VOCABULARY LIST Business English Certificate (BEC) Preliminary BEC Preliminary Wordlist © UCLES 2006 Introduction to the BEC Preliminary Wordlist The BEC Preliminary Wordlist gives teachers a guide to the vocabulary needed when preparing students for the BEC Preliminary examination. Background to the list The BEC Preliminary Vocabulary list was originally developed by Cambridge ESOL in consultation with external consultants to guide item writers who produce materials for the BEC Preliminary examination. It includes vocabulary from the Council of Europe’s Threshold (1990) specification and business-related vocabulary which corpus evidence shows is high frequency. The list covers vocabulary appropriate to this level of English and includes receptive vocabulary (words that the candidate is expected to understand but which is not the focus of a question), and productive vocabulary (words that the candidate needs to know to answer a question). The list does not provide an exhaustive list of all words which appear on BEC Preliminary question papers and candidates should not confine their study of vocabulary to the list alone. How the list is updated Usage of business language can change rapidly, as shown by the growth of email correspondence and associated vocabulary in the last ten years. In order to maintain its currency, the wordlist is updated on an annual basis by the addition and removal of words, using a corpus-based approach. Suggested additions to the wordlist are collated and the frequency of these words is obtained by reference to established corpora (electronic databases). The corpora in question represent receptive and productive language in business and general contexts. The main corpora used for the validation of the BEC Preliminary wordlist are: • the Cambridge Learner corpus (CLC) which includes over 20 million words of written learner English at six levels; • the British National Corpus (BNC) which includes 100 million words of written and spoken native speaker data, including four million business-oriented words; • a web-derived corpus of business-related articles which includes 120,000 words from US and UK business articles. How the list is organised • Word sets Some categories of words which a learner at this level might be expected to know are not included in the alphabetical list but appear separately in Appendix 1. These include word sets such as numbers; days of the week; months of the year; countries and languages. • Exemplification Example phrases and sentences are given only where words which can be used with different meanings have been restricted in the extent of their usage at BEC Preliminary level. For example, trust is exemplified as it will only be used on a BEC Preliminary paper with the meaning of having confidence in someone or something, and not with the meaning of a financial arrangement (such as trust fund or trust unit). • Prefixes and suffixes A list of possible prefixes and suffixes is provided in Appendix 2 and these may be combined with the vocabulary items in the list as appropriate. Unemployment, for example, is not included on the alphabetical list, as it is formed from a word on the list – employ – in combination with two of the allowable affixes – un and ment. 2 BEC Preliminary Wordlist © UCLES 2006 Words with an affix which is not included in the appendix appear within the alphabetical list. Reliability, for example, is listed, as the suffix – ity is not included in Appendix 2, as it is considered to be difficult for this level. • Compound words Compound words are not included in the list where both individual words are present and where the meaning of the compound is literal and transparent, eg businessman. A similar approach has been adopted for two-word and hyphenated compounds, for example, leisure centre and hand- made. • Multi-word verbs Multi-word verbs are not included in the list if they have a literal meaning and are composed of verbs and particles already in the list. Examples of literal multi-word verbs are come into and sit down. If the meaning of the verb is not transparent, eg put through, get along, the verb is listed and an example of usage given. • Topic Lists As Business English is considered to be a domain in itself, there are no separate topic lists for BEC Preliminary. Personal Vocabulary The content of the BEC Preliminary wordlist is unlikely to cover completely the productive vocabulary that may be required by all candidates. Candidates should know the specific lexis they will need to describe themselves, their lives and their work. Abbreviations Abbreviations used in the Vocabulary List are: abbrev abbreviation or acronym adj adjective adv adverb Am Eng American English Br Eng British English conj conjunction det determiner exclam exclamation int interjection n noun phr v phrasal verb pl plural prep preposition prep phr prepositional phrase pron pronoun sing singular v verb Summary of points to be noted • The list does not include every word that may appear on a BEC Preliminary paper. • The list covers receptive and productive vocabulary. • Prefixes and suffixes used at this level appear in an appendix. 3 BEC Preliminary Wordlist © UCLES 2006 A • With his experience, he will be a useful addition to the team. additional (adj) a.m. (before noon) (adv) address (n & v) abbreviation (n) • Could I have your email address? ability (n) (n) able (adj) • The MD addressed the • able to go conference. (v) about (adj & prep) adjust (v) • The company has about 500 administration (n) employees. (adj) administrative (adj) • The report is about share prices. administrator (n) (prep) admire (v) above (adj & prep) admission (n) abroad (adv) • Admission to the conference is by absence (n) ticket only. absent (adj) admit (v) accept (v) • He admitted there were production access (n & v) problems. accident (n) • This ticket admits two people to the accommodation (n) exhibition. accompany (v) adult (adj & n) according to (prep) advance (n) account (n) • Could you let me know in • I’d like to open a bank account. advance? • Our company has an account at • I’d like to make an advance Transport Solutions. booking. accountancy (n) advanced (adj) accountant (n) • We need someone with advanced- accounting (n) level word-processing skills. accounts (n) advantage (n) accuracy (n) advert (n) accurate (adj) advertise (v) achieve (v) advertising (n) acknowledge (v) advice (n) acquaintance (n) advice note (n) acquire (v) advise (v) acquisition (n) aeroplane (n) across (prep) affair (n) act (v) • He had a lot of important affairs to action (n) take care of. • The company has reasons for its affect (v) actions. afford (v) • Industrial action has affected afraid (adj) production. after (prep) • We need to develop an action plan. after-sales service (n) active (adj) afternoon (n) activity (n) afterwards (adv) actor (n) again (adv) actual (adj) against (prep) ad (abbrev) (advertisement or advert) age (n) adapt (v) aged (adj) add (v) agency (n) addition (n) • Let’s use an advertising agency. • In addition, I’d like to order a new agenda (n) printer. agent (n) 4 BEC Preliminary Wordlist © UCLES 2006 • I’ve been to the travel agent to anniversary (n) book a flight to Hong Kong. • The company celebrated its 50th • He’s our agent in Japan. anniversary. ago (adv) announce (v) agree (v) annoy (v) agricultural (adj) annual (adj) agriculture (n) annual report (n) aim (n & v) annual return (n) • His aim was to become MD. (n) another (adj) • We aim to increase turnover by 5% answer (n & v) this year. (v) answer phone (n) air (n) antique (adj & n) • He’s going by air instead of by anxious (adj) train. any (adj & pron) air-conditioned (adj) anybody (pron) air-conditioning (n) anyhow (adv) airline (n) anyone (pron) airmail (n) anything (pron) airplane (n) anyway (adv) airport (n) anywhere (adv) alarm (n) AOB (abbrev) Any Other Business • The bank installed a new security apart from (prep) alarm. apartment (n) (Am Eng) alike (adv & adj) apologise (v) • They think alike. (adv) apology (n) • The two products are very alike. appear (v) (adj) appearance (n) all (adj, adv, det & pron) applicant (n) allow (v) application (n) allowance (n) application form (n) apply (v) • holiday allowance appoint (v) almost (adv) approach (n & v) alone (adv) along (adv & prep) • What approach are you going to aloud (adv) take? (n) alphabet (n) • We may approach the bank for a already (adv) loan. (v) alright (adv/adj) appropriate (adj) also (adv) approval (n) alternative (n & adj) approve (v) although (conj) approx. (abbrev) approximate(ly) altogether (adv) approximate (adj) always (adv) architect (n) amazing (adj) area (n) ambassador (n) • We’re looking for extra ambition (n) warehousing in the Leeds area. ambitious (adj) • He became area manager after among (amongst) (prep) two years. amount (n) argue (v) amusing (adj) • They argued about the marketing analyse (v) strategy. analysis (n) arithmetic (n) and (conj) around (adv & prep) anger (n) arrange (v) angry (adj) arrival (n) arrive (v) 5 BEC Preliminary Wordlist © UCLES 2006 art (n) • She was awarded the title • The company buys and sells work ‘Businessperson of the Year’. (v) of art. • The court awarded damages of article (n) £5,000. (v) • The newspaper article criticised the • Our company won an award for company. exports. (n) as (adv & conj) aware (adj) ASAP (abbrev) as soon as possible away (adv) ashamed (adj) • The MD’s away on business until ask (v) Thursday. aspect (n) • He threw away the documents by • What aspect of your work do you mistake. like most? assembly (n) B assembly line (n) assembly plant (n) assembly point (n) back (adv & n) assess (v) • When are you going back to work? assistant (n) (adv) associate (n & v) • I gave back the laptop I had association (n) borrowed. (adv) assure (v) • The cables at the back of the at (prep) computer are not connected. (n) at all (prep phr) background (n) at first (prep phr) backwards (adv) at last (prep phr) bad (adj) at least (prep phr) bag (n) at once (prep phr) baggage (n) at present (prep phr) balance (v & n) at the same time (prep phr) • The country’s balance of payments attach (v) is up this month because of attack (n & v) increased exports. (n) attend (v) • The balance is due within two attendance (n) weeks. (n) attempt (n & v) • She spent hours trying to balance attention (n) the company’s accounts. (v) attitude (n) • Do the books balance? (v) attract (v) balance sheet (n) attraction (n) ballpoint (adj & n) attractive (adj) ban (v & n) audience (n) bank (n & v) audit (v) bank account (n) author (n) bank balance (n) authorise (v) bank card (n) authority (n) bank charge (n) automatic (adj) bank clerk (n) availability (n) bank loan (n) available (adj) bank manager (n) average (adj & n) bank statement (n) • Can you find the average of these bank transfer (n) three numbers? (n) banking (n) • He’s not a particularly effective rep. banknote (n) – just average. (adj) bankrupt (v & adj) avoid (v) bankruptcy (n) awake (adj) bar (n) award (n & v) 6 BEC Preliminary Wordlist © UCLES 2006 • The bar chart shows sales from last bike (n) year. bill (Am Eng) (n) bargain (n & v) billion (n) • Did you get a bargain? (n) biography (n) • Bargain with him. (v) birth (n) base (n & v) • What’s her date of birth? (n) • Our customer base is rather weak. black (adj) (n) • The company ended the year in • The base rate is low so more the black. (n) people are borrowing. (n) • The true size of the black economy • My new job is based in central cannot be known. (adj) Europe. (v) blame (n & v) • What did you base the sales blank (adj & n) projections on? (v) • I need a blank piece of paper. (adj) basement (n) • Write the correct word in each basic (adj) blank. (n) basis (n) blank cheque (n) basket (n) blind (n) battle (n) • The blind needs repairing. • There was a boardroom battle over block (n) strategy. • It’s opposite the office block on the bay (n) corner. • The factory needs another loading blow up (phr v) bay. The gas heater blew up. be (v) blue (adj) beat (v) • There’s been a decline in the • We can beat our competitors on number of blue-collar workers. quality but not price. board (n & v) because (conj) • a noticeboard, a wooden board (n) because of (adv) • on board a ship/aircraft (n) become (v) • board a plane (v) before (prep) • a board of directors (n) beg (v) board meeting (n) • I beg your pardon. boarding card (n) • I begged her not to resign. boarding pass (n) begin (v) board room (n) behave (v) boat (n) • He always behaves in a body (n) professional manner. bold (adj) behaviour (n) bonus (n) behind (prep & adv) • an annual bonus believe (v) book (n & v) • I believe we’ll win the contract. • I’m reading a book on marketing at • Do you believe in the product? the moment. (n) bell (n) • We’d better book a flight. (v) belong (v) bookcase (n) below (adv & prep) bookkeeping (n) bend (n & v) booking desk (n) beneath (adv & prep) booking form (n) benefit (n & v) booking office (n) beside (adv & prep) bookshop (n) between (prep & adv) boost (n & v) beyond (prep) boot (n) bicycle (n) • My cases are in the boot of the car. big (adj) border (n & v) 7 BEC Preliminary Wordlist © UCLES 2006 bored (adj) bring forward (phr v) boring (adj) • We’ll have to bring the time of the born (adj) meeting forward to 10.00 a.m. borrow (v) broad (adj) boss (n) brochure (n) both (adj & pron) brush (n & v) bottom (n & adj) B.Sc. (abbrev) (Bachelor of Science) • at the bottom of the page (n) budget (n & v) • the bottom left-hand corner (adj) buffet (adj & n) box (n) bug (n) • I ordered three boxes of floppy • This software has a bug in it. disks. build (v) • Tick the box. building (n) brain (n) bulk (n) branch (n) • Bulk purchasing has allowed us to • The bank has a network of cut costs. branches in the North. bullet (n & v) brand (n) • a bullet point (n) • own brand (n) • Bullet point this list for the meeting. • brand name (n) (v) • brand-new (adj) bureau (n) brave (adj) • I’ll get some dollars from the break (n & v) foreign exchange bureau. • during the (lunch) break (n) burglar (n) • What time shall we break for burglary (n) lunch? (v) bus (n) break down (n & phr v) bus station (n) • Could you let me have a bus stop (n) breakdown of last month’s sales business (n) figures? (n) • He runs a business. (n) • The packing machine has broken • company business (n) down. (phr v) • do business (v) break in (n & phr v) • be in/on business (v) • Someone broke in to the factory • get down to business (phr v) and stole some equipment. (phr v) • go into business (phr v) • There was a break-in at the • go out of business (phr v) company’s head office. (n) • set up in business (phr v) break up (phr v) business card (n) • The Lexford Group was broken up business hours (n) into smaller companies. business plan (n) • The glass bottles are broken up business school (n) before entering the recycling busy (adj) machine. but (conj) breakfast (n) button (n) • Could we arrange a breakfast • The on/off button isn’t working meeting? properly. brick (n) buy (n & v) brief (adj) • We bought 300 files. (v) • The MD made a brief visit to the • It was a good buy. (n) factory. buyer (n) • Here is the business news in brief. by (prep) briefcase (n) by accident (prep phr) bright (adj) by air (prep phr) brilliant (adj) by all means (prep phr) bring (v) by car (prep phr) 8 BEC Preliminary Wordlist © UCLES 2006 by day (prep phr) canteen (n) by hand (prep phr) capable (adj) by land (prep phr) capacity (n) by mistake (prep phr) capital (n) by name (prep phr) • the capital (city) of a country by oneself (prep phr) • to raise capital for a business by post (prep phr) • capital letters by sea (prep phr) car (n) by sight (prep phr) car park (n) by train (prep phr) card (n) • identity card C • credit card cardboard (adj & n) care (n & v) °C (abbrev) Centigrade, Celsius • We take care of our customers. (n) c (abbrev) cents • Some customers care more about c (abbrev) circa good quality than price. (v) c/o (abbrev) care of career (n) cab (n) cargo (n) cabinet (n) carpet (n) • filing cabinet carry (v) cable (n) • carry a case cable television (n) • pipes carrying water café/cafe (n) carry on (phr v) calculate (v) • I’ll carry on working until I’m 65. calculator (n) carry out (a task) (phr v) calendar (n) • We’ve just carried out a survey into call (n & v) customer satisfaction. • There was a phone call for you. • Carrying out instructions is part of • (n) the job. • What’s this product called? (v) case (n) • Mr Khan called you this morning. • a difficult case (v) • a case for my laptop call for (phr v) • In that case… • I’ll call for you at 3 p.m. cash (n & v) call in (phr v) cash book (n) • I’ll call in and see you next time I’m cash desk (n) in town. cash flow (n) callbox (n) cash machine (n) call centre (n) cash price (n) calm (adj) cash register (n) camera (n) cash sale (n) campaign (n & v) cassette (n) • The advertising campaign was cassette player/recorder (n) very successful. (n) casual (adj) • The staff campaigned for better catalogue (n) working conditions. (v) catch (v) can (n & v) category (n) • a can of coca-cola (n) catering (adj) • Can I go now? (v) cause (n & v) • He can speak Japanese very well. cc (abbrev) carbon copy (v) CD (n) canal (n) CD-ROM (n) cancel (v) CEO (abbrev) Chief Executive Officer cancellation (n) ceiling (n) candidate (n) 9 BEC Preliminary Wordlist © UCLES 2006 celebrate (v) check in (n & phr v) celebration (n) • Please proceed to check-in. (n) cellar (n) • check in to a hotel (phr v) Celsius (n) check out (phr v) cement (n) • check out of a hotel cent (n) checklist (n) centigrade (adj) cheerful (adj) centimetre (n) chef (n) central (adj) chemical (adj) central bank (n) • the chemical industry central heating (n) chemist (n) centre (n) cheque (n) century (n) cheque card (n) certain (adj) chief (adj & n) • be certain of something • the chief problem (adj) • a certain person • chief executive (n) certificate (n) child (n) chain (n) choice (n) • a chain of supermarkets choose (v) chair (n & v) circle (n) • We need new chairs for the office. • The chairs were arranged in a (n) circle for the meeting. • Peter is Chair of the meeting this circular (adj) afternoon. (n) • a circular letter • The Finance Director chaired the • a circular table circulate (v) meeting in the MD’s absence. (v) city (n) chairman (n) claim (n & v) chairperson (n) clarify (v) chairwoman (n) class (n) challenge (n & v) chance (n) • a class of business students (n) change (n & v) • first class, second class (n) classify (v) • It was a big change from my classroom (n) previous job. (n) clean (adj & v) • Do you have any (small) change? clear (adj & v) (n) • It’s all very clear to me now what • He changed his idea about the happened. (adj) • brochure. (v) • Clear your desk before you go • She changed money before going home. (v) to the airport. (v) • The board decided to sell some chapter (n) assets in order to clear company character debts. (v) charge (n & v) • The consignment hasn’t cleared • His charges are too high. (n) through customs yet. (v) • How much do you charge? (v) • The bank requires four days to • in charge (of) clear the cheque. (v) chart (n) clerical (adj) charter (n) clerk (n) • a customer charter clever (adj) chat (n & v) client (n) cheap (adj) climate (n) cheat (v) • Today’s economic climate doesn’t check (n & v) encourage expansion. • I’ll do a quick check. (n) climb (v) • Check these sums. (v) • Prices have climbed steadily. 10 BEC Preliminary Wordlist © UCLES 2006