LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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IMPORTANT: In this semester, we use the continuous assessment design. Presentation accounts for
15% of the final mark (done throughout the semester) and exam writing accounts for 10% of the final
mark (done in week 8).
 SECTION 1 PRESENTATIONS
TASK 1A PRESENTATION – HOLISTIC VIEW. Watch the video showing examples of a good and a bad
presentation with a teacher feedback in between. Later in the lesson we will deal with various individual aspects
demonstrated by the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8eLdbKXGzk
TASK 1B PRESENTATION – HOLISTIC VIEW. The presentation accounts for 15% of your final mark in this course.
You will be graded according to this assessment grid. Study the presentation feedback form below and try to
elaborate on what is meant by various categories.
CONTENT 3-2-1-0 NOTES
relevant content
logical structure
(signposting), timing
presentation techniques
LANGUAGE 3-2-1-0
vocabulary (range and
accuracy)
grammar (range and
accuracy)
syntax and transitions
accurate pronunciation and
effective intonation
PRESENTATION
SKILLS
3-2-1-0
delivery (body language, eye
contact, fluency, speed,
voice)
visuals and their use
discussion management,
interaction in pairs
A30-29 B28-27 C26-25 D24-23 E22-21 F20-0
TOTAL: ___ /2 = ___ (max.points 15)
LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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TASK 2A PRESENTATION PARTS - INTRODUCTION. The presentation introduction should contain information
about the following. Briefly discuss in pairs why these are important, and how you would integrate the info into
the introduction.
1 Relevance of topic 4 Personalizing the topic 7 Sequencing
2 Topic of presentation 5 Questions after the presentation 8 Media
3 Parts 6 Questions during the
presentation
9 Timing
TASK 2B PRESENTATION PARTS – SIGNPOSTING. In a good presentation, what you say – the content – is much
more important than anything else. But a clear structure helps. When you move on to your next point or change
direction, tell the audience. You can do this easily and effectively using simple phrases as “signposts“ to guide
the audience through your presentation. Use the following signpost expressions to complete the table below.
to move on to, to go back to, to summarize, to expand on, to recap on, to turn to, to digress from, to
conclude, to elaborate on
WHEN YOU WANT TO YOU SAY
make your next point 1
change direction 2
refer to an earlier point 3
repeat the main points 4
give a wider perspective 5
do a deeper analysis 6
give the basics 7
depart from your plan 8
finish your talk 9
TASK 2C PRESENTATION PARTS – TECHNIQUES. The following are presentation techniques. Use the
Presentation Basics document to find out what they are.
Survival tactics Dramatic contrasts Build-ups Creating rapport Focusing
Rhetorical
questions
Tripling Knock-downs Emphasis Softening
LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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TASK 2D PRESENTATION PARTS – VISUALS. Put the phrases below into the following columns.
Preparing the audience for visuals
– teasing
Description/explanation of a
visual
Interpretation of a visual
1 On the horizontal axis you see the…
2 The next graph might come as a surprise to some of you.
3 The figures on the vertical axis are units of one thousand…
4 This graph shows three distinct developments.
5 I'd like to draw your attention to two major phases of the overall graph movement.
6 The next visual contains the key information that most of you came here to hear about.
7 The turning point in the performance of the graph is….
8 On the vertical axis we have…
9 What this complex line boils down to are three major developments.
10 On the next slide you'll see something quite remarkable.
TASK 2E PRESENTATION PARTS – SUMMARY OF A SECTION AND TRANSITION TO NEXT POINT. What is the
function of a summary? Where do we put summaries in a presentation? Is one summary per presentation
sufficient? In your presentation, use the following phrases to create an easy-to-follow structure.
Indicating the end of a section
o So this is all I have to say about……
o This brings me to the end of my first point.
o So much for point one.
o This is all you need to know about….
Summarizing a point
o Let me briefly summarize the major issues.
o The important things to remember here are….
o In a nutshell, ……
o To make a long story short, …..
o Let's wrap up the most important issues at stake here.
Taken from: Klarer, M. (2007). Působivá prezentace a přednáška v angličtině, Praha: Grada 2007, pp. 44-45.
LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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TASK 2F PRESENTATION PARTS – QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION. Answer the following questions.
Presenter: Answering/Postponing Questions:
1 What strategies will you use when answering a difficult question?
2 If, despite your request, the audience does ask questions during your presentation, what will you do?
3 What will you do if, during the Q&A session, you are asked a question to which you have no answer? Will you
promise to find out the right answer for the questioner and contact him later?
Audience: Asking Questions
1 A large audience may not get the chance to ask questions until the presenter has finished the talk. How will you
make sure your question is as clear and relevant as possible?
To better structure your question, feel free to use these question frames:
1. What exactly did you mean by……………………………………………..?
2. Could you go back to what you were saying about……………………………..?
3. How did you arrive at the figure of……………………………………….?
4. I think I misunderstood you. Did you say……………………………………………?
5. You spoke about …………………. . Could you explain that in more detail?
6. Going back to the question of ………………………. . Can you be more specific?
7. You didn't mention ………………………… . Why not?
8. If I understood you correctly, …………………………… . Is that right?
9. I'm not sure I fully understood ………………………… . Can you run through that again, please?
10. There's one thing I'm not clear about…………… . Could you go over that again, please?
Adapted from: Powell, M. (1996). Presenting in English – How to Give Successful Presentations, Thomson Heinle, p. 108.
LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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TASK 3 PRESENTATION PRACTICE Go online and find a specialist text related to pathologies (of any bodily
system). In groups of 3, create a presentation which you will then give in front of the whole class. Your
presentation will last between 3-5 minutes. You can find photos on the internet to create visuals for your
presentation. You can also use the phrases listed below.
This is how you will proceed:
1: 0-5 minutes: Find and read the text. Highlight the key words and phrases.
2: 6-8 minutes: In your group, decide who is going to do what. Two people will present, and one person will
handle the question-and-answer session.
3: 9-15 minutes: Presentation rehearsal. You may refer to the Minipresentation phrases listed in TASK 4 below.
After that, you will be asked to perform the presentation in front of the rest of the class.
Presentation structure General phrases
 I would like to familiarize you with the __.
 First, I will give you the details of ______.
 First, I will provide you with the basic facts
concerning _________.
 First, I will describe _________________.
 Then, I will deal with the ______________ .
 Then, I will discuss the differences between A
and B.
 Then, I will give you an overview of ______.
 Is everything clear?
 Are there any questions?
 (If not) Thank you for your attention.
 as I've said earlier
 generally speaking
 in other words
 to sum it up / to summarize it
 to cut a long story short
 to get to the point
 to answer your question (briefly)
 to put it simply
 Now, I would like to give the floor to Mark.
 Over to you, Mark.
LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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 SECTION 2 COVER LETTERS
TASK 4 DISCUSSION. In pairs, talk about the following.
o When you write in English, what sort of texts/documents do you write/type?
o What problems do you encounter when writing in English?
o What is a motivation letter? Why would you write it? What should it contain?
o What are some of the typical phrases found in letters of motivation?
TASK 5 SAMPLE COVER LETTERS.
Things you need to know about the Writing portion of the final exam:
- You’ll have 30 minutes.
- You’ll need to write a cover letter to an application. The recipient of the application will be specified on
your test (it will be some kind of academic or work opportunity).
- Also specified will be 4 content areas that you have to cover in your letter (these will be typical “cover
letter” content areas (why you are applying, what experience you have, etc.)
- Your letter must be between 150-190 words (more or fewer words are penalized; under 120 words and over 220
words and you will FAIL the Writing exam).
- Your letter is a written presentation of your professional and/or educational experience for a very
specific, i.e. demanding reader – an HR person.
TASK 6 Choose one of the following cover letters and complete each gap with up to 5 words.
SAMPLE 1 – MEDICAL ASSISTANT COVER LETTER
Dear [],
I am writing to apply for the part-time Medical Assistant position at Living Well Health Centre, 1
________________________________ medicaljobsusa.com. I am a certified AAMA Medical Assistant, with 5+ years of
professional experience in 2 ________________________________ and general office administration. I have worked at a
range of medical facilities, from private physician office settings 3 ________________________________. In my recent
position as the Medical and Services Assistant at the John Miller Smith Hospital in Denver, I was trained in administering
injections, recording EKG’s, patient scheduling, medical coding (ICD9/10 and CPT) and phlebotomy/blood draws.
I am certified in Basic Life Support (BLS)/ CPR with adult, child and infants, and 4 ________________________________
using the MS Office Suite and Electronic Health Records (EHR) software. Specific highlights of my career include:
 Enhancing patient relations and reducing critical wait times
 Developing cost-effective administrative procedures
 Training staff members in patient interaction and communication
I have a Bachelor of Health Sciences from America State University, 5 ________________________________ Biology
and minor in administration. I am confident that my extensive medical and administrative skills would be 6
________________________________ and to the Living Well Health Centre. I have attached a copy of my resume with
this email. If you need any further information, 7 ________________________________ (102) 515-0987.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
Adapted from : https://resumegenius.com/cover-letter-examples/medical-assistant-cover-letter-sample#text-format
LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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SAMPLE 2 – ENTRY LEVEL NURSE COVER LETTER
Dear [],
I am pleased to be writing to you today regarding my application for the nursing position advertised on (Website
Name). I believe my qualifications and experience 1 ____________________________________ for this job.
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing and 6+ years of proven experience effectively and efficiently managing
2____________________________________. I am an extremely organized, calm, and patient professional with
excellent healthcare skills. I have a passion for providing quality care to patients, and 3
____________________________________ to inspire other staff members to strive to provide above standard
levels of service.
4 ____________________________________ as registered nurse at Chicago Medical Center, I am tasked with
evaluating the medical conditions of up to 20 patients daily, and developing and directing a rotational system to
manage the care of patients and otherwise coordinate workforce management. 5
____________________________________ I’ve been recognized as a dedicated, ambitious, and reliable person
who has the ability to work without supervision.
6____________________________________, my four years of experience as an Assistant Nurse at Bright Spot
LTD helped me realize and implement clinical duties I learned during the course of my education. 7
____________________________________, I was commended for proficiently handling difficult situations
with patients and their family members.
I believe a relationship with your company would be mutually beneficial, as I am seeking a challenging work
environment where I can use my skills to the fullest extent. 8 ____________________________________
hearing from you, and would love to explain my skills further during an interview. 9
____________________________________ a detailed account of my work history in the attached resume.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Adapted from: https://resumegenius.com/cover-letter-examples/entry-level-nurse-cover-letter-sample
SAMPLE LETTER 3 –PHARMACIST COVER LETTER
Dear [],
I am excited to write to you regarding the open pharmacist position at [Pharmacy Name]. I saw your job posting
on [Website], and I noticed that 1 ____________________________________ history perfectly. I have over 10
years of experience as a competent, diligent, and reliable pharmacist. I 2
____________________________________ consistently providing personalized customer service, minimizing
administrative errors, and maintaining an efficient pharmacy.
3____________________________________:
 Increasing sales by $3,000 USD per month by spearheading new customer service initiatives designed to
personalize our service and educate our customers
 Eliminating a paper-only tracking system, automating data management that saved 15 hours of manual
data recording per week
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MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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 Recruiting and training 3 pharmacy technicians in all aspects of managing the moving parts of an efficient
pharmacy
In my current role at Walgreens, I was personally sought out by the corporation to provide advice and strategy to
struggling branches. My consulting efforts have resulted in a significant increase in competitiveness amongst other
Walgreens pharmacies in saturated markets. 4 I ____________________________________ provide this level
of expertise to your pharmacy, and help you 5____________________________________.
With my 10 years of experience as a pharmacist, I firmly believe that I am 6
____________________________________ this position. I look forward to speaking with you in person. Please
let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Adapted from: https://resumegenius.com/cover-letter-examples/pharmacist-cover-letter-sample
TASK 7 COMMON MISTAKES IN THE COVER LETTER. Below are sentences from previous students’ cover letters
with either grammar/vocab errors or just improper word choices. Can you rewrite them in a way that would be
appropriate for a cover letter?
1 I study on the Faculty of Medicine.
2 I have many experiences in first aid.
3 … it shouldn’t be a problem for me to speak English
4 From last year I have started volunteering at a local hospital.
5 I am actually studying first year medicine on the Masaryk’s University.
6 Please contact me via my email address harrypotter@gmail.com.
7 I will not have any problem taking care about children.
8 I have already passed my exam from first aid, and I have also been participating in some more courses about
first aid.
TASK 8 Below are phrases you can use in motivation letter writing. Complete each gap with a suitable word.
1 I would ____________________ the opportunity to discuss further details of the position with you
personally.
2 I am writing with ____________________ to/in ____________________ to your advertisement,
which I saw …
3 I am writing to ____________________ for the position of …… as advertised in …
4 I look forward to ____________________ from you.
5 I am particularly ____________________ in this job, as…
6 You can contact me at any time at your ____________________.
7 I ____________________ from Barcelona University last year with a degree in …
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MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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TASK 9 Here are some sentences that could appear in a cover letter. For each, circle/underline one word in the
choice below that DOES NOT fit the sentence.
1 My ______________ career goal is to become the senior consultant in the pulmonary department.
A. ultimate B. hoped C. major D. explicit
2 I believe that my ______________ background gives me sufficient qualification to participate in your
programme.
A. established B. academic C. followed D. educational
3 I was ______________ to learn about the opportunity to apply for a job in your company.
A. thrilled B. prepared C. excited D. delighted
4 You will see from the attached CV that my educational background ______________
the requirements for enrolment in the internship class.
A. meets B. fulfils C. satisfies D. pleases
5 In my medical practice, I have frequently ______________ a variety of clinical tests.
A. administered B. run C. reviewed D. proved
TASK 10 Below are two paragraphs extracted from a student internship cover letter. Fill each gap with the best
word from the choice under the text.
My goal 1 ____________ graduation next spring is to 2 ____________ a fellowship in hospital administration. I
believe that a summer internship at New York-Presbyterian will be invaluable in helping me develop a 3
____________ understanding of the complex dynamics that drive the financing and delivery of care in a large
academic medical centre.
Prior to enrolling in graduate school, I worked for three years as the Director of Meeting Planning for the
Pulmonary Hypertension Association. This position provided me 4 ____________ the opportunity to collaborate
with doctors, allied health professionals and patients in developing educational programs that 5 ____________
awareness about PH with the goal of 6 ____________ diagnosis, better disease 7 ____________ and improved
patient prognosis. My experience in 8 ____________ the motivations of various stakeholders and 9
____________ projects in high-stress situations has helped me to 10 ____________ a strong skill set that will
translate well in a hospital operations role. I am eager to apply the lessons I’ve learned in project management to
improving clinical quality and the patient experience within the hospital delivery system.
LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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1 A. with B. upon C. in D. to
2 A. deliver B. make C. assume D. secure
3 A. safer B. milder C. deeper D. harder
4 A. with B. for C. in D. to
5 A. enlarged B. raised C. magnified D. hyped
6 A. healthier B. earlier C. sooner D. raised
7 A. dealing B. procedure C. concern D. management
8 A. aligning B. completing C. coaching D. diverting
9 A. driving B. terminating C. executing D. colliding
10 A. mediate B. underline C. research D. foster
TASK 11 Study the sample cover letter collocations.
ultimate career goal
diligent work ethics
flexible attitude
highlight one´s relevant experience/education
excited to learn about the opportunity
further explore
academic background
make a valuable/significant contribution
fulfilling experience
enable me to contribute significantly to
face complex challenges
see the attached/enclosed resume/CV
greatly appreciate the opportunity to
develop a working knowledge
be pursuing a bachelor/master/doctoral degree in
spark one's interest
be majoring in
a comprehensive medical/educational background
LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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further exposure to
advance my career
cutting edge projects
achieve a goal
meet the requirements
explore career/study options
be promoted to a position of
run/order/review tests
extensive education
intensely studied
exceptional communication skills
appreciate your consideration of my application
appreciate receiving information relative to
equipped with solid educational preparation/valuable experience supportive of my qualification for a career in
make a positive contribution to a position
considerable amount of confidence in
attractive challenge
seek an opportunity
discuss one's qualifications/mutually beneficial possibilities
TASK 12 Letter of motivation checklist. When writing a letter of motivation, you should answer the following
questions.
A Where did I find out about it?
B What position/programme am I applying for?
C What attracts me to the position?
D How do my skills and abilities relate to the position/programme offered?
E What are my strengths?
F When am I available for an interview?
G Have I thanked the reader for considering my application?
LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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TASK 13 Study the criteria below, which your teacher is going to use when assessing your writing.
1 TASK ACHIEVED (0-3 POINTS)
o instructions fulfilled (all four content areas need to be covered)
o genre (sound confident, but not arrogant or pompous; do not use contracted forms;
follow “the Dear Mr. Smith – Yours sincerely, Dear Sir – Yours faithfully” model; do
not start the letter with “My name is “; do not use rhetorical questions)
o register (formal letters; brief; to the point; polite but impersonal)
o range (word count)
2 TEXT ORGANIZATION (0-3 POINTS)
o structure (paragraphs and content)
o coherence (how a text is connected in terms of meaning and ideas; logical sequence of
ideas; paragraphs are linked)
o cohesion (how a text is connected in terms of meaning and language; mere enumeration
insufficient; ideas need to be developed, not just hinted; statements need to be backed by
examples; points taken off for simple cohesive devices such as and, or, but; use B2
cohesive devices such as however, moreover, nevertheless, on the one hand, on the other hand, in
addition, besides, apart from, in conclusion, etc. )
3 LEXIS (0-2 POINTS)
o range (expected range at B2 CEFR level - see TASK 10 above, including paraphrasing;
points taken off for insufficient range)
o accuracy (word choice; collocations; spelling)
4 GRAMMAR (0-2 POINTS)
o accuracy (expected range at B2 CEFR level, including conditionals
o range
LANGUAGE CENTRE AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE DIVISION
MEDICAL ENGLISH – SPRING TERM 2019
U1-2: PRESENTATIONS, COVER LETTERS
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TASK 14 EXAMPLE OF TEST TASK. You are planning to apply for an Erasmus exchange program to study one
semester at the medical school of the prestigious University of Edinburgh. Write a cover letter to the Human
Resources department using 150-190 words (words below/above the limit are penalized) and do the following:
- explain what you are applying for
- describe your education
- describe your experience
- say how you could contribute to the host university programme
After you finish, your colleague is going to use the writing assessment criteria above to assess your work.