Samara State Aerospace University
Some cognitive implications
of using corpora in teaching
Business English
by Tatiana Tolstova
Liverpool 2013
Using a corpus in ELT:
 authenticity
 autonomy
 research approach
 creativity
 technology
 project work
Possible applications
 guiding learners to acquire new notions without
the help of the native language;
 discovering the culture-determined combinatory
ability of some words;
 developing learners’ sensitivity to the cognitive
structure of certain text types.
A corpus is a large, systematic
collection of texts stored on
computer.
Noscitur a sociis
‘a word is known by its company’
A small corpus of business articles
A small corpus of business articles
A small corpus of business articles
A small corpus of business articles
A small corpus of business articles
A small corpus of business articles
Digitisation of manufacture
A small corpus of business articles
A small corpus of business articles
Digitisation + manufacture:
 3D printing technology
 rapid manufacturing
 3D modelling
 additive manufacturing
 3D digitization
 computer-aided design and manufacture
A small corpus of business articles
Digitisation + manufacture:
technologies that create objects through a
sequential layering process,
a process of making a three-dimensional solid
object of virtually any shape from a digital
model
A corpus of business letters - VOBEC
VOBEC
VOBEC - ORDER
VOBEC - ORDER
VOBEC
PLACE + ORDER
PLACE (25)
However, to take full advantage of these special summer sales
offers, we advise you to place your order promptly.
PLACED (12)
We agreed at the time you placed your order, reference
number , that you would provide payment in advance.
PLACING (6)
Perhaps you would consider placing a trial order to provide
you with an opportunity to test its efficiency.
VOBEC
BUSINESS (297)
DO + BUSINESS (38)

gerund (3):
Thank you for doing business with us.
 infinitive (2):
I like the quality of your goods and would welcome the
opportunity to do business with you.
 finite forms (23):
During the past two years that I have been doing
business with Lamberte Company, my experiences
have been unsatisfactory.
VOBEC
DO + BUSINESS + TOGETHER (6)
As we have not previously done business
together, you will appreciate that I must
request either the usual trade…
TEXT STRUCTURING
LETTERS OF APOLOGY (134)
Move 1 – The First Apology
Move 2 – Giving Reasons
Move 3 – Informing of Actions
taken/to be taken
Move 4 – The Second Apology
TEXT STRUCTURING
Move 1 – The First Apology
We are sorry to learn from your letter of 10 May
of the difficulties you are having with the pens
supplied to your order number 8562.
TEXT STRUCTURING
Move 2 – Giving Reasons
All our pens are manufactured to be identical in
design and performance and we cannot
understand why some of them should have given
trouble to your customers. It is normal practice
for each pen to be individually examined by our
Inspection Department before being passed into
store. However, from what you say, it would seem
that a number of the pens included in the latest
batch escaped the usual examination.
TEXT STRUCTURING
Move 3 – Informing of Actions
taken/to be taken
We sympathise with your problem but regret that
we cannot accept your suggestion to take back all
the unsold stock from the batch concerned.
Indeed there should be no need for this since it is
unlikely that the number of faulty pens can be
very large. We will gladly replace any pen found to
be unsatisfactory, and on this particular batch are
prepared to allow you a special discount of 5% to
compensate for your inconvenience.
TEXT STRUCTURING
Move 4 – The Second Apology
We trust you will accept this as being a fair and
reasonable solution of this matter. With my
apologise once again,
TEXT STRUCTURING
Move 1 – The First Apology
The Passive Voice (37)
We are sorry to inform you that high income tax
was taken for the shipment of your order.
Unfortunately it does not depend on our
company.
TEXT STRUCTURING
Move 2 – Giving Reasons
modals to be able (10)/to be unable (20)
 We have not been able to identify your subscription
from the information provided.
 We are unable to go any higher than 7 %.
TEXT STRUCTURING
Move 3 – Informing of Actions
taken/to be taken
Future Simple (16)
We apologise for any inconvenience and we will send
you the order immediately.
TEXT STRUCTURING