English for Software engineer
TOP PHRASES
- Clarification
- “So, what we’re saying is…”
- “Could you speak more slowly, please?”
- “Could you repeat that, please?”
- “Would you mind spelling that for me, please?”
- “Could you explain that in another way, please?”
- “I’m afraid I didn’t get that.”
- “I’m sorry, but could you speak up a little?”
- “I didn’t quite hear that, sorry, can you say that again?”
- “I didn’t catch that last bit. Can you say it again please?”
- “Am I to understand that…”
- “Sorry, but just to clarify…”
- Agree
- “That’s an excellent point [person’s name], I totally agree with you on that.”
- “Okay, I think we are all on the same page here…”
- “Yes, I get what you’re saying…”
- Disagree
- “I’m sorry but I think you may have that slightly wrong…”
- “From our perspective, it’s a little different. Let me explain.”
- “Well, yes and no—can I tell you how we see it?”
- Take a break
“I need to leave for ten minutes. Is that okay with everyone?”
When you return, let everybody know you are back by saying:
- “[Your name] here. I’m back on the line again.”
- “[Your name] just coming back in here, thanks everyone.”
- Aaa
TOP WORDS
1. abbreviation
shortened form of a word or expression that uses the first few letters or the main letters of the word to represent it
- *The abbreviation ’RAM’ stands for Random Access Memory.*
2. analysis
critical study or examination of something - *A financial analysis was carried out in order to improve cost efficiency.*
3. appliance
a device or tool that performs a specific task - *They sell a wide range of virtual appliances.*
4. application
a program designed to do a specific job - *This database application lets you manage your contacts and organise your projects.*
5. arise
happen/begin to exist (formal) - *Problems may arise when trying to request data from a remote web service.*
6. available
can be found/bought/rented/used etc. - *Available memory refers to how much RAM is not being used by the computer.*
7. background
past events/history of a person’s or company’s life - *It’s always a good idea to research a company’s background before doing business with them.*
8. carpal tunnel syndrome
a nerve-related illness that causes pain between the elbows and hand, or in the fingers - *The development of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome might be linked to computer use.*
9. certification
official document awarded by standard setting organizations that indicates competency in a certain professional field - *Earning the latest Microsoft certifications may help you further your career.*
10. chief
most important/ main - *The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is responsible for the computer systems of a company.*
11. common
shared, public, ordinary - *One of the most common Internet crime is drug trafficking.*
12. compatible
that can be used together with some other equipment - *The parts I ordered weren’t compatible with my PC.*
13. consultant
a person whose job is to give expert advice or information to companies - *Do you think we should contact an IT consultant?*
14. convenience
usefulness, comfort - *We provide outstanding products and 24/7 phone support for the convenience of our customers.*
15. customer
a person who buys goods or services - *Good customer care can improve customer loyalty.*
16. database
an organized collection of information - *This software creates a customer database to eliminate paperwork.*
17. deal
a business transaction - *To find out more about our package deals, please visit our website.*
18. demand
customers’ need for a product - *Online keyword selector tools may help you find out whether certain products are in high demand.*
19. detailed
giving a lot of information - *A more detailed description is available on our website.*
20. develop
make something bigger/more complex/ more advanced - *We have decided to develop a new database app.*
21. drawback
disadvantage, a feature that’s not good - *The main drawback of this product is the high cost.*
22. effective
able to produce a strong response/result - *Anti-virus softwares are not always effective against viruses.*
23. efficient
productive with minimal effort/expense - *Energy efficient home appliances can save you a lot of money.*
24. employ
use something/ give someone work - *The police often employ hackers.*
25. enterprise
a business organization - *He’s the founder of an enterprise software company.*
26. environment
the place and conditions around something - *Our aim is to design effective computer-based learning environments.*
27. equipment
tools and devices that serve a specific purpose - *No recording equipment is allowed in the conference room.*
28. expertise
advanced knowledge - *We need someone with expertise in virtualized IT environments.*
29. eyestrain
pain and tiredness of the eyes - *Eyestrain has become a major health complaint among IT workers.*
30. goal
an objective, something you would like to do - *We can help you accomplish your goals.*
31. gadget
a small, electronic device - *You can choose from the most popular high-tech gadgets in our shop.*
32. implement
begin to do/ use - *I need to implement two interfaces.*
33. increase
become or make something bigger in size/number - *You should try using more photographs to increase the conversion rate of your website.*
34. install
put something in position - *You’ll have to install the latest version of Adobe Flash Player.*
35. instruction
steps or orders to be followed - *Just follow the step-by-step instructions, which will guide you through the setup process.*
36. insurance
financial protection for property, life, health etc. - *Nowadays, insurers offer insurance for cyber losses.*
37. integrate
combine two or more things to create a new one - *The new features are tightly integrated with the existing service.*
38. intranet
local computer network - *Our online library can be accessed on the college intranet.*
39. latest
newest, the most up to date - *Download the latest updates on our company’s website.*
40. leadership
position/ability to guide a group - *In a job interview, it’s best to give concrete examples to demonstrate your leadership skills.*
41. level with someone (verb)
be honest and tell the truth to someone - *Do you think we can level with them and ask for more time?*
42. low
with little height/ below others - *Low prices may indicate either good value or low quality.*
43. maintain
keep in a good condition - *A poorly maintained website may kill your business.*
44. matrix
a group of electronic circuit elements arranged in rows and columns - *Data Matrix Codes should appear on the outside packaging of medicinal products.*
45. monitor (verb)
to watch and check on somebody/something - *Your website will be monitored 24/7.*
46. negotiate
bargain or discuss until an agreement is reached - *Web designers often come across clients who want to negotiate prices.*
47. occur
happen, appear - *Why do errors occur?*
48. order
ask for goods or services to be provided - *To order products, please fill out this form.*
49. outsource
buy goods or services from an outside source (from another company) - *Packaging is often outsourced to Asia.*
50. oversee
watch and direct something - *Our Project Manager oversees the development of this new product.*
51. plan
a series of steps for achieving your goal - *We need a plan for increasing our market share in the US.*
52. prevail
be common, frequent - *Google prevails in book digitalization.*
53. process
a method of doing or making something - *All our employees will take part in the decision-making process.*
54. promote
help to make something grow/become more popular - *I think you should start promoting your products online right now.*
55. prospect
chance for success - *We are excited by the prospect of working with you.*
56. provide
give, supply, furnish - *We provide excellent customer service.*
57. rapid
moving fast, quick - *The last decade saw rapid expansion of the service sector.*
58. reduce
make something smaller in size/weight/price etc. - *The price of this product needs to be reduced.*
59. remote
far away in place or time - *This software provides secure remote access of computers from any location.*
60. replace
take the place of something or somebody - *How can I replace my laptop fan?*
61. research
investigation, finding information - *Market research was carried out to identify customer needs.*
62. resource
something that is ready to use when needed - *This site provides useful links to resources on language learning.*
63. respond
answer, reply - *You must respond within ten days.*
64. simultaneous
two or more things happening at the same time - *The charger has a built-in USB power port and includes both a mini and a micro USB cable for simultaneous charging of your mobile devices.*
65. solve
find an answer to a problem - *How do I solve a sound quality problem when uploading to Youtube?*
66. sophisticated
complex, developed, knowledgeable - *Our software makes the setup of sophisticated devices easy.*
67. specifications
a detailed description (of a product) - *We reserve the right to change the specifications of our products without notice.*
68. substantial
true, real, strong - *There has been a substantial increase in buying power in or country.*
69. sufficient
as much as needed - *The warehouse always has sufficient stock.*
70. suitable
right/appropriate in a situation - *The keyboard you buy should be suitable to both the task and the user.*
71. task
something that has to be done - *Have a look at our online task manager.*
72. tool
instrument, device - *This is our most downloaded network tools software.*
73. transfer
carry/send from one place to another - *You can transfer money online with PayPal services.*
74. vendor
a person who sells something - *You can buy items from multiple vendors in one order.*
75. webinar
a presentation delivered online - Join us next week for a free webinar on computer-based learning.