Scribd
Upload
302 views

Toles Program

The document discusses the TOLES Foundation exam, which tests legal English vocabulary and grammar. It focuses on accuracy required for international legal work. The exam contains one paper on legal reading and writing that tests vocabulary from commercial documents and contracts, as well as legal terminology. While only elementary English is required, the exam expects very accurate use of vocabulary and grammar. It provides a foundation for legal English skills needed for the workplace.

Uploaded by

Sean Penn
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
302 views

Toles Program

The document discusses the TOLES Foundation exam, which tests legal English vocabulary and grammar. It focuses on accuracy required for international legal work. The exam contains one paper on legal reading and writing that tests vocabulary from commercial documents and contracts, as well as legal terminology. While only elementary English is required, the exam expects very accurate use of vocabulary and grammar. It provides a foundation for legal English skills needed for the workplace.

Uploaded by

Sean Penn
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

TOLES

Content

The exam has one paper: legal reading and writing. The focus of the exam is on testing
the absolute linguistic accuracy required of lawyers in a modern international office. This
means accuracy in two main areas: technical legal vocabulary and grammar. Vocabulary
from commercial deals, company documents, commercial contracts, intellectual property
agreements, financial documents and forms of business are tested, as well as legal
terminology from other areas.

A bridge between university and work

The Foundation Exam has been described by employers as ‘an excellent bridge for
international law students between the world of university and the world of work’. As
well as testing legal English, the Foundation Exam develops an awareness of the real
tasks a lawyer carries out in an international legal office and focuses on real and recent
legal developments and cases. For this reason, even learners with advanced general
English can benefit from the Foundation Exam.

Level of general English

The level of English needed for this exam is elementary level. The priority at this stage
is to make sure that a genuinely strong foundation of legal English is in place in order to
allow learners to progress successfully to the next level. This strong foundation includes
consolidating basic grammar before moving on to more complicated language structures.
The exam is based on absolute accuracy in written English, not fluency. This means that
when learners answer questions we expect their use of English to be very good and they
will lose points for imperfect grammar as well as for vocabulary mistakes.

Basics

 Time allowed: 90 minutes


 Skills tested: Legal reading and writing (90 minutes)
 Focus: Practical legal vocabulary in authentic situations; consolidation of basic
grammar
 Appropriate level of general English: Elementary-Advanced
 Training materials: ‘The Lawyer’s English Language Coursebook’ and other legal
English books/materials available at an introductory level
 Score: The maximum score possible at Foundation level is 100
 Certificate: TOLES Foundation with grade explanation
Foundation Syllabus

‘The problem for us is that law graduates come for job interviews and they have many
certificates proving that they can speak and write English very well. Actually, they are
not prepared with the English they need for commercial law. They are fluent, but they are
not accurate. They know academic vocabulary but not the terminology of the real job’.
Human Resources Office, commercial law firm, MILAN.

About the TOLES Foundation Syllabus

The aim of the Foundation Exam is to ensure learners are equipped with a strong basis
upon which to build the skills required by employers. We have analysed the drafting and
general writing skills of thousands of international lawyers when working on office-based
tasks and devised a step-by-step programme to help them eliminate mistakes and reach
the standard required. The TOLES Foundation materials and exam ensure that serious
learners will be successful and won’t make the very common mistake of attempting more
advanced tasks before mastering the basics.

Priorities

The focus of all of the TOLES exams is absolute accuracy, a strong legal vocabulary and
familiarisation with modern legal style. All of these elements begin with this Stage 1
exam. Learners are challenged to recognise their own common mistakes in English as
well as being required to identify accurate prepositions and collocations within a legal
context, particularly within the context of written contracts. The TOLES Foundation
Exam is modern and up-to-date. It takes account of significant language reforms in the
English legal system and the legal profession’s continued movement towards a plainer
use of English as recommended on Legal Practice Courses at all leading UK training
centres and on CPD courses for qualified UK lawyers.

Requirements

The TOLES Foundation Exam requires little or no knowledge of British or American


law. It requires knowledge of useful, international legal terminology, a strong, active use
of basic grammar and a sensitivity to use of register in the following general areas:

1. Basic legal negotiations 9. The litigation process


2. Pre-contractual documents 10. Essential contract law
3. Commercial contracts 11. The law of tort
4. Banking 12. Intellectual property
5. Companies 13. Real estate
6. Other forms of business 14. Oral contracts
7. Bankruptcy and insolvency 15. An introduction to the common law
8. Employment law and contracts

You might also like