NGUYỄN TẤT THÀNH UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DIFFICULTIES IN STUDYING BUSINESS ENGLISH OF

THIRD-YEAR STUDENTS MAJORING IN ENGLISH AT
NGUYEN TAT THANH UNIVERSITY

2000006614 - Nguyễn Ngọc Mỹ Dung

2000006474 - Lê Thành Nam
2000005434 - Vương Nguyễn Thuỳ Hương
2000005621 - Nguyễn Thị Thanh Thuý

Supervisor
PHẠM BÁ VĂN QUÂN
 HO CHI MINH CITY, March, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS Paper

CHAPTER 1. LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................2

2.1 DEFINITION OF BUSINESS ENGLISH............................................................2

2.2 PROBLEM IN STUDY VOCABULARY ............................................................2

2.2.1 Definition of vocabulary.................................................................................2

2.2.2 Types of vocabulary........................................................................................2

2.2.3 Vocabulary in business English.......................................................................4

2.3 PROBLEM IN APPLYING FUNCTIONAL LANGUAGE...............................4

2.4 COURSE CONTENT SELECTION....................................................................5

2.5 LACK OF MOTIVATION....................................................................................6

2.5.1 Definition of motivation..................................................................................6

2.5.2 Types of motivation........................................................................................6

2.5.3 Reasons of lack of motivation.........................................................................7

2.6 HYPOTHESIS........................................................................................................7

1
 CHAPTER 1. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 DEFINITION OF BUSINESS ENGLISH

Economic integration is becoming more popular in today's technologically advanced world.
As a result, learning about English business is now required of practically all students,
especially those who specialize in business English. Business English is the use of a language
to communicate with individuals in a particular business setting, claims Frendo (2005). It
involves negotiating, working together, persuading, resolving conflicts, explaining situations,
business meetings, sales presentations, business correspondence, business reports, executive
summaries and coming up with solutions to issues in commercial contexts like industry, trade,
finance, and the provision of services and goods.
According to Wilkins in Thornbury (2004: 13), without grammar, very little can be
conveyed, but without vocabulary, nothing can be expressed. It means that there is no use if a
person does not know many vocabularies, even if he or she has good grammar. As a result,
vocabulary is the most important thing that largely determines whether a person is good at
learning a foreign language or not.
2.2 PROBLEM IN STUDY VOCABULARY
2.2.1 Definition of vocabulary
According to the Cambridge dictionary, vocabulary means all the words used by a particular
person or all the words that exist in a particular language or subject. Richard Nordquist (2019)
defined that vocabulary (from the Latin for "name," also called wordstock, lexicon, and lexis)
refers to all the words in a language that are understood by a particular person or group of
people.
2.2.2 Types of vocabulary
Educators often categorize vocabulary into four types:
 Listening vocabulary
Listening vocabulary refers to the words we need to know to be aware of what we hear.
Starting in the womb, fetuses can detect sounds as early as 16 weeks. Furthermore, babies are
listening during all their waking hours – and we continue to learn new words this way all of our
2
lives. By the time we reach adulthood, most of us will recognize and understand close to
50,000 words (Stahl, 1999; Tompkins, 2005). People can enhance their vocabulary by using
their listening skills as well as the vocabulary of their family members. Having a variety of
vocabulary will assist people in understanding what they read and hear, as well as in expressing
their emotions and thoughts verbally or in writing (Güleryüz, 1998). Furthermore, hearing is an
output of speaking since, in order to accurately pronounce a word and practice an accent, we
must listen to it several times in many contexts.
Listening enables educators to be knowledgeable in remembering the words and phrases so
that it can aid them in boosting their reading as well as their writing skills. Listening to a
presentation, a discussion, a reading text, a song, etc. on any subject raises the probability of
encountering new words and contributes to the individual's vocabulary enrichment (Temur,
2006).

 Speaking vocabulary
The words we use when we speak. Our speaking vocabulary is relatively limited: Most
adults use a mere 5,000 to 10,000 words for all their conversations and instructions. This
number is much less than our listening vocabulary most likely due to ease of use.
The words we use when speaking make up our spoken vocabulary. The fact that listening
immediately reflects a person's English proficiency makes it fair to state that it is the most
crucial ability for English language learners. Speaking is the most important talent, according
to Tang (1997), as opposed to the other skills, because being able to communicate in a foreign
language shows that a person is competent.

 Reading vocabulary
Reading vocabulary refers to the words that an individual can read and understand.
Vocabulary is the indispensable key to reading comprehension. The significance of vocabulary
instruction in reading has been emphasized in the literature (Lee 2003). Readers cannot
comprehend what they are reading well unless they understand the majority of the words.
 Writing vocabulary
Writing vocabulary is described as the terms we use when writing. Writing vocabulary is
categorized into five types: diversity, maturity, content vocabulary, academic vocabulary, and
3
register (Natalie G. Olinghouse, Joshua Wilson, 2012). A person's ability to choose from a
wider range of words when they have a large vocabulary can help them be more accurate. Also,
using the right words or phrases might cut down on the number of words or sentences needed
to convey a thought. Our writing vocabulary is strongly influenced by the words we can spell.

2.2.3 Vocabulary in Business English

Business vocabulary words and phrases are terms used to describe events, outcomes, tasks,
entities, and processes in the workplace (Indeed, 2021). People can use business English to
communicate ideas with their business partners. Understanding some of the most commonly
used business English vocabulary can also help people understand certain topics at work. The
greater your business vocabulary, the better you will comprehend how ideas and concepts
affect people in your work setting (Indeed).
Because business English has a large vocabulary, even majoring students feel overwhelmed
when trying to remember it all. Even for many native English speakers, much of the English
terminology used in business is obviously specialized and would be challenging to understand.
Moreover, business English also has different meanings in different situations. Take the word
"market" as an example. In general, "market" means an open event, building, or area where
people gather to purchase and sell goods or food.
Nonetheless, in the business sector, this term refers to the business or trade in a specific
product, including financial goods; or it can also refer to people who desire to buy something or
a region of the world where something is sold. Learning business vocabulary, which can be
focused by activity or industry, is essential for knowing business English. It goes without
saying that if students want to be proficient in English for business, they must routinely
practice their business vocabulary. Pinar Tarhan (2015) agreed that unless students practice,
business English will sound very different from everyday English.
2.3 PROBLEM IN APPLYING FUNCTIONAL LANGUAGE
Another aspect is the self-study and practice of the language and language skills required to
perform various typical business functions such as writing correspondence, negotiating, or
making a presentation in English.
 Writing correspondence

4
 Writing is defined as an activity in which one expresses ideas, issues, events, feelings, or
thoughts to others in written form. Jason Ocker (2020) claimed that all writing is difficult, but
business writing has its own difficulties. There are many types of business writing in different
fields, for example, marketing, finance, accounting, etc. Writing about communication at work
is a vital aspect of maintaining the business-partner relationship. Even advanced students make
the same mistake when it comes to writing a business email. There's no getting around it; even
the best writers have difficulty.
This is due to the fact that email does not convey body language or tone of voice, and
readers can skip or skim important sections. As a result, communicating a writer's meaning can
be difficult (Jacob Funnell, 2013). Most students start with their own sentence and then
translate it to English, ignoring grammatical conventions and the structure of the language. In
addition to using incorrect terminology in English business writing, they also construct
verbose, complex sentences. The purpose of this topic is to improve and supplement the
knowledge base for the business English correspondence writing system and propose frequent
pattern mining for sentences in each category, so as to improve the writing knowledge base for
the business English correspondence writing system.
 Self- study
Self-study is essential for building the knowledge required in today's competitive world. It
saves students time that they would have spent going to a traditional classroom or attending
time-consuming classes (Froala, 2015). Some students are uninterested in reviewing or self-
studying since the material is difficult to understand and dry. A variety of self-study products
are available to help you improve your business English grammar and vocabulary at home.
Reading English news and business news is highly recommended. This is possible both online
and through news apps on smartphones. It is an excellent way to read, listen to, and watch
English news broadcasts in order to improve their language skills.
2.4 COURSE CONTENT SELECTION
Business English is an example of English for a Specific Purpose (ESP), which relates to
teaching people specific vocabulary and skills for their needs. People who want to improve it
should be trained through standard courses because it has a specific character and a substantial
amount of professional knowledge. Ellis Mark and Johnson Christine (1996) claimed that
5
"Business English often focuses on topics such as meetings, presentations, negotiations, formal
letter writing, etc.". Business English courses are created to help people strengthen their
English proficiency while also providing business content and enhancing cultural awareness
(Fortanet Gómez and Räisänen, 2008). Business English contains many majors such as finance,
accounting, marketing, human resources, logistics, etc. Hence, learners should carefully
analyze their options and decide which course in which field is best for them.
2.5 LACK OF MOTIVATION
2.5.1 Definition of motivation
Motivation is the process by which goal-oriented behaviors are started, guided, and
maintained. It comprises the biological, emotional, social, and cognitive forces that stimulate
behavior (Kendra Cherry, 2022). Motivation is the force behind behavior and provides an
explanation for why people do things (Lee, 2005). It is believed that motivation has a direct
impact on the achievement of learning a second language (Gardner & Smythe, 1981).
2.5.2 Types of motivation
According to the research of Gardner and Lambert (1972), there are two types of motivation.

 Instrumental motivation
Instrumental motivation refers to realistic reasons for language study. Instrumental learners
are motivated to learn a language for practical reasons, such as getting a salary bonus, gaining
status in society, fulfilling the demands of their job, getting into college, or passing
examinations.
 Integrative motivation
Integrative motivation refers to language learning for personal growth and cultural
enrichment; that is, the learner likes to learn a language to enter successfully into the target
language society. They continued that instrumental motivation arises out of a need to learn the
L2 for functional or external reasons. They involve the attainment of aims, functional aims for
learning like passing exams and financial rewards.
2.5.3 Reasons for a lack of motivation
The most challenging component of studying business English is consistency, and some
students struggle with it because of a lack of guidance and motivation. Motivation is important
6
in achieving second or foreign language proficiency, according to Oxford (1994), Schmidt
(1996), Scarcella (1992), and Shearin (1994). Harmer (1991) identified four characteristics that
can influence students' motivation in language acquisition.
The first factor is classroom equipment. For example, how can pupils pay attention in a
classroom with poor quality equipment, bad lighting, or a high number of students?
The second reason is the teaching approach, which is a significant component that influences
a student's comprehension abilities. According to Arikunto (2003), learning acquisition is the
level of achievement reached by students in proportion to their goals. To establish an ideal
learning environment, teachers must have a teaching style that can successfully explain lessons,
boost student motivation, use learning material effectively, and guide and direct students in
their learning (Suparno, 2006).
The third reason is that teachers, who are a class's main source of energy, need to have an
effective system for encouraging students' enthusiasm for their studies.
The fourth factor that influences students' motivation to learn a language is academic
success. Learners must exhibit the best learning strategy for each individual in order to
complete their studies, as business English has a large vocabulary and failure might lead to
failure.

2.6 HYPOTHESIS
In our study, we anticipate that the most difficult challenge for junior English majors at
Nguyen Tat Thanh University when studying business English is applying what they have
learned. Our research aims to first identify the factors influencing third-year business English
students at Nguyen Tat Thanh University and, second, provide a solution to this problem.
REFERENCES
https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/178083-EN-none.pdf
https://www.thoughtco.com/vocabulary-definition-1692597
https://www.srsdeaf.org/Downloads/Bridge_of_Vocabulary.pdf
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/business-vocabulary
https://www.fluentu.com/blog/business-english/learn-business-english-vocabulary/
https://maark.com/insights/why-is-business-writing-so-difficult

7
 https://www.writing-skills.com/seven-rules-writing-difficult-emails
https://redfame.com/journal/index.php/jets/article/view/2688/2949
https://scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=96800
https://ijreeonline.com/article-1-23-en.pdf