Unit 2: Office Administration

Aims and Objectives

In this unit you will learn and practise vocabulary related to office administration.

You will practise the following skills and functions:

describing office skills
giving positive and negative instructions
secretarial roles

The grammar focus of this unit is:

Vocabulary






























(PA)

Vocabulary Practice

Exercise not available in this language version.

Listening Comprehension

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:

Transcript:

Today's office workers do more than make coffee, make travel arrangements for their bosses, answer the phone, and type letters. Office workers today are often no longer called typists or secretaries, but administrative assistants or personal assistants. Typewriters and shorthand are mostly a thing of the past, but modern secretaries must do more tasks and need more skills than ever. They must be able to use computer applications such as a word processor, spreadsheets, databases and so on, as well as other office equipment. In a small business, the secretary is often the first point of contact, so he or she must make a good impression and be professional when dealing with visitors.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

A modern secretary types on:
a.
b.
c.

[?]
What skills does a secretary need?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Which is correct?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Which is correct?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
When dealing with visitors the secretary must:
a.
b.
c.

[?]

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:

Transcript:

Manager	Have you filed the invoices and sent the memos to the Marketing and Accounts Departments?
Secretary	I'm afraid the memos aren't ready yet, but I've done the filing.
Manager	Please send them off as soon as possible. Were there any phone calls while I was in the meeting?
Secretary	Yes, Mr White from MegaSoft rang to cancel his appointment. He's extremely sorry. He'll ring back to arrange another meeting.
Manager	OK. Ask him if he can come on Thursday at 10 a.m.
Secretary	Right.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

What has the secretary still to do?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Where was the manager when Mr White called?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Who has cancelled the appointment?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Who will ring back to arrange another meeting?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
When can the manager see Mr White?
a.
b.
c.

[?]

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:

Transcript:

Alec Stone	Good morning. This is M.I.C. in the UK. Is that the Accounts

department? :Deborah: Yes, this is Deborah speaking. How can I help you? :Alec: Well, it's about our invoice of January 13th. I'm afraid we haven't received payment yet. :Deborah: And how much was it for? :Alec: £7,896.65. :Deborah: Oh, I'm very sorry. We need an invoice in dollars. Our computer program can't deal with non-dollar invoices.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Where is M.I.C.?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Where does Deborah work?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
What's the date on the invoice?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Why is Mr Stone ringing?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
What's wrong with the invoice?
a.
b.
c.

[?]

Exercise 4: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:

Transcript:

Mr Smith is talking about his secretary:

My PA, Margaret, is very efficient and professional at all times. She has excellent oral and written skills. She is very discreet, especially when dealing with complaints. She is willing to assist and shows initiative in times of crisis. Her duties include: dealing with correspondence, planning and organising work, arranging appointments, arranging travel and preparing for meetings and conferences.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

What do the initials PA stand for?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
What does Margaret show in times of crisis?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Which of the following doesn't Mr Smith mention:
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Mr Smith's PA's duties do not include:
a.
b.
c.

[?]

General Comprehension

Exercise 1: True/False Statements

For each of the statements below, choose True or False.

Exercise 2: Sentence Completion

Speaking Practice. Complete the sentences you hear, using the example as a model.

Grammar Practice

Exercise 1: Transformation

Change the affirmative imperative to negative, and the negative imperative to affirmative.

Exercise 2: Substitution

In general, TO MAKE means to create something, but in some cases you simply have to learn the expression. Let's practise.

Exercise 3: Substitution

In general, TO DO means to perform an action, but in some cases you simply have to learn the expression. Let's practise.

Exercise 4: Substitution

Let's practise the Present Perfect.

Exercise 5: Selections

Chose the correct answer.

Consolidation

Exercise 1: True/False Statements

For each of the statements below, choose True or False.

Recording:

Transcript:

The layout and organisation of an office depend on the type of services which it provides and on the size of the company. A large firm will probably have open office space separated by partitions into desks or work-stations. Each department in a large organisation, for example Sales, Accounts, Marketing, Production, may have its own manager and offices. In a small firm the members of staff, for example the manager, accountant and secretary, may all have individual rooms, and the organisation of work will be more flexible.

In all cases, however, the duties of secretarial staff will be similar and will include word processing, taking minutes of meetings, filing, reception of visitors and so on.

Because of this, many companies nowadays use the services of agencies which specialise in sending temporary secretaries, known as 'temps', in order to save on staff costs. Also in recent years much more importance has been given to working conditions in offices, with regard to things like safety, lighting, ventilation and temperature.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Offices have more or less the same layout in all companies.

[?]
A large company may be divided into different departments.

[?]
Large open offices can be divided up using partitions.

[?]
Mail and post are the same thing.

[?]
Using a word processor is not a useful skill for a secretary.

[?]
Large companies do not use temps.

[?]
Temp agencies have become popular in recent years.

[?]
Working conditions in offices have improved in recent years.

[?]
An accountant must always have his own office.

[?]
Sales and Marketing are different departments in a large company.

[?]

Exercise 2: Dictation

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the ‘>’ key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Exercise 3: Cloze

Listen to the recording carefully and then fill in the gaps in the text below using the same words.

Recording:

Transcript:

In a small firm the members of staff, for example the manager, accountant and secretary, may all have individual rooms, and the organisation of work will be more flexible.

In all cases, however, the duties of secretarial staff will be similar and will include word processing, taking minutes of meetings, filing, reception of visitors and so on.

In a small firm the members of [?], for example the manager, accountant and secretary, may all [?] individual rooms, and the organisation of work [?] be more flexible.

In all cases, [?], the duties of secretarial staff will be similar and will [?] word processing, taking minutes of meetings, filing, reception of visitors [?].

Because of this, many companies nowadays use the services of agencies [?] specialise in sending temporary secretaries, known [?] 'temps', in order to save [?] staff costs. Also in recent years much more importance has been given to working conditions in offices, with [?] to things like safety, lighting, ventilation and temperature.

Exercise 4: Gap Filling

Choose the correct option to fill the gaps in the following sentences.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Today's office workers do more ____ make coffee and photocopies.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
The PA ____ sent off the documents yet.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Get the letters ____ as soon as possible.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
I'm afraid the memos aren't ready ____ .
a.
b.
c.

[?]
He will ring ____ to arrange another meeting.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
A secretary must ____ to use a computer.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Mr White rang to cancel his ____ .
a.
b.
c.

[?]
I think you have ____ a mistake in your invoice.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Is ____ the accounts department?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
It's ____ our invoice of January 13th.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
My PA ____ very efficient.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
We're ____ a lot of business with China.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Have you ____ those documents?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Mr Pringle needs to ____ those letters.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
In the new building we're going to have a new office ____ .
a.
b.
c.

[?]
My secretary's ____ include making all the travel arrangements.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
I haven't had time to do it ____ .
a.
b.
c.

[?]
____ fax the documents.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Secretaries nowadays don't usually need to ____ shorthand.
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Have you ____ finished everything?.
a.
b.
c.

[?]

Checklist

Use the following list to check whether you have obtained full benefit from this unit. You should be able to:

describe secretarial duties