Tatiana Clark — Legal English 30-Min Plan

DAY 1 · VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT — RECOGNITION & MEANING

What Is Corporate Law?

Tatiana opens the week by understanding the core vocabulary of corporate law in English, right from the video she'll watch.

0–5 min

Watch the video

5–15 min

Comprehension questions

15–25 min

Vocabulary in context

25–30 min

Speaking

▸ TODAY'S VIDEO

Alasdair Taylor — Taylor Vinters

Corporate Law Explained | How Companies Exist as Legal Persons

📌 Watch the first 7–8 minutes. Pay close attention to how the narrator uses the words 'liabilities', 'assets', and 'shareholders'.

OPEN ON YOUTUBE →

▸ HOW TO USE YOUR 30 MINUTES

0–5 min

Watch the video (first 7–8 min)

5–15 min

Answer comprehension questions

15–25 min

Vocabulary in context exercises

25–30 min

Speaking — read aloud

▸ COMPREHENSION — answer in English, aloud or in writing

According to the video, why can a company be sued independently of its owners?

💡 Think about the concept of 'separate legal entity' — the company exists on its own.

What does the video say about the relationship between shareholders and company liabilities?

💡 Are shareholders personally responsible for what the company owes?

The video mentions that corporate law functions like a 'rulebook'. What does that rulebook govern?

💡 Think about who it protects: investors, creditors, the public.

How does corporate law promote accountability among directors and executives?

💡 What happens when directors act against the company's interests?

▸ VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT — choose the correct meaning

Corporate law ensures that businesses operate transparently, ethically, and efficiently within the legal system.

'Transparently' means openly, with nothing hidden — the opposite of concealment or fraud.

If the company cannot pay its debts, its liabilities may exceed its assets.

Liabilities are everything the company owes — debts, obligations, pending lawsuits.

When a director commits fraud, she can be held liable even if she claims she didn't know.

'Be held liable' means a court or legal process determines you are responsible and must answer for it.

The shareholders voted to remove the CEO after the scandal came to light.

Shareholders are the owners of the company through their shares — they have voting rights on major decisions.

The new rulebook for corporate governance requires all board meetings to be recorded.

A 'rulebook' in corporate law refers to the body of rules that governs how the company must behave.

🎙 SPEAKING — READ ALOUD

Say aloud, 3 times, in complete sentences:

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Corporate law ensures that companies operate transparently and ethically.

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Shareholders are not personally responsible for the company's liabilities.

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When fraud occurs, directors can be held liable for their actions.

🔴 RECORD & SEND — VOCAROO

After practising, record yourself reading the 3 sentences above. Then send the link to your teacher on WhatsApp.

Click the button below to open Vocaroo.

Press the red button to start recording. Read the 3 sentences clearly.

Press stop, then click "Copy Link" to copy your recording URL.

Open WhatsApp and send the link with the message: "Day 1 speaking — done! ✓"

🎙 OPEN VOCAROO →

Your teacher will listen to your recording and give you feedback before your next session.

DAY 2 · VOCABULARY — MEANING FROM CONTEXT

Mergers, Acquisitions & Corporate Responsibility

Tatiana joins a call with AngloGold's external counsel in New York to discuss a recent acquisition. She needs to understand and use the right vocabulary.

0–5 min

Watch the video

5–15 min

Comprehension questions

15–25 min

Vocabulary — sentence models

25–30 min

Speaking

▸ TODAY'S VIDEO

Bloomberg Law — search: 'M&A explained liabilities assets'

Mergers and Acquisitions Explained — What Happens to Liabilities and Assets?

📌 Search Bloomberg Law's channel for any video on M&A or corporate transactions. Focus on moments where they discuss what happens to company debts and assets after a deal.

OPEN BLOOMBERG LAW →

▸ COMPREHENSION — answer in English, aloud or in writing

In an acquisition, who typically assumes the liabilities of the company being acquired?

💡 Does the buyer take on the debts? Is this always automatic?

Why is it important for shareholders to be informed before a major merger takes place?

💡 Think about accountability and voting rights.

What role does due diligence play in identifying hidden liabilities before a deal closes?

💡 What could go wrong if a buyer skips due diligence?

How does fraud during an acquisition affect accountability for directors?

💡 Can a director claim ignorance? What is their fiduciary duty?

▸ VOCABULARY — what does the bold word mean in this sentence?

Read each sentence carefully. Then choose the option that best captures the meaning of the bold word in that specific context.

Before closing the acquisition, AngloGold's legal team reviewed all outstanding liabilities, including pending lawsuits and unpaid environmental fines.

In M&A, 'liabilities' means everything the target company owes or may owe — debts, court cases, regulatory fines.

If the company concealed information about its debts, the seller could be sued for misrepresentation.

'Be sued' means a legal action is filed against you — a lawsuit is initiated to seek damages or remedy.

The board members who approved the fraudulent transaction could be held liable for the losses suffered by investors.

'Be held liable' means a court has determined you bear legal responsibility and must face consequences — financial or criminal.

The merger was attractive because the target company had strong assets: three gold mines, equipment, and long-term contracts.

Assets are everything the company owns that has value — mines, equipment, contracts, intellectual property, cash.

The shareholders approved the acquisition by a majority vote at the extraordinary general meeting.

Shareholders are the owners of the company. In major transactions, their vote is often legally required.

The investigation revealed that the executives had committed fraud by falsifying the company's financial records before the sale.

Fraud is deliberate deception — falsifying records, hiding liabilities, or misrepresenting facts to gain an unfair advantage.

🎙 SPEAKING — READ ALOUD

Use each word in one sentence about AngloGold's work. Say them aloud:

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Use 'liabilities' → What kinds of liabilities might AngloGold face before closing a mining acquisition?

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Use 'be sued' → In what situation could AngloGold be sued by local communities?

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Use 'assets' → Name two assets AngloGold owns that would matter in a due diligence process.

🔴 RECORD & SEND — VOCAROO

Record your 3 sentences — one for each vocabulary word. Speak naturally, as if answering a colleague's question in a meeting.

Click the button below to open Vocaroo.

Press the red button and record your 3 sentences.

Press stop, then click "Copy Link" to copy your recording URL.

Send the link on WhatsApp with the message: "Day 2 speaking — done! ✓"

🎙 OPEN VOCAROO →

Your teacher will listen to your recording and give you feedback before your next session.

DAY 3 · PRESENT PERFECT — MAKE YOUR OWN SENTENCES ABOUT ANGLOGOLD

Compliance, Ethics & Corporate Accountability

Tatiana prepares a regulatory briefing for AngloGold's legal leadership. Today she moves from understanding words to using them actively — writing her own sentences.

0–5 min

Watch the video

5–15 min

Comprehension questions

15–25 min

Write your own sentences

25–30 min

Speaking

▸ TODAY'S VIDEO

Search YouTube: 'corporate compliance ethics explained' — Bloomberg Law or Practical Law

Corporate Compliance & Ethics — What Every Company Must Do

📌 Focus on sections about accountability structures, anti-fraud measures, and how compliance protects shareholders.

SEARCH ON YOUTUBE →

▸ COMPREHENSION — answer in English, aloud or in writing

What does the video say about the consequences of failing to maintain corporate accountability?

💡 Who can be sued? Who can be held liable?

How does a compliance program help prevent fraud within a company?

💡 Think about internal controls, reporting channels, and the rulebook.

What is the role of shareholders in ensuring corporate accountability?

💡 Do they have any power to demand transparency from the board?

Why must companies act transparently and ethically — is it just a moral obligation or also a legal one?

💡 Think about regulatory penalties, civil liability, and reputational risk.

▸ WRITE YOUR OWN SENTENCES — AngloGold Ashanti

Use each vocabulary word to write ONE sentence about AngloGold Ashanti. Use Present Perfect where indicated. Click "See Example" only after you've tried.

Present Perfectaccountability

Write a sentence about how AngloGold has strengthened accountability in its governance.

Starter: AngloGold Ashanti has...

AngloGold Ashanti has strengthened accountability by requiring board members to disclose potential conflicts of interest.

Present Perfectfraud

Write a sentence about what AngloGold has done to prevent fraud.

Starter: The company has...

AngloGold Ashanti has implemented strict anti-fraud controls across all its mining operations.

Present Perfectliabilities

Write a sentence about liabilities AngloGold has managed or reduced.

Starter: AngloGold has reduced / managed / disclosed...

AngloGold has worked to reduce its environmental liabilities by investing in site remediation programs.

Present Perfectshareholders

Write a sentence about what AngloGold has communicated to its shareholders recently.

Starter: The company has informed / updated / engaged its shareholders...

AngloGold Ashanti has kept its shareholders informed about the progress of its ESG commitments.

Present Perfect (passive)be held liable

Write a sentence about a situation where a mining company has been held liable.

Starter: In recent years, mining companies have been held liable for...

Several mining companies in Brazil have been held liable for environmental damage following tailings dam failures.

Present Perfectassets

Write a sentence about how AngloGold has managed or grown its assets.

Starter: AngloGold has expanded / protected / divested its assets...

AngloGold Ashanti has expanded its assets in Africa through strategic acquisitions in Ghana and Guinea.

🎙 SPEAKING — READ ALOUD

Read your 6 sentences aloud — fluently, without stopping. Time yourself: aim for under 90 seconds.

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Focus on smooth pronunciation of: accountability, liabilities, shareholders.

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If you hesitate on a word, say it 3 times slowly, then read the full sentence again.

🔴 RECORD & SEND — VOCAROO

Record yourself reading all 6 sentences you wrote about AngloGold. Aim for a smooth, confident delivery under 90 seconds.

Click the button below to open Vocaroo.

Press the red button and read your 6 sentences without stopping.

Press stop, then click "Copy Link" to copy your recording URL.

Send the link on WhatsApp with the message: "Day 3 speaking — done! ✓"

🎙 OPEN VOCAROO →

Your teacher will listen to your recording and give you feedback before your next session.

DAY 4 · SIMPLE PAST VS. PRESENT PERFECT — USING VOCABULARY WORDS

Contracts, Disputes & Legal Responsibility

Tatiana is in a meeting with external counsel reviewing a supplier dispute. She needs to narrate what happened (Simple Past) and explain what the current status is (Present Perfect).

0–5 min

Watch the video

5–15 min

Comprehension questions

15–25 min

Simple Past vs. Present Perfect

25–30 min

Speaking

▸ TODAY'S VIDEO

Search YouTube: 'contract dispute resolution corporate law explained'

Contract Disputes & Legal Liability — How Companies Resolve Conflicts

📌 Look for a video that covers breach of contract, legal liability, and how companies are sued. Bloomberg Law or any law school channel works well.

SEARCH ON YOUTUBE →

▸ COMPREHENSION — answer in English, aloud or in writing

What typically triggers a company to be sued in a contract dispute?

💡 Think about breach, fraud, misrepresentation — and which vocabulary words apply.

According to the video, in what situations can a director be held liable personally?

💡 Is it always the company that faces liability, or can individuals too?

How do companies protect their assets during a legal dispute?

💡 Think about injunctions, insurance, and legal reserves.

What is the difference between civil liability and criminal liability in corporate law?

💡 Can a company be sued AND face criminal charges at the same time?

▸ SIMPLE PAST VS. PRESENT PERFECT — complete each sentence

Each pair uses the same vocabulary word. Reveal the answer and the explanation of WHY that tense is used.

be sued

SIMPLE PAST

The supplier ________ AngloGold for breach of contract last February.

sued — Simple Past: the action happened at a specific point in the past (last February).

PRESENT PERFECT

AngloGold ________ ________ by three contractors this year, and the cases are still ongoing.

has been sued — Present Perfect: the action is recent and the result (ongoing cases) still matters now.

be held liable

SIMPLE PAST

The court ________ the director ________ for the fraud committed in 2021.

held / liable — Simple Past: the court ruling happened at a completed moment in the past.

PRESENT PERFECT

No executive ________ ever ________ ________ personally liable in this type of case before.

has / been / held — Present Perfect with 'ever': refers to the accumulated situation up to now, with no specific date.

liabilities

SIMPLE PAST

During due diligence, the team ________ several undisclosed liabilities in the target company's books.

found — Simple Past: the discovery happened during a specific completed event (due diligence).

PRESENT PERFECT

The company ________ not yet disclosed all its environmental liabilities to the regulator.

has — Present Perfect with 'not yet': the action is still pending; the situation is unresolved.

fraud

SIMPLE PAST

The internal audit ________ evidence of fraud in the procurement process in Q3.

found — Simple Past: the audit was a completed event with a specific timeframe (Q3).

PRESENT PERFECT

Since the new compliance system was installed, no case of fraud ________ ________ detected.

has been — Present Perfect: covers the period from a past reference point ('since') to now.

assets

SIMPLE PAST

AngloGold ________ three mining assets in West Africa between 2018 and 2022.

acquired — Simple Past: specific completed period in the past.

PRESENT PERFECT

The company ________ recently divested some of its non-core assets to focus on gold production.

has — Present Perfect with 'recently': the action is recent and relevant to the company's current strategy.

accountability

SIMPLE PAST

After the scandal, the board ________ new accountability measures for all executives.

introduced — Simple Past: the board acted at a specific moment (after the scandal).

PRESENT PERFECT

AngloGold ________ significantly improved its accountability framework since the 2023 governance review.

has — Present Perfect: improvement started in the past and continues to the present.

🎙 SPEAKING — READ ALOUD

Choose ONE event from your work at AngloGold. Describe it using both tenses:

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Simple Past: What happened? When? Who was involved? → 'In [year/month], the team identified / the regulator required / we discovered...'

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Present Perfect: What is the current status? → 'Since then, we have... / The situation has not yet been resolved... / The company has already...'

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Speak for 60 seconds. Use at least 3 vocabulary words from this week.

🔴 RECORD & SEND — VOCAROO

Record your 60-second spoken description of the AngloGold event — using Simple Past to narrate what happened and Present Perfect for the current status.

Click the button below to open Vocaroo.

Press the red button and speak for 60 seconds. Don't stop — keep going even if you hesitate.

Press stop, then click "Copy Link" to copy your recording URL.

Send the link on WhatsApp with the message: "Day 4 speaking — done! ✓"

🎙 OPEN VOCAROO →

Your teacher will listen to your recording and give you feedback before your next session.

DAY 5 · WRITE A PARAGRAPH — YOUR VOICE, YOUR COMPANY, YOUR ROLE

ESG, Accountability & AngloGold's Legal Obligations

Tatiana closes the week by producing her own paragraph in English — connecting ESG, corporate law, and her daily work as a legal specialist at AngloGold Ashanti.

0–5 min

Watch the video

5–15 min

Comprehension questions

15–25 min

Write your paragraph

25–30 min

Read aloud & self-review

▸ TODAY'S VIDEO

Search YouTube: 'ESG mining companies legal accountability investors' — Bloomberg Law, Reuters Events, or S&P Global

ESG & Corporate Accountability in Mining — What Investors and Regulators Expect

📌 Focus on segments about shareholder accountability, fraud prevention, and ESG disclosure obligations.

SEARCH ON YOUTUBE →

▸ COMPREHENSION — answer in English, aloud or in writing

According to the video, why have shareholders become more demanding about ESG accountability in recent years?

💡 Think about investment risk, reputational exposure, and regulatory pressure.

In what ways can a mining company be sued for ESG-related failures?

💡 Think about environmental damage, community displacement, and false ESG disclosures.

What does the video say about the relationship between transparency, fraud prevention, and company assets?

💡 What happens to asset value when fraud or misrepresentation is exposed?

How does the 'rulebook' of ESG regulation differ from voluntary commitments?

💡 What changes when ESG reporting becomes legally mandatory vs. optional?

▸ WRITE YOUR PARAGRAPH

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Be connected to the video topic (ESG, accountability, corporate law in mining)

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Reflect your real role as a legal specialist at AngloGold Ashanti

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Use at least 6 of the vocabulary words from this week

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Use both Simple Past AND Present Perfect correctly — at least once each

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Be written entirely by you — no translating from Portuguese sentence by sentence

▸ GUIDE QUESTIONS — think before writing

1. What has AngloGold done to operate more transparently and ethically in recent years?

2. What kinds of liabilities does a mining company like AngloGold face in its ESG obligations?

3. How does your role as a legal specialist contribute to protecting the company's assets and preventing fraud?

4. What happened (Simple Past) in a real or hypothetical situation involving accountability at AngloGold?

5. What has changed (Present Perfect) in how the company manages its legal responsibilities toward shareholders?

▸ WORD BANK — use at least 6

liabilities be sued be held liable assets shareholders accountability rulebook fraud transparently ethically

MODEL OPENER (optional) As a legal specialist at AngloGold Ashanti, I work to ensure that the company operates transparently and ethically across all jurisdictions...

○ Vocab: 0/6 ○ Simple Past ○ Present Perfect 0 words

🎙 SPEAKING — READ ALOUD

Read your paragraph aloud, clearly and at a natural pace. Then answer:

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Which sentence was hardest to write? Say it 3 times until it feels natural.

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Which vocabulary word did you feel most confident using? Which one do you still need to practice?

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Could you say this paragraph to a colleague in a real meeting? If not, what would you simplify?

🔴 RECORD & SEND — VOCAROO

This is your final recording of the week. Read your full paragraph aloud — clearly, confidently, at a natural professional pace. This is the voice you will use in international meetings.

Click the button below to open Vocaroo.

Press the red button and read your complete paragraph without stopping.

Press stop, then click "Copy Link" to copy your recording URL.

Send the link on WhatsApp with the message: "Day 5 — week complete! ✓"

🎙 OPEN VOCAROO →

Your teacher will compare this recording with Day 1 to show you how much you've progressed this week. Well done, Tatiana.

Week complete. Well done, Tatiana. ✓