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English For Specific Purposes

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
33 views100 pages

English For Specific Purposes

Uploaded by

Shrirang Joshi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CONTENTS

Unit Contents Page No.

Dr. P. F. Patil, Pune &


1 English for Specific Academic Purposes Dr. R. S. Zirange, Pune 1-23

2 English in Business Management Mr.s Lailabi Shaikh, Phaltan 24-50

3 English in Science and Technology Dr. D. S. Kale, Medha 51-85

4 English in the Media and Advertising World Mr.s Pratima Agnihotri 86-98
English for Specific Purposes
UNIT 1 : ENGLISH FOR
SPECIFIC ACADEMIC PURPOSES
Contents:
1.0 Objectives:
1.0.1 Introduction
1.1 Basic Concepts
1.1.1 Emergence of English for Special Purposes
1.1.2 Definition of ESP
1.1.3 Aims of English for Specific Purposes
1.1.4 Status of ESP in Indian Universities
1.1.5 English for Specific Academic Purposes
1.1.6 Conclusion
1.2 Language and Communication
1.2.1 Meaning of Communication
1.2.2 Concept of Communication
1.2.3 Types of communication
1.2.4 The Communication Process
1.2.5 Barriers to Effective Communication:
1.2.6 Essentials of Effective Communication:
1.2.7 Functions of everyday usage
1.2.8 Face-to-face Communication in familiar situations
1.2.9 Communication on Telephone
1.3 Listening
1.3.1 Listening to short lectures
1.3.2 Description
1.3.4 Narration
1.3.5 Reading passages loudly
1.3.6 Identification of language functions
1.3.7 Using synonyms and antonyms
1.4 Reading
1.4.1 Reading for information
1.4.2 Reading for comprehension and discover the flow of ideas
1.4.3 Note-taking
English for Specific
1.4.4 Note-making Academic Purposes 1
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English for Specific Purposes 1.4.5 Development of paragraph
1.4.6 Cohesion
1.4.7 Coherence
1.4.8 Style
1.5 Check your progress:
1.6 Glossary
1.7 Answers to check your progress
1.8 Reference Books

1.0 OBJECTIVES:
• To acquaint the students with the concept of Communication and principles
of effective Communication
• To make them understand the differences between General English and
English for Science and Technology
• To make them comprehend the abbreviations used in Business English
• To acquaint them with reading for information
• To make them develop their critical, analytical and descriptive abilities
• To guide them how to prepare advertisement for various products

1.0.1INTRODUCTION
English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) is an attempt to prepare
and train the students in English for various and in business, professions it
includes English for General Purpose (EGP), English for Science and Technology,
English for the media and advertising world etc. This course undoubtedly makes
students aware by providing them with a theoretical framework based on recent
research and practical needs of them. English has been used for decades as the
common language for international communication in various fields such as
business, science, medicine engineering, agriculture, aviation, marine navigation,
media and advertising world etc. In the changing circumstances and need there are
increasing demand for the teaching and learning of English for Specific Purposes
(ESP) to those learners, who are already in workplaces and those who prepare
themselves academically, professionally and business point of view.

1.1 BASIC CONCEPTS


1.1.1 Emergence of English for Special Purposes
From the early 1970s, English for Specific Purposes has grown to become
one of the most prominent areas of English as a foreign language teaching today.
Its acceptance and developments are clearly reflected in the increasing number of
English for Specific
2 Academic Purposes foreign as well as Indian universities offering English for Specific Purposes

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courses in various faculties. Its developments are also reflected in an increasing English for Specific Purposes
number of publications, journals, conferences, discussions etc. at various levels.
In India, the academic institutions like, The Central Institute of English and
Foreign Languages, State Institutes in English and State Boards in various states
are constructively contributing to make English for Specific Purposes
academically effective and useful.
1.1.2 Definition of ESP
“ESP is an approach to language teaching in which all decisions as to
content and method are based on the learner’s reason for learning.”
1.1.3 Aims of English for Specific Purposes
The aims of this academic programme are to equip the young graduates and
postgraduates with the necessary business skills, professional skills and academic
competence that enable them to contribute in their respective areas of working.
1.1.4 Status of ESP in Indian Universities
ESP is the teaching of English used in academic programme or the teaching
of English for vocational and professional purposes. In Indian context, the concept
of ESP became popular after 1970. The Kothari Commission in 1964
recommended ESP courses in Indian universities to fulfill the changing needs of
young graduates and post graduates pursuing their educational programmes in
various faculties. Before 1970, courses in English for various faculties like Arts,
Commerce, Science, Medical, Engineering, Agriculture, Law etc. were somewhat
common. Textbooks and teaching materials prescribed/prepared for all these
courses were common. The prescribed textbooks and teaching materials were
literature and grammar-oriented. It was observed that the common course in
English could not become useful in the careers of the students who studied through
different faculties. University Grant Commission introduced the concept of ESP
courses in view of preparing young graduates and post graduates of various
faculties for various fields, professions, jobs, businesses etc.
1.1.5 English for Specific Academic Purposes
All developed languages exist in two forms – spoken and written. In a spoken
form, the students are required to study sounds like consonants, pure vowels,
diphthongs, sound system, word stress, sentence stress, rhythm, tones, intonation
patterns etc. In a written form, the students are required to study parts of speech,
open class of words, closed class of words, phrase structures, sentence structures,
kinds of sentences and their structures as well as basic skills of language –
listening, speaking, reading and writing plus study skills, reading skills and
presentation skills. In order to become a good communicator, they have to master
both the forms. To improve spoken English, they have to listen to speeches in
English, radio and television news in English, narrate incidents, events and stories
in English and use English in day-to-day communication. To improve written
English, they have to describe incidents, events in English as well as to summarize
stories, novels, dramas, poems, theories etc. in English. They must try to become
good readers. While reading, it is necessary to identify forms and functions of
words and the functions of language. English for Specific
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English for Specific Purposes English in Business Management
General English is comparatively simple and easily understood.
Vocabulary used in General English is equally simple and familiar. It is
interpersonal. It is used to express day today matters, thoughts, ideas as well as
day-to-day interactions. Business English means English used in business
communication. Vocabulary used in Business English is different from the
vocabulary used in General English. In Business English, abbreviations and
business jargons are commonly used. For examples: sales, purchases, collection,
market, transaction, transport, export, import, packing, parcels, delivery, damage,
quintal, tone, service tax, property tax, sale tax, income tax, assessment, valuation,
service charges, GST, VAT, LBT, budget, regular budget, interim budget,
budgetary provision, loan system, financial provision, financial crisis, marketing,
share market, funds, investments etc.
The students of commerce and management faculties are required to be
acquainted with the vocabulary like – debit, credit, payment, transfer of money,
transaction of money, demand draft, withdrawal of money, withdrawal slip,
payment slip, deposition of money, loss, profit, challen, cash, cheque, nomination,
account, single account, joint account, pension account, current account, cash
receipt, balance sheet, receipt and expenditure, miscellaneous etc. The students of
management are specifically required to use the vocabulary like document,
memoranda, documentation of meetings, drafting of notices, preparing agendas,
drafting of resolutions passed in the meetings, writing individual and committee
reports, business letters, insurance letters etc. Syllabus designers have to keep in
mind all these factors while designing syllabi of these two faculties. Their
familiarity with such kind of vocabulary and other aspects becomes useful in their
careers in banking field, sale tax, income tax departments, export, import and
various finance departments as well as various corporate sectors where financial,
commercial, money transaction, correspondence, documentation, management of
business play important roles.

English for Science and Technology


Science and technology are the wider areas of knowledge. Research in
science and technology has opened new horizons in human life. English is used as
a medium for expressing various scientific and technological theories. Maximum
knowledge of science and technology is available in English. Learning English is
an unavoidable phenomenon for the students of science and technology. Before
1970, uni-course in English was being prescribed for the students of all faculties –
Art, Commerce, Science, Engineering etc. It was observed that the uni-course in
English was becoming less useful for the students of Science and Technology for
their future professions and academic careers. Thereafter, specifically prepared
courses became effective for the students of Science and Technology. At present,
the courses in English specifically prepared are becoming useful for them. For
examples: English for general BSC, BCS, Engineering diplomas and Engineering
graduation etc.
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English for Engineering Courses English for Specific Purposes

English for Engineering Courses requires a specific/technical vocabulary


which becomes useful for the Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,
Telecommunication Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, Petro-Chemical
Engineering Courses.

English for Medical Courses


English for medical courses needs a specific/technical vocabulary like
medical instruments, operation theatre, emergency ward, casualty ward, OPD,
ICU, operational instruments/materials, medical consultation, medical
consultant, nursing courses, nursing services, stretcher etc. which become useful
to the medical students during their study as well as careers.

English for Banking and Finance


Banking and Finance needs specific vocabulary like financial crisis,
financial deficits, financial assets, financial provisions, purchasing
power/capacity, valuation etc.

English for Legal Courses


English for Legal courses needs specific vocabulary related to the legal
matters which include legal advices, legal system, legal provisions, breaking of
law, case study, constitution, different bills and acts of constitution, judicial
systems, legal interpretations, civil codes, criminal codes, Indian penal codes etc.

1.1.6 Conclusion
The textbooks, teaching materials, teachers’ handbooks and students’
practical books etc. are prepared taking into the professional needs of the learners
concerned. Textbooks and teaching materials include technical definitions,
technical descriptions, summaries, graphs, technical instructions, explanations,
comparisons and contrast, presentations, memorandums, e-mails, resumes etc.
The vocabulary used for the above cited topics is specific. Technical vocabulary
used in the specifically prepared textbooks, teaching materials, journals etc.
becomes useful for the students of the above cited technical, technological,
medical, legal, banking and finance, computer-oriented etc. courses. It becomes
helpful to them for their academic study and future professional careers.

1.2 LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION


1.2.1 Meaning of Communication
Communication is one of our most basic needs. It is the process of
conveying our emotions, thoughts, ideas and feelings to others using verbal as
English for Specific
well as nonverbal signals. It has been important from the ancient times. Over the Academic Purposes 5
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English for Specific Purposes years, it has been continuously refined and made into sophisticated tool. In the
modern times, communication is assuming greater importance and becoming one
of the most important tool in the management process. Perhaps, it is the most
essential lubricant making management process very smooth and fruitful.
Communication involves sending and receiving information using a medium that
is understood by both the sender and the receiver so that there is a smooth and
fruitful communication between both of them. We constantly communicate with
others for various purposes in all the spheres of our life – at home, school, college
and work and within the community.
1.2.2 Concept of Communication
The word communication is derived from the Latin word, ‘communis’,
which means common. In its application, it means a common ground of
understanding.
Robert Anderson defines it as –
“Communication is an interchange of thoughts, opinions or information, by
speech, writing or signs.”
George Vardaman defines it as –
“Effective communication is purposive interchange resulting in workable
understanding and agreement between the sender and receiver of a message.”
Verbal expression through language is the most significant tool of
communication. However, there are nonverbal means as well, such as sign
language, body language, touch, eye contact, voice pitch, tone, intonation etc. that
we use to exchange information.

1.2.3 Types of communication


Communication between two or more people or groups can be informal and
formal. Informal communication is used among friends, family members and
people you know well. In contrast formal communication takes place in
professional or business contexts among people who work together, especially at
different levels in hierarchy, among those who participate in business deal or
interact in formal social situations. Formal communication is also used among
people who are strangers meeting for the first time. Some examples of situations
where informal communication takes place are a birthday party, a family dinner,
wedding ceremony and a college canteen. Examples of situations where formal
communication is called for are a job interview, meeting of a company’s board of
directors, a dinner hosted by a university’s vice-chancellor.

1.2.4 The Communication Process


The communication process involves multiple parts and stages. These are:
• Source

English for Specific • Message


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• Encoding English for Specific Purposes

• Channel
• Decoding
The five key stages in the communication cycle are message creation,
transmission, reception, translation and response. A communication cycle refers
to the process by which a message is developed and sent to the recipient through a
selected channel.
The first stage in communication is the creation of an idea or the message. It
is the process by which the sender decides what he wants to communicate and
selects the channel through which he wants to covey the information.
The second step is message transmission. This process may be as simple as
meeting the recipient and orally communicating the information, or
communicating with the intended recipient over the phone.
The reception stage involves change of communication responsibilities
between the sender and the recipient. The receiver obtains the information by
reading the information in a written format or listening carefully to the message
when delivered orally.
The next stage is translation. In this step, the recipient encodes the message
into a form that he easily understands. This may involve an individual listening or
reading the message and paraphrasing it in head.
The final stage in communication cycle is response. This fulfils the
requirement of an effective communication as a two-way street. After receiving
the message, the recipient crafts a response and communicates it verbally or in a
written format.

1.2.5 Barriers to Effective Communication:


Efficient communication is based on a lot of factors, such as the speaker’s
choice of words, semantic organization, the listener’s interest and motivation, the
choice of vocabulary, contextual information etc. Since so many factors have to be
considered to ensure effective communication, sometimes, one or more of these
factors may, in fact, become a barrier to communication. As an example, the
phrase Spanish History Professor is ambiguous in meaning. What do you infer
from it? Is the reference being made to a Spanish (a native of Spain) Professor who
teaches History or is the reference being made to a Professor who teaches Spanish
History (History of Spain) in particular? Thus, although the phrase is
grammatically correct, the fact is that more than one meaning is possible for
interpretation, this still hinders effective communication. This barrier can be
removed. One can say History Professor from Spain or The Professor of Spanish
History. However, sometimes, the context in which the phrase is used is in itself an
indicator of which meaning is to be inferred. Look at the conversation given here:
Elisa: I suppose I do find Spanish history interesting. Have you read Cervantes’
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English for Specific Purposes
Marc: Oh yes, a nice way to know Spanish history through its literature. How are
your Spanish history lessons going on?
Elisa: Wonderful! Our Spanish history professor is really good.
In the conversation given above, does the phrase’ still seem ambiguous to you?
The context makes it evident that Marc and Elisa are discussing about the
Professor who teaches Spanish history (history of Spain) to Elisa.
Discussed below are examples of more potential barriers to communication:
1. Cultural and regional use of a language: While English speakers exist
around the globe, English is not spoken alike everywhere. Just as
mannerisms and customs differ, the use of modal verbs also differs amongst
various language-speakers. While ‘shall’ is more common in Britain to seek
permission (Shall I leave? I shall do this later), ‘may’, ‘will’ and ‘can’ (Can I
leave?, May I leave?, I will do this later) are common in usage in America
and elsewhere to seek permission or express an event in future. Regional
colloquialisms may differ. For example, the colloquial phrase ‘cry wolf’ (to
seek help even when you don’t need it) is not common to all English
language speakers.
2. Assumptions made by the speaker: often, a speaker already assumes a set of
knowledge or skills possessed by the listener, which may always not be the
case. For example, words such as ‘defamiliarization’ or
‘postmodernization’ may be common to a student of literature, but that will
not necessarily be the case with others. Thus, such words, called ‘jargon’
may hinder communication rather than facilitating it. Such an assumption
on the part of the speaker is considered faulty.
3. Interest and biases of the listener: if you don’t like and XYZ person, it is
unlikely that you would listen to him/her with complete and motivation.
This may disrupt or distort the meaning the speaker was trying to imply.
Your own prejudice may detach you from what is being conveyed.
4. Emotional Interference: emotions can interfere with effective
communication. If the sender is angry, his ability to send effective messages
may be affected negatively. In the same way, if the recipient is upset or
disagrees with the message or the sender, he may hear something different
from what was intended by the sender. Emotional inference may prove to a
barrier to effective communication.

1.2.6 Essentials of Effective Communication:


No act of communication occurs independently of its environment. Most
theories of communication envision communication as a process that occurs by
means of messages circulated within a system of interrelated senders and
receivers.
Although scholars typically focus their attention on the system, the
environment is of considerable importance as well. For one, a system cannot
English for Specific
8 Academic Purposes survive without its environment. For another, a system's environment is active,

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and some of that activity necessarily impacts the system. English for Specific Purposes

Communication is carried out by individuals within the context of groups and with
the use of signs whose meanings are established in part by negotiation among the
members of the groups. Thus, human beings:
• Continually create their own signs
• Continually encounter and make use of the signs created by others
Because of this, the members of a society are constantly immersed in a
‘communication environment’ that is rich in potential information. It is the
presence of this environment that holds true to the statement that it is impossible
for human beings not to communicate.
Effective communication occurs when a desired effect is the result of
intentional or unintentional information sharing, which is interpreted between
multiple entities and acted upon in a desired way. This effect also ensures that the
message is not distorted during the communication process. Effective
communication should generate the desired effect and maintain it, with the
potential to increase the effect of the message. Therefore, effective
communication serves the purpose for which it was planned or designed. Possible
purposes might be to elicit change, generate action, create understanding, inform
or communicate a certain idea or point of view. When the desired effect is not
achieved, factors such as barriers to communication are explored, with the
intention to discover how the communication has been ineffective. Effective
communication involves talking and listening.
Active listening
Effective communication is a reciprocal process that includes listening.
Successful listening requires eye contact, objective processing and feedback to
the speaker. Active listening may involve asking, clarifying questions or restating
what was heard in order to assure that the intention of the message sent was
correctly received. Active listening becomes particularly important when the
communication includes emotional content.

1.2.7 Functions of everyday usage


Apart from having the necessary professional skills, we need to be effective
communicators to function well in day-to-day conversations in familiar
situations. If a person is unable to share his ideas or emotions, he is nowhere
because in changing situations, good communication skills are essential for better
conversation, for better jobs, for maintaining good relations with friends,
colleagues, seniors, family members and relatives. Developing effective
communication and cooperation skills are essential parts of everyday
conversation and relationships. Lack of communication skills affects our
everyday relationships, our professional development and our social interactions.
Though verbal expression is the most important tool of communication, there are
nonverbal means as well, such as sign language, body language, touch, eye
contact, voice pitch, tone and intonation that we use to exchange information, English for Specific
messages. In order to communicate well, we need not only language skills, but Academic Purposes 09
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English for Specific Purposes also an understanding of the cultures, the attitudes and the problems of the people
we deal with. It also calls for sensitivity, tolerance, flexibility, patience, tact and
persuasive skills while interacting with others.

1.2.8 Face-to-face Communication in familiar situations


In this mode of communication, we can use multiple channels of
communication. Speaker’s body language has the biggest impact, so it is
necessary to pay attention to the physical signals the speaker projects. Intonation
and rhythm play significant role in this respect. It is essential to focus on
communicating verbally how the speaker really feels. If there is a conflict of
interest between the speaker’s body and mind, his/her body language will mostly
likely to reveal it and cause problems concerning how his message is received. Of
course, there are common problems in our day-to-day conversation. For
examples:
1. Outside disturbing noise
2. Variations in listening skills
3. Variations in language skills
4. Cultural differences
5. Complexity of subject matter or message
6. Personal bias, hostility or both

1.2.9 Communication on Telephone


Telephonic conversation has become an essential part of our day-to-day
life. It is vital to pay attention to what you say, but even more importantly be aware
of the tone of your voice. You can easily hear a smile on the telephone, or vice
versa. Tell whether someone is in a bad mood. It is important that you consider
how you accentuate your words and where you choose to pause. Your telephonic
talk must be clear, concise and easily understood. It is necessary to be relevant and
logical. Cooperation between the speaker and the listener is necessary for smooth
conversation. It is equally necessary on the part of the speaker to be polite in his
expression.

1.3 LISTENING
1.3.1 Listening to short lectures
There are four basic skills of language. These skills are as follows:
1. Listening
2. Speaking
3. Reading
4. Writing
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Learning language is nothing but primarily learning these four basic skills of English for Specific Purposes
language. Every skill has its characteristics. Language learner has to acquire these
characteristics to learn language in true sense of the term, these skills are not
isolated. They are integrated and complementary to each other. To acquire the skill
of listening, the listener must have a peacefulness of mind as well as full
concentration of mind. While listening, the listener should carefully listen to the
spoken matter/announcement made by someone else. It strikes his mind. He
applies his mind to interest its meaning and the intention behind that spoken
matter/announcement. It is necessary for the language learner to make it a regular
habit of listening short lectures/long lectures, the incidents narrated by the
narrator, the scenes/events described. Such kind of listening activities help to
develop a wide variety of meaning from the context. There are number of listening
activities available in a day-to-day life. For examples: listening to radio news,
television news, telephone messages, short lectures, long lectures, narrations of
stories, descriptions of incidents, events, listening authentic talks. Short lectures
take place for short duration of time. Listener’s concentration cannot be stretched
for a long time. Every beginning is slow. The beginner who intends to form the
habit of listening, he has to begin to the listening to short duration conversations,
short lectures, so that, he will be able to comprehend short lectures correctly.
Regular practice of listening will help him to increase his skill of listening. It is a
passive activity. The listener has to pick up the sounds striking on his ears. He has
to acquire and interest simultaneously whatever he listens to. Beginning with
telephone messages, short duration conversations and short lectures will help to
develop his listening skill. Good speaker is a good listener.

1.3.2 Description
Description is a writing skill. It is necessarily used in describing various
things, elements, occasions, events, beautiful scenes, incidents, accidents, events
like election meetings wedding ceremonies, natural events like earthquake,
tsunami, flood and their consequences in general. It is necessary for the learner to
develop his writing skill. The students of literature are required to describe
characters included/presented in literary forms and their various negative as well
as positive qualities. They are also required to describe various incidents
described by the essayists, story writers and novelists. The newspaper
correspondents necessarily require descriptive ability/skill to describe various
incidents and events which take place in a day-to-day life. Description should be
brief as well as accurate. Through regular practice this writing skill can be
developed by the learner.
In descriptive essays, the great thing is to get hold of a central theme around
all later effects can be grouped and subordinated. Once this has been secured, the
element of contrast can be brought in to heighten the interest and avoid monotony.
To secure this the essay writer must be careful in using adjectives he wants to use
in his essay writing. Description of incidents or events is a realization in space. In
describing incidents, events precaution should be taken in creating general effect.
Careful arrangement of details definitely helps to create general effect. In English for Specific
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English for Specific Purposes
describing incidents, events, scenes, characters etc. suspense should be carefully
maintained to keep the interest of the listeners/viewers. While concluding
description of an incident or event, the central theme should be emphasized again
with a new turn. Description may consist of narration in some cases.

1.3.4 Narration
Narrative skill is associated with a speaking skill. Narrative skill becomes
useful to tell stories, incidents in history and anecdote. In many cases, narration
and description are mingled together. They have something in common.
In a day-to-day life, we are required to narrate various incidents, events
taking place around us. The narrative story writer as well as narrative novel writer
narrate their stories and novels very skillfully to maintain readers’ interest up to
the last moment. The skill of narration definitely holds the listeners’ interest up to
the last moment. In a narrative novel, the episodes, incidents, events are arranged
in such a way so that the readers read the novel up to the last page.
The newspaper/the media correspondents are basically required to cultivate
narrative skill. They are constantly required to narrate on going episodes,
incidents and events. The students are required to cultivate narrative skills,
because they have to write narrative essay. They are also required to tell the
episodes, incidents, events of the story and novel. The commentators need
narrative skill in narrating sequences of the sports matches and various incidents
related to the sports events. Short sentences and striking details of the sports
matches are to be narrated to make the spectators to see and hear what goes on
during the sports matches.
Always Huxley’s narrative essay entitled, ‘Silence is Golden’ (in ‘Do What
You Will’) is an excellent example of narrative skill. Its introduction consists of a
short snappy paragraph to catch the readers’ attention and helps to sustain it for a
longer time. The film writers need narrative skill to arrange various episodes of his
film to sustain spectators’ attention for a long time.

1.3.5 Reading passages loudly


To read means to look at and understand the meaning of written or printed
words or symbols, one can do it silently or loudly but the purpose is to understand
what one goes through. Reading assumes understanding. Reading is of no use if
there is no comprehension. Skimming is also a reading activity. To skim means to
go through the given passage quickly to get a general idea about the nature and
subject matters of the passage. Scanning is one of the techniques of fast reading. It
is done when the reader wants to find out a particular piece of information.
All the sub-skills of reading are required in silent as well as loud reading.
Loud reading is done to practice pronunciation and intonation. Our main purpose
in loud reading is to read out words and sentences for oral practice. While reading
loudly we cannot neglect the meaning of the text totally. For making sense out of
English for Specific intonations, we have to read to understand the context in a general way.
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In loud reading, each stress has to be made obvious and the sentence has to English for Specific Purposes
be read out with rhythm and falling tone. If one is not able to read the whole
sentence in one breath, one may take a small pause and the sentence can be divided
into two parts. Reading aloud in this way will certainly help improve one’s speech.
If one does not know which syllable is to be stressed in particular, the skill of
reading aloud with proper stresses and appropriate intonation one’s reading will
sound unrhythmic. Reading with a rhythm becomes meaningful because it is the
rhythm that brings out the meaning.
In loud reading, we may not be able to go fast but we are expected to read in
such a way that the meaning would be clear. If we read out to someone, our voice
has to be sufficiently loud and the speed should not be too high but reasonably
good so that the listener can understand everything clearly. This technique should
necessarily be followed in this direction so that the listeners/students in the
classroom can listen to the dictation clearly.

1.3.6 Identification of language functions


Language is a means of communication. It is used as a medium of
instruction. It is employed to communicate general ideas as well as main ideas. It
is used to communicate relevant facts. It is also used to communicate pieces of
information. For communicating emotions, feelings, thoughts, ideas, relevant
facts, we use lexical items, their conceptual meanings. We use phrases, elements
of a sentence like subject, verb, object, complement. We also use formal
categories like noun, noun phrase, verb, adjective, adverb or prepositional phrase.
There are relationships among all these linguistic units. There is also relationship
between sentences and grammatical devices. Through the integrated functions of
all items/units we realize/identify language functions.

1.3.7 Using synonyms and antonyms


‘Synonymy’ is used to mean ‘sameness of meaning’. It is obvious that for
the dictionary-maker many sets of words have the same meaning, they are
synonymous or are synonyms of one another. It has been said that English is
particularly rich in synonyms for the historical reason that its vocabulary has come
from two different sources, from Anglo-Saxon on the one hand and from French,
Latin and Greek on the other. The ‘Anglo-Saxon’ words are often considered to be
‘native’, while those from French, Latin and Greek or ‘foreign’, ‘borrowed’ from
these languages. But the terms ‘native’ and ‘foreign’ are misleading. For whatever
their origins, most of the words are an essential and wholly natural part of the
English language.
Nevertheless, it is true that there are pairs of ‘native’ and ‘foreign’, ‘buy’
and ‘purchase’, ‘world’ and ‘universe’, and many others. Some sets of synonyms
belong to different dialects of the language. For instance, the term ‘fall’ is used in
the united states of America and in some western countries of Britain where others
would use ‘autumn’. The works of dialectologists are full of examples like these.
For instance: ‘cowshed’, ‘cow house’, ‘hayrick’, ‘haystack’ etc. there are some English for Specific
Academic Purposes 13
words which differ only in their emotive or evaluative meanings, for instance:
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English for Specific Purposes ‘politician’ and ‘statesman’, ‘hide’ and ‘conceal’, ‘liberty’ and ‘freedom’ each
implying approval or disapproval. The function of such words in language is, of
course, to influence attitudes. Words may have different emotive meanings in
different societies. For instance: the word ‘liberal’ is a ‘good’ word in Great
Britain, but it is a ‘bad’ word in South Africa.
There are many words in English which are close in meaning or that their
meanings overlap. There is, that is to say that a loose sense of synonymy. For
instance: ‘mature’ (adj-) ‘adult’, ‘ripe’, ‘perfect’. For ‘govern’ we may suggest
‘control’, ‘direct’, while ‘loose’ (adj-) ‘free’, ‘relaxed’, ‘inexact’ etc.
Antonyms
The term ‘antonymy’ is used for ‘oppositeness of meaning’, words that are
opposite are ‘synonyms’. Antonymy is often thought of as the opposite of
synonyms, but the status of the two is very different. There are different kinds of
‘oppositeness’ and we must distinguish them. To begin with, English language has
number of pairs of words such as ‘wide’/‘narrow’, ‘old’/‘young’, ‘big’/‘small’ etc.
These all of them are adjectives. They have in common the fact that they may be
seen in terms of degrees of the quality involved. Thus a road may be ‘wide’ or
‘very wide’ and one road may be ‘wider’ than another.
For most antonyms a set of relationships hold between the comparative
forms such that all of the following are mutually implied:
1. The road is ‘wider’ than the lane.
2. The lane is ‘narrower’ than the road.
3. The road is ‘less narrow’ than the lane.
4. The lane is ‘less wide’ than the road.
Antonyms are gradable, there are often intermediate terms. We have
‘hot/warm/cool/cold’, with the intermediate ‘warm’ and ‘cool’ forming a pair of
antonyms themselves. We may also include pairs of the type, ‘male/female’,
‘married/single’, ‘alive/dead’ etc. there are some pairs of adjectives, e.g.
‘honest/dishonest’, ‘obedient/disobedient’, ‘open/shut’ that are gradable in terms
of more and less.
Some pairs of antonyms are in Sapir’s terms, not symmetrically reversible.
That is to say the more and less relationship cannot be applied to them. An example
is the pair – ‘brilliant’ and ‘stupid’, since ‘more brilliant’ does not equal ‘less
stupid’ or ‘more stupid’, ‘less brilliant’. These terms, though gradable also have an
absolute value at one of ‘ends’ of the scale.
Idioms and phrasal verbs
The flair in the language can be obtained by following certain rules of
grammar, by mastering the reasonable amount of vocabulary and by practicing to
use appropriate idioms and phrases for the appropriate occasion by developing a
special style.
The use of idioms and phrases can make your language beautiful and
English for Specific effective. Their application can give you a new self-confidence to impress in
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general conversation. It can also help you in your extempore speech or in any English for Specific Purposes
intellectual exercise-composition, or writing an essay or speech.
‘A phrasal verb’ in English is a combination of two or three words and has a
single meaning. ‘A phrasal verb’ of two words may consist of ‘a verb + an adverb +
a preposition’. Both the adverb or the preposition when used after a verb in a
phrasal verb is called a ‘particle’. Thus one can say that a phrasal verb consists of
‘a verb + particle’ and the particle can be an adverb or a preposition.
Here are some examples of idioms followed by their meanings and
examples using the same.
1. To look after – take care of.
Exp. – However experienced a nurse maybe, she cannot look after the
children better than the mother.
2. Affiliated with – to be a member of.
Exp. – So many degree colleges are affiliated with the Mumbai university.
3. Again and again – repeatedly.
Exp. – Inspite of my advising you to lead a pure and honest life, I have
noticed you speak lie again and again.
4. Keep an appointment – meet at a fixed place and at the fixed time.
Exp. – It ought to be one’s effort to keep his appointment, if one desires to be
respected.
5. To take into account – to consider.
Exp. – The commission shall take into account all the evidences put before
it and thereafter shall submit report.
Here are some examples of phrasal verbs followed by examples and analysis:
Examples of two-word phrasal verbs:
1. My car ‘broke down’ on the main road. (verb + adverb)
2. He worked out the solution to his problem. (verb + adverb)
3. He got over his failure in the examination after a few days. (verb +
preposition)
There are number of phrasal verbs comprising three words: a verb + an
adverb + a preposition:
1. I look forward to meeting him. (a verb+ an adverb + a preposition)
2. He has gone back on his word. (a verb + an adverb + a preposition)
Here you can notice that an adverb or a preposition in a phrasal verb is an integral
part of the phrasal verb and both the verb and the adverb, or the verb and the
preposition or the verb and the adverb and the preposition contribute to the total
meaning of the phrasal verb.

English for Specific


Academic Purposes 15
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English for Specific Purposes
1.4 READING
1.4.1 Reading for information
Reading is a receptive skill. While reading, we try to understand what we
read. Reading, apart from listening, is a significant way of getting exposed to
English. Reading helps to increase learner’s communicative competence. The
more the learner reads, the more proficient of English he can become. Experts
advise that if the learner wants to improve his English, he should read. If he wants
to gain confidence in using English, he should read. He cannot hope to achieve
mastery over English unless he reads and listens to as much as possible.
Reading helps the learners to enrich his vocabularies like antonyms,
synonyms, words of the same family. For examples: bed, bedspread, bedclothes,
jewels, jewelry, jeweler, jewelry stone – synonyms, antonyms – thoughtful –
negligent, careful – careless, attentive – inattentive, mindful – unmindful.
Reading helps the learner to recognize prefixes and suffixes. For examples; able –
unable, ability – inability, childish, quietly, slowly etc. Reading helps the learner
to understand the meanings of abstract words and ideas. It also helps the learner to
understand the meanings of phrases and grammatical structures. It is necessary on
the part of the reader to recognize the forms and functions of words. It is also
necessary for him to master basic structures of phrases and sentences.
Listening and reading are the major sources of gaining information. In
everyday life, we read newspapers, magazines, journals, storybooks, novels,
books related to general information, historical information, social information,
social information, cultural information, economical theories, political theories,
scientific theories, philosophical theories etc. In short, we read for a variety of
reasons. Whatever the purpose, whatever the texts/books, to be able to read and
understand is always advantageous. In the age of information explosion, one
should possess the ability to go through variety of texts/books which helps to get
relevant comprehension and useful information.

1.4.2 Reading for comprehension and discover the flow of ideas


Reading is supposed to be a passive skill but a good reader is active during
the process of reading. There is a lot of mental activities involved in the process of
reading. Reading is interactive. While reading, the reader is mentally involved
with what he perceives with his eyes. He interprets and tries to make sense of what
he reads. What he understands during the process of reading is his comprehension.
Reading without comprehension is an exercise in futility. A good reader, a
proficient reader is one who reads with considerable speed and with maximum
understanding. To read means to look at and understand the meaning of written or
printed words, phrases and sentences. One can do it either silently or loudly but the
purpose is to understand what one goes through. Reading assumes understanding.
Reading is of no use if there is no comprehension.
Main purpose of learning is to develop one’s thinking, imaginative,
interpretative, critical, analytical abilities. Reading with comprehension
English for Specific
16 Academic Purposes undoubtedly helps the reader to develop his/her the above cited abilities. These

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abilities help to discover the flow of thoughts and ideas. Masterpieces are the English for Specific Purposes
treasures of thoughts and ideas. A good reader identifies the flow of thoughts and
ideas by reading masterpieces. Critical and analytical abilities help him to
comprehend the flow of thoughts and ideas existing in the masterpieces. Critical
and analytical abilities help reader to develop his whole personality. Bacon has
rightly pointed out that reading makes man, writing makes man perfect.

1.4.3 Note-taking
Note-taking is an important activity. Every learner has to develop it. There
are numerous occasions during which note-taking becomes necessary. Note-
taking cannot be developed in a short period of time. It requires comprehensive
reading and continuous writing practice. It also requires concentration, quickness
and accuracy of comprehension. In every organization – schools, colleges,
universities, corporate sectors, government offices, meetings are organized. It is
necessary from the legal point of view to take notes and write down resolutions
discussed and finalized during the meetings. During such meetings certain items
are discussed formally. All these decisions/resolutions are to be recorded
accurately for numerous purposes.
During the cultural, social political programmes, seminars, presentations,
personal interviews of VIPs note-taking skill becomes useful. It is a skill to be
developed through regular practice. Quickness in comprehension and accuracy in
presentation play significant role. Otherwise, wrong items, insufficient, distorted
views will be presented which becomes a point of controversy, misunderstanding
and court matter.
Properly developed note-taking skill helps to understand the
items/resolutions discussed during the corporate meetings. It helps to develop
reader’s comprehension. Note-taking skill helps to understand the thoughts ideas
presented in the paragraphs, textbooks, novels, dramas, articles, journals etc.
Note-taking should become a regular activity for the students at various levels.
The newspaper correspondent necessarily requires note-taking skill while getting
variety of information of the incidents, events, speeches, programmes organized
on various topics.
Note-taking skill becomes helpful in giving details of the
programmes/events through newspapers/radio/television news accurately and
appropriately. Note-taking skill becomes helpful to maintain records of
decisions/resolutions taken during the official and corporate meetings. It also
becomes helpful to maintain the records of various activities organized in schools,
colleges, universities and educational institutions. The procedure of note-taking is
to take the key items of the events, incidents, programmes and revise them
accurately. It is a skill of putting the information in minimum words. Important
points, items are to be carefully and consciously noted down and accurately and
appropriately presented. Note-taking skill/habit becomes helpful to identify and
comprehend significant points and summarize them accurately. It is to be
developed making regular practice. It requires variety of vocabulary, writing skill
English for Specific
and comprehension ability. Academic Purposes 17
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English for Specific Purposes 1.4.4 Note-making
Note-making is a kind of skill. Every learner has to develop this skill. While
reading essay, poem, novel, drama, critical theories etc. note-making of the
studied topics becomes useful. It is a mental as well as physical activity. While
reading a novel chapter-wise, the reader has to identify significant characters and
ideas, views, thoughts they express and the arguments they make. Similarly, the
learner/reader has to comprehend the background, situations, incidents presented
by the novelist. He has to develop the skill to summarize the chapters in minimum
words. If he goes on reading and identifying and making notes of the above cited
points then entire novel, its story, setting, point of view, characterization, the
technique of narration, words, phrases, sentences, dialogues used to present
scenes, incidents will become clear to the learner.
While reading the essay, the student/reader has to underline the significant
words, phrases and sentences as well as ideas, thoughts and points presented in the
essay. This skill of underlining the significant points and making notes of all these
aspects help him to develop his comprehension ability and understanding of the
text. Note-making activity helps him to concentrate on the theme presented in
every paragraph. Every paragraph contains specific thought, idea. Later on, he can
reduce the identified items without hampering the original meaning presented in
each paragraph.
Note-making helps the reader to link the ideas, thoughts presented in the
text in a proper sequence. While making the notes, the reader can use
abbreviations like ‘exp’ for express/expression, ‘adopt’ for adoption, ‘adqt’ for
adequate, ‘exam’ for examination etc. He can have sequential summary which
becomes helpful to save the time and energy. It helps him to become accurate in his
understanding.
While taking interviews of VIPs, the note-making training/skill, using
abbreviations become quite helpful, because while taking the interview, the
concerned VIP goes on expressing his/her views, the listener has to quickly and
accurately note down his views, otherwise wrong items are likely to be presented.
Consequently, it leads to controversy, conflict and court matter. While taking the
dictation, the note-making skill becomes helpful. Note-making activity helps to
develop points, while giving oral speeches on various topics like pollution,
environment, democracy, dictatorship, communal, racial conflicts, the note-
making training/habit/skill becomes helpful to prepare, writing down main points
and expand them during the speech.

1.4.5 Development of paragraph


At first glance, the paragraph is only a visual thing: it is a unit of writing that
begins with an indentation – a series of sentences put together for the convenience
of the reader. A closer look however reveals that the paragraph is a sequence of
related sentences that deal with one central idea. This central thought or
controlling idea, as it is usually called, is the most important thing to be considered
English for Specific in writing good paragraphs.
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An effective paragraph has three major characteristics: unity, coherence and English for Specific Purposes
adequate development. The topic sentence states the controlling idea to which
everything else in the paragraph must relate. A paragraph has unity when its
controlling idea is clearly stated and when every sentence it contains is clearly
related to that controlling idea. Unnecessary introduction of sentences which are
irrelevant to the topic of the paragraph destroys its unity.
Coherence means that the sentences within a paragraph are linked smoothly so as
to provide the reader with an evident progression from beginning to end. Abrupt
shifts from one idea to another, even when each sentence is related to the
controlling idea, create a disjoined paragraph.
Since a paragraph can best be thought of as the complete development of a single
controlling idea, the writer must carefully consider what a given topic sentence
needs in the way of explanation, illustration or other support material. A good
paragraph provides the reader with a sense of wholeness and completeness with
no unanswered questions and no loose ends. Hence a good paragraph should
follow the basic structure given below:
1) Topic sentence
2) Body
3) Concluding sentence

1.4.6 Cohesion
Cohesion simply means the logical unity of a text. It has both formal and
semantic aspects. Cohesion explains the meaning relationship existing within the
text. A discourse is a continuous composition in which the sentences show
different levels of unity. This unity or linkage is established by certain devices.
These are the devices of cohesion and coherence.
Cohesion is concerned with the visible grammatical markers which
function as links into which utterances are hung together. On the other hand,
coherence implies semantic links between or across the utterances, paragraphs or
chapters of the text.
According to Leech and Short, the units of a text or a message must be
bound together. They must not be a random collection of sentences. In fact, the
connection of the elements of a text is essentially a matter of meaning and
reference.
Body:
Cohesion refers to the formal means by which these connections are signalled.
The various devices of cohesion can be given as follows:
1. Tense sequence: the sequence of the tenses is one of the significant
strategies (devices) of cohesion. For example, for describing an event in the
past, the speaker would use past tense. It would be uncommon to find a
mixture of the present and the past in the narration of the events which took
place in the past. Tense-blends and tense-switch are used in novels to English for Specific
produce temporal proximity (nearness). Academic Purposes 19
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English for Specific Purposes 2. Ellipsis: another cohesion device is ellipsis. It means leaving out one or
more words. Ellipsis is of two types: textual and discoursal.
Textual ellipsis consists of omission of lexico-grammatical elements from a
sentence. On the other hand, discoursal ellipsis refers to the absence of an
idea. The sentence itself may not be incomplete. For example, “you” is
missing in the sentence: “open the door, please.”
3. Substitution: this device is used for shortening and avoiding repetition. It
is the way of replacing one item by another. For example:
A: I don’t want to go in.
B: why not?
4. Additive and summative: for example, the words like “one, two, finally”
etc. function as fine linking devices.
5. The definite article “THE”: the use of the definite article “the” is one more
important device of cohesion. For example: John bought a T.V. and a radio,
but he is going to sell the T.V. (which he baught)
6. Deixis: this device of cohesion refers to pointing in language to elements in
the situation of utterance. It is like ellipsis. However, deixis refers to the
presence of a linguistic feature to add to the transparency of the text.
On the contrary, ellipsis refers to the absence of a linguistic feature which
results in the opaqueness of the text.
7. Reference: these are the items which indicate that information is to be
gathered from elsewhere. For example: personal pronoun, demonstratives
and comparative words like “same, equal, different”, etc.
8. Conjunction: conjunction like “and, but, yet” too function as cohesive
device.
9. Lexical items: these are the selected vocabulary items which bring out
cohesive effects. For example: people, animals, place, move, etc.

1.4.7 Coherence
Coherence is little different from cohesion. It implies semantic links
between or across utterances, paragraphs and even chapters of a text.
On the contrary, cohesion deals with the apparent grammatical markers in
utterances. Simply speaking, cohesive devices are like the visible parts of an
iceberg, while coherence devices are like its hidden portion.
A verbal exchange on its surface level may seem to be disconnected.
However, when one tries to search for the hidden meaning, beautiful connecting
links are found in the exchange.
Coherence like cohesion, has its own devices which form some of the types
of coherence. These can be given as follow.

English for Specific 1. Textual coherence: it refers to the semantically and paradigmatically
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coherent structure of a text. English for Specific Purposes

2. Proairetic coherence: this type refers to the dialogue in fiction. It does


reporting function.
3. Reference coherence: this refers to the word created by dialogue through
reference and co-reference.
4. Logical coherence: this refers to the propositional context of the fictional
dialogue and its consistency with the fictional word at large.
5. Rhetorical or stylistic coherence: it is the effect of the above-mentioned
types of coherence. Each discourse or text has its own style.
6. Semantic coherence: it refers to the meaning of the text as a whole.

Conclusion:
Coherence is little different from cohesion. Coherence implies links between or
across utterances, paragraphs and even chapters of a text. On the contrary,
cohesion deals with the apparent grammatical markers in utterances. Simply
speaking, cohesive devices are like the visible parts of an iceberg, while the
coherence devices are like its hidden portion.

1.4.8 Style
Style has received the scholars’ attention for a long time. It refers to the way
something is said by a given person in a given context for a given purpose. It is the
manner of linguistic expression in prose or verse. It is how a speaker or writer says
whatever he says. The characteristic style of work or a writing may be analyzed in
terms of its diction, or characteristic choice of words, its sentence structure and
syntax, the density and types of its figurative language. It consists of patterns,
rhythm and sounds.
In traditional theories of rhetoric, styles were classified into three main
levels: the high (or grand), the middle (or mean), and the low (or plain) style. The
doctrine of decorum required that the level of style in a work be appropriate to the
speaker, the occasion and the dignity of its literary genre. Recently Northrop Frye
has introduced a variant of this ancient and long-persisting theory of stylistic
levels in literature. He makes a basic differentiation between the ‘demotic style’
(which is modelled on the language, rhythms, and associations of ordinary
speech) and ‘hieratic style’ (which employs a variety of formal elaborations that
separate the literary language from ordinary speech). Frye then proceeds to
distinguish a high, middle and low level in each of these classes. In analyzing style
two types of sentence structures are often distinguished.
The ‘periodic sentence’ is one in which the parts or ‘members’ are so
composed that the completion of the sense that is, the closure of the syntax –
remains suspended until the end of the sentence. The effect tends to be formal or
oratorical.
In the ‘non-periodic’ sentence which is more relaxed and conversational in effect – English for Specific
Academic Purposes 21
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English for Specific Purposes the component members are continuous, but so loosely joined that the sentence
would have been syntactically completed if a period had been inserted at one or
more places before the actual close.

1.5 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS:


Answer the following questions in brief:
1 Explain the concept of ESP
2 Explain how language is the best means of communication.
3 Discuss the barriers of communication.
4 What are the principles of effective communication?
5 Discuss the concepts Cohesion and Coherence.
6 Discuss the advantages of Note-taking and Note-making.

1.6 GLOSSARY
ESP: English for Specific Purposes. It is a teaching of English in academic
programme or the teaching of English for vocational and professional purposes.

1.7 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS


1. ESP is an approach to language teaching. ESP means teaching of English
for vocational courses like science and technology, business,
advertisement, etc.
2. There are some means of communication like giving signals, body
language, facial expressions. Language is the best means of
communication.
3. Environmental factors, cultural, regional usages of language, emotional
interferences, ambiguity and obscurity in speech and writing are the
barriers of effective communication.
4. Effective communication requires preciseness, exactness, clarity,
concentration in comprehension, consciousness on the part of the speaker
and listener etc.
5. Cohesion simply means ‘the logical unity of a text’. It explains the meaning
relationship existing within the text. Coherence is little different from
Cohesion. It implies semantic links between or across utterances,
paragraphs and even chapters of the text.
6. Note-taking and Note-making are important activities. Note-taking and
Note-making are significant skills in learning and teaching process. Note-
taking skill becomes helpful in giving details of the programmes/events
through newspapers/radio/television news accurately. Not-making helps
learner to read and understand essay, poems, dramas, novels, critical
English for Specific
22 Academic Purposes theories clearly.

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English for Specific Purposes
1.8 REFERENCE BOOKS
1. Byrne, D. (1990) Teaching Oral English, Longman: Essex.
2. Byrne, D. (1990) Teaching Writing Skills, Longman: London and New
York.
3. Huges, A. (1989) Testing for Language Teachers, CUP, Cambridge.

***

English for Specific


Academic Purposes 23
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English for Specific Purposes
UNIT 2 :
ENGLISH IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Contents:
2.0 Objectives
2.1 General English and Business English
2.1.1 Difference between General English and Business English
2.1.2 Use of English in Business Communication; Terminology Used
2.1.3 Use of Abbreviations
2.1.4 Business Jargon
2.1.5 Summary
2.1.6 References
2.2 Internal Business Communication
2.2.1 Memoranda and documentation of Meeting
2.2.2 Documentation of meeting
2.2.3 Drafting of Notices
2.2.4 Agenda of Meeting
2.2.5 Minutes of Meeting
2.2.6 Drafting of Resolution passed in the meeting
2.2.7 Summary
2.2.8 Exercises
2.2.9 References
2.3 Writing Business Report
2.3.1 Structure of Business Report
2.3.2 Individual Report
2.3.3 Self-Check Exercise - I
2.3.4 Committee Report
2.3.5 Self-Check Exercise - II
2.3.6 Answer to self-check Exercises - I
2.3.7 Answer to self-check Exercises - II
2.3.8 Summary
2.3.9 Exercises
2.3.10References
English in Business 2.4 Business Correspondence
24 Management

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2.4.1 Structure and content of business letters. English for Specific Purposes

2.4.2 Main content used in Business Report


2.4.3 Type of Business Letter
2.4.4 Summary
2.4.5 Exercises
2.4.6 References

2.0 OBJECTIVES
After working with this unit students will able to understand.
• Difference between General English and Business English
• Use of English in Business Communication, Terminology Used
• Use of Abbreviations in business world.
• Business Jargon meaning and examples.

2.1 GENERAL ENGLISH AND BUSINESS ENGLISH


English, being widely used worldwide as a language for communication,
has become the lingua franca in businesses for many years already. Learning a
second language results in stronger communication skills leading to improved
understanding and trust when it comes to dealing with people in various fields.
Apart from the fact that General English is commonly used for day to day
conversations, business English is learned and used for specific purposes. The
difference between the two kinds of English as forms of communication is the
purpose of why people are learn the language. Business English is considered to
be the advanced form of the language and is regarded as be focusing deep within
its vocabulary to practice analysis of content and various topics.
2.1.1 Difference between General English and Business English
1. General English focuses more on the day to day conversation and involves
the use of basic vocabulary and grammar. It leans more on a casual tone. On
the other hand, business English is more extensive and specific. It is mainly
used as a language tool for business, as it is applied to more professional
context
2. The approach for the general English leans more on the basic,
conversational, day-to-day use of words, while business English is a
systematic and complex mode of speaking the said language.
3. People who learn general English usually stay on the same level as the
others while those who learn business English advance further to acquire
relevant skills and techniques
4. Business English has direction Business English is more task-oriented, has
a sense of purpose, direction and need while General English learner may English in Business
Management 25
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English for Specific Purposes not know what or when to use a sentence in a conversation or given
circumstance.
5. Specific Terms - A business English user inculcates a habit of use in a
specific terms related to business or industry he is representing, like
accounting, advertising, human resource, social media, marketing,
business plans etc. While a general English user may or may not have
specific terms related to his everyday situation.
6. Difference in Motivation - A general English learner has less of a
motivation than a Business English learner in terms of preparation. The
former uses words in day to day context or everyday situation and can be
considered an informal usage of words, while the latter prepares for the
specific terms to be used in conversation with his boss or while giving a
presentation.
7. Formal and Informal - Another simple difference between Business
English and general English is that the former is mostly formal language
while the latter English is mostly informal language.

2.1.2 Use of English in Business Communication; Terminology Used


1. Business English is a part of English for specific purposes and can be
considered a specialism within English language learning and teaching, or
a variant of international English. Many non-native English speakers study
the subject with the goal of doing business with English-speaking
countries, or with companies located outside the English-speaking world
2. As a purpose-specific tool, the central goals of business English is to carry
the message across and to reach agreement. This is why it demands a
business-oriented English vocabulary and a bunch of skills. These skills
can include English letter writing, delivering presentations, negotiating or
plain small-talk.
3. Five Characteristics of Successful Business Communicators. Business
revolves around successful communication, be it non-verbal, verbal,
written, analogue or digital. Managers, leaders and salespersons all need to
be skilled communicators in order to perform their roles effectively.
4. A good knowledge of English allows you to communicate effectively with
international clients, helping them to trust you and your organization
resulting in strong and lasting business relationships. ... This cultural
understanding can be valuable for employers who want to work with or sell
to English speaking countries.
5. The four most common types of communication used by managers include
interpersonal communication, nonverbal communication, written
communication, and oral communication.
6. It shows your willingness to go beyond basic business standards. This
means that in order to impress your interviewer or boss, you have to show
English in Business
26 Management that you are extremely fluent and competent in both speaking and writing
the language.
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7. You cannot deliver a presentation to your team or be in charge of a board English for Specific Purposes
meeting if you speak in your native tongue and if no one else in that room
speaks that language. So you need to speak the “common tongue” well, so
you can translate your thoughts and ideas into coherent (clear and logical)
sentences that everyone can understand and respond to.
8. English is the “lingua franca” of the world due to westernization and
globalization. So being fluent in English is essentially a survival strategy in
today’s competitive world. It automatically improves your chances of
climbing the corporate ladder.

2.1.3 Use of Abbreviations


Abbreviations are shortened versions of words or phrases. They may
include only a few letters of the original word, or they may be made up of the first
letters of each word in a phrase (in this case they’re known as “acronyms”).
Abbreviations are very common in English language. They are especially
popular in business English because they are short and easy to remember, so they
can make business documents and other workplace communication. Today, lots of
business communication is done on-the-move via emails, texting or messaging,
using small devices where typing is often a challenge. By using abbreviations, you
type less, save your many keystrokes and make fewer typos (an abbreviation for
“typing errors”).
The following abbreviations are usually used only in written
communications. You wouldn’t normally use them in spoken communications.
Some abbreviations can be used in emails or chatting online, some are specific to
the virtual workplace.
Sr. Abbreviation Full meaning Sr. Abbreviation Full meaning
1. Acct Account 41. Ad Advertisement
2. Approx Approximately 42. APR Annual Percentage Rate
3. BSc Bachelor of Science 43. B2B Business to business
4. BBA Bachelor of Business 44. CEO Chief Executive Officer
Administration
5. CFO Chief Financial Officer 45. Co Company
6. Corp Corporation 46. CSR Customer Sales
Representative
7. Dept Department 47. Div Division
8. Ea Each 48. EST Eastern Standard Time
(the time on the East Coast
of the United States and
some Canadian provinces)
9. FAQ Frequently Asked 49. FWD Forward
Question
10. GDP Gross Domestic Product 50. Govt Government
11. HQ Headquarters 51. Inc Incorporated
12. ISO International Standard 52. Jr Junior
Organization
13. Lb Pound (weight) 53. LLC Limited liability company
14. Max Maximum 54. MBA Master of Business
Administration
English in Business
Management 27
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English for Specific Purposes
15. Memo Memorandum 55. Mfg Manufacturing
16. Min Minimum 56. Mo Month
17. No Number 57. Pkg Package
18. PO Purchase order 58. PR Public relations
19. Q1, Q2, First quarter, second 59. Qty Quantity
Q3, Q4 quarter, third quarter,
fourth quarter
20. R&D Research and 60. Re In regards to, regarding
Development
21. Recd Received 61. ROI Return on Investment
22. SWOT Strengths, weaknesses, 62. Temp Temporary
opportunities, threats
23. VP Vice President 63. W/ With
24. W/O Without 64. Yr Year
25. 404 Abbreviation for the “Error 404 – Not Found” message displayed when
coming across a dead link online. Can also mean lost or confused, e.g.
“After coming out of the weekly staff meeting, I still felt 404.”
26. COOP Continuity of operations 65. EOM End of message
planning
27. EOT End of thread 66. ESP Email service provider
28. FWIW For what it’s worth 67. IAM In a meeting
29. IM instant message 68. IMHO In my humble opinion
30 KPI Key performance 41. KRA Key result area
indicator
31 MBO Management by 42. NSFW Not Safe for Work
objectives
32. NWR Not work related 43. OLT Online Training
33 OTP On the phone 44. RACI Responsible, Accountable,
Consulted, Informed
34 ROWE Results Only Work 45. SMART Specific, Measureable,
Environment Attainable or Achievable,
Realistic, and Time-bound
35 SME Subject matter expert 46. SNS Social network site
36 SOHO Small Office / Home 47. VC Virtual Class
Office
37 VLE Virtual learning 48. VPN Virtual private network
environment
38 VW Virtual worker 49. VWVW Virtual worker at virtual
workplace
39 WAH Work At Home 50. WBT Web-based training
40 WIIFM What’s in it for me 51. WFH Work from Home

2.1.4 Business Jargon


Business jargon is the specialized language used by members of
corporations and bureaucracies. Also known as corporate jargon, business-speak,
and bureaucratese. Business jargon typically includes buzzwords, vogue words,
and euphemisms. Contrast with plain English.
There are an awful lot of words that take on wholly different meanings in the
confines of the office.
Accountability: If this goes belly-up, someone has to take the blame. Best to
choose someone junior that we can afford to let go.
Align: Being forced to agree with something that you don’t agree with.
English in Business Essentially alignment is when someone knits you a fancy so you can pull the wool
28 Management over your own eyes.
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Amazing: Nothing in the office is truly amazing, rather some things are less English for Specific Purposes
nondescript than the alternatives.
Associate: Dogs body, peon, lackey, underling, grime-shoveling trollop.
Collaboration: Arming yourself with more people to blame if it goes belly up.
Consensus: Being forced to agree with your seniors.
Culture: A property of yoghurts and companies. Management typically chooses a
set of words or phrases that describe how they would like you to behave. They
have to keep reminding you because this is not how you actually behave. “Jim, are
we a debacle or a fiasco?”
Delegate: Surely someone who gets paid less should be doing this?
Development: When it is cheaper and easier to ask a marginally inadequate
person instead of firing them for someone better but more expensive.
Dialogue: When one of your seniors would like to pretend they care about what
you have to say, before telling exactly what they were thinking in the first place
anyway.
Embellish: Lie. See “Exaggerate”.
Exaggerate: Lie. See “Embellish”.
Flat (Structure)1: A common company lie – temps don’t decide next year’s
capital expenditure.
Flat (Structure)2: However, there may be opportunities for a promotion that
doesn’t come with a pay raise.
Harness: This has nothing to do with lifting a horse. Small words like “use” have
no place in the office. You don’t use your ability, you harness it, apparently. This
word is for people who want to look smarter. Of course, since it’s obvious you’re
trying to look smart it makes you look silly, like a horse in a harness.
Informal: Same as “formal”.
Interpersonal skills: A term used by people who have none. A man who says he
has good interpersonal skills was the kid at school who pretended he had had sex. I
would have been that kid but everyone knew I hadn’t.
Interesting: Means “not interesting,” as in “that’s interesting” after a colleague
presents a new proposal that’s as interesting as watching a worm poo.
Job security: When no-one else would touch your job with a barge pole, either
because it’s too hard, dull, specialised or unappealing.
Leverage: See “Harness”.
Meeting: A meeting is a formal process of collective time-wasting. Similarly,
since a conference is a big meeting it must be a big waste of time.
Mind shower: Apparently, the term brainstorming is offensive to epileptics. I
couldn’t make this stuff up.
Objectives: I was told that someone once complained, or rather “objected”, to the
English in Business
fact they didn’t known what they were doing. Objectives were created to keep us Management 29
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English for Specific Purposes occupied and lull us into a false sense of purpose. Well done consultants, you win
this round.
Policy: “I don’t want to have to think about this or take the blame when it goes
wrong.” If we all follow policies we can blame them, not ourselves, when they go
wrong.
Proactive: I think this has something to do with yogurt.
Professionalism: Learning to smile when people suggest new places to store your
pen.
Promotion: When a more senior manager gets fired for misconduct and they need
someone to fill the gap.
Rationalisation: A professional-sounding word for sacking an awful lot of
people. A small coffee is now a downsized caffeine intake.
Redirect: Here’s an example, see “Delegate”.
Restructure: Company swaps some words in a giant hat of job titles and one of
the musical chairs is pulled away.
Senior executive vice president: One up from the janitor.
Silo: You don’t like the people in your department so why would you want to work
with people in other departments? That could only mean more work.
Strategy: A business plan that comes from boardroom involving goat’s entrails
and tea leaves. Alternatively, hire consultants.
Streamlining: The same as rationalisation, except it can include reducing benefits
and amenities as well as people.
Synergy: Mythical creature, like the unicorn. When no-one wants to work with
anyone else then it’s hard to see how making more people work together can have
a positive outcome.
Targets: If we mix some of these with specificity, a timeline and a little
accountability, we could wrap it all up into a two-day course, create an acronym
and suggest that this is a pillar of excellence, a plinth of purpose, or an obelisk of
achievement.
Time management: Remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint. So you’re going to
be sprinting for a long, long time.
Universe: Limited set of possibilities, not in any way akin to the enormity of the
real universe. Examples include the “marketing universe” and the “investible
universe”. I’m glad I wasn’t born in either of those universes, I’d be a very boring
alien.
Verbiage: Words.
Visionary: The person who’s idea we’re stuck with. It wasn’t the best idea but
they’re the most senior person, who, by definition must be a visionary.

English in Business
30 Management

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2.1.5 Summary English for Specific Purposes

1. General English is commonly used for day to day conversations, business


English is learned and used for specific purposes
2. A good knowledge of English allows you to communicate effectively with
international clients, helping them to trust you and your organization
resulting in strong and lasting business relationships.
3. Abbreviations are very common in the English language. They’re
especially popular in business English because they’re short and easy to
remember, so they can make business documents and other workplace
communication.
4. Business jargon is the specialized language used by members of
corporations and bureaucracies

2.1.6 References
Webliography
www.englishexplorer.com
www.einsteincollege.vic.edu.au
www.fluentu.com
www.fluentland.com
www.spokenenglishpractice.com
www.google.com

2.2 INTERNAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION


An official meeting of the members of an institution is a very important
event because it is convened to discuss important issues. Communication among
different departmental heads and other employees on the official matters is called
interdepartmental or internal communication. Such communication may be in
oral or written forms. In written internal communication Memoranda, notice,
minutes, agenda, resolution are used.
2.2.1 Memoranda and documentation of Meeting
Memorandums popularly known as “Memos” are the workhorses of
internal communication. Memorandum is a short piece of writing used by officers
and executives for internal communication among themselves. For this English
language is most important because formal English can be used for internal
communication in offices.
• Objective of Memorandum is
1. To make short request.
2. To convey information
3. To issue instructions to subordinates English in Business
Management 31
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English for Specific Purposes 4. To seek or give suggestion
5. To seek explanation on some issues

Format of Memorandum

Company Name
Memorandum
Date: --------------------
To: ----------------------
From: --------------------
Subject: -------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copy to ------------------

Signature

Que. A Memo to an employee informing him of a cut in his salary.


Indian Textiles
Memorandum

Date: 25th Nov. 2019

To: Mr. Kale S.S., Clerk


From: K.S. Patil, Manager
Subject: Cut in salary

You remained away from your duties without any information on 24 th Nov.2019 from
10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Please note that you have not earned any salary and emoluments for the
said period.\

This is without prejudice to our right to take disciplinary action against you.
Signature
Copy to: Personal Manager
K.S.Patil, Manager

2.2.2 Documentation of meeting


Meetings help to move an organization or a project forward, but often meetings
turn out to be a waste of time. Having effective meetings, however, is not rocket
science, just follow some simple rules:

English in Business • Be prepared – have an agenda


32 Management

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• Stay focused – stick to the agenda, stay on the time and place new unrelated English for Specific Purposes
topics in the Parking Lot. Using a Parking Lot with your meetings will help
you to keep your meeting focused and on track. To have an effective
meeting you create an agenda so participants can prepare all topics.
• Document your meeting – make notes and send minutes shortly after the
meeting
• Follow-up on tasks – make sure things actually get done

2.2.3 Drafting of Notices


Notice is an advance intimation sent by the convener of the meeting to all
those who have right to attend it. It conveys the information about the day, date,
place and time of the meeting and the business to be transacted.
Tips for Writing Notices
1. Stick to the specified word limit.
2. You need to write the word NOTICE at the top.
3. Do not forget to mention the Name and Place of the school, or organization
or office that is issuing the notice.
4. An appropriate heading is required.
5. Include the date of issuing the notice.
*Format of meeting Notice
Company Name
Date --------------
Notice
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signature

Copy To: ----------------

Que. You are the secretary of the Brilliant Housing Society, Pune. Prepare a
notice for the regular monthly meeting of the members of the society giving details
like day, date, time place, etc.

Brilliant Housing Society


Pune
Notice 26th Dec.2018
To,

All Members,

The fifth monthly meeting of the members of Brilliant Housing Society will be held on
th
28 Dec.2018 in the meeting hall of the society at 4.00 p.m. Regular details about working will
be discussed in the meeting.
Secretary,
Brilliant Housing Society
English in Business
Management 33
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English for Specific Purposes 2.2.4 Agenda of Meeting
An agenda is a list of meeting activities in the order in which they are to be taken
up, beginning with the call to order and ending with adjournment. It usually
includes one or more specific items of business to be acted upon.
Tips to create a board meeting agenda template:
1. Confirm the purpose of the meeting.
2. Select focused topics that achieve the goal of the meeting.
3. Review previous agendas for proper time estimations.
4. Make sure to include preparation tasks.
5. Remember to distribute the agenda to participants before the meeting.
• There are two methods of writing items in the agenda.
1. Items in the form of Nouns or Noun Phrases, etc.
Ex. Appointment of security personal/clerk.
2. Use of infinitive construction
Ex.To appoint a security personal/clerk.
Que. Prepare an agenda for the meeting of the Boards of Directors of Bharat
Finance Ltd. called for the appointment of an Auditor. Imagine relevant details.

Bharat Finance Ltd


Agenda
3.1 To confirm the minutes of last meeting
3.2 To discuss the issues raised.
3.3 To appoint an auditor
3.4 To appoint two office clerks.
3.5 To finalize date of the next meeting.
3.6 To discuss other issues with the permission of the chairperson.

2.2.5 Minutes of Meeting


Meeting minutes can be defined as written or recorded documentation that
is used to inform people of what happened during the meeting and define the next
step planned The minutes should include the title of the group that is meeting; the
date, time, and venue; the names of those in attendance (including staff) and the
person recording the minutes; and the agenda.
Uses of Minutes
1. Record of Meeting: Minutes provide clear, concise and accurate record of
the decisions made at the meeting.
2. Reminder: They serve as a reminder of the subject discussed and
conclusions reached at the previous meeting.
English in Business 3. Evidence: They are accepted in the court of law as evidence of the
34 Management proceedings of meeting
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4. Information to absentee members: They provide the information about English for Specific Purposes
the proceeding of the meeting to the members who could not attend a
meeting.
5. Link: Minutes serve as a link between current meeting and the previous
meeting.
6. Control: The minute help to keep the actions and speech of its members
within control since they know that the proceeding of the meeting are
recorded.
Que. Prepare Minutes of Annual General Meeting of shareholders of Gautam
Pipes Ltd, Mumbai.
Gautam Pipes Ltd,
Mumbai.
Minutes of the twelfth fourth Annual General Meeting of the shareholders of the
Gautam Pipes Ltd, Mumbai held at Mumbai, Gymkhana Club Hall, Thane on 20th
May 2018 at 3.00 p.m.
Present:
1. Shri. R.K.Gupta (Chairman)
2. Shri R.D. Latte Director
3. Shri S.T. Chavan Director
4. Shri. S.P,.Chavan Director
5. Smt. L.S. Ingale Director
6. Shri. S.K. Gandhi Director
In attendance:
1. Shri. A.G.Shah Secretary
2. Shri. P.P.Joshi Solicitor
3. Shri. R.Y.Chikane Auditor
12.01 Notice of the Meeting
The secretary read out the notice convening the meeting.
12.02 Approval of the Minutes of the last meeting
The Minute of the previous Annual General Meeting held on 5thJune 2017
were read, approved as correct and signed by the chairman.
12.03 Adoption of the Directors Report and Auditors Report:
The chairman suggested that the Directors report and Audited financial
account along with the Auditors report for the year ended 31st March 2018
be taken and read. Then it was resolved “That the Directors report and the
accounts as audited by the company auditors now before the meeting be
approved and adopted”. Shri. S.T. Chavan seconded the motion and it was
passed unanimously.
English in Business
Management 35
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English for Specific Purposes 12.04 Election of Directors:
Shri. S.K. Gandhi proposed and Shri. S.P. Chavan seconded the issue and it
was unanimously resolved that the retiring Directors, Shri L.S. Ingale and
Shri R.D. Latte be reelected as Directors of the company.
12.05 Reappointment of Auditors
Shri. L.S. Ingale proposed and Shri. R.D. Latte seconded and it was
unanimously resolved that Shri. R.Y.Chikane and Co., the Chartered
Accountants be hereby reappointed as Auditors of the company for the
financial year 2018-19 at annual fees of Rs.2,50,000 plus incidental
expenses.
12.06 Vote of Thanks
The meeting was closed with vote of thanks to the Chairman and the
Directors.
Sd/- Sd/-
Mumbai Shri.R.K.Gupta Shri.A.G.Shah
25th May 2018 Secretary Chairman

2.2.6 Drafting of Resolution passed in the meeting


A resolution is a formal way in which a company can note decisions that are
made at a meeting of company members. There are two types of resolutions:
ordinary and special. Under the Corporations Act 2001, most of the decisions that
affect a company need to be made by a resolution.
The drafting of a resolution has to be carried out with great care so that the
purport or meaning of the resolution is easily and clearly understandable and there
is no ambi¬guity (double meaning). The secretary, who is supposed to be an expert
in the line, helps in the drafting process. The motion itself shall be drafted in such a
manner that it can be adopted as a perfect resolution. This is particularly true for a
formal resolution.
How to Write a Resolution
1. Format the resolution by putting the date and resolution number at the top.
...
2. Form a title of the resolution that speaks to the issue that you want to
document. ...
3. Use formal language in the body of the resolution, beginning each new
paragraph with the word, whereas.
Sample Board Resolution:
Board resolution for appointment of director of the company
CERTIFIED TRUE COPY OF THE RESOLUTION PASSED AT THE
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF (COMPANY NAME) HELD
English in Business AT THE REGISTERED OFFICE OF THE COMPANY AT (ADDRESS) ON
36 Management

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(DATE) AT (TIME) English for Specific Purposes

RESOLVED THAT pursuant to the provisions of section 167 of the Companies


Act, 2013 and in terms of the Articles of Association of the Company, (Mr./Ms.
Director Name), who has signified his/her consent in the Form DIR-2 if
appointed, to act as a Director of the Company, be and is hereby appointed as an
additional director of the Company.

2.2.7 Summary
Memoranda, Notice, agenda, Minute and Resolutions are essential parts of
formal meeting. Memoranda is a short piece of writing used by officers and
executives for internal communication among themselves. Notice is the
declaration of the day, date, time and venue of the meeting to the concerned
members. Agenda refers to the list of issues to be discussed in the meeting. This list
either written just below the notice on the same page or a separate page can be
attached. Minutes are the detail account of the transaction taken place during the
meeting. These Minutes are written in simple past tense using passive
construction. Resolution is a formal way in which a company can note decisions
that are made at a meeting of company members

2.2.8 Exercises
1. Write a memo to an office assistant who is unpunctual and negligent in his
work.
2. The Secretary of Mehta Enterprises calls the 3rd monthly meeting of the
Board of Directors. Give details of day, date, time and place.
3. Prepare an agenda for the meeting of the Ramesh Cooperative Bank to
decide the general policy for lending loan, purchase of furniture and
forthcoming elections..

2.2.9 References
• English for Business Communication, B.Com II. Shivaji University, Center
for Distance Education 2014-15.
• Dr. Herekar, P.M. Bussiness Communication, Phadke Prakashan, First
Edition June2010.
• Webliography:
www.google.com
https://meetingking.com
Blog.ipleaders.in

2.3 WRITING BUSINESS REPORT


English in Business
In business information which is orderly, objective, timely can be Management 37
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English for Specific Purposes represented by business report. This report is written systematically and submitted
to higher authority. .In corporate world and company report can be used for
particular business purposes.

2.3.1 Structure of Business Report


Title ----------------------------------
Date: -----------------
To,
-----------------------
-----------------------
Salutation,
Body of Report:
• Terms of References
• Procedure
• Finding
• Recommendation

Complementary Close

Main content used in Business Report


1. Title : It include Organisation name with its address.
2. Date : Date of report submission.
3. Inside Address : This contains designation and address of organization
to whom report can be submitted.
4. Salutation : use proper salutation ---------------Sir / Dear Sir
5. Body of Report : This includes
• Terms of References : All the referential information about given
work.
• Procedure : Steps taken to complete the work
• Finding : This give facts, reason of work which is
investigated.
• Recommendation : This is a suggestion given by person or
scommittee to improve the working of unit.
6. Complementary Close: This is a complementary close by writer of report to
authority.
2.3.2 Individual Report
English in Business Individual report can be submitted by a person to authority about any official
38 Management

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issue. Individual report is a situational report regarding business situation English for Specific Purposes
including what it was, how it was handled, how it impacted the business. In
individual report body of the report can be divided in suitable parts in paragraph
format
• A company sales manager may be asked to investigate some matter and
report the finding to the chairman.

Report of a sales manager of company about decline of sales.


Hero Furniture, (Pvt) .Ltd.
Pune.
30th Jan. 2019.
To,
The Chairman,
Hero Furniture, (Pvt). Ltd. Pune.
Sub: Report on decline of furniture sale.
Dear Sir,
In accordance with your letter HFPL/12/ dated 1st Jan. 2019. I have
enquired about causes of decline in the company’s business in last year till
December 2018 and submit my report as following:
Several new furniture manufacturing companies have entered in the
market. Some of the companies have introduced various modern varieties as per
customer requirements. Some companies manufacture various metal combination
products with various attractive discounts.
Furniture are used in home, office, educational institution. In such place
demand of furniture is changed in modern age so we have to change with time.
Recommendation:
1. An experienced designer should be appointed to design new furniture.
2. To assist the designer a technician should be appointed.
3. Sales campaign should be arranged by our company.
4. All former customers should be followed up to bulid up old contact.
Yours faithfully
XYZ
Sales Manager.

2.3.3 Self-Check Exercise - I


As a secretary of R.K. Sales Corporation Ltd, Mumbai. Write a report
addressed to the Managing Director about need to computerize the working of a
branch office at Pune. English in Business
Management 39
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English for Specific Purposes 2.3.4 Committee Report
A committee of two or more members from the Managing Committee or
Board of Directors is appointed go through examine problem and make report. It is
signed by the head of committee or all members of committee. Committee report
explains detailed information about problem including: 1. Terms of Reference 2.
Procedure 3. Finding 4. Recommendations
*Draft report by committee submitted to Managing Director of Radhe Trading
Company Pvt. Ltd. recommending opening of a new branch office at Pune.
Committee Report: Opening a new branch office
Radhe Trading Company Pvt. Ltd.
Mumbai.
15th Jan. 2019.
To,
The Managing Director,
Radhe Trading Company Pvt. Ltd
Mumbai.
Sub: Opening a new branch office at Pune
Sir,
In accordance with the Resolution No. 8 passed in the Board of Directors
Meeting on 10th Dec. 2018 a four member committee was set up to examinethe
possibility of opening a new branch of our company at Pune
1. Nearly twenty five percent of our customers, the retail and wholesale
dealers, are from Pune and nearby area. Opening a new branch at Pune will
prove convenient for the company.
2. A large number of our customers reside in this area. This is an important
reason for us to open a new branch at this industrial city.
3. Finding :
a. There is broad-gauge railway line at Pune connecting to Mumbai as
well as other main cities.
b. Pune is now developed industrial city. In this city all trading
companies have good future
c. There is MIDC developed area which is beneficial for our company.
d. The exact location of site is in Hinjawadi which is industrial
developed area. This site is at reasonable price.
4. Recommendation:
In the Committee member’s view we strongly recommend to open a new branch in
Pune on this site.
Signed
on behalf of committee
sd/-
English in Business Chairman
40 Management

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2.3.5 Self-Check Exercise - II English for Specific Purposes

The Managing Director of Smart Beauty Product Ltd .Gandhinagar, Pune


appointed committee to look into the cause of decline in sales of company
products in Pune branch.
The structure of Market Reports
A smart business owner needs to assess how well their marketing plans are
working for this market report is essential. A market report is a kind of report
which contains the information regarding the overall market situation or a product
of a group of product or service. From market report you can analyze:
1. Your customer needs can be identified which prove beneficial in
improvement of business
2. Evaluate your customer problems.
3. Finding solution for customer problems.
4. Determining how your product solves your customers problem
5. Identify your competitive advantage.
6. Examine how you currently market your product
• Structure of market report
1. Executive summary
2. Introduction
3. Body/ Discussion
4. Recommendation
5. Conclusion
6. References

2.3.6 Answer to self-check Exercises - I


Report of computerize the working of a branch office at Pune.
R.K. Sales Corporation Ltd, Mumbai
Mumbai.
15th Jan. 2019.
To,
The Managing Director,
R.K. Sales Corporation Ltd,
Mumbai
Sub: Report on need to computerize the working of a branch office at Pune.
Dear Sir,
In accordance with your letter RKSC/12/ dated 15st Dec. 2018, I visited the English in Business
Pune branch on 18th Dec. 2018 and studied the need to computerize its working as Management 41
“Only for Private Circulation”
English for Specific Purposes per the demand made by the branch manger over the last two month. I studied the
working of all departments and held discussion with staff. I would like to report as
follows:
The branch has achieved its highest goal. So their volume of sale is
increased. The workload compared to staff quantity is mismatch now. There is lot
of pressure on staff. Lot of work load is pending on each table. This will affect the
service of customer.
In this situation the computerization of working of purchase, sales, and
account section is the only solution to all problems. The installation of computer
with suitable software will improve efficiency of work. The computerization will
save the labour cost. Work can be completed without appointing extra staff or
employee.
I hope that this proposal will be taken into consideration.
Yours faithfully
XYZ
Secretary

2.3.7 Answer to self-check Exercises - II


Committee Report: The cause of decline in sales of company product
Smart Beauty Product Ltd .Gandhinagar,
Pune
15th Jan. 2019.
To,
The Managing Director,
Smart Beauty product Ltd .Gandhinagar,
Pune
Sub: The cause of decline in sales of company products in Pune branch.
Sir,
On behalf of the committee appointed by Managing Directors. We are
sending brief report of our investigation and recommendations. We hope that
quick action can be taken to overcome this problem. If you have any query about
our report then we shall be pleased to meet you and explain you the details.
Terms of Reference:
In accordance with the Resolution No. 18 passed in the Managing Directors
Meeting on 10th Dec. 2018 a three member committee was set up to examine the
cause of decline in sales of company product. The committee consisted of Shri.
Patil S.S., Shri. Mahadik M.D. and Shri. Potdar P.J. as members.
Procedure:
English in Business
42 Management We committee members visited at Pune branch on 13th Dec. 2019.We

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checked out all the account books. Then held discussion with Sales Manager, 5 English for Specific Purposes
staff members, 10 travelling sales person 3 Sales distributors, 4 retailers,
9customers who use the product.
Finding:
1. The committee found that the rate of decline of Pune branch is 20 percent.
2. In market two companies with foreign collaboration have opened their
office in Pune. They have offered 10 percent discount on each product. They
have offered various sales scheme to the dealers also.
3. Our local publicity is ineffective as advertisement is not done in local
language
4. By customer survey we conclude that customers are not satisfied with our
product.
Recommendation:
1. We should take care of quality of product.
2. We should revise our terms of sale on the basis of market information
relating to credit and discount rates
3. We should give more attractive look to our product.
4. The cost of our product must be reconsidered. Should be made competitive
If this recommendation approved we may overcome of this problem.
Signed on behalf of committee
sd/-
Chairman

2.3.8 Summary
After study of this unit you have learnt how business report is written.
Business report represents business problems, complaints and solutions which are
necessary for business improvement. English used in business report is formal. It
is written in an impersonal official language. In this unit we study individual
reports, committee reports and market reports which are useful in corporate sector.

2.3.9 Exercises
1. In New Bharat Trading Pvt. Ltd. there has been a remarkable absenteeism of
the workers in the company. The general Manager has asked the H.R.
Manager, Mr. D.S. Das to ascertain the reason and suggest remedies. Write
only finding of Mr. Das.
2. On the instruction from the Board of Directors of the Mahakali Sahakari
Sugar Factory, Nagpur an enquiry committee of three members was formed
to look into the causes of less sugar production during the last year 2017-18.
English in Business
Management 43
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English for Specific Purposes 2.3.10References
1. English for Business Communication, B.Com II. Shivaji University,
Center for Distance Education 2014-15.
2. English for Business Communication, B.Com I. Shivaji University, Center
for Distance Education 2013-14.
3. Dr. Herekar, P.M. Bussiness Communication, Phadke Prakashan, First
Edition June2010.
4. Webliography: www.wikihow.com

2.4 BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE


Business English is a part of English for specific purposes and can be
considered as special use of English language learning and teaching. It is
important to have good basis of general English to be able to communicate
effectively. Business English courses focus on particular vocabulary, topics and
skills that are applicable to the workplace and enable you to communicate
accurately. Communication through exchange of letters is known as
correspondence. Businessman writes and receives letters in day to day
transactions, which may be called business correspondence. Business
correspondence takes place between different organizations or between the
customers and the organization.
2.4.1 Structure and content of business letters
Company Name Heading
Address of Company
Tel: E.mail :
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: -----------------
Ref:
Designation
Company name Inside address
Address
Subject:
Salutation,
Body of letter
• Opening Part
• Main Part
• Concluding Part
Complementary Close
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44 Management

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2.4.2 Main content used in Business Report English for Specific Purposes

1. Heading : It include Organization name with its address, Email address,


Telephone number. The heading generally printed or typed in middle of page.
2. Date : Date of report submission. Ex. 2nd feb.2019
3. Reference Number : This is important part of letter. This include
letter number, department, and date. It helps for future reference. This reference
number given on right hand side below heading.
4. Inside Address : This contain designation and address of
organization to whom letter is addressed.
5. Subject : This indicates the matter to which the letter
relates.
6. Salutation : This placed after subject. Ex. Dear
Customer, Dear Member etc.
7. Body of Letter : This includes
Opening Part : All the introductory statement given.
Main Part : This contain subject matter of the letter.
Concluding Part : This give statement of the sender’s
instructions, hope, expectations.
8. Complementary Close : This is a formal and polite way of ending
letter.
In modern globalization world English has become the “language of business”.
Hence the term “Business English” was developed to describe the English that is
used strictly for Business purposes.

2.4.3 Type of Business Letter


A. Business Sales Letter
Business sales letter has been defined as “A form of direct mail in which an
advertiser sends a letter to a potential customer”. Sales letters are used to introduce
products or services to consumers. For this communication sellers and buyers
used formal English vocabulary words.
*A letter to a big manufacturing company acknowledging the acceptance of its
work / purchase order.

English in Business
Management 45
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English for Specific Purposes Mehta Steel Pvt. Ltd.
Goregaon West, Mumbai
Tel: 02120-223456 E.mail :[email protected]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ref: MPPL/35/2018/16 19th Dec.2018

Mr. S.M. Sharma


Purchase Manager
Navin Engineering Co. LTD. Andheri, Mumbai
Subject: About Steel sales order.
Dear Mr. S.M. Sharma,
We thankfully acknowledge the receipt of your purchase order No.5647
dated 10th Dec. 2018. Please find the order Acceptance from No.15246 dated 16th
Dec.2018 enclosed herewith.
We shall take up the production of steel rods of various sizes as per your
specification and supply them as per your delivery schedule over the next six
months. You may expect the first lot of 5000 steel rods by 20th Dec.2018 by
V.R.N. Transport.
Thanking you once again and assuring you of our best co-operation.
Yours Faithfully,
S.K. Dhumal
Manager
Encl. Order Acceptance.

B. Business Complaint letter


English language is used to communicate in business complaints matter
between organizations or customers. In any business, there will be some
mistakes. Customer may not get the goods and services as they expected and
ordered. When buyer discovers any mistake, he brings it to the notice of the
supplier by writing a complaint letter using Standard English language.
*Assume that 2 copies of “English Grammar for Today” out of 30 has been
damaged received by your Book Depot from Success Book Sellers, Kasbah Peth,
Kolhapur. As the Manager write a complaint letter to the supplier.

English in Business
46 Management

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Dipak Book Depot English for Specific Purposes

Mahalaxmi Road, Kolhapur


Tel: 02120-223456 E.mail :[email protected]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ref: DPD/55/2018/10 13th Dec.2018
Mr. S.S. Kale
Manager
Success Book Sellers, Kasbah Peth, Kolhapur
Subject: Regarding damaged books supplied.
Dear Mr. S.S. Kale,
Thank you very much for the dispatch of 30 books of “English Grammar for
Today” for which we had placed with you an order dated 10th Dec. 2019.
But on opening the package, it is found that two copies of “English Grammar for
Today” are so badly damaged that they are of no use to us
We request you, therefore, to replace them immediately. We shall return these
damaged copies on hearing from you.
Yours Faithfully,
SD/-
Manager
Dipak Book Depot

C. Business Adjustment Letter


Adjustment letter is a reply letter to the buyer’s complaint or claim. When
seller or transportation authority writes letter in response to the complaint or claim
letter of the buyer it is known as adjustment letter. For this use of English language
is very important. English vocabulary used for this is polite and meaningful.
English language can be used in such a way that to convey essentially the negative
information in a way that will yield positive result. The important points to be
noted while writing such letters.
1. Use confident and positive tone of English language be apologetic.
2. The aim of such letter is to get redressed and not to quarrel.
3. The message should be clear and specific and not vague.
4. Present your case in calm and logical manner with proper English language.
5. Reflect your goal of having adjustment granted.

English in Business
Management 47
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English for Specific Purposes Adjustment Letter Sample.
India Textiles Mills
Mukundnagar, Pune
10th Feb.18
Marketing Manager
Bexi cloths corner
South Plaza,
Mumbai.
Ref. Your letter dated 5th Feb. 18
Dear Sir,
We thank you for your letter of 5th Feb.18 along with sample of cloth for
examination.
The report that we have received just today shows that the consignment forwarded
to you was the wrong one full of defective cloths. It was a mistake because of our
dispatch section and we regret this mistake which has caused you both
embarrassment and inconvenience. We have already sent the replacement by
passenger train. You can be sure of the quality of cloth now sent.
You can, of course, return the cloths to us and debit our account for the
caused to you. We again regret the inconvenience to you and assure you that such
mistakes will be avoided in future.
M. Pathak
Sales Manager
India Textiles Mills
Mukundnagar, Pune

D. Business Collection letter


Companies may use collection letters as the only means of communication
when they attempt to collect past due invoices. To write business collection letter
English language has played very important role in corporate world. Collection
letters are sent usually one after another with the tone and language getting more
direct with each successive letter. Following information should be include in
collection letters.
1. Keep it short and to the point, do not use complicated language.
2. Type a letter do not handwrite it.
3. Use company letterhead.
4. Include copy of the invoice(s) or a summarized statement if multiple
outstanding invoices.
English in Business
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Collection letter sample. English for Specific Purposes

Light & Music Store


(House of Musical Insruments)
Akshat Plaza, Karad.
7thOctober, 18
Manager Music Corner
2, New Market,
Satara. 41004
Sub: Account remains unpaid.
Dear Sir,
Our account books show a balance of 8,000 in your account which has now
been done for three (3) weeks. We sent you a reminder last week. But perhaps it
may be escaped your notice. We should like to draw your attention once
again to your unsettled account. We look forward to receiving your remittance.
Yours truly
Kale M.B.
Collection Manager
Light & Music Store

E. Insurance Letter
Insurance is a device by which the loss likely to be caused by an unforeseen event
is spread over a large number of person who are exposed to it and who propose to
insure themselves against such event. The forms of Insurance can be Fire
insurance, Marine insurance, General insurance, Life insurance. While writing
these type of letters English language play a vital role. For these letters use formal
English language to handle event in rules and regulation.
*A request for a proposal form.
Super Complex
Madhav Road, SadashivPeth, Pune.
Tel:02120-223456 Email: [email protected]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13th March.2018
The Branch Manager,
New Bharat Assurance Co. Ltd.
Station Road, Pune.
Dear Sir,
You will be glad to know that we propose to get a fire insurance coverage for our English in Business
Management 49
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English for Specific Purposes shop and godown stock at the earliest. Kindly let us know your latest premium
rates and also arrange to send us a blank proposal form at an early date and oblige.
Yours Faithfully,
SD/-
Managing Partner
Super Complex

2.4.4 Summary
Business letters are the most formal methods of communication and follow
specific formats. They are addressed to particular person or organization. In this
unit we have learnt about the English language used in sales letter, complaint
letter, adjustment letter, collection letter and insurance letter, how English
language play an important role in corporate sectors for writing these type of
letters.
2.4.5 Exercises
1. Assume that 10 Electric bulb out of 35 have been received by P.P. Electricals
from R.K. Electricals, kasba Peth, Mumbai. As the Manager write a
complaint letter to the supplier.
2. Draft a letter to your customer expressing your inability in executing his
order.
3. Write a letter to insurance company enclosing insurance proposal from and
requesting to issue of policy.

2.4.6 References
English for Business Communication, B.Com I. Shivaji University, Center for
Distance Education 2013-14.
Dr. Herekar, P.M. Business Communication, Phadke Prakashan, First Edition
June2010.
Webliography: www.google.com

***

English in Business
50 Management

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English for Specific Purposes
UNIT 3:
ENGLISH IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Contents :
3.0 Objectives:
3.1.1 Introduction
3.1.2 English for Scientific and Technological Purposes (EST)
3.1.3 Characteristics of Scientific English
3.2 Technical Writing and EST
3.2.1 Report Writing
3.2.2 Elements of Scientific Report
3.2.3 Describing Experiments
3.2.4 Describing Static and Moving Objects
3.2.5 Concluding Experiments
3.2.6 Task: 1
3.3 Technical Communication
3.3.1 Introduction
3.3.2 English for Writing E-mail
3.3.3 Task: 2
3.4 Letter Writing
3.4.1 Introduction
3.4.2 Structure of Official Letter
3.4.3 Task: 3
3.5 Resume/ Curriculum Vitae
3.5.1 Introduction
3.5.2 Preparing C. V. (Curriculum Vitae):
3.5.3 Task: 4
3.6 Writing Paragraph and Developing Ideas
3.6.1 Introduction
3.6.2 Characteristics of an Effective Paragraph
3.6.3 Developing Ideas
3.6.4 Task: 5

English Science
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English for Specific Purposes 3.0 Objectives:
a) To help students understand underlying system of English language used in
science and technology.
b) To enable science students to use spoken and written English for laboratory
purposes.
c) To enable science students to use spoken and written English for classroom
purposes.
d) To enable students to apply English for Science and Technology in the
related situations.

3.1.1INTRODUCTION
Learners of English learn English with different purposes. Some of us want
to use English for day-to-day communication, some want to use it for impressing
other, some learn it out of interest, many learn it for educational purposes, a few
want to learn it because they want to get a job in a particular field, and a few want to
learn it as a challenge. Purposes of learning English differ from person to person.
On the basis of its utility, English language in use can be divided into two
categories. The first is English for General Purposes and the second is English for
Specific Purposes.
English for General Purposes (GE)
General English is the English used in day to day life. It broadly covers
social, cultural and communicative aspects of the social group in which it is used.
Literary English comprises of all these features of General English as literature is
often immersed in the experiences of an individual or a group of individuals in a
society. The general English is often based on learning or acquisition of basic
language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. To make it simple,
General English is the English you have learnt so far from your school days. It is a
course in compulsory English, and we can use the English in any of the situations
in the world. If we want to be more precise in our expressions, we need to acquire
the set of words used in a particular field which is nothing but English for Specific
Purposes. Thus, for learning English for Specific Purposes, we need to know
English for General Purposes.
General English is used for different purposes in the day-to-day activities
such as shopping, travelling, schooling, healthcare, housing, etc. For
communicating in these situations, our linguistic needs are general. We need
related vocabulary. For example while purchasing vegetables, we need to know
name of different vegetables; in a grocery shop, we need to know names of
different grocery items in English and so on. Just knowing words also suffices
sometimes but we need to know how to use these words in complete sentences so
as to make our expressions meaningful and precise. In our daily routine, we meet
people of different age groups and we greet them differently depending on the
occasion of meeting. Greetings open up conversations and make progress through
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enquiries about health, new happenings, and often end with farewell greetings. All English for Specific Purposes
this is General English.

English for Specific Purposes (ESP)


ESP attempts to address specific purposes of learning English. ESP
separates different interests of learning English and helps learners to simplify the
process. ESP provides platforms to develop linguistic abilities in order to use them
in a specific field of inquiry, occupation or workplace. It separates use of English
in different fields such as Engineering, Technology, Science, Medicine,
Pharmacy, Advertisement, Commerce, Law, Marketing, Literature, Philosophy,
Administration and many more.
ESP is designed to meet specific needs of the learners. It follows a typical
methodology in which list of peculiar features of English used in each of these
fields is made. Grammar, lexis and register are the elements of study. Register is
the set of words used in a particular field of study. These are the frequently used
words. There is a set of words that helps us to communicate effectively when we
are talking about something related to a particular field. Sometimes weakness in
grammar becomes negligible due to use of certain frequently used words while in
some other situations grammaticality is essential. Thus, ESP is a way of learning
English in a focused way. Let’s try to understand different situations so as to learn
English. We shall restrict our study to the study of English for Science and
Technology (henceforth abbreviated as EST) only.

3.1.2 English for Scientific and Technological Purposes (EST)


English is a language and it is used for communication across the globe in
different fields of knowledge. One of those fields of knowledge is science and
technology. English used for science has the same grammar, pronunciation and
spelling as found in all kinds of English. It includes much of the vocabulary of
general English. However, there are lots of technical terms and concepts peculiar
to science and technology which are not used in common day-to-day English for
communication. Yet, there are certain distinctive markers which differentiate EST
from English for academic purposes, for journalism, for literature, for law and
many others. Linguists have analysed certain features specific to EST.
3.1.3 Characteristics of Scientific English
General characteristics of Scientific English can be divided into two
types—Syntactic, Lexical and Rhetorical. Let’s study them.
Syntactic Characteristics
Syntactic characteristics are the characteristics related to sentence
construction. Sentence structures in EST differ from English used in other fields in
several ways. A few of the characteristics are as follows.
1) Use of the Passive Voice
Objectivity is the prime concern of any discourse in science and technology English Science
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English for Specific Purposes besides being logical and compact. In the passive voice, the subject is not the doer
of action but it is the recipient of action denoted by the predicator. This makes it
feasible for being objective as the action is more important than the doer of action.
It creates sense of objectivity in expression. Study the following examples.
a) The fertility of the soil is improved. Mottled seeds were produced only as a
result of virus infection.
b) The fertilizers were distributed by hand.
c) The reaction is accelerated using copper foils.
Here, the passive form is very common. Most of the underlined predicators
indicate precision and compactness. The passive form gives scope for being
precise and logical.

2) Use of Postpositive Attributives:


Preposition is a special characteristic of English language. However, where
there is need of precision in expression, modifications are common. In the EST
particularly, precision is mandatory. Hence, there are different words which are
used as postpositions in EST. Study the following examples.
a) In 1983, there were only 200 computers connected to the Internet.
b) All radiant energy has wavelike characteristics, analogous to those of
waves.
c) The explanations of the earth’s magnetic field are generally accepted.
d) The force upward equals the force downward so that the balloon stays at the
level.
Observe the underlined words and phrases in the above examples. In the
example a) the past participle is used as the postposition so as to be precise in
expression. In example b) it is the adjective phrase, in c) it is the prepositional
phrase and in d) there are adverbs showing directions. The postpositions make the
expression very precise. The reader does not get any scope for even the second
interpretation.

3) Longer Sentences
Science basically analyses different phenomenon in the nature to discover
underlying structures and their function in association with the human life. All the
phenomena are interrelated with either complementary or paradoxical
relationships. To present these complex relationships in simple sentences is a
herculean task. For being logical and precise, interconnections are explained
within sentence itself. This makes the sentence longer and complex having
interconnected clauses and phrases in it. The average length of a sentence is
around 20 words per sentence. There can be sentence of more than 40 words also.
Study the following example.
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In studying the phenomenon usually referred to as sleep, we are actually dealing English for Specific Purposes
with more than one phenomenon. In point of fact, we spend the night alternating
between two different types of sleep, each with different brain mechanisms and
different purposes. As a person falls asleep, his brain waves develop a slower and
less regular pattern than in a waking state.
The first sentence has 18 words, the second has 23 and the third sentence has
20 words. Phrases and clauses comprise of sentences here. Clauses and phrases
are separated by commas or conjunctions, and they are related to the subject. This
makes the structure compound or complex and the sentence becomes longer. The
scientific explanations attempt to present the single interpretation and leave no
scope for variety in interpretation. This is possible only by specifically stating the
conditions or relevant explanations in the sentence itself.

4) Use of Non-finite Verbs


Non-finite verb is a verb which does not carry tense and does not show agreement
with the subject in number and person. The three non-finite forms of verb are the
Infinitive (to + V), the past participle (V-en) and the present participle or the
Gerund (V-ing). These verbs have forms of a verb but function of a noun, adjective
or adverb. As these verbs are free from grammatical aspects like tense, mood,
number, gender and person, they create flexibility, objectivity, conciseness, and
preciseness in expression. Most of the users who want to be objective tend to use
such forms of verbs. As science and technology are objective fields of knowledge
and subjectivity incurs a lot of loss due to misinterpretation, most of the EST users
tend to use non-finite forms of verbs in their expressions.
Study the following examples.
a) Solar energy flows into the cycle continuously to keep it running, and part
of the cycle in a form that can be used to docellular work.
b) It is easiest to visualize the common organizational plan of the diverse
mollusc group if we start with a hypothetical mollusc.
The underlined words in the above examples are non-finite verbs. ‘To keep
it running’in a) functions as a non-finite Adverbial Clause of reason, while ‘to
visualize’ in b) functions as a complement to the verb ‘is’. The non-finite verbs are
very common in the scientific and technological discourse.

Lexical Characteristics
Lexical characteristics are the characteristics of a language pertaining to the use of
words. EST comprises of the following noticeable features of English.
1) Use of Scientific Terminology:
Function words and structure words are very common in general English.
Though they are indistinct part of English for general purposes, there are
several words specific to English for scientific and technological purposes.
The vocabulary of science and technology is generally not found outside the English Science
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English for Specific Purposes subject of or the field of enquiry. For example- we do not use words like
isotopes, density, magnetism, phylum, algae, vegetation, reaction, etc.
Neologism is a very common method of word formation in science and
technology. For example—electricity, wire, telephone, telecom, computer,
photo, photograph, photocopy, phone, wireless, Wi-Fi, optical fibre,
barometer, etc. All these are devices discovered over a period of time. Each
time there was a need to name the device. Thus, most of the nouns have been
invented in EST.
Each of the science subjects has its own store of terms with precise and
narrow meanings. For example—Biology: agents, photosynthesis, species,
fertility, vegetation, gametes, zygote, host, photosynthesis, vesicle,
classification, etc. Physics: density, malleability, plasticity, ductility,
characteristics, energy, source, supply, power, connectivity, magnetism,
etc. Chemistry: compound, metals, non-metals, bonding, chemical bond,
mechanical bond, mixture, liquid, gaseous, reactions, diode, electrolysis,
isotopes etc.
2) Use of Abstract Nouns and Descriptive Adjectives
Science is fundamentally a descriptive branch of knowledge. It records
what is observed. Most of the times, it becomes quite difficult to use a word
from regular usage as it does not necessarily describe the means, tools or
processes adequately. It is here that the observer tends to devise a new word
suitable to describe means, tools, processes, actions, movements or states.
Out of these requirements, the use of abstract nouns and descriptive
adjectives has become very common in EST. Study the following examples.

insulate (V) insulation (N) stable (Aj) stability (N)


block (V, N) blockage (N) humid (Aj) humidity (N)
obstruct (V) obstruction (N) Perspire (V) perspiration (N)

Here, we notice verbs and adjectives have been converted into abstract
nouns. These abstract nouns describe some process or some state or action suitable
to the needs of the observer.
Similar to nouns, there are several adjectives derived as per the needs of
action, state, process, movements, etc. Most of these adjectives are descriptive in
nature and are derived from verbs and nouns. Study the following examples.
Place (V) Placing (Aj) Flower (N) Floral (Aj)
Wash (V) Washable (Aj) Apply (V) Applicable (Aj)
Activate (V) Active (Aj) Predominate (V) Predominant (Aj)
Prove (V) Proven (Aj) Quantity (N) Quantifiable (Aj)
The process suffixation is used for creating these adjectives. The very common
suffixes used in EST are –ac/iac, -al, -ar, -ato, -eal, -ed, -ic, -ible, -able, -ing, -ive,-
English Science y, -ous, -ose, -oid, etc. These suffixes help the scientist to devise a new word or
56 And Technology words suitable to their experimental conditions.

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There are several phrases which are collocated to indicate highly professional English for Specific Purposes
existences. For example, favourable weather, viral infection, bacterial infection,
systemic disorder, conditioned temperature, etc.

3) Use of Verbs instead of Verb Phrase:


There are a large number of verbs in English which are often elaborated as
verb phrases and vice versa. The meaning and its suitability for the situation
becomes important here. EST always prefers precision in expression and no scope
for multiple interpretations. It is foe this need that EST users replace a verb phrase
with a verb. For example to rotate (V) means to turn around (VP), examine (V)
means to look into (VP), absorb (V) means to take in (VP), to utilize (V) means to
make use of (VP) and so on. A scientist prefers rotate instead of turn around as
rotate has sense of spin suitable to the scientific expression while the phrase turn
around has several other meanings such as ‘to change to opposite direction’, ‘to
reverse’, ‘to be duplicitous’, etc. Each of these meanings takes the scientist away
from his own purpose. It is for serving his purpose effectively, the scientist uses a
verb instead of a verb phrase.

4) Use of Adverbs:
Adverbs are open-class words and there is a large variety in it. However, in
EST all types of adverbs are not used. General Adverbs of Time are very common
in EST. Most of the scientists work in a fixed time frame where the time taken for
each reaction or observation is fixed. The frequency is possible due to
repeatability of the procedure. This makes it essential for scientists to describe the
events in general but chronological adverbs of time. For example after, before,
always, whenever, sometimes, later, as soon as, while, shortly, spontaneously, etc.
There are adverbs of time which come with the fixed time span and fixed time.
Adverbs of Manner are also equally important in EST. A scientist needs to describe
how things happen and in what form they exist. Observations and descriptions in
any experiment should be accurate. It is with these needs, scientists use some
frequent adverbs of manner like directly, clearly, effectively, normally, positively,
negatively, quickly, normally, carefully, etc.

5) Pronouns:
All scientific discourses are objective and impersonal. It is precisely for this
reason most of the scientist do not make use of the pronoun ‘I’. The personal
pronoun ‘we’ is used many times but it is used with the objective sense. The
pronoun ‘it’ is used repeatedly in EST for the purpose of emphasis. Very common
pronouns in EST are Demonstrative Pronouns such as this, that, these, those, such,
and Relative Pronouns like which, who, when, where, that, etc.
6) Linking Items
Linking items are often referred to as conjunctions. However, sometimes English Science
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English for Specific Purposes pronouns, adjectives, adverbs and punctuation marks also function as linking
items. In EST, the most common sentence connectors are relative and
demonstrative pronouns. For example ‘The sample of algae that was used in the
experiment was imported from the village Madhepura which is in Amarkantak
district of Madhya Pradesh. Those algae differ from the algae found in the
Sahyadri valley.’ Here, ‘that’ and ‘which’ are relative pronouns but the function as
liking items for more specific and precise explanation. ‘Those’ is a demonstrative
pronoun that relates to ‘Algae’ in the first sentence. The most commonly used
conjunctions are hence, therefore, however, though, although, as, and, or, but, or,
thus, because, if. These conjunctions bring about cohesive effect in the scientific
discourse allowing the scientist to be more coherent, logical and precise.
Rhetoric Characteristics
Rhetoric features are the features of language associated with its embellishment.
These mainly include aspects related to style such as use of different rhetorical
devices such as figures of speech, prosodic features, special grammatical aspects,
tense, mood, etc.
1) Limited Use of Tenses
Science objectively describes facts and processes. It also illustrates the
features and functions which are mostly universal, repetitive and specific.
For being universal, one has to be out of time and space. Hence, tense
becomes an unessential aspect of EST. Most of the scientists observe this
universality and timelessness by using the simple present tense and the
simple past tense. Even for describing events in the future, scientist use
simple present tense and avoid any of the future tense statements.
For example ‘Certain physical quantities are completely described by a
numerical value alone (with units specified) and are added according to the
ordinary rules of algebra. As an example the mass of a system is described
by saying that it is 5 kg. If two bodies one having a mass of 5 kg and other
having a mass of 2 kg are added together to make a composite system, the
total mass of the system becomes 5 kg + 2 kg = 7 kg. Such quantities are
called scalars.’
Here we notice, everything is expressed in the Simple present tense.
Generally, when the scientist has to elaborate a concept, s/he makes use of
the simple present while the laboratory experiments can be described either
in the simple present or the simple past tense.
2) Absence of Prosodic Features
EST is used for describing facts, processes and laws of nature. There is not
scope for being figurative. Hence, rhetorical devices like figures of speech,
stress and intonation, rhyme scheme, and other prosodic features are absent
in EST. For example ‘Sea water can be used for supply of potable water if it
is separated from the salt dissolved in it’. This is a very straightforward
example. In literature it was presented by S.T. Coleridge in his poem The
Rime of Ancient Mariner (1798) as ‘
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Water, water, everywhere, English for Specific Purposes

And all the boards did shrink;


Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.
The difference between descriptions is figurative language and prosaic
straightforward expression. In EST such beautification is absence as the discourse
has to be clear, precise and without possibility of even the second interpretation.
3) Omission and Inversion:
Omission is a feature in which some word which possibly repeats in a
normal structure is dropped. It is structurally possible but it needs proper
command on the language to utilize this skill. A minor mistake creates strong
possibilities of misinterpretation. For example—‘Some bacteria are spherical,
some cylindrical, and some curved.’ Here the verb ‘are’ is omitted deliberately.
Sometimes there are efforts to reduce the length of the sentence by omission. For
example—‘But by and large, the 7000 species of green algae (phylum
chlorophyta) have been most successful in, and are the dominant vegetation of,
fresh-water environment.’Here subject is omitted in the second clause so as to
reduce the length of the sentence.
Inversion is the process of putting changing places of words either by bringing
them forward or by positioning them after. In EST this is done for the purpose of
precision and accuracy. Study the following examples.
a) The parasitic fungi effectively use the life-support systems of the host
organisms to obtain water and nutrients. (Adverb effectively is brought
before verb instead of positioning it at the end of the sentence.)
b) The mycelia have few adaptations for survival under truly dry conditions.
(Adverb ‘truly’ is put before the adjective ‘dry’.)
c) Surely that was proof enough. (Noun ‘proof’ is used before adjective
‘enough’.)
4) Use of Imperatives:
Imperative sentence are very common in the scientific process descriptions
(laboratory instructions), work procedures and precaution matters. It often comes
in the series of instructions. For example— take a test-tube. Take 10ml water in it.
Heat the water up to boiling point…. The imperative sentences refine the articles
besides presenting simple set of instructions for the readers. Imperatives make the
discourse creative. They eliminate monotony generally found in the scientific
discourse.

3.2 TECHNICAL WRITING AND EST


The writing in EST is description of objects, processes, procedures,
observations, results and discussions. This has no scope for including anything
unrealistic. Each report has to be realistic and practical. The report is usually English Science
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English for Specific Purposes written at the end of experiment. Hence it has been adequately judged and
chronologically presented. Report writing is the most important aspect of EST.
Let’s study some features of a good report.

3.2.1 Report Writing


Writing an inclusive report is a skill. The first thing a report writer needs to
take into account is the audience of the report. Usually, laboratory reports are
meant for students or researchers in the field. Common people do not go to
laboratory manual. Hence, the report should be produced taking into account
needs and level of understanding of the students. A good report takes into account
the following aspects.
• A good introduction in which necessary information like theoretical
background is provided. This informs the reader about why the experiment
worked.
• In the experimental section, general procedure should not be given. Focus
should be the specific procedure with all the details. Nothing should miss
out.
• In the result section, specify all the important details. Details should be
specific and not general.
• Do not forget to present logic behind your conclusions.

3.2.2 Elements of Scientific Report


Following are the elements of Scientific Report.
• Title: The title should reflect content of the report. It should be brief and
grammatically correct. One should avoid all the unnecessary articles and
prepositions or phrases. Use of specific terms is always appreciated.
• Introduction: Introduction provides the context of the in which report is
produced i.e. the experiment is conducted. Introduction creates background
for data interpretation and conclusion. This also includes brief but essential
theoretical background.
• Experimental Method: Experimental procedure must be given in
chronological order. There should not be any confusion or scope for
misinterpretation in the set of instructions. Use of simple language is
expected. Avoid any jargons.
• Result Section: This is the section where data is presented. Data should be
clearly presented as it is the base of argument. This section contains tables,
figures and graphs also.
• Discussion Section: This is the section in which data is discussed in the
context of experiment and the theoretical background. Discussion leads to
argument. The argument should be logical and should elaborated logical
English Science connections of different elements involved in the experiment.
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• Conclusion/s: The conclusion should be a short sentence that includes the English for Specific Purposes
main finding of the experiment.
• References: This is the last section of the report. This includes details of all
the source books, articles, research papers, etc. The method used for
referencing depends on the popular practices in the institution.

3.2.3 Describing Experiments


There are certain processes which we follow in a laboratory irrespective of
the specialised subjects like physics, chemistry, botany, zoology, microbiology,
electronics, etc. There are certain verbs used to describe those processes. The set
of verbs is as follows.

add remove measure cool heat


drive drop count fridge boil
increase pass calculate condense warm
decrease squeeze accumulate circulate evaporate
raise rotate divide convert send
open stir break generate move
close accelerate cut distil carry
expand collide form apply fix
tilt rub wipe dry take

For laboratory instructions, imperative clauses are used. These clauses begin with
a verb (action word) followed by the Object, the Adverbial or the Complement.
The subject is not directly stated in the imperative clause. However, the assumed
subject is ‘You’ because orders, commands and instructions can be given only to
the person/ s present at the time of speaking. Instructions are given by the teachers
or laboratory instructors in the following manner.
a) Open your manuals.
b) Go to page no. 15, experiment no. 4.
c) Take three test tubes.
d) Take 5ml water in the first test tube. Immerse a litmus paper in it. Check the
colour of the litmus paper. Note the change if any.
e) Now take 2ml dilute HCl in the second test tube and repeat the litmus test.
Note the changes if any.
f) Take 2 ml Caustic Soda in the third test tube and repeat the litmus test. Note
the changes if any.
In this way instructions are given in a laboratory. However, sometimes students
English Science
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English for Specific Purposes to make statements in the past tense. One may construct expressions like the
following.
i. I took three test tubes.
ii. Then, I took 5ml distilled water in the first test tube. I immersed a litmus
paper in it, and checked if there is any change in the colour of the paper.
iii. In the second test tube, I took 2ml dilute HCl and conducted the litmus test. I
found that the colour of the red litmus paper changed to blue.
iv. In the third test tube, I took 2ml Caustic Soda and conducted the litmus test.
I found that the colour of the blue litmus paper changed to red.
One need not make longer sentences to explain the procedure.

3.2.4 Describing Static and Moving Objects


Let’s study the following set of words used for describing static and moving
objects in or outside laboratories.
consists of is/ are connected to is/ are disconnected
is/ are added to is/ are removed from is/ are immersed in
is/ are mounted is/ are attached to is/ are fixed to
is/ are covered is/ are detached from is/ are filled with
is/ are supported is/ are held by is/ are hanged at
is/ are coated with is/ are placed in/on is/ are made of
rest/s on/ in is/ are boiled for is/ are combined with
is/ are released from is/ are heated for is/ are passed through
is/ are poured in is/ are removed from is/ are passed from
Usually, we make following statements in the laboratory.
Ø Water consists of two elements i.e. Hydrogen and Oxygen.
Ø This wire is connected to the transformer and a resistance is connected in
between so as to…
Ø The concave lens is placed between the object and the observer.
Ø This lower part of the object is supported by a thin string which is fixed to
the upper portion of the stand.
Ø The mixture is boiled for fifteen minutes.
Ø The lower surface of the device is coated with copper so as to make it heat
sensitive.
There are many repetitions of such expressions because they are essential.

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3.2.5 Concluding Experiments English for Specific Purposes

Presenting conclusion/s is an equally important part of a laboratory experiment.


Let’s study some of the expressions used while concluding experiments.
1) …. must therefore…
2) This must be because….
3) …. depend (s) on….
4) As…, …. (simultaneous processes)
5) If …., … will ….
6) Provided that ….
7) It is observed that ….
8) It is found that ….
9) The experiment shows that …
Conclusions are drawn at the end of experiment. They are always conditional.
Sometimes, the researcher is required to perform many actions simultaneously. In
all these cases, the above expressions help us to present the conclusion logically.
Some of the concluding examples can be as follows.
i. I must therefore state that the litmus paper shows different characteristics
when immersed in different types of liquids.
ii. If the liquid is acidic, the blue litmus paper will turn blue. If the liquid is
basic, the red litmus will turn blue.
iii. It is observed that the blue litmus paper changed its colour when immersed
in HCl. It shows that HCl is acidic in nature.
iv. It is foundthat the red litmus paper turned blue when immersed in Caustic
Soda. This means that Caustic Soda is basic in nature.
v. As the red litmus paper remains red and the blue litmus paper remains blue
in water, it is concluded that water is a neutral liquid.
To be precise in conclusion, make use of adequate punctuation marks. This makes
the conclusion simple. Deliberately, avoid use of jargons in conclusion.

3.2.6 Task: 1
1) Read and analyse different science textbooks and reference books
prescribed in your syllabus.
2) Analyse lexical features of EST from the given passage.
3) Analyse lexical features of EST from the given passage.
4) State most common word formation methods used in EST.
5) Read and analyse your laboratory manuals.
6) Write detailed reports of a few experiments conducted in the laboratory.
English Science
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English for Specific Purposes
3.3 TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION
3.3.1 Introduction
Technical communication is a very broad term. The word ‘technical’ can be
used with two different meanings. The first meaning is ‘a communication using
technology’ and the second is ‘formal communication’. Either way,
communication and formality remain intact in the term. In this section we will
discuss Email communication and letter writing.
Objectives of Email Communication
Objectives of learning email communication are as follows.
• To know email communication.
• To understand advantages of email communication.
• To understand requirements of email.
• To know the structure of email.
• To differentiate formal and informal emails.

3.3.2 English for Writing E-mail


E-communication or Electronic Communication has become an indistinct
part of our daily life. With smartphones, we have received greater access and
connectivity across the world. It is possible to communicate with an individual
from any country in the world within seconds. Distance has become out of the way
issue due to e-communication. Particularly, with e-mail, it has acquired legal
dimensions as well. It saves time, money and unnecessary paperwork. It is time
saving and quick. It can be retrieved very easily. Nowadays one can send and
receive e-mails on his/ her smartphone as well. It is a very common means of legal
communication in all types of organizations—government, semi-government and
private. It is an effective tool of communication within organization as well. All
these aspects make it essential for one to understand different aspects of e-mail
communication. Let’s understand them.
Advantages of e-mail Communication
§ Very quick medium of communication
§ Easy to handle
§ A legal document
§ Can be stored and revisited as and when required
§ Can be sent and received from anywhere and anytime
§ A number of files can be sent at a time (up to 25 MB size)
§ Protected by password hence highly personalised medium of
communication
§ Connected to specific mobile number
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§ Alerts for login from a new device or unauthorised login English for Specific Purposes

§ Easy to find messages due Search option


§ Can be sent to any number of receivers at a time.
§ Easy to operate
Basic Requirements of e-mail
Some of the basic requirements of an e-mail communication are as follows.
o A computer/ laptop/ smartphone with internet connection
o E-mail account of the sender (Sender e-mail ID)
o E-mail account of the receiver (Receiver e-mail ID)
Structure of E-mail
Observe the following images carefully.

Both the images above reflect similar features. You may have an email ID at
any of the websites providing email services. It copies the structure of a letter. We
need to type email ID of the receiver in ‘To ---’ row. We can add receivers in ‘Cc---’
and ‘Bcc---’ rows. Below that appears ‘Subject’ row. We can write subject here the
way we write in the formal letter. Icons at the bottom provide you different options
like attachment options, editing tools such as font size, font colour, font type, bold,
italics, etc.

Formal E-mails
Like letters, emails can also be classified as formal and informal. However,
in the age of smartphones, people prefer to communicate to friends and relatives
mostly on applications like Whatsapp and Telegram as they are easy and handy.
We hardly go for informal emails. It is for this reason we would discuss email as a
formal tool of communication.
We can write formal emails to any institution, organization, industry,
company, shop, hotel, service agency and so on. We can seek or provide
information on email or send and receive applications; we can call a meeting or
send a memo on email. It can be used as a tool for quick and secure data transfer.
The language used in the official or formal email is almost similar to the formal
letters. However, we can induce some of the informal elements to some extent.
Let’s study some email etiquettes. English Science
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English for Specific Purposes Email Etiquettes
Some of the important etiquettes for effective use of formal emails are as follows.
a) Brief and Attractive Subject Line: The subject should give the gist of the
content. It should be catchy and effective besides being brief. A glance at
the subject should suffice to get the gist.
b) Proof read message: A formal email is a legal document. Hence, whatever
we write should be re-read and revised as per requirements. Care should be
taken that the expression has only one logical interpretation. For this, proof
reading of email is essential.
c) Clear and Self-explanatory Content: The content should be stated clear
and straightforward. There should not be any ambiguity in the message.
The content should be presented clearly; all roundabout ways should be
strictly avoided.
d) Formal in Language: Language of a formal email should be formal and
official only. ‘Salutations’, ‘closures’ and the content of the message should
not have any informal expressions such as ‘Hi’, ‘wow’, ‘exciting’, ‘bye
dear’, ‘bye bye’, and so on. Formal salutations like ‘Respected Sir/
Madam’, ‘Respected Mr./Mrs. ___’, and formal closings like ‘Yours
Faithfully’, ‘Yours Sincerely’, etc. should be used. It is often
recommended that no abbreviations such as ‘I’m’, ‘You’ve’, ‘can’t’, etc.
should be used in the formal email.
e) Regular and Time-bound email checking: Using email for
communication is a skill. The user should frequently visit his email account
as emails are received within seconds. Most of the time, email is sent when
there is emergency situation. If you do not want to miss the message or
opportunity conveyed, you should be a frequent visitor of email.
Study the following examples.
§ Making Enquiry
Making enquiry is a very common aspect of our personal as well as professional
life. We make enquiries about one thing or the other, for personal or the official
purposes. Emails can be used for making enquiries as follows.
From: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Bcc:
Subject: Enquiry about books
Respected Sir/ Madam,
Kamala College, Kolhapur proposes to make purchase of Reference books
and Textbooks in the list attached herewith. We request you to send price list
and the possibilities of discount on purchase.
Waiting for your reply,
English Science
66 And Technology Thank you.

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Yours, English for Specific Purposes

Librarian,
Kamala College, Kolhapur.
Contact No. 0231-2656451/ 9850457659

Attachment

Response to Enquiry
From: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Bcc:
Subject: Re-Enquiry about books
Respected Sir/ Madam,
We are thankful to you for your enquiry. The price list of books is attached
herewith. The list contains only the books available with us.
We offer 20% flat discount to schools and colleges.
Looking forward for your reply,
Thank you.
MAHAVEER BOOKS, KOLHAPUR

Enquiries can also be made about different laboratory articles, furniture items,
stationary, computers and other requisites in our professional life. You can make
enquiry at a hotel or a shop or a government or non-government office through
emails.

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English for Specific Purposes Hotel Booking
From: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Bcc:
Subject: Booking a Room
Dear Sir/ Madam,
We would like to book a room for a family of four people for 2 nights on 24th and
25th of this month. I request you to book the room in the name of Mr.NageshNath.
I shall pay advance bill online on confirmation of booking from your end.
Waiting for your reply,
Thank you.

Yours,
Nagesh L. Nath

Reply to Hotel Booking


From: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Bcc:
Subject: Re-Booking a Room
Dear Sir,
We are grateful to you for booking a room. We have reserved Room No. 26 for you
sir and it is booked in the name of Mr.Nagesh L. Nath.
The room charges for one night are 2400. You can check in anytime but the Check
Out time is 12pm. After 12pm, charges for the next day apply. There is a provision
of meals at our restaurant on payment of separate charges.
We request you visit our website www.maharajaregencysatara.com for other
details.
At your service,
Thank you.

Yours,
Operating Manager,
Maharaja Regency, Satara

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3.3.3 Task: 2 English for Specific Purposes

• Write an email of complaint about your newly purchased smartphone.


• Write an email of enquiry about newly started Skill Development Courses
at Fergusson College, Pune.
• Write an email of invitation for State Level Elocution Competition at your
college to different Colleges in Pune. Attach the Brochure.

3.4 LETTER WRITING


3.4.1 Introduction
Even in the age of technology, letters particularly the business letters have
remained intact in the system of communication. Personal letters have been ousted
out by smartphone applications like Whatsapp, twitter, Telegram and Facebook.
Because of excessive use of such applications, most of the times, organizations
find it insecure to use such applications for business correspondence. It is
precisely for this reason that most of the organizations prefer letters. There are
several types of business letters. Let’s discuss a few here.

Objectives
Some of the objectives of learning letter writing are as follows.
• To understand structure of a letter.
• To know difference between formal and informal letters.
• To study different types of formal letters.

3.4.2 Structure of Official Letter


Official letters are sent only on the official letter head of the organization.
The official letter head of an organization includes name of the company, postal
address, contact details, email address, website and the logo of the organization.
Any letter head has and entry named ‘Reference/ Outward Number’ on the left
hand and ‘Date’ on the same line on the right hand. Each letter we send and receive
is supposed to be numbered and dated for quick references for future
correspondence. Hence, all the official correspondence of an organization should
be only on the letter.
An official letter includes following details.
• The name, designation and address of the recipient/ addressee—on the top
left, just below the Reference number.
• The salutation—formal greetings suitable to the designation/ status of the
recipient.
• Subject—briefly state the subject of the letter.
• Reference—if there is any previous correspondence, if not some English Science
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English for Specific Purposes • The body—detailed message.
• The closing—formal closing such as yours sincerely/ faithfully.
• The signature—signature, name (optional), designation
• Enclosure—list of documents attached.
• Copy to—if letter is forwarded to some more recipients, the list.
Tips for writing effective and impressive official letters are as follows.
• Letters should be brief and to the point.
• Be concise and relevant.
• Do not elaborate unnecessary information.
• Choose to words appropriately.
• Take care of grammar.
• State your thoughts/ opinions/ arguments clearly. There should not be any
scope for more than one interpretation.
Let’s study some of the important types of official letter.

1. Application Letter and Letter of Appointment


Once upon a time, there used to be longer letters of application. Candidates used to
mention academic qualifications, skills and achievements. There used to be some
emotional appeal in the letter itself. However, with the passage of time, all these
things have proved unnecessary and irrelevant in the body of letter. This is because
we have to attach our curriculum vitae/ bio-data/ resume to the application letter.
Our resume includes all these details. It is not necessary to mention them
repeatedly. Study the following format to write an effective application letter.

LETTER OF APPLICATION

Name of the Applicant


Address line 1
Address line 2
Address line 3(If required)
Date:

To,
Designation of the Recipient
Name of the organization/ Institute/ Company,
Address line

Subject: Application for the post of a/ an ____________ (name of the post)


Reference: Your advertisement in the _______ (name of newspaper)

dated ________ (date of advertisement)

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English for Specific Purposes
Respected Sir/ Madam,
I, the undersigned, apply for the post of a/an ____________ (name of the post) in your
company/ organization/ institution. My detailed bio -data and necessary documents are attached
herewith. I request you to accept my application for your perusal.

Waiting for your reply,


Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
(signature)
(Full Name)

Enclosures:
• Resume
• List of Documents

This format can be used in the following way.


LETTER OF APPLICATION
Mr.Sujay JaywantBhosale
Flat no. 12, Nalini Apartments,
816, SadashivPeth,
Pune- 411007
To,
Date: 21st April, 2019
The Personal Manager,
Hindustan Bio-Chemicals Ltd.,
43, MIDC, Bhosari,
Pune- 411039
Subject: Application for the post of a Quality Supervisor
Reference: Your advertisement in the Times of India dated 19 th April 2019
Respected Sir/ Madam,
I, the undersigned, apply for the post of a Quality Supervisor in your company. My
detailed bio -data and necessary docu ments are attached herewith. I request you to accept my
application for your perusal.
Waiting for your reply,
Thank you. Yours sincerely,
Sd/-
(Mr.Sujay Jaywant Bhosale)
Enclosures:
• Resume
• B. Sc. Mark Sheet
• B.Sc. Certificate
• H.S.C. Mark Sheet
• H.S.C. Certificate
• S.S.C. Mark Sheet
• S.S.C. Certificate
• MS-CIT Certificate English Science
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• Certificate Course in Quality Control in Chemistry
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English for Specific Purposes In the same way other formal letters also can be studied in the format.

Letter of Appointment
Once you apply for a post and went through the interview process for selection, the
company gives you an appointment letter. The letter of appointment is sent on the
letter head of the company. It comes with reference number and date. This letter of
appointment can be exemplified as follows.
HINDUSTAN BIO-CHEMICALS LTD.
Office: 43, MIDC, Bhosari, Pune-411039
Contact: 020- 26024487/ 88 Fax: 020-26024489
Email: [email protected] Website: www.hindbiochem.com
Ref. No. Appointment/2019/214 Date: 25/05/2019
To,
Mr.Sujay J. Bhosale
Flat no. 12, Nalini Apartments,
816, SadashivPeth,
Pune- 411007
Subject: Appointment for the post of Quality Supervisor
Dear Mr.Sujay,
We have pleasure to inform you that you have been selected for the post of a
Quality Supervisor in our company. We offer you the monthly salary of Rs.
22,000/- per month. You should convey your acceptance to the H.R. department
within 10 days of receiving this letter. You will be under probation for 1 year from
the date of joining your duties. Your service terms and conditions are enclosed
herewith.
Yours,
Sd/-
(Mohan Chavan)
Personnel Manager
Copy to
• H.R. Department
• Accounts Section
• Security Department
• Transport Department

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2. Letter of Enquiry and Response English for Specific Purposes
A letter of enquiry is written to get information from some other
organization. Mostly as an organization, we make enquiries about some items we
need or we want to buy. When we want to buy something, we enquire about
quality, quantity, price, discount, mode of delivery, expected date of delivery and
payment, etc. Sometimes, we may ask for some sample. A letter of enquiry must
include subject stating nature of enquiry. While making enquiry, give reason of
enquiry, items of enquiry, information required, time limit within which required
information is sent, etc. Everything in an enquiry letter should be clearly stated.
Enquiry should be made only on the letter head. Enclose list of items if the number
of items are more.
A Specimen Letter of Enquiry

Manasi Trading Company


412, Mahaveer Apartments, Cooper Colony,
Karve Road, Pune-34
Tel- 020-24225136 Email: [email protected]
Ref. No. Purchase/M/2019/651 Date: 13th March, 2019

To,
The Sales Manager,
Ajinkya Glass Works,
13, MIDC, Chakan.

Subject: Enquiry about glass items


Dear Sir/ Madam,
We are a trading company working in the field of chemical products. We are looking for
good quality glass items listed below for our laboratory. We request you to send us price list at
the earliest.

Beakers—50, 100, 150, 250, 400, 500 ml Filter flasks—250 ml


Burets, Borosilicate glass—50 ml Funnels (glass short stem)
Conducive Glass plates Glass Stirring Rod
Erlenmeyer flasks—50, 125, 250, 500 ml Graduated Cylinders 10, 25, 50, 100, 250ml
Microscopic Slide Pasteur Pipets
Petri dishes

Our company plans to buy 50 pieces of each of these items. We would also like to know
about the discount you offer. We request you to reply within a week.

Waiting for your reply,


Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Sd/-
For Manasi Trading Company,
(AnkitChavan)

English Science
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English for Specific Purposes Making enquiry is the beginning of a business deal. When a buyer enquires about
the products we have, it is our duty to reply so as to expand our business.
Specimen Reply to the Letter of Enquiry

Ajinkya Glass Works


13, MIDC, Chakan,
Tal- Rajgurunar, Dist- Pune, Pin- 410501
Email: [email protected] Tel: 02135-245366
Website: www.ajinkyaglasses.com

Ref. No. Enquiry/March/2019/245 Date: 20th March, 2019

To,
Mr.AnkitChavan,
Manasi Trading Company,
Karve Road, Pune-34.
Subject: Enquiry about glass items for laboratory
Reference: Your letter of enquiry no. Purchase/M/2019/651
dated 13th March, 2019

Dear Sir,

We thank you for your enquiry about different laboratory glass items. We are happy to let
you know that all the items are available with us. W e are enclosing price list of the items you
have enquired about. The same price list is available on our website www.ajinkyaglasses.com .

Our company offers 20% discount on bulk purchase like yours. We also prov ide free
delivery. We would also like to make it clear that we do not take responsibility of the items
damaged during transportation.

We hope that the information enclosed here is up to your expectation. Please feel free to
communicate for any type of clarification. Please visit our website for more details.

We look forward for a lifelong business deal.


Waiting for your reply,
Thank you. Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
Sales Manager,
Ajinkya Glass Works
Enclosures:
• Price List
Brochure of Service Terms & Conditions

English Science
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3. Placing Order English for Specific Purposes
Placing order is a part of regular process in all the organizations. This
process begins with the letter of enquiry. After we receive price details i.e.
quotations of the items from different organizations, we chose the most affordable
but the best quality product. Accordingly, we place orders.
While placing an order following guidelines can be followed.
• Mention reference number of the letter sent by the other party/ company.
• Describe the item precisely i.e. give the exact details of shape, size, colour,
quality and quantity.
• Clearly state details regarding discounts, transportation, after sales
services, etc.
• Clearly state the mode of payment and the tentative period for making
payment.
• Give precise address for delivery of the parcel and expected date of
delivery.
• Do not forget to mention about insurance of the goods.
A Specimen Letter
Rahul Electronics
Shop No. 27, Ramraje Shopping Centre,
Phaltan, Dist- Satara. Pin- 415523
Tel- 02166- 244212 Email: [email protected]

Ref. Purchase/Santosh/37 Date: 10th January, 2019

To,
The Sales Manager,
LG Electronics,
115, MIDC,Ranjangaon

Subject: Purchase Order


Reference: Your letter no. LG/Sales/Enquiry/7314 dated 15 th December, 2018
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Thank you for your quotation dated 15th December, 2018. We are pleased to place an
order for the following electronic items for our agency.

Sr. Item Description Colour Size Type Quantity


No.
1 Black 18 Inches LED 5
2 Black 18 Inches LED, Smart 2
3 Black 24 Inches LED 5
4 Black 24 Inches LED, Smart 2
5 LG Television Set Black 32 Inches LED 5
6 Black 32 Inches LED, Smart 5
7 Black 43 Inches LED 5
8 Black 43 Inches LED, Smart 2
9 Black 49 Inches LED, Smart 2
TOTAL 33
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English for Specific Purposes We request you to send all the above items at the earliest. The cheque no. 244612 for
50% advance payment has been attached herewith. We shall make the remaining payment within
3 working days of receipt of the ordered items. Our agency shall not accept any damaged items
at any cost.

We request you to process the order at the earliest.


Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
Rajesh Shinde
Purchase Manager,
Rahul Electronics

4. Letter of Complaint and Response


In business, there may be some mistakes and mishaps due to different
reasons. In case there is a loss for none of your mistakes, it is your right to ask for
recovery of the loss from the supplier. If things go wrong with our order, we
complain about them to the supplier and ask for recovery of the loss. Sometimes
the problem is easily solved and sometimes the problem may be stretched up to
breaking the business relations. A complaint letter should be very specific and
should mention clearly the mistakes, breakage, discrepancy, misplaced items,
problems in billing, etc. In a letter of complaint do not blame anybody. Just inform
the supplier or the other party about the problem and the compensation you should
get for the same. Be defensively firm in making complaint.
If you are writing a complaint letter as an authority in some organization,
the letter should be on the letter head. It should include reference number. On the
other hand, if you are complaining as an individual, write it on a plain paper. Do
not forget to write your name and address in the upper right corner.

A Specimen Letter of Complaint

Rahul Electronics
Shop No. 27, Ramraje Shopping Centre,
Phaltan, Dist- Satara. Pin- 415523
Tel- 02166- 244212 Email: [email protected]

Ref. Complaint/Santosh/84 Date: 24th January, 2019

To,
The Sales Manager,
LG Electronics,
115, MIDC,Ranjangaon

Subject: Complaint about delivered product


English Science Reference: 1) Your letter no. LG/Sales/Enquiry/7314 dated 15 th December, 2018
76 And Technology
2) Our Purchase order Ref. Purchase/ Santosh/37 dated 10/01/2018
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Dear Sir, English for Specific Purposes

We would like to draw your attention to the discrepancy in the items received as per our
th
purchase order dated 10 January, 2019.

The quantity of the sr. no. 4 in our order is 2 but you have sent 5 items. The Sr. no. 9 in
our order Says LG Television Set, Black, 49 Inches LED Smart and the quantity is 2. However,
you have sent 5 items instead of 2.

We hereby request you to replace the items within 10 days. We will return the misplaced
items only on receiving the items ordered. We shall make the payment only after receiving the
ordered items.
Waiting for your reply,
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
Rajesh Shinde
Purchase Manager,
Rahul Electronics

Reply

LG Electronics
115, MIDC,Ranjangaon
Tal- Shirur, Dist- Pune. Pin- 412220
Tel-02138-225601 Email: [email protected]
Website: www.lg.com

Ref. No. Sales/Jan/2019-614 Date: 28th January, 2019

To,
Rajesh Shinde
Purchase Manager,
Rahul Electronics,
Phaltan- 415523

Subject: Complaint about delivered product

Reference: Your letter Ref. Complaint/Santosh/84 dated 24th January, 2019


Dear Sir,

We are sorry to learn about the misplaced items from your purchase order referred above.
We are sending you the items as per your order. We request you to return the misplaced items
immediately after verifying items received as per your order.

To maintain our business relations, the company has decided to bear all the expenses
incurred on transportation.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience.

Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
For LG Electronics English Science
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English for Specific Purposes 3.4.3 Task: 3
• Write an application for the post of Research Assistant in Koyna Co-
operative Milk & Milk Products, Karad.
• Write a letter of appointment to the post of Data Entry Operator in Suyog
Enterprises, Powai Naka, Satara. Pin- 415001.
• Make enquiry for purchasing 10 water coolers for your company.
• Write reply to the above enquiry.
• Write a letter of complaint about ‘Insufficient water supply in your area’ to
the Water Supply Division in your area.

3.5 RESUME/ CURRICULUM VITAE


3.5.1 Introduction
Generally after graduation, most of us start looking for suitable jobs. The process
begins with writing an application letter. As we have discussed above, an
application letter should be supported with a resume or curriculum vitae or bio-
data and relevant documents. Many government and non-government
organizations provide a printed application form which we need to fill in and
submit. We can write a brief covering letter as discussed above. We attach resume
to the application letter. Let’s discuss some issues related to resume here.
Objectives
Objectives of this section are as follows.
• To know what is resume/ curriculum vitae/ bio-data.
• To understand the structure of a resume.
• To know different aspects to be specified in a resume.

3.5.2 Preparing C. V. (Curriculum Vitae):


Most of the times, interviewers ask questions related to the information given in
our Curriculum Vitae. Hence, our C.V. should be well organised and
systematically presented. A good curriculum vitae is a reflection of our
personality. It includes most of our important details. It includes a few of the
following details.

Personal details
• Full Name (All letters capital)
• Address (Correspondence, Permanent, Email)
• Contact Numbers (Mobile, Landline, Some optional number/s)
• Date of Birth
English Science • Gender
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• Marital Status English for Specific Purposes
• Nationality
Educational Qualifications: Educational qualification can be written in different
ways. The most commonly used format is tabular. However, one may take liberty
to write the details in single line using space. Whatever is the format, it should
include following details.
• Education (in reverse chronology—latest at the top)
• Details of degree—date, grade, institution, specialization, etc.
o Professional Qualifications:
• Details of any technical qualifications such as computer courses, typing,
any other subject/ job related course, etc.
o Work Experience
• Employment details such as name of the company, designation, nature of
responsibilities along with dates.
o Other Relevant Information
• Languages known
• Hobbies and Interest
o Special achievements (Mostly relevant to the post)
o References: For the purpose of verification of character, some
organizations demand references. References are names of two persons
with their communication details such as contact numbers, addresses and
email addresses. The person we have given details should know about us in
details. At least one person of the two the persons should be from the
profession we want to enter.
o Undertaking: Every resume should end with undertaking. In the
undertaking we agree to the terms that the information mentioned in the
resume is true and if it is false, our candidature may get cancelled.

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English for Specific Purposes A sample curriculum vitae/ resume is as follows.
CURRICULUM VITAE

Name: Miss RAJANI SURESH SUTAR


Address:
Correspondence:
At-/ Post- Ozarde,
Tal- Wai, Dist.- Satara
Maharashtra. Pin- 412803

Permanent: As above
Email: [email protected]
Contact Number: 9765157945/ 7588056405
Gender: Female
Date of Birth: 19th March, 1998
Marital Status: Unmarried/ Single
Nationality: Indian

Academic Qualification

Class/ Name of the Year of Subject/s Percentage/ Remark


Degree Board/ Passing Grade
University
B.Sc. III Shivaji 2019 Chemistry 67.83
B.Sc. II University, 2018 Chemistry, Botany 62.56
B.Sc. I Kolhapur 2017 Chemistry, Botany, 64.60
Physics, Zoology
H.S.C. Maharashtra 2016 English, Chemistry, 58.92
State Board Physics, Biology,
Geography
S.S.C. Maharashtra 2014 English, Marathi, Hindi, 56.40
State Board Maths, Science, Social
Science
Professional Qualification
Typing:

Language 30 WPM
Marathi B Grade
English A Grade
Computer Knowledge:

• MSCIT , Grade A
Languages Known

Language Read Write Speak Understand


Marathi Yes Yes Yes Yes
English Yes Yes Yes Yes
Hindi Yes Yes Yes Yes
German Yes Yes No Yes

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Hobbies English for Specific Purposes
• Listening Songs
Work Experience: NIL

UNDERTAKING

I, Rajani Suresh Sutar, hereby submit that the information furnished above is true to the
best of my knowledge. I am awar e that any discrepancy, if uninformed, shall suffice to cancel
my candidature.

Place: Wai Sd/-


Date: 25/05/2019 (Rajani Suresh Sutar)

3.5.3 Task: 4
• Write an application for the post of a junior clerk in the Indian Institute of
Education, Earandwane, Pune-10. Attach your detailed C.V. with necessary
documents.
• Write your detailed C.V. for the post of an assistant editor at a leading
newspaper in Satara.

3.6 WRITING PARAGRAPH AND DEVELOPING IDEAS


3.6.1 Introduction
Writing is a complex skill. We need to know several things to master the
skill. We should know the script first, then words. We should also know the
structures in which these words are organised to present meaningful ideas and
thoughts. It takes considerable time depending on amount of efforts you put to
master the skill. Organizing ideas into a paragraph is even a more complex skill. In
this section, we will study organization of a passage and development of ideas for
effective presentation.
Objectives
Objectives of this topic are as follows.
• To know the structure of a paragraph.
• To understand different requirements of an organised paragraph.
• To develop ideas into coherent paragraphs.

3.6.2 Characteristics of an Effective Paragraph


A paragraph is a unit of writing. It comes at the fourth place in the ascending
hierarchy that begins with a “word’ followed by ‘phrase’ and ‘sentence.’ It is a
group of connected sentences that express a single idea. Each sentence in a
paragraph is connected to other sentences. Particularly, it is connected with the
preceding and succeeding sentences. The central thought or idea is the connecting
English Science
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English for Specific Purposes An effective paragraph has three important characteristics.
1) Unity: Every paragraph has a central idea. It is called the ‘controlling idea’.
If all the sentences in the paragraph are related to the controlling idea, it is
said to have unity. Unity is logical connection of sentences with the
controlling idea. The unnecessary introduction or digression destroys unity
of the paragraph.
2) Coherence: It is expected that all the sentences are developed one after
another. They are linked and connected content-wise. There is a beginning,
a logical middle and a logical end to the paragraph. All this together is called
‘coherence’. Coherence is connectedness.
3) Completeness: It is expected that a sentence has logical connection with
the preceding as well as succeeding sentence. The writer should also
understand needs of topic. Accordingly, s/he should use explanations,
illustrations and other relevant material. The reader should have a feeling of
wholeness and completeness; there should not be any doubt or question in
the mind after reading the paragraph.
Study the following example.
Bombay Renamed as Mumbai
In the Marathi language, Bombay has been referred to as Mumbai for more than
200 years. But it has not always been so. Mumbai has an ancient temple dedicated
to Mumbadevi. The real name of the deity was MahaAmba Devi or
MahaAmbaAyi (Mother). MahaAmbaAyi got corrupted to MahaAmbayi, then to
Mambayi and finally to Mumbai. According Murray’s Handbook, the name is
possibly derived from MumbaBai, the word used by the local kolis for the
goddess. The Portuguese think the word ‘Bombay’ is derived from the Portuguese
words—Bom Bahia or Fair Bay.
The above paragraph is about origin of the name of famous Indian city Mumbai.
Each sentence in the paragraph is logically connected to each other and also to the
topic. It follows unity, coherence and also completeness. Though, it is a short
paragraph, it gives minimum required information.
Study and analyse the following examples for understanding characteristics of an
organised paragraph.
Education is the instrument for social, economic and cultural change. If we are to
work for social and national integration, if we are to foster moral and spiritual
values, and increase productivity, agricultural and industrial, we have to use
education in a proper way. Science and technology will help us to solve the
problems of hunger and poverty, of disease and illiteracy, of superstition and
deadening custom, of vast resources running to waste, of a rich country inhabited
by poor people. We have to free ourselves from the inertias and inefficiencies
which have bogged down our programmes of development. Our administration, at
all levels, should become clean and efficient.
Source: Speeches of Dr. S. Radhakrishna, The Publications Division, Government
English Science of India, New Delhi
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This paragraph is about the changes that the speaker visualizes after adequate English for Specific Purposes
education. The first sentence of the paragraph is the topic sentence. The second
and third sentences speak about different changes which the speaker thinks
education can bring. The fourth sentence adds changes at the level of mind. The
last sentence speaks about on more change that education can bring about. In this
way, the paragraph follows all the essential characteristics of a good paragraph.
Jogging
There are three reasons why I prefer jogging to other sports. One reason is that
jogging is a cheap sport. I can practice it anywhere at any time with no need for a
ball or any other equipment. Another reason why I prefer jogging is that it is
friendly to my heart. I don’t have to exhaust myself or do excessive efforts while
jogging. Finally, I prefer this sport because it is safe. It isn’t as risky as other sports
like gymnastics, racing or horseback riding. For all these reasons, I consider
jogging the best sport of all.

3.6.3 Developing Ideas


An idea is a result of mental activity. It may be a thought, notion,
impression, or a way of thinking. It can be converted into reality or can be
presented in the form of a thought and circulated. The process of developing an
idea begins with generating idea in the mind. There are several sources of ideas.
Some of them are as follows.
1) Need: Need is at the root of many new ideas. You want to solve a problem.
You try hard and try different options you have. Certainly, use of different
options gives you some idea.
2) Change: Change is another source of new ideas. When circumstances
change, you have to adjust with them. However, we want to make the most
of what we have. For this, we try to find out something new so that we do not
get troubled.
3) Whim: This is some unknown source. This happens to us. We want to do
something different that impresses others. In attempting this, we think the
otherwise giving birth to a new idea.
4) Reading: Anything written has something new, something that we have not
experienced. If we read more, we get new ideas based on the ideas presented
in the book.
5) Experience: When we work, we face certain problems. We try to solve
these problems by trying different things. This process of ‘trying’ gives us
sound and innovative ideas to work with. They may be useful immediately
or in the near future.
6) Interpretation: When we read or experience something, we often
associate our background knowledge to it. This leads us to a different
interpretation. Differences in interpretation often give birth to novel ideas.

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English for Specific Purposes 7) Discussion: Some ideas take birth in some discussions, either casual or
formal. In a discussion also people present their points. These points make
us think about some issue from our own perspective. This helps us generate
a new idea.
Once we have ideas, we can develop them as per our needs and
requirements. First of all we need to use the ‘5W—1H’ questioning technique. We
should ask some questions like ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘when’, ‘when’, ‘who’ and ‘how’.
The sequence of question may differ from situation to situation.
For example I have an idea that I should use projector for teaching in the
classroom. The first question is ‘Why’. My answer is ‘If I use projector, students
will understand better and quicker.’ The second question is ‘where’ and my answer
is ‘In the classroom of B.Sc. I’. I already have answers to the questions ‘What’ and
‘Who’. Thus, I can justify my idea and implement it if other factors related to it
work as per my expectation.
Apart from questioning, we can think of shape, size, origin, utility,
availability, prices, etc. of object in discussion. The more we think, the more ideas
for expansion come to our mind.
Let’s discuss an example of ‘Use of Helmet’ in details.
Questions-
1) Who should use a helmet?
Any person who is riding a two-wheeler of any type should use helmet.
2) Why?
It is mandatory to use helmet according to the law. Helmet protects you
from severe injury in an accident. It also protects you from air pressure
experienced during riding a two-wheeler. It protects you from severe noise
pollution also.
3) When?
One should put on helmet in all conditions.
4) Where?
Helmet can be used everywhere on the road.
5) How?
Helmet is very easy to wear. You can choose any type of helmet available in
the market. Only take care that you are comfortable in the helmet.
6) Is it easy?
Yes. It is very easy to put on and put out.
7) Is it risky?
It is not at all risky to use helmet.
8) Is it costly?
English Science Helmets of different type are available in the market. We can choose the
84 And Technology affordable one.

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9) What are the benefits? English for Specific Purposes
Easy to use. Protects from air and noise pollution.Protects from rain and
water. Helps reduce intensity of an accident.
10) What are the disadvantages?
You need to carry it wherever you go. Some two-wheelers do not have space
for helmet. If helmet is heavy, it may cause neck pain.

Now these answers can organised into a paragraph.


Use of Helmet
Recently, the government of Maharashtra made use of helmet mandatory while
riding any type of two-wheeler. This has made us think about the use of helmet
critically. The law says that the person who is driving and the person who is sitting
at the back also need to wear helmet. This has several security reasons. First,
helmet reduces intensity of an accident by protecting our head from any type of
injury. Helmet is designed in such a way that it reduces intensity of impact by
making it slide. Second, helmet reduces fatigue caused by constant air pressure on
our body, particularly on our head. Helmet protects us from air and rain. Third, a
helmet does not allow us to speak on mobile phone and thus protects us from
distractions. Fourth, using helmet is very easy.
There are several complaints about use of helmet. First, every two-wheeler rider
need to carry at least two helmets which is practically difficult. Many of the two-
wheelers do not have space for helmet. Second, some people undergo neck-pain
due to heavy helmets. Third, some people are comfortable without helmet.
Helmets are available everywhere these days. They are available in different
shapes, size and colours. The prices of helmet vary from Rs. 300 to 5000. It is up to
the user to choose the helmet suitable to her/ his needs.
In this way we can put together all our answers to write a paragraph.

3.6.4 Task: 5
• Analyse any five paragraphs from your English textbook for different
characteristics of a paragraph.
• Elaborate your ideas about the following topics.
a) Air pollution in Pune
b) Jobs with night shift for women
c) College Elections
d) Facebook friendship
e) Loss of Communication due to use of Smartphones
f) Non-prescribed medication in India
English Science
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English for Specific Purposes
UNIT 4:
ENGLISH IN THE MEDIA
AND ADVERTISING WORLD
Contents:
4.0 Objectives
4.1 General English and English in the Media and Advertising World
4.1.1 Difference between General English and English in the Media and
Advertising World
4.1.2 Actual Uses of English
4.1.3 Check Your Progress: I
4.1.4 Terminology Used
4.1.5 Use of Abbreviations
4.1.6 Check Your Progress II
4.1.7 The Structure and Language of a Media Report in the Print and in the
Electronic Format
4.1.8 Check Your Progress III
4.1.9 The Structure and Language of an Advertisement in the Print and in the
Electronic Format
4.1.10 Check Your Progress IV
4.1.11 Familiarising Oneself with the Various Stylistic Devices in a Print Medium
Report
4.1.12 Familiarising Oneself with the Various Stylistic Devices in an
Advertisement
4.1.13 Check Your Progress: V
4.1.14 Tackling Texts of Media Reports and Advertisements for the Purpose of
Negotiating Meaning in them
4.1.15Exercises
4.1.16Answers to Check Your Progress I
4.1.17Answers to Check Your Progress II
4.1.18Answers to Check Your Progress III
4.1.19Answers to Check Your Progress IV
4.1.20Answers to Check Your Progress V

English in the Media


86 and Advertising World

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4.0 Objectives English for Specific Purposes
1. To acquaint students with the unique use of English in the fields of media
and advertising
2. To introduce to them difference between General English and English used
in media and advertising
3. To explain to them the difference between the print and the electronic
formats
4. To bring to their notice the unique stylistic features of English used in media
and advertising
5. To sensitise them about the problems of meaning making in the fields of
media and advertising

Introduction
English in the media and advertising arenas is indeed unique and special. It
embraces and yet transcends the regular, daily use of the language. Let us begin
with a concrete example that would substantiate such a statement. In 1941 was
released an iconic film entitled Citizen Kane. The lore is that it reflects the lives
and careers of media Moghuls such as W.R. Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer.
Whosoever maybe the persona whose life inspired this epoch-making film, what
is remarkable about this biopic is the refrain like use of a word. When the
protagonist, Kane -- whose descent into a power hungry tycoon, who once upon a
time was a passionate idealist, the film deals with --dies, his deathbed dictum is
“rosebud”. It encompasses all the special qualities of English in the media and
advertising world. It is monosyllabic. It is highly memorable. It is crisp. It is
precise, and yet it is highly suggestive, evoking all possible significations. It
makes the listener curious so much so that it has generated an interpretive frenzy
ad infinitum. In brief, typically in the fashion of English in the media and
advertising arenas, it is a wor(l)d, that is, the word defining the world.
Why is it indeed necessary to think of English in the media and advertising arenas?
Well, facts and figures as ever speak the loudest. Experts such as R. K. Madhukar
present the much quoted Indian Readership Survey (in 2007-- when the mobile
mania was yet to effectively enter any ‘G’) which maintains:
1. Television, press, satellite, radio and cinema are the five major media
2. All the five media put together cover only 68 per cent adult population and
59.4 per cent of the rural population.
3. The number of adults (12 + years) estimated is 815 million, of which 253
million are in urban areas and 562 million in rural areas.
4. The coverage is highest for TV at 444 million (54.5%), 311 million (38.2%)
for press, 242 million (29.7%) for satellite, 175 million (21.5%) for radio
and 82 million (10%) for cinema.
5. Among the English newspapers, the Times of India has the largest
English in the Media
circulation (29.84 lakh) followed by Hindustan Times (13.05 lakh), the and Advertising World 87
Hindu (12.71 lakh), Deccan Chronicle (8.85 lakh).
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English for Specific Purposes 6. Magazines such as India Today have a readership of 3 million and Reader`s
Digest, 2 million.
We have to remember that confluence of media that is ruling the roost today was
yet to happen then. Even in those days, such, such was the rich reach of media.
Hence the need to study the topic at the heart of this unit!

4.1 GENERAL ENGLISH AND ENGLISH IN THE MEDIA AND


ADVERTISING WORLD
4.1.1 Difference between General English and English in the Media and
Advertising World
If we are to understand the difference between General English and the
English for special purposes as used in the media and advertising, we have to place
both in the context of the communication cycle. Thus would we understand the
difference and similarities between these two uses of English. Both General
English (GE henceforth) and English in fields of media and advertising (EMA
henceforth) have the two basic factors of any communication event, namely, the
sender and the receiver.
But the similarity ends there. The GE communication is interactive, bi-
focal, bi-directional. Let us look at a concrete example. When a lecturer delivers a
lecture, the students are responding to him at least non-verbally. They may nod, jot
down points. In the worst scenario, they may doze off. A bright spark may pose a
question to clarify her doubts. In other words, there is a back-n-forth, to-n-fro kind
of momentum that defines, that paces the communication. When it comes to
EMA, there is no such channelising. It is a one-way communication. Sure some
newspapers have the “Readers’ Letter” column. But it responds to the theme, not
to the journalist or the editor who penned it. When it comes to advertising, there is
absolutely no such response window open. Of course, the readers/viewers can
object to an advert. Yet again, such a response is a reaction that addresses the
content, but not the content generator, the sender in the communication cycle.
Since there is such an imbalance between both the sender and receiver (both
of whom are invisible to each other), the communication they share is horizontal.
That is to say, the sender, that is, be it the reporter/writer/director of an EMA does
not share any hierarchical relationship between her and the receiver(s). On the
contrary, the GE communication is both horizontal and vertical. A concrete
example may help us understand this fact. When a lecturer is communicating with
another lecturer, she is communicating horizontally. On the contrary, when she is
communicating with the principal, she is communicating vertically. Hence the GE
communication is defined by the relationship between the communication
partners. It can be formal, semi-formal, informal, frozen as per the relationship
that the partners share. When a child talks to his mother, it is an intimate
communication, while it is informal, when it comes to his father or a friend. But if
this boy is to talk to the Minister of Education, the communication would be
frozen, for instance. The EMA by contrast is neutral in tone. True, the content
English in the Media
and Advertising World differs as per the gender, age, social or educational status of the listener/the reader.
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Undoubtedly, the advert targeting kids, the adolescents, the adults would be English for Specific Purposes
different content and language wise. Yet the tone is the same for each recipient. Its
neutrality is not altered as per the listener.
In a way, such a difference arises because the GE communication is
individuated. That is to say, there is a bi-directional, give-n-take bond the sender
and the receiver share. The EMA communication is more an anonymous, faceless
group activity wherein the sender is addressing each and yet none of the receivers
individually/separately. An example may suffice. The “Dollar” ad, for example,
addresses every man, and at the same time, none because an entity or a group is the
target audience.
That brings us to yet another difference between the GE and the EMA.
Often, the EMA may use a celebrity, be it an actor or a star player, to attract the
receiver. Often hence the language is subtly unreal because the actor/player is
using the script written by the script-writer, and as directed and designed by the
director. In the GE context, it is a real life situation. Hence the language is real,
even when incorrect.
Let us look at yet another difference between the two. The purpose behind
the EMA communication is often either to entertain or to persuade or to cajole.
T.V. programmes entertain us, while ads cajole us. Sure, the news or the
documentaries inform/educate us. Even then, the purposes behind the EMA
communication are limited. The GE communication, on the contrary, has a gamut
of purposes. Hence its intention(s) makes its content, why, the very
communication richer.

4.1.2 Actual Uses of English


How is reflected linguistically? The GE communication may use
incomplete sentences as often the context clarifies and defines them. A mobile
conversation can be the best example. Most often, the GE communication would
use simple statements, monolingual words. The sentence length may vary, but the
sentences most often would be short. The EMA would be more artistic
consciously.
Let us think of a few more concrete examples in addition to the ones referred
to so far en passim. In GE, for example, nobody would use a portmanteau word
such as `butterlicious’ (however tasty the `utterly, butterly` dish may be) or
`brangelina’ (however inseparable the couple may be), for instance. Let us look at
a few more examples. GE would be “XYZ Bank would be making 20 more ATM`s
available on the city outskirts from April to October”, while the print medium
headline would read “XYZ Bank expands its ATM base beyond city bounds in
Q1”. Let us look at yet another example. GE would be “Most students from XYZ
Class score 90% per cent, and above.” The EMA on a huge hoarding would be
“Toppers Treat XYZ Class to Tremendous Trends”. There is an unmistakable
jazzing up in the EMA, given its unique features we discussed so far.
Are there any similarities at all between these two types of communication?
English in the Media
Surely both the varieties use the face-to-face as well as not-so-direct and Advertising World 89
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English for Specific Purposes communication. Let us look at example. As far as GE goes, we may chat with a
friend face-to-face or we may write an e-mail or an sms or a letter or we may call
her up. As for the EMA, when an actress inaugurates a jeweler’s shop, she
addresses us face-to-face about the brand. Often though, she may appear on the
screen to prove to us that `shampoo abc’ or `soap xyz’ will make us as pretty as it
has beautified her.
Similarly, both use different modes (verbal and non-verbal) while
communicating. Let us use a few examples to clarify this point.
When we actually use English in real life, not only do we use the non-verbal
body language, but we use also supra linguistic phenomena such as sentence stress
and intonation to convey our meaning. Let us look at concrete examples. The
sentence is “I like English”. If my sentence stress is on “I”, it would mean, I sure do
like English; you may or may not. If the sentence stress is on “English”, it would
mean, I may not like Chinese, but I sure love English.
Similarly, the statement “she is beautiful” said with a falling intonation
would be a statement, while the rising intonation would make it an ironic
comment, while a fall-rise kind of intonation may suggest a doubt about her
intellectual capabilities; the typical reaction when it comes to women, right?
EMA uses such supra linguistic effects in non-print mode very effectively as
mostly proficient performers are roped in to present the content. In the print mode,
there would be different font sizes, font types/shapes, bolding, spacing, for
instance. There could be accompanying charts, diagrams, other visuals such as
snaps or cartoons.

4.1.3 Check Your Progress: I


1. Present the differences between General English and English for media and
advertising in a tabular form. Present these as bullets.
2. Given a few more examples of portmanteau words as used in advertising.
3. Discuss the communication cycle in the context of General English.
Contrast it with English for media and advertising. Try to give your own
examples to substantiate your analysis.
4. Discuss the similarities between the two types of language with your own
examples.

4.1.4 Terminology Used


Despite such similarities, we have to remember that EMA is after all a
specific use of English. It hence uses specific terminology. Such specific
terminology performs two functions primarily. First and foremost, it adds to the
brand value. Often this is the basic function of the EMA. The best and most well-
known of such a use of terminology is the `Amul’ advertisement. This particular
ad promotes a milk product which is actually perishable. So the advertisement
English in the Media uses English in such a way that the brand acquires permanence. Moreover, the
90 and Advertising World language used is such that it makes a light-hearted yet deep comment on the

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contemporary context. Let us look at an actual example. Recently, there was a English for Specific Purposes
political furor over the Government of India proposal regarding the three language
formula. The Amul tagline was “Amul speaks your language”, fortified by a fun
comment, “Different mother tongues/common butter tongue”.
The other function that terminology performs in the field of EMA is that it
gives the ephemeral media and advertising context the gravitas of the `register’.
The concept of register refers to the use of vocabulary specific to a professional
filed/activity. The easiest example of this would be the term `plot’. In print
advertisements that deal with property issues, it would mean a piece of land with a
particular measurement, while it would mean a strategy to finish off someone for
those who have a criminal bent of mind. The literary enthusiast, however, would
understand the temporal and causal structure that binds a story into an effective
narration.
In a way, such a use of register is central to the print medium. Byline is what
any journalist covets. Every newspaper has an edit page (page number 13)
consisting of the editorial, the lead article, the middle, et al. Most often, pages 14-
15 would use business English because they deal with commerce, business, the
share market, et al. The last few pages would use English for sports because that is
the theme of these pages. “Love all” would mean tennis herein these pages.
We have to, moreover, remember that media are a profession after all.
Hence terminology could mean the media related jargon, the media-ted register.
Let us look refers at a few such examples. “Audience extension”, for example, is a
process of expanding the target audience through relevance and by maximizing
engagement. ”Behavioural targeting” refers to the advertising technique that uses
the client’s previous spending patterns so as to release relevant/similar ads to his
account. CPC is cost per click, that is, the price an advertiser pays to the publisher
as per the footprint. Cross-channel is media applying across multiple formats and
devices. “Daypart” refers to the block of time that divides a day into segments for
delivery. It is thus that we talk of “prime time”. “Instream” is an ad that appears
within a piece of content. If characters in a serial advertise a particular brand, they
are instreaming it, for instance. ”Linear TV”, for example, refers to live
televiewing watched as scheduled. It is not VOD or video on demand that is pre-
recorded. “Message recall” gauges the effectiveness of an ad. “Real-Time
bidding” is for milliseconds that an ad may use. We all know the “set-top box” and
the “target audience”, right?

4.1.5 Use of Abbreviations


Such professional jargon obviously has its own set of abbreviations. The
PTI (Press Trust of India) is the most trustworthy source of information, for
instance. RTB is real time bidding of ads. SSP is supply side platform, that is,
modules used to sell advertising in an automated fashion. UDID is the identifier
assigned to a device and its user. VTR is the view through rate of a programme or
an ad. Hence the TRP! That needs measuring the PII, personally identifiable
information of the viewer or user. MRC is the media raing council controlling English in the Media
audience measurement processes. GRP is the gross rating point of advertising and Advertising World 91
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English for Specific Purposes campaigns. DOOH is out-of-home ad or content viewing by the consumers on the
go, such as in transit, in supermarkets or in waiting lounges. DMA is designated
area such as the north, for instance. KPI is key performance indicator.
Endless are such terms and abbreviations. We have here listed the most used and
hence the more relevant ones.

4.1.6 Check Your Progress II


In addition to the terms and abbreviations, list at least five more of each
with a brief explanation and a possible example, if necessary.

4.1.7 The Structure and Language of a Media Report in the Print and in the
Electronic Format
Media reports are indeed unique. They are not mere pretty words. They are
not words for our artistic consumption. Nor is their content like a poem, for
instance, to be enjoyed in the individual space. Rather, they are in the public space.
They mould our attitudes and views. They de-sign our public personae for sure. In
brief, media reports are wor(l)ds, that is, the word defining the world.
Special hence is the use of language in the media, the format, print or
electronic, notwithstanding. Media, whether print and especially the electronic,
tend to use monosyllabic words. Undoubtedly, we do have newspapers such as
The Hindu that use a consciously erudite, hence multi-syllabic version of English.
As usual, however, the exception proves the rule. Most often the language used is
the “in” version, rather chatty, quite folksy. It is not just the city pull-outs that use
such a trending language. The center spread, too, such is that the written/read
words have a spoken/heard quality to them. Such a use of language makes the
report more inclusive as far as the readership goes. Let us look at a few headlines to
prove this point. “NNET cut-off jumps” reads the page 1 headline of a report that
analyses `med admissions getting tougher”. The subtitle of this report is “Raj Boy
Tops with Best-Ever Score.” Another headline yells “RBI set to cut rate, but will
banks pass it on?” Yet another assures “mun-Pune possible in 2 hrs with train
upgrade, says rlys”. The climate report is indeed sizzling because it reads”, at 50 ?
C-plus, its tandoori nights and days in Rajasthan’s Churu”. Actually, in the last
one, the last one, the apostrophe‘s is not exactly used. But that is the language of
media reports. In the electronic media, be it the multi-channel TV. or the portals or
the new-fangled internet enabled sites, the language of media reports is indeed
light on the eyes and ears. Listen in to the noisy debates on the channels, and you
would agree that despite being all sound-n-fury, they are sense for the average
viewer because of the simple, straightforward language.
In other words, the language seems to be targeting the minimum
comprehension of an average reader (print medium) or viewer (electronic
medium). The language hence is highly mnemonic, that is to say, it has a feel that
makes it easy to remember. Look at this example. “H-1B issual down 10% in’18”.
English in the Media The effect of the Trump card on immigration policy thus becomes easy to
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remember. How about “Lending worries leading to credit freeze”? The bank English for Specific Purposes
crisis could not be more memorable than this.
In brief, the language media reports use is crisp. It is precise, and yet it is
highly suggestive, evoking all possible significations. It makes the listener curious
so that she reads/listens on. “India have a ball at the Bowl” is sure to make any
cricket fan curious/ Mind you, such a use of language is more obvious on the
electronic media platforms. Look up and listen in to any documentary, be it on
complex issues such as migration or environment, all the linguistic features
mentioned so are would be abundantly available. The e-version sof the
newspapers can corroborate this statement easily. We have chosen to quote print
reports because they can be easily reproduced in the print study material.
Now let us look at the structure of the report. Undoubtedly, in the electronic
space, whether it be the TV. or the e-zines (electronic magazines) or portals, the
design of the report is such that it appeals to the eye. In addition to abundant
pictures that have the mobility of a film, the titling would use different font shapes,
sizes, for instant. There is a subtle colour co-ordination that tells its own story.
Structure, in brief, is the gate to the content, and hence is made visually attractive.
This visuality glares at the reader even in the structure and design of a print
media report. Apparently, the print reports always have a re-searched look to them,
whether it be a news item, a lead (article), an interview, a review, or an article with
a byline. They do not appear as ephemeral as the `now-here-n-gone-now’
electronic reports. Actually, there are back-ups of the electronic media reports as
well. But it is the print report that has the `ever after’ citable feel. Hence the
appearance of re-search. The print report, whether in a newspaper or a magazine,
is always guided by the grid. In the grid, the visual, that is, wither a snap or a graph,
etc is often so situated that it guides the reader’s eye. In addition, different font
sizes and shapes are used for the headline, the supplementary to the headline, and
the descriptive caption/brief below the picture. To avoid the verbose effect, the
print reports are dictated by the despotic word limit, most often 250 words or two
columns. Within a page set-up, the reports are combined in the horizontal and
vertical design, most often by a software. So the page has a very neat and
presentable look. Often, there is an inset inbox that summarises the report as bullet
points.

4.1.8 Check Your Progress III


Analyse any two media reports as per the discussion in this unit.

4.1.9 The Structure and Language of an Advertisement in the Print and in


the Electronic Format
A report, whichever may be the medium, often has some authentic and
sincere effect to it. Supposedly, it must be the intention that generates this effect. A
media report informs, relates, connects, motivates, even educates and trains. An
advertisement, on the contrary, entertains, primarily promotes a ware or a service, English in the Media
though it may motivate a reader to become better than what he is now through `the and Advertising World 93
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English for Specific Purposes envy of the neighbor, pride of the owner’ mantra and may thus facilitate the
decision making process.
In addition to such a difference in the purpose, it can, moreover, be said that
both are differently positioned. If a media report is in the public space, an
advertisement is more of mass communication. It mocks elitist pretensions, while
subtly making elitism an aspirational goal. In other words, an advert is multi-
layered in its communication, unlike the upfront report. Hence both the structure
and language of an advert, whether print or electronic or pop-up’s on the web page,
are more hypnotizing, almost seductive.
An advert has many avatars, too. It can be print, audio, video, audio-video.
In the print mode itself, it can meet us as fillers, hoardings, banners, leaflets,
stickers, danglers, and what have you. Whatever may be the mode or the medium,
an advert is governed by a grid, too. This grid has two factors, namely, the
picture/the visual and the message. Often positioned diagonally in the grid, they
create the background/foreground effect. The picture may dominate the upper left
of the grid while the message may be in the foreground, to the right, in the lower
part of the grid as it appears closest to the viewer. In other words, both visually and
spatially, an ad is highly creative. Let us look at an example. Most all people know
the Amul ad. It has the Amul girl as a constant. It dramatizes the content by
introducing other characters as per the context. These visuals, the brand logo and
the tagline are colour–coordinated as per the context. But the jingle that carries the
message is always foregrounded. Theses visual effects get a kinetic effect in the
electronic mode. So it is easier to narrate a story in the electronic advert. Look at
the Prithvi Shaw ad of a stationery group. The `cool’ (ice-cream!) effect is very
effectively narrated in the small little dramatisation of the goading/grumbling
coach, the efficient and motivated cricket player, the cheer-girl-like admiring
audience/spectators drooling innocently over both the ice-cream and the hero. The
electronic ad can effortlessly narrate the message, most often with celebrities as
the lead support.
The language in an advert hence is minimal. The mnemonic jingle is very
catchy. Since an ad has a mass appeal, the language has a very know-able feel. It is
crisp, it is precise. Basically though, it is more a secondary prop in conveying the
message.

4.1.10 Check Your Progress IV


Analyse any two advertisements, preferably one print and one electronic, as
per the discussion in this unit.

4.1.11Familiarising Oneself with the Various Stylistic Devices in a Print


Medium Report
Often it is jokingly maintained that failed but aspiring authors throng the
journalistic and advertising fields. This universally acknowledged fact is amply
English in the Media and effectively corroborated in the stylistic devices making even a drab report on a
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Let us now present some of such stylistic devices as bullet points: English for Specific Purposes
• The title and the headline often have an aphoristic and hence mnemonic
feel. The best examples would be the media reports on May 23, 2019, that
is, the day the election results were declared.
• The sentences are mostly simple statements of the subject-verb-
object/adjective/adverb/subject complement/object complement variety so
as to follow the objective, analytical ournalist’s wh-hounds, namely, who,
what, when, where, why, how, et al.
• The sentences are audience/you-driven in their subtle appeal.
• The thematic analysis is more focal than verbal virtuosity though word
games are often irresistibly used.
• The presentation has the good old beginning-middle-end structure. Often
though, the report may begin with a literary `in medias res’ effect with a
flashback to fill in the blank. Often it indeed is a `story’.
• Each word is used precisely and profitably meaning-wise, given the spatial
limits.
• Attempt is made to avoid in the report what the accompanying visual
obviously presents.
• Literary effects such as alliteration are often attempted.
• Easily recognizable metaphors and symbols get used.
The journalist thus makes the report appealing and creates a brand value for
herself.

4.1.12 Familiarising Oneself with the Various Stylistic Devices in an


Advertisement
Given the openly attracting motive of an advert, the copy writer gets an
ample opportunity to use her linguistic facility to guide the gaze of the viewer in
such a way that ware or service advertised indeed appears `the owner’s pride, the
neighbour’s envy’.
It must, however, be remembered that even in print medium, ad
advertisement is more a group activity, unlike the journalist who as an individual
files the report. If necessary, she can drop the accompanying photo as well. As a
result, she can be both analytical and creative. As advertising is more a group
activity, the original may undergo multiple transformations. Moreover, the advert
is most often outsourced by a newspaper. It hardly has an individual brand value.
The agency gets the credit rather than the individual copy writer.
Despite this lacuna, copy writing has its own harms because one can be truly
creative here. One can play with words, ideas, concepts. Hence here let us list the
special qualities of stylistic devices used by a copy writer. It must, however, be
mentioned that an advert has almost all the stylistic characteristics mentioned
above English in the Media
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English for Specific Purposes 1. An advert often uses repetition as a stylistic device. Repetition adds to the
jingle effect and assertively strengthens the brand value.
2. It uses effects such as the code-mixing (“thanda, thanda; cool, cool”) and
code switching (changing from one language to the other).
3. Not only does it use literary techniques such as figures of speech or sound
effects such as alliteration, but it also uses allusions as a narrative technique.
4. Words used in the ad or in the dramatic narration are such that anybody in
this way can comfortably identify with the brand.
5. Often it uses synesthesia so that we can not only hear/see/touch the rustle of
leaves, we can smell and taste it, for example.
6. To consciously create an aspirational feel in the audience, language is used
to` the extra-ordinary in the ordinary’ and the `ordinary in the extra-
ordinary’ effect.
7. It may use linguistic effects such as portmanteau words or homophony or
homonymy or puns.

4.1.13 Check Your Progress: V


1. Present the stylistic differences between media reports and advertisements
in a tabular form.
2. Give examples of advertisements that corroborate the points in 4.3.b.

4.1.14 Tackling Texts of Media Reports and Advertisements for the Purpose
of Negotiating Meaning in them
Undoubtedly, advertisements have an unmistakable quality to t hem.
Similarly, media reports filed by star reporters are highly readable. Star reporters
are heroes in their own way, with a huge fan following. Despite such aphrodisiac
effect, we have to remember that media and/or advertisement texts are not
innocent. These texts are created and located in a given context. They have thus an
effect that needs analysis. We have already agreed that media communication is
one way. We know, moreover, that this communication is potent. Hence the need
to know how their potency can be misused.
Media and advertising experts are basically opinion makers. Given the
hectic life that the common reader leads, he/she hardly has the time or the energy
or the resources to check back the veracity, the truth value of the claim made in an
ad or a media report. Most often, the common reader takes such texts at the face
value,
Herein lies the danger. Inadvertently, an ad or a media report can generate
negative frenzies. They can generate and/or spread rumours and/or prejudices.
Thus they can lead to hate crimes.
Currently, there are two ghastly media activities that are running amok,
English in the Media namely, paid news and fake news. If paid news serves the purpose(s) of the
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moneybag, given the spread and power of media, the effects of malicious paid English for Specific Purposes
news can be dangerous. The actual words of such propaganda may be forgotten,
but subliminally the message, that cannot be countered, lingers, destroying
countless lives in the process. The McCarthy Report in the post-World War II
America of the cold war era is a lacerating example of such negative power.
Equally worse is fake news. It is a consciously crafted lie that spreads like
wildfire scorching innocent lives forever.
In other words, the ideologies underlying media reports and/or advertising
need a constant reality check which, unfortunately, rarely happens. Interest groups
can take disadvantage to consciously create social disharmony. In other words,
known as the fifth column of the democratic society, media reports can crash the
very openness I t swears by.
Actually, however, media reports and/oradvertisements are like the genie in
Alladin’s lamp. It is up to Alladin to use the genie as a benevolent benefactor or a
dangerous destroyer. In brief, the owner makes the watchdog a hellhound!

4.1.15 Exercises
I) Long Answer Questions:
1. Explain with examples the unique aspects of English in media.
2. Analyse the difference between General English and English as used in the
media and advertising world.
3. Discuss the communication involved in General English and English as
used in the media and advertising world.
II) Short Notes:
1. Similarities between General English and English as used in the media and
advertising world.
2. Portmanteau words and advertising
3. The notion of `register’ and English as used in the media and advertising
world.

4.1.16Answers to Check Your Progress I


1. Refer to 4.1. a and 4.1.b
2. Refer to 4.1.a
3. Refer to 4.1. a and 4.1.b
4. Refer to 4.1. a and 4.1.b

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English for Specific Purposes 4.1.17 Answers to Check Your Progress II
Look up:
1. www.tubemogul.com
2. Htpps://www.designin.co.uk

4.1.18 Answers to Check Your Progress III


1. Refer to 4.2.a

4.1.19 Answers to Check Your Progress IV


1. Refer to 4.2.b

4.1.20 Answers to Check Your Progress V


1. Refer to 4.3.a and 4.3.b
2. Refer to 4.3.b
N. B.:
The terminology used in this unit is explained in the lesson itself, if/when
necessary because most of the terms used herein have already been used in the
context.

***

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