USA Business School Rankings

Many of you taking the TOEIC plan to study in an MBA program in the United States one day. If you want to know how different business schools are ranked in the United States, there are two key sources:
US News and World Report 2008 Business School Rankings
Business Week Business School Rankings and Profiles
Note that the [...]

TOEIC Reading: The Need for Speed

Most students make the mistake on the TOEIC Reading Comprehension section (Section 7) of reading every word in the paragraphs of the passages they read.
This is a big mistake. The TOEIC does not really test reading skill; the TOEIC reading comprehension section tests question answering skills or, more specifically, the ability to find information in [...]

Learning Business English: Fixing a Schedule

I have been doing something lately that I think will be very helpful to my students if they can emulate (copy) it.
I have been getting up at 6am. After that, I follow a strict schedule (Note: I don’t have to start working until 10am, so I have time to fit more activities into my morning [...]

Business English: What’s Important, What’s Not

I think there is a great deal of confusion among students of business English over what is most important to study if you want to “improve your English.”
First, instead of thinking “I want to have better English,” think this: “I want to communicate more clearly and more effectively in English.”
If your goal is a high [...]

The Top Five Best Ways to Prepare for the TOEIC

Follow these simple steps and you’ll get the score you want on the TOEIC.
1. Start your TOEIC studies 8 to 12 weeks before your test date. You will need about 10-20 hours a week to prepare properly.
2. Review the vocabulary and grammar that the test will cover. You can do this through a variety of [...]

TOEIC Preparation: Can it be done in two weeks?

I am often asked by business professionals whether or not they’ll be able to adequately prepare for the TOEIC in two weeks.
Here is how I responded to this question when it was asked again earlier this week:
As for TOEIC preparation, you have GOT to figure out the best, most efficient strategies for handling the questions [...]

What to Read to Improve Your Business English

If you are studying business English, and want to improve your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills, reading is an excellent way to practice.
But, what to read?

For TOEIC: Read TOEIC passages. Read critically, using a skimming method to understand topic, purpose, basic content, and structure. Do NOT memorize details.
For General Business: DO NOT read Time Magazine, [...]

Studying Business English

In general, there are two types of business English study:
1. Foundational Language Study: This includes study you to do build your reading and listening skills, and your knowledge of vocabulary and grammar.
2. Communication Skills Study: This is study you do to improve your speaking and writing skills, and might include such topics as: Presentation skills; [...]