DENIS SASSOU N’GUESSO UNIVERSITY

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INSTITUT SUPERIEUR D’ARCHITECTURE, URBANISME,
BATIMENT ET TRAVAUX PUBLICS ( ISAUBTP )
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
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ECUE:
TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH

Option : Civil Engineering

Level: Licence 2

Time Allowed:

Pedagogical Team:
Pr Alphonse Dorien MAKOSSO
Dr Léa Blandine MBOUILOU NDOULOU
Dr Simplice Eloge MOUMBOUILOU

Academic year: 2023-2024

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 General Objectives: The main objective of the lecture designed to students at this level of
the university curricula is twofold:
✓ To reinforce Linguistic acquisitions so as to help them use English communicatively
in personal and professional situations.
✓ To make them familiar with the jargon of their professional sphere so as to facilitate
their integration in a more and more English demanding world.
Competence required: A student at this level of the university curricula should at least:
✓ Have a good command of the fundamentals of the English Grammar and Language.
✓ Have a capacity of understanding and analysing documents written in English.
✓ Be able to express communicatively (Oral and written skills)

COURSE OUTLINE

1- Letter Writing (Review of Application Letter + C.V.) / Motivation Letter

3rd Semester 2- Text Study according to Civil Engineering. (Vocabulary, Wh-Questions,
Blank Filling, Matching up and Translation)
3- Writing a Composition
4th Semester 4- Coping with Job Interview
5- Oral Presentations on Civil engineering

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Biliana Dimic Kay Rold. (2003). Looking Forward, Paris: Edition Berlin.
Dictionnaires. (2002). Le Robert et Collins pratiques, Français-Anglais/ Anglais-Français,
3ème édition, Le go print SPA.France. wwwcollins.co.uk.
Douglas, D. (2000). Assessing Languages for Specific Purposes Cambridge: UK.Cambridge
University Press.
Lynette Beardwood, Hugh Templeton, Martin Webber. (1978). A First Course in Technical
English, London: Heinemann educational Books.
Mémet, M. et M. Petit(dir). (2001). L’anglais de spécialité en France Mélanges. Bordeaux,
Editions du GERAS.
New on Target 1ère, Paris: Edition Berlin, 2011.
quora.com/what-is-urbanism-and-how-does-it-differ-from-urban-design. Accessible on 22
August 2023.
Raymond Murphy. (2004). English Grammar in Use. Cambridge University press, 3ème
Edition Legogroup.
sociologydiscussion.com/urbanism-as-a-way-of-life-concept-and-characteristics/2619.
Accessible on 23 August 2023.

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Steve Elsworth. (1990). Count Me In: Understanding Numbers in English, London:
Longman, Eighth Impression.
Tom Hutchinson and Alan. (1989). Waters, Interface: English for Technical
Communication, London: Longman, sixth Impression.
https://en.wikipedia.org-wiki-urbanism. Accessible on 22 August 2023.
https://www.britannica.com/science/science.
https://www.scrip.org/journal/articles.aspx?
mailto:mathematics@lancaster.ac.uk
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk./maths/
https://www.scrip.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/malware-and-its-types/

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 Lesson One: LETTER WRITING

There are two principal types of letters in English: The Informal or personal letter / Social letter
and the Formal or business letter. We write personal letters to our friends and relatives while
formal letters are addressed to authorities when we ask for information, order things or to apply
for a job. In this lecture, a special emphasis will be laid on the business letter.
I – Different elements of a Business Letter
A Formal or business letter essentially has seven parts:
✓ The heading;
✓ The salutations;
✓ The subject matter;
✓ The body of the letter;
✓ The closing;
✓ The signature followed sometimes by the enclosures.

II- Definition of some elements specific to the Business letter

1-The Heading or the head of the letter includes the following elements:
✓ The full address of the sender also called the writer or the addresser;
✓ The date written with the full noun of the month as in October 8th, 2023 or 2nd February, 2023;
✓ The inside address: meaning the address of the recipient of the letter also called the sendee
or the addressee.
2-The salutations: Here, the writer has three possibilities. He can say:
✓ Dear Sir (to an individual);
✓ Dear sirs (to a company);
✓ Dear Mr Mabiala (if he knows the sendee personally).
3- The Subject matter: It is the object or the title of the letter. A letter may be a job application;
Motivation Letter, a reply to a letter; a complaint; an Inquiry ; or an apologize…. .
4- The body of the letter: It is nothing but the content of the letter. A business letter needs
concision, clearness and coherence in order to be well understood and be given a favorable answer.
It must clearly and shortly include:
✓ Source of information about the job opportune (radio, television, magazine or website)
✓ Interest for this position or post
✓ Qualification (your university curricula )
✓ Experience (skills or professional profile
✓ Usefulness in the company (your importance in the company)
5- The complementary close: is represented by words expressing respect at the end of the letter.
And two expressions are generally used:
✓ Yours faithfully, or Faithfully Yours, and
✓ Yours Sincerely, or Sincerely Yours,
6- The signature usually followed by the name of the sender and the title or the position held in
the company if possible.
7- Enclosures (Encs-Encl). Any paper or document joined to the letter.

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In the Congolese administration, the commonly required enclosures are:
✓ A copy of a Birth Certificate (Extrait d’acte de naissance)
✓ A copy of a police Record ( Casier judiciaire)
✓ A copy of a Certificate of Nationality (Certificat de Nationalité )
✓ A Copy of the Curriculum Vitae
✓ Photographs
✓ A copy of the Diploma. Here, the candidate may held a Testimonial (Attestation) or a VTC
meaning Vocation Training Certificate (BTS, DUT, Brevet…)
Note: In the Congolese education system, the following degrees are awarded:
✓ BEPC or BET. their equivalents in the English system is the GCE ‘0’ Level meaning
General Certificate of Education “Ordinary’ Level.
✓ Baccalauréat known in England as GCE ‘A’ Level meaning General Certificate of
Education “Advanced” Level.
✓ Licence- es-Lettres or es-Sciences called in England by Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of
Sciences.
✓ Maîtrise-es-Lettres or es-Sciences called in England by Master of Arts or Master of
Sciences.
✓ Certificate in Executive Secretary (BTS en Secretariat de direction) or
✓ Certificate in Electronics ( DUT en Electronique)

III- Presentation of a Business Letter

There are two ways of presenting a business letter:
1-The Block form (forme compacte) in which every line begins at the left margin of the paper
used. At this moment, two paragraphs are separated by a double space as exemplified below.
1st paragraph
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………..LineA
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………….. . Line B
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………….. . Line C
2nd paragraph
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………… Line D
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………. Line E

2-The Indented form (formedécalée): Here, every line is indented following the previous.
1st paragraph
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………….. Line A

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 ………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………….. . Line B
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………. Line C
2nd paragraph
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………… Line D
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………. Line E

IV- Different types of Business Letters commonly used in Congo

1- Application Letter: To apply for a job or some service.
2- Motivation Letter: It is also an Application Letter because we write it in order to apply for a
job or some service (scholarship or subscription in a university….)
3- A Letter of Apologize (letter d’excuses): It is a letter in which someone or a company
apologizes for a given prejudice caused to another one.
4- A Letter of Complaint (Lettre de reclamation): It is a letter in which a customer makes a
complaint giving the reasons why he is complaining. For a businessman, the reasons may be:
✓ The goods were wrong (les marchandises étaient non conformes à la commande.) or
✓ The packing of goods was bad or inadequate. or
✓ There was a great delay in the consignment and the shipment of the goods ( il y a eu un
grand retard dans l’expédition et l’embarquement des marchandises).or
✓ The goods have been seriously damaged (les marchandises ont été fortement
endommagées).
5- A Letter of Enquiry (demande d’information): It is a letter in which a person asks for some
information.

Practice: The National Laboratory is looking for graduated students in Civil Engineering.
Contact: Henryboth Precieux, a personal manager of The National Building Laboratory.
www.nationallaboratory.com. P.O.Box: 242, Charles de gaulle street number 207.
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

Here is a sample of the page layout of an Application Letter.

I-The Heading
Hardy Mayele
Mboukson street number 21, Madibou / Brazzaville.
Email: hardymayele@. gmail.com
Tel: 069762844
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

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 II- The Date : September, 15th 2023.
III- The Inside Address
Dr Precieux Henryboth,
Personal Manager
The National Building Laboratory
www.nationallaboratory.com.
P.O.Box: 242
Charles de gaulle Street number 207
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
IV-The Subject Matter: Job Application

V- Salutations
Dear sir, / Dear Mr. Precieux Henryboth,

V-The Body of the letter

Here are some introductory sentences
✓ I have consulted your website www.nationallaboratory.com. and read that your company is
looking for an engineer in Environmental Engineering.
✓ I am interested in the post of a graduated students in Civil Engineering and I would like to
apply for the above position.
✓ Because, I am a qualified student in Civil Engineering
✓ I have spent three years studying Civil Engineering at UDSN of Kintele in Brazzaville.
✓ I have worked for two years as a laboratory assistant at BCTP of Brazzaville.
✓ Working in your company will help discover my capacity in Civil Engineering for the
successful of the company. (enhance the company ahead)

VI- Enclosures
I enclose (for further information, please find enclosed) / Find enclosed / Find attached:
✓ a Birth Certificate
✓ a Certificate of Nationality
✓ a Police Record
✓ a Medical Certificate
✓ a diploma (certificate/ Bachelor) in (Tunnel Engineering / Construction Engineering)
✓ a Curriculum Vitae
VII- Complementary closing
✓ I look forward to hearing from you shortly.
✓ I hope that my application will be considered with great interest.

VII- Ending
✓ Yours faithfully, / Sincerely, yours,
✓ Signature, followed by the sender’s name
✓ Rudy ATY

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 Lesson Two: MOTIVATION LETTER
A Motivation Letter is almost like an Application Letter mainly in terms of form. As far as
the content is concerned, the difference between an Application Letter and a Motivation
Letter lies on two main elements: the Applicant’s professional motivation and his skills.
Here, are some useful expressions dealing with the Applicant’s motivation:
1- Why are you willing to integrate this Company ?
✓ I would like to apply for the position of Civil Engineer that the announcement has
been posted on your Website (www.eni-congo.com) for I hope my skills and my
personality match with your selection criteria.
✓ I would like to integrate your company because this experience will allow me to
quickly assume new responsibilities knowing that Sino-Congo Building is a famous
society based on many Civil Engineering aspects such as the Construction of roads,
bridges….
✓ I wish to share my skills and the professional experience gained so far for the benefit
of your company and also take new challenges
✓ I have a good command of the most useful processing softwares related to Civil
Engineering such as AutoCAD, ArchiCAD, Excell …. or
✓ I perfectly master useful softwares of my domain such as AutoCAD, ArchiCAD,
Excell, Robot….
2- What are your professional skills gained so far ?
✓ During my three-years training at the prestigious Denis Sassou Nguesso University
of Kintélé in Republic of Congo, I have acquired the necessary theoretical knowledge
in Civil Engineering. I had opportunity to practice on the ground during my
internships in some company as evidenced in my Data Sheet.
✓ During my five-years training, I had opportunity to do several internships in local
enterprises such as MBTP, Congo Construction, Sino-Congo Building and even
abroad, mainly in DRC with some building enterprises.
✓ I have just finished with my studies at the prestigious Denis Sassou Nguesso
University of Kintélé in Republic of Congo where I have successfully got my
Certificate in Civil Engineering.
✓ I have done many internships and practiced in some geotechnical Laboratories of
Civil Engineering where I have acquired many professional skills namely in Making
reinforced concretes with new methods.
✓ During my internships, I have acquired many professional skills namely in:
• Steel reinforcing (ferraillage)
• Fieldwork supervision
• water distribution system Management (Tuyauterie)
• Reinforced concrete Mixing

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Practice:
Mossala Ebandi, a building enterprise located in Pointe Noire, Motombisa Avenue number
54, needs a graduate student in Civil Engineering.
Please, send your motivation letter and C.V. to Bill Alison, the Personal Manager.
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

Elements of a Motivation Letter

I-The Heading
✓ Sender’s address
✓ Date
✓ Receiver’s address
✓ Subject Matter
✓ Salutation

II-The Body of the letter

✓ Interest
✓ Qualification
✓ Experience
✓ View on the company (praising the welcoming company)
✓ Usefulness in the company (your importance in the company)
✓ Virtue as a worker (qualities of the candidate)
✓ C.V. enclosed
✓ Closure
✓ Closing (the end)

Hardy Mayele
Mboukson street number 21, Madibou /
Brazzaville.
Email: hardymayele@. gmail.com
Tel: 069762844
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

2- August, 9th 2023

3- Mr Bill Alison
Personal Manager
Motombisa Avenue number 54
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

Subject Matter: Motivation Letter

Dear Mr Bill Alison,

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 ✓ It is with obvious interest that I am a candidate to join your structure (ministry,
company) for (concerning) the post of a graduate student in Civil Engineering.
✓ I am graduated in Civil Engineering. I have been trained for three years at DSN
University of Kintele in Brazzaville.
✓ I have a year of experience working at BCTP laboratory of Brazzaville.
✓ I am interested in the new technologies and innovation in your ministry and the way
you take care of your workers.
✓ The post of Civil Engineer I will occupy in your ministry will be a good opportunity
for my professional career and will allow me consolidate my knowledge in field of
Civil Engineering.
✓ Honest, dynamic, and rigorous, reacting positively to work under pressure and adapting
easily to the environment that welcome me, I have the ability to work in a multicultural
and international environment.
✓ My curriculum vitae informs you of my professional experience.
✓ In the hope of integrating your structure, I look forward to hearing from you shortly.
✓ Yours Faithfully or sincerely yours
✓ Signature
✓ Sender’s name

Lesson Three: WRITING A CURRICULUM VITAE (CV) OR DATA SHEET (DS)

In the Congolese administration, a CV or a DS is usually joined to a job application. In fact,
the role paper is linked to the job applicant who must provide the employer with his / her
personal information in detail. There is a slight difference between the CV and a Resume or
Persona data sheet. To write a data sheet is to provide briefly the personal manager with the
very important information he needs.
In a CV, persons usually need to find information about:
1- The applicant’s Identity that is to say:
• First name or Christian name: Perseverant
• Surname or family name: Lolendo
• Date of birth: 23rd January 2023
• Place of birth: Brazzaville
• Sex: Male / Female
• Nationality: Congolese
• Passport number: P 3545
• Date and place of issue: Brazzaville, 31st December 2023
• Driving license number: 20754-PNH
• Date and place of issue: Pointe-Noire, 22nd March 2023
2- Marital status:
• Bachelor / single without children
• Married to Bleeda Dickinson with two children

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3-Address:
• Present Address: Motombisa Avenue number 54, Diata, Makelekele-Brazzaville (Republic
of Congo
• Permanent street: C /o Mr Romual PONGO, PO.BOX 165 Pointe-Noire, Republic of
Congo.
• Mail Address: hardymayele@. gmail.com
4-Worship /Belief: Christian
5-Favorite sport: Tennis
6-Hobbies: Shopping and ridding
Likes and Dislikes: Like fish, vegetables and fruits; and dislike drinking alcohol and smoking
7- Position:
• Present position: unemployed or jobless
• Previous position: Student
• Qualifications: Since 2022 High qualified technician in Industrial Maintenance or
Qualified in:
- Construction Engineering;
- Environmental Engineering;
- Transportation Engineering;
- Water Resource Engineering
8- School and Academic Records
• 2021-2023: Bachelor of Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Denis Sassou N’guesso
University, Republic of Congo
• 2018-2020: GCE “A” Level: Chaminade High School, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
• 2014- 2017: GCE “0” Level: Angola Libre Secondary School, Brazzaville, Republic of
Congo
9- Professional experience
• 2022-2023: Assistant- technician the American Embassy water Laboratory, Brazzaville,
Republic of Congo
• 2020-2021: Computer Assistant technician at BRASCO, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
10- Linguistic Competences
• English: Written and fluently spoken
• French: Written and fluently spoken
• Chinese Written and fairly spoken

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 Lesson Four: WRITING A COMPOSITION

Elements of the composition

Introduction
✓ General view of the theme
✓ Problematic (topic and central question)
✓ Plan announcement
Development
✓ Arguments to sustain the topic
✓ Arguments to contradict the topic
✓ Causes, effects, consequences, remedies
✓ synthesis
Conclusion
Here, you provide answer to the central question summing up the development.

Introduction (Some useful sentences)

✓ Nowadays, the specialization in Environmental Engineering is topical in the sense that the new
technologies are urging to improve scientific research.
✓ Knowing that the republic of Congo has trained many specialists in Civil Engineering; is it still
important to keep on training them?
✓ In the following lines, we are going to show the importance of training specialists in
Construction Engineering in front of new technologies.

Development
✓ The training specialists in Civil Engineering is still important nowadays in the republic of
Congo because the adaptation to new technologies requires a special training for efficient
results in the scientific research.
✓ New technologies mean new methods and new materials. It means that new ways of doing
things. That is why, an adapted training is required to future specialists in Water Resource
Engineering / Transportation Engineering;

Conclusion
It is quite important to keep on training specialists in Civil Engineering in Republic of Congo taking
into account new technologies.

Practice: Do you think that it is still important to train in Congo specialists in Civil Engineering?
Why?

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