Words: A User's Guide

abbreviation

See abbreviation, acronym page 1 and the individual entries in Words - a User's Guide.

Abbreviate the following words (use British English spelling).

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

abbreviation, acronym

See abbreviation, acronym on page 1 in Words - a User's Guide.

There are acronyms and abbreviations in the jumbled letters below. The letters are either horizontal or vertical.

Find and enter the acronyms/abbreviations for the following institutions and phrases.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

See abbreviation, acronym on page 1 in Words - a User's Guide.

There are acronyms and abbreviations in the jumbled letters below. The letters are either horizontal or vertical.

O

O

B

B

S

F

W

X

X

E

B

U

T

V

A

T

D

D

T

G

M

T

H

N

C

U

B

N

A

I

E

E

S

U

N

E

S

C

O

T

C

I

C

E

E

P

K

X

Find and enter the acronyms/abbreviations for the following institutions and phrases.

adjectives, order of

See adjectives, pages 393 - 394 in Words - a User's Guide.

If, rather than using a list of bullet points, you need to list the characteristics of an object or a person, NASCOMP may help.

Place the following adjectives in their correct order according to NASCOMP.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

Question

small / charming / two / black-and-tan / Spaniels / with good pedigree.

+ View Suggested Response

two small charming black-and-tan Spaniels with good pedigree.

Question

in / seven / metal / red / containers / were / the / large / gas / bombs.

+ View Suggested Response

The bombs were in seven large red metal gas containers.

Question

fair-haired / tall / partners / looking for / two / Vikings.

+ View Suggested Response

Two tall fair-haired Vikings looking for partners.

Question

valuable / silver / Sterling / boxes / three / compact / snuff.

+ View Suggested Response

Three valuable compact Sterling silver snuff boxes.

Question

exclusive / oak / two / large / Edwardian / bookcases.

+ View Suggested Response

Two exclusive large Edwardian oak bookcases.

adverbs

See adverb, page 394 in Words - a User's Guide.

Put the groups of words in each of the following sentences in the correct order.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

Question

badly / have failed / us / our main contractors / during the past three months

+ View Suggested Response

Our main contractors have failed us badly during the past three months.

Question

an important contract / last month / in Helsinki / negotiated / our Division Director

+ View Suggested Response

Our Division Director negotiated an important contract in Helsinki last month.

Question

in the Netherlands / successfully / our services / marketed / are being / at present

+ View Suggested Response

At present, our services are being successfully marketed in the Netherlands.

Question

was calculated at / 6.5 billion / the world population / in 2006

+ View Suggested Response

In 2000, the world population rose to 6 billion.

advise, advice

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

application letter 1

See writing skills, pages 414 - 418 and 422 - 424 in Words - a User's Guide.

Business trainee

A successful company in the financial sector is looking for a trainee. This post calls for a pleasant, well-educated, flexible, numerate person with excellent computer skills.

Hard work and pleasant personality are also essential requirements.

Fringe benefits include travel and London allowance as well as medical insurance.

*************************************************************************************************

Write a letter of application to:

James Smith
Personnel Director
City Business Services
P.O. Box 5321
London SW6 2BG

The application deadline is 28 February 20XX.

application letter 2

As an exercise, use these words in the following letter.

review | Ms | allowance | scales | Yours | bonus

medical insurance | paid leave | Dear | rise |

starting salary| sincerely | position | conditions

Set this up as a letter from J.P. Smiths Ltd, 34 Victoria Street, London WC1 AB4.

Address the letter to Monica Brown, 78 Wingate Road, Trumpington Cambridge CB2 2RF.

Example answer:

application letter and CV writing

See writing skills, pages 414 - 418 and 422 - 424 in Words - a User's Guide.

Exercise on analysing adverts for positions and then tailoring an application letter and CV to match an advertisement.

Read the following job advertisement and identify what type of candidate the employer wants (there are about 20 things).

Chemoco seeks two Chemical Engineering graduates

We operate in six countries and supply the oil and gas industry with chemical analyses based on well-log data and downhole surveys. We need two MSc graduates who are innovative and full of initiative. The successful candidates will be part of our well services analysis team in the Netherlands and must be able to present our results of analyses clearly and accurately in reports or presentations. Languages: English, French/German. Attractive salary and career plan. Applicants are to forward their CV by 31 March 20XX to hans.smidt@chemoco.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most students think their degree is enough. Most employers know that it is not.

Feedback:

Chemoco seeks two Chemical Engineering graduates

We operate in six countries and supply the oil and gas industry with chemical analyses based on well-log data and downhole surveys. We need two MSc graduates who are innovative and full of initiative. The successful candidates will be part of our well services analysis team in the Netherlands and must be able to present our results of analyses clearly and accurately in reports or presentations. Languages: English, French/German. Attractive salary and career plan. Applicants are to forward their CV by 31 March 20XX to hans.smidt@chemoco.org.

Chemoco do not just want a chemical engineer, they want someone who:

• has a master of science degree
• is a team worker
• is innovative
• has initiative
• has presentation skills
• is skilled in report writing
• has language skills: at least English and French or German

Note the word 'career', and the location.

Remember to tailor your application letter and CV to the job you apply for.

Make Mary/John's SWOT analyis for the following job advertisement.

Advertisement for Administrative Assistant, European Commission

The successful candidate will have the following Tasks in DG X:

Task 1: Training sessions (3 times per year)

• Give briefings on administrative application routines, Q and A
• Preparation of information files for participants
• Registration and updating the database

Task 2: Programme Working group

• Assistance during meetings with the European working group
• Taking notes and the minutes (3 to 4 times per year)
• Development and updating the calendar for the working group

Task 3: Various ad hoc work

• Web page: back-up for updating the department's web pages
• Travel accounts and financial accounts for the team

Profile:

• Minimum education: Bachelor's degree
• Good knowledge of spoken and written English and French. Some knowledge of Spanish is also required
• Can handle MS Office tools, database and web

This is a demanding job requiring a high degree of responsibility.

Interviews in Brussels starting May 20XX.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Model for Mary/John's SWOT analysis (this could be you):

Strengths Bachelor’s degree (good grades) Training skills (student assistant work) Computer skills (MS Office, C++) Responsibility (ran the buddy system) International meetings (Erasmus student network) Team work (my sport, active in student politics) Languages (English and French, some Danish)	Weaknesses Financial skills Limited Spanish
Opportunities Can get to an interview in Brussels in May Time to study Spanish before the interview	Threats My competitors are business school graduates

Follow-up work:

Consult Words – A Users Guide, writing skills, emails and letters, CV writing (pages 414 - 418 and 422 - 424 in Words - a User's Guide.) to produce your own job application letter and CV. Note the link to the online CV template in the book.

British and American English

See British English (BE), American English (AE), page 52 in Words - a User's Guide.

Complete each question with the corresponding British English (BE) or American English (AE) term.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

capital letters

See capitalisation, pages 425 - 426 letters and entries for East, West, North, South in Words - a User's Guide.

For each of the questions below decide which of the following terms could be used to precede the word given (remember to think about the use of capitals).

east, eastern; west, western; north, northern, south, southern.

 

choose, select, pick

See choose, page 70 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select one of the words below to complete each sentence.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

collective nouns

See collective nouns, page 396 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select the correct verbs and pronouns (use British English - BE) that complete each sentence.

collocation (word partnerships)

See collocation, page 75 in Words - a User's Guide.

By using the right collocation, your English sounds natural.

Complete the following sentences.

Once you've completed the questions below, try some of these exercises at: http://www.better-english.com/strongcollocation/coll6.htm

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

crossword exercise - words derived from numbers

exercise with words derived from numbers

See numbers given by prefixes, page 237 in Words - a User's Guide.

Complete this exercise with words derived from numbers.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

dates, digital

See dates, page 92 in Words - a User's Guide.

Write the following dates in the international format recommended by ISO.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

economics, economical, economically, economy

See economics, page 112 in Words - a User's Guide.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

effect, affect

See effect, page 112 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select the most suitable word to fill the space in each sentence.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

effective, efficient

See effective, page 112 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select the correct term to complete each sentence.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

formal English

See formal English, page 435 in Words - a User's Guide.

Many of these words or expressions are short forms or slang for a more formal word.

Write the formal equivalents.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

formal and informal English

See the individual entries in Words - a User's Guide.

Place these words/expressions in order so that the most formal comes first, the next most formal is second, and so on.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

group names

See group names, page 156 in Words - a User's Guide.

Insert the most suitable terms to complete each phrase, note that there may be more than one correct option.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

hyphenation

See hyphenation, pages 410 - 412 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select the correct alternatives to complete the sentences.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

Latin abbreviations

See Latin abbreviations, page 199 and the  entries for circa., e.g., et al., etc., and i.e. in Words - a User's Guide.

Insert a suitable Latin abbreviation in the space provided.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

More questions

lead, led

See lead, page 200 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select the suitable form of the verb or noun to complete the sentence.

negative prefixes

See negative prefixes, page 400 in Words - a User's Guide.

Insert the negative alternative that corresponds to the underlined word and uses the negative prefix.

Example: Is it convenient to meet at lunchtime?

Sorry, lunchtime is most inconvenient today.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

recover, reform, resign, resort

See recover, page 289; reform, page 291: resign and resort, page 297 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select the correct word to complete the sentence.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

rise, raise, raze

See rise, page 301 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select the correct form of rise or raise to complete the following sentences.

safety, security

See safety, page 305 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select either safety or security to complete the following sentences.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

sensible, sensitive, insensible, insensitive

See sensible, page 311 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select a suitable term to complete the following sentences.

sexist language, avoidance

See sexist language, page 434 in Words - a User's Guide.

Give an example of a phrases that should be used instead of the underlined phrase.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

strength, power, force

See strength, page 334 in Words - a User's Guide.

Select strength, power, force or their related forms to complete each sentence.

strict, hard, harsh, rigorous, severe, tough

See strict, page 335 in Words - a User's Guide.

Insert the most suitable word from those below to complete each sentence.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.

revision exercise

See the individual entries in Words - a User's Guide.

The following sentences contain at least one wrong term, you need to find it and then enter the correct term. If you need help, use the book.

Please note that the answers are case sensative.