English for travel

> British Council offers ‘myClass’ course to help travellers communicate

THERE are certain situations in life that everybody will face no matter who you are or where you are from. Whether you are a high-flying company executive on an important business trip or a student experiencing your first holiday with friends, one needs to have language skills to navigate through whatever situations that may arise.

From complaining about a hotel room to asking for directions in a new, unfamiliar place, the British Council’s myClass course ensures that your time in class will be focused on learning the language and techniques needed to tackle any situation with confidence, giving you the skills you need to be a convincing, confident and persuasive English speaker.

In addition to expertlydeveloped language input, each lesson provides you with the chance to practise what you have learnt in stimulating taskbased scenarios with other students, working collaboratively to maximise your use of the language. No matter your level of English, passionate, knowledgeable expert teachers will be on hand to give feedback on areas of weakness, leading to a wellrounded classroom experience based a on a wide variety of interesting topics.

With the rise of budget airlines and cross-border business, people are travelling more than ever before. Travel can be great fun but it can also throw up its own problems.

Imagine arriving at your hotel exhausted after a long trip. All you want to do is relax, unwind and put your feet up. You check in, get your key and open the door to your room. Then the smell hits you – stale cigarette smoke. You head straight back down to reception to get a new room … but what should you say?

“My room smells. I want a new one” or “I’m afraid there’s a problem with my room. It smells of smoke. Would you mind changing it?”

You have just arrived in a new city for the first time and you have checked in to your hotel and you are eager to get to where you are going. Whether it is in the museum, a restaurant or conference centre, sometimes the best thing to do is ask a local how to get there. You see someone approachable and stop them in the street … but what should you say?

“Where is the museum?” or “Excuse me. How do I get to the museum from here?”

Arranging your travel can be full of worry. There may be times on your trip when you need to book flights and hotels through a travel agency or perhaps over the phone. You have decided to visit another city in order to extend your trip. You need to call the airline to confirm your ticket … but what should you say?

“Tell me the flight time” or “Would you mind telling me the flight time?”

There are many ways to ask questions and make requests. Doing so in the right way can make or break your interactions in English. Book yourself some myClass lessons at the British Council now.

Learn more about MyClass workplace lessons by visiting www.britishcouncil.my/adults