Interesting Websites

http://www.businessenglishpod.com/
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
http://publicspeaker.quickanddirtytips.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
http://edition.cnn.com/studentnews/
http://esl.about.com/
http://www.eslgold.com/speaking/phrases.html
http://www.eslflow.com/
http://englishisallaround.blogspot.com/2008/08/description-detective.html

http://freerice.com/

http://www.lingo2word.com/lists/acronym_listA.html

http://www.lingo2word.com/lists/txtmsg_listA.html

http://www.lingo2word.com/lists/emoticon_listA.html

http://twitter.com/mamja

http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/

http://twitter.com/ECSuanplu

http://www.guardian.co.uk/

http://www.gracedesigns.com/how-to-write-a-sympathy-card.cfm

http://www.bpp.go.th/eng3.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/studentnews/03/15/financial.glossary/index.html#cnnSTCText

This Lotus Touts

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.



TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.



THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.



FOUR. When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.


FIVE. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.



SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.



SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.



EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.


NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.



TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name c alling.



ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.


TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.



THIRTEEN! .. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'



FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.



FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.



&n bsp;SIXTEEN.'When you lose, don't lose the lesson.



SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.



EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.



NINETEEN. When you realize you 've made a mist ake, take immediate steps to correct it.



TWENTY. Smile when p icking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice



TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.

Making the First 10 Minutes of an Interview Count

Seven Tips
By The Creative Group
A hiring manager can often tell if you're the right fit for his or her organization just minutes after the two of you shake hands. In a recent Robert Half survey, executives polled said it typically takes them only 10 minutes to form an opinion of a candidate during an employment interview, despite meeting with staff-level applicants for nearly an hour, on average.

With such a short amount of time to interact with a hiring manager, how can you evoke a positive response? Projecting confidence and enthusiasm is key, so keep the following advice in mind:

1. Dress to impress. For better or worse, a good part of the impression an interviewer first forms of you depends on how you're dressed. So wear a nice suit or business-appropriate dress, even if you know the office to be a casual environment.

2. Remain calm. One of the best ways to make a good first impression is to quell any pre-interview jitters. Plan to arrive at the interview destination 10-15 minutes early. This will give you time to compose yourself and relax a little.

3. Show some respect. Many hiring managers ask everyone who has interacted with a candidate -- from administrative staff to members of their department -- for feedback on the prospective employee. So be pleasant toward those you meet and avoid the urge to hold a loud cell phone discussion in the elevator or lobby.

4. Break the ice. Small talk plays an important role in the interview by helping to break the ice and put both parties at ease. If the hiring manager asks if traffic was heavy or if you had problems finding your way to the office, offer more than just a "yes" or "no" answer. Just be sure not to prattle on.

5. Focus on the little things. The fact that employers form opinions of candidates so quickly places additional importance on the more subtle points of the interview, such as giving a firm handshake, maintaining eye contact and practicing good posture. Your nonverbal cues can say a lot about your personality and interest in the position. Crossing your arms, nodding hurriedly or making tense facial expressions can all send the wrong message.

6. Demonstrate your knowledge. Hiring managers often start interviews by asking job candidates some straightforward questions about their experience, knowledge of the company and ability to excel in the position. For example, "Can you tell me a little about yourself?" "What do you know about our firm?" and "Why do you want to work here?" are three common questions. Research the business beforehand so that when answering these types of queries, you can relate your responses to the firm's needs or priorities.

7. Remain positive. The executives surveyed said interviews take an average of 55 minutes for staff-level job candidates and 86 minutes for management-level applicants. Even if you fear you've already made a negative impression in the hiring manager's mind, stay positive and focus on what you can do during the rest of the meeting to convince the employer you're right for the job. Consider whether you're making any common nervous mistakes -- such as rushing your responses or not listening to the full questions -- and adjust your communications as necessary.

No matter how well you prepare for an interview, things may not always go as smoothly as you had hoped. Whether you become tongue-tied or are thrown a curveball question, roll with the punches. Keeping a positive attitude and remaining confident in your ability to land the job is one sure way to impress any hiring manager.

The Creative Group is a specialized staffing service placing creative, advertising, marketing and web professionals on a project basis with a variety of firms. For more information, visit www.creativegroup.com.

25 Perfect Phrases for Starting a Business Conversation

Have you ever wondered how to start a business conversation?

Conversation is the art of combining questions, listening, and self-disclosure so that two strangers can build a common ground between them. Be attentive, be curious, and be sincere.

So here are my 25 phrases you can use to start a business conversation:

General Business:

1. Tell me about your company/institution/school.
(This way you get a general idea of how your might help.)
2. Tell me about your current role?
(This helps you to understand the perspective of the person you are talking with.)
3. Do you like what you are doing?
(This gives you a measure of optimism in general.)
4. What specifically do you love/like about your work?
(This helps to understand the motivations of the person better.)
5. What are some of your biggest challenges facing you right now?
(This helps you to see how you might help address some of the top challenges.)
6. What are you passionate about? (This is my personal favorite question!)
(Notice if they give you a business response or personal response. This is just to get to know the person a little better and perhaps give you something to build common ground.)
7. What do you like to do when you aren’t working?
(This is just to get to know the person a little better and help build common ground.)

At an event:

8. I didn’t expect so many people to be here, you?
(This is simply small talk, you’ll need some back-up if this is a non-starter.)
9. The first speaker had some interesting ideas, what did you think?
10. This event has been great so far for me, how about for you?
11. I am so glad I finally got the chance to come here. This is my first time. You?
12. Which workshop/speaker have you found the most interesting/helpful?
13. This session is really crowded. What made you decide to choose this session?

Compliment Approach: (However, it is critical that you are sincere.)

14. That laptop bag looks really sturdy…you like it?
15. I read your website/blog/paper—really interesting. Can you tell me more about…
16. Heard about your new position, congratulations…what do you think will be your biggest challenges?
17. Great (watch/tie/shoes/scarf/jewelry). I bet there’s a story behind that. Where did you get?

Advice Approach:

18. Which one (food/drink/session/etc) do you suggest?
19. Do you have any advice for someone just starting out?
20. What do you think about X (fill in anything relevant)?

Popular Culture Approach:

21. What do you think about social networks like LinkedIn and Facebook?
22. What do you think about microblogging like Twitter and Plurk?
23. Are you a mac or PC fan?
24. Are you a Lost fan? What’s your theory?
25. What do you think gas and oil prices will be in six months?

Telephone language and phrases in English

How to answer and speak on the phone
Answering the phone
Good morning/afternoon/evening, York Enterprises, Elizabeth Jones speaking.
Who's calling, please?
Introducing yourself
This is Paul Smith speaking.
Hello, this is Paul Smith from Speakspeak International.
Asking for someone
Could I speak to John Martin, please?
I'd like to speak to John Martin, please.
Could you put me through to John Martin, please?
Could I speak to someone who …
Explaining
I'm afraid Mr Martin isn't in at the moment.
I'm sorry, he's in a meeting at the moment.
I'm afraid he's on another line at the moment.
Putting someone on hold
Just a moment, please.
Could you hold the line, please?
Hold the line, please.
Problems
I'm sorry, I don't understand. Could you repeat that, please?
I'm sorry, I can't hear you very well. Could you speak up a little, please?
I'm afraid you've got the wrong number.
I've tried to get through several times but it's always engaged.
Could you spell that, please?
Putting someone through
One moment, please. I'll see if Mr Jones is available.
I'll put you through.
I'll connect you.
I'm connecting you now.
Taking a message
Can I take a message?
Would you like to leave a message?
Can I give him/her a message?
I'll tell Mr Jones that you called
I'll ask him/her to call you as soon as possible.

Writing business letters

Useful phrases: Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?
You already know how important it is to speak good English in an international working environment. If you work for a company which does business abroad, you probably read and write a lot of English, too. Writing, just like speaking, is communication. In our letters and emails we need to express many things: authority, gratitude, dissatisfaction, etc. Expressing ourselves well and with the correct level of formality is an important skill.
Do you have that skill? Ask yourself these questions:
Do you present yourself in a professional manner when you write? What image do you give to the people who read your letters and emails?
In short, you want to give a professional image when you write to your customers and business partners. To get you started, we've prepared some lists of standard phrases. Take a look at:

Opening lines
Why do we need an opening line in a business letter or formal email?- to make reference to previous correspondence- to say how you found the recipient's name/address - to say why you are writing to the recipient.
10 Good Opening Lines:
With reference to your letter of 8 June, I ...
I am writing to enquire about ...
After having seen your advertisement in ... , I would like ...
After having received your address from ... , I ...
I received your address from ... and would like ...
We/I recently wrote to you about ...
Thank you for your letter of 8 May.
Thank you for your letter regarding ...
Thank you for your letter/e-mail about ...
In reply to your letter of 8 May, ...
Closing lines
Why do we need a closing line in a business letter or email? - to make a reference to a future event- to repeat an apology- to offer help
10 Good Closing Lines:
If you require any further information, feel free to contact me.
I look forward to your reply.
I look forward to hearing from you.
I look forward to seeing you.
Please advise as necessary.
We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future.
Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Once again, I apologise for any inconvenience.
We hope that we may continue to rely on your valued custom.
I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.


When 'Yours faithfully' and when 'Yours sincerely' in a business letter?
When the recipient's name is unknown to you:
Dear Sir ... Yours faithfully
Dear Madam ... Yours faithfully
Dear Sir or Madam ... Yours faithfully

When you know the recipient's name:
Dear Mr Hanson ... Yours sincerely
Dear Mrs Hanson ... Yours sincerely
Dear Miss Hanson ... Yours sincerely
Dear Ms Hanson ... Yours sincerely

When addressing a good friend or colleague:
Dear Jack ... Best wishes/Best regards

Addressing whole departments:
Dear Sirs ... Yours faithfully

100 Essential Business English Verbs

Here are 100 commonly-used verbs you should know and be able to use if you work in an English-speaking business environment.
accept
add
admit
advertise
advise
afford
approve
authorize
avoid
borrow
break
build
buy
calculate
call
cancel
change
charge for
check
choose
complain
complete
confirm
consider
convince
count
decide
decrease
deliver
develop
dismiss
dispatch
distribute
divide
drop
employ
encourage
establish
estimate
exchange
extend
fall
fix
fund
get worse
improve
increase
inform
install
invest
invoice
join
lend
lengthen
lower
maintain
manage
measure
mention
obtain
order
organize
owe
own
pack
participate
pay
plan
present
prevent
process
produce
promise
promote
provide
purchase
raise
reach
receive
recruit
reduce
refuse
reject
remind
remove
reply
resign
respond
return
rise
sell
send
separate
shorten
split
structure
succeed
suggest
write
vary