When you’re trying to close a deal, write a proposal, or give a presentation, your English can make all the difference.  Good grammar is essential to good speaking and writing. One area in particular that causes great difficulty for those whose English is a second or foreign language, is prepositions, 150 to be exact. Can you remember the last time you sent an e-mail knowing that it probably contained some prepositions you used incorrectly?  Did you realize that your mistakes could cause your reader to misunderstand you or become offended?  As professionals and business people, you cannot afford to make these mistakes.

 

• What are prepositions?

Prepositions connect words to other parts of a sentence and have a close relationship with the word that follows, which is usually a noun. They never change their form, regardless of the case, gender etc. of the word they are referring to.

 

Some common prepositions are the following:

 

about above across after against along among around at before behind below beneath beside between beyond but

by despite down during except for from in inside into like near of off on onto out

outside over past since through throughout till to toward under underneath until up upon with within without.

 

• One of the greatest learning challenges presented by prepositions is their meaning.

He was born in the spring.

 

She threw the paper in the wastebasket.

 

The letter is written in French.

 

Although the preposition in is used in each of the above sentences, its meaning is not the same.  In the first example, in refers to time.  When was he born? He was born in the spring.  In the second example, in refers to direction, where something is going; in this case, the direction is from outside the wastebasket to the inside of the wastebasket. The last  example shows how the preposition in expresses the relationship between the noun, letter, and the word, French.

 

• Four things prepositions tell

The four things that prepositions tell are 1) where something is (location);  2) where something is going (direction);  3) when something happens (time);  4) the relationship between a noun or a pronoun and another word in a sentence.

 

Location

 

The subway is near her home.

 

They live just around the corner

 

We live within ten miles of your house

 

The town is across the river.

 

I’ll meet you at the mall.

 

Directions

 

She went to the city.

 

She jogged around the block.

 

He threw it just beyond the fence.

 

We came by the back road.

 

We went through the tunnel.

 

Time

 

I’ll wait until noon.

 

They arrived during the storm.

 

I had an appointment for two o’clock.

 

The time is ten to five.

 

We should arrive within two days.

 

Relationship

 

   Sam went to the party with Ann.

 

He is a man of ideas.

 

They never play by the rules.

 

You must choose between law and medicine as a career.

 

We went on a strict diet.

 

• sites that can further your understanding of English prepositions

 

http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/prepositions-rule.htm

 

http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blgr_prep1.htm

 

http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/worksheets/grammar/business-prepositions/

 

http://www.wordpower.ws/grammar/gramch26.html

 

Do you understand the meaning of the italicized idioms in the following scenario?

An American law firm has just been notified that a deal it was negotiating with a large German drug manufacturer on behalf of one of its biggest clients, a famous American pharmaceutical, fell through. A meeting is called, and the legal team working on this deal gives a briefing on their negotiations with the Germans. The senior partner sits up straight, looks everybody in the eye and says “We need to get to the bottom of this. Why did the deal fall through? Let’s go back to the drawing board. In a nutshell, I want another proposal to take to the Germans. I want it with all the kinks ironed out, and I know all of you, when you put your heads together, can pull it off. So let’s get to work.”

• Learning Idioms is as important as learning vocabulary

If you are not an American speaker, you would have a lot of trouble understanding the meanings of the idioms in the above scenario. In order to understand a language, you must know the meaning of the idioms in that language. Students of English must learn its idioms and expressions the way they learn its other vocabulary.

• Hidden meaning

In today’s global business world, where English is the lingua franca, you are likely to come across hundreds of idioms. Idioms are everywhere and are often confusing because the meaning of the words in the idiomatic expression has little and often nothing to do with the literal meaning of the words. For example, the idiom mentioned above, pull it off, does not mean ‘take it off’ or ‘remove it. Rather, when you pull something off, you are accomplishing a difficult task or are successfully doing something difficult. If you try to figure out the meaning of an idiom word for word, you will be stumped. You need to know its hidden meaning.

• Idiom flash cards

Here’s a technique that will help you learn a few new idioms every week. On the front of a small index card, write the new idiom. On the back of the card, on the upper left hand corner, write the definition of the idiom; in the middle of the card, write a sentence using the idiom. Use one index card for each new idiomatic expression. Try to learn 10-12 new idioms a week. The cards are portable and will enable you to review the new idioms every free chance you have. Remember, the more you review, the more likely you are to store your new idioms in your long term memory.

• The following sites can help you begin your study of idioms:

• American idioms

• American business idioms

• business idioms

• 8000 American idioms

Online learning, also known as e-learning, embraces the portability of the Internet to address the needs of today’s busy business executives. A study conducted in 2006 found that there are nearly 3.5 million people participating in various e-learning courses, and that number continues to grow.

The New York Times recently took a look at the growing trend of learning languages online. The article points out that in today’s global marketplace, those involved in business want to gain an edge with the ability to communicate and negotiate in foreign languages.

In addition to the obvious advantages of the lower costs of e-learning programs, as well as the flexibility which allows you to work at your own pace, businesses are adopting e-learning programs as part of a broader integrated approach towards education involving visual, audio and kinesthetic components. These extra sensual features of e-learning make it a successful addition to online language instruction.

Better English = Higher employee productivity

E-learning for business English presents a most-compelling case for employee training. Honing employees’ English increases their accessibility to business documents and information, and enables them to communicate globally with other businesses via email and phone. After investing time in improved language skills, employees are able to focus on the content of their work, reduce their frustration, and speed up the process of writing even simple emails.

The challenges employers face when considering employee training are time and money. Deciding to invest in employee training requires confidence in visible results such as greater employee productivity, a realization of company goals, and a significant ROI.

Businesses understand that their employees are their most valuable resource, and that improving employee productivity in today’s marketplace necessitates training and education. E-learning’s low cost, flexibility and integrated educational methodology makes it a viable and attractive option for businesses around the world.

Almost anyone who speaks or writes in a foreign language can think of an embarrassing story caused by a mistake in just one letter, word or punctuation mark. When writing emails in a foreign language, you have the chance to review your letter before sending, and make sure that everything is in order. The presentation of your emails, both formal and casual, plays a significant role in shaping your professional image and developing fruitful business relationships through effective communication.

By implementing the following tips, you will be able to create useful email dialogues with clients, potential clients and colleagues:

1. Use an Appropriate Greeting and Signature

When addressing the recipient of the email, make sure you know whether they are a man, woman, doctor, or anything else that may affect which address you use.

In addition, make sure that every email that you send includes all of your contact info in the signature. This ensures that the recipient can store all of your contact details for future communication. Most email clients allow you to attach your signature automatically at the end of each email. To learn how, click here for Outlook, here for Gmail, and here for Yahoo.

2. Be Conscious of the Tone

Deciding upon the tone of your email is the first step in writing the content. Every part of the letter, from the heading, to the body, to the signature, should reflect the appropriate level of formality. For example, beginning with ‘Hi Tal’ is clearly more casual than ‘Dear Tal.’ If you are unsure, closing the email with ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Best Regards’ can keep the tone neutral.

3. Keep it Short

Everyone gets dozens if not hundreds of emails a day. Their time is limited, and keeping your emails short will not only make the writing task easier for you, but it will also make your emails more accessible to today’s busy professionals. Short emails solicit quicker responses and more successfully communicate your message.

4. Use White Space

Make sure that you separate your points with enough white space. Begin a new paragraph for each topic. Add bullets or lists so that readers can scan your emails.

5. Check your Spelling and Grammar

Most email clients today include spell checks. You should also check for spelling on your own to identify typos like homophones (words pronounced the same but spelled differently), which can often lead to spelling mistakes.

Although checking your grammar can be more complicated, read www.copyblogger.com’s list of the six most common grammatical mistakes made when writing copy. Working on a few rules at a time will boost the clarity of even simple emails.

Create your Personal Style

Once you develop your own style and signature, emails can effectively help you express yourself articulately and professionally in any language.

 

As businesses expand their client and employee locations, and the value of business conference calls increases, the importance of conducting productive conference calls in English takes on a new challenge - and new opportunity.
The Benefits of Conference Calls

Conference calls enable companies to connect people for a common purpose, without transportation and meeting costs. They also avoid the time-consuming lengthy group emails that often confuse employees less comfortable in English. Gathering people together from various locations with the technology of a simple telephone is a convenient way to replace training seminars, business meetings or presentations.

Weighing the Options

Employees often prefer listening to a spoken English presentation, over reading long and intimidating English documents. However, whereas English business emails can be read over and over again by employees not fluent in English, phone conferences demand the immediate comprehension of all participants. Here are some tips to assure the success of English Conference Calls in Israel:

1. Preparation: Even before the actual call begins, consider emailing the participants a clear meeting agenda, to keep people focused, prepare them for the topic of discussion, and enable them to know if they missed a point. If possible, tell participants to log into Skype during the conference call so that they can alert the monitor of any issues by using Skype’s chat feature without interrupting the call. When you’re ready to start the call, begin on time and check that each member is ready either by doing your own short roll call, or by using a relatively inexpensive operator assisted service (calls participants, manages logistics, etc.)

2. Combining Visual and Audio Mediums: Adding visuals such as a PowerPoint presentation through a web conferencing service can transform the whole experience for participants with language difficulties. Following the visual cues not only compensates for comprehension issues, but it also keeps participants engaged throughout the presentation.

3. Clarity is the Key: Obviously, keep in mind that whenever dealing with an audience of multiple languages, clarity and focus are the keys to delivering a message successfully.

By following the tips above, you can ensure that your conference calls are productive, enjoyable, and as efficient as a face-to-face meeting.

Around the world, there are an estimated 1 Billion people learning English. There are many reasons why learning English has seen exponential growth in recent years, but it all boils down to the fact that English is the “global language” of business, politics, international relations, culture, and entertainment. Although English is not an official language in many countries , it is the language most often taught as a foreign or second language.

Business Leverage

The English language is the global language for business, and a good command of English will definitely give one who is eyeing a globally competitive business or career a clear edge. Communication problems, whether personal or business, translate directly into losses, zero result in negotiations, incompetence for global business, or the inability to conduct business in the international arena.

Career Growth

In terms of career success, Business English communication skills will equip you with a liberating confidence and ability to express yourself in the English language. It will surely be an advantage in interviews, thus giving you more opportunities to widen your career prospects. Or, if you are not looking for a new job, having the confidence and ability to speak Business English is one way of enhancing your potential for earning by making you stand out for career advancement or promotions. Studies show a steady growth in the number of companies worldwide requiring employees who have bilingual skills.

Internet Proficiency Means English Proficiency

Research shows that 80% of content on the web is in English, and business content makes up a large part of that content. Therefore, a good grasp of business information, data, or terminologies in the English language is integral for benefiting from the wealth of business information available on the Internet.

Pele’s Blog Mission

In this blog I plan to highlight the role of English in the business world.

I will examine trends, feature related news, analyze case studies, and provide tips for businesses to improve their language skills. I will also demonstrate how businesses can utilize their advanced language skills to increase productivity, boost sales, reduce customer service issues, and clarify their mission.

Recent Study- A Case for Investing in Business English

Just last week the UK National Center for Languages, CILT, conducted a survey showing that each year thousands of European (and Israeli) companies lose business and miss out on contracts as a result of language skills. The decrease in business deals may stem from not corresponding on time - or at all. Alternatively, negotiating in poor English casts doubt for the client on the competence and professionalism of your company. The lack of language skills may also impact the precision in communicating all of the essential information in a business call or email.

CILT continued to suggest that “there is enormous potential for small and medium sized businesses to increase total exports if they invest more in languages and develop coherent language strategies. Research definitely shows that companies that enhance their language skills can better exploit business opportunities. Language management is related to maximizing economic performance.”

Mr. Ari Syrquin, Head of the International Department at Joseph Shem Tov Law Firm, recently quoted this study in his Jerusalem Post article entitled “European Commission promotes investment in language skills” (November 21^st 2007). He cited the CILT’s study to show that companies with a strategic approach to multilingual communication can boost their export sales by more than 40 percent compared to competitors.

In the fast-paced global economy, foreign language strategies are an essential part of every company’s growth.