 iTrainingExpert's Business Writing Programmes focus on sharpening business writing style, with emphasis on active voice, clarity, conciseness, and brevity.
More about Business Writing Skills workshop
Tips about Business writing courses that you should know before attend any…
Good business writing skills are vital for success in both the academic field and the workplace. Unfortunately, over and over again we hear complaints from managers and employers that ‘poor writing skills’ as one of the main problems affecting their departments and companies.
Poor writing skills make it difficult to understand the meaning that a writer is trying to convey. Poor writing not only creates confusion and leaves a poor impression on the company, it even exposes a company to legal issues should the writing be ambigious and inappropriate.
However, there’s always a solution in every problem. Employees can take business writing courses and email etiquette and even Technical Report Writing course to improve their skills and become more skilled at writing documents used for business and at work.
I don't need business writing courses?
There is a great need for business writing courses all over the world. Poor spelling and grammar, lack of punctuation, and poor word choices make it difficult to read and understand documents. When these documents are used to make business decisions, the problem of poor business writing is made even worse. Many people need business writing courses in order to improve their understanding of grammar, learn how to write business and technical documents in the correct format, and organize their thoughts in a more logical manner.
How many types of business writing courses are there?
There are various types of Business writing courses which range from very basic to the advanced in nature. The most basic business writing courses will focus on the mechanics of writing. You will learn proper spelling of commonly used words, correct use of grammar and punctuation, and the importance of choosing words carefully in a written document.
More advanced business writing courses focus less on the mechanics of writing and more on specific types of business writing. We have courses that teach employees to write technical reports, business proposals, daily business correspondence, emails, company handbooks, product manuals, instructions, and grant proposals.
In the more advanced business writing courses, students usually have a solid writing background and just need to learn how to write a specific type of document.
How long should I attend a business writing course?
The length of the business writing courses varies depending on the needs of the delegates. If busy managers and executives have only a few days to spare, we can have intensive and crash courses ranging from 1-3 days.
Some other delegates might prefer a longer courses. We offer in-house arrangements any 1-6 months depending on the level of English language proficiency of the delegates.
What Benefits do I get from business writing courses?
There are many benefits of business writing courses for both individuals and businesses as a whole. Delegates who enroll in business writing courses will be able to develop better writing skills, making them more effective communicators in the workplace.
Better writing skills are lasting skills that you can have. Employees who have good writing skills clearly have the added advantages when it comes to eligibility for promotions or financial incentives in their workplaces.
Companies and also the bosses also benefit from business writing courses because employees develop solid writing skills that can be used for business documents. Having employees with good writing skills help their business operation to be more efficient, profitable and successful. It can also reduce or eliminate the need for companies to hire freelance or contract writers to complete important writing projects.
Where to look for good business writing courses?
Business writing courses are available in many places. If you prefer on-site business writing or in-house courses courses, check with reliable training providers like www.itrainingexpert.com. They are backed by a solid 12 years of conducting Business Writing courses for both multinational companies in Asia.
If you'd prefer to learn at your own pace and on your own schedule, do a search engine search for business writing courses. You can find many online courses but nothing beats attending a 2 day intensive Business Writing program that answers to all your problems and tells you what exactly you can do to improve your business writing skills. If you are attending a business writing course, take the opportunity to interact with the trainer and ask as many questions as you can so that you can alleviate all your fears and start to master writing skills.
Once you've decided a few prospective programs, carefully compare each of the remaining business writing courses. Make a note of when and where they are offered, what kind of teaching and writing backgrounds the instructors have, how much the business writing courses cost, and related information to help you make your decision.
A note of caution is to really check the background of the instructors. What credentials do the instructor have? Are the qualifications and training experience solid and relevant to what you want to learn?
At www.itrainingexpert.com, most of our Business Writing trainers have solid experience in language, writing, editing and presenting. All of them have at least a first degree in Teaching English, Language & Linguistics, English Literature or Business Communication.
So before you pick your choice, evaluate who you will be learning from.
For example, ask yourself 'When you pick a Business Writing course, what exactly do I want to improve ?
If you want to improve your English proficiency, grammar, sentence structure or eliminate grammatical errors, use better vocabulary to express yourself, then you must look for a trainer who has English Language teaching experience.
So, what is meant by English language teaching experience?
If the trainer has tutored some people to improve their English at work or at home, is that solid enough to help you make a decision to join his/her class? What about a trainer who has experience in journalism, mass communication, was a writer, reporter, public relation officers or spokes person of the company?
The question is, they might be great at their work but can they ‘teach’ me? Remember ‘teaching’ is totally differently from ‘working’. While you can be great at work, that doesn’t mean you can be a great teacher to others. So check and cross-check very carefully who you pick to be your tutor. When you attend a Business Writing course, you really want a trainer who is able to help you simplify confusing concepts (to you) into easy to understand and easy to apply at work.
Look out for testimonials from past participants, video reviews of the course, and referrals from your colleagues , friends and past participants.Once you make your final selection, you will most likely need to formally enroll in the business writing courses of your choice.
Business writing success
Once enrolled in business writing courses, you can improve your chances of success by doing a few simple things. If the class is on-site, be sure to attend all scheduled sessions. If there are practice assignments, complete them on time so that you can develop better writing skills (it really works almost instantly! Promised and Satisfaction Guarantee!). You should also try to develop relationships with other delegates or colleagues who are attending the same course so that you can work together long after the course.
In today's fast paced world, Effective business writing establishes your image and seals business deals. Effective written communication builds rapport with clients, maintains productive relationships within the organisation and contributes to the bottom line. This practical course helps managers and executives to write simply, effectively and quickly, using easy step-by-step method. Participants will work in groups and then individually to write selected business correspondence e.g. emails, proposals and reports using sample expressions as a guide. This course has been running for more then 10 years and many participants have acquired the skills to write effective straight forward business letters, visually appealing emails, clear cut memos, easy to understand reports and persuasive proposals.
Objectives
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:
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Develop advanced techniques for writing briefly yet clearly.
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Examine the strengths and weaknesses of different personal writing styles.
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Improve written work as a result of practical writing exercises.
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Match the written work with the needs of the readers.
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1. Better Grammar & Business Writing
Suitable for: Junior, Supervisory & Administration
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2. Effective Business Writing & Communication at Workplace
Suitable for: Mid Management & Executive
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3. Advanced Business Writing Skills
Suitable for: Managers and above
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4. Speak for Success with emphasis on Grammar, Pronunciation and Presentation Skills
Suitable for: Basic to Advanced levels. Anyone who wants to enhance their 'Speaking with Confidence in English' ability
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5. Effective Email Writing
Suitable for: All levels
To obtain more information or a proposal, CLICK here and send us an enquiry.
Alternatively, call us, our friendly sales consultant will be here to assist you.
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PROGRAMMES DETAILS
PROGRAMME 1. BETTER GRAMMAR & BUSINESS WRITING
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
How you write and what you write can greatly influence and motivate your target audience, be it your clients, customers or the top management. The power of effective written communication can contribute significantly to organisational productivity, efficiency and success in today’s rapidly changing business world.
This course is an INTENSIVE REFRESHER course structured to be very practical and applicable to your business environment.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This training workshop is specially designed for Executives, Managers or Section Heads, or anyone who does a lot of e-mail correspondence at work.
2 DAYS COURSE OUTLINE
DAY 1 – MASTERING BASIC GRAMMAR IN WRITTEN ENGLISH IN REPORTS, LETTERS & MEMOS
GRAMMAR- PARTS OF SPEECH
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Parts of Speech
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Verbs (Tenses)
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Passive Voice
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Subject Verb Agreement
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Common Errors in Grammar
SENTENCE STRUCTURES & HOW TO USE THEM
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The simple, complex and compound complex sentences
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Common errors in sentence construction
COMMON ERRORS
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Subject Verb Agreement
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Gerunds & Infinitives
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Questios forms
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Highlights on common errors in English made by Malaysians.
DAY 2 – BUSINESS WRITING
LATEST BUSINESS WRITING FORMAT AND TREND
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Tones in different letters
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Adopting the ABC of Business Letters
WRITING FOR RESULTS
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The 3 golden rules of effective writing
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Functional, Purpose & Reasons
CREATING A MESSAGE
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Who is my reader?
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What readers’ don’t want
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What do you want your reader to do?
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What is my objective?
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The document’s function and what do I want to say?
WRITING STYLE & RIGHT TONE
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Bringing your writing to life, be specific, positive and remove blockages
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How to overcome writer’s block
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The right tone
TYPES OF LETTERS
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E-mails & memos
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Enquiry & Reply Letter
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Collection Letter
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Complaint & Reply to Complaints
EDITING & PROOF READING
Methodology:
Highly practical and interactive group & individual exercises will be used to ensure the participants get sufficient practise and exposure.
What Past Participants say…
“Good training, interactive course and knowledgable instructor” CTRM Aero Composite, Noraskihin
“I feel more confident after the course”, Abu Sabri, Material Engineer, Melaka.
“Sue is very experience and I love the way she trains—systematic, interesting and effective”, Shahrom, Petronas.
“Sue’s course is practical that I learned so much in such a short time. Now I am more confident in sending out my written correspondence.” Monash University
“You really made Business Writing so simple and easy to master! Thanks!” MBF Cards, Telesales
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PROGRAMME 2. EFFECTIVE BUSINESS WRITING & COMMUNICATION AT WORK PLACE
is indispensable for everyone. How do you convince people when you are not there in person to look them in the eye? The answer is to make your written words work for you.
This workshop is designed to help you make your writing reader-centred & reader focused. It emphasises the writer’s relationship with his/her readers.
These days, you will learn to write with clarity, purpose & confidence. With dynamic combination of practice sessions & interactive exercises, you will quickly master the principles for producing well-targeted, high-impact business writing. Update & upgrade your business writing – and get results.
WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
In An Exciting, Results-Driven Session You Will be
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introduce to the principles of effective writing
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overcome your fear of writing
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able to apply the principles in writing proposals, effective letters, reports, memos, faxes & emails
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able to reduce your time spent in planning & writing
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able to convey your ideas with clarity & purpose
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able to organise your writing for easy understanding
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able to identify & avoid common errors in writing
2 DAY WORKSHOP CONTENTS
PRE-COURSE EVALUATION – DIAGNOSTIC TEST
@ How are your grammar & writing skills?
@ Find out your where you are & what you want to improve on
@ Set a specific target & goal to achieve through the course
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY?
INTRODUCTION : WRITING TO MAKE AN IMPACT
@ Purpose & objectives – organize your thoughts
@ Choose the right style - creating a user-friendly layout
@ Take-offs & landings. Commercialese & deadwood
WRITING SMOOTHLY
@ Paragraphs, & sentence construction
@ Use & choice of words
@ Proper grammar & parallelism
PRINCIPLES OF WRITING SKILLS
@ Tone Of The Writer’s Voice
Using an objective voice
Positive tone & promptness
@ Clarity, Conciseness & Concreteness
Avoid vague expressions & wordiness
Avoid unnecessary clauses & phrases
The active voice vs passive voice
@ Keep Most Sentences Short
Advantages to reader & the writer
How to shorten your sentences
Varying your sentence structure
Varying your sentence lengths
The fog index
@ Include People in Your Writing
Identify the reader & grab the reader’s attention
State clearly what action you want the reader to take
@ Use a Conversational Style
Clear & concise
Avoid impersonal & stiff writing
Avoiding jargons & old-fashioned terminologies
How to project your individual voice
@ The 5 Planning Questions
Your reason for writing
Your target reader
Conveying the core ideas
Selecting supporting ideas
Vocabulary Quiz & Common Errors
HOW DO I WRITE WITH CORRECT GRAMMAR?
GRAMMAR
@ Parts of speech & their functions,
@ The workings of grammar
@ Sentence construction &vocabulary
TENSES
@ Simple tenses : present, past, future, perfect
@ Regular & irregular verbs
@ Common errors in tenses & modals
PROBLEM WITH NUMBERS
@ Singular & plural, subject-verb agreement
SENTENCE STRUCTURES: SOME COMMON ERRORS
@ Subject-verb agreement, gerunds & infinitives
@ Question form - direct & indirect questions
@ Question involving “do”, “does”, “did”
HOW DO I IMPRESS WITH MY WRITTEN ENGLISH?
THE KINDS OF LETTERS AND REPORTS THAT I DEAL WITH
A) SAMPLES OF BUSINESS LETTERS
@ Writing strategy for good news letters of
Enquiry & Request
Acknowledgement & Introduction
@ Writing strategy for telling bad news
Refusal & Debt collection
Letters of Apology
Reply to Letter Of Complaint
Writing other difficult letters
@ Writing strategy for neutral letters
@ Types of persuasive letters; Cover letters
WRITING MEMOS, EMAILS & FAXES
@ Format, punctuations & common errors
@ 3 steps to eloquence
EVALUATION OF SAMPLES OF WRITING GOOD LETTERS
@ 7-Step approach to effective letter writing
@ Effective writing steps
@ Essential elements of professional letters
@ Format & letter writing checklist
SAMPLES OF BUSINESS PROPOSALS & REPORTS
@ Order of information of different types of proposals & reports
Letter proposal & report
Memorandum report
Progress report &Periodic report
Completion report & Accident / Incident report
@ Formal & informal reports – layout & format
PLANNING THE REPORT
@ Common characteristics of reports
@ Parts of a report short report/informal ;longer/formal report layout & format
@ The inverted pyramid advantages & disadvantages
@ The outline & the headings
@ Checklist for a complete proposal & report
An on-going assessment of participants’ level of proficiency in English will be carried out throughout the two-day sessions. |
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PROGRAMME 3. ADVANCED BUSINESS WRITING SKILLS
Program Outline
Advanced Techniques for Effectively Writing:
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Memos
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Letters
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E-mails
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Other Business Documents
Organizing the Content
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Strong Introductions
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Proper Body
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Effective Conclusions
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Creating a Coherent and a Cohesive Document
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Use of Visual Aids in Writing
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Matching Visual Aids with Words
Use of Clear Language
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Avoiding Clichés, Obsolete Words, Vague Terms and Jargon
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The Fog Index
Matching the Tone and Style to Suit the Reader
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Formal, Semi-Formal and Informal Writing
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Reader-Friendly
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The Reader as Your Main and Major CustomerKnowing the Needs of Your ReaderThe Impact of Tone and Style on Your
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ReaderUsing the Wrong Tone with Your Reader
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PROGRAMME 4. SPEAK FOR SUCCESS - Boosting your confidence speaking in English
PART 1 : SPEAK FOR SUCCESS (1 DAY)
COURSE OBJECTIVES & BENEFITS
In today’s business environment the ability to SPEAK well and communicate your ideas successfully is of paramount importance.
Whether giving formal speeches, introducing a distinguished guest/speaker, making an important sales presentation, presenting management reports, briefing staff or guests, conducting training or participating in meetings, the ability to SPEAK effectively is an essential skill. This workshop equips you with a range of communication skills which allow you to present yourself effectively with confidence.
It is important for all staff to speak clearly in their daily contact with their bosses, colleagues, peers and most importantly customers ( whether internal or external ) The corporate image and standing of an organisation is reflected through the proper communication skill of the staff of the organisation. Correct pronunciation, clear speech and a good speaking voice are factors which contribute to effective spoken communication.
This course is intensive yet practical. There will be lots of practice sessions with feedback, review & reflection sessions to ensure that all participants are able to speak with confidence, clarity & precision. The sessions will be lively, stimulating and fun filled with activities, games, group discussions, and video tape sessions and listening to different speaking voices
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Get a thorough grasp of correct and effective pronunciation
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Captivate your audience - be it clients or your superiors
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Improve your ability in conveying ideas, information and thoughts
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Enhance the quality and power of your natural voice
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Learn how to modulate your speech in any form of presentation
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Learn to be more articulate and expressive
COURSE OUTLINE FOR SPEAKING FOR SUCCESS
INTRODUCTION
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Voice Production and Courses of Indistinct Speech.
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Correct speech sounds and voice improvement
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Problems in English Pronunciation – Why?
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How to improve one’s pronunciation
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Achieving clarity : Stay away from jargon & slang
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Avoid pretentious language
Group Discussion, Role Play, Activity
HOW TO IMPROVE AND BETTER YOUR SPOKEN ENGLISH AND SPEAKING VOICE
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How the speech organs work in spoken English
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The consonant sounds of spoken English
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The vowel sounds of spoken English
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Speak with confidence & discover personal style of speaking
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Daily usage of English – the key to better spoken English
CORRECT PRONUNCIATION AND PHONETICS
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Achieving Fluency and Intelligibility in spoken English
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Use refreshing language to express thought and feeling
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Readingof selected texts : comments & feedback
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Group Discussion, Role Play, Exercise, Activity
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Review of the Day. Feedback. Question and Answer Session
ACTIVE LISTENING
Difference between heaving and listening
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Support and retention
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Habits to avoid
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Tips for effectiveness
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Activity on Better Spoken English
ARTICULATION AND CORRECT PRONUNCIATION
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Understanding phonetic symbols
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Stress and rhythm
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Recognising vowels, consonants and dip thongs
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Addressing those detailed aspects of speech that cause difficulties
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Regulating pace of speech to suit individual needs
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Determine the importance of stress in the English language
UNDERSTANDING PHONICS AND 44 PHONETIC ALPHABETS
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How to use a pronouncing dictionary to pronounce English words correctly
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Developing a guide to pronunciation
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Listening to various types of pronunciation : comments & feedback
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Practice Session. More communication games and activities allowing the use of Spoken English
PART 2: ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR FOR SPOKEN ENGLISH (1 DAY)
COURSE OBJECTIVES & BENEFITS
In an exciting, results-driven session you will:
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be introduced to the principles of effective writing
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overcome your fear of writing
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apply principles in writing effective letters, reports and emails.
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be able to reduce your time spent in planning and writing
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be able to convey your ideas with clarity and purpose
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be able to organise your writing for easy understanding
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be able to identify and avoid common errors in writing
COURSE OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION TO THE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE:
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Parts of speech & their functions
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The workings of basic grammar in communication, both written & spoken
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Sentence construction
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Vocabulary
THE USE OF ENGLISH
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Understanding differences in spoken and written English
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Uncovering the myth of “Business English”
PROBLEM WITH TIME
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Tenses & Modals
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Simple tenses : present, past, future
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Progressive tenses
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Perfect tenses
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Regular and irregular verbs
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Use of modals in writing
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Common errors in tenses & modals
Gerunds, Infinitives, Passive and Active Forms
PROBLEM WITH COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE
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Singular & Plural
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Subject-Verb Agreement
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Practice
LANGUAGE STUDY: The Parts Of Speech
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Nouns
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Major & minor word classes
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Singular & plural nouns
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Verbs
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Forms of verbs
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Present / Past / Continuous / Participles
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Auxiliary Verb “To Be”
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Adjective
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Adverb
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Pronoun
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Common errors in parts of speech
Essential Grammar and Language Usage Practice
Recognizing the 8 Parts Of Speech and the way they function
SENTENCE STRUCTURES: SENTENCE STRUCTURES & HOW TO USE THEM
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The simple sentence
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The complex sentence
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The compound sentence
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The use of punctuation
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Common errors in sentence construction
COMMON ERRORS
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Subject-verb agreement
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Gerunds & infinitives
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Question form – direct & indirect questions
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Question involving “do”, “does”, “did”
QUESTION AND ANSWER TECHNIQUES
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Direct questions
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Indirect questions
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Question tags
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Questions beginning with auxiliary verbs
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Highlight common errors in English made by Malaysians.
MASTERING BASIC GRAMMAR IN WRITTEN ENGLISH IN REPORTS, LETTERS & MEMOS
Subject Verb Agreement
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Differentiate Singular Vs Plural
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Recognize when troublesome subjects lead to incorrect verb tense
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Avoid confusion that results from collective nouns, words that
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Measure, plurals and irregular verbs.
·Identify and correct Common Errors in Subject Verb Agreement
STYLE IN ENGLISH COMMUNICATION: WRITTEN & SPOKEN
·Formal Vs Informal Language
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Redundancy/Repetition
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Vague, and ambiguous writing
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Verbose/Pompous- Circumlocution
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Jargons & old fashioned language
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Clichés
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Business Vs Normal English
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Parallel Construction
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Connectives
PRACTICE SESSIONS & POST COURSE EVALUATION
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PROGRAMME 5: EFFECTIVE EMAIL WRITING
Program Overview
With technological advancement in the 21st century, communicating via emails has become a norm in the business world. There is however, some problems, unfortunately with the, with the written communication among the employees in many companies. Some typical problems facing the employees in Malaysia is reflected when their communication is poorly worded, lacks clarity and precision.
This course is specially designed to help employees learn the modern email methods, while boosting their confidence in using English competently at the work place.
Suitable for
Frontline Executives, all levels
Contact us for a Request for Proposal via info@itrainingexpert.com
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