARISING A POINT
20. MODEL ANSWERS
I’d like to begin by running through the agenda
Let’s get down to business
Could you elaborate on that? Could you clarify what exactly?
I’m afraid I don’t think that’s going to work
I have my reservations
Let me put it another way, let me rephrase, perhaps I’ve been unclear
As far as I see it, in my view, in my opinion
What are your thoughts, how do you feel about it?
I agree entirely, I agree wholeheartedly, absolutely
I’m afraid I can’t agree, I have to disagree,
I see your point however, I’m afraid, that’s somewhat difficult
If I may just interrupt, if I may just finish
I recommend postponing, I suggest meeting next week,
To wrap up, to summarise,
21. GENERAL MEETING VOCABULARY
What is the chair’s role?
Make a list of do’s and don’ts for meetings.
What do impartial, assertive and contentious mean?
WHAT WORDS COMPLETE THESE GAPS?
Can I make a s …………..?
I s…….. we identify the key strengths and then make a decision?
I p……… that we look at the strengths and then the weaknesses.
Sorry, I can’t go a………with that idea.
We have no a……………. but to accept the terms.
I have my r……………. as they have been late with delivery before.
I had no time to think about it so I had to make a snap d……….
I was in two minds about accepting the o………..
I think the best o……..is to accept the proposal.
Who is going to take the m …………….?
22. CULTURAL AWARENESS
What character traits do you
associate with these colours?
Where would you put different
cultures you deal with daily?
23. To which cultures would you
associate these traditional
traits with?
1. Order (rules are rules) vs. flexibility
2. Hierarchical vs. democratic power
3. Formality in names vs. informality in names
4. Expressive body language vs. restrained
body language
5. Personal fulfilment vs. group fulfilment
6. Welcoming risk vs. avoiding risk
7. Innovative vs. traditional
8. Open agreement vs. subtle disagreementnt
25. Business Writing Techniques
Eliminate Redundancy: (too many words)
In view of the fact that time is running out, we should
hurry.
Rewritten as: Time is of the essence.
Wrong Words
We expressed our feelings of inconvenience.
Rewritten as: We expressed our reservations.
Formality: Use synonyms for Phrasal Verbs
Expert systems can help out the user in the diagnosis
of problems.
Rewritten as: Expert systems can assist the user in
problem diagnosis.
26. Phrasal Verbs
Back up - support
Draw up - write, draft
Get on with - continue working
Put up with - tolerate
Turn down - refuse
Get across - communicate
Count on - rely
brush up - improve
Can you think of any other phrasal verbs?
There are over 7000 in the English language.
27. Connectors
for flow
Not only
Alternatively,
In spite of
In comparison with
Whereas,
Additionally, furthermore
In particular,
Nevertheless, nonetheless
Despite
On the one hand/ on the other
Contrastively,
28. Punctuation
The apostrophe for possession:
The boy’s hat.
St James’s Square.
Achilles' heel
Plural possession
The children’s playground; The
women’s movement;
The boys’ hats
The babies’ prams;
Comma: new idea, pause,
joining ideas or listing items:
The boys wanted to stay up
until midnight, but they
grew tired and fell asleep.
However, they awoke later.
We took apples, pears and
oranges.
Hyphens: two nouns form
an adjective
See-through material
fast-food
29. Writing Tasks
Give a detailed description of
something that happened at
work (use past tenses): e.g. a
tricky situation during a
meeting or a mistake
Start with: Yesterday, last
month, or ……..
You are being promoted
within the company. You have
been asked to write the job
vacancy ad for the position
you currently hold. Make it
appealing!
In connection with a
neighbourhood survey you have
been asked to write something
about living in the area: the
environment, traffic, possible
nuisances, etc. Give comments
and make suggestions for
improvement
Letter of complaint. You have
just returned from a
disappointing holiday; you
didn’t get what you paid for.
Choose something you need to
write for work
30. Past Perfect Simple
Connects events in the past and says which action
happened first. Often draws attention to most important
action.
31. Past perfect simple
Since she had missed the bus she was late for dinner.
He went to the police because a thief had stolen.
The meeting had begun by the time we got there.
I had been trying to train my dog for three months but it didn’t work so
eventually I just took him to dog school. (past perfect continuous)
now
32. Future perfect Simple and Continuous
Connects events in the future, forecasting what will have
been achieved by a future time.
33. Future perfect
In June she will have travelled 3000 kms.
We will have been studying together for 8 weeks by that time.
They will have had time to change the document by then hopefully.
The coalition will have governed one year by September.
now
35. Human Resources
Describe how you were
recruited to the firm.
What are the ten most
typical questions to be
asked when applying for
a new job?
Who was the biggest
influence of your career
choice(s) & how did they
affect you?
What do you think are
the essential motivating
factors for most
employees?
How does the evaluation
process work at your
company? Would you
change anything, to make
it work better?
36. HR GENERAL VOCABULARY
Can you explain these terms?
Absenteeism
Notice period
Fringe benefits
Apprenticeship
Aptitude test
Immediate dismissal
Probation period
To be on strike
Disability pension
Disciplinary measure
Redundant
Remuneration
Severance package
Blue and white collar worker
Get the axe
Dismissal laws
37. HR MEETING AGENDA
Your department is understaffed but has little
budget. Discuss whether to to hire externally or
arrange internal promotion to ease workload.
You have two management candidates. Do you hire
the one with the better people skills or the better
qualifications?
Decide on a Training and Development budget and
how to spend it for your department.
Staff turnover is high currently. Set up a reward
scheme or come up with ideas to reduce this. For
example, a motivation workshop.
38. MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP
Do male and female
managers differ? Explain
your reasoning.
List 7 top qualities a good
manager has.
Put those qualities into a
list of numerical priority.
Negotiate your list and
bring 14 qualities down
to 7.
Do you think managers
need to know all
processes within a
company?
Can a manager influence
corporate culture?
Appraise your manager in
a polite meeting role play.
39. Adjective syllables Comparative Superlative
Small 1 smaller smallest
Hot 1 hotter hottest
Pretty 2 prettier prettiest
Fluffy 2 fluffier fluffiest
Important 3 More
important
Most
important
Intelligent 4 More
intelligent
The most
intelligent
Exceptions
good 1 better best
bad 1 worse worst
decent 2 More decent Most decent
ADJECTIVES –COMPARATIVES & SUPERLATIVES
41. Financial Metaphors- Liquid
Explain in plain language
Pool of resources
Flooding of capital
Funding dries up
Trickle down wealth
Awash with laundered
money
Ebb and flow of money
Situation is fluid
Sank without a trace
Bank has gone under
Pull the plug on the co.
Provide a bailout plan
Drain on resources
Swimming in cash
Riding on the crest of a
wave
42. Financial Role play
Loans and Credit:
Bank Manager and Entrepreneur
Meet with your Bank Loan manager. Your start- up
computer manufacturing company is having
unexpected success, selling twice as much than
planned.
Your factory operates 16 hours a day but it has to pay
suppliers after 30 days while customers only pay after
60 days.
You need 400K quickly to resolve cash flow problems.
The entrepreneur has defaulted previously.
44. TREND LANGUAGE
Verbs: to go up:
Increase
take off
shoot up
soar
Jump
Rocket
Rise
Improve
Incline
peak
Prepositions
By 50%
From 20%
Degrees of Change
Adjectives:
dramatic, considerable, sharp,
significant, substantial, slight
moderate, rapid, swift, gradual,
vast, slow, quick
Adverbs:
dramatically, considerably,
sharply, significantly,
substantially, moderately,
slightly, slowly, gradually
swiftly, rapidly, vastly , quickly
No change
Stable/stagnate/level off
45. Adjectives go with nouns
Adverbs go with verbs
Adjectives:
A dramatic drop
A considerable increase
A significant decline
Adverbs:
Rose dramatically,
Decreased sharply
Fell substantially
46. Prepositions
1. The meeting will be ……. 2006.
2. The meeting will be ……. 21 July.
3. The meeting will be ……. Friday.
4. The meeting will be ……. 3 o’clock in the
afternoon.
5. The meeting will be ……. the morning.
6. The meeting will be ……. lunch time.
7. The meeting will be ……. the morning of the
24th.
8. The meeting will begin …….. time.
9. I am …..the office …..in the meeting room
…….the 14th floor
47. Prepositions with Adjectives
a) I am accountable ……. my superior ……. my
expenses.
b) Are you acquainted ……. these regulations?
c) The new building will be adjacent …… our
headquarters.
d) I am afraid …… dogs. (Note: I am afraid to touch
dogs.)
e) She is annoyed …… having to work late.
f) She is annoyed ……... her secretary.
g) We are available …….. this assignment.
h) The computer help-desk is available …….. all
users.
i) Our company is comparable …… most of our
competitors.
48. Negotiations
What kind of negotiations do you
have in your job?
Who was involved in your last
negotiation and what was the
outcome?
What is the best outcome of a
negotiation?
Generally, there are three kinds of
negotiators. Soft, hard and
principled. What kind of tactics do
you think these three different
types would employ?
If you make a c…………on price, we will
order today.
If we all remain f………. I am sure we
can reach agreement.
I’m happy that we managed to reach
a c……………………
Our b…………line is that we need
deliver by next month.
Our k……interest is in the delivery
time.
Our overall o………….is to have this up
and running in three months.
I think that’s about as far as we can
go at this s……..
Are these terms broadly
a…………………..?
Can we just run through the main
points once m……..?
49. The conditionals – using “if”
1st Conditional: Prediction
If it rains I will take my umbrella.
2nd Conditional: Hypothetical and possible:
If I knew I would tell you.
3rd Conditional: Hypothetical & impossible:
If I had known I would have told you.
50. Negotiation role-play
A senior position which no one wants
A Senior partner has left unexpectedly in your
firm. Partners would like you to fill the position
because no one has stepped forward internally to
take the position. Meet with another senior
partner and negotiate. You are not keen as the
new benefits don’t match the added
responsibilities.
As a Senior partner you need to persuade your
negotiating partner to take the job. The
candidate is not keen and you have no other
applicants. Your budget is limited though and the
candidate is young for the position.
51. Presentation Gambits
Dealing with questions
I’m afraid I don’t know that of the top
of my head
I think I answered that earlier/
interesting, what do you think?
Sorry, I don’t follow you, can I get back
to you on that?/I wish I knew
I’m afraid I’m not in a position to
comment on that just yet
Good point, I’m glad you asked that
To be honest I think that raises a
different issue/ well as I said
Functional Phrases
There are three points I’d like to make
First we should bear in mind that..
At the outset, let us consider
By and large, all things considered
Although…..we mustn’t forget that
The next issue I’d like to focus on
I might add that, as well as ….there is
also…..
A case in point is
I tend to favour…as opposed to
To illustrate this point….…..has an
advantage over……in that…..
Allow me to conclude by stating
52. Gerunds vs Infinitives
GERUND
I propose postponing
He considers negotiating a bind
He suggested meeting next
week
Imagine a weekend away every
month
Gerunds are verbs that take a verb
with an ING after it.
Some verbs take both an ING or TO
I remember doing it.
I must remember to do it
INFINITIVE (TO)
I can’t afford to buy
I failed to get there on time
He agreed to meet next week
I decided to postpone it
Infinitives are verbs that take a TO
before the next verb
Yes! It’s not logical….
It’s language
53. Daily Idioms
Like talking to a brick …..
Get it off your ……
Can’t get a word in ……
Heard it through the …..
Talk the hind legs off ……..
Be on the same …….
To have the gift of the …..
Between you me and the …….
To make ends …..
Thrown in at the deep …..
Burn the candle both …..
Get the wrong end of the ……
It’s not the end of the ……..
Takes like a duck to …..
I’ve got a memory like a……..
Like water off a duck’s …..
She spends money like it’s….
She came down on me like a
ton of …..
Avoid something like the ….
To sleep like a ……
To wake as fresh as a ……
He’s as stubborn as a ……
To go red like a ………
To eat like a …….
To get along like a house…..
The news spread like …….
54. Metaphors
Complete the metaphors and then
explain their literal meanings.
To rock the ……..
To open a can of ……
Smell a ……..
Storm in a ……..
Tip of your ………
Put your ……into it
To get cold …….
Not see eye to ……
Get off on the wrong …..
Have no …..to stand on
Tip of the ………
Be in the same ……
Put your ……down
Not see the woods from the …..
Bite off more than…….
Step on someone’s …….
The icing on the …..
Pull your …… up
Different as chalk and …..
Like two peas ……
Ball is in your ……
Blow the ……on someone
Put your cards on the …..
Cut someone down to ……
Remark below the …..
Bite the hand that …..
From the …….’s mouth
Play it by ………
55. Proverbs
Charity
Too many cooks
Necessity
One man’s meat
A bird in the hand
A new broom
One good
A bad workman
Absence
A miss is
Is the mother of invention
Begins at home
Spoil the broth
As good as a mile
Makes the heart grow fonder
Is another man’s poison
Is worth two in the bush
Sweeps clean
Deserves another
Blames his tools
56. Social fluency
Give a summary of a major news item this week.
You have just won a €20 million grant to spend
on urban regeneration. How would you spend it
and why?
Write down your hobbies and share them in detail
with colleagues
Explain how to cook your favourite meal.
What is on your bucket list?
Discuss your favourite book, film, tv show.
57. Business and Marketing metaphors
Change of tactics
Use all arsenal in our attack
Mobilize our resources
Launch a media campaign
Go on an expensive spending blitz
Invade the market
Defend our territory
Suicide mission by competitors
Win a price war
Defense is the best attack
Capture the market
Unsuccessful dawn raid
Bombarding shareholders
Fight them all the way
Join forces with Co. A
Launch an action against
Explain the metaphors in plain
language
Try and put them into a context
Test your partner with half of the
metaphor to see if they can guess the
other.
58. BUSINESS ETHICS
Do companies have the right to
monitor your email and the
websites you visit on the company
pc?
What do the terms code of conduct,
business principles and
whistleblower mean?
Define the limits of business ethics /
business responsibility.
59. Information Technology
Give a definition of what
you understand by
configuration defaults
and database server?
What is regression
testing?
What is Active idle,
average response time
mean in SAP?
What is knowledge
management and why is
it related to IT?
What could be a high
load phase?
Do you know what a two
tier SAP system is?
What does CPU stand for
and what does it mean?
Make a mind-map of
website IT vocabulary. For
example if you were the
designer. Think of how
you surf on sites.
60. BE FINANCE TERMS WHAT DOES AE
USE?
1. Annual General Meeting AGM
2. Articles of Association
3. Authorised share capital
4. Barometer stock
5. Base rate
6. Bonus or scrip or capitalisation
issue
7. Bridging loan
8. Building society
9. Cheque
10. Company
11. Creditors
12. Current account
13. Debtors
14. GIlts or gilt-edged stock
15. Labour
16. Memorandum of association
17. Merchant bank
18. Ordinary share
19. Overheads
20. Profit and loss account
21. Property
22. Quoted company
23. Retail price index RPI
24. Share premium
25. Shareholder
26. Shareholders´ equity
27. Stock
28. Trade union
29. Unit trusts
30. Visible trade
61. AE answers
1. Annual Stockholders Meeting
2. Bylaws
3. Authorised capital stock
4. Bellwether stock
5. Prime rate
6. Stock dividend or stock split
7. Bridge loan
8. Savings and loan association
9. Check
10. Corporation
11. Accounts payable
12. Checking account
13. Accounts receivable
14. Treasury bonds
15. labor
16. certificate of incorporation
18. common stock
17. investment bank
19. overhead
20. income statement
21. real estate
22. listed company
23. consumer price index CPI
24. paid in surplus
25. stockholder
26. stockholders´ equity
28. labor union
27. inventory
29. mutual funds
30. merchandise trade
62. Tax
Explain these tax terms
Direct tax indirect tax
Income tax
Wealth tax
VAT
Progressive tax
Capital gains tax
Tax evasion and avoidance
Creative accounting
Regressive tax
Tax haven and shelter
Tax deductible
Laundering
63. Marketing
1. How do marketers
identify the need for
new products?
2. What is direct
marketing?
3. How do marketing
companies conduct
research to see if a
campaign is effective?
4. What does it mean if
something is product-
led?
1. What do you think
about the increasing
frequency with which we
are bombarded by
advertising?
2. Is TV advertising more
persuasive than Internet
or newspapers?
3. What would you think
of a commercial free
world?
64. Marketing answers
1. Collect data research (primary)
includes quantative info e.g. on a
representative sample of people and
qualitative – by giving face to face
interviews. – secondary data
(company sales figures broken down
into categories like customers,
territories, product lines – looking at
consumer buying patterns in more
developed markets .
2. Product –led activities are
determined by the requirements of
the products as opposed(/in contrast
to/whereas) to customer-led or
marketing-led
1. Direct marketing - is a
form of advertising that
reaches its audience
without using traditional
formal channels of
advertising, such as TV,
newspapers or radio.
Businesses communicate
straight to the consumer
with advertising techniques
such as fliers, catalogue
distribution, promotional
letters, and street
advertising.
65. Marketing tasks
1. What is a brand?
2. What is a trademark?
3. What stages are there in brand loyalty?
4. How important is packaging?
5. How does one increase market share?
6. What 4 basic methods are there of market
segmentation?
7. What is cost based pricing?
8. What is prestige pricing
9. Explain a product line and product mix.
10. Define product life cycle
66. Marketing answers 2
1. Increase market share by selling at a low price, even if it means profits are lowCost
based – add a specific % markup to the base cost to give the selling price
2. Market segmentation
Product related: comfort, safety, luxury, good value for money, convenience,
durability
Demographic: age, gender, education, family life cycle, income, occupation, etc
psychographic: attitudes, lifestyle, opinions, values self-image etc
geographical: region, post code etc
3. Prestige pricing – setting a high price to maintain an image of quality and
exclusivity
4. Product line – group of related products that are physically similar or intended for
the same market
5. Product mix – or range – assortment of products lines and individual offerings
6. Product life cycle – introduction; growth maturity , decline
7. Brand – symbol or design or combination that identifies a product
8. Trademark – a name or symbol that cannot be used by another producer
9. Brand loyalty – brand awareness / brand recognition 2. brand preference 3. brand
insistence
67. Marketing tasks
1. You need a marketing
campaign for a re-
branded product.
Outline options.
2. Choose a recently
launched product and
describe performance
plus how it compares to
the older ones.
3. Plan the future of a new
brand by analysing the
business environment
and identifying the target
markets. Then plan a
budget, sales goals in
terms of volume and
revenue and the elements
of the marketing mix and
their timing.
69. A socio-drama
project to live the language
What do you need?
A world – where -
Characters – who, how many
An incident – what happens
The message - tragedy , thriller or comedy
70. Drama
Groups – 1 leader
Character 1
Character 2
Character 3
Character 4
Setting: where, visuals
How many scenes?
Context: murder, divorce,
court, party, work
Script ideas
Write at least 5 lines for each scene
Remember to show emotion and
act out your part
Is there a back stage narrator?
Timing
Practice