English for Accountants

Introduction

English for Accountants is an online course, consisting of 56 units of English, and providing approximately 60 hours of study for students.

Course aims

To give students at Intermediate, CEFR B1/Upper Intermediate B2 level practice in general and business-oriented language required for business contexts at this level, specifically tailored towards the specialisation of accounting. The course blends grammatical structures necessary for this level, with vocabulary, reading, listening, writing, speaking, and pronunciation.

Grammar

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

Use present and past tenses correctly
Use the appropriate conditional forms to talk about situations and consequences
Use the present perfect to describe a link between past and present events
Use going to and will to talk about future predictions and intentions
Use the passive form correctly
Distinguish and be able to correctly describe countable and uncountable nouns

Vocabulary

By the end of the course students will have learnt approximately 120 expressions used in accountancy.

Skills

By the end of the course students will have had exposure to and practice in reading and hearing formal and informal English from a variety of accents and accountancy contexts.

Unit summary

Module 1

Introduction to Accounting Terminology
Grammar: Present tenses
Vocabulary: Essential accounting vocabulary
Reading: Financial reports and accounting articles
Listening: Accounting presentations and discussions
Writing: Writing summaries of financial information
Speaking: Describing accounting concepts and principles
Pronunciation: Anxious and Chess + connected speech

Module 2

Financial Accounting and Reporting
Grammar: Past tenses
Vocabulary: Market segmentation, target markets, demographics, consumer behaviour
Reading: Interpreting financial statements
Listening: Financial reporting updates and explanations
Writing: Preparing financial statements and reports
Speaking: Presenting and discussing financial reports with colleagues
Pronunciation: Beats and Beach + connected speech

Module 3

Management Accounting and Budgeting
Grammar: Going to and Will
Vocabulary: Cost accounting, budgeting, variance analysis
Reading: Management accounting, reports and budgets
Listening: Budget presentations and cost analysis discussions
Writing: Preparing budgets and management accounting reports
Speaking: Discussing budget proposals and cost management strategies
Pronunciation: Bet and But + connected speech

Module 4

Taxation and Compliance
Grammar: Present perfect
Vocabulary: Types of taxes, tax regulations, deductions, and allowances
Reading: Tax legislation and guidelines
Listening: Tax-related discussions and updates
Writing: Tax returns and compliance reports
Speaking: Tax issues and strategies with clients and colleagues
Pronunciation: Bud and Bird + connected speech

Module 5

Auditing and Assurance
Grammar: Countable and uncountable nouns
Vocabulary: Audit terminology, audit procedures, internal and external audits
Reading: Audit reports and findings
Listening: Audit presentations and findings discussions
Writing: Audit reports and recommendations
Speaking: Audit findings and recommendations to clients
Pronunciation: Cart and Cut + connected speech

Module 6

Financial Analysis and Decision Making
Grammar: First conditional
Vocabulary: Financial ratios, profitability, liquidity, risk assessment
Reading: Financial analyses and recommendations
Listening: Financial analysis presentations and discussions
Writing: Financial analysis reports and decision-making documents
Speaking: Financial analysis results and recommendations
Pronunciation: Day and Ray + connected speech

Module 7

Accounting Software and Technology
Grammar: Passive
Vocabulary: Accounting software, automation, data security
Reading: Accounting software and technology trends
Listening: Software demonstrations and technology discussions
Writing: Software evaluations and technology implementation plans
Speaking: Discussing accounting software and technology with colleagues and clients
Pronunciation: Guess and Yes + connected speech

Module 8

Professional Communication for Accountants
Grammar: Second conditional
Vocabulary: Formal and informal language, presentation skills, client relationships
Reading: Professional emails, memos, and announcements
Listening: Colleagues and clients in various situations
Writing: Writing professional emails, memos, and announcements
Speaking: Practising communication skills in different scenarios
Pronunciation: Hope and Hop + connected speech

Follow-up

Students completing the English for Accountants course should feel confident in tackling any upper intermediate course, including our Upper Intermediate Business Power course.