1

BUSINESS ENGLISH L1
UNIT 1: BUYING AND SELLING

Sentences you can hear at the supermarket

Can I help you? Je peux vous aider?

I’m just browsing, thanks; Je regarde seulement, merci
I’m looking for the shampoo: je cherche le shampooing
Could you tell me where the washing up liquid is please? Vous pourriez me dire où se trouve le produit pour
vaisselle, s’il vous plait ?
Where can I find the toothpaste? Où puis-je trouver le dentifrice?
Have you got anything cheaper? Vous n’avez rien de moins cher?
It’s not what I’m looking for : ce n’est pas ce que je cherche
Do you have this item in stock ? avez vous cet article en stock? 2
Do you know anywhere else I could try? Vous connaissez d’autres endroits où je pourrais tenter ma chance?
Does it come with a guarantee ? il y a une garantie avec?
It comes with one year guarantee. C’est garanti un an
How much is this: c’est combien?
How much does it cost: combien ça coute?
How much is that lamp in the window? Combien coute la lampe en vitrine ?
That’s cheap : c’est bon marché
That’s expensive : c’est cher
I’ll take this / it :je vais prendre ça
Anything else? ce sera tout ?
Would you like anything else? vous désirez autres choses?
Do you sell stamps ? vous vendez des timbres ?
Do you have any postcards, vous avez des cartes postales?
Sorry we don’t sell them. Desolé, nous n’en vendons pas
Sorry, we don’t have any left. desolé, nous n’en avons plus
Do you take credit cards? Acceptez vous les cartes bancaires?
Can I pay by cheque ? Je peux payer par chèque?
I’ll pay in cash/ by card: je vais payer en liquide/ par carte de crédit
Could I have a receipt, please ? Je pourrais avoir un reçu, s’il vous plait?
Do you deliver ? Livrez-vous à domicile ?
Would you like a carrier bag ? voulez-vous un sac plastic ?
Could I have a carrier bag, please? Puis-je avoir un sac, s’il vous plait?
Could I have another carrier bag, please ? puis-je avoir un autre sac , s’il vous plait?
What time do you close? A quelle heure fermez-vous?
Are you open on Saturday? Etes-vous ouverts le samedi ?
Can you do me a deal? Faites-vous un prix?
Is this on sale? Est-ce en solde?
What time are you open? Vous ouvrez à quelle heure ? Quelles sont vos heures d’ouvertures ?
We’re open from 9 am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Nous sommes ouverts de 9 heures à 17 heures, du lundi au
vendredi

Practice : what do you say in the following situations? (eg: le vendeur accueille le client: good morning, can
I help you?)

Le vendeur accueille le client

Le client dit qu’il ne fait que regarder
Plus tard, le client demande au vendeur le prix du Ventilateur qui est dans la vitrine
Le vendeur dit le prix du ventilateur (80000 Ar)
Le client trouve que c’est bon marché
Le client demande si la boutique a encore cet article en stock
 Le vendeur répond qu’ils n’en ont plus
Le client demande si c’est garanti
Le vendeur dit que c’est garanti 1an
Le client dit qu’il va prendre le ventilateur
Le client demande s’il peut payer par chèque
Le vendeur dit qu’ils n’acceptent pas les chèques
Le client décide de payer en espèce
Le client paye et demande un recu
Le vendeur donne le recu et remercie le client
le client demande s’ils livrent à domicile
le vendeur dit qu’ils ne le font pas
Le client demande s’il sont ouverts le samedi puisqu’il va le prendre samedi
Le vendeur dit qu’ils sont ouverts le samedi
Le client confirme qu’il va le prendre samedi
Le vendeur accepte 3
Le client remercie the vendeur et lui souhaite une bonne journée
Le vendeur lui répond

Le vendeur accueille le client

le client cherche des T-shirts
le vendeur montre au client les T-shirts
le client demande le prix d’un T-shirt
le vendeur lui dit le prix du T-shirt (50000AR)
le client dit que c’est trop cher
Le client marchande
Le vendeur répond que le prix est fixe
le client demande s’il n’y en a pas d’autres qui sont moins chers
Le vendeur lui montre d’autres T-shirts qui sont moins chers
Le client demande le prix du T-shirt
Le vendeur donne le prix (15000 AR)
Le client demande un T-shirt de couleur vert
le vendeur dit qu’il y en a
Le vendeur donne le T-shirt vert au client
Le client demande s’il y a une cabine d’essayage, il veut l’essayer
Le client dit que le T-shirt est trop petit.
Le client demande un autre qui est plus grand
Le vendeur lui en donne
Le client veut le prendre
Il paye
Le vendeur le remercie et demande s’il n’a pas besoin d’un sac plastique
Le client dit oui
Le vendeur demande si le client n’a pas besoin d’autres choses
Le client demande s’ils vendent des lecteurs DVD
Le vendeur dit qu’ils n’en vendent pas
Le client demande s’il y a d’autres endroits ou il pourrait en trouver
Le vendeur dit qu’il n’en connait pas
Le client le remercie et s’en va

Words you hear at the supermarket

A) A person who works in a shop. A shop assistant

B) The place in a shop where the items you buy are paid for is the cash desk
C) A moving staircase an elevator/ a lift
D) A room in a shop where you try on clothes is a fitting room/changing room.
E) A free plastic bag given out in shops and supermarkets is a carrier bag.
F) The name for the line people stand in when they are waiting for their turn to pay is a queue
G) During this time goods are sold at a lower price. It’s a bargain
H) A large basket on wheels used to push shopping around a supermarket is a trolley/cart

Practice : Complete the gaps in the following sentences with the correct word.

A) If you give the perfume to the shop she'll wrap it up for you.

B) I was standing at the just about to pay and I remembered I didn't have any money.
4
C) I'm afraid the is out of order. You'll have to use the stairs.

D) Have you got a room? I'd like to try this dress on.

E) Many supermarkets in the UK are now asking people to pay for plastic bags.

F) There was such a long to pay I decided to leave and go back later.

G) There was a on and everything was half-price.

H) I couldn't find a at the supermarket so I had to carry everything in a basket.

More vocabs

If you want to go shopping there are a number of things you have to consider. If you would like to find a
bargain you should make sure to go to a sale. The only problem with a sale is that it is sometimes hard to
exchange something once you buy it. Many stores also refuse to give a refund on anything you have
bought. If you are looking for clothes, make sure to try on, check the tag/label to make sure that it is a good
size. It's always a good idea to also ask the shop assistant for advice. Finally, when you go to the cashier
you can usually pay by check or credt card if you don't have the cash. Never forget to get the receipt!

Choose the correct answer

I don't go to that shop because they don't ________ credit cards.

accept achieve income take in

1. The supermarket is usually crowded this time of day. I hate standing in ________.

fronts lines quays queuing

2. I had to ask the shop assistant what the price was because there was no price ________.

cut hanger signature tag

3. I bought the jeans in a ________ so they weren't very expensive.

sale sell selling sold

4. This shirt looks nice. Can I ________?

check it up take it on try it on wear it out

5. How ________ is this jacket, please?

costs many much rich

6. I went shopping yesterday afternoon and I ________ a lot of money.

gave paid sold spent

7. The ________ of winter clothes usually go down after Christmas.

costs expenses payments prices

8. After the New Year holiday is a great time to go shopping for ________.

bargains discounts reductions sales

9. They are building a new department ________ in our town.

mall shop station store

10. There was a line of about 10 people at the cash ________ so I left without buying anything.
 box desk office queue

11. The new film can be ________ from our catalogue or bought on-line in our e-shop.

delivered ordered served stocked

12. Recently I've seen ________ for a robotic vacuum cleaner. I think I might buy one.

a discount a notice a purchase an advertisement 6

13. Do you have this shirt in a smaller/ bigger ________?

proportion number size

14. Could you please ________ (= put aside) these pants for me? I will be back in 20 minutes to pay for them.

sell buy hold

15. A ________ is a big shopping center with lots of stores, restaurants, etc.

mole m all male

16. Most stores give you the option of paying cash, by debit card, or by ________.
card of credit credit card deposit

LECTURE 2: NUMERACY- MEASUREMENT- CALCULATIONS

1- NUMERACY

How to read numbers?

165: a/ one hundred and sixty five

1,000: a/ one thousand

10,000 ten thousand

100,000a/ one hundred thousand

1, 000, 000 a/one million

1000, 000, 000 a/ one thousand million (Br), a billion (US)

How to read percentages?

10.12 ten point one two percent

52.8 fifty two point eight percent

2- MEASUREMENT

 Measures of weight
7
Pound (lb) = 0.454 kg

Stone (st)= 0.350kg

Hundredweight (cwt) =50. 80kg

Ton

 Measures of length

Inch (in or ”)= 2.54 cm

Foot (ft) = 30. 48 cm

Yard (Yd.) = 91.44 cm

Mile (m.) = 1.609 km

 Measures of capacity

Pint (pt.)=0. 473 L

Quart (qt.)= 1.136 L

Gallon (gal.) 4. 546 L

3- BASIC CALCULATION

+ plus , - minus , × (multiplied) by , : divided by, = equals

SEMINAR 5

Write in full the following:

128+ 189= 317

100,000-90,000=10,000
450/5=90

213×13=2769

Convert the following

5 cm =---------- inch

10 kg = ------------- pound

2 L = --------------pint

UNIT 3: AT THE BANK

Borrow some money, a deposit, cash, fees, overdrawn account, withdraw some cash, debts, interest, current
account, deposit/ savings account, joint account, do a withdrawal, write a cheque, a pay-in, direct debit,
standing order, mortgage, order a bank statement, check account balance, notes, coins, currency, change, a
bounced cheque, checkbook, account receiving money, ATM/ cash dispenser / cash point, deposit, endorse a
check, fees, bank transfer/ direct deposit, a branch, a teller, debit card, credit card , debit, fill in/out a cheque,
payee, paying in slip, account number, telephone banking services , to transfer money, Interest paid on loan or
overdraft, to credit fund an account, transaction receipt, beneficiary, a bounced cheque, PIN number, account
receiving money, expiry date, date of transaction, foreign currency, Commission on receipt of international
currency, International Bank Account Number, loan, power of attorney, opposition , Bank account identifier
codes, reimbursement/ repayment, interest rate, exchange rate, account holder,

Practice 1:
Translate the following sentences in English
1- Je voudrais retirer 100 livres.
2- Vous préférez des petites ou des grosses coupures ?
3- En billets de dix s’il vous plait
4- Vous pourriez me donner de plus petites coupures ?
5- Je voudrais déposer cette somme
6- Je voudrais déposer ce chèque sur mon compte.
7- Quel est le délai d’encaissement de mon chèque ?
8- Vous avez une pièce d’identité ?
9- J’ai mon permis de conduire
10- Votre compte est à découvert
11- Je voudrais effectuer un virement sur ce compte
12- Vous pourriez virer 1.000 livres de mon compte courant vers mon compte d'épargne?
13- Je voudrais ouvrir un compte privé/ professionnel
14- Vous pourriez m’indiquer le solde de mon compte ?
15- Pourrais-je avoir un relevé de compte ?
16- Je voudrais changer de l’argent
17- Je voudrais commander des devises étrangères
18- Quel est le taux de change de l’euro ?
19- Je voudrais avoir un nouveau chéquier
20- Je voudrais annuler un chèque
21- Je voudrais annuler ce virement automatique
22- Où est le distributeur de billets le plus proche ?
23- Quel est le taux d’intérêt de ce compte ?
 24- Quel est le taux d’intérêt actuel pour les prêts personnels ?
25- J’ai perdu ma carte bancaire
26- Je voudrais déclarer la perte/ le vol de ma carte bancaire
27- On a un compte joint
28- Je voudrais vous signaler mon changement d'adresse
29- J'ai oublié le code secret pour ma carte
30- Je voudrais me renseigner pour un emprunt immobilier
31- Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous avec le gérant de la banque/ avec un conseiller financier
32- Je voudrais me renseigner sur un emprunt immobilier

Practice 2: translate the following in French

Insert your card- enter your PIN- Incorrect PIN-cancel- withdraw cash- other amount- please wait- your cash
is being counted – insufficient funds- balance- on screen- printed- another service- would you like a receipt?
– Remove card -quit 9

American Currency

Coins

1. $.01= a penny = 1 cent 4. $.25= a quarter = 25 cents

2. $.005= a nickel = 5 cents 5. $.50 = a half dollar
3. $.10= a dime = 10 cents 6. $1.00 = a silver dollar

Bills

7. $1.00 a dollar 10. $20.00 twenty dollars

8. $5.00 five dollars 11. $50.00 fifty dollars
9. $10.00 ten dollars 12. $100.00 one hundred do
British Currency
Coins

10

Heads A one A two A five A ten A twenty A fifty A one A two

penny pence pence pence pence coin pence pound pound
Tails coin coin coin coin coin coin coin

Notes
 11

Practice 3

Connect sums with the right amount

$0.25 eleven dimes and a nickel

$1.15 a quarter

$10 one hundred dollars

$100 ten dollars

$0.77 one dollar

$1 three quarters and 2 pennies

$ 0.80 fifteen dollars

$15 eight dimes

Write an equivalent of the given amount

1. 1 dollar = ……………. dimes

2. 5 dollars =……………. quarters
 3. $0.55 =………… dimes and …………….. nickel
4. 2 dollars =……………. nickels
5. $2.03 =………………...quarters and ………… pennies

Now write each amount using numbers

1. one five, twelve one dollar bills and a quarter = ______$17.25____

2. two nickels and 5 pennies……………………………..

3. 3 quarters and 2 dimes…………………………………

4. five tens and 2 quarters……………………………..

5. a half-dollar and 4 nickels………………………………..

12
6. a ten dollar bill and twenty-two pennies……………………...

7. two twenties, six fives, two ones and a half dollar= ………………………………

UNIT 4

Here are twenty terms often used in the world of advertising.

ad abbr. advertisement - advert abbr.

advertisement n. item of publicity for a product or service, in magazine, on TV etc
advertising agency n. company specialising in producing and placing advertisements for clients
AIDA abbr. Attention, Interest, Desire, Action - the objective of all advertisements
benefit n. advantage of a product or service, usually derived from its features
billboardUS n. signboard, usually outdoors, for advertising posters; hoardingUK
circulation n. average number of copies of a magazine sold in a particular period
classified ads n. small advertisements in magazine or newspaper categorised by subject
commercial n. paid advertisement on radio or TV
coupon n. part of a printed advertisement used for ordering goods, samples etc
double-page spread n. advertisement printed across 2 pages in a magazine or newspaper
eye-catcherUS n. something that especially attracts one's attention - eye-catching adj.
features n. special characteristics of a product, usually leading to certain benefits
hoardingUK n. signboard, usually outdoors, for advertising posters; billboardUS
poster n. large sheet of paper, usually illustrated, used as advertisement
prime time n. hours on radio & TV with largest audience, esp. the evening hours
promote v. to (try to) increase sales of a product by publicising and advertising it
n. specific time in a broadcasting schedule, when a commercial may be
slot
shown
target n. objective; what one is aiming at - target audience n.
U.S.P. abbr. Unique Selling Proposition; what makes a product different from others
benefit Advantage of a product or service.
billboard Signboard or wooden structure used to display advertising posters.
broadsheet Newspaper printed in a large format.
campaign Organised course or plan of action.
commercial Advertisement on radio or television.
coupon Part of a printed advertisement to be used to order goods or samples.
direct mail Advertisement sent by post to prospective customers.
editing Reviewing or rewriting in order to make suitable for publication.
generic advertising Advertising for a whole sector, such as tourism, rather than a specific product.
hoarding Wooden structure or signboard, also called a 'billboard', used to carry advertisements.
hype Excessive or intensive publicity; exaggerated claims made in advertising.
jingle Catchy tune, with a short simple rhyme, used to promote a product.
key words Informative words chosen to indicate the content of a document.
launch Start an action in order to introduce something (e.g. a new product).
mailshot Piece of advertising material sent to potential customers by post.
mass media The main means of mass communication (newspapers, TV and radio).
plug Favourable publicity in a media for a commercial product (e.g. a book).
poster Large sheet of paper used in advertising.
prime time Hours on radio and TV with the largest audience, usually in the evening.
promote Use advertising and publicity to try to increase sales of a product.
roadside signs Large panels along roads and motorways used for outdoor advertising. 13
slogan Phrase used to advertise a product, or to identify a company or organisation.
Specific time in a broadcasting schedule allotted for a commercial.
soundbite Short extract from a recorded interview or speech.
tabloid Newspaper printed in small format, usually with a lot of photographs.

Advertising: Vocabulary Practice

Choose the appropriate answer for each sentence.

A common, shortened form of the word advertisement is ......

ad

advert

admonish

ad and advert

A ..... is a short phrase that is used in advertising promotions and/or commercials. "Just do it!"
is a famous example of this.

announcer

slogan

celebrity
 spam

A ..... is an identifying symbol or statement that is used by companies in order to promote their

companies and/or products .

logo
14

marketeer

media

delivery

A ..... is a short song or verse that is used in advertising campaigns and commercials.

logo

jingle

epic

passport

A ..... is a word or short phrase that is used to describe a product or a company's aims,
principles and/or character.

motto

catch

board
 forum

Many companies try to use ..... tunes or phrases. These are memorable phrases or songs that

many people like instantaneously .

catchy

timely 15

direct

spotty

Companies want to create ..... billboards because they want potential customers to notice the
products or services that are displayed and promoted.

eye-catching

indirect

minute

bland

Some companies use celebrity ..... to promote their products or services. This is when a
company hires a celebrity to promote its products and/or services in commercials,
announcements etc.

spam

androids

marks
 endorsements

Sending ..... to email accounts is a common way of advertising since the inception of the
Internet. These are unsolicited emails that are sent to a large number of addresses at once.

bazaars

sponsors
16

spam

festivals

A ..... phrase is a popular phrase or wording used in pop culture. It is widely known because it's
used on a repetitive basis.

open

fair

market

catch

We need an effective campaign to ...... our new product range

fire

set out

set off

launch

during the commercial .... there was an ad for a new women's magazine

break
 breakage

pause

interval

The first thing an ad must do is ..... the reader's eye

trap

catch

find
17
reach

We need a name for the product which will be ... to teenagers

draw

attract

succeed

appeal

They decided to do a mail ... to get people interested in their holiday homes

shot

shoot

trial

list

All advertisers must obey the industry's ...

practice code

code of practice

practical code

code word

Advertising on TV is very expensive during...... viewing hours

peak

high

audience
 big

We did a lot of research to ensure the advertisement would appeal to the ... audience

aim

arrival

goal

target

Newspaper advertising ... for 45% of the total

18
accounted

counted

comprised

came

Advertisers look at each newspaper's ... figures before deciding where to place their
advertisements

circular

population

circulation

revenue

As part of our service we provide .. display material

selling point

point of sale

appointed

salesmanship

If you advertise at airports you have a ... audience

captivated

captured

slave

captive

She does the artwork while I write the .... for each advertisement
 copy

copies

copyright

media

UNIT 5 : THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESS

A- Sole proprietorship
Sole Proprietorship
A sole proprietorship is the simplest and most common structure chosen to start a business. It is an
unincorporated business owned and run by one individual with no distinction between the business and you, 19
the owner. You are entitled to all profits and are responsible for all your business’s debts, losses and
liabilities.

Forming a Sole Proprietorship

You do not have to take any formal action to form a sole proprietorship. As long as you are the only owner,
this status automatically comes from your business activities. If you are a freelance writer, for example, you
are a sole proprietor.
Advantages of a Sole Proprietorship
 Easy and inexpensive to form: A sole proprietorship is the simplest and least expensive business
structure to establish. Costs are minimal, with legal costs limited to obtaining the necessary license
or permits.
 Complete control. Because you are the sole owner of the business, you have complete control over
all decisions. You aren’t required to consult with anyone else when you need to make decisions or
want to make changes.
 Easy tax preparation. Your business is not taxed separately, so it’s easy to fulfill the tax reporting
requirements for a sole proprietorship. The tax rates are also the lowest of the business structures.

Disadvantages of a Proprietorship
 Unlimited personal liability. Because there is no legal separation between you and your business,
you can be held personally liable for the debts and obligations of the business. The company’s assets
are not separate from those of its founder, who has unlimited liability for any debts. Consequently,
all of the founder’s property (both movable and immovable) is liable to be seized by creditors and
even their spouse’s assets may be used to pay off debts.
 Hard to raise money. Sole proprietors often face challenges when trying to raise money. Because
you can’t sell stock in the business, investors won't often invest. Banks are also hesitant to lend to a
sole proprietorship because of a perceived lack of credibility when it comes to repayment if the
business fails.
 Heavy burden. The flipside of complete control is the burden and pressure it can impose. You alone
are ultimately responsible for the successes and failures of your business.

Difference between a sole proprietorship and a company

Unlike a sole proprietorship, in the case of a company a distinction can be made between capital belonging
to the business and that belonging to the businessperson. In other words, not all of the assets are at risk if the
business fails. The company also has a separate legal personality and therefore has its own rights and
obligations.

B- A partnership
A partnership is a single business where two or more people share ownership.
Each partner contributes to all aspects of the business, including money, property, labor or skill. In return,
each partner shares in the profits and losses of the business.
Because partnerships entail more than one person in the decision-making process, it’s important to discuss a
wide variety of issues up front and develop a legal partnership agreement. This agreement should document
how future business decisions will be made, including how the partners will divide profits, resolve disputes,
change ownership (bring in new partners or buy out current partners) and how to dissolve the partnership.
Although partnership agreements are not legally required, they are strongly recommended and it is
considered extremely risky to operate without one.
Types of Partnerships
There are three general types of partnership arrangements:
 General Partnerships assume that profits, liability and management duties are divided equally
among partners. If you opt for an unequal distribution, the percentages assigned to each partner
must be documented in the partnership agreement.
20
 Limited Partnerships (also known as a partnership with limited liability) are more complex than
general partnerships. Limited partnerships allow partners to have limited liability as well as limited
input with management decisions. These limits depend on the extent of each partner’s investment
percentage. Limited partnerships are attractive to investors of short-term projects.
 Joint Ventures act as general partnership, but for only a limited period of time or for a single
project. Partners in a joint venture can be recognized as an ongoing partnership if they continue the
venture, but they must file as such.
Advantages of a Partnership
Easy and Inexpensive. Partnerships are generally an inexpensive and easily formed business structure. The
majority of time spent starting a partnership often focuses on developing the partnership agreement.
Shared Financial Commitment. In a partnership, each partner is equally invested in the success of the
business. Partnerships have the advantage of pooling resources to obtain capital. This could be beneficial
in terms of securing credit, or by simply doubling your seed money.
Complementary Skills. A good partnership should reap the benefits of being able to utilize the strengths,
resources and expertise of each partner.
Partnership Incentives for Employees. Partnerships have an employment advantage over other entities if
they offer employees the opportunity to become a partner. Partnership incentives often attract highly
motivated and qualified employees.

Disadvantages of a Partnership
Joint and Individual Liability. Similar to sole proprietorships, partnerships retain full, shared liability among
the owners. Partners are not only liable for their own actions, but also for the business debts and decisions
made by other partners. In addition, the personal assets of all partners can be used to satisfy the
partnership’s debt.
Disagreements Among Partners. With multiple partners, there are bound to be disagreements Partners
should consult each other on all decisions, make compromises, and resolve disputes as amicably as
possible.
Shared Profits. Because partnerships are jointly owned, each partner must share the successes and profits
of their business with the other partners. An unequal contribution of time, effort, or resources can cause
discord among partners.

C-The different types of company

Private limited company
Private companies can range from a small family company to a subsidiary in a large group that is a
substantial trading entity in its own right. Sometimes, they will simply be trading vehicles for one or two
individuals who want the benefit of limited liability or the added kudos of trading as a company.
one thing that a private company cannot do as a matter of law is offer its shares to the public. Any private
company that wants to issue shares to the public must first become a plc or public limited company.
Private companies will, therefore, usually have fewer shareholders than a public company, and there will
often be restrictions on the transfer of their shares. Those with a very small number of shareholders,
including those that are subsidiaries, might ban all transfers of shares that are not first approved by the board
of directors. This allows the board to control who becomes a shareholder and, ultimately, who controls the
company.
Companies with a larger shareholder base might have more sophisticated rules that allow the transfer of
shares by a shareholder but first require that they are offered to existing shareholders, thereby giving them
the opportunity to keep ownership within the existing group and to exclude new shareholders.

Public limited company

If you want to be a public rather than a private company, you must take a number of steps. You will need:
 A name that ends with the words ‘public limited company’; permitted abbreviations are PLC, plc or
Plc. 21
 An issued share capital with a nominal value of at least £50,000 and paid up share capital of at least
£12,500 (or the equivalent in euros). You could, for example, issue 50,000 £1 shares, or 250,000
20p shares, each paid up at least to one quarter of its nominal value – 50,000 £1shares paid up as
to 25p on each share, or 250,000 20p shares paid up
as to 5p on each. (There is no equivalent minimum for a private company.)
A public company is subject to more stringent controls than a private one in a number of areas. Some of
them are listed below.
 The rules on making loans to directors are more restrictive for all companies in a group where one
of the members is a public company. A public company can purchase or redeem its own shares, but
it can only pay for them by using those profits from which dividends can be paid. A private
company, on the other hand, has the option of using its capital if distributable profits fall short.
 It is a criminal offence for a public company to give financial assistance for the purchase of its own
shares, for example by lending money to someone buying a stake in the company. Many private
companies are allowed to prepare abbreviated accounts each year. Public companies, on the other
hand, have to prepare and file with Companies House a full set of accounts, and pay the added
costs that may involve.
 A public company must have a company secretary and hold an AGM each year; a private company
can dispense with both.

Practice
Use your own words to answer the following questions:
1- Give the advantages and drawbacks of each business type
2- Give some examples of sole proprietorship, partnership, PLC and Ltd
3- Which one do you prefer? Why?

UNIT 6: TAYLORING A CURRICULUM VITAE

Different Types of CV

 Chronological - outlining your career history in date order, normally beginning with the most
recent items (reverse chronological) . This is the "conventional" approach and the easiest to
prepare. It is detailed, comprehensive and biographical and usually works well for "traditional"
students with a good all-round mixture of education and work experience. Mature students, however,
may not benefit from this approach, which does emphasise your age, any career breaks and work
experience which has little surface relevance to the posts you are applying for now. Below is an
example of chronological CV.
 22

 Skills-based: highly-focused CVs which relate your skills and abilities to a specific job or career
area by highlighting these skills and your major achievements. The factual, chronological details
of your education and work history are subordinate. These work well for mature graduates and for
anybody whose degree subject and work experience is not directly relevant to their application.
Skills-based CVs should be closely targeted to a specific job. The following is a skills-based
resume template that you can use when formatting your own:

[First and last name]

[Phone number]

[Email address]

[Address]

Qualifications summary: Use this section to highlight your best skills and
traits as they relate to the job you are applying for. Include three to five
relevant achievements or skills as well as any work or educational
history that may emphasize your suitability for the position.

Relevant skills: Include three-to-four bullets that have as many specific

and quantifiable examples as possible.
23
Skill #1

 List an achievement and/or work experience that portrays evidence of how

you used the skill in your work history.

Skill #2

 List an achievement and/or work experience that portrays evidence of how

you used the skill in your work history.

Skill #3

 List an achievement and/or work experience that portrays evidence of how

you used the skill in your work history.

Work experience

Company Name, City, State

Job Title

Employment dates (optional)

Company name, City, State

Job Title

Employment dates (optional)

Note: In the employment section, you do not have to include a bulleted

list of job duties for each title. You can simply list the company name and
your job title. You can also include volunteer work and internships if they
are relevant to the position you are applying for.

Education

Degree Type, Major

School Name, City, State

Dates in which the degree was completed

 Other relevant sections

You can include additional sections that are relevant to the position you
are applying for. Possible additional sections include accomplishments,
volunteer work, professional affiliations and awards.

Skills-based resume example

The following is an example of a skills-based resume for a sales
representative:
24
Charles Bradshaw
(555) 475-8755
[email protected]
12207 White Circle, New York City, New York 41789
Qualifications summary

 Proven record of increasing monthly sales by 15%

 Recognized as Sales Representative of the Month for consistently high customer
satisfaction ratings
 Solid customer service skills displayed through proven ability to anticipate and
meet the needs of clients

Relevant skills
Interpersonal skills

 Regularly communicate with customers, managers and team members via

phone, email and in-person
 Effectively educate clients on new products with an emphasis on how the
products address their specific needs
 Voted most personable employee by clients for four months in a row

Sales

 Regularly exceeded sales quotas by a minimum of 5% monthly

 Upsell an average of two out of five clients by recommending products that met
their unique needs
 Ensured all customers were satisfied with their purchases and handled any
complaints in a timely and efficient manner

Marketing

 Set up merchandise in an appealing manner that led to a 7% increase in sales in-

store
 Contributed to marketing plans to draw in new customers and increase current
customer retention
  Participated in weekly marketing meetings

Employment history
Java Company, New York City, New York
Sales Representative
Extra Corporation, Miami, Florida
Sales Coordinator
Education
Bachelor of Science, Business Administration 25

University of Miami, Miami FL

2010-2014