Unit 1
Entertaining a Business Visitor
Reading Text 1
Business is always
personal, and opening up to
your business contacts is
the best way to develop
your business relationships.
Kelly Watson argues why
you should stop trying to
keep your business life and
your family life separate.
‘Dienst ist Dienst und Scnaps ist Schnaps’
is a famous German saying. Work is work, and
socializing is socializing, and the two worlds
should never meet. You work long hours in the
office and work hard all day long. You don’t
need to go to dinner with your business contact
as well, right? Wrong! Ever since people first
began trading and making deals, there has
never been business without socializing. In
many cultures, the socializing is the business.
Socializing with your business contacts is
not just for fun. It can also make doing business
a lot easier. How many business deals have
been closing not in the boardroom, but in a
restaurant or bar? Thus, treating business
contacts differently from personal friends is
one of the most common mistakes business
people make. Think about your business
contacts who are also friends of yours. Isn’t it
easier to do business with them? Don’t they
help you tolerate your mistakes more than
casual acquaintances? Exactly! So make your
business relationships more personal and you
will find your work is easier and that you are
more successful.
But how can you make business more
personal? Easy! Do the same things you would
do when making ‘real’ friends. Show that
you’re human, not just a face in a suit. Create
intimacy between you and the business contact
Making Business Personal
and you will create trust. Instead of just making
superficial small talk, talk about the things
which are really important to you: your family,
your hobbies, your problems, and worries.
And don’t be afraid to introduce your
business contacts to your friends and family.
John Zimmerman, who is CEO of a technology
company in Seattle and a good friend of mine,
began taking his daughter, Laura, on business
trips with him so that they could spend more
time together. Dinner conversations became
more personal because his business contacts
wanted to talk
to Laura. John’s
contacts told
him about their
families, and
one manager’s
son even
became Laura’s
pen friend.
Everyone was a winner with this scenario.
Not only did John spend more time with his
daughter, but she learned a lot about his work
and the world of business. And John’s business
contacts now invite John and his daughter to
spend time with ther families, taking those
business relationships to another level.
So don’t be afraid to mix your business life
with your personal life. OK, so you might not be
able to give a sales presentation over dinner if
your friends or family are there. But it doesn’t
matter: when it comes to business, it is the
personal relationship that makes all the
difference. Mixing your business life with your
personal life benefits everybody: you, your
business contacts, and your family.
Editted from Smith, David E., Sylee, Gore. (2007). English for
Socializing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
English for Administration Business 3
 A. Vocabulary
Read passage above carefully. Match the vocabularies below with their meaning
according to the context given in the passage.
1. Separate : ______________ 6. Superficial : ______________
2. Socializing : ______________ 7. CEO : ______________
3. Treating : ______________ 8. Manager : ______________
4. Acquaintances : ______________ 9. Sales : ______________
5. Intimacy : ______________ 10. Benefits : ______________

Definitions:
a. Behave towards or deal with in a certain way.
b. Appearing to be real or important only on the surface.
c. A cozy and private or relaxed atmosphere.
d. The action of selling something.
e. A person responsible for controlling or administering an organization or group of staff.
f. Form a distinction or boundary between.
g. To be useful or profitable to
h. The highest-ranking person in a company or other institution, ultimately responsible for taking
managerial decisions.
i. The action or practice of participating in social activities or mixing socially with others.
j. A person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend.

B. Reading Comprehension
Answer the following questions based on the text above.
1. Kelly Watson believes that business and family life can go together. (T/F)
2. Treating business contacts as a personal friend is a common mistake. (T/F)
3. Building trust happens when businessman can deliver some small talks. (T/F)
4. John’s dinner conversation with business contacts became more cozy
because of his daughter. (T/F)
5. John’s business relationships ran as good as always with the present of Laura. (T/F)
6. How does a business run when working with a friend of yours?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
7. According to the text, what is not included in superficial small talks?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
8. What happens with Laura after her dad takes her in a business trip?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
9. How does taking his daughter impact John Zimmerman’s business?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

English for Administration Business 4

 10. Explain the benefits of mixing business and personal life!
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Language Focus 2

Present Perfect vs Past Simple

Example:

1. There has never been business without socializing.

2. Many business deals have been closing not in the boardroom, but in a restaurant or bar.
3. Dinner conversations became more personal because his business contacts wanted to talk to
Laura.
4. Everyone was a winner with this scenario.

The sentences above are taken from the previous text. In all of the sentences above, it
shows that they all describe past activities. However, as you can see, it uses two different kinds
of tenses; simple past and present perfect. So, how do we differentiate them? Read the
following explanation to help you understand the differences between the two tenses.
Recognizing the two tenses (Form):

Simple past Present perfect

Subject + V2 Subject + has/have + V3

Basic uses and functions:

Simple past Present perfect

1. Use the simple past for actions in the
past that have no connection to the
present and when the time of the past
action is important or shown.
1. Use the present perfect for an action
or situation that started in the past
and continues in the present.
2. An action performed during a period
that has not yet finished.
3. A repeated action in an unspecified
period between the past and now.
4. An action that was completed in the
very recent past, expressed by 'just'.
5. An action when the time is not
important.

English for Administration Business 5

Signal words (definite): Signal words (indefinite):
last week, when I was a child, yesterday, six just, never, ever, yet, already, recently,
weeks ago, in 2001. since, for, so far, up to now.
Sentence example: Sentence examples:
1. She found her computer yesterday. 1. I have lived in Bristol since 1984. (I
still do)
2. She has been to the cinema twice this
week (and the week isn't over yet.)
3. We have visited Portugal several
times.
4. I have just finished my work.
5. She has found her computer.

Practice!
A. Direction: Fill in the blanks with the simple past or the present perfect of the verb in
parentheses ().
A: Do you like to surf the internet?

B: Of course, I do. I’ve had (have) my internet connection since 1999, and I love it. A couple of months
ago, I ___________ (buy) a new computer with lots of memory and speed. And last month I
_________ (change) to a better service provider. Now I can surf much faster.

A: What kind of things do you search for?

B: Lots of things. I ________ (always/want) to learn about the stock market, and with the Web, I can
start to learn. Last week, I __________ (make) my first investment in the stock market.

A: Do you ever buy products online?

B: Sometimes I do. Last month, I __________ (find) a great Website where I can download music for
one dollar. So far, I ____________ (download) about a hundred songs, and I _________ (make)
several CDs. My old computer _________ (not/have) burner, so I’m very happy with my new one.

A: __________ (you/sell) your old computer?

B: No. It was about eight years old. I just ________ (remove) the hard drive and __________ (leave)
the computer on top of the garbage dumpster. When I _________ (pass) by a few hours later, it
was gone. Someone _______ (take) it.

B. Direction: Change the verb in the parentheses into the correct form of simple past or
present perfect verb.

Since computers were first introduced to the public in the early 1980’s, technology (change)
__________ a great deal. The first computers (be) _________ simple machines designed for basic
tasks. They (have/not) ___________ much memory and they (be/not) __________ very powerful. Early
computers were often quite expensive and customers often (pay) ___________thousands of dollars for
machines which actually (do) __________ very little. Most computers (be) __________ separate,
individual machines used mostly as expensive typewriters or for playing games.

English for Administration Business 6

However, times (change) _________. Computers (become) __________ powerful machines with very
practical applications. Programmers (create) _________ a large selection of useful programs which do
everything from teaching foreign languages to bookkeeping. We are still playing video games, but
today’s games (become) __________ faster, more exciting interactive adventures. Many computer
users (get/also) ____________ on the internet and (begin) ________________ communicating with
other computer users around the world. We (start) ________________ to create international
communities online. In short, the simple, individual machines of the past (evolve) ___________ into
an international World Wide Web of knowledge.

English for Administration Business 7

 Unit 2
Trade Fair

Reading Text 1

Trade Fairs and Exhibitions

Trade fairs are an effective way for businesses
to make face-to-face contacts with potential
suppliers and customers. They provide chance to
demonstrate and launch products, test new
markets, and find out what customers want. You can
also find out about new competition, and get new
ideas.
There are trade fairs for every business sector
so make sure you attend the right one. You should
make a profile of the customers you want to attract
and the products and services they want to know
about, so match. You should look at a trade fair’s
statistics. How many people attend? How big is the
exhibition space? Who are the major exhibitors?
Planning is the secret of success. You should
book well in advance to get a good position for your
stand. Then, there are also materials and stand
furniture, and book accommodation and transport.
There is a lot to do at a trade fair so make sure
enough staff attend.
Your staff should be well prepared and ask
appropriate questions so they can identify potential
clients. They are useful to show samples to visitors
or give short presentations to illustrate the product.
They shouldn’t forget to take a record of each
visitor, and give out leaflets and business cards.
After the fair, it is important to have a meeting
and discuss what worked well and what could be
improved on. You shouldn’t neglect the contacts you
made, so follow up each one with a phone call, an
email, or a letter. Finally, if you don’t have time or
the staff to plan and man a trade fair, you can use
professional event organizers. They can arrange
everything for you and know how to help a business
make a good impression.
Steps to Successful Networking in Trafe Fairs
1. First, prepare a a 30-second ‘verbal
business card’: ‘Hi, I’m Shara Lacey. I’m
the CTO of GreenFire Systems. We
provide…’.
2. Offer your name when you introduce
yourself. You know who you are, but other
people don’t.
3. Are you feeling shy and lonely? Look for
someone who is alone, and speak to them.
4. Focus on other people rather than
yourself. Listen to what they’re saying
instead of thinking about what you want
to say next.
5. Ask questions. You learn more by listening
than by talking.
6. Wear comfortable clothes. You won’t
make a good impression if you don’t feel
good in what you are wearing.
7. Remember to give people your business
card. But ask for their card first.
8. Make eye contact.
9. Smile!
10. Practice! The more networking you do,
the better you will be!
Editted from:
1. Hobbs, Martyn., Keddle, Julia Starr. (). Oxford English for
Career: Commerce. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2. Smith, David E., Sylee, Gore. (2007). English for Socializing.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.

A. Vocabulary
Read passage above carefully. Match the vocabularies below with their meaning
according to the context given in the passage.
1. Demonstrate : ______________ 6. Leaflets : ______________
2. Profile : ______________ 7. Impression : ______________
3. Exhibition : ______________ 8. CTO : ______________
4. Appropriate : ______________ 9. Instead of : ______________
5. Illustrate : ______________ 10. Networking : ______________

English for Administration Business 8

 Definitions:
a. A printed sheet of paper containing information or advertising and usually distributed free.
b. A senior executive with responsibility for managing the technological requirements of a company
or other institution.
c. The action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional
or social contacts.
d. An outline relating to particular characteristics of something.
e. Give a practical explanation of how a machine, skill, or craft works or is performed.
f. As a substitute or alternative to; in place of.
g. Give an example of.
h. A public display of works of art or items of interest.
i. An idea, feeling, or opinion about something or someone, especially one formed without
conscious thought or on the basis of little evidence.
j. Suitable or proper in the circumstances.

B. Reading Comprehension
Answer the following questions based on the text above.
1. Trade fairs can only help businesses in showing their products. ( T/ F )
2. Statistics can be valuable for a trade fair. ( T/ F )
3. Getting a good position is the key secret to success. ( T/ F )
4. Following up the contacts from the trade fair can be made through WhatsApp. ( T/ F )
5. Asking the business card first is important. ( T/ F )
6. Explain the effectiveness of the trade fair for business!
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
7. According to the text, what are included in making a planning for a trade fair?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
8. Why do the staff have to identify their potential clients?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
9. What are the things to do after the trade fair?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
10. What should be best to do if you are a shy person in a trade fair?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

English for Administration Business 9

 Language Focus 2

Simple Present
Example:

1. Planning is the secret of success.

2. The professional event organizer knows how to help a business make a good impression
3. They are useful to show samples to visitors or give short presentations to illustrate the
product.
4. They provide chance to demonstrate and launch products, test new markets, and find out
what customers want.

The sentences above are taken from the previous text. In all of the sentences above, it
shows that they all describe about fact, opinion or general information. Those sentences use
simple present. However, there two different forms of verbs that can be used in simple present.
So, how do we differentiate them? Read the following explanation to help you understand the
differences between two verbs in simple present.
Recognizing these two verbs (Form):

Simple Present

Singular Subject + V1 (with s/es) Plural Subject + V1 (without s/es)

Basic uses and functions:

1. Use the present simple for a present state (e.g. feeling, opinion) or general facts
2. Use the present simple for a habitual actions or routines.

Sentence Example: Sentence Example:

1. David wants to be an expert lawyer 1. I want a pizza for my dinner
2. She plays video games every Sunday 2. We meet the director once a week

Practice!
Direction: Change the verb in the parentheses into the correct forms of simple present.
1. A successful business usually ______________ (provide) an important product in the market.
2. He always ______________ (do) his best in English class.
3. Farmers ______________ (store) milk produced by cow and goat in a low temperature.
4. We ______________ (not/play) video games every day.
5. _________________ (you/trust) your lawyer?

English for Administration Business 10

 6. She ________________ (not/get) to work on her pile of paper before 9 am every day.
7. The girls never _________ (listen) to pop music with their headset on.
8. The manager _____________(propose) a new marketing strategy.
9. Our new neighbor _________ (work) as a field marketer for Nestle Company.
10. I ___________ (like) beef more than chicken.

Basic Writing 3
Read both of the text and analyse whether they are a paragraph or not.

Text 1
Italy is one of the most historical
countries in the world and therefore has many
historical places for tourists to visit. Firstly, it
is the Colosseum which was the place where
gladiators had to fight each other. Another
interesting place is the leaning of Pisa. This
attraction is interesting because of its unique
style. Venice is also a place that attracts many
tourists because of its uncommon city
landscape with its canals and bridges that
connects the city.
Text 2
Italy is one of the most historical
countries in the world and therefore has many
historical places for tourists to visit. Firstly, it
is the Colosseum which was the place where
gladiators had to fight each other. Another
interesting place is the leaning of Pisa. This
attraction is interesting because of its unique
style. Other than that, Italy is also famous for
its culinary such as pizza and pasta. Not only
that, they also famous for its coffee.

Important Terms

Paragraph: a group of sentences that focus on a single idea

Topic: the one thing a paragraph is about
Topic sentence: the sentence that tells what the paragraph is about
Supporting details: those sentences that explain the topic sentence

Abridged and modified from Pearson

English for Administration Business 11

Visualize Your Understanding!

Take a look on the text 1 and text 2, then read the visual explanation below why one of
them is paragraph an the other is not.
As it can be seen from the idea map below, text 2 has thesis sentence which does not
have appropriate supporting details. Meanwhile, the topic sentence of text 1 have supporting
details that connect each other. To write a good paragraph, you have to maintain that the
idea focuses on one topic with appropriate supporting details.

Idea Map

Topic Italy is one of the most historical countries in
the world and therefore has many historical
Sentence places for tourists to visit
Italy is one of the most historical countries
in the world and therefore has many
historical places for tourists to visit

Firstly, it is the Colosseum

Supporting Firstly, it is the Colosseum which was
which was the place where
the place where gladiators had to
details gladiators had to fight each
fight each other.
other.

Another interesting place is the Another interesting place is the

Supporting leaning of Pisa. This attraction is leaning of Pisa. This attraction is
details interesting because of its interesting because of its unique style.
unique style.

Venice is also a place that
attracts many tourists because of
Supporting its uncommon city landscape
details with its canals and bridges that
connects the city.
Other than that, Italy is also famous
for its culinary such as pizza and
pasta. Not only that, they also famous
for its coffee.

Practice!
Take a look on the reading text in the first page of this unit!
1. How many paragraphs are there? ____________________________________________
2. What is the topic of the text? _______________________________________________
3. What is the first paragraph of the text? _______________________________________
4. What are the topic sentences of each paragraphs above? Underline the topic sentences!
5. Could you find the supporting details of each topic sentences? Highlight your answers!

English for Administration Business 12

 Unit 3
Reading Graph/Charts

Writing Skill 1

How to Write a Describing Graph/Charts Paragraph

As you may have known form previous meetings. One part of understanding statistics is
understanding how to explain graphs. There are many different types of graphs/charts,
however, the most common types are bar graph, line graph, and pie chart
.
Type of Graphs/Charts

A. Bar Graph

Figure taken from https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-model-bar-chart-band-score-9/

English for Administration Business 13

 B. Line Graph

Figure taken from https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-line-graph-consumption-of-spreads.html

C. Pie Chart

Figure taken from https://ablogonielts.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/ielts-writing-task-1-pie-chart-international-students-in-mba-

programmes-in-2000/

However, for the purpose of this class, we will only focus on line graphs in this unit.

In explaining a graph/chart, it needs to have a minimum of two paragraphs, those two paragraphs
are called the Introduction paragraph while the second paragraph is called the Details
paragraph.

English for Administration Business 14

The Introduction Paragraph
The introduction consists of two components; (1) the introduction of the graph/chart and (2) the
overview of the graph/chart. (1) the introduction of the graph/chart tells what the graph is about
while (2) the overview tells the general idea/trend of the graph/chart. Examples are given below
based on the line graph given above;

(1) The Introduction of the Graph/Chart

The line graph illustrates the consumption of three different spreads (margarine, butter, and low
fat & reduced spreads) in a 26-year period in England. It is measured in grams.

Notes:

- There are many words that can substitute the bolded word in the example, those are;
show, tell, depict, illustrate, tell, explain, and etc. All these words have similar
meanings and therefore can be used interchangeably.

- The introduction must mention the y axis, x axis, and all the variables as highlighted

(2) The Overview of the Graph/Chart

Overall, butter and margarine showed a decrease of consumption during this period while low fat
and reduced fat had an increase since its introduction in 1996.

Notes:

- Start the overview with “overall” or “”in general” because the overview acts a
conclusion in this type of writing. You should mention the general idea here or the most
significant pattern.

- As you can see, using contrast/comparison language (as highlighted) is important here.
This language is also important in the Details paragraph.

- Language of change is also important to use (as underlined).

The Details Paragraph

Meanwhile, the Details paragraph consists of specific details of the graph/chart. Here, the use of
contrast/comparison language (as highlighted) and language of change (as bolded) are significantly
needed.

Between 1981 and 1986, margarine and butter showed contrasting trends with an increase from 140
grams to 160 for butter while a decrease from 90 grams to 80 for margarine. In the next 10 years,
butter had a significant fall reaching around 50 grams in 1996 while margarine reached its peak of
100 grams in 1996. In the last 11 years, both butter and margarine continued its decreasing trend
reaching a low of 50 grams and 40 grams respectively. During the same period, low fat and reduced
spreads was introduced and gained popularity from its introduction having a significant increase
from only 20 grams in 1996 to 70 grams in 2007.

English for Administration Business 15

 Other Contrast/Comparison Languages

Introducing similarities Both X and Y share a similar

trend.
X and Y have similar numbers.
The increase of X is similar with.
Introducing differences X is different from Y
X differs from Y …
There are a number of important
differences between X and Y.
In contrast to X, Y …
Comparing within one sentence X tends to increase
while/whereas Y decreases.
While/whereas X increases, Y
decreases.
Comparing within one sentence X has a higher number than Y.
with comparatives (-er) X has a fewer number than X.
Showing differences across two X rises. In contrast/By
sentences contrast/On the other hand, Y
falls.
Showing similarities across two X increases. Similarly/Likewise/In
sentences the same way, Y saw a rise.

Another Language
Language of Change

Another language that you have to use are language of change (as bolded in the example). The
following table shows the examples:
Degree of Adverbs Meaning Adjective Examples
change form
Sharply In a way that is Sharp 1. X rose sharply.
Extensive sudden and very 2. There was a sharp rise in
change noticeable X.
Dramatically Sudden or obviously Dramatic 1. X fell dramatically.
2. There was a dramatic
fall in X.
Enormously Extreme or very much Enormous 1. X increased enormously.
2. There was an enormous
increase in X.
Tremendously Extreme or very much Tremendous 1. X increased
tremendously.
2. There was a tremendous
increase in X.
Considerably A large amount Considerable 1. X increased
considerably.
2. There was a
considerable increase in
X.
significantly A large amount Significant 1. X fell significantly.

English for Administration Business 16

 2. There was a significant
fall in X.
Noticeably Average amount that Noticeable 1. X fell noticeably.
Average can be seen or noticed 2. There was a noticeable
change fall in X.
Moderately Average amount Moderate 1. X decreased
moderately.
2. There was a moderate
decrease in X.
Small Hardly Only just - 1. X hardly decreased.
change Barely Only just - 1. X barely fell.
marginally A slight change Marginal 1. X rose marginally.
2. There was a marginal
rise in X.

Aspect in Details
Another aspect you have to mention in the details is the numbers in the y and x axis. Some ways to
explain it are given below;

… with an increase from 140 grams to 160.

… a significant fall reaching around 50 grams in 1996…
… margarine reached its peak of 100 grams in 1996.
… a significant increase from only 20 grams in 1996 to 70 grams in 2007

For example: In 2000, X was 100 grams and in 2010 X was 200 grams. There are several ways you
can explain this.
1. X rose by 100 grams reaching 200 grams in 2010.
2. X doubled its number in 2000 to 200 grams in 2010.

Grouping

To make easier for you to explain or for the reader to understand, you need to group the data based
on similar/different trends. For example;

Between 1981 and 1986, margarine and butter showed contrasting trends with an
increase from 140 grams to 160 for butter while a decrease from 90 grams to 80 for
margarine. In the next 10 years, butter had a significant fall reaching around 50 grams
in 1996 while margarine reached its peak of 100 grams in 1996. In the last 11 years, both
butter and margarine continued its decreasing trend reaching a low of 50 grams and 40
grams respectively. During the same period, low fat and reduced spreads was introduced
and gained popularity from its introduction having a significant increase from only 20
grams in 1996 to 70 grams in 2007.

English for Administration Business 17

In this example you can see the groupings are based on years. Look at the following illustration and
explanation;

Group 2

Group 3
Group 1

1. Grouping 1 (Between 1981 and 1986):

- Margarine : decrease
- Butter : increase
- Contrasting trends
2. Grouping 2 (In the next ten years):
- Margarine : increase
- Butter : decrease
- Contrasting trends
3. Grouping 3 (In the last ten years):
- Margarine and Butter : continued to decrease
- Low fat and reduced spreads : increase
- 2 increase and 1 decrease

Practice!
Explain the following line graph. Make sure to include:
1. The introduction (introduction of the graph and overview)
2. The details paragraph. You should use;
- The language of contrast/comparison
- The language of change
- Do not forget the groupings as well to make it easier for you to write and the
reader to understand
- Mention the numbers in the y and x axis when explaining the graph

English for Administration Business 18

English for Administration Business 19
 Language Focus 2

There are two common ways to explain processes/steps and one of them has been given to you
above. Another way to explain processes/steps is to use the present passive.

Tense Active Passive

The administrator inputs the data on The data is inputted by the
the system. administrator on the system.
Simple Present
The system processes the The transaction is processed
transaction. by the system.
The system produces several Several outputs are produced
outputs. by the system.

So, when do we use passive?

We use the passive voice when the subject of the sentence is the receiver of the action.

Examples Explanation
The data is inputted by the administrator on Passive verb -> a form of be + past
the system. participle
The transaction is processed by the system.
Several outputs are produced by the system.
subject verb object Compare active and passive. The
object of the active sentence (the
Active: The system produces the transaction transaction) becomes the subject of
the passive sentence.

subject verb by agent If the agent of the action (the

person/thing that performs the action)
Passive: The transaction is produced by the is mentioned, it follows by.
system
However, in explaining a process is not simply just by making individual sentences.
Therefore, the process should be explained in a paragraph.

Other Passive Form 3

As shown in the previous examples, processes/steps are always explained with the present
tense whether it is in the active or passive forms. However, there are other forms of passive
that are important to understand as it is a fundamental grammatical structure in academic
writing. The following information will explain the other passive forms.

English for Administration Business 20

 Tense Active Passive
Simple Future They will pick the best movie. The best movie will be picked.
They are going to pick the best The best movie is going to be
movie. picked.

Simple Past They announced the winner’s The winner’s name was
name. announced
Present Perfect They have chosen the best movie. The best movie has been
chosen.
Modal You can see the movie on DVD. The movie can be seen on DVD.

Language Notes:
1. Both the active voice and the passive voice can be used with different tenses and with
modals. The tense of the passive sentence is shown in the verb be. Use the past participle
with every tense.
2. If two verbs in the passive voice ae connected with and, do not repeat be.
The Oscar ceremony is televised and seen by millions of people.

Examples
Before 1941, the winners’ names were
already known before the ceremony
Today the winners are never announced
ahead of time.
Affirmative: The movie was filmed by the U.S.
Negative: It wasn’t filmed in Canada.
Yes/No Question: Was it filmed in Hollywood?
Short Answer: No, it wasn’t.
WH-Question: Where was it filmed?
Subject Question: Which movie was filmed in
Canada?
Active: She saw him
Passive: He was seen by her
Explanation
An adverb can be placed between the
auxiliary verb and the main verb.
Observe affirmative statements, negative
statements, and questions with the passive
voice. Never use do, does, or did with the
passive voice.
(Wrong: The movie didn’t filmed in
Canada)
Notice the difference in pronouns in an
active sentence and a passive sentence.
After by, the object pronoun is used.

Active: They helped us

Passive: We were helped by them

However, not all active sentences can be changed into passive. You have to look at the verbs
and identify whether it is a transitive or intransitive verb.

English for Administration Business 21

 Examples Explanation
Compare: Most active verbs are followed by an
verb object object. They can be used in the active and
passive voice. These verbs are called
Active: Mc Cay created the first animated film transitive verbs.
Passive: The first animated film was created in
1914

verb object

Active: Walt Disney didn’t draw his cartoon

Passive: The movie was seen by the children

Active Only: Some verbs have no object. We cannot use

Disney lived in Hollywood most of his life. the passive voice with these verbs:
He became famous when he created Mickey agree die look seem
Mouse arrive fall occur sleep
He worked with many artists. be go rain stay
What happened to the first Mickey Mouse become happen recover walk
cartoon? I’d like to see it. come live remain work
These are called intransitive verbs.

Practice!
A. Read the following sentences. Decide if the underlined verb is active (A) or passive (P).
Examples: The actress received an Oscar. A
The actress was given an Oscar. P
1. The actress wore a beautiful gown.
2. Halle Berry presented an Oscar.
3. The director has been nominated many times.
4. Old movies were filmed in black and white.
5. Hollywood has become the movie capital of the U.S.
6. Hollywood was built at the beginning of the twentieth century.

B. Direction: Change the active sentences into passive.

1. Shakespeare wrote that play.
____________________________________
2. Bill will invite Ann to the party.
____________________________________
3. Waitresses and waiters serve customers.
____________________________________

English for Administration Business 22

 4. Shirley has suggested a new idea.
____________________________________
5. Alice didn’t make that pie. Did Mrs. French make it?
____________________________________

6. Does Prof. Jackson teach that course? I know that Prof. Adams doesn’t teach it.
____________________________________
7. His tricks didn’t fool me.
____________________________________
8. He can watch the event through live stream.
____________________________________

C. Direction: Change into passive if possible. Some verbs are intransitive.

1. A strange thing happened yesterday.
____________________________________
2. Jackson scored the winning goal.
____________________________________
3. I agree with Dr. Ikeda’s theory.
____________________________________
4. Dr. Ikeda developed that theory.
____________________________________
5. Timmy dropped the cap.
____________________________________
6. The assistant manager interviewed me.
____________________________________
7. A hurricane destroyed the small fishing village.
____________________________________
8. The cups fell to the floor.
____________________________________
9. Dinosaurs existed millions of years ago.
____________________________________
10. The solution to my problem appeared to me in my dreams.
____________________________________

English for Administration Business 23

 Unit 4
Business Communication

Reading Text 1

Phone vs. E-mail

Your product or service should usually speak for
itself, but sometimes you too will have to talk to
customers. Either customer supports or checking up
on an invoice, you want to be clear and concise while
being personable and trustworthy. A quick phone call
would do, or maybe a simple e-mail. Although you can
usually make these decisions in a snap, sometimes
you find yourself confuse
which one is more suitable.
Therefore, this essay wants to
compare the similarities and
differences between phones
and e-mails based on their
function, response, and
advantages.
Both phone and e-mail are helpful for business
communication but they have different functions.
Firstly, they both are indeed good tools to keep in
touch with a customer or client. Although more often
than not, phones are a better option when it comes
to an urgent or time-sensitive matter. Businesses can
go smoothly because people’s personalities shine
through their voices and tones. On the other hand, e-
mails are more efficient as they have more features.
With e-mails, people can send messages, photos,
videos, and documents to multiple recipients.
In regard to their term of response, phones and
e-mails share distinct characteristics. Whether a
phone calls are a way to build a relationship. A phone
conversation adds layers of information for complex
ideas in an interactive dialogue. If your work project
needs clarification in a crucial ideation phase, you
can jump into a phone call and talk it through for
quick responses. Meanwhile, e-mails are excellent for
sending simple messages to sound polite and
professional. Besides, a busy people mostly use an e-
mail, allowing them to manage time and reply when
they have the time.
Furthermore, both share evenly advantages, but
are not entirely the same. Both phones and e-mails
may save the business cost and time. Still, phone calls
are the best to give a good impression, while e-mails
are beneficial to use when following-up and giving a
quick update. Other than that, e-mails can keep
digital record of your communication and sticky
details needed when problems rise. Whereas, phone
calls can help to avoid or clear up miscommunication.
In conclusion, there are many similarities and
differences between phones and e-mails. Those
similarities and differences lay on their function,
response, and advantages. Phone calls are more
personal with its direct communication, while e-mails
are more polite to keep things more professional.
Sourced and edited from:
https://grasshopper.com/resources/articles/talking-to-customers-phone-vs-
email/
https://www.ooma.com/blog/6-reasons-phone-conversation-better-email/

networking conversation or a personal catch-up talk,

A. Vocabulary
Read passage above carefully. Match the vocabularies below with their meaning according
to the context given in the passage.
1. Service : _____________ 6. Features : _____________
2. Customer supports: _____________ 7. Catch-up : _____________
3. Invoice : _____________ 8. Layers : _____________
4. Snap : _____________ 9. Ideation : _____________
5. Efficient : _____________ 10. Sticky : _____________

English for Administration Business 21

Definition:
FACTS PHONE E-MAIL
A. A service provided to help
customers resolve any technical
Good tools to keep in Good tools to keep
problems that they may have touch with a in touch with a
with a product or service. Function
customer or client customer or client
B. Achieving maximum
productivity with minimum
wasted effort or expense. Quicker More efficient
communication for communication
C. A conversation in which people
urgent and time-
find out or are briefed about
sensitive matters
things that have discussed since
they last met or spoke.
D. The formation of ideas or Good to show Easy to send same
concepts. speaker’s personality messages, important
E. A distinctive attribute or aspect through the voice and documents, photos,
of something. tone or videos to multiple
recipients
F. A piece of work done for a client
or customer that does not Response Better for building Better for getting
involve manufacturing goods. a relationship simple messages
G. A quantity or thickness of across
material covering the surface.
H. Set to remain regardless of when Easier to explain Easier to sound
it was last updated. complex ideas in polite and
I. Done or taken on the spur of the an interactive professional
moment, unexpectedly, or dialogue
without notice.
J. A statement of the sum due for Good to get quick Good for busy
products or services/a bill. response without people to manage
waiting and clarify time as it allows
B. Reading important recipient to reply
information when they have the
Comprehension time

1. Mention the differences and Advantages Save time and cost Save time and cost
similarities between phones and
e-mails discussed above! Allow to give a good Allow to follow-up
_________________________ impression and give a quick
update
_________________________
_________________________
Avoid Keep digital record
_________________________ miscommunication of your
communication and
_________________________
sticky details
_________________________
2. Mention the functions of phones and e-mails!
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. According to the text, what are the situations needed to use phone calls?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
English for Administration Business 22
 4. Explain the characteristics of response using e-mails!
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. According to the text, how do both phone calls and e-mails contribute when problems rise?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Compare and Contrast 2

A comparative essay asks that you compare at least two (possibly more) items. These
items will differ depending on the assignment. You might be asked to compare:
✓ positions on an issue (e.g., responses to cyberwarfare in Russia and China)
✓ theories (e.g., capitalism and communism)
✓ figures (e.g., GDP in the United States and Britain)
✓ texts (e.g., Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth)
✓ events (e.g., the Great Depression and the global financial crisis of 2008–9)
Although the assignment may say “compare,” the assumption is that you will consider
both the similarities and differences; in other words, you will compare and contrast.

KNOW THIS!

Make sure you know the basis for the comparison

The assignment sheet may say exactly what you need to compare, or it may ask you
to come up with a basis for comparison yourself. Look at the differences in the table
below:

PROVIDED BY THE ESSAY QUESTION DEVELOPED BY YOU

The essay question may ask that you consider The question may simply ask that you compare
the figure of the gentleman in Charles the two novels.
Dickens’s Great Expectations and Anne
Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

The basis for comparison will be the figure of If so, you will need to develop a basis for
the gentleman. comparison, that is, a theme, concern, or
device common to both works from which you
can draw similarities and differences.

English for Administration Business 23

 Step to Write Compare and Contrast
1. Develop a list of similarities and differences
Once you know your basis for comparison, think critically about the similarities and
differences between the items you are comparing, and compile a list of them.
For example, you might decide that phones are more personal than e-mails.
The list you have generated is not yet your outline for the essay, but it should
provide you with enough similarities and differences to construct an initial plan. This
is similar with the table above in comparing Phones versus E-mails.
2. Develop a thesis based on the relative weight of similarities and differences
Once you have listed similarities and differences, decide whether the similarities on
the whole outweigh the differences or vice versa. Create a thesis statement that reflects
their relative weights. A more complex thesis will usually include both similarities and
differences. Here are examples of the two main cases:

Differences Outweigh Similarities Similarities Outweigh Differences

Furthermore, both phones and e-mails Both phones and e-mail may have
share evenly advantages, but are not entirely different features, but their communication
the same. methods are similarly effective to keep in
touch with a customer.

Modified from https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/types-of-writing/comparative-essay/

Organizational Scheme
Your introduction will include your frame of reference, grounds for comparison, and thesis.
There are two basic ways to organize the body of your paper.
1. In text-by-text, you discuss all of A, then all of B.
2. In point-by-point, you alternate points about A with comparable points about B.
If you think that B extends A, you'll probably use a text-by-text scheme; if you see A and B
engaged in debate, a point-by-point scheme will draw attention to the conflict. No matter
which organizational scheme you choose, you need not give equal time to similarities and
differences. In fact, your paper will be more interesting if you get to the heart of your
argument as quickly as possible.
Abridged from https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/how-write-comparative-analysis

Transition Signal Used

COMPARE CONTRAST
Similarly neither... nor... However whereas
Likewise just like (+ noun) In contrast but
Also similar to (+ noun) In comparison to differ from
both... and... to be similar (to) By comparison to be different (from)
to compare (to/with) to be the same as On the other hand to be dissimilar to
not only... but also... to be alike While to be unlike
Source: https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/essays/candc/

English for Administration Business 24

 Practice 1
A. Read and scan again the text entitled Phone versus E-mail, then analyze the
structure of its comparison and contrast essay using the question below.

1. What tense is being used?

___________________________________________________________________________
2. How many paragraphs are there?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. What does the first paragraph contain?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Underline the topic sentences in each body paragraphs!
___________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the last paragraph? What does it contain?
___________________________________________________________________________

Practice 2
Write a comparative essay about two different type of business messenger that
companies mostly use, WhatsApp and Slack, based on the information provided in the
table below.

Facts WhatsApp Slack

Clean user interface Clean user interface

Web and desktop application Web and desktop application

display all conversation in the left
sidebar and the history of opened
dialogue in the right one
Design
Conversation is only in one-to-one
or group chats.
display all conversation in the
left sidebar and the history of
opened dialogue in the right one
Conversation is divided into
public or private channel, and
direct messages.

Allow customization of colors and

theme on the left sidebar
Use phone contacts to Create an account with email
communicate with the tool. address and is invited in the
workspace channel

Has starring, archiving, Has sharing, starring,

forwarding, and replying message
Conversation
Features
No editing button but deleting the
message is available for limited
time period
commenting, and pinning
messages
Has editing, deleting, and
following messages

Has emoticon, sticker, and gif

reaction

English for Administration Business 25

 Has adding reactions feature,
remind me, and mark unread
button

Has threads for discussion tied to

specific message, link, or file
without distracting the general
Use @mentions for targeted channel flow
announcements
Use @mentions for targeted
announcements
Up to 8 users Unlimited one-on-one video call
in free plan/up to 15 users in
paid plan.

Video calls
Unavailable via web and desktop Available via web and desktop
application. application

Different notification with Do not disturb mode, channel-

ringtone or vibration specific settings, and keyword
Notification alerts.
Mute chats or groups Mute channels and ignore
@mentions

English for Administration Business 26

 Unit 5
Argumentative Essay

Writing Skill 1

Writing Argumentative Essay

Argumentative essay is another important piece of writing that is very important in academic life
and possibly this is the most familiar type of text for most students as they are heavily exposed to
them. However, writing an argumentative essay has always been a challenge for students as they are
usually exposed to the reading but not the writing. In this unit, a comprehensive explanation on
argumentative essay will be given which includes; the organization, strategies, and tips. To begin the
unit, let’s talk about the definition of an argumentative essay.
Argumentative writing is a genre of writing that requires the student to
investigate a topic; collect, generate and evaluate evidence; and establish
a position on the topic in a concise manner. In short, argumentative writing
is a work that require student point of view about some topic and proof it
with some evidence scientifically. (Purdue OWL, n.d)

To get a better idea of the organization, look at a sample of an argumentative essay below

Topic: Big salary is much more important than job satisfaction. Do you agree or disagree?

(1) Nowadays, there are lots of thing that
people consider when taking a job. Several aspects
that are mostly considered by people are wages,
working hours, and satisfaction (Purdue, p.30,
2011). However, there are still constant debate
regarding which one is much more important. It is
often argued that it is more advantageous to choose
a job with high wage, even if it does not appeal to
you at all. (2) I completely disagree with this opinion
and think that job satisfaction is much more
important than salary.
(3) First of all, I believe that job satisfaction
gives people a sense of fulfillment that no money can
guarantee. (4) This statement is strengthened by
Paul’s (2012, p.27) statement in which he says that
“out of the factors that contributes in choosing a
job, satisfaction has always been the most important
aspect as gaining it can give self-pleasure that
money cannot provide”. Even if someone is earning
a high salary, but feels tensed and compromises with
his conscience, this person will not enjoy his life.
While pursuing one’s interests will always bring
pleasure and feeling of satisfaction. (5) For example,
a lot of famous researchers made their career
choices not because of appealing wages, but because
they were passionate about science. That’s why it is
more important to choose the kind of work that
makes you happy than to look only at a high salary.
(6) Secondly, doing what you like keeps you
motivated and therefore leads to a career growth.
(7) Gary (2008, p.17) states that people with high
levels of job satisfaction tend to stay at a certain job
longer than those who are not. In other words, there
is a strong relation between job satisfaction and
productivity. People who love their jobs can easily
excel in their fields of work and achieve better
results than those, who put salary on the first place.
(8) For instance, Henry Miller decided to leave his
everyday job despite a good wage and ventured to
become a writer. After enduring years of ups and
downs he became one of the most famous and well-
paid authors of the twentieth century. Thus,
advantages of jobs that keep you satisfied outweigh
the drawback of a low salary in a long-term
perspective.
(9) To conclude, as can be seen from the
arguments above, job satisfaction is a much more
important aspect when considering/doing a job as it
provides not only pleasure but also motivated and
produce higher productivity. (412 words)

English for Business Administration 30

 (10) References

Gary, S (2008). Staying in a job much longer. The New York Times. Retrieved Sept 15, 2020 from
http://www.nytimes.com/staying-in-a-job-much-longer/
Paul, A. (2012). Happiness in the working environment. Journal of Management, 10(2), 48-58.
Purdue, J. (2011). Doing the hard work. London, England: Routledge

Practice!
Analyze the sample and answer the following questions.

1. How many paragraphs are there?

2. Look at the bolded numbers in the sample. What do they explain?
(1) ______________________________________________________________________
(2) ______________________________________________________________________
(3) ______________________________________________________________________
(4) ______________________________________________________________________
(5) ______________________________________________________________________
(6) ______________________________________________________________________
(7) ______________________________________________________________________
(8) ______________________________________________________________________
(9) ______________________________________________________________________
(10) _____________________________________________________________________

How to Write an Argumentative Essay 1

Agree/Disagree Essay – Paragraph Formula

Paragraph One – Introduction

Sentence 1-3: Provide a brief background about the topic
Last sentence: State your opinion in regards to the topic.

Paragraph Two – Body Paragraph 1

Sentence 1 (topic sentence): Tell the reader what this paragraph is about by introducing your first point.
Sentence 2: Justify your first point with an experts’ opinion.
Sentence 3: Provide an example to emphasize your argument.

Paragraph Three – Body Paragraph 2

Sentence 1 (topic sentence): Tell the reader what this paragraph is about by introducing your first point.
Sentence 2: Justify your first point with an experts’ opinion.
Sentence 3: Provide an example to emphasize your argument.

Paragraph Four – Conclusion

Sentence 1-2: Rephrase your opinion and sum up your two supporting points.

English for Business Administration 31

Paraphrase, Summary, and Quotation

These three ways of incorporating other writers' work into your own writing differ according to
the closeness of your writing to the source writing. So, what are the differences?

What are the differences?

Paraphrasing
❖ Does not match the
source word for word
❖ Involves putting a
passage from a source
into your own words
❖ Changes the words or
phrasing of a passage,
but retains and fully
communicates the
original meaning
Must be attributed to the
original source
Summarizing Quoting
❖ Does not match the ❖ Match the source word
source word for word for word
❖ Involves putting the ❖ Are usually a brief
main idea(s) into your segment of the text
own words, but
❖ Appear between
including only the main
quotation marks
point(s)
Must be attributed to the
❖ Presents a broad
original source
overview, so is usually
much shorter than the
original text
Must be attributed to the
original source

As writer we use them for several purposes:

✓ Provide support for claims or add credibility to your writing
✓ Refer to work that leads up to the work you are now doing
✓ Give examples of several points of view on a subject
✓ Call attention to a position that you wish to agree or disagree with
✓ Highlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or passage by quoting the original
✓ Distance yourself from the original by quoting it in order to cue readers that the words are
not your own
✓ Expand the breadth or depth of your writing

Citation and Referencing (APA Style)

Another thing you have to aware of when writing an argumentative essay is the way you
take other people’s writing and use them in your writing. This term is called CITATION and
REFERENCING. There are many types of citations but for the sake of this class, we will be
focusing on the APA (American Psychological Association) STYLE.

English for Business Administration 32

Citation
Book • A page number is required if you are paraphrasing, summarizing
or quoting directly:
(Karskens, 1997, p. 23)
Ward (1966, p. 12) suggests that

• If you are only citing the main idea of the book:

(Karskens, 1997)
Journal • The page number is required, as it is for summarising,
paraphrasing and direct quoting:
(Kozulin, 1993, p. 257)

• If you are citing the main idea of the article only:

(Kozulin, 1993)
Online • INCB (1999, par. 5) states that …
article/website • (INCB, 1999, par. 5)

Secondary citation • Gibbs suggests that “because students are aware of their tutor’s
mastery of the subject matter, it is common for them to assume
that their reader has no needs at all” (as cited in Bowden &
Marton, 1998, p. 35).

or:

• Gibbs' study (as cited in Bowden & Marton, 1998) discusses the
assumptions students hold concerning the expertise of ...
More than one • (Gerster & Basset, 1987) or:
author • Gerster and Basset (1987) assert that ...
More than three • First entry: Leeder, Dobson, Patel, Mathews and Marriot (1996,
authors p. 78)
• Subsequent entries: Leeder et al. (1996, p. 78)
No author • If the author's name is unknown, cite the website/page title and
date:
(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), 2015) or
(Land for sale on moon, 2007)
No date • If there is not date on the page, use the abbreviation n.d. (no
date):
(ArtsNSW, n.d.)
(Kim, n.d)

English for Business Administration 33

Referencing
Book Karskens, G. (1997). The Rocks: Life in early Sydney. Melbourne,
Australia: Melbourne University Press
Yaffe, D. (2006). Fascinating rhythm: Reading jazz in American writing.
Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press

Journal Curtis, S. (2009). Come in and hear the truth: Jazz and race on 52nd
street. The Journal of American History, 96(1), 264-265.

Website International Narcotics Control Board (1999). Psychotropic Substances.

Retrieved from http://www.incb.org/incb/en/psychotropic-
substances/index.html

No author People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). (2015). Animals used
for food. Retrieved from http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-
food/
or
Land for sale on moon. (2007). Retrieved from
http://www.moonlandregistry.com

No date ArtsNSW. (n.d.). New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards. Retrieved
from http://www.arts.nsw.gov.au/awards/
Kim, M (n.d). Chinese New Year pictures and propaganda posters,
Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. Retrieved
from https://collection.maas.museum/set/6274

MID-TERM ASSIGNMENT
Write an argumentative essay about the topic
given by your lecturer.

English for Business Administration 34