| Learning English terms for matters of finance and | | | | index card along with their definition. If you organize |
| business is an important part of being a successful | | | | the words alphabetically, you will find them easier to |
| business person in the English-speaking world. Most | | | | look up when you next run across them. Choose a |
| common business actions require reading contracts, | | | | card each day to carry in your purse or briefcase. |
| invoices, purchase orders, and other financial and legal | | | | Pull out the card whenever you are waiting in line and |
| documents. You will also want to be able to conduct | | | | study it. Books which contain glossaries are helpful |
| negotiations and perform the common courtesies | | | | since you do not need to carry a dictionary as well. |
| expected in the business world. In order to | | | | Some publishers also offer vocabulary worksheets, |
| successfully transact your business, you must know | | | | puzzles, and games to help people work with new |
| the language of business. | | | | words. Check the publisher’s website for support |
| The first challenge is the number of words related to | | | | materials. |
| business and financial matters, not counting all the | | | | Tool kit. Search the internet using keywords like |
| acronyms like FDIC and APR. The English language | | | | “financial terms games”, and “business |
| contains hundreds of word and phrases related to | | | | terms” to find all sorts of resources to help you add |
| financial matters. The next challenge is that many of | | | | to your financial vocabulary. There are games, |
| these words describe sophisticated concepts which | | | | puzzles, word searches, newsletters, tips, and other |
| are difficult to explain and are not widely understood in | | | | readily available tools for explaining financial terms and |
| the first place (For example, how many of us can | | | | concepts. |
| rattle off an explanation for capitalization?). | | | | Practice time. Practice saying the word often. Say |
| Developing your vocabulary of financial terms is critical | | | | it to yourself several times by sounding out the word. |
| to your financial management and business success. | | | | Listen to it being pronounced by English speakers |
| Here are ways to increase your financial vocabulary. | | | | either on the TV or radio. Search the internet using |
| Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Use news stories as a | | | | keywords like “English listening online” and |
| starting point for exploring new vocabulary. Pick a | | | | “English listening” to find free resources for |
| word from the news story and research the word in | | | | practicing English listening skills. Many sites offer |
| the dictionary or on the internet. Write the word | | | | downloadable MP3 files which you can play numerous |
| down in your “financial terms” notebook with its | | | | times until you feel comfortable with the word’s |
| definition. An alternative to a notebook is a system | | | | sound. If you search on “English speaking” or |
| of index cards which are then sorted alphabetically | | | | English speaking online”, you will find resources for |
| and kept in a small file box. | | | | practicing your pronunciation skills. If you know an |
| Read a good book. Financial situations are so | | | | English speaker who is willing to practice with you, ask |
| fundamental to the daily life of human beings that | | | | to meet on a regular basis. Or form an English club |
| many books deal with or have an undercurrent of | | | | to give you plenty of opportunities to practice. |
| economic themes. Rags to riches, the struggle of the | | | | The impact of money on our lives is obvious because |
| poor, the standard of living enjoyed by the characters, | | | | of the large number of words in the English vocabulary |
| are all themes which often appear in books. Along | | | | which describe and denote different aspects of |
| with the themes comes the vocabulary used to | | | | money and business. By learning financial terms and |
| describe what is happening to the characters. As | | | | their meanings, you provide the groundwork for a |
| you encounter unfamiliar words, jot them down on an | | | | successful career in business. |