😇Come again?

Welcome to our newsletter! In this edition, we’ll share practical tips to make life easier for those who listen to you. Whether you’re giving presentations, having conversations, or leading meetings, our easy-to-follow advice will help you communicate more effectively and leave a positive impact.

Back to work. Vacation was fun, but now we have to face meetings in English. That old memory of people not understanding you, looking at you as if you were speaking a rare language. They lose interest. You start stammering and get sweaty palms, even a mental block.

Catch you later,

Margaret Bergeron

💡Advanced

Well here are just a few easy tips that can take you a long way to reducing stress and frustration.

This is probably one of the most important ones. PAUSE. Pausing whenever you say an important word. English-language speakers always pause after an important word.
- i.e. The most important thing to remember ———————- is to save ——— your work regularly ————-.
Another important tip is changing our pitch when saying the important word. We usually lower it. By lowering the pitch we are drawing attention to the pause and allowing our listeners to hold on to the idea. A bit of advice here. If we raise our pitch, it can be associated with a question or additional information. This would confuse your listeners.
A third tip, no matter if you are in an interview or giving a presentation, just remember to state your idea clearly, then explain, give details, or describe, but finish with the very simple clear main idea. Let me illustrate this,
- Interviewer: Give me an example of when you asked your boss for a change. Why did you ask for it?
- Interviewee: I asked for the project goals and timelines to be in written format. Let me explain, we, the team, were being given contradictory, changing objectives and deadlines. This created a lot of frustration, confusion, and poor-quality work. It even got to the point where there were a lot of arguments among us. Some people even stopped talking to each other except when strictly necessary. So, finally, I asked the team leader if we could have the goals and calendar in written form. He agreed, problem solved.
Last, but not least, vary the length of your sentences. When we want our audience to remember a concept, keep the sentence below 9 words. The shorter the more easily they will understand and remember. The longer sentences are great for giving cause-effect, logic, reasoning, description or what have you. Then interspace the long sentences with clear short sentences to drive the message home.
- For instance:
- Within the team, a cloud of tension loomed, stifling creativity and causing rifts among members, as unresolved conflicts festered beneath the surface. Morale plummeted, impacting productivity severely.

🧠Intermediate

Well here are just a few tips that can take you a long way to reducing stress and frustration.

This is really important. When you say an important word, pause for a moment. English speakers do this to show something’s important.
- For example, “The most important ———————— thing is to save——- your work ——– regularly.”
. Another tip is to change how you talk when you pause. Usually, we make our voices lower. This tells people to pay attention to what we’re saying. But be careful! If your voice goes higher, it might sound like you’re asking a question, and that can be confusing.
No matter if you’re in an interview or giving a talk, keep your ideas clear. Start with the main idea, then explain and give details. Always finish with the main point. For example:
- Interviewer: “Tell me about when you asked your boss for a change. Why did you do it?”
- Interviewee: “I asked for the project goals and deadlines in writing. Let me explain. Our team had problems because we didn’t know what to do. We argued a lot and did poor work. So, I asked our leader for written goals. He agreed, and the problem was fixed.”
Last, remember to use different sentence lengths. Short sentences (less than 9 words) are easy to understand and remember. Long sentences are good for explaining and giving reasons. Mix long and short to make your message clear. For example,
- “In the team, we argued a lot about the objectives and calendar, so tension grew, causing problems. Morale dropped, and work suffered.”

🧐Lower intermediate

Well here are 4 tips that can reduce stress and frustration.

This is very important. When you say a big word, stop talking for a bit. People do this to show something is important.
- For example, “The most important thing ———————– is to save ———–your work.”
Another thing is how you talk before you stop. Usually, you make your voice lower. This tells people to listen carefully. But be careful! If your voice goes higher, it might sound like you’re asking a question, and that can be confusing.
No matter if you’re talking in a job interview or giving a talk, keep your ideas clear. Start with the main thing, then explain more. Always finish with the main thing again. Like this:
- Interviewer: “Tell me about when you talked to your boss about a change. Why did you do it?”
- Interviewee: “I asked for our project plan in writing. Let me explain. Our team had problems because we didn’t know what to do. We argued a lot and did bad work. So, I asked our leader for a written plan. He said yes, and the problem was fixed.”
Lastly, remember to use different kinds of sentences. Short ones (less than 9 words) are easy to understand. Long ones are good for explaining and giving reasons. Use both to make your message clear. For example:
- “In the team, we argued a lot, problems grew, and tension increased. Morale went down, and the work was bad.”

🎯Vocabulary

Easy-to-follow: Something that is simple, clear, and understandable, making it easy for people to comprehend or follow.
Stammering: The act of speaking with involuntary pauses, repetitions, or hesitations, often due to nervousness or speech difficulties.
Sweaty palms: A condition where the palms of one’s hands become moist or damp due to nervousness, anxiety, or stress.
Pitch: In the context of speech, it refers to the highness or lowness of a person’s voice when speaking. It can convey various emotions and intentions.
Timelines: A representation of when specific events or actions are scheduled to occur, often shown on a graph or diagram.
Arguments: Disagreements or disputes between people where different points of view are expressed and debated.
Strictly: In a manner that is closely adhering to specific rules, guidelines, or restrictions, without deviation.
Interspace: To place or insert something at intervals or spaces within a particular context, often for variety or emphasis.
Loomed: To appear as a threatening or imposing presence, often used metaphorically to describe something that seems imminent or overwhelming.
Stifling: To suppress or restrain something, such as creativity or emotions, to the point of causing discomfort or difficulty.
Rifts: Divisions or gaps that form between people or groups due to differences in opinions, beliefs, or interests.
Festered: To grow or develop gradually, often in a negative or harmful way. It can refer to emotions, problems, or issues becoming worse over time.
Plummeted: To fall or drop rapidly, often used to describe a sharp and significant decrease in something, like temperature or morale.

🕹️Language tips

Keeping your story interesting: 4 tips:

Use some short sentences (9 words or less) for intensity.
- i.e. Everyone needs to use the appropriate equipment, ropes, boots, and backpacks. Not Alex.
Use the historical present. Compare:
- A. Historical Present: In a dark room, people talk quietly. They’re planning something important, like trying to change the way things are run by the government. In the city outside, people are upset, but they don’t know about this secret meeting. This moment is really important because it will decide what happens next in the country’s history.
- B. Past tenses: In a dark room, a group of people talked quietly. They were planning something important, like trying to change the way things were run by the government. In the city outside, people were upset, but they didn’t know about this secret meeting. This moment was really important because it would decide what happened next in the country’s history.
Use some powerful words: adjectives, verbs, etc.
- In a dark room, a group of individuals whispered. They schemed to reshape the way the government operated. Beyond the city’s borders, people fumed with discontent.
  - _{Scheme (verb): To make secretive and clever plans .}
  - _{Fumed (verb): To express strong anger, irritation, or frustration, often through visible signs of agitation}.
Add some direct speech.
- In a dark room, people talk quietly. They’re planning something important, like trying to change the way things are run by the government. They’re planning something important, like trying to change the way things are run by the government. Outside in the city, people are upset, but they don’t know about this secret meeting. “This moment,” Sarah whispers, “is truly crucial. It will decide what happens next in our country’s history.”

😄Let’s practice

A Memorable Travel Experience: Share a story about a memorable trip you’ve taken. What made it special, and what did you learn from the experience?
A Lesson Learned: Describe a situation where you made a mistake or faced a challenge. What lesson did you take away from that experience, and how did it impact your life?
A Significant Friendship: Reflect on a close friendship that has had a profound impact on your life. What brought you together, and how has your friendship evolved over time?
A Moment of Triumph: Share a story about an accomplishment or achievement that you’re proud of. What obstacles did you overcome, and how did it feel to succeed?
A Family Tradition: Describe a cherished family tradition that holds special meaning for you. Why is it important, and what memories does it evoke?

🏋️‍♂️Flexing the Ears

👋See ya later alligator, bye bye butterfly

Well that’s the end of this one folks. Don’t be a stranger.

📣Shout out

To Leo in Argentina and Surnjani inTexas.