随身英语, 地道英语

How to improve your English speaking skills, so that you can communicate more easily and effectively. These tips will help you to become a more confident speaker.

Practice 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 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. Apply words and phrases you know to 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 remaining 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 in speaking English, but if you speak too fast it will be difficult for people to understand you.

Try to relax when you speak, and you'll find that 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 rules, such as word linking, happen automatically.

Final tips…

- Try 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.

 

Using the right vocabulary and phrases are important when you meet someone or introduce yourself in English. First impressions are important, so here's our guide to using the right expression in the right situation.

Greetings

Two friends meeting

Friends 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."

Example
Clare: "Hi Sarah, how are you?"
Sarah: "Fine thanks, and you?"
Clare: "Yeah, fine. What have you been up to recently?"

Greeting people you don't know

You can say "Hello" to people you don't know. A more formal greeting is "Good morning / afternoon / evening."

"My name is (Clare)."

 

The other person normally replies with the same greeting as you have used, and then makes some polite conversation, such as "How was your trip?" or "Did you find our office easily?"

Introducing yourself

When you introduce yourself to someone new, what you say depends on how formal the situation is.

At an informal party

"Hello, I'm Clare." Or "Hello, my name's Clare"

The reply could be:
"Hi, I'm Sarah." Or " Hello Clare, I'm Sarah." Or "Nice to meet you, I'm Sarah."

At work-related events

"I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Clare Whitmell, 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

When you introduce two people to each other, what you say depends on the situation.

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

This is a more formal situation.

"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."

At a more informal party

When you introduce two of your friends to each other, you can simply say,
"John, this is Sarah."

Cultural considerations

In a work situation, there's often one person who has higher status - your boss, or a client, for example. In these contexts, it's polite to address them as "Mr.." until the situation becomes more informal.

However, some people will say to you, "Please call me (Henry)", and then you know that you can use first names. If someone calls you by your first name as soon as they meet you, then you can also use their first name too.

What do you call women? Some men prefer not to call women by their names at all, until the situation is more informal. Of course, friends, colleagues and family will always use first names.

Men and women in European and English-speaking cultures often shake hands when they meet someone for the first time.

Making suggestions

The following 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 recommend

Either 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 you 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."

　

 

advice

Advice 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."

Making requests in English

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?"

Note: 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?"

Note: 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, you don't use please. It's already polite!