Business English/Areas of English Proficiency
- Vocabulary: Passive and active vocabulary. Passive vocabulary is words that you understand. Active vocabulary is words that you use.
- Fluency: How fast you find words when speaking.
- Natural speaking patterns: Choosing the right word and the right word order.
- Written English: Formal grammar and spelling.
- Pronunciation: Speaking with the correct consonant and vowel sounds, and stressed syllables.
- Flow of speech: How fast to speak, when your voice should raise or lower in pitch or in volume, where to pause and for how long.
- Culture: Understanding and reacting appropriately to situations and expectations of English-speaking cultures.
Another way to divide the areas of language is the following:
- Listening (receiving oral messages)
- Speaking (giving oral messages)
- Reading (receiving written messages)
- Writing (giving written messages)