Business Reading

To understand all the documents you come across at work you need to practise reading different kinds of text.

This brand new self-study book is the ideal way for business people to refine their reading skills in English. It provides practice reading the kinds of texts that business people come into contact with at work every day, using authentic examples from real business situations. It is aimed particularly at executives who communicate in English frequently or work in foreign or multinational companies.

The twenty 4-page units focus on a wide variety of texts, which are useful as a quick-reference guide or for more in depth study and practice:

• Section 1: Emails
• Section 2: Business documents such as agendas, CVs, job descriptions and annual reports
• Section 3: Marketing and advertising, including company websites, brochures and social media such as Twitter
• Section 4: Business media, for example reading newspaper reports, financial news and business blogs
• Each unit contains practice activities and exercises; key vocabulary and phrases and grammar tips, with notes on American English variants
• Includes helpful advice on different reading styles, such as reading for gist and reading for detail
• Reference section with advice on how to improve your reading speed, and tips to help you choose the best reading method to find the information you need
• Also focuses on useful skills not covered in traditional reading courses, such as ‘reading between the lines’ or understanding the true meaning behind the message
• Includes an answer key, making it ideal for self-study
• Powered by COBUILD – using the real language of business English

Collins English for Business is an innovative series of self-study skills books which focus on the language you really need to do business in English – wherever you are in the world. Each title includes tips on how to communicate effectively and how to communicate inter-culturally. Other titles in this series are Speaking, Listening and Writing.

Following a degree in Modern Languages at Oxford University, Anna Osborn worked in publishing as a Managing Editor during the 1990s. She retrained to become an English language teacher in 2000 and has since worked across Europe teaching students of all levels and ages. In addition, she has written a wide variety of English language learning materials including business and general study books, online self-study courses, and classroom workshops. Her most recent books are English for Business: Speaking (Collins, 2011) and English for Life: Reading (Collins, 2012).