Giving orders and instructions How can you ask someone to do
something for you in English without sounding rude? Here are some
of the ways that you can give orders and instructions.1. Use the
imperative form We use the imperative form to give orders, warnings
and advice:Be quiet!Take care!Listen to me carefully!Because it can
sound rude to give direct orders (especially if you are talking to
an adult), we "soften" the imperative form with "let's" or
"please":Let's go now.Please listen to what I'm saying.2. Use a
modal verb to turn the order into a requestWe use modals to change
the mood of a sentence. For example, "You should help her" is more
polite than "Help her!"Other modal verbs you can use to make
requests are:Could: Could you make me some tea?Can: Can you come
here please?Will: Will you shut the door please?Would: Would you
wait here until the doctor is ready for you?3. Use an introductory
phrase to soften the orderInstead of using an imperative, you can
use a phrase instead. Here are some common ways of phrasing an
order, in order of the most indirect to the most direct:Would you
mind possibly (+ ing) (Most indirect)Would you mind possibly moving
your car? It's parked right in front of mine.I was hoping you could
(+ infinitive without to)I was hoping you could spare me a few
minutes this morning.Do you think you could (+ infinitive without
to)Do you think you could do this photocopying for me?If you have a
couple of minutes spareIf you have a couple of minutes spare, the
office needs tidying up.I'd like you toI'd like you to file this
correspondence for me.I want you toI want you to finish this by
tomorrow.4. Use sequencing wordsYou can use sequencing words to
make instructions clear.Firstly, make sure the appliance is
disconnected.Secondly, open the back with a screwdriver.Then,
carefully pull out the two black cables.Talking about fear There
are many words and expressions for talking about fear.Wordsafraid:
"Are you afraid of the dark?"frightened: "I'm frightened of
spiders."scared: "He's scared of making mistakes."feel uneasy: "I
felt a bit uneasy when I walked home in the dark."spooked: "My cats
are easily spooked before a thunderstorm."terrified: "She was
absolutely terrified when she heard the noise."petrified: "The
building began to shake and we were all petrified."Expressionsa
terrifying ordealsend shivers down my spinegive me goosebumps
(goosebumps are when you skin has little bumps on it)make the hairs
on the back of my neck stand up (dogs also do this when they are
scared)scare the hell out of mebe scared shitless / shit scared
(British slang vulgar)be bricking it (British slang vulgar)frighten
the life out of meshake with fearjump out of my skinExamplesOne of
the best horror films I have seen is "The Blair Witch Project". It
tells the story of a terrifying ordeal in the woods of northern
USA. Some of the scenes in the film sent shivers down my spine,
especially the one when the students run out of the tent in the
middle of the night. When they go back, one of the guy's rucksack
has been emptied. When that same guy goes missing the next day, it
gives you goosebumps.There are some fabulous sound effects,
especially the ones of the wind blowing and howling. When you hear
the crying voices at the end of the film, it will make the hairs on
the back of your neck stand up. Perhaps the scariest part of the
film is at the end, when you see one of the surviving students
literally shake with fear in the corner of the basement. It
certainly frightened the life out of the girl when she saw him, and
I jumped out of my skin at the end when the camera stopped filming.
The film scared the hell out of me for weeks afterwards, and I'm
ashamed to say that I wouldn't go into an empty room in the house
unless there was someone there with me.
Home Speaking Being friendly in English Having good social
skills is important if you want to make a good impression on the
people you meet. Here's some advice on what is considered polite or
impolite in English-speaking cultures.1. Please, thank you, excuse
me and I'm sorryThese polite expressions are used a lot in spoken
English, and not using them can make you appear rude. As politeness
is considered perhaps the most important quality in relationships,
make sure you use them! Don't worry if you think you use them too
frequently: the worst that people will think of you is that you are
sweet and charming:)) Please = use whenever you want someone to do
something for you, or if you want something from another personCan
you tell me where the post office is, please?Can you pass me that
newspaper please?Never use imperative forms unless you are giving
someone directions. So although you can say to someone "Take the
130 bus to Croydon and get off at Asda supermarket", you can't say
to someone "Pass me that newspaper". Thank you = use whenever
someone does something for you, or gives you something.Excuse me =
use when you want to introduce a request to someone, or if you want
to get past someoneExcuse me, can you tell me where the post office
is, please?Excuse me, is this the right platform for the London
train?I'm sorry = use any time that you inconvenience someone,
tread on someone's toes in a crowded train, or if someone asks you
something that you can't do.I'm sorry, but I don't understand. Is
the post office on the left or the right?Is Mr Jones in the
office?I'm sorry, he's out this morning.2. Ask permission before
doing something that may inconvenience othersDo you mind if I open
the window?Can I take this chair?3. Avoid controversial topics when
you meet someone newSome topics of conversation can lead to
arguments, so unless you know someone well, it's best to avoid
them. These topics are politics, religion and financial information
such as how much money you earn. If you are in doubt about what to
talk about, let the other person take the lead, and respond to
them. This leads on to the next point:4. Keep the conversation
goingIf someone asks you a question, respond to it. Avoid one-word
answers, and try to say at least a few words. Then you can return
the question.For example, if someone says "Terrible weather, isn't
it", avoid just saying "yes". Instead you can say "Yes, I wish it
would stop raining" or "Yes, it wasn't like this last summer, was
it?"Some cultural tips- in Britain, queuing is considered polite.
If you "jump the queue" (go to the front, rather than stand behind
the last person in the queue) or push the people in front of you,
you will make yourself very unpopular!- don't stand too close to
people. Stand at least an arm's length away if you can. On crowded
public transport this isn't possible, but people rarely talk to
each other in these situations.- keep eye contact when you
talkSaying how happy you are Here are some of the ways you can
express your happiness in English.You can be- (absolutely)
delighted- thrilled to bits- over the moon- really pleased- so
happyOr you can say- I couldn't be happier.- That is fantastic /
wonderful / great / marvellous!When you hear good news you can
say:- What great / wonderful / fantastic news!- We've been waiting
so long for this (moment).- Thank God! / Thank God for
that!(British English speakers tend not to be particularly
religious)Pronunciation tipStress the adverbs and adjectives for
greater emphasis:- I'm really pleased.- What great news!Saying
dates and numbers in English DatesWe can say dates either with the
day before the month, or the month before the day:The first of
January / January the first.Remember to use ordinal numbers for
dates.(The first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the
twenty-second, the thirty-first etc.)YearsFor years up until 2000,
separate the four numbers into two pairs of two:1965 = nineteen
sixty-five1871 = eighteen seventy-one1999 = nineteen ninety-nineFor
this decade, you need to say two thousand and - in British
English:2001 = two thousand and one2009 = two thousand and
nineLarge numbersDivide the number into units of hundreds and
thousands:400,000 = four hundred thousand (no s plural)If the
number includes a smaller number, use and in British
English:450,000 = four hundred and fifty thousand400,360 = four
hundred thousand and three hundred and sixtyFractions, ratios and
percentages = one half1/3 = one third = one quarter1/5 = one
fifth1/ 6 = one sixth etc3/5 = three fifths1.5% = one point five
percent0.3% = nought / zero point three percent 2:1 = two to
oneSaying 0Depending on the context, we can pronounce zero in
different ways:2-0 (football) = Two nil30 0 (tennis) = Thirty
love604 7721 (phone number) = six oh four0.4 (a number) = nought
point four / zero point four0C (temperature) = zero degreesTalking
about calculations+ (plus)2 + 1 = 3 (two plus one equals three)-
(minus / take away)5 3 = 2 (five minus three equals two / five take
away three equals two)x (multiplied by / times)2 x 3 = 6 (two
multiplied by three equals six / two times three equals six)/
(divided by)6 / 3 = 2 (six divided by three equals two)How to avoid
silence in English conversations Sometimes you don't know what to
say in a conversation. Perhaps you don't have any words to express
yourself, or you haven't understood the other person. Or perhaps
there isn't anything left to say! In all these situations, it's
important to avoid being silent, so here are some words and
expressions to use. When you don't understand"Sorry, I don't
understand.""Sorry, could you repeat that?""Sorry? I didn't get
that."Looking for words to express yourselfYou don't want to be
completely silent, but you need time to find the
words."Well""OK""So"You can even make some
"noises""Hmmm""Uh-huh""Umm"To agree with the other personYou want
to show that you agree, but you don't have anything else to
say."Yeah.""Right."To change the subjectYou've all given your
opinion, and now you want to talk about something
else."Anyway,""Well, as I was saying""So, back to ""So, we were
saying "Improving your English pronunciation Here are some tips to
help you improve your English pronunciation.First of all, don't
worry about not having a native-English accent. It's important to
be able to speak clearly, so that people can understand you.
However, it's almost impossible to sound exactly like a native
English speaker if you are learning English as an adult in a
non-English speaking country.However, there are many things that
you can do to improve your pronunciation and your speaking
skills.1. Listen to spoken English as often as possible.Listen to
how speakers pronounce various words and phrases and "model" your
pronunciation on what you hear.2. Learn the phonetic alphabet.Use
the phonetic alphabet page (at the beginning of most good
dictionaries) as a guide to pronouncing new words.3. Don't forget
to learn the word stress of a new word.Every English word has its
own stress, or intonation. For example, the word "believe" has two
syllables (be and lieve), but only the second syllable is stressed.
We say be'lieve and not 'be lieve. Your dictionary will show the
syllable stress by an apostrophe (') before the syllable to be
stressed.Word stress is important. In fact, it is more likely that
someone misunderstands you because of wrong word stress than
because of the wrong pronunciation of a sound.4. Work out which
sounds cause you most problems in English.Depending on what your
first language is, you may have problems with certain sounds. For
example, French speakers have difficulties with "th"; speakers of
Mandarin have difficulties with "r" or "l", and Arabic speakers
have difficulties with "p" and "b".5. Practise the sounds you find
difficult.A useful exercise is a "minimal pair" exercise. For
example, if you have difficulty distinguishing between "p" and "b",
try practising pairs of words which are the same except for the
sound "p" and "b":For example, "pair" and "bear"; "pond" and
"bond"; "pie" and "buy" etc.6. Be aware of intonation and sentence
stress.Not all words in a sentence have equal stress, and generally
only the "information" words (nouns and verbs) are
stressed.'Where's the 'pen I 'gave you?'Where's the 'red 'pen I
'gave you?Where's the 'red and 'blue 'pen I 'gave you
'yesterday?The unstressed words (such as "the", "I", "you" and
"and") don't carry as much "weight" as the stressed words. They
become much smaller in length, and are almost abbreviated. For
example, "and" becomes "un".Changing stressSentence stress isn't
"fixed" like word stress. In fact, you can stress words that are
normally unstressed in order to highlight different meanings.For
example:I 'love you. (Love, rather than just like.)'I love you.
(With the stress on I to highlight that it's me rather than another
person who loves you.)I love 'you. (And nobody
else.)IntonationThere are a couple of easy to remember rules about
intonation. Usually our voices go up at the end of the sentence to
show a question, and down at the end to show a statement.Intonation
is also important in "tag questions":You know him, don't you? (With
rising intonation on "don't you?" to show it's a question)You know
him, don't you. (With falling intonation on "don't you" to show
it's a statement you expect the other person to agree with.)7.
Learn to recognise spelling patterns.For example, "tion" on the end
of a word is pronounced "shun", while "sion" can be pronounced
"zhun". There are often many ways to pronounce a particular
spelling pattern, but it certainly helps to know what the
variations are. For example, the pattern "ough" can be pronounced
"uff" as in "enough" and "tough", or "or" as in "ought" and
"bought" or "oh" as in "although" and "dough".8. Don't rush.If you
speak too fast, the danger is that you could skip over some words,
fail to pronounce them completely, or mix them up. If you speak too
slowly, you might end up sounding unnatural. But it's better to
speak slowly and clearly than too quickly.Telling a story A useful
skill in English is to be able to tell a story or an anecdote.
Anecdotes are short stories about something that happened to you or
to someone you know.How to startTraditional stories often start
with the phrase "Once upon a time". However, if you are going to
tell your story after someone else has already spoken, you can say
something like:That reminds me!Funny you should say that. Did I
ever tell you aboutHearing your story reminds me of whenSomething
similar happened to me.How to tell your storyFirst of all, your
story should be quite short. Try to keep it grammatically simple as
well, so that it is easy to follow.Make it easy for the listener to
understand by using sequencing and linking words:Sequencing
wordsThese words show the chronological sequence of events.First of
all, I (packed my suitcase)Secondly, I . (made sure I had all my
documents)Previously (before that) .. I changed some money.Then I
(called a taxi for the airport)Later (on) (when we were stuck in
traffic, I realised)But before al that (I had double checked my
reservation)Finally (I arrived at the wrong check-in desk at the
wrong airport for a flight that didn't go until the next
day)Linking wordsUse these words to link your ideas for the
listener. Linking words can be used to show reason, result,
contrasting information, additional information, and to summarise.I
booked a flight because.As a result, I was lateAlthough I had a
reservation, I hadn't checked the airport name.I made sure I had an
up-to-date passport and I also took along my driving licence.In
short, I had made a complete mess of the holiday.TensesWe can use a
variety of tenses to tell stories and anecdotes. Jokes are often in
the present tense:A man walks into a bar and orders a beer.We also
use the present tense to give a dramatic narrative effect:The year
is 1066. In medieval England people are worried that the king,
Harold, is not strong enough to fight off a Norman
invasion.However, we generally use past forms to talk about past
events. If you tell your story in chronological order, you can use
the past simple:I double checked my reservation. I packed my
suitcase, and then I called a taxi.Use the past continuous to
describe activities in progress at the time of your story, or to
describe the background.The sun was shining and it was a beautiful
day. We were driving along the motorway quite steadily until we
suddenly saw in front of us the warning lights to slow down. We
were heading towards a huge tailback.Sometimes, you might want to
avoid telling your story as one chronological event after the
other. You can use the past perfect (simple and continuous) to add
more interest to your story by talking about events that happened
before the events in your story:I double checked my reservation,
which I had made three days previously.I wanted to visit some
friends who had been living in France for the last five
years.VocabularyTry to use a wide range of words to make your story
more interesting. Remember that you can "exaggerate" when you tell
a story, so instead of using words like "nice" or "bad", experiment
with more interesting words, such as "beautiful", "fabulous",
"wonderful", "horrible", "awful" or "terrible".Finally remember
that you are telling a story not giving a lecture. Look at the
people listening, and try to "involve" them in the story or
anecdote. Keep eye contact, use the right intonation and try to
make your face expressive. You might also want to try practising a
few anecdotes in the mirror before "going live". Have fun!Talking
about the weather It's true! British people often start a
conversation with strangers and friends by talking about the
weather. As weather is a neutral topic of conversation, it's
usually safe to use it to strike up a conversation at the bus stop,
in a shop, or with a neighbour over the garden fence.
Some examples of conversation starters"Lovely day, isn't
it!""Bit nippy today.""What strange weather we're having!""It
doesn't look like it's going to stop raining today."Attitude to
weatherAlthough British people like to complain about bad weather,
they generally put a brave face on it.If someone complains about
too much rain, you might hear:"Never mind it's good for the
garden."If someone complains that it's too hot, you could hear:"At
least my tomatoes will be happy."If the conversation has been about
general bad weather, perhaps someone will say:"Well, I've heard
it's worse in the west. They've had terrible flooding."Predicting
the weatherWe can make predictions about the weather, using a range
of forms not just the "will" or "going to" form:"I think it'll
clear up later.""It's going to rain by the looks of it.""We're in
for frost tonight.""They're expecting snow in the north.""I hear
that showers are coming our way."Human attributesWe also attribute
human features to the weather, almost as if the weather can decide
what to do:"The sun's trying to come out.""It's been trying to rain
all morning.""It's finally decided to rain."Understanding the
forecastMany British people are keen gardeners, and they keep a
close eye on the weather forecast. Here are some of the weather
features which can worry gardeners:a hard frostblizzard / galeforce
conditionshailstonesprolonged rainblustery winda droughtHere are
some more temperate conditions which gardeners like:mild
weathersunny spellslight drizzleHow to keep the conversation going
What can you say when you want to encourage people to keep talking
to you?
Try making a comment or asking a question it shows the other
person you're interested in what they are saying.Here are some
examples of what you can say:Making comments"No!" to show
surprise."I don't believe it!" to show surprise."Wow!" to show
admiration or surprise."That's incredible / amazing / unbelievable"
to show great interest in the subject of conversation."How awful /
terrible" to show sympathy with someone else's bad news.Asking
questions"Really?" to show surprise."And you?" when someone asks
you how you are."Did you?" can be used to encourage someone to tell
their story.For example, "I saw her last night", "Did you?" "Yes,
she was with one of her friends, and she."How to talk about illness
Sometimes you don't feel very well, but you're not really ill. Here
are some common expressions that you can use to describe general
"aches and pains" and some useful "sympathetic" responses.
General aches and pains"I feel a bit under the weather.""I'm not
feeling very well.""I think I'm going down with a cold. I've got a
sore throat.""I've got a slight headache." (Or toothache / stomach
ache / backache) Pronounced "ake" as in "cake"."I'm not sleeping
very well at the moment.""I feel a little faint.""I've got a
nagging pain in my shoulder." (nagging = a pain that won't go
away)"I've got a splitting headache I hope it's not a
migraine."Sympathetic responses"I'm sorry to hear that.""You don't
look very well.""You look a little pale.""Maybe you're going down
with something. There's a bug going around.""Maybe you should go
home and get some rest.""Why don't you go home and have a
lie-down."Mild illness"I have a bit of a stomach bug.""I think I've
got a bit of a temperature.""I have a touch of flu." (Flu =
influenza)"I've got a nasty cough." (pronounced "coff")
Home Speaking English greetings First impressions are important,
so here's a guide to using the right expression.
Greetings
Two friends meetingFriends often say "Hi" to each other. Then
they often ask a general question, such as "How are you?" or "How
are things?" or "How's life?"The reply to this question is normally
positive."Fine thanks, and you?""Fine thanks, what about
yourself?""Not bad." Or "Can't complain."Greeting people you don't
knowYou can use "Hello" with people you don't know, but a more
formal greeting is "Good morning / afternoon / evening."The other
person normally replies with the same greeting as you have used and
then makes polite conversation, such as "How was your trip?" or
"Did you find our office easily?"Introducing yourself
At an informal party"Hello, I'm Maria." Or "Hello, my name's
Maria."The reply could be:"Hi, I'm Sarah." Or "Hello Maria, I'm
Sarah." Or "Nice to meet you, I'm Sarah."At work-related events"I'd
like to introduce myself. I'm Maria, from english@home."Or, "Let me
introduce myself. I'm Maria from english@home."The reply could
be:"Nice to meet you. I'm Peter Mitchell, from Mitchell
Creations.""Pleased to meet you. I'm Peter Mitchell, from Mitchell
Creations.""How do you do? I'm Peter Mitchell from Mitchell
Creations."Introducing other people
Introducing a friend to a work colleague"Sarah, have you met my
colleague John?""Sarah, I'd like you to meet my colleague
John."Sarah says:"Pleased to meet you, John." Or "Nice to meet you,
John."John could say:"Nice to meet you too, Sarah." Or "Hello,
Sarah."Introducing clients"Mr Mitchell, I'd like to introduce you
to my manager, Henry Lewis."Mr Mitchell could then say:"How do you
do?" and Henry Lewis also says "How do you do?"Or Mr Mitchell could
say:"Pleased to meet you." Or "Good to meet you."Speaking Tip"How
do you do?" is quite formal for British English speakers and the
reply to this question is to repeat the phrase, "How do you do?"
(as strange as that may sound!)At a more informal partyWhen you
introduce two of your friends to each other, you can simply say,
"John, this is Sarah."Cultural considerationsAt work, one person
may have higher status your boss, or a client, for example. It's
polite to address them as Mr / Ms until the situation becomes more
informal.If someone says, "Please call me (Henry)", you know you
can use first names. If someone uses your first name, you can use
their first name too.People in European and English-speaking
cultures often shake hands when they meet someone for the first
time.* Don't forget to smile! :-)
Home Speaking Giving your opinions There are many ways to give
your opinions when speaking English. The exact English expression
you use depends on how strong your opinion is.
Giving your opinion neutrally"I think""I feel that""In my
opinion""As far as I'm concerned""As I see it""In my view""I tend
to think that"Giving a strong opinion"I'm absolutely convinced
that""I'm sure that""I strongly believe that""I have no doubt
that"English expressions for asking someone's opinion"What do you
think?""What's your view?""How do you see the situation?"Speaking
TipTry to practise using these expressions, so that your speech
sounds more varied!Talking about likes and dislikes in English
There's a whole range of English expressions you can use to talk
about how much you like or dislike something.
If you love something"I love eating ice-cream.""I adore
sun-bathing."If you like something a lot"She's fond of
chocolate.""I like swimming very much."If you like something"He
quite likes going to the cinema.""I like cooking."If you neither
like nor dislike something"I don't mind doing the housework."If you
don't like something"She doesn't like cooking very much.""He's not
very fond of doing the gardening.""I dislike wasting time."If you
really dislike something"I don't like sport at all.""He can't stand
his boss.""She can't bear cooking in a dirty kitchen.""I hate
crowded supermarkets.""He detests being late.""She loathes
celery."Things to remember
Dislike is quite formal.Fond of is normally used to talk about
food or people.The 'oa' in loathe rhymes with the 'oa' in
boat.Grammar NoteTo talk about your general likes or dislikes,
follow this pattern: like something or like doing something.Common
mistakeBe careful where you put very much or a lot. These words
should go after the thing that you like.For example, "I like
reading very much." NOT "I like very much reading."Agreeing in
English In English conversations, people often say that they agree
or disagree with each other. There are many ways of agreeing or
disagreeing and the one you use depends on how strongly you agree
or disagree. Here's a list of some common expressions.
Agreeing in English"I think you're right.""I agree with
you."Strong agreement"I couldn't agree with you more.""You're
absolutely right.""I agree entirely.""I totally agree."Partly
agreeing"I agree with you up to a point, but""That's quite true,
but""I agree with you in principle, but"Disagreeing"I'm not sure I
agree with you.""(I'm afraid) I don't agree.""(I'm afraid) I
disagree.""(I'm afraid) I can't agree with you.""(I'm afraid) I
don't share your opinion."NoteWhen you disagree with someone in
English, you can often sound more polite by using a phrase such as
"I'm afraid"Disagreeing strongly"I don't agree at all.""I totally
disagree.""I couldn't agree with you less."Making generalisations
English speakers often prefer to make generalisations, rather than
saying something is a fact. When you make generalisations, you will
sound less direct and sure of yourself and therefore more open to
other people's suggestions and ideas. People will think you're
friendly!
To show that something is generally true
tend to"I tend to agree with you."(I agree with most of what you
say.)"I tend to go to bed early in winter."(I normally go to bed
early in winter.)have a tendency to"The English have a tendency to
drink tea, not coffee."Note: have a tendency to is used more in
written than in spoken English.To show how common something is
Generally speaking"Generally speaking, more men than women use
the internet."In most cases"In most cases, wars are caused by land
disputes."In some cases"In some cases, English beaches are unsafe
for swimming."In a large number of cases"In a large number of
cases, obesity is caused by over-eating."Mostly, often,
sometimes(These words go before the main verb, or after the verb to
be)"We are mostly concerned with costs.""They mostly go to the
cinema at weekends.""Eating chocolate sometimes causes
migraines.""He is sometimes difficult to work with.""English people
often complain about the weather."Speaking TipAlthough you may find
it strange to avoid saying exactly what you mean, being able to
make generalisations is a speaking skill that will make you sound
much more like a native English speaker.Giving advice in English
There are many ways of giving advice in English. Here are some of
the more common expressions.
"If I were you, I would""Have you thought about""You really
ought to" ('ought' is pronounced 'ort')"Why don't you""In your
position, I would""You should perhaps""You could always"ExamplesIf
someone says "I'm having problems learning English", you could
say:"If I were you, I'd sign up for an English course.""Have you
thought about going to the UK for a couple of weeks?""You really
ought to watch English television.""Why don't you read more English
books?""In your position, I would try and practise speaking
English.""You should perhaps look at the english-at-home.com
website.""You could always get a penpal."Suggestions in English The
following English words and expressions are all used to make
suggestions and give advice to people.
should"You should try to practise English.""You shouldn't
translate too much."Why don't you"Why don't you join an English
club?"ought to"You ought to read more."If I were you, I'd"If I were
you, I'd watch more television."*All these expressions are followed
by a verb, without to. For example: "He should visit the Eiffel
Tower." (Not "he should to visit the Eiffel Tower.")suggest and
recommendEither use a verb + ing"I suggest visiting the Eiffel
Tower." (We should all go.)OR use that + a verb without to"I
suggest that you visit the Eiffel Tower." (I'm not going.)OR use a
noun"I recommend the lasagne." (It's a very good dish to choose in
this restaurant.)advise"I advise you to buy a good
dictionary."adviceAdvice is an uncountable noun. This means that we
can't say an advice. Instead, we say some advice or a piece of
advice."Let me give you some advice.""She gave me a very useful
piece of advice: to buy a good dictionary."Speaking tipMany people
don't like getting advice if they haven't asked for it! To avoid
giving the wrong impression, you can try some of these
expressions:"You could always""Have you considered""Perhaps we
could""Do you think it's a good idea to"Speaking about hopes in
English There are a number of expressions you can use to show your
hopes and preferences.
HopesI'm hoping for (noun) ("I'm hoping for a new cell
phone.")I'm hoping to get ("I'm hoping to get a new phone.")I would
likeI really want (Using "want" can be impolite unless you are
talking to a close friend or family member.)Something I've always
wanted isI'd be delighted / over the moon if ("I'd be delighted if
you gave me a new watch.")What I'd like more than anything else
isOn my Christmas wish list isPreferencesI'd rather have (noun)
("I'd rather have tickets to the opera.")I'd rather you (simple
past) ("I'd rather you saved your money.")I'd prefer (noun) ("I'd
prefer some money for the new house.")I'd prefer it if you (simple
past) ("I'd prefer it if you gave some money to charity.").. would
be more suitable / would be betterIf I had a choice, I would go
forIf it's all the same to you, . ("If it's all the same to you,
I'd like some book tokens.")Making invitations How to make and
accept invitations in English.
"What are you doing next Saturday? We're having some people over
for a meal. Would you like to come?""Are you free next
Thursday?""Are you doing anything next weekend?""Would you be
interested in coming to the cinema with me tonight?""How do you
fancy going out for a meal at the weekend?"Accepting
"Would you like to""I'd love to, thanks.""That's very kind of
you, thanks.""That sounds lovely, thanks."Do you fancy coming to
the cinema tonight?"What a great idea, thanks."Declining"Would you
like to come over for dinner on Saturday?""That's very kind of you,
but actually I'm doing something else on Saturday.""Well, I'd love
to, but I'm already going out to the cinema.""I'm really sorry, but
I've got something else on.""I really don't think I can I'm
supposed to be doing something else."Speaking TipIt's important to
be polite when you decline an invitation. We normally give a reason
why we can't do something and either apologise, or use words like
"actually" or "really".Making appointments Useful phrases for
making and changing appointments.
Asking to meet"Are you available on the 17th?""Can we meet on
the 16th?""How does the 3rd sound to you?""Are you free next
week?""Would Friday suit you?""Is next Tuesday convenient for
you?""What about sometime next week?"Agreeing on a date"Yes,
Thursday is fine.""Thursday suits me.""Thursday would be
perfect."Suggesting a different date"I'm afraid I can't on the 3rd.
What about the 6th?""I'm sorry, I won't be able to make it on
Monday. Could we meet on Tuesday instead?""Ah, Wednesday is going
to be a little difficult. I'd much prefer Friday, if that's alright
with you.""I really don't think I can on the 17th. Can we meet up
on the 19th?"Setting a time"What sort of time would suit you?""Is
3pm a good time for you?""If possible, I'd like to meet in the
morning.""How does 2pm sound to you?"Changing the arrangement"You
know we were going to meet next Friday? Well, I'm very sorry, but
something urgent has come up.""I'm afraid that I'm not going to be
able to meet you after all. Can we fix another time?""Something has
just cropped up and I won't be able to meet you this afternoon. Can
we make another time?"Complaining in English When complaining in
English, it helps to be polite. This page will help you with this
important English speaking skill.
In a shopYou're in a shop and the assistant gives you the wrong
change."Excuse me, I think you've given me the wrong change", or
"Sorry, I think this change is wrong. I gave you $20, not $10."In a
hotel"Excuse me, but there's a problem with the heating in my
room.""Sorry to bother you, but I think there's something wrong
with the air-conditioning.""I'm afraid I have to make a complaint.
Some money has gone missing from my hotel room.""I'm afraid there's
a slight problem with my room the bed hasn't been made."When people
apologise, they normally say "sorry" and offer to put the situation
right."Excuse me, but there's a problem with the heating.""I'm
sorry I'll get someone to check it for you."or "Sorry to hear that
I'll send someone up."Speaking tipAlthough you may find it strange
to use the word sorry when you complain, English speakers consider
it polite. It will help you get what you want!Making offers English
speakers make offers all the time in conversation.
They say things like:Can I ?Shall I ?Would you like me to ?Using
these common English phrases and being able to accept and reject
offers will make you sound polite and helpful."Can I help
you?""Shall I open the window for you?""Would you like another
coffee?""Would you like me to answer the phone?""I'll do the
photocopying, if you like."Shall, can and will are followed by the
verb without to. Shall is more formal than can. Would you like is
followed either by a noun, or by the verb with to.Responding to
offersThese English dialogues show you ways to accept or reject
offers made to you."Can I help you?""Yes please. I'd like to know
what time the train leaves.""Can I help you?""No thanks, I'm just
looking." (In a shop.)"Shall I open the window for you?""Yes
please. That would be very kind of you.""Would you like another
coffee?""No thanks." Or, "No thank you.""Would you like another
coffee?""Yes please, that would be lovely." Or, "Yes please, I'd
love one.""Would you like me to answer the phone?""If you wouldn't
mind." Or, "If you could."(Don't answer "Yes, I would", as this
sounds like you expect someone to do it for you.)"I'll do the
photocopying, if you like.""It's OK, I can do it." Or, "Don't
worry, I'll do it."Or, "Thank you, that would be great."English
speaking tipWith a little practice, you'll find it easy to use
these English expressions. They'll help you sound both natural and
confident.Making predictions When we want to say what we think will
happen in the future in English, we can either use will followed by
the verb without to, or going to followed by the verb.
"What do you think will happen next year?""Next week is going to
be very busy, I think.""There won't be a rise in house prices next
year.""He isn't going to win the election."Because we also use will
to talk about intentions and strong decisions, we often use going
to to sound less emotional."He won't help us" can mean that he has
decided not to help us. But "He isn't going to help us" doesn't
have this negative implication. It sounds more like a prediction
and a simple, non-emotional fact- perhaps he isn't able to help
us.Predictions based on what you know nowWe can make predictions
based on what we can see now. To do this, we use going to and the
verb (not will).For example:"Watch out! You're going to hit that
car in front.""It's going to be a lovely day today not a cloud in
the sky."Talking about probability in English There are many ways
of saying that something will probably or possibly happen.
Probablebound to = certain: "They are bound to succeed!"
sure to = certain: "He is sure to win the championship."
likely to = probable: "We are likely to win the contract."
definite = sure: "He's a definite frontrunner for the job!"
probable: "It's probable that we will be on holiday around
then."
likely: "An election is likely next year."
will definitely happen: "There will definitely be a storm
later."
will probably happen: "They will probably take on more
staff."Possiblemay: "We may be able to help you."
might: "There might be a holiday next month I'm not sure."
could: "There could be a bug in the system."
is possible: "Do you think he will resign?" "Yes, that's
possible."
is unlikely: "It's unlikely that she will move."
will possibly: "She'll possibly tell us tomorrow."
probably won't: "They probably won't hear until next week."
definitely won't: "I definitely won't go to the party."
is highly unlikely: "It's highly unlikely that the company will
expand."Note: Be careful of the word order."Definitely" and
"probably" come after "will" (in positive sentences) and before
"won't" in negative sentences.VariationsYou can add words to alter
the strength of probability:highly likely / unlikely (= very likely
/ unlikely)
quite likely / probable / possible (= more likely, probable or
possible)could possibly / probablymost definitely won't (= even
more unlikely)Rephrasing Sometimes we say things that other people
don't understand, or we give the wrong impression.
This is an example conversation where one person says something
that the other person thinks is strange.LUIZ: "English is a very
easy language to learn."IRENE: "What do you mean?"LUIZ: "Well, what
I meant to say was that it is easy if you practise every
day."IRENE: "Oh, right."Rephrasing expressions"What I meant to say
was""Let me rephrase that""Let me put this another way""Perhaps I'm
not making myself clear"Back to the beginningIf you're explaining
something, and you realise that the other person doesn't
understand, you can use the following phrases:"If we go back to the
beginning""The basic idea is""One way of looking at it is""Another
way of looking at it is"If you forget the English wordIf you forget
the word you want to use, you can say:"I can't find the word I'm
looking for""I'm not sure that this is the right word, but""What I
want to say is"Speaking TipDon't be afraid to repeat what you're
saying, especially if you can do it in a slightly different
way.Making requests When you ask someone to do something for you,
or ask if you can do something, it's important to sound polite.
Here are some of the common ways that you can do this.
Asking someone to do something for you"Could you open the door
for me, please?""Would you mind opening the door for me,
please?""Can you open the door for me, please?'Speaking tip: could
and can are followed by the verb without to. Would you mind is
followed by the verb and -ing.Asking if you can do something"Can I
use your computer, please?""Could I borrow some money from you,
please?""Do you mind if I turn up the heating?""Would you mind if I
turned up the heating?"Speaking tip: Could is more polite that
can.Do you mind if" is followed by the verb in the present tense,
but would you mind if is followed by the verb in the past
tense.When you're using these two sentences, don't use please. It's
already polite enough!How to express shock in English It is
sometimes difficult to say how you feel in unexpected situations,
such as natural disasters, especially when you feel sad. Here's a
list of some common expressions to help you express shock and
disbelief.
ShockI was shocked to hearThe news came as a complete
shock.We're all in complete shock.Everyone's reeling from the shock
ofIt happened out of the blue.Who could have predicted it?I (just)
can't get over .We were completely taken aback byI was just stunned
byDisbeliefI just can't believeIt's unbelievable.I / You just can't
imagineWords can't describe (how I feel about / the terrible
devastation etc)There's no way it could have happened.Saying how
bad something isIt's so awful.It's terrible / What terrible
news.It's a tragedy.It's a catastrophe (pronounced "ca tas tra fee"
with the stress on "-tas")This is the worst thing that could have
happened.How to say what's important Sometimes you need to say how
important things are to you. These are all common ways of telling
someone what your priorities are.
In a job interview"The most important thing for me is that the
job is challenging.""What's really important to me is being able to
learn something new.""The most crucial thing for me is to be valued
by my colleagues.""The most vital thing is knowing that I am doing
a good job.""What really motivates me is learning about new ways of
doing something.""I'm extremely interested in learning more about
the market.""In terms of priorities, I am most interested in
getting results. In addition, I would like to develop my marketing
skills.""As far as my priorities go, getting results is the most
important.""At the top of my list of priorities is feeling
appreciated.""The least important thing is salary."Better English
speaking skills Improving your English speaking skills will help
you communicate more easily and effectively. But how do you become
a more confident English speaker?
Practise where you can, when you can. Any practice is good
whether you speak to someone who is a native English speaker or
not.It's important to build your confidence. If possible, use
simple English sentence structure that you know is correct, so that
you can concentrate on getting your message across.Try to
experiment with the English you know. Use words and phrases you
know in new situations. Native English speakers are more likely to
correct you if you use the wrong word than if you use the wrong
grammar. Experimenting with vocabulary is a really good way of
getting feedback.Try to respond to what people say to you. You can
often get clues to what people think by looking at their body
language. Respond to them in a natural way.Try NOT to translate
into and from your own language. This takes too much time and will
make you more hesitant.If you forget a word, do what native English
speakers do all the time, and say things that 'fill' the
conversation. This is better than keeping completely silent. Try
using um, or er, if you forget the word.Don't speak too fast! It's
important to use a natural rhythm when speaking English, but if you
speak too fast it will be difficult for people to understand
you.Try to relax when you speak you'll find your mouth does most of
the pronunciation work for you. When you speak English at normal
speed, you'll discover that many of the pronunciation skills, such
as linking between words, will happen automatically.Remember, when
speaking EnglishTry to become less hesitant and more
confident.Don't be shy to speak the more you do it, the more
confident you'll become.Remember to be polite use "please" and
"thank you" if you ask someone to do something for you.