Business English lesson 5: You’ve got an e-mail
Video

Beginner level / CECR : A2/B1

1st Part
Video

2nd Part
Understanding

3rd Part
Vocabulary

4th Part
Writing

5th Part
Reading

6th Part
Game

Lesson 5:
You’ve got an email

  • Objectives : learn how to use modern company tools and how to communicate in the office. Improve your communication in a professional context and your business skills.
  • Level : A2/B1
  • Public : for people who want to communicate in a business environment
  • Total duration : 1 hour (approximately 10 minutes for each part)

1️⃣ Start by watching the video

How do you normally communicate with people?
Rachel: Well, I send a lot of e-mails every day. I also make a lot of phone calls but the way I prefer to communicate is in meetings because you sit with people, you have conversations and I think this is the fastest way to make decisions.
Talitha:  I prefer to communicate face-to-face, but we also communicate by e-mail and we have an instant messaging system called Link, that we use, as well.
Barry: We use a lot of different methods, we use e-mails, we use Google, Chat, so, Instant Messaging Chat or we use the telephone and we do face-to-face.
Stacey: I often use social media to communicate at workI write blogs and I also read blogs by other people to inform me. I use Facebook a lot to communicate with our customers all over the world and I use Twitter to promote our products in countries all over the world, as well.
How much time do you spend communicating in these ways?
Rachel: I spend, maybe, two or three hours a day in meetings. I spend perhaps three hours sending e-mails and, I would say, I spend, maybe, one hour on the phone with other people. 
Talitha:  I spend most of my days communicating via e-mails in different offices around the world and I try to communicate more face-to-face with people based in Oxford.
Barry: 75% of my day is spent using these communication tools.
Stacy: I usually have a lot of face-to-face meetings. Um….In our meetings, we plan projects or we discuss ideas, and the meetings usually last from between 30 minutes to an hour.

Need some help ?

How do you normally communicate with people?  Comment communiquez-vous habituellement ? 
Rachel: Well, I send a lot of e-mails every day. I also make a lot of phone calls but the way I prefer to communicate is in meetings because you sit with people, you have conversations and I think this is the fastest way to make decisions.Rachel : en fait, j’envoie beaucoup d’e-mails tous les jours. Je passe aussi un grand nombre de coups de téléphone mais la façon dont je préfère communiquer, c’est en réunion parce que vous êtes assis avec les autres et vous vous parlez et je pense que c’est le moyen le plus rapide pour prendre des décisions.
Talitha:  I prefer to communicate face-to-face, but we also communicate by e-mail and we have an instant messaging system called Link, that we use, as well.Talitha : Je préfère communiquer face-à-face, mais nous communiquons aussi par e-mails et nous avons un système de messagerie instantanée appelé Le Lien, que nous utilisons aussi.
Barry: We use a lot of different methods, we use e-mails, we use Google, Chat, so, Instant Messaging Chat or we use the telephone and we do face-to-face.Barry : Nous utilisons beaucoup d’outils différents, nous utilisons des e-mails, Google, le Chat, donc, la messagerie instantanée Chat ou nous utilisons le téléphone et nous nous rencontrons en face- à-face.
Stacey: I often use social media to communicate at workI write blogs and I also read blogs by other people to inform me. I use Facebook a lot to communicate with our customers all over the world and I use Twitter to promote our products in countries all over the world, as well.Stacey : J’utilise souvent les réseaux sociaux pour communiquer au travail. J’écris des blogs je lis aussi les blogs des autres pour m’informer. J’utilise beaucoup Facebook pour communiquer avec nos clients à travers le monde et j’utilise aussi Twitter pour promouvoir nos produits dans les pays du monde entier.
How much time do you spend communicating in these ways?Combien de temps passez-vous à communiquer ainsi ? 
Rachel: I spend, maybe, two or three hours a day in meetings. I spend perhaps three hours sending e-mails and, I would say, I spend, maybe, one hour on the phone with other people.Rachel : Je passe, peut-être, deux ou trois heures par jour en réunions. Je passe environ trois heures par jour à envoyer des e-mails, et je dirais que je passe, peut-être, une heure au téléphone avec d’autres personnes.
Talitha:  I spend most of my days communicating via e-mails in different offices around the world and I try to communicate more face-to-face with people based in Oxford.Talitha : Je passe la plupart de mes journées à communiquer par e-mails avec différents bureaux à travers le monde et j’essaie de communiquer davantage en présentiel avec les gens qui sont à Oxford.
Barry: 75% of my day is spent using these communication tools.Barry : Je passe 75% de ma journée à utiliser ces outils de communication.
Stacy: I usually have a lot of face-to-face meetings. Um….In our meetings, we plan projects or we discuss ideas, and the meetings usually last from between 30 minutes to an hour.Stacy : En général, j’’ai beaucoup de réunions en présentiel. Um… pendant nos réunions, nous planifions des projets et nous échangeons des idées. Les réunions durent entre 30 minutes et une heure.

2️⃣ Learn new words:

Meaning:
to show possession- to hold, to receive something.
(Traduction: avoir)

Synonyms : to own/to possess/ to receive

Meaning:
to make something go or be taken to a destination by post or e-mails or radio.
(Traduction : envoyer)

Synonyms :
to mail / to transmit/ to forward

Meaning:
to dedicate time to an activity. 
(Traduction: passer (du temps) )

Synonyms:
to devote/ to pass time

Meaning:
to continue/ to go on for a period of time 
(Traduction : durer)

Synonyms:
to span / to run on 

Meaning:
a thing that helps you do your job or achieve.
(Traduction: un outil)

Synonyms :
a method/ a device

Meaning:
support or actively encourage (a cause, venture, etc.); further the progress of
(Traduction : promouvoir)

Synonyms :
encourage, forward

Meaning:
used when you want to make a statement or opinion less. (adverb) definite. (Traduction : peut-être)

Synonyms:
maybe/ possibly

Meaning:
in addition (adverb)
(Traduction: aussi)

Synonyms :
too/also

Meaning:
under normal conditions; generally.
(Traduction: généralement)

Synonyms :
normally, generally, habitually

3️⃣ Read, listen and repeat the following sentences:

How do you usually communicate with people?

Traduction : Comment communiquez-vous habituellement?

The way I prefer to communicate is in meetings.

Traduction : La façon dont je préfère communiquer, ce sont les réunions.

We use the telephone and we do face-to-face.

Traduction : Nous utilisons le téléphone et nous nous rencontrons en présentiel.

How much time do you spend communicating in these ways?

Traduction : Combien de temps passez-vous à communiquer de ces différentes façons ?

I spend, maybe, two to three hours a day in meetings.

Traduction : Je passe, peut-être, deux à trois heures par jour en réunions.

I communicate via e-mails in different offices all over the world.

Traduction : Je communique par email avec différents bureaux dans le monde entier.

4️⃣ Write new words

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