Course description
There are three exams in the Cambridge English: Business Certificates (BEC) suite of exams. Each one is targeted at a different level. The content for each exam is based on everyday work and business tasks and is designed to develop your business English skills. They show that you can use English confidently in international business environments.
In our Cambridge BEC exam preparation course you will learn about how the exam works, what the examiners will be looking for and you will get plenty of practice using the types of questions you will see in the exam. Be assured that after your course you can tackle the exam with complete confidence! It’s not an empty promise – all our British teachers are CELTA qualified and very experienced, and some of them are Cambridge oral and written examiners.
Course outcomes
By the end of the course you will be able to:
– Approach the questions in the Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking components of the Cambridge BEC preliminary, Vantage and Higher exams more confidently
– Focus on the key areas included in the exam, such as: General business environment and routine, Entertainment of clients, Relationships with colleagues and clients, Travel and conference meetings, Company structures, systems, processes, Buying and selling, Products and services, Business / management issues, Results and achievements
– Practise through example exam tasks and teacher’s feedback
Sample syllabus
BEC preliminary:
Reading and writing:
Understanding the general meaning of non-routine letters within own work area
Understanding most short reports of a predictable nature
Making notes on routine matters, such as taking/placing orders
Writing straightforward, routine letters of a factual nature
Speaking: various topics i.e.
– Choosing a training course
– Booking a hotel for a business trip
– Attending a conference
– Finding new suppliers of products
Listening: various topics i.e.
– Being a PA
– Email addresses
– Describing changes in a company
-Taking orders over the phone
BEC Vantage:
Reading: various topics i.e.
– Articles about companies and work
– Article about business travel
– Health and Safety leaflet
Writing: various topics i.e.
– Report explaining findings
– Letter replying to an enquiry
– Message summarising a phone conversation
Speaking:various topics i.e.
– Information exchange about company performance
– Choosing a hotel for a meeting
– Discussion – improving office communication
Listening: various topics i.e.
– Telephone calls to arrange an international meeting
– People talking about safety issues
– Recruiting new staff
BEC Higher
Reading:various topics i.e.
– Corporate culture
– Leaders and managers
– Internal communications
– Chairing meetings
Writing:various topics i.e.
– Memo about change implementation in working practices
– Report about changes in company’s turnover
– Proposal for a new website
Speaking: various topics i.e.
– Advertising and customers
– Negotiating a lease
– Corporate ethics
Listening: various topics i.e.
– Presenting at meetings
– The sales pitch
– The workforce of the future
