Basic English

Language Skills
For Distance Learning
Students
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. General Language Tips to Get You Started
2. Parts of Speech
3. Punctuation
4. Commonly Confused Words and Phrases
5. Tips for Filling in Your College Registration Form
6. Learn How to Summarise Your Study Material
7. How to Ask for Help from Your Tutor
8. Tips for Completing Your Written Assignments
9. Tips for Answering Exam Questions
10. Language Skills at Work – How to Write a Cover Letter
11. Language Skills at Work – How to Write a Resignation
Letter
12. Language Skills at Work – Sending E-mails to Your
Colleagues
CHAPTER 1:
General Language Tips to Get
You Started

VISUAL HERE

This chapter focuses on the importance

of language skills in the workplace, and
covers basic tips for how you can
improve your command of the English
language.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

“Grammar is a litmus test. If job hopefuls can’t distinguish between ‘to’

and ‘too,’ their applications go into the bin.”
– Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit

“Grammar often seems to be a low priority in education. Are schools

undervaluing grammar, given that employers may rule out
applications with sloppy writing?”
– The New York Times

When we think about our careers, and what we need

to do to establish them, we often forget about the
need to develop an essential skill: communication. If
you start reading through the job descriptions in any
industry, you will find that the vast majority of jobs
require one or more of the following:
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Effective communication skills

• Interpersonal skills

• Ability to work in a team

• Negotiation skills

• Conflict resolution skills

• Report writing skills

What all of these skills have in common is that they

involve the use of language to achieve a particular
purpose. And for this reason, having good language
skills is essential in any working environment.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

In a career context, good language skills

can also:

• Affect your credibility. Poor grammar indicates

to a prospective employer that you are sloppy,
while flawless grammar indicates that you pay
attention to detail.

• Improve your relationships with your co-

workers. If you are able to express yourself
clearly, you can eliminate the confusion and
misunderstanding that often leads to conflict.

• Increase your chances of being promoted.

• Help you to create a good impression.

• Improve your ability to persuade others

(which is a valuable skill in the working world).
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

In this e-book, we’ll be helping you to:

• Develop your basic English language skills.

• Improve your English grammar.

• Apply your language and communication skills in

a business context.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

To start off with, here are a few tips for

improving your general language and
communication skills:

1. Read as much as possible. Reading improves

your vocabulary, and helps you to become
familiar with sentence structure, word order, and
the correct use of punctuation.

2. Invest in a good dictionary. When you are unsure

of the meaning of a word, or when you come
across an unfamiliar word, make sure to look it
up in your dictionary.

3. Keep a journal. This will give you an opportunity

to practice your writing skills on a regular basis.
CHAPTER 2:
Parts of Speech

Language is made up of many different combinations of words and

sentences that we use to communicate with one another. Different types of
words have different roles to play within sentences, and different types of
sentences perform different functions.

In this chapter, we’ll be showing you how different types of words (called
parts of speech) are used to construct meaningful sentences.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Nouns
The job of a noun is to name something. It might be an
object, a person, a place, or even a thought or idea. There
are different types of nouns:

Common nouns: Refer to an object that you can see or

touch.

Example: table, chair, dog

Proper nouns: Indicate the name of a person or place.

Proper nouns always start with a capital letter.

Example: South Africa, Oxbridge Academy, Desmond Tutu, Toyota

BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Abstract nouns: Refer to concepts, rather than to things

that you can detect with your senses.

Example: love, courage, hope, innovation

Collective nouns: Are used to name a group or collection

of people or things.

Example: “board” of directors, “litter” of puppies, “herd” of cattle

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Pronouns
A pronoun is a word that can be used to replace a noun,
and is usually used to avoid repetition of the noun.

Example: Mr Smith is late for his meeting today, because he overslept and missed
his bus.

Verbs
Verbs are “doing” words. They express actions.

Example: reading, speaking, walking, swimming

Verbs can be used in the past, present, or future tense.

BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Example: Past tense: Mr Smith drove to work.

Present tense: Mr Smith is driving to work.

Future tense: Mr Smith will drive to work.

Subject-verb agreement: In English, there is a rule that

verbs must agree with their subjects in number and
person.

Example: He drives to work. He is driving to work. (in singular form)

They drive to work. They are driving to work. (in plural form)
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Adjectives

Adjectives are words that are used to describe nouns.

They usually give more information about the nouns, and
answer questions such as: “What kind?” “Which one?”
“How many?” “How much?”

Example: the red bus

the unscheduled meeting

an inaccurate report

a hard-working employee

Adverbs

Adverbs are words that give more information about verbs.

They answer questions such as: “How?” “Where?”
“When?” “To what extent?”
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Example: The meeting was promptly adjourned. (How?)

She saw the director yesterday. (When?)

Prepositions

A preposition is used to describe the relationship between

a noun (or pronoun) and another word or phrase in a
sentence.

Example: She found the report on her desk.

The door is behind him.

He walked around the office.

Conjunctions
Conjunctions are joining words. They are used to join
words, phrases and clauses in a sentence. The most
frequently-used conjunctions include: and, but, for, nor, or,
yet.
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Example: She works in sales and marketing.

He wanted to attend the conference, but he could not find the venue.

I can’t remember whether he is studying bookkeeping or accounting.

He missed his bus, yet he still made it to work on time.

To read more about parts of speech, you can

click on the following links:

• http://www.5minuteenglish.com/grammar.htm

• https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/parts-of-
speech-table.htm

• http://www.english-grammar-revolution.com/parts-of-
speech.html
CHAPTER 3:
Punctuation

Punctuation refers to the various signs and symbols that are used
in written language to:

• Clarify meaning

• Show emphasis

• Break passages of text into separate parts, making them

easier to read
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Punctuation rules are there to make sure that we all

use punctuation marks consistently. If we all used
punctuation according to our own preferences, it
would become incredibly confusing, and it would no
longer help to clarify the meaning of our text.

Have a look at the table on

the next page to see the
most important punctuation
rules:
 Punctuation
Rules: Examples:
A full stop is used to end a Mary is writing an exam on
sentence. Monday. If she passes the
Full stop
exam, she will be able to
apply for her dream job.

A question mark replaces a Will you please close the

door?
Question full stop at the end of a
mark sentence if the sentence is
phrased as a question.

An exclamation mark is used He made me so angry!

instead of a full stop to Hurry up!

Exclamation indicate strong emotion in a

mark sentence. Exclamation marks
should be used sparingly,
especially in academic work.

A semicolon is used to link Linking related clauses: Your

two related clauses, or to report was helpful; it explained

separate items in a list (where the reasons for the committee’s

the list already contains decision.

commas).
Semicolon Separating items in a list:
Switzerland, Germany, and
Austria are in Europe; Brazil,
Uruguay, and Argentina are in
America; and Japan, Korea, and
China are in Asia.
 Commas are used:
• To separate items in a list. • She bought bread, milk,
and eggs at the shop.
• To separate clauses in a • My friend, who is also an
sentence. athlete, gave me a pair of
running shoes for my
birthday.
• To separate quotations • He asked, “How far do we
from the rest of a still have to go?”
sentence.
Comma
• Before co-ordinating • It was raining outside, but
conjunctions when they they decided to go
join two independent swimming anyway.
clauses.
• After a dependent clause • When I arrived at work, I
at the beginning of a realised that I had left my
sentence. office key at home.
• When addressing • “John, will you please
someone or something print this document
directly. before the meeting?”

A colon is used to introduce There is only one way to fix

the second part of a sentence this: we have to start over.
when the second part
The following items must be
explains or expands upon the
Colon included with your CV: a cover
first part.
letter, a copy of your ID, and a
copy of your Matric
certificate.
 An apostrophe is used to Possession: The director’s
indicate possession, or to office was locked.
indicate that letters have

Apostrophe been omitted from a word. Omission: He wasn’t there.

(“was not” becomes “wasn’t”)

Inverted commas, or “Where have you been?” he

asked.
quotation marks, are used to
Inverted indicate direct speech, or to
commas indicate that text is being
quoted from another source.

A hyphen is used to join Forming compound

words, or to join words and adjectives: rose-coloured,
letters/numbers. prize-winner, hand-picked

Adding prefixes: pre-release,

pre-production, pre-qualify,
Hyphen
non-verbal

Joining words with

letters/numbers: pre-2014, X-
ray, C-section

En dashes are used to replace The company’s financial year

En dash
the words “to” or “through”. runs from March – February.
 An em dash is used to Emphasising a clause: I’m the
emphasise the clause that serious one —
follows it, to separate a you have all the fun.
phrase from the rest of a
sentence, or to indicate an Separating a phrase: He was
interruption or change in the one — the only one —
thought. who was brave enough to
enter the building.
Em dash

Indicating a
change/interruption: “I really
need a new — oh, never
mind, I found the old one.”
CHAPTER 4:
Commonly Confused Words and
Phrases

Words are the building blocks of our language, and choosing the correct
words is vital for communicating effectively. Choosing the correct word in a
given situation can make the difference between getting your point across
clearly and offending your audience unintentionally.

Unfortunately, English is a tricky language, filled with many confusing

words and phrases. And as a result, it’s often difficult to remember which
words you need to use in a particular context.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

As you can probably tell from the image above, using the wrong
word can sometimes have amusing (and embarrassing) results. In
some situations, however, the effect of using incorrect words may
be more serious. In academic or business writing, for example,
the words that you choose will influence the reader’s opinion of
you.

Incorrect word choice in an exam or assignment may cause you to

lose marks, while using the wrong word in a business letter may
create a bad first impression.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

To help you choose the right words in various

situations, we’ve compiled a list of commonly
confused words in the English language, along with
examples of how to use them correctly:

Accept/Except

To “accept” something means to receive or approve of it.

E.g. Jane accepted the apple gratefully.

“Except” means that something is being excluded.

E.g. She would eat any fruit except oranges.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Advice/Advise

“Advice” is a noun.
E.g. John gave him advice regarding his bank loan.

“Advise” is a verb.
E.g. John advised him that it was a bad idea to take out a third bank loan.

Affect/Effect

To “affect” something is to make some change to it.

E.g. The power cuts affect the company’s ability to manufacture goods.

To “effect” something is to bring it about, to put it into effect.

E.g. He effected the change in schedule when he realised that production
was too slow.

An “effect” is a change that occurs as a consequence of something

else.
E.g. The power cuts had a negative effect on the company’s ability to
manufacture goods.
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Approve/Approve of

To “approve” something is to give consent.

E.g. The director approved the budget.

To “approve of” something is to express a favourable opinion

about it.
E.g. The mother did not approve of the way her daughter was dressed for
the school dance.

Borrow/Lend

To “borrow” something is to take it with the intention of giving it

back.
E.g. He borrowed the book from his colleague.

To “lend” something is to give it to someone with the expectation

that they will give it back.
E.g. She is lending the car to him so that he can drive to work today.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Compliment/Complement

You “compliment” someone when you make a favourable

comment about them.
E.g. He complimented her by telling her that she was a good writer.

You “complement” something (or someone) when you add

something else to it that suits or fits it well.
E.g. That scarf complements her dress.

Continual/Continuous

If something happens frequently, it is “continual”.

E.g. The trains were continually late.

If something happens all the time without interruption, it is

“continuous”.
E.g. It rained continuously for three days.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Its/It’s

“Its” indicates possession.

E.g. The company improved its performance by hiring new staff members.

“It’s” is a contraction of “it is”.

E.g. It’s uncertain whether the company will meet the financial targets this
year.

Principal/Principle

A “principal” is the head of a school or college.

E.g. The principal declared that the school term would be extended by a
week.

A “principal” thing is a main or most important thing.

E.g. His commitment to the task was the principal reason for his success.

A “principle” is a fundamental rule or belief.

E.g. It goes against my principles to eat meat.

BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Stationary/Stationery

“Stationary” means not moving.

E.g. The stationary truck held up the traffic.

“Stationery” refers to writing materials.

E.g. She needed new stationery for school.

There/Their/They’re

“There” is a preposition that refers to a place.

E.g. He will be there in ten minutes.

“Their” is a possessive pronoun. It indicates that something

belongs to them.
E.g. Due to unforeseen circumstances, their meeting was cancelled.

“They’re” is a contraction of “they are”.

E.g. They’re not going to be pleased when they find out that he lost the
report.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

To/Too/Two

“To” is a preposition, and indicates the relationship between one

thing and another.
E.g. I gave the letter to him.

“Too” means “also”, “additional” or “more than what is necessary

or desirable”.
E.g. He is going on holiday too. As a result, there are too few people
available to work over December.

“Two” is a number.
E.g. There are only two staff members in the office.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Uninterested/Disinterested

“Uninterested” means not interested.

E.g. The spectator was uninterested in the outcome of the game, as he
did not support either of the teams on the field.

“Disinterested” means impartial or unbiased.

E.g. The judge was disinterested in the matter.

Your/You’re

“Your” is a possessive pronoun.

E.g. Your assignment was due two days ago.

“You’re” is a contraction of “you are”.

E.g. You’re supposed to be at work today.
CHAPTER 5:
Tips for Filling in Your College
Registration Form

Applying for college can be a daunting experience. Not only do you need
to choose a course, but you also need to make sure that you:

• meet the entry requirements

• meet the deadlines

• fill in the forms correctly

• send the forms to the right address

• include all the necessary attachments

BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

To make the college registration process easier for you,

we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide on how to register
at Oxbridge Academy. The guide also includes general tips
that will be relevant to the application and registration
processes at other colleges.

There are 4 steps you need to follow when you

want to register as a student at Oxbridge
Academy:

1. Select Your Course

2. Fill in Your Student Details

3. Select Your Delivery Option

4. Pay Your Registration Fee and Send in Your Form

BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Step 1 – Select Your Course

Oxbridge Academy Short Course: Marketing Management

ADV101

• Before you start filling in the registration form, you need to

choose your course. Once you’ve identified the course that
you would like to study, remember to check that you meet the
entry requirements.

• You can find the course name and course code for your
chosen course on the relevant detailed course information
page on our website. Have a look at the example in the
screenshot below (the course name and course code are
circled in red):
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Please make sure to check the accreditation status of your

chosen course. Some of our courses are non-credit bearing
skills development courses, which are neither accredited by
external bodies nor registered on the NQF. Click here for more
information about our skills development courses.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Step 2 – Fill in Your Student Details

• To complete this section, you need to provide us with your

personal details:
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

E-mail address

Please provide a valid e-mail address that you check on a regular

basis, as we’ll be using this address to communicate with you
throughout your studies.

Occupation

Refers to your current job (if you are employed). If you are
unemployed, you can simply write “unemployed” or “not
applicable”.

Delivery address

Refers to the address at which you want your study material to be

delivered. The reason why we prefer you to select your work
address is so that there will always be someone available to
receive your study material, even if you are not there when the
courier arrives.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Please remember to attach the following documents to your

registration form:

A copy of your ID

Proof of your highest grade passed

Proof of any other relevant qualifications you have obtained

Step 3 – Select Your Delivery Option

• In this section, you need to place a cross in the box next to

the method by which you would like to receive your study
material. In the example above, the student has indicated that
they would like to receive their study material via registered
post.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Step 4 – Pay Your Registration Fee and

Send in Your Form
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Different courses have different registration fees. Please check

the course fees list to find out how much you need to pay to
register for your chosen course, and pay this amount using the
banking details provided at the bottom of the registration
form. Remember to attach your proof of payment.

• If you are under the age of 18, your parent or guardian will
need to sign this section of the form to state that they are
aware of your registration with Oxbridge Academy, and that
they do not have any objections. If you are unemployed,
you will need a guarantor to sign this section of the form. Your
parent or guarantor will be held responsible if you miss any of
your payments in relation to your course fees.
CHAPTER 6:
Learn How to Summarise Your
Study Material

To be successful in your studies, you need to learn how to create

meaningful summaries of your course material. This is especially important
if you are a distance learning student, as you won’t have a teacher or
lecturer to point out key concepts, or to give you tips about the types of
questions you can expect in the exams.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Summarising your work gives you an

opportunity to:

 Organise your study material into a structure that

makes sense to you.
 Arrange your study material into a format that suits
your learning style.
 Create memory aids for yourself.
 Identify key ideas and concepts.
 Focus on what’s important.
 Prepare for exams more easily.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

So what exactly is a summary?

A summary is more than just a condensed or shortened version of

your work. A summary requires you to analyse your study
material, to identify the key concepts, and to explain it in your
own words.

To make a good summary, you need to:

• Keep it brief.

• Make sure to use main headings and keywords.

• Focus on the main ideas.

• Classify and organise the information in a logical manner.

• Use your own words where possible.

• Include examples.

• Remember that your summaries are there to help you.

BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

You can make your summaries in different

formats. Here are some examples:

Mind Maps (Spider Diagrams)

A mind map is a visual expression of thoughts, ideas and

concepts. It usually takes the form of a diagram, with the main
concept in the centre, and the related concepts branching out
from there. Here is an example:

Payroll Contracts

HR
Manager’s
Duties

Staff
Discipline
Training
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The benefits of using mind maps include the following:

• They help you to see how the different bits of information fit
into the bigger picture.

• They help you to understand the relationships between

concepts.

• They help you to memorise information more quickly (by

engaging both hemispheres of your brain).

Tips for making mind maps:

• Use different colours to distinguish between concepts.

• Use key words and phrases, instead of writing in full

sentences.

• Include images/drawings that are relevant to the topic(s).

• Use arrows to show how different concepts are related.

BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Bullet Points or Lists

If you find that you memorise things more easily when they are in
list form, then it might be a good idea to use bullet points
when summarising your work.

Using bullet points can help you to understand (and

memorise) your work more easily, as it requires you to:

• Identify the key points that you want to include in your lists.

• Come up with a logical structure for your lists.

• Categorise information into relevant lists.

Here is an example:

HR Manager’s Duties

Payroll Contracts Training

• Pay salaries on • Draft • Establish staff
time employment
training needs
• Make necessary contracts
deductions • Ensure • Establish skills gaps
• Calculate safekeeping of • Take responsibility for
overtime employment
contracts succession planning
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Flash Cards

Flash cards are pieces of paper (or card) with questions on the
one side, and corresponding answers on the other side.

Here is an example:

What does Occupational

‘OHS’ Health and
stand for? Safety

Tips for using flash cards:

• Include images/visual cues on your flash cards, as this will help you to
memorise the contents.

• When studying, shuffle your deck of flash cards regularly (to make sure
that you aren’t simply memorising the order of the answers).

• Add new flash cards to your deck as you cover new topics or learn new
concepts.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

General Tips for Making Summaries

• Underline or highlight key points as you work through your

study material, and make notes.

• When you come across a word or concept you don’t

understand, look it up in a dictionary, or do some research on
the concept, and add your own definition to your summary.
CHAPTER 7:
How to Ask for Help from Your
Tutor

As a student, you are going to experience times when you need help with
your studies. You might be unsure about an assignment question, you
might be confused by a particular concept, or you might be stressed about
the upcoming exams.

And if you are studying via distance learning, where you don’t have any
face-to-face interaction with lecturers, you will need to rely on your tutors
for the necessary academic support.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

If you have any questions about your course work, you are always
welcome to approach your tutors for help. Just remember that
your tutors cannot guess what your needs are: you will have to
make contact with your tutors −− and communicate your
questions clearly −− if you want to get the assistance that you
need.

When it comes to contacting your tutors, your best option will

usually be to send an e-mail.

Here are some important tips to keep in mind

when requesting help from a tutor via e-mail:
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

1. Use a relevant and descriptive subject line.

This way, your tutor will immediately know what your e-mail is
about, and he or she will be more likely to open it. A good subject
line might read as follows: “Enquiry regarding Assignment 1 for
Safety Management 101”

2. Be polite, and use an appropriate form of

address.
Always start your e-mail with an appropriate form of address, such
as “Hello Mr/Ms …” and sign it off with your full name and student
number. This will help to give your message a friendly, yet
professional tone.

3. Be clear and concise.

Make sure that your tutor will be able to understand what it is that
you are asking.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Compare the following examples:

Example A

Example B
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By stating the problem clearly, and by asking a specific question

that you would like your tutor to answer, such as in example B,
you are much more likely to get a meaningful response from your
tutor.

4. Don’t use text-speak (such as “ur” and “pls”) in

your e-mail.
Not only does this look unprofessional, but your tutor may have a
hard time understanding what it is that you are trying to say. You
should also avoid using emoticons (  ), as these don’t belong in
formal communication.

5. Proofread your e-mail.

Read through your e-mail to make sure you have:

• Stated your question/problem clearly.

• Used a suitable tone.

• Used correct grammar.

BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Also use spellcheck to make sure that there are no spelling

mistakes. If you make spelling mistakes, you will give your tutors
a bad impression, as it makes your writing look sloppy.

6. Check that you have typed in the correct e-mail

address.
It’s easy to type in the wrong address by mistake.

7. Take care when sending attachments.

If you need to send an attachment, make sure that it is in an
accessible file format, and that the size doesn’t exceed the
maximum limit. Many e-mail clients limit the size of attachments
to 5 MB -- and if your attachment exceeds this size, your e-mail
might not be delivered.

8. Say “thank you”.

If you receive a reply from your tutor, it is good manners to
acknowledge receipt of the response by sending a “thank you” e-
mail.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

By following these tips, you are more likely to establish good

relationships with your tutors, as well as to get the type of
academic support that you need.

Remember that asking for help is a sign of strength. And

asking for help early on in your studies will increase your
chances of success.
CHAPTER 8:
Tips for Completing Your Written
Assignments

Depending on which course you study, you will either be assessed by

means of written assignments, or through a combination of written
assignments and exams. Assignments not only help to deepen your
understanding of the work, but they often also count toward your final
mark.

It is therefore important that you put effort into your assignments, and
that you complete them to the best of your ability.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

We realise that, like many other students, you might be unsure of

how to go about completing your assignments, or that you might
be afraid of failure.

If you are an Oxbridge Academy student, we’d like you to know

that we are here to help you every step of the way, and that we
will give you the opportunity to resubmit your assignments if you
don’t achieve a pass mark the first time around.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Here are 10 tips for how you can achieve

higher marks for your written assignments:

1. Read (and follow) the instructions carefully.

If you are an Oxbridge Academy student, the general assignment
guidelines will be provided in your “Success” Study Guide. Specific
instructions will also be included at the beginning of each of your
assignments.

2. Read the questions carefully.

Make sure you understand what is being asked of you, so that you
focus on answering the right questions, instead of providing
irrelevant information.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

3. Remember that presentation is important.

Neatness, spelling, and the structure of your assignment will all
count toward the mark that you receive for your assignment.

4. Use your course material and other external

sources to find answers to the assignment
questions.
But make sure to use your own words – don’t just copy. You need
to show the person marking your assignment that you have
developed a sound understanding of the subject.

5. When you use external resources, remember to

reference them properly, and to include them in
a bibliography.
If you don’t, you may be guilty of plagiarism, which is a serious
offence.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

6. If you discuss the assignment questions with

other students:
Always hand in your own work, and make sure that you use your
own words when you formulate your answers.

7. When it comes to essay questions:

• Plan/outline your answer before doing the final draft.
• Remember that essays have titles, introductions, bodies, and
conclusions.
• Use headings and paragraphs to structure your answer.

• Each paragraph should contain one main thought or idea, and

there should be a logical link between each paragraph and the
next.

• Make sure that you focus on answering the question – only

include relevant information, and remember to present logical
arguments in support of your answer.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

8. Proofread your assignment before handing it in.

Tip: read your answers out loud to make sure that they sound
logical.

9. Always keep a copy or electronic backup of your

assignment.
This way, you won’t have to start over if your computer crashes,
or redo the whole assignment if the original goes missing.

10. When you get your assignment back from your

tutor:
Read through the feedback, and learn from your mistakes. This
will help you to prepare for your exams (if you have to write
them), as well as to help you achieve better marks in future
assignments.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Types of questions that you will frequently

come across in assignments

In your assignments, you will often be asked to write short

paragraphs or longer essays in which you have to “explain” a
particular concept, “identify” certain features, or “prove” a certain
point.

It’s sometimes difficult to figure out exactly what these questions

mean -- which is why we are providing you with the following
explanations:
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS
CHAPTER 9:
Tips for Answering Exam
Questions

You’re sitting at a table in a room full of students, hunched over your exam
paper, with your pen in hand. Your brain feels fried, and your hand is
starting to cramp. You look at the clock, and you realise that you have only
ten minutes left to answer Question 5b – which counts for 50 marks.

Exams can be a stressful experience. To help reduce the stress and anxiety
surrounding exams, and to help you achieve the best possible marks,
we’ve compiled a list of exam-writing tips for you.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Here are 15 things you can do to improve your

results in your next exam:

1. Check that you have received the correct exam

paper.
You don’t want to waste precious time (and energy) by starting
with the wrong paper.

2. Read the instructions.

You don’t want to answer all the questions, only to realise halfway
through the last essay that you were supposed to choose only one
out of the three topics for Question 3.

3. Read through the whole question paper before

you start writing, and work out how much time
you will have to answer each question.
As you read through the paper, highlight key words and phrases,
so that you know what to focus on in each of your answers.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

4. Read the questions carefully, to make sure that

you understand what is being asked of you.
You won’t get marks for providing information that, despite being
correct, is irrelevant to the question.

5. Remember that you don’t have to answer the

questions in numerical order.
Just make sure that you number your answers clearly.

6. If you get stuck on a particular question, leave it

and move on.
You can always go back to it later if you have time left over at the
end of the exam.

7. Be clear and concise in your answers.

Look at the mark allocation to gauge how detailed your answers
should be. Make sure that you focus on answering the question,
instead of simply writing down everything that you know about
the topic.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

8. Write neatly.
The person marking your paper won’t have time to sit and
decipher untidy handwriting.

9. Use correct grammar and spelling.

This will contribute to the clarity of your answers, and will prevent
the person marking your paper from having to guess what you
mean.

10. For longer questions and essay-style questions:

plan your answers before you start writing.
This will help you to formulate logical arguments, as well as to
structure your answers clearly. In essay questions, you will get
marks for using the correct format, which includes making sure
that you have an introduction, sub-headings and paragraphs, and
a conclusion.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

11. Where relevant, give examples.

This will help to demonstrate that you understand the topic.

12. If you are writing an open-book exam, keep in

mind that you won’t have enough time to look
up all the answers.
Make sure that you know your work, and that you know where to
look for key information. These types of exams are more focused
on testing your understanding than on testing your knowledge,
which means that you need to have a thorough grasp of the work.

13. If you have to answer multiple-choice

questions, make sure that you read the
questions very carefully.
Try to think of the correct answer before you read through the
options, as you are less likely to become confused. When in
doubt, go with your first instinct. If there is more than one correct
answer, go with the answer that appears to be most correct.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

14. If you start running out of time towards the

end of the exam, write short notes as answers to
each of the remaining questions, instead of
trying to answer each question perfectly.
This way, you should still earn some marks for writing down the
most important points.

15. If you have time left at the end of the exam, go

back and read through your answers to make
sure that you are happy with them.
CHAPTER 10:
Language Skills at Work – How
to Write a Cover Letter

If you’ve ever applied for a job, you’ll know that writing the cover letter is
the most difficult part of almost any job application. Your cover letter
creates the first impression, and often determines whether an employer
will even look at your CV.

You need to use this opportunity to introduce yourself and your skills, and
to set yourself apart from all the other candidates. You can also use this
opportunity to explain any gaps in your CV, and to motivate why you are
the right person for the job.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Let’s have a look at the format of your cover

letter:

• Your cover letter should be clear and concise. Keep it short –

ideally, your letter should fit onto one side of an A4 page.

• Use a standard font, such as Arial or Times New Roman, to

type your e-mail.

• If you are sending a hard copy of your cover letter: use the
standard letter format, with your address at the top right, and
the recipient’s address below that, on the left.

• If you are sending your cover letter via e-mail: write the letter
in the body of the e-mail, and start with the salutation
(instead of your address).

• If you are responding to a job advertisement via e-mail, use

the subject line provided in the advertisement. If no subject
line was provided, use a relevant subject line that refers to the
position being advertised. E.g. “Application for Project
Management Assistant position (ref. no. 4231)”.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Salutation

If you know the name of the person to whom you are writing:

• Start your letter by addressing the recipient by name: e.g.

“Dear Mr John Smith/Dear Ms Joanne Smith”

If you don’t know the name of the person to whom you are
writing (and only if you have no way of establishing the recipient’s
name):

• Start your letter by addressing the recipient in one of the

following ways: “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Sir/Madam”

In an e-mail, you can also leave out the salutation entirely (and
replace it with a subject line) if you don’t know the name of the
intended recipient, and you feel uncomfortable using an
impersonal salutation such as “Dear Sir/Madam”.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

First Paragraph

Introduce yourself, and explain why you are writing the letter.

If you are responding to a job advertisement, state which

advertisement you are responding to, and indicate where you
found it.

For example:
“I would like to apply for the position of Graphic Designer, as
advertised in the Career Times on 1 March 2015.”

If possible, mention a mutual contact or acquaintance.

For example:
“Samantha Stevens mentioned that you are looking for an
experienced Graphic Designer with a keen interest in the fashion
industry.”
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Second Paragraph

Mention your qualifications, skills and experience, and relate them

to the needs of the company. Give relevant examples of how you
have used your skills in the past to perform similar tasks and
responsibilities to those set out in the job description.

Third Paragraph

Explain why you want to work for this organisation in particular.

Where relevant, explain any gaps in your CV. If you don’t have the
required academic qualifications, for example, you can explain
how your practical work experience makes up for it.

Fourth paragraph

Mention any documents or attachments that you have included

with your cover letter, and state your availability for an interview.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Close

Thank the recipient for taking the time to read your letter, and
sign off with a professional greeting, such as “Yours sincerely” or
“Kind regards”, followed by your full name, telephone number and
e-mail address.

For example:

Thank you for taking the time to consider my application.

Yours sincerely
Bradley Jones
021 111 0000
[email protected]
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Additional Tips:

 Proofread your cover letter to make sure that there are no

grammar or spelling mistakes.

 Keep the tone professional, but choose a writing style that

suits the position you are applying for. When choosing your
writing style, take into account both the industry and the
corporate culture of the organisation.

 As far as possible, write your letter in the active voice.

 Don’t overuse the word “I”.

 Instead of focusing on yourself: focus on the organisation, and

on how you can help the organisation to solve its problems
and achieve its goals.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

 Do plenty of research on the organisation to help you

determine what their values are, what their goals are, and
what their major challenges are. This will help you to explain
why you want to work for this particular organisation, as well
as why you are the right person for the job.

 Instead of telling the employer (or recruiter) that you are the
right person for the job: use examples to show them that you
are the right person for the job. You can, for example, tell a
brief story about how you solved a similar problem (or
achieved a similar goal) in your current or previous job.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

 Remember to personalise or adapt each cover letter to

match the position you are applying for. You can still
keep a rough template on which you base all your cover
letters, but you need to make sure that each cover letter you
send addresses the needs and expectations of the
organisation to which you are applying.

Remember that the aim of your cover letter is to get the employer to
go further and read your CV. To achieve this, you need to make sure that
your letter sets you apart from all the other candidates, and that it
conveys your enthusiasm for the position and organisation to which you
are applying.

Links to useful resources:

Click on the links below to access cover letter templates, writing tips, and
other useful resources:

• Cover Letter Templates - Jobsearch

• How to Write a Cover Letter – TotalJobs

• Three Excellent Cover Letter Examples – The Guardian

CHAPTER 11:
Language Skills at Work – How
to Write a Resignation Letter

No matter what the reason, resigning from your job is likely to be an

uncomfortable experience.

If you are leaving for personal reasons (such as moving away, starting a family,
or retiring), you may feel sad about leaving. But if you are leaving for a better
opportunity, or you’ve simply had enough of your current job, you may be glad
to be moving on.

Either way, it’s always going to be in your best interests to leave on a positive
note, and to resign in a professional manner.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

The purpose of a resignation letter:

The purpose of a resignation letter is to give your employer official

notice that you will be leaving the organisation. However, it is
usually appropriate to inform your manager of your intention to
resign in person, and then to follow up your conversation with the
formal resignation letter.

What to include:

Your resignation letter should be short and to the point. Keep it

positive and professional – this is not the place to voice your
dissatisfaction with your job.

In your letter, you should make sure that you

include the following:
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

1.

A clear statement of your intention to resign.

Example:

“Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from

my post as Assistant IT Manager at XYZ.”

2.

Reference to your notice period (where applicable), as

well as your last working day with the organisation.

Example:

“My last working day will be in two weeks’ time, on 31 August

2015.”
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

3.

Your reason for leaving.

You don’t need to elaborate on this if you don’t want to.
Remember to keep it positive, and not to make any rude,
offensive or insulting remarks about the organisation or your co-
workers, no matter how tempting it might be.

Example:

“I have been offered an opportunity to work as an IT Manager

abroad, and I have decided to accept the offer.”

4.

A sentence or two in which you thank your employer

for the opportunities you have been given during your
time with the organisation.

Example:

“I would like to thank you for the wonderful opportunities you

have given me, both to develop my skills, and to work with such
knowledgeable and inspiring people.”
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

5.

An offer to help with the transition.

Only include this if you are sincere, and don’t make any promises
that you won’t be able to keep. You could, for example, assure
your employer that you will finish your current projects or hand
them over to a colleague. You could also offer to train the person
who will be replacing you.

Example:

“During the next two weeks, I will do everything I can to ensure a

smooth transition for the company. If required, I am more than
willing to assist with the hiring and training of the new Assistant
IT Manager.”
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

6.

A suitable closing.
It is important to use a closing that is appropriate in the
circumstances. If you have a good relationship with your
employer, you may want to wish him/her well for the future, and
provide contact details that he/she can use to get in touch with
you once you have left the organisation. You can then end your
letter with a greeting such as “Kind regards,” followed by your
signature.

Remember that your resignation letter will be kept on file, as it

forms part of your employment record. It is always best to keep it
professional, as you may need a reference from your employer
later on in your career.

It is also not worth burning bridges, and damaging potentially

valuable relationships, just to have your say about the
organisation and your feelings toward it.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Additional Resources:

Click on the following links for more tips on how to write a

resignation letter, as well as to find useful templates for
different types of resignation letters:

• jobsearch.about.com

• www.totaljobs.com

• www.careerfaqs.com.au

• www.sample-resignation-letters.com
CHAPTER 12:
Language Skills at Work –
Sending E-mails to Your
Colleagues

In today’s working environment, it is almost guaranteed that

you will be required to communicate with colleagues via e-mail
on a regular basis. And due to the large number of e-mails we
now send and receive each day, proper e-mail etiquette is
more important than ever.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind

when sending e-mails to your colleagues:

• Always use a relevant and descriptive subject line.

E-mails with blank subject lines may be marked as spam by the

recipient’s e-mail client, and e-mails with non-descriptive subject
lines such as “Hello” or “Meeting” may be ignored.

• Write your e-mail in clear and simple language.

Don’t try to sound too formal, and don’t use complicated words
when simple ones would work just fine. As far as possible, write in
the active voice.

• Structure your message clearly, and include only the

necessary information.

Take care not to confuse the message by including too many

topics in one e-mail. Respect your colleagues’ time, and try to
keep your messages as short as possible.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Don’t type your e-mail in ALL CAPS.

This is regarded as the online equivalent of shouting.

• Always proofread your e-mail before you hit ‘send’.

Grammar and spelling errors come across as unprofessional.

• If you include a link in your e-mail, make sure that you

provide some context.

Your recipients are unlikely to click on a link if they don’t have any
idea as to what they are going to see when they open it.

• Only mark an e-mail as ‘urgent’ when it really does

require immediate attention.

What’s urgent to you may not always be urgent to your recipients.

• Don’t use the ‘CC’ or ‘Reply All’ functions

unnecessarily.

Only send your e-mails to the people who really need to see them.
BASIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Only include necessary attachments with your e-mails.

Remember that many e-mail clients have a size limit on

attachments, and that attachments over a certain size may cause
your e-mail to be blocked.

• Keep it professional.

Don’t pass on spam e-mails, chain letters, or inappropriate jokes,

and don’t spread gossip via e-mail.
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