Your site name

The Business Advanced

John Allison, Rachel Appleby and Edward de Chazal( Macmillan 2009) ISBN: SB 978-0-2300-2151-8;
TB 978-0-2300-2152-5; CDs 978-0-2300-2153-2

The Business Advanced is the fourth and highest level in a series designed for Business English students (Level C1 and C2). The book is exceptionally well laid out and illustrated and an integrated self-study DVD-ROM is included. I found the filmed business scenarios particularly realistic. The practical approach would appeal both to a student of General English wishing to expand his/her knowledge of business vocabulary and syntax or indeed, to a more mature and experienced businessman or woman.

Eight manageable units cover Personal Development, Corporate Image, Supply Chain, Managing Conflict, Strategic Marketing, Risk Management, Investment and Free Trade. Unusually, at this level, there is no specific unit on either Energy or Setting up a Business. Each unit is then further subdivided into six modules: About Business, Grammar, Vocabulary, Management skills, Writing and Case Study, colour coded in most attractive modern colours making the book visually aesthetic and easy to access. Unlike other Business English Student Books, it is neither austere nor daunting in its presentation, helped by the fact that each module is concisely condensed into just two pages with reviews every two chapters.

Each unit consists of one longer article and several shorter, bite-sized extracts from newspapers. The articles are topical, modern and well written and would provoke interest in the most exhausted, recalcitrant student. The role-play and discussion ideas are not unduly complicated, a drawback which I have encountered in several other textbooks. a variety of games and activities are provided in the body of the text, doing away with the need for additional photocopying.

I particularly liked the grammar sections in each unit, where a successful attempt has been made to integrate basic grammar structures with up-to-date collocations and phrases, providing maximum opportunity for fluency. The websites given in the chapters and The Word List at the back for each chapter with phonetic spelling also provide a useful resource.

Skills for Business English 3

Anne Dwyer (Delta Publishing 2001)
ISBN: SB 978-1-900-783-46-0; TGuide 978-1-900-783-47-7; Cass. 978-1-900-783-48-4;
CDs 978-1-900-783-53-8

By contrast, Skills for Business English is designed specifically for preparing students for the Cambridge Business English Certificate Higher Exam. The book is topic based and has twelve units: Employment, Company Start Ups and Growth, International Commerce, Information Technology, Finance, Health, Safety and The Environment, Negotiation, Marketing and Sales, Logistics, Knowledge Management, International Trade and Budgeting and Taxation. Unlike The Business Advanced, there are no sections devoted to grammar alone, as the focus is task based and communicative, with each chapter devoted to the four main skills. There is, however, a wealth of useful exercises for gap fill and error correction.

Being a cheaper production in blue and green, Skills for Business English is less visually attractive but has useful material for reading and for specific writing tasks, e.g. describing trends, letters of complaint, report writing. It is particularly good at integrating listening and writing exercises. Nearly all listening exercises are BEC length and style, making it ideal exam practice. The Teacher’s Guide is mercifully succinct and includes a complete BEC Practice Test.

All in all, Business Advanced successfully fills a unique gap in the market for a contemporary, lively and highly accessible text and interactive resource for the general business student, while Skills for Business English 3 provides a more traditional and very thorough grounding for the BEC exam.

Lucy Bradley
Adam Smith College