Doing business in English has its own set of guidelines and challenges. Our brand new course Business- Proficient English as a Second Language (ESL005) explains how and why business documents are used and what kind of terminology you can expect to see in business settings. This course is designed to prepare you to use Standard American English in professional settings and further develop reading and writing skills.

In Unit 1, you will examine Standard American English in business contexts. You’ll consider how writers use direct and indirect communication and what terminology is applied.

Unit 2 looks at the different genres of writing in the business world. You’ll recognize the differences between emails, memos, and letters. You’ll see why each is used and examine when each type of writing is used.

Finally, you’ll write a business memo based on a real-life case and use your language skills to make your ideas clear to your readers. By the end of ESL005, you’ll be able to:

  • Enlarge your vocabulary of Standard American English terms commonly used in business contexts
  • Identify a variety of professional documents, such as memos
  • Recognize multiple genres of business writing, such as resumes and cover letters
  • Demonstrate the ability to write in business genres

This is the 5th course in our English as a Second Language (ESL) series.  Whether you need to start from the beginning or are at the intermediate level, you can test your skills and improve your English skills with any of our free ESL courses. Check out all five courses here.