Up to Speed
Business English
Up to Speed - C1- 1:1 resource for Business English - adaptable for groups
- modular structure with customizable templates
Up to Speed
Up to Speed – the game
Up to Speed – the game practises the use of idioms, collocations and topical pivots at a micro-level within a typical meetings scenario. The game is useful for students because it creates a laboratory where the ‘random’ aspect of meetings can be practised in slow-motion, and where the cosiness of the one-to-one classroom situation can be shaken up, as challenges are set for both the students and trainers. The students learn three main things: how to react to unexpected situations; how to detect subtle differences in wording and tone of voice; and how to gain more confidence in pursuing their own agendas skillfully by relating to different kinds of personalities with greater flexibility. NB The instructions give important information about how to print out the game – please open them first!
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Module 3A Crossword
This worksheet is based on a crossword made up of 18 words from the focus page of Module 3A. It can be done using either half crosswords (A and B) or the crossword with standard clues (C). Both activities are suitable for pairwork, though if your 1:1 students enjoy crosswords, they could do the standard version for homework.
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Module 1A Crossword
This worksheet is based on a crossword made up of 17 words from the focus page of Module 1A. It can be done using either half crosswords (A and B) or the crossword with standard clues (C). Both activities are suitable for pairwork, though if your 1:1 students enjoy crosswords, they could do the standard version for homework.
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Perfect pitch – Part 2
This web worksheet is Part 2 of two worksheets that deal with the communication skill ‘the sales pitch’. The two web worksheets may be used together or independently of one another. Here the focus is on giving a sales presentation. Activities include listening to an authentic sales pitch, working on key language and giving one’s own sales presentation. A language template is included. (In Part 1, the focus is on deconstructing sales presentations – skill development and fluency practice.)
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Perfect pitch – Part 1
This web worksheet is Part 1 of two worksheets that deal with the communication skill ‘the sales pitch’. The two web worksheets may be used together or independently of one another. Here the focus is on deconstructing sales presentations. The worksheet includes a brief questionnaire, reading and discussion. (In Part 2, the participants prepare and make a sales pitch of their own.)
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Natural Cheats – A Corporate Mystery
This worksheet is based on the thrilling drama ‘Natural Cheats – A Corporate Mystery’ from the Up to Speed audio CD. It contains a compete transcript of the audio drama with short assignments for each of the eight scenes. Students can use this worksheet for independent listening or reading practice.
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Spruce up your idioms
This worksheet focuses on activating common idioms and expressions. Participants match definitions then do a gapfill exercise. This worksheet is Part 2 of 2 worksheets. Part 1 ‘Sort out your Tenses’ focuses on mixed tenses in a narrative. The same narrative is further exploited in Part 2 where the focus is now on the idioms and expressions which appear in the story. The two worksheets may be used independently of one another or spread over two sessions.
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Sort out your tenses
This web worksheet focuses on revising mixed tenses in a narrative and has a dual focus: a mixed tense review or a grammar needs analysis at the beginning of a course. It is Part 1 of two worksheets. The same narrative is exploited in Part 2 ‘Spruce up your idioms’ where the focus is on the idioms which appear in the story. The two web worksheets may be used independently of one another, or spread over two sessions.
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Module 6A Crossword
This worksheet is based on a crossword made up of 18 words from the focus page of Module 6A. It can be done using either half crosswords (A and B) or the crossword with standard clues (C). Both activities are suitable for pairwork, though if your 1:1 students enjoy crosswords, they could do the standard version for homework.
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The bee’s knees – Idioms to describe positive outcomes
This web worksheet focuses on idioms that are used to describe positive outcomes. Business English is full of colourful expressions such as ‘there is an elephant in the room’, ‘to add fuel to the fire’ and ‘to have an axe to grind’ which serve a communicative purpose that goes beyond the literal meaning of the words. Such idioms create rich mental images and thereby provide effective and concise ways of communicating complex information packages.
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