We’ve all experienced anxiety while speaking. We try to be confident, but it doesn’t always work. It goes like this: You’re talking to someone and you feel like your words are stuck. Your words just won’t come out. You start to panic and get stressed. So you use simpler phrases and words (things that you learned …
Before we get into this week’s lesson on how to have great English conversations, I have a short story! Yesterday, I gave an online class about that had some technical issues (technical issues = problems with computer software). I could have quit, but these students had given me their time because they wanted to learn …
In class I like to do a critical thinking skills evaluation on my students. I usually do it a week into the course. By that time, my students have had the time to read some of the material on the topic that we will focus on. So, let’s say our topic is globalisation. I’ll ask …
Do you ever freeze before replying to someone because you don’t know what to say? Or, do you avoid speaking to people, so you don’t have to use English? I know how it feels – I was the same (in another language). But I figured out a solution. So, if you have ever felt lost, …
How To Impress Your Friends By Talking To Yourself Read More »
You keep seeing Academic English and EAP, right? I didn’t see the word ‘academic’ until I became a university student. Fast-forward a few years later when I became a lecturer, and then suddenly everything was academic. I didn’t know much about Academic English when I was an undergraduate student. I never knew how to write academically when …
To study in an English speaking country, you have to prove that you have a good level of English. There are a few different exams that are recognised, such as IELTS, TOEIC and TOEFL. The speaking sections of these exams are often the most stressful. They require you to respond to questions, readings or recordings …
9 Strategies for Better Speaking Exam Scores (And 3 no-nos) Read More »
“Silent Fillers errr how should I umm start this and errm…” We all do it. ‘Errr‘ and ‘Umm‘, also known as hesitations, are just a part of everyday speech (usually when we’re tired). When we say ‘errr’, we’re just thinking of what to say next. It’s not too much of an issue in everyday life. We …
Are You Using Silent Fillers to Improve Your Presentations? Read More »
Should I speak quickly or slowly to sound fluent? [thrive_2step id=’316′]This was a question sent in by a member of the English For Study mailing list.[/thrive_2step] A common belief is that you should speak quickly to sound fluent. But is it a fact? I’m sure you’ve seen American and British TV shows and thought, “wow, they speak …
I Want To Sound Fluent. How Fast Should I Speak? Read More »
Working as a group can be tough. Knowing which phrases to use can make the whole experience easier. In this post, we’ll cover the basic phrases you’ll need to have a successful discussion. There are quite a few different ways to react in each situation, so we’ll look at some of the really useful ones. …
28 Beginner Phrases for a Great Group Discussion Read More »
