Whether you use it for traveling, business, or school, speaking English is one of the most important skills you can have nowadays. Business English in particular has been drawing a lot of attention lately.
And that’s normal. Business English does open many doors. Not only to positions abroad, but also in your home country. However, it’s not the only variety of English people are interested in. Although many consider it difficult, academic English is also commonly sought.
You’ll need academic English if you want to publish papers, apply for courses, or go on an exchange program abroad. The point of this post is to address the duality between academic and business English. We’ll talk about the differences between them, their strengths and weaknesses, and when to use which.
What Is the Difference between Academic and Business English?
Before you decide whether you want to learn academic or business English, you need to understand there are many ways to gain knowledge. But it all happens through the four skills you need to learn any language: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. If you want to really master English, you need to master those four skills.
And how you learn and develop them depends on what your goals are regarding English. Among the key goals when learning English is whether to go for academic or business English. The former focuses on more specific situations, whereas the latter includes a heavy load of both reading and writing.
If you want to be pragmatic about it, academic English takes longer to learn than business English. And you’ll understand why if you consider how different their goals and methods are.
Business English prepares you to use its lingo and expressions daily in the business world. Meanwhile, with academic English, you’ll get a more in-depth understanding of the language until you’re able to write and publish your own projects and papers.
What Learning Methods Do They Use?
If you choose business English, you can take classes in your workplace, sometimes even sponsored by your employer. In this case, real situations are simulated so you can practice what you’ve learned. The focus is on how to use common expressions and corporate terminology in general.
On the other hand, students who choose academic English need a much more intense course load. The learning process is slightly longer when compared with business English.
Academic English classes bring up situations that require a lot of writing, reading, and listening – the skills you need if you want to study abroad.
And there’s also a middle path between those two methods. We’re talking about technical English. It’s useful if you need to pass an admission exam, from middle school to a doctor’s degree abroad. It’s a more specific methodology that focuses mostly on reading.
Technical English is used to further reinforce your learning, as many people find reading easier than the other skills. Unfortunately, many people still need to work on how to be confident while speaking English.
Why Is It Important to Master Both Types of English?
Business English is useful if you’re interested in holding a good position in the job market. If for some reason you believe you’re stuck in your current position, unable to move up, investing in learning English could be a good idea. If so, then business English would be the right choice for you.
With those skills, writing emails, reports, or presentations will become a lot easier. Learning English and all of the aforementioned skills will set you apart from other candidates. Plus, you’ll feel more confident speaking English.
However, if you’d rather focus on studying abroad, you should definitely invest your time and money in learning academic English. If you try hard enough, you’ll be able to satisfactorily express yourself in your interview with the recruiter. And the rest of your academic life will benefit, too!
It is worth noting that studying abroad may require you to get a proficiency test, such as TOEFL or IELTS. If you’re interested in going to the UK, you can also take the Cambridge test.
Can Academic or Business English Replace Regular Learning?
No way. You should also study English in a broader sense, if you can. Both academic and business English have very specific purposes. Therefore, you won’t be exposed to the entire spectrum of learning you need if you want to become fluent.
We recommend taking a placement test with your English teacher to identify your strengths and weaknesses. You can then determine, based on your level, how long you’ll need to dedicate to learning English. Whether in a regular course or choosing between academic and business English.
With enough time and constant effort, while also working with a dedicated tutor, you can improve by leaps and bounds. You’ll notice the difference in just a few weeks. It’ll definitely be worth the investment.
And that’s why you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to work closely with a native tutor. Cambly allows you to focus on academic or business English according to your needs. Among hundreds of tutors, you can choose the one who’s just right for you.
They will then assess your strengths and weaknesses. This way, you’ll know where to focus until you become fluent.
