Telephone

Making contact :	Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon ... This is John Brown speaking Could I speak to ......... please? I'd like to speak to ..... ..... I'm trying to contact ..........
Giving more information:	I'm calling from Tokyo / Paris / New York / Sydney ... I'm calling on behalf of Mr. X ...
Taking a call :	X speaking. Can I help you?
Asking for a name / information :	Who's calling please? Who's speaking? Where are you calling from? Are you sure you have the right number / name?
Asking the caller to wait :	Hold the line please. Could you hold on please? Just a moment please.
Connecting :	Thank you for holding. The line's free now ... I'll put you through. I'll connect you now  / I'm connecting you now.
Giving negative information :	I'm afraid the line's engaged. Could you call back later? I'm afraid he's in a meeting at the moment. I'm sorry. He's out of the office today. / He isn't in at the moment. I'm afraid we don't have a Mr./Mrs./Ms/Miss. ... here I'm sorry.  There's nobody here by that name. Sorry.  I think you've dialled the wrong number./ I'm afraid you've got the wrong number.
Telephone problems :	The line is very bad ...  Could you speak up please? Could you repeat that please? I'm afraid I can't hear you. Sorry. I didn't catch that.  Could you say it again please?
Leaving / Taking a message :	Can I leave / take a message? Would you like to leave a message? Could you give him/her a message? Could you ask him/her to call me back? Could you tell him/her that I called? Could you give me your name please? Could you spell that please? What's your number please?

Useful phrases for presentations

Word	Meaning
audience	Group of listeners or spectators
body language	Communication through facial expressions, body movements, etc.
chart	Sheet of information in the form of a table, graph or diagram.
diagram	Graphic representation of a situation e.g. the results of an action.
flip chart	Pad of large paper sheets on a stand for presenting information.
graph	Diagram showing the relation between variable quantities.
guidelines	Advice or instructions given in order to guide or direct an action.
handout	Written information (report etc.) given to people at a presentation.
key point	Essential or main point.
marker	Pen with felt tip used for writing on a whiteboard.
microphone	Electrical instrument used to amplify the speaker's voice.
O.H.T.	Overhead transparency : sheet of film with an image or printed information for overhead projector.
objective	What one wants to achieve;  aim
outline	Brief description or presentation.
overhead projector	Device that projects an O.H.T. onto a screen.
overview	Short presentation of the main points.
pointer	Rod or stick used to indicate things on a map, screen, etc.
screen	Flat, reflective blank surface on which films, slides, etc. are projected.
signposting language	Phrases used to help focus the audience's attention on different parts of a presentation.
slide	Small photographic transparency.
summarize	Make a summary of the essential points; sum up.
topic	Subject of a discussion or talk.
transparency	Image or information printed on transparent plastic or film.
visual aids	Aids such as charts, slides, etc. used at a presentation.
whiteboard	Flat white board on which to write or draw with markers.

Money - Finance

Word	Meaning
A.T.M.	Automated Teller Machine;  cash dispenser
banknote	Piece of paper money.
bitcoin	Digital currency which allows payments to be sent from one party to another without going through a financial institution.
borrow	Obtain money which must be returned.
broke  (to be)	To have no money.
budget	Amount of money available or needed for a specific use.
cash	Coins or bank notes (not cheques);  actual money paid, not credit.
cash dispenser	Automatic machine from which a bank customer can withdraw money.
cashier	A person dealing with cash transactions in a bank, shop, etc.
cheque / check	Written order to a pay the stated amount from one's account.
coin	A piece of metal used as money.
currency	The money used in a country.
debt	Money owed by one person to another.
deposit	Sum  or money payable as a first instalment on a purchase; Money placed in an account in a bank.
donate	Givie money, especially to charity;  make a donation.
exchange rate	The rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another.
fee	Payment made to a professional person (doctor, lawyer, etc.).
interest	Money paid for borrowing or investing money.
invest	To put  into a business, property, etc. in order to earn interest or profit.
legal tender	Currency that cannot legally be refused as payment.
lend	Give or allow the use of money which must be returned, usually with interest.
loan	Sum of money to be returned with interest.
owe	To be in debt to someone;  to owe money to somebody.
petty cash	Small amount of cash available for everyday expenses.
receipt	Written statement that money has been paid.
refund	Pay back money received;  reimburse.
tip	Small sum of money given to a waiter, taxi driver, tec.
withdraw	Take money from a bank account.

Grammar Exercise

Complete the sentences below with an appropriate word. 

1.      You are welcome to come and stay with us __________ you like.

2.       I'd like to speak to __________ is in charge of sales.

3.      __________ you do, don't forget to call me as soon as you arrive.

4.      It comes in three colours;  choose __________ you prefer.

5.      What do you want to do on Saturday?  I don't mind - ___________ you like!

6.      He always makes friends quickly, ________________ he goes.

7.      _______________  borrowed the dictionary should return it as quickly as possible.

8.      The teacher says I don't participate enough, but ____________ I try to speak, someone interrupts me!

9.      There is no entrance fee; you give __________ you can afford.

10.    He says he's from Brookstown, ____________ that is.

Answers:

  1) whenever   2) whoever   3) whatever   4) whichever   5) whatever   6) wherever   7) whoever   8) whenever   9) whatever   10) wherever

TRAVEL - TRIP - JOURNEY - TOUR - VOYAGE

The explanations should help clarify the meaning and use of vocabulary related to travel.

Travel	The word 'travel' is used to talk about going from one place to another. It can be a verb, a noun or an adjective : Verb :        Paul travels a lot in his job. Noun :       Travel nowadays is faster than before. Adjective : There is a travel agency beside the bank.
Trip	The word trip is used to talk about a short journey somewhere for a purpose, business or pleasure. For our wedding anniversary, we went on a trip to Venice. My boss is often away on business trips. During our holiday we took a boat trip to the islands.
Journey	A journey is the distance covered when travelling from one place to another. 'Journey' can refer to a long distance or a short regular one. The journey was long and tiring. It took us 5 hours to get there. Did you have a good journey? Yes, it was quite pleasant. How long is your journey to work? Just about 20 minutes.
Tour	A tour is a journey during which several places are visited, especially on a holiday. 'Tour' can be a noun or a verb. Noun : We went on a tour of Italy. Verb :  We toured the north of India.
Voyage	A voyage is a long journey by sea or in space. Before the 20th century, long sea voyages were common. A spacecraft will take you on a voyage through space.

THEY

In English, when the gender is known, we use the pronouns ‘he’ or ‘him’ to refer to a man 

and ‘she’ or ‘her’ to refer to a woman.

• “If Mr. Brown calls while I’m out, tell him to call back later.”
• “If the lady calls while I’m out, tell her to call back later.”

When the gender of the person is not known or not relevant, and because English has no

specific non-gender pronoun to refer to a person in the singular, the pronoun ‘he’ or ‘him’ 

was traditionally used as a generic pronoun.

• “If anyone calls while I’m out, tell him to call back later.”

Nowadays, because ‘he’ and 'him' are no longer accepted as a generic pronouns

to refer to a person of either sex, it has become conventional to use ‘they’ or ‘them’. 

For the same reason the gender-free pronoun ‘their’ is used to replace his/her.

• “Someone said that they saw a man running away with the suitcase.”
• “If anyone calls while I’m out, tell them to call back later.”
• "The person who called didn't leave their name."
• "Any parent would be worried about their child given the circumstances."

Those who are unhappy with this could avoid the problem by rewording their text.

For example :

• Can you tell someone’s character from what they wear?
• → What can you tell about people from what they wear/from their clothes?

Another possibility would be to use ‘he or she’, ‘him or her’, 'his or her' or 

'himself or herself’, but this can become awkward with repeated usage.

For example :

• If a patient has a problem, he or she should speak to his or her doctor.

The use of a plural pronoun to refer back to a singular subject is not something new. In fact

it dates back to the 16th century and is now widely accepted both in spoken and written

English. Here is an example of 19th century use :

“It’s enough to drive anyone out of their senses.” 

- GB Shaw, Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant (1898)”

However it should be noted that some traditional grammarians still consider this usage to be

unacceptable in formal writing. So when writing in a very formal context it might be advisable

to reword the text in order to avoid this, but in any other register it is perfectly acceptable.

UK - US DIFFERENCES

British and American spelling and vocabulary differ in many areas. 
British English tends to keep the spelling of words absorbed from other languages
(e.g. French), whereas American English often adapts the spelling of words to sound 
as they are actually spoken.
There are also many cases where different words or terms are used to refer to the same thing. 
Below you find examples of differences in spelling and vocabulary.

Britain	America
-our / -or Many words end in -our in Britain, and in -or in America.
colour	color
favour	favor
honour	honor
neighbour	neighbor
-tre / ter Words ending in -tre in Britain end in -ter in America, for example :
centre	center
litre	liter
metre	meter
theatre	theater
Doubling of letters In Britain, the 'l' is doubled in an unstressed syllable :
travelling	traveling
marvellous	marvelous
Different spelling
analogue	analog
catalogue	catalog
cheque	check
dialogue	dialog
defence	defense
jewellery	jewelry
kerb	curb
plough	plow
programme	program
pyjamas	pajamas
speciality	specialty
tyre (for a wheel)	tire
Different words
aubergine	eggplant
autumn	fall
bill	check
bin	trash can
biscuit(s)	cookie(s)
bonnet (of a car)	hood
boot (of a car)	trunk
car park	parking lot
cot	crib
chemist's	drugstore
chips	French fries
city centre	downtown
crisps (potato crisps)	chips (potato chips)
cinema	movie theater
courgette	zucchini
CV	resume
draughts (board game)	checkers
dustbin	garbage can
film	movie
flat	apartment
football	soccer
full stop (punctuation)	period
garden	yard
grill (verb)	broil
handbag	purse/pocketbook
holiday	vacation
letter box	mail box
lift	elevator
lorry	truck
luggage	baggage
maths	math
mobile phone	cell phone
motorway	freeway/highway
off-licence	liquor store
nappy	diaper
pavement	sidewalk
petrol	gas/gasoline
pocket money	allowance
post	mail
postcode	zip code
primary school	elementary school
queue	line
queue	line
return (ticket)	round trip (ticket)
rubber	eraser
rubbish	garbage
secondary school	high school
single (ticket)	one-way (ticket)
solicitor	lawyer
starter (meal)	appetizer
sweets	candy
tap	faucet
timetable	schedule
tin	can
torch	flashlight
tram	streetcar/cable car
trainers	sneakers
trousers	pants
tyre	tire
queue	line
underground	subway
vest	undershirt
waistcoat	vest
wardrobe	closet

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