Jeremy Comfort, Rod Revell, Chris Stott. Business Reports in English, p.61&62, p.81
6.3 LANGUAGE PRACTICE
6.3.1 Contrast
Look at the following ways of expressing contrast:
a) Turnover increased. However, profitability fell.
Although turnover increased, profitability fell.
Profitability fell (even) though turnover increased.
b) It would be difficult to ventilate site B, while/whereas the exterior position of site A would improve ventilation.
a) However is used for general contrasts where the ideas are not equivalent. Although is used when there is a contrast
that surprises us. Even though is like although but more emphatic.
b) While/whereas are used where there is a contrast between equivalent ideas.
Use although, even though, whereas, while or however to contrast the following:
1 There are only six recruiters.
2 Site B would be easy to build on.
3 Salaries have been fixed for two years.
4 The recruitment agency concentrated on the UK.
5 There are ten managers.
6 Working conditions are above average.
7 The Recruitment Managers received a basic salary of
7,250.
8 Prospective clients were offered discounted rates for the
first year of business.
9 There are ten managers.
10 Site A will be easy to ventilate.
They do most of the work.
Site A would require new foundations.
They will be revised if business improves.
Its competitors turned to foreign markets.
Only the Managing Director has decision-making power.
There is no rest room.
They benefitted from high rates of commission.
Many of these new clients continued to pay less after the
first contract year.
There are only seven non-management staff.
Site B will be exposed to fumes from the shop floor.
6.3.2 Condition
In the following statements of condition:
a) expresses a universal situation;
b) expresses a possible situation;
c) expresses a hypothetical situation;
d) expresses a hypothetical situation in the past.
a)
If the junior recruiters work more than four hours overtime they receive overtime payments.
Present Simple Present Simple
b)
If business starts to improve salaries will be increased.
Present Simple Will form
c)
If site A was chosen 30 square meters of parking space would be lost.
Past Simple Would form
d)
If the increase had been more moderate profitability would have kept pace with the rise in turnover.
Past Perfect Would Have + Past Participle
Choose one of methods (a) -- (d) to make sentences from the following table:
Condition Result
1 The company / advertise / overseas
2 Employees / live / more than 10 km from office
3 We / choose / site B
4 Managing Director / resign / now
5 The company / pay / less commission
6 We / receive / architects' plans / next week
7 Employees / work / more than 10 hours overtime
8 He / be / Managing Director
9 There / be / fewer management staff
10 We / not build / rest room
It / be more competitive / last year
They receive / travel allowance
The building / finish / by April
The company / benefit / immediately
Profits / be / higher / last year
The building / complete / next April
They / get / an extra day's holiday
The company / collapse
More work / do
The employees / strike
6.3.3 Addition
We can express the idea of addition as follows:
The recruitment interviews are carried out by six junior recruiters. In addition, there is a full-time secretary.
Besides the six junior recruiters, there is (also) a full-time secretary.
There are not only six Recruitment Managers, but also four other managers.
Like the other directors, the Managing Director receives a high salary. Moreover he is paid a management fee of
10,000.
Complete the following passage by inserting appropriate expressions:
To summarise, the company faces several problems. The last two years have shown that it is ...................................
slow to adapt to changing conditions ......................................... unwilling to look for new markets. ................................,
the management structure of the company is unsuitable for this kind of business. .................................... the excessive
number of managers, there is the problem of poorly defined responsibilities. ...................................., the ratio between
salary and commission is out of proportion.
KEY
6.3.1
1 Although there are only six recruiters, they do most of the work.
2 Site B would be easy to build on, while site A would require new foundations. 3 Salaries have been fixed for two
years. However, they will be revised if business improves.
4 The recruitment agency concentrated on the UK, whereas its competitors turned to foreign markets.
5 Although there are ten managers, only the Managing Director has decision-making power.
6 Working conditions are above average. However, there is no rest room.
7 The Recruitment Managers received a basic salary of 7,250 even though they benefitted from high rates of
commission.
8 Although prospective clients were offered discounted rates for the first year of business, many of these new clients
continued to pay less after the first contract year.
9 There are ten managers whereas there are only seven non-management staff.
10 Site A will be easy to ventilate, whereas site B will be exposed to fumes from the shop floor.
6.3.2
1 If the company had advertised overseas, it would have been more competitive last year.
2 If employees live more than ten kilometres from the office, they receive a travel allowance.
3 If we chose site B, the building would be finished by April.
4 If the Managing Director resigns now, the company will benefit immediately.
5 If the company had paid less commission, profits would have been higher last year.
6 If we receive the architects' plans next week, the building will be
completed next April.
7 If employees work more than ten hours overtime, they get an extra day's holiday.
8 If he had been Managing Director, the company would have collapsed.
9 If there were fewer management staff, more work would be done.
10 If we don't build a rest room, the employees will strike.
6.3.3
not only -- but also -- In addition -- Besides -- Moreover