BULATS Functional Language Needs Analysis and Overview

BULATS functional language needs analysis and overview

The things below are all covered in various parts of the BULATS tests. Number the functions from 1 for the thing that you most want to spend class time on to 20 for the thing you least want to spend class time on, deciding by factors like difficulty and how often you do that in your work.

• Asking for and giving personal details (name, occupation, etc.)
• Asking about and describing jobs and responsibilities
• Asking about and describing a company and its organisation
• Asking for and giving information about a product or service
• Arranging appointments/meetings
• Inviting, accepting and refusing offers and invitations
• Asking for and giving permission
• Giving instructions
• Predicting and describing future possibilities
• Asking for and giving opinions (including agreeing and disagreeing)
• Making, accepting and rejecting suggestions and recommendations
• Justifying decisions and past actions
• Discussing interests and leisure activities
• Thanking and expressing appreciation
• Apologising and accepting apologies
• Making travel enquiries, reservations, requests and complaints
• Understanding and discussing prices and delivery dates, offers and agreements
• Making comparisons and expressing preferences.
• Making and receiving complaints
• Descriptions and explanations of company performance and results, trends, events and changes

Compare answers with a partner, explaining why you have chosen things if they are different from your partner’s choices.

Tell the class about major similarities and differences in your group.

Do the same with these kinds of documents:

• Formal email
• Informal email
• Formal letter
• Informal letter
• Memo
• Note
• Formal report
• Informal report

What are the differences between the various kinds of documents mentioned above? (For example, how are informal emails different from formal letters?)