The relevance of this article is in the need of studying the potential of literary texts in the process of teaching a foreign language due to the rare reference of teachers to examples presented in the works of both classics and modern writers. It is currently debated that the use of literary texts in foreign language classes as an educational material is not obligatory, but it is necessary due to the close relationship between language and literature. Literary texts can be considered as authentic materials and reference sources used for the development of basic language skills. The purpose of the article is to elaborate methodological techniques and a set of practical tasks aimed at teaching English to students of economic specialties. The research material was fragments of authentic literary works containing quotations related to economic topics. In conclusion, the authors state that the integration of literary texts into the traditional methodology of teaching a foreign language will contribute not only to the development of linguistic and cultural aspects of the target language, but also to the successful formation and further development of students’ professional and general cultural competences.