1. Presentation Time of Day: Pitfalls & How to Prevent the Bad (English Communication Skills) (8047) ↗

Blog 182 for Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020 – Title: Presentation Time of Day- Pitfalls and How to Prevent the Bad  (English Communication Skills) (rwfrb660602014) These are COVID-19 times for now and for a while to come.  Some say that this while to come will be lengthy in some sort.  Some say COVID-19 just speeded up […]

2. Commitment- Doorway to Clear English Mastery (8425) ↗

  Commitment Doorway 17 to Clear English Mastery Article 17 for series Elements of Clear English Speech Mastery Hey you, nonnative speaker of English, what’ll get you to change to clear, not “What did you say?” English? Key to new learning, new habit is commitment, past and present. First, social bonds to family or school […]

3. Yay for Adult Learning: Bonds that Bind (8419) ↗

Yay for Adult Learning— Bonds that Bind Article 16 How are Child Learning and Adult Learning Different –That is the question. Child learning, especially visual learning and speaking a language, is more efficient in children than adults. Neuroimaging study found rapid neurotransmitter GABA boosting as a major potential explanation-component for that.  1, 2, 3. 4 […]

4. The Human Factor (8415) ↗

The Human Factor – Article 15 We– Humans According to Michael Shermer 2004, the following characteristics  are shared by humans and other social animals, such as primates, dolphins, whales, especially the great apes: attachment and bonding, cooperation and mutual aid, sympathy and empathy, direct and indirect reciprocity, altruism and reciprocal altruism, conflict resolution and peacemaking, […]

5. Word Memory- What You Don’t Know! (8409) ↗

Get Ahead of the Curve Speed Up Learning Article 14 Saying Words Out Loud        Robust evidence indicates that saying a word out loud makes it more memorable than simply reading it silently or hearing someone else say it.   This memory benefit of “hearing oneself” (and producing the word) is referred to as the production […]

6. B and Br for “Brother”- Press Firmly Lips Together and Loud Voice (8406) ↗

This is Number 6 in our hierarchical arrangement of American English (AE) pronunciation 2 minute tutorials.  This systematic arrangement is the most efficient and makes accuracy easy in training your brain and mouth to get clear AE speech sounds and words.  Now we show you the consonant b before the consonant r in the word […]

7. Amazing Effect of Vocal Reading on Pronunciation (8403) ↗

Did You Know?       Writing is only about 5,500 years old, unlike human speech estimated to be from 50,000 years to 2 million years old.  In contrast to speech, the human brain did not naturally evolve to read.  Thus, the brain adapts to the challenge of reading.        The Amazing Effect of Accurate Vocal Reading […]

8. B and CH for “Beach” For Fast and Easy Learning Using Human Brain Info (8400) ↗

B and CH for “Beach” For Fast and Easy Learning Using Human Brain Info This is Number 5 in our series of recommended sequence for fast, easy mastery of American English speech sounds.  The directed instruction is for English consonants B, CH and the word “beach”. Your brain organizes the production of speech by phonetic […]

9. Buy One, Get Three Free and the Human Brain (8397) ↗

Buy One, Get Three Free and the Human Brain– Aarticle 12 It really is true, for mastering American English, you can “Buy one, get three free.”  Every time you push the blade and tip of the tongue forward in your mouth for the accurate TH no voice speech sound, you are also deliberately practicing the […]

10. P for “Priority” for Massed and Distributed Practice (8394) ↗

This is Number 4 in our series of recommended sequence for fast, easy mastery of American English speech sounds.  The directed instruction is for English consonant P and the word “priority.” It’s estimated it takes 35 accurate repetitions of a new word to memorize it accurately.  That’s called massed practice. That will get you in […]

11. The Endgame is Procedural Memory (8392) ↗

Accent Reduction: The Endgame is Procedural Memory Article 11 Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasures nor this thing nor that but simply growth.  We are happy when we are growing.   William Butler Yeats. The endgame is to type on a keyboard without looking at the keys.  Or to safely ride a bike, or safely drive […]

12. How Many Words for English Proficiency (8389) ↗

English Speaking Skills: How Many Words for English Fluency?        Here are some rough word counts according to Jakob Gibbon, 2023:       Advanced: With 4,000-10,000 words your communication goes beyond everyday conversation  and into specialized vocabulary for talking about your professional field, current geo-political and local events and news, opinions and vocabulary for more complex […]

13. P for American English and Syllable Pronunciation for Clear Speech (8387) ↗

This is our Number 3 in the series of recommended sequence for consonants and vowels.       Like Number 1 which has the word “probably,” this video also directly instructs for the American English (AE) consonant speech sound P.        Ninety, 90,  sovereign and non-sovereign entities have English for their official language including India, South Africa, […]

14. Proficiency?? There’s More to the Story! (8385) ↗

Proficiency?? There’s More to the Story. Article 9       The burning question is: How Long Does It Take to Become Proficient for English Speech?       Here’s more of the story.  Becoming highly proficient in  AE (American English) speech communication includes  more than skills for accurate pronunciation and enunciation of  AE consonant and vowels. But the […]

15. How Long to Get Proficient English Speech? (8380) ↗

How Long to get Proficient English Speech? Deliberate Practice –Article 8 One of the first questions most instructors for American English (AE) get from nonnative-born new students is : “How long is it going to take until I am proficient at speaking English.”  That simple question  about how long does it take to become proficient […]

16. K and T English Sounds (8378) ↗

We continue our series of recommended sequence for American English consonants and vowels. For practice this is Number 2. Deliberately practice with this video with the intention of getting better. Don’t do this practice in a mindless manner. Just a couple of minutes. This SECOND speech tip is our chosen one for systematic learning. It […]

17. P and B, Start– or Refresh with These Speech Sounds (8375) ↗

Today we begin the series of recommended sequence for consonants and vowels. Deliberate and focused practice is best. Imitation is the easiest way to learn. Watch, listen, and do! Accuracy is everything! This FIRST speech tip is our chosen Number 1 for systematic learning. Brain organizerer is that the Quick speech sounds in English are […]

18. How Long Does It Take to Become an Elite… in Anything (8372) ↗

How Long Does It Take to Become an Elite… in Anything?      Popular knowledge says 10,000 hours of  practicing the correct way.  That was popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in his bestseller Outliers: The Story of Success in 2008.      Popular knowledge talks about years too – 10 years to become an expert. The first to […]

19. How Long Does It Take to Get Accurate and Clear English Speech? (8370) ↗

How Long Does It Take to Get Accurate and Clear English Speech?    On average it takes  about 70 days of practice every day to change or form a daily life habit (Frothingham, 2019).   The range for daily life habits is 18 to 254 days according to a 2009 article in the European Social Psychology  […]

20. Assessment– Why Bother? (8366) ↗

Article 5 English Speech Assessment? Why Bother? How important is assessment for  successful acquisition of clear American English (AE) speaking?  If we didn’t care about efficiency of learning, not important at all.   Your money is worth a lot, but your time is worth even more.  Important is determining  nonnative-born individuals’ pronunciation for the 23 (some […]

21. Pronunciation Tactics or Techniques To Speed Up Learning Clear English Speech (8364) ↗

Why you should grow tongue muscle fibers using pronunciation tactics or techniques to most efficiently acquire and maintain clear American English speaking. Understand this: By the time  native-born children are 4 to 5 years old, they typically have a 1,500 to 2,200-word expressive vocabulary (Barnes, 2022).  They pronounce most sounds correctly but may still have […]

22. Can Tongue Muscle Exercises Speed up Getting Clear English Speaking? (8362) ↗

Can strengthening the tongue’s muscle fibers via tongue muscle strengthening exercise speed up acquisition of clear American English speaking? Muscle strengthening sure does work for other activities which use skeletal muscles. The tongue is a skeletal muscle, with slow and fast twitch muscle fibers. Nowadays, coaches of many sports require their athletes to do muscle […]

23. Clear Talk Mode and the Task-Dynamic Model of Speech Production (8359) ↗

Clear Talk Mode and the Task-dynamic Model of Speech Production Why read this?   It’s for people who are a little intense about getting the best out of learning. Does the nature of the speaking task, like the nature of the movement task, change the dynamics of the system? Did you ever do running in a […]

24. Speed Up Learning Clear English Speech- Grow Tongue Muscle Fibers via Exercises and Tactics (8357) ↗

Speed up Learning  Clear English Speech — Grow Tongue Muscle Fibers via Exercises and Tactics We will describe specific exercises and tactics which have speeded up learning and increased accuracy of English speech sounds for our student-learners (measured by assessment). First, scientific physiological information.  If you know the “why” you will understand the “how.”  For […]

25. 15 Dimensions For Acquiring Clear English Speech (8354) ↗

Why would you want to read this article?  It’s for people who are a little intense about getting the best out of learning.  Intro to the 15 Dimensions for Acquiring Clear English Speech Methodology of Clear Talk Mastery Courses Physics has its M string theory, with eleven dimensions – the explanation and theory behind all […]

26. Intro to the 15 Dimension for Acquiring Clear North American English (8351) ↗

Why would you want to read this article?  It’s for people who are a little intense about getting the best out of learning.  Article One: Intro to the15 Dimensions for Acquiring Clear Talk Methodology of Clear Talk Mastery Courses Physics has its M string theory, with eleven dimensions – the explanation and theory behind all […]

27. Actionable Information- 70% Slow American English Sounds (8347) ↗

Actionable information : 70% of American English sounds have lengthened duration; the others are quick. In contrast, many languages including Indian English produce predominantly quick speech sounds.  Information alert:  Spanish and Japanese are reported to be the most quickly spoken languages in the world because all their consonants and vowels are quick.  For clear understandable […]

28. Does Exercise Strengthen Speech Muscles? (8344) ↗

You already know that specific exercise will strengthen your skeletal muscles—for example leg muscles for running, football—both soccer and American football– and  arm muscles and upper body exercise for many sports, including tennis.   What about muscles for human speaking?  Skeletal muscle is found throughout the body, attached to bones via tendons. It is also […]

29. How to Offer Information Without Causing Anger and to Make a Hearty Stew (8330) ↗

How to Offer Information Without Causing Anger and to Make a Hearty Stew People sometimes hesitate to offer information or ideas to others.   They may think, “It is not my business” or “They didn’t ask, so maybe I shouldn’t offer information.” Or fear of the demon “Anger.” Have you noticed some people have heightened awareness […]

30. Speech Tutorial for f, v- The better way to learn (8339) ↗

31. (8336) ↗

32. Public Speaking: How to Practice Your Speech and Be a Bigger Success (8328) ↗

Public Speaking-  How to Practice Your Speech and Be a Bigger Success Truth be known, lots of people don’t even practice their speech out loud with their voice even once. A speech’s purpose is to be heard, with a voice– yours. Do yourself a favor and your audience, practice with your voice. Accepted by experts […]

33. Find What People Want and Need (8324) ↗

Find What People Want and Need Come to full attention when you hear the following phrases: “ I want …” “I need…” “My goal is to …” “I’m having a problem with…” “I’m looking for …” “I’m involved in a project that …”

34. Public Speaking- Best Advice for Speech Writing (8323) ↗

Public Speaking-  Best Advice for Speech Writing Asked to do a presentation, a speech? Speech writing is different than other writing.  The best speeches are written not to be read with the eyes but to be heard. Maximize success by writing the speech to be heard. Here are some tips for direct, clear, appealing speech […]

35. How to Develop Lifetime Customers or Clients (8320) ↗

How to Develop Lifetime Customers or Clients If you have a product or a service you sell, don’t think you are done when you have made the sale.  The sale is actually the beginning of building a client relationship that will lead to a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. In addition, by listening and […]

36. Accent reduction: Key Skill- Get the Vowels (8318) ↗

Accent reduction: Key Skill – Get the Vowels Have you noticed that people are most likely to say to you “What?”  “What did you say?” after you have said a multiple syllable word? Critical information for multiple syllable words– each syllable has a meaning and there are 14 vowel sounds (some people say 17) for […]

37. Be a Knight in Shining Armor (8312) ↗

What to do When Listening? Be a knight in shining armor. Listen to  your clients, customers, colleagues, friends, family, and when you hear them talk about something they need, step in and offer help.  “What can I do to help?” Or your help could come in the form of offering information  or introducing them to […]

38. How to Talk to a Sad Person (8315) ↗

In the New York Times several days ago was an article about how to talk to a sad person. During holidays we expect people to be happy and the New York Times recognizes that is not always the case. What do you do when notice a person who looks sad? Here are some tips. 1. […]

39. What Happens When You Don’t Listen & the Unforeseen Danger of Misinterpretation (8309) ↗

What Happens When You Don’t Listen & the Unforeseen Danger of Misinterpretation… Poor listening skills can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and missed opportunities. But even if you do listen by paying attention and hearing all the words, you can still misinterpret what you hear. How can that happen? A frequent cause is not having […]

40. English Speaking Skills- Make a Goal – Use a Visual Cue (8306) ↗

English Speaking Skills-  Keep Your Vision In Front of You Do you have a dream? A dream is bigger than a goal. Here’s a tip- put your dream vision in front of you. Simple idea-  place a visual symbol of your dream in front of you.  We move psychologically toward what we constantly see. What […]

41. Get and Stay in Touch (8303) ↗

Staying in Touch Previous Monday speech tips focused on different kinds of calls you will be making to friends or colleagues.  Examples of openers for different kinds of calls gives you confidence with telephone communication.  Be alert to the tone of voice– you can hear emotion not only in the pitch of the voice but […]

42. (8301) ↗

English Speaking Training- Opening a Conversation— Top Tip! English Speaking Training– How to Start a Conversation– The Top Tip! Approximately 2010, I read a newspaper article that changed overnight my typical greeting to everyone. The article’s topic was how to talk to a person who has recently suffered the death of a loved one—- spouse, […]

43. Initial Call for Friendship (8299) ↗

How to Begin the Friendship Call “Hi.  This is  Emma Zhang.  I enjoyed our brief visit last week and wanted to see about getting together for lunch.” “Hi.  This is Stefan Bosch.  I enjoyed working with you at the conference last month.  Hope things are going well.  I wanted to see if you would like […]

44. English Speaking Training –Strategies for Satisfying Conversations (8296) ↗

English Speaking Training-Strategies for Satisfying Conversations To make a satisfying conversation, first consider the strategy of asking questions throughout the conversation.  That makes dialogue and both people are learning about each other.  Satisfying conversations are like tennis games or badminton games. The conversation goes back and forth like the tennis ball or birdie. You talk […]

45. Tips for “How Can I Help” (8293) ↗

Examples for the “How Can I Help” Call “Hello, this is Z. T. Ye.  I was saddened to hear about your mother being in the hospital. What do you need?  How can I help?” “Hi, this is Emma Dinh. Bob told me you are looking for a position in …  I wanted to see if […]

46. English Speech Communication- How to Build Trust – Every Time (8291) ↗

English Speech Communication: How to Build Trust at Work, in Negotiations, and in Daily Life  How to build trust? State and keep your commitments.. For example, if you say, “I will follow-up with you tomorrow with a phone call,” and you do that, then you are predictable, and your words match your actions. But if […]

47. The How Can I Help Offer (8287) ↗

“How Can I Help” Call— Your Offer For an “How Can I  Help” call– just by calling you are showing that you care.  Letting someone know that you are available can mean a lot.  True, people often don’t know what to ask for, but with good listening and questioning skills, you may be able to […]

48. How to Be Clear When Teaching a Task –English Speech Communication (8284) ↗

Be Clear When Teaching a Task Recall the last time you assigned a person to complete a task for you at work or in daily life –family or friend? Tips for being clear in that circumstance: Set the climate. Use a place conducive for listening.–specially level of background noise Get a time when your colleague […]

49. Offer Your Help (8282) ↗

Offer Your Help- Make a Call Make this call to offer support and make yourself available as a resource.  When you hear about a project or challenge someone is facing, reach out and call.  If you hear someone is job searching you can call and offer ideas and moral support. Ask questions to find out […]

50. Public Speaking- Clear and To the Point (8279) ↗

Public Speaking— Make Clear and To the Point Do you want to communicate ideas clearly?  Do you want to be clear and to-the-point for presentations?  Those presentations could be any presentation, from a five-minute informal chat, to a thirty-minute formal speech using many examples. Here are some tips for expressing ideas clearly. Being clear simply […]

51. Keep Communication Lines Open (8277) ↗

The “Thinking of You” Call Call friends, clients, and associates occasionally for no particular reason other than to say hello and let them know you are thinking of them. No sales pitch, no request, no agenda, no expectations.  Just “Hi, how are you?  I was thinking of you and want to know how things are […]

52. How to Make A Referral or New Contact Call (8268) ↗

How to Make a Referral or “New Contact” Calll You make this kind of call to either someone you have just met  or someone you have not yet met  who has been referred to you by someone you know. With a referral or ” new contact” call, it’s important to indicate immediately who referred you. […]

53. Build Your Career- Do This (Asking Questions–#1 Skill for English Communication) (8270) ↗

Right away–Do This to Boost Your Career and Influence——Ask Questions- Experts report that increasing skills in asking questions and voice inflection are the two skills which fastest boost the careers of native-born speakers of English. If that is true for native-born speakers, it is true for nonnative-born speakers. Asking questions builds relationship and rapport.  Asking […]

54. Accent Reduction- Environmental and [n] pronunciation (8274) ↗

55. How to Follow-up on Idea or Project (8263) ↗

The “Follow-Through” Call A “follow-through” call is made to follow up on an idea or project.  It may involve asking or giving  information, scheduling an appointment or meeting or touching base about an opportunity Examples of openers: “Hi, this is Bill Chen, calling to follow up to schedule our meeting about next year’s conference.” “This […]

56. Accent Reduction Tip- How to say this- Jewelry- j,L, r (8265) ↗

57. English Communication Skill: How to Ask for Clarification for Vague Words (8261) ↗

English Communication Skill: How to ask for Clarification for Vague Words. Experts say that one of the two most important skills to advance your career is asking questions. Asking questions takes a little bit of courage. The benefit can be clear communication, getting specific answers which help you or your organization … or your personal […]

58. Want to Reconnect? (8259) ↗

Want to Reconnect? The reconnection call is a call to someone you have not talked to in a while. In the latter part of 2022, life is qualitatively different than these last two years– for many, a good time to reconnect with others. Your purpose  is  reconnecting, reestablishing the relationship , and getting an update […]

59. English Communication Skill: Get More Out of Listening — Ask Questions (8257) ↗

English Communication Skill: Get More Out of Listening — Ask questions! No one says everything you want to hear in the best order, depth, and detail. What to do?  You must ask questions to get the information you want or need. In the American culture, etiquette prohibits us from  rapid-fire questions. Do questions are not […]

60. English Communication Skill: Best Listening- Body Language & Power of Notetaking (8252) ↗

English Communication Skill: Best Listening- Body Language and Power of Notetaking At least fifty percent of a person’s impression is from your body language. Take an alert body position in any meeting Enhance your conversation by doing these body positions Uncross your arms and legs. Sit straight in the chair. Face the speaker full on. […]

61. What You Get From Your Reconnecting Conversation- Networking (8254) ↗

What You Get From Your Reconnecting Conversation— Networking When you reconnect with another person, maybe by phone or in-person, the information you hear may not only be of interest to you or but also something for which you can give support. Maybe you are able to assist the person in some way. Or the information […]

62. English Communication Skill- Do Your Best Listening (8250) ↗

English Communication Skill: Do Your Best Listening Communication is connecting with people, making relationship.  Half of the story is listening. Do you want to be a better listener so the other other person knows you are truly in the same space with them? What to do? First, clear away the clutter. Noise clutter, desk clutter, […]

63. Reach Out and Touch Someone (8247) ↗

Reach Out and Touch Someone. Everyone has a network of relationships– some are close friends, some are friends you don’t share “close to your heart” details, some colleagues or neighbors, associates in other organizations, and family. Reach out. Coming out of the worst of Covid (we hope) makes impetus for reconnecting. Purpose? Growth, action, interaction.

64. “N” Most Frequent Consonant- Do Vocal Strength Exercise (8245) ↗

The consonant “n” is the most frequent consonant in English. Recall all those prefixes and especially suffixes— en, an, in, ment, tion, sion, cian, etc. American positioning of the tongue for “n” requires muscle stiffness of the tip of the tongue, and extending the voicing at the vocal folds and speech volume are all critical. […]

65. Accent Reduction: Top–BESTt–Strategies for How to Learn Accurate Clear English (8243) ↗

Accent Reduction: Top–BEST– Strategies for HOW to Learn Accurate, Clear English These are strategies that work for both efficient and quick and also long lasting change: It takes 70 days of practice every day to change habits– in this case, from accented English to clear easy to understand American English.  That is 10 weeks of […]

66. /d/- Vocal Strength Exercise (8239) ↗

Most common pronunciation error for grammar is the consonant [d] for past tense verbs. (Today I play; yesterday I played.) Here’s a vocal strengthening exercise to get that /d/ right. —Take a deep breath and pronounce /d/ consecutively for as many times as you can. Do this exercise 3 times a day for at least […]

67. English Communication Skill: Up Your Listening Game (8236) ↗

English Communication Skill: Up Your Listening Game Communication is connecting with people, and connecting with people is relationship. Half the story is listening. Do you want to be a better listener.. or gasp!… an over the top listener?  Do you want other persons to know you are truly in the same space with them? Here’s […]

68. Want People to Talk in Virtual Meetings? (8232) ↗

Want  people  to talk  in virtual meetings?      How to ask for ideas or feedback during a virtual meeting that gets valuable answers—and not only from the usual talkative people?  Face it- virtual meetings are here to stay.  Because  “keep it simple” is a great mantra, this blog  will include  “chat” but will not discuss, […]

69. How to ask for a date (8226) ↗

How to ask for a date? Getting started is the hardest. People who speak English as a second language often ask about colloquial or typical prases for asking a person out for a date.  They want the general North American pattern of that conversation,  In the United States, males can ask and females can ask. […]

70. Take Detached Look at Your Comfort Zone for Interaction (8220) ↗

Take a Detached Look at your Comfort Zone for Interacting with Others. Taking a detached look at your comfort zone for people interaction can be unsettling, but it reveals a characteristic which you can choose to accept or change. –Are you comfortable or at ease making conversation with someone you don’t know at a meeting, […]

71. Keep in Touch (8223) ↗

Keep in Touch The Power of Staying in Touch… and Reconnecting You ever get “Keep in touch” line at the end of a note, written or email?Great power is in staying in touch and reconnecting. Think about your relationships, past and present which are likely more vast than your initial thought. Relationships are like a […]

72. English Communication Skill: “Getting to know you” Venues that Work (8217) ↗

English Communication Skill: “Getting to know you” Venues that Work. Want connection with another person? Wonderful is getting to know a new person. It’s especially true if an encounter gave you intuition that you and this person would bond and might have lots in common. Here are tips for first time getting together with a […]

73. Get “s” and “z” for Grammar “s” (8229) ↗

Surprising but true, along with “r” and “l” pronunciation, “s” is most difficult for native-born children in North America. It’s critical for grammar for plurals, subject- verb agreement (“I sit” but “she sits”) and for possessive (“The house belongs to Sam” and “Sam’s house.” Added to the pronunciation difficulty is that “Grammar s” is always […]

74. How to Approach People Confidently (8215) ↗

How to Approach People Confidently Confidently approaching people is a professional skill that can serve anyone in any kind of work. It’s not geting people to talk or confronting people in the hallway or elevator. It’s the ability to open the door to conversation with people around you now. Develop the skill of confidently approaching […]

75. English Communication Skill: Encourage Conversation- The Road to Rapport (8208) ↗

English Communication Skill:  Encourage Conversation- The Road to Rapport Relationship is the heart of social and work life. Communication is the heart of relationship and rapport. What’s the cardinal characteristic that encourages others to feel comfortable and converse? Observation. Look around and notice what surrounds another person– say a picture of an ocean setting– and […]

76. Key to Networking- Conversation (8205) ↗

Key to Networking – Conversation Hiding in plain sight! Networking takes place during conversation– on airplanes, on elevators, in grocery store lines, at sporting events, conferences, and workshops. Wherever people are, conversation is possible. Opportunity happens because some person takes the initiative to reach out, make contact, and generate an interaction. Opportunities are endless.  What […]

77. English Speech Communication- Be Great at Encouraging Conversation (8203) ↗

English Speech Communication_ Be Great at Encouraging Conversation Some people have the magic to make conversation– want to be that person?Magnetism we call it: ability to encourage others to open up and converse.. The magnetism is the use of “magic” phrases over and over, always with sincerity and genuine connection. “Please.” “I have confidence you […]

78. 3 Keys to Small Talk (8201) ↗

3 Keys to Small Talk At a meeting, conference, dinner gathering, wedding– these are the 3 keys to small talk:t a small dinner party, a wedding, a conference or corporate meeting. Be open and find common ground with the other person.  Always listen.  And do great follow-up questions.

79. What Makes a Great Conversationalist (8198) ↗

What Makes a Great Conversationalist? Answer: Follow-up questions. Careful listening makes you better able to respond in conversation.  Build on what the other person said and reveal about yourself — experience, opinion when it’s your turn in the dialogue.  Best of all, good follow up questions are key to going from good to great conversationalist. […]

80. English communication skills- Networking & Relationships- Power of Writing Notes for Praise & Thanks (8194) ↗

English communication skills-  Networking & Relationships- Power of Writing Notes for Praise and Thanks Little things in life touch us–like receiving a note from a work colleague or friend– think email, telephone text, paper.  Handwritten is a wow for the recipient: a note can brighten a day, bring a smile, inspire and sometimes change a […]

81. English communication skills: Networking- Praise & Thanks (8192) ↗

English communication skills-  Networking- – Praise & Thanks People who support you personally and professionally —- that’s your network. Now that we are going back to the office in person, take a few moments and recall the names of those people. Jump start 2022: engage in praise and thanks to those people. Do this: give […]

82. English Communication Skills- Networking (8189) ↗

English communication skills- Networking- How to Get Acquainted-Great Questions  Networking is building relationships which may or may not help you in your career or day to day life . Have trouble starting a conversation? Want to encourage the other person to talk about his or her life and work? Sure fire questions: “What do you […]

83. “Curriculum” -Short u and i, k, L, m (8185) ↗

84. Help! What to say in small talk? (8183) ↗

What to say in small talk? Top key to small talk is listening. Use people’s words as the guide.  People are always giving ideas about what you might say or ask. The rule of thumb from Larry King, long standing popular talk show host.  “My first rule of conversation is this: “I never learn a […]

85. Small Talk (8180) ↗

Satisfyomg Small Talk Just as it is little things that build strong relationships, it is small talk that develops the rapport which leads to information, opening opportunities and strong connection. Small talk happens both when people know each other and when unacquainted. Want success in small talk? Begin with an opening statement about something that […]

86. Networking- Do a Conversation (8177) ↗

Networking – Do Conversations Migel de Cervantes in “Don Quixote” in the early 1600s stated: “It’s not where you are born, but who your friends are.” Nowadays, the popular saying is “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” Vocabulary word is networking. Networking is a lifelong process of meeting people, making contacts, developing […]

87. English Communication Skills: Conversation Etiquette- How to Join a Group (8175) ↗

English Communication Skills- Conversation Etiquette- How to Join a Group How do you join in when people are gathered in groups, conversing ? Minimize the problem by arriving no more than fifteen minutes after the appointed time If you are an early arrival, people are likely to come over to you, especially if you smile […]

88. English Communication- How to Keep a Conversation Going (8172) ↗

English Communication- How to Keep a Conversation Going For satisfying conversations, memorize these questions: “What do you think?” “How did you become interested in…?” “What made you choose your profession?” “My family celebrates Christmas. Does your family? We do little gifts, does your family or friends do gifting? What was one of your favorites? “I […]

89. English Communication: Best Words and Phrases Seen Recently (8169) ↗

Don’t you love words and phrases that express exactly what you want to say? Adapt them to your situation: !. And as always, thank you for being an Xfinity customer. 2. Pleasure in small doses 3.Give the gift of career help and personal growth this year. 4. Totally worth it. 5. Cherish the day. -Stephen […]

90. How Do You Impact an Audience? (8167) ↗

How Do You Impact an Audience? How you look makes a difference to an audience–clothes, facial expression, stance, body movement, hands and eye movement. Suppose you are trying to motivate a group, and you tell them something is “a wonderful opportunity,” but you don’t look or sound enthusiastic.  Vision is the king of the senses; hearing […]

91. English Communication: How to Start a Conversation (8165) ↗

English Communication- How to Start a Conversation The best conversationalists know this: prepare several topics of conversation before you head out for a meeting, reception, social gathering phone call, or meal. Adapt these to your situation: Sports (national, international, local) Weather (the good, the bad, the surprising) Local events Travel Music, film and art festivals, […]

92. Rapport- What to Customize (8160) ↗

Rapport- What to Customize? Go to the trouble of learning about the audience in any presentation..  Make six or seven references geared to your audience.  That makes you, the speaker, an insider and lets the audience know you took the trouble of learning about them. Make comments – humorous statements, praise, or just simple observations […]

93. How To Be a Great Conversationalist (8158) ↗

English Communication: How To Be a Great Conversationalist Conversation establishes rapport and connects us to our colleagues, clients, co-workers, friends, and family. Confidence in conversation makes you better in your work relationships and personal relationships. Susan RoAne made a survey of what she called, “ConverSensations”, people who enjoy conversation and are very good at it. […]

94. Should You Accept an Invitation to Speak?? (8152) ↗

Should You Accept an Invitation to Speak? (Of course, if your boss asks you to give a speech, do it!) Do you have the time in your schedule? o   You need time to get to and from the event and answer questions Do you have time to prepare? o   You want to prepare a speech you are […]

95. Colloquial Phrases Ripped from Broadcast and Print Media (8154) ↗

Colloquial Phrases Ripped from Broadcast and Print Media You’ve probably already know this: As languages expand to greater populations, their vocabulary exponentially grows. And you know this: Human beings enjoy variety. So, add these colloquial phrases to verbal communication for variety, succinctness, and to signal that you are ahead of the curve and current. It’s […]

96. Now- Colloquial Words and Phrases (8149) ↗

Colloquial words and phrases heard on cable media and seen in print media this past week. Spice up your communication. Fingers crossed. As in “Fingers crossed that we get rain.” ABC 10/10/2021 Stay in the game Sadly. As in “Sadly, it is not a typical year.” The timeline. As in “The timeline for finishing college […]

97. Conclusion- Write it Out (8147) ↗

Write It Out Write out your conclusion to any presentation.. That combats stage fright. The conclusion is the second most nerve-racking time for speakers. If you write it out, you don’t have to worry about forgetting it. And most important, if you write out the conclusion, you’ll know when to stop. You won’t ramble. 20148rv

98. English Communication- Gracious Good-bye (8145) ↗

English Communication: Gracious Good-bye Have you forgotten etiquette for a gracious good-bye. Gracious is when both communicators feel content with the leave-taking. Social gatherings for holidays are coming. The situation: You have participated in a conversation.  It’s time to leave the gathering or you want to strike up conversation with someone else. Smile and tell […]

99. English Communication: How’s It Going? The Why Tells You the How (8141) ↗

English Communication:  How’s It Going? The Why Tells You the How “How’s it going?” “How are you?” These phrases can drive international people crazy in the U.S. That’s because in their home country, if people say, “How are you?”, they really do want to know how you are doing or what is happening in your […]

100. Wow Your Audience (8136) ↗

Wow Your Audience Get a business card from someone in the company that you’ll be addressing and scan in the company logo. Then you can make it appear in the corner of every screen with your logo. 201308

101. Why So Many Words for the Same Thing? (8138) ↗

English Communication: Why so many words for the same thing? Roberta (from Italy) asked me, “Why does English have so many words for everything? ‘Smart,’ ‘Clever,’ ‘Brainy,’ ‘Intelligent’– in Italian we just say ‘Intelligente!’ It’s true, English has a lot of words!  Experts count at least 250,000. (Other experts say half a million, a million […]

102. English Communication: How to Put People at Ease At Meetings (8134) ↗

English Communication: How to Put People at Ease at Meetings– Blog for Sept. 23, 2021 Sometimes you are going to a meeting to persuade.  In that case, use the first five minutes to put people at ease.  People’s egos are on alert the first few minutes of a meeting,;relax them so they’ll be receptive to your […]

103. (8131) ↗

English Communication Skills: Time of day tips for presentations–Lunch Now that it is September 2021, lunch meetings are just starting up. They may be in person or via teleconference. Lunch meetings, especially in person, is a way to combine business with pleasure.  Presenters are asked to do the noon meal.  Here are some tips for you so […]

104. Tips for Teleconferences -Zoom, Skype (8128) ↗

Tips for Teleconferences Monday, Sept. 13, 2021 Speech Tips Pause so another person can speak. Save complex questions for e-mail unless you need an immediate answer. alj140707

105. English Communication: How to Establish Rapport at Meeings (8125) ↗

English Communication: How to Establish Rapport at Meeings Blog for Saturday, July 17, 2021 Sometimes you going to a meeting to persuade.  The meeting could be one-on-one, you with a group, person-to-person or virtual. Use the first five minutes to establish rapport and relax people.  Egos are on alert the first few minutes of a meeting, […]

106. How to Succeed in the First Five Minutes for Meetings (8121) ↗

English Communication: How to Succeed in the First Five Minutes for Meetings Blog 201 on Friday, July 2, 2021 Everyone goes to meetings, face-to-face or virtual. You could be there to persuade.  Or you could be there to take in or contribute information.  Whatever your purpose, the first five minutes are critical. They are not […]

107. English Communication Skills-Time of Day Tips for Presentations, Meetings & Conversations Afternoon and Evening (8118) ↗

English Communication Skills:  Time of Day Tips for Presentations Meetings and Conversations- Afternoon and Evening – Blog 100 on June 16, 2021 Does your body feel the same in the afternoon and evening as it does in the morning? Probably not. But you do want to maximize your influence and making connections during this time […]

108. English Communication Skills: Presentation- Tips for Time of Day Pitfalls (8115) ↗

English Communication Skills: Presentation Tips for Time of Day Pitfalls Blog 199 What time of day will you be speaking or doing a presentation?  Will it make a difference? Absolutely. Here are some pitfalls for morning presentations.   Breakfast/early morning Listeners may be groggy.  Choose a stimulating issue  or anecdote to open with. Get audience involvement […]

109. Practice Makes Perfect (8112) ↗

Practice Makes Perfect Rehearse out loud. The only way you can tell how your speech will sound is to do it and listen to it. That means you have to say it out loud. Doing the speech in your head and listening to it doesn’t work – that is not the voice your audience will hear. Aim […]

110. English Communication- Don’t Shake Hands Yet- But Do Greetings and Goodbyes (8108) ↗

English Communication: Don’t Shake Hands Yet – But Do Greetings and Goodbyes, part A Important for this blog Wednesday, May 5, 2021, don’t shake hands yet. But do these—  ‘What’s happening?’  ‘How are things going?’  ‘Good evening, Sir/ Ms (‘Miz’).’  In the culture of the North America, these are usually ritual greetings.  If someone asks […]

111. Convincing People (8106) ↗

Tip: Convincing People If you want to convince people, remember this: The more separate arguments you make against your opponent’s position, the more difficult it is for your opponent to deal with each of those items. copyright Clear Talk Mastery 2021 (140623)’

112. Modern Slang (8102) ↗

English Communication: Modern Slang American slang. Every era has a pattern: a group of people — the young, pop stars, social media influencers– create new words or phrases. It can be helpful to know this slang in order to understand what people are saying. While understanding slang is not dangerous, be careful in using them […]

113. Make Conversations and Presentations Pop with Analogies (8097) ↗

Make conversations and presentations pop like a balloon with analogies People remember vivid mental images, like an exploding sun, longer than they remember words. Analogies, like the best Swiss or Italian or Peruvian chocoate, make your case or argument memorable.

114. Best Body Language for Virtual/Zoom etc & In-Person Meetings & Interviews (8094) ↗

Best Body Language for Virtual/Zoom/Skype/Teams & In-Person Meetings & Interviews What’s the most important body language during virtual and in-person meetings and job interviews? Once you have entered the virtual meeting or physical room, do not adjust your clothes which can be interpreted as lack of self-confidence.  Check your clothes before the appointment.  Good posture […]

115. 5 Things to Say When Reaching Out to a Friend Right Now (8090) ↗

BLOG #194 FOR FRI. FEB 26, 2021      — 5 Things to Say When Reaching Out to A Friend Right Now Start simple with a note with invitation to chat:  “Haven’t talked in a while. Do you have a few minutes for a phone call?” “A month has gone by.  Too long.  Do you have a […]

116. Impress Your Friends and Colleagues and the Best Reason to Master the “N” (8086) ↗

Date: Feb. 4, 2021 Title: Impress Your Friends and Colleagues and the Best Reason to Master the “N” In the preceding blog in Dec. 2020, you learned “How to impress your friends and the best reason to master the “Th”. Now get this “Impress your friends and colleagues and the best reason to master the […]

117. Impress Your Friends and The Best Reason to Master a Perfect “Th” (8083) ↗

Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020 This is Blog #192: Impress Your Friends and The Best Reason To Master a Perfect “Th” In the preceding Blog #191 on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020 I listed the 100 most frequently written words in English from the Oxford English Corpus (OEC)  from 2013 from counting from 2 billion words from […]

118. 100 Most Common English Words – And What To Do With Them -Yay! (8080) ↗

BLOG #191   Friday, Dec. 11, 2020 100 Most Common English Words– And What to Do With Them- Yay     In this blog you will find a list of the 100 Most Common English words.  Studies that estimate and rank these look at written texts. This list comes from the Oxford English Corpus (OEC) from 2 […]

119. Nine Non-obvious ways to have deeper conversations – Not the David Brooks NY tips (8077) ↗

Nine Nonobvious Ways to Have Deeper Conversations for Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020 Blog#190 This is NOT  the David Brooks op-ed NY Times Tips. I admire the writings of David Brooks—both his style and his content.  But since I am not subscribing to the NY Times, I can’t read what he says. BUT I think the […]

120. To Communicate Empathy in Speaking–Including Public Speaking– Do This (8066) ↗

BLOG #186 for   Thursday. Oct 15, 2020 English Speaking Skills To Communicate Empathy in Public Speaking—Do This Richard D. Lewis in his renown or famous book  When Cultures Collide  stated “Empathy is based on accepting differences and building on these in a positive manner. The Japanese may come to accept that American directness is, after […]

121. Rule #1 for Public Speaking (8061) ↗

BLOG #185 FOR WED.  Sept 30, 2020 Englspkg Skills  Rule #1 for Public Speaking alj09302020 Rule #1 for the content of your public speaking= Please don’t focus so much on yourself.  As my hairdresser would complain about a person who drove her crazy— Eleanor said,“I just wanted to blurt out, ‘It is not all about […]

122. Have You Noticed This Wisdom in North American Media Stories? (8059) ↗

SPEECH TIP ON WEBSITE FOR  TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 2020  The speech tip for today, Tuesday, September 29, 2020, is a summary of wisdom prevalent in media these last several years.  Well… just a preliminary summary. Just a bit and not all. For example pieces of this wisdom you will find here—the best seller in 2019, […]

123. Connect to People During Conversations (8056) ↗

Title: Connect to People During Conversations Blog Website Wed. September 23, 2020 by Dr. Antonia Lawrence Johnson Connecting to the other person in conversation is good.  Especially good in these times of “safer at home.”  Here is an easy and informal way to connect to the other person in a conversation.  Just use these phrases– […]

124. Words & Phrases Especially Good Now (8054) ↗

The speech tip for today, Monday, September 21, 2020 are examples of phrases and sentences I have heard In the last 30 days which fit these times we are living.  Individuals are adapting. Organizations are adapting. Interactions between individuals are adapting. It’s way better to be wrong when I say I can … than to […]

125. Great Communiction -2- To Be the Vest Version of Yourself (8051) ↗

Blog #183 for Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 by Dr. Antonia Lawrence Johnson Great Communication- 2-  To Be the Best Version of Yourself When you are communicating under any situation, the frame or point of view of yourself as being in an audition will focus you to make yourself to be the best version of yourself. […]

126. Try Using These Super Current Phrases (8049) ↗

Speech Tip for today, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 on website www.ClearTalkMastery.com Okayyyy.  Speech tip today is  your using words and phrases which caught my ear in the last several weeks on media.   I love these words and phrases.  For those of you trying to improve your English speech enunciation or pronunciation, each of these has […]

127. Talk Clearly With Face Mask (8044) ↗

SPEECH TIP. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 Seven of our current student-learners are ITAs, International Teaching Assistants, for Chemistry or BioChemistry.  They want to know—how do you lecture using a facemask. Answer- You will need to maximize using the Six Clear Talk Strategies. In brief,   first, talk a little louder.  Your voice has to penetrate or […]

128. Make a Really Good Impression On People (8042) ↗

Blog 181 for Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020 Make A Really Good Impression On People      Best tips or advice for job interviewing will make you a star for when you first meet someone.  Especially for someone you want to impress.       The best communicators plan and practice the following techniques whenever they can.       Use […]

129. When do you emphasize the syllable with the root word? (8039) ↗

Website Speech Tip FOR Tuesday, AUGUST 25, 2020 Do you want to understand why sometimes you are supposed to put the word syllable accent or stress on the same syllable as the root word and sometimes you  are not supposed to ? English Pronunciation: Have you ever wondered why when you add a suffix onto […]

130. English Speech Pronunciation: How to Say Words Ending in Y, LY, Ful (8037) ↗

Published August 24, 2020 by Dr. Antonia Lawrence Johnson and Clear Talk Mastery, Inc. English Speech Pronunciation- How to Say Words Ending in Y, Ly, and FUL- Inherited from German Have you ever wondered why when you add a suffix, that little syllable  at the end of word, sometimes the word syllable accent stress stays […]

131. Do you want to understand about the “th” and weird spellings with “b,”p,” “t,” “s”? (8034) ↗

Website Speech Tip FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2020  Do you want to know about“th” and why  “b,” “p,” “t,”  and “s” have come into the spelling of particular English words and give them weird spelling? Some words have these letters which either you do not pronounce or are in a series of letters that have […]

132. English Speaking Training: Why Some English Words Have Strange Spelling –Etymological Spelling (8032) ↗

Blog # 179 for Wed. Aug. 12, 2020  English Speaking Training: Why Some English Words Have Strange Spelling –Etymological Spelling  Did you ever wonder why some words in English have such strange spelling?  The strange spelling gets in the way of accurate English pronunciation.  For most English words, maybe up to 70 to 75%, you […]

133. Speech Tip for You: Why Does English have 2 or 3 Words for the Same Thing (8029) ↗

FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020 Speech Tip via Word Press Speech Tip for You: Why Does English have 2 or 3 Words for the Same Thing Have you noticed that English often has two or three words for the same thing?.  These different words allow us to express ideas with different degrees of formality.  For […]

134. Accent Reduction – Why Does English have 2 or 3 Words for the Same Thing (8027) ↗

Blog published 08062020 | By Dr. Antonia Johnson Accent Reduction – Why Does English have 2 or 3 Words for the Same Thing Have you ever wondered why English often has two or three words for the same thing?.  These different words allow us to express ideas with different degrees of formality.  For example “help” is an English […]

135. Feeling stuck? Are you bothered by some speech sounds which are not accurate American English? (8024) ↗

SPEECH TIP  for Saturday, August 01, 2020 Feeling Stuck?  Are you bothered or annoyed by some speech sounds which are  not accurate American English? Of all the things you can do now to make those sounds accurate, what should you concentrate on? The answer is muscles and coordination of muscles. These are the mouth muscles […]

136. Feeling Stuck? Is your English pronunciation accuracy the same as 1 year ago? 2? 3? 5? 11? 17? (8022) ↗

Blog  #177 for Sat. Aug. 01, 2020 Feeling Stuck?  Sooo, think about it?  Is your English pronunciation accuracy the same as  1 year ago, or 2, or 3 or? ?? Think back to the last time you took a class to improve your English speech pronunciation. Are you the same now? The same can be […]

137. What is the secret to fixing the problem of consonants at the ends of words which are hard to hear? (8017) ↗

Speech tip on website for Sunday, July 26, 2020 What is the secret to fixing the problem of  consonants at the ends of words which are hard to hear?  3 secrets Make the muscles in the mouth  you need for those sounds stiff and hard. Pronounce quick consonants quickly and slow consonants slowly. Make the […]

138. Of All the Things You Can Do to Get Clear English, What Are the Most Important? (8013) ↗

BLOG # 176 for Saturday, July 25, 2020 Date of blog: Saturday, July 25, 2020 Title of blog: Of  All the Things You Can Do to Get Clear English, What Are the Most Important? Of all the things you can  do to get clear English, what are the most important? Let’s talk muscles. You need […]

139. Speech tutor video #2 for American short vowels “a” and “e” as in “bad” & “bed” (8010) ↗

140. Do You Know How to Prevent Speaking Mistakes? (8008) ↗

Date of Blog,  Thursday, July 16, 2020 Title: Do  You Know How to Prevent Speaking Mistakes? Do you know how to prevent speech mistakes?   When you realize a difficult word  to pronounce is coming up, then slow down and say that word letter by letter, syllable by syllable. Say each sound CAREFULLY. This is exactly […]

141. Speech Tutor Video #2 How to pronounce American English Short Vowels “a” and “e” as in “Bad” and “Bed” (8006) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English short vowel A and short vowel E.

142. Prevent Speech Mistakes (8001) ↗

Title: PREVENT SPEECH MISTAKES. For the speech tip for today, Thursday, July 16, 2020 –What can you do to prevent making a speech pronunciation mistake? This advice  helps all our coached and subscription student learners. It can help you now.  It is exactly what native-born North American English speakers do.   When you realize you […]

143. The Real Thing (7997) ↗

The Real Thing There is no substitute for the real thing.  A 30-second demonstration is more effective than 30 minutes of words.

144. Strong Verbs (7995) ↗

Strong Verbs Do you want to make your communication direct and to the point? Consider using those verbs that describe movements of the human body.  These are great substitutions for abstract verbs.  Here’s a list for you: bear, blow, break, bring, call, carry, cast, catch, come, cut, do draw, drive drop, fall, get, give go, […]

145. More on Why So Many “r”s in English (7988) ↗

English Pronunciation: More on Why So Many “r”s in English Recall from the last speech tip that we discussed why there are so many “r”s in English. That leads to the next question:  Is there a logical reason or a physiological reason why the English language would use the “r” physiological movement in so many […]

146. English pronunciation: Why is the “r” in so many words in English. (7986) ↗

English pronunciation: Why is the “r” in so many words in English? Did you know that the “r” sound in English is the most difficult sound to say?   It is so difficult that native-born North American children don’t master the “r” until they are about four years old or seven years old.  There are some […]

147. How Can You Make Your Speaking and Writing to Be Easy to Understand (7980) ↗

Here is a list of valuable auxiliary verbs.  Auxiliary are also called “helping” verbs because they go with other verbs. This speech tip and blog works on the principle that the more natural and idiomatic or daily life English gets, the more it expresses ideas by auxiliary verbs. For example, read this passage from an […]

148. How Do You Keep It Simple (7978) ↗

“How do you keep it simple?” It has been said many times and many ways. “If you start to analyze what style is, the only possible general rule is that the reader must be able to understand what the writer says: and the surest  way to do that is simplicity.” The same goes for English […]

149. SUFFIX “Y” — Soooo Useful! (7975) ↗

BLOG for Saturday, June 13, 2020 TITLE:   Suffix “Y” – So USEFUL! To speak clear and accurate English for unfamiliar multiple syllable words, first  you need to divide the unfamiliar word into syllables.   There are eight rules to do that.  Most important is to look for the prefixes and suffixes first.  Many English words end […]

150. Public Speaking: “You” – Oriented Statements (7962) ↗

Public Speaking: “You”- Oriented Statements If you want to connect with  listeners during a presentation, don’t focus so much on yourself.  Find ways to address others’ needs. Tip: Involve your listeners by using more “you”-oriented lines. “You know from your own experience that _________.” “You’ll be relieved to learn ______________________.” “You can benefit if you […]

151. Advice for When You Teleconference (7973) ↗

Tips for Teleconferencing Use emotion in your voice. Emphasize emotion so you don’t speak in a flat tone. Use metaphors and similes to create word pictures for others. Revised – yay still true from 09/11/2017

152. Conclusion for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning (7955) ↗

Conclusion for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning The natural tendency of human beings is to:  Justify on facts, but buy on feeling  Justify with business reasons, but buy for personal reasons  Justify with logic, but buy on emotion Rerun from June 05, 2017

153. Public Speaking “You” Oriented Statements (7960) ↗

Public Speaking: “You”- Oriented Statements If you want to connect with  listeners during a presentation, don’t focus so much on yourself.  Find ways to address others’ needs. Tip: Involve your listeners by using more “you”-oriented lines. “You know from your own experience that _________.” “You’ll be relieved to learn ______________________.” “You can benefit if you […]

154. Public Speaking: “You” – Oriented Statements (7958) ↗

Public Speaking: “You”- Oriented Statements If you want to connect with  listeners during a presentation, don’t focus so much on yourself.  Find ways to address others’ needs. Tip: Involve your listeners by using more “you”-oriented lines. “You know from your own experience that _________.” “You’ll be relieved to learn ______________________.” “You can benefit if you […]

155. English Speaking Skills: A Job Interview as an Audition (7949) ↗

English Speaking Skills: A Job Interview as an Audition A great tip for job interviewing : Think of the job interview as an audition.  Most people put lots of energy into getting an interview.  But many fall down during the actual interview.  Why?  Poor planning and a lack of practice. What to do? Stage a […]

156. Communication Skills and Changing Times (7947) ↗

Communication Skills and Changing Times Times have changed. Yesterday, the most qualified person got the job. Today, among equal qualifications, the best communicator gets the job. Rerun from 05/29/2017

157. English Communication: The Clarity is Simple (7945) ↗

English Communication: The Clarity is Simple All of life is relationship.  Love, compassion, helping, encouraging.  Hope, faith. April 2, on his birthday, my beloved passed. I, more than anyone, know which words were his.  Which ideas sprang from his fertile mind.  Where the science is that he was chief architect for.   Our evolution springs forth […]

158. Communication Skills (7943) ↗

Communication Skills  According to a survey of faculty members at engineering schools:  Opinion of the faculty members was that 15% of an engineer’s future success depends on his or her engineering skills, while 85% depends upon communication skills. Rerun from 05/22/2017

159. English Communication: The Clarity is Simple (7938) ↗

English Communication: The Clarity is Simple All of life is relationship.  Love, compassion, helping, encouraging.  Hope, faith. April 2, on his birthday, my beloved passed. I, more than anyone, know which words were his.  Which ideas sprang from his fertile mind.  Where the science is that he was chief architect for.   Our evolution springs forth […]

160. English Speaking: The Grammar is in the Pronunciation, Part Two (7936) ↗

English Speaking: The Grammar is in the Pronunciation, Part Two Last time, I told you about how the grammar is in the pronunciation of “ed” for regular verbs for past tense and grammar “s” for subject and verb agreement.  You also got that the grammar is in the pronunciation of grammar “s” for plurals and […]

161. English Speaking – Grammar, Pronunciation, And Magical Changes in Words (7934) ↗

English Speaking – Grammar, Pronunciation, And Magical Changes in Words Once my genius linguist and priest pointed out that “grammar is in the pronunciation,” I starting seeing so, so many instances of this. Some of my favorites are suffixes and prefixes.  Those are the little syllables that we put on the end of the word […]

162. Visual Aids (7929) ↗

Visual Aids Visual Aids Learning is improved up to 200%  (Study at University of Wisconsin) Retention is improved up to 38% (Studies at Harvard and Columbia) Time to explain complex subjects is reduced by 25% and 40% (Study at Wharton School of Business) Rerun from 02/17/2014 05/08/2017

163. Part 2- Stand up and Use Visual Aids (7926) ↗

Part 2- Stand up and Use Visual Aids The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania did a controlled study of a presentation in which they tried to persuade people to invest their money in a new business. Group A: told story sitting down, and  58% agreed to sign up for the business […]

164. English Speaking Skills: The What and How of a 30-Second Elevator Speech (7924) ↗

English Speaking Skills: The What and How of a 30-Second Elevator Speech An elevator speech is used as a marketing tool since it lets those you meet know where you’ve been and where you’re hoping to go in the future.  Write that 30-second speech, and it is worth memorizing.  What’s not to like about  30 […]

165. Stand Up and Use Visual Aids! (7922) ↗

Stand Up and Use Visual Aids!   People who stand up and use visual aids are perceived as: -more professional -more persuasive -more credible -more interesting -and better prepared Rerun from Feb 3, 2014 and April 24, 2017

166. English Speaking Skills: How to Write an Elevator Speech (7919) ↗

English Speaking Skills: How to Write an Elevator Speech The term “elevator speech” first became popular during the early days of the internet explosion, when companies that won cash from venture capitalists were often those with a simple pitch.  The best could explain a business proposition in the time it took occupants to arrive at […]

167. Success (Over $250,000) (7917) ↗

 Success (Over $250,000) Primary Factors in Achieving Success (over  $250,000): 1.      Communication skills 71% 2.      Intelligence 64% 3.      Integrity 54% 4.      Experience 50% 5.      Enthusiasm, positive attitude 48% 6.      Self-esteem/confidence  37% 7.      Risk-taking attitude 35% 8.      Formal education 29% 9.      Ambition 25% 10.   Emotional Maturity 16% (Lamalle Report on Top Executives of the 1990s) Rerun from Jan 27, 2014 and 04/17/2017

168. English Speaking Skills: Elevator Speech– Introduction (7914) ↗

English Speaking Skills: Elevator Speech–  Introduction Have you developed your “elevator speech”? Shi on Facebook asked about an “elevator speech”.  She had read several articles on the importance of having a couple of versions of an “elevator speech” to maximize your communication.  In her case, she was seeking advice on how to get the most […]

169. Success (7912) ↗

Success Research by the American Society for Training and Development concluded that “the only thing that ranks above communication skills as a factor in workplace success is job knowledge.” Rerun from Jan 20, 2014 and April 10, 2017

170. English speaking skills: Become a memory champion (7909) ↗

English speaking skills: Become a memory champion   You’ve heard this great advice for doing an excellent presentation:  Memorize the first several minutes and the last several minutes. How to do that, you ask?   Under the pressure of the need to perform, you just know your mind will go blank. What to do? The answer– […]

171. The Power of Speaking (7907) ↗

The Power of Speaking                      Ponder this gem: If all my talents and powers were to be taken from me by some inscrutable Providence, and I had my choice of keeping but one, I would unhesitatingly ask to be allowed to keep the Power of Speaking, for […]

172. English Speaking Skills: Overlearning–You’ll Love the Results (7905) ↗

English Speaking Skills: Overlearning–You’ll Love the Results You’ve heard it:  It takes 1000 times of doing a pattern to make a mental trace.  And it takes 10,000 times of doing a pattern to make a habit. “Why do I have to keep practicing?  I already have the skill?” Such is the protest from all of […]

173. Anxious? (7903) ↗

Anxious? Most important strategy: Preparation My personal favorite: Rehearse out loud My newly found tip: Arrive one hour early and meet and greet people at the door. Rerun from 12/30/2013 and 03/27/2017

174. English Speaking Training: The Fragile Nature of Intelligence (7900) ↗

English Speaking Training:  The Fragile Nature of Intelligence I’ve felt it. You have probably felt it, too. You feel especially smart and funny when talking to one person and then feel unintelligent and unable to speak fluently with another. It’s not your imagination.  Experiments show that when people report feeling comfortable with a conversational partner, […]

175. Breath Pauses (7898) ↗

Breath Pauses One of my favorite strategies is to mark breath pauses in your narrative for a presentation.  Many people, especially nonnative speakers of English, polish their presentation by writing it out their script or narrative.  Many people forget to include pauses.  Listeners need the pauses to process what you are saying. Marking your copy for breath […]

176. English Speaking Training: Understand that Strange Spelling (7896) ↗

English Speaking Training: Understand that Strange Spelling Did you ever wonder why some words in English have such strange spelling?   For accurate pronunciation of many words, you say the consonants loud and clear using the positioning for English, not for other languages.  And for most words, using the English spelling rules for vowels, you can […]

177. Easy Tips to a Better Voice During Presentations (7893) ↗

Easy Tips to a Better Voice During Presentations Here are some easy to do tips to get you a better voice during presentations: Avoid the restriction of tight clothing that might keep the abdominal area from expanding. Tight clothing is especially restrictive if you have just eaten a heavy meal. Better yet, do not eat […]

178. Public Speaking Training: Great Exercises for Coping With Stress (7890) ↗

Public Speaking Training:  Great Exercises for Coping With Stress Here are some of my favorite “coping with stress” exercises. For some people, anxiety is a problem whenever they do presentations.  Are you like many people and also feel stressed out during your daily work or academic life?   These exercises are good training in your […]

179. How to Solve the Problem of a Very High-Pitched Voice from Anxiety (7888) ↗

How to Solve the Problem of a Very High-Pitched Voice from Anxiety Here is another tip for a problem that is very common with improper breathing – a very high-pitched voice. When we get nervous or anxious, our pitch generally rises because of increased tension in the throat area. When you combine anxiety with having to […]

180. Public Speaking: How to Relax Before You Present (7886) ↗

Public Speaking: How to Relax Before You Present The beginning of a presentation is often a difficult time to maintain your focus.  Try taking a slight pause at the beginning and thinking of a word to help you focus.  That word might be “focus” or for me it is “twinkle” to remind me to enjoy! It is […]

181. How to Fix the Common Voice Problem of Glottal Fry During a Presentation (7884) ↗

How to Fix the Common Voice Problem of Glottal Fry During a Presentation   Here are is a tip for a common voice problem called glottal fry during a presentation. The Problem: Glottal fry is a popping sound or voice with a low pitch and rough voice that can be heard toward the ends of sentences […]

182. Public Speaking: How to Do Practice for Being Direct and to the Point (7882) ↗

Public Speaking: How to Do Practice for Being Direct and to the Point Ahhh, to be direct and to the point in your communication.   I have heard that wish over and over.  What can you do to improve that skill? You can learn to be direct and to the point by simplifying a story to […]

183. A Clever Technique for Breathing Before a Presentation (7880) ↗

A Clever Technique for Breathing Before a Presentation I love this tip for helping your breathing before a presentation. Take a good abdominal-diaphragmatic breath about 10 seconds before you are going to start your presentation. Take another good abdominal-diaphragmatic breath just before you begin your opening line. These two deep breaths will build your air supply. This […]

184. Public Speaking: How to Train Yourself to Stay (7877) ↗

Public Speaking: How to Train Yourself to Stay Staying focused when you are responding to complex questions is difficult for all people. Maybe the question comes in a meeting. Maybe during a presentation. It is even more difficult if you are a non-native born speaker of English or you have English as a native language and […]

185. Choppy Speech and the Breathing Solution (7875) ↗

Choppy Speech and the Breathing Solution Here is a problem that can happen with poor breathing during presentation speaking: Poor breathing may result in choppy disjointed speech that can happen when you take a breath pause at the wrong time. The solution: do greater inhalations using the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. Mark your script with […]

186. Public Speaking: How to Be Your Own Voice or Communication Coach (7873) ↗

Public Speaking:  How to Be Your Own Voice or Communication Coach How to improve your own presentation style.  You CAN learn from others.   Use video media (television, movies, YouTube presenters, website videos) to do your own communication analysis.  Choose samples of people you think do very well.  Learn from the experts. It is fun! When […]

187. The Importance of Good Breathing (7871) ↗

The Importance of Good Breathing Did you know that when we speak, we use a different breathing pattern than when we are at rest? • Our ratio of inhalation to exhalation at rest is close to 1:1 • For speech, that ratio must change to 1:5 or even 1:10 • You can control the air […]

188. The Top 10 Public Speaking Tips from Broadcasters (7868) ↗

The Top 10 Public Speaking Tips from Broadcasters Everyone is asked to answer questions about work or academic topics or issues.  It could be in a meeting, when you are asked to describe your project.  It could be in a class, when you are asked to describe your experience with a topic or analyze an […]

189. Fail-Safe Questions (7866) ↗

Fail-Safe Questions   For this week’s accent reduction advice, we have a speech tip video below. Also, whether you are a student meeting new people or an adult who knows no one at a work gathering, you can use fail-safe questions with particular themes to open and start conversations.  Today, here are three: The journey […]

190. English communication and American Slang: Nouns and Adjectives (7863) ↗

English communication and American Slang: Nouns and Adjectives American slang is a casual vocabulary.  These words are some of the most popular and can be used by all.  Here are noun and adjective slang words. American Slang Nouns brain: a very intelligent person Bill Gates must be a brain. munchies: snacks like pretzels, popcorn, potato chips, […]

191. Polish Your Conversational Skills (7861) ↗

Polish Your Conversational Skills For this week’s accent reduction advice, we have a speech tip video below. Also, an important aspect of English speech training is polishing conversational skills. If you avoid brief social interactions, try making pleasant connections with neighbors, co-workers or other people you see regularly. Smile at the woman serving you at the coffee-shop […]

192. English speech communication and American Slang: Greetings and Verbs (7858) ↗

English speech communication and American Slang:  Greetings and Verbs American English has its own casual variety of the English language and vocabulary.  Historically, it has been influenced by sports, the cowboys, the building of the railroad, the card game of poker, African-American culture, immigrants, native and so forth. Here are some words which are common […]

193. Tips to Perfect the Fine Art of Dialogue (7856) ↗

Tips to Perfect the Fine Art of Dialogue For this week’s clear English speech coaching, here are a couple of tips to perfect the fine art of dialogue. Good, engaging conversation is like a Frisbee that you catch, spin and toss to the next person. Marylynne Pitz March launches spring, spring break, and socializing outdoors. So […]

194. Accent Reduction: Best Strategies for HOW To Learn Accurate, Clear English Speaking (7854) ↗

Accent Reduction: Best Strategies for HOW To Learn Accurate, Clear English Speaking Before we get to the best strategies for HOW to learn accurate, clear English speaking, let’s ask the important WHY question.  So why do you need to know how to learn the skills for reducing your accent and making your English easy to understand? The answer comes […]

195. Set-Up for You for Your Presentation (7852) ↗

Set-Up for You for Your Presentation Hello Everybody, For this week’s clear English speech coaching, here are a couple of tips for the set-up for you for your presentation. Don’t let the audiovisual staff run your show. Turn the lights up bright, so you are displayed better. Don’t hide behind the lectern. Get out front. Be […]

196. English Pronunciation: Smart Learning Strategies for Accent Reduction (7850) ↗

English Pronunciation: Smart Learning Strategies for Accent Reduction   Here is more of the story about training and learning to speak clear English and get accurate English pronunciation. What’s the key to effective learning  — whether learning to speak clear English or reduce one’s accent, or any kind of learning?  One intriguing body of research […]

197. Jolt Them With a Headline (7848) ↗

Jolt Them With a Headline For this week’s clear English speech tip, here is a tip for grabbing the attention of an audience: Jolt them with a headline. A headline is a statement that surprises or challenges them. Three rules for a headline It should be one sentence. It should hint at information that makes them […]

198. Accent Reduction: Why Your English Speech is Difficult to Understand Even Though You Live in an English Speaking Country (7846) ↗

Accent Reduction: Why Your English Speech is Difficult to Understand Even Though You Live in an English Speaking Country   What you are saying: “I have been trying my best to improve my English.  I went to an ESL class and I had a private English tutor about four times.  I couldn’t succeed.  I think […]

199. Tips for Story Telling (7844) ↗

Tips for Story Telling  For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, here are tips for storytelling in a presentation… or conversation.   The hard thing is to begin. There is a right way and a wrong way to start a story, whether it is an anecdote or a ten-minute […]

200. Did you know this about foreign-born people in the US? (7841) ↗

Did you know this about foreign-born people in the US?  For this last installment about interesting facts about people with English as a Second Language, here are data to satisfy your curiosity! A recent study by the Pew Research Center indicates that Asians have recently passed Latinos as the largest group of new immigrants arriving […]

201. THE ENTIRE WORLD LOVES A STORY (7839) ↗

Here are tips for telling a story as part of your presentation… or conversation: THE ENTIRE WORLD LOVES A STORY So find one. You won’t have to look that hard. You need to look inside yourself and decide what you are willing to share. A story is always appropriate. All the world loves a story […]

202. What are most prevalent languages of the internet and publishing? (7837) ↗

What are most prevalent languages of the internet and publishing?  What are internet’s top languages by number of users? (Internetworldstats.com) English (27.3%) Chinese (22.6%) Spanish (7.8%) Japanese (5.3 %) Portuguese (4.3%) 4.0% and less are German, Arabic, French, Russian, Korean. Let’s look at a more informal way of measuring the languages of the internet by looking at […]

203. Tips for Being a Masterful Presenter (7835) ↗

Tips for Being a Masterful Presenter 1.    An effective presentation builds a relationship with people who are giving you the gift of their time and attention. You may be able to require their time, but you have to earn their attention. 2.    To paraphrase Lani Arrendondo, to relate like a Pro or master of communication, […]

204. What are Facts About the World’s Most Spoken Language? (7833) ↗

What are Facts About the World’s Most Spoken Language?   Another snapshot of our wonderful talking world. What is the world’s most spoken language? Here, let’s focus on the most widely spoken languages by number of native speakers. Mandarin Chinese (1197 million) Spanish (406 million) English (335 million) Hindi-Urdu (260 million) Arabic (223 million) Portuguese […]

205. Tips for Organizing Your Presentation Like a Pro (7829) ↗

Tips for Organizing Your Presentation Like a Pro The scenario:  You are asked to do a presentation. Perhaps it is at a lunch or you are asked to talk as part of a team. You were asked to speak because you have recognized expertise. To paraphrase Kevin Daley, the temptation for any speaker is to […]

206. What are Five Important Numbers for Global Communication and English Speaking? (7827) ↗

What are Five Important Numbers for Global Communication and English Speaking?    In my previous blogs, we were talking about my favorite advice from pros and experts about preparing and delivering a presentation.  Here in this post and the next couple we are going to look at wonderful numbers which give a snapshot of our […]

207. The Rule of Three! (7823) ↗

The Rule of Three!  For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, do the Rule of Three. Every great message contains at least one but not more than three key points. 1. Why should you follow the Rule of Three? People are so swamped with information, they quickly forget. […]

208. Public Speaking: How Long for the First Draft & Best Format for Delivery (7819) ↗

Public Speaking: How Long for the First Draft & Best Format for Delivery I love learning from other people.  I love going to experts and figuring out their tricks and secrets.  For presentations, I like to be successful.  I like to enjoy the process.  Top pros are successful and enjoy the process.  Here’s what they […]

209. Seize Your Audience’s Attention When You Do A Presentation (7821) ↗

Seize Your Audience’s Attention When You Do A Presentation My favorite opener: John Paul Getty once told a group of would-be billionaires his secret of success was: “Rise early, work hard, strike oil.” Now, here are 3 different ways to grab your audience’s attention right away: 1. Begin with a quotation. When it comes to […]

210. Public Speaking Skills: How Much Time To Prepare for A Speech (7817) ↗

Public Speaking Skills: How Much Time To Prepare for A Speech  Don’t you just hate the mad scramble for getting ready for a presentation?  You can avoid that scramble.  The top professionals – the top pros –do.  Here are their secrets: How much time to prepare for a speech? Start right away.  Even if you […]

211. Start Your Presentation With A Bang! (7815) ↗

Start Your Presentation With A Bang!  For today’s dollop of clear English speech coaching, here’s more advice about starting your presentation with a bang. 1. If you do nothing else to prepare for your speech, make an opener that not only gets people’s attention but makes them think about your theme. 2. For that reason, […]

212. English Speaking Communication: Presentations- Secrets of the Pros for Reading a Speech (7812) ↗

English Speaking Communication: Presentations- Secrets of the Pros for Reading a Speech   Sometimes pros will read their speech.   I’ve seen pros look and sound very, very good.  They used special strategies to maximize the effectiveness of their presentation.  Here are some of my favorite tips and strategies from the pros: No matter what format you […]

213. A Brilliant Opener to Your Presentations (7810) ↗

A Brilliant Opener to Your Presentations Here’s more on a brilliant opener to your presentations—the story or anecdote. 1. An anecdote briefly describes an incident that’s interesting, amusing or biographical. All three together are sure to get attention. That’s why many presenters start by saying “A funny thing happened to me…” 2. It’s critical to make the […]

214. Three of the Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Indian Speakers (7808) ↗

Three of the Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Indian Speakers   In India, about 10 percent of the population are English speakers.  Of these, 226,449 speak English as a first language, while 125,000,000 speak English as an additional language. About 4 percent of the population consider themselves fluent Our Indian students live in: Boulder […]

215. Earn Your Audience’s Attention! (7806) ↗

Earn Your Audience’s Attention!  Let’s turn our attention to those first words for your presentation. 1. The audience has given you their time. But their attention is something you have to earn. 2. The only way you get them thinking and participating is to seize their attention, to grab them. 3. Questions are good grabbers. So are […]

216. Three of the Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Chinese Speakers (7804) ↗

Three of the Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Chinese Speakers In Asia, the number of English-users has surpassed 350 million, equal to the number of people who live in countries where English is the dominant language: the United States, Britain, and Canada. More Chinese children now study English — about 100 million — than there are Britons. […]

217. Pauses In A Presentation, Part Two (7802) ↗

Pauses In A Presentation, Part Two For your weekly dose of clear English coaching, we have a weekly speech tip video below. Do you want to know a brilliant tactic for pausing at the beginning of a presentation? 1. Brilliantly effective is this: When you are first introduced, upon arriving at the podium or your location of delivery, take a […]

218. Three Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Spanish Speakers (7800) ↗

Three Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Spanish Speakers Nearly 20% of Americans speak a different language at home. About 47% of the foreign-born population are Hispanic. The Latino population has doubled since 1990. Florida is home to the third-highest total of Latinos, or 22.8 percent of the state’s population. California and Texas are home […]

219. Pauses In A Presentation, Part One (7798) ↗

Pauses In A Presentation, Part One If you are an ESLer, your audience welcomes pauses in a presentation. If it is a lengthy pause of more than two seconds, smile at them, so they won’t think you forgot what to say next.  1. Pauses give the audience time to process words when they are said in accented English. 2. […]

220. American Accent Training: What does it take to make a habit? (7795) ↗

American Accent Training: What does it take to make a habit? How do you form a habit? Neuroscientists tell us it takes doing a new pattern a thousand times before we make a neural trace in our brains. Neuroscientists tell us it takes 70 days of practice every day to change a habit. They say it […]

221. A Powerful Point of View for Presentations (7792) ↗

A Powerful Point of View for Presentations Remember this:  “The presentation is a moment of truth for the presenter. We can’t hide. We are exposed, for better or worse. The listeners decide whether they like us, believe us, trust us, and perceive whether we are secure in ourselves and confident in what we are saying.” — Kevin Daley […]

222. What Practical Real Life Difference Will an Increase in Intelligibility Make? (7790) ↗

What Practical Real Life Difference Will an Increase in Intelligibility Make? Everybody wants people to grasp what they say, so a high intelligibility score is better than a low score. It is a no-brainer. Speaking accurate English sounds and words makes life much better for the speaker and the listener! Recall the range of scores for our […]

223. Stand Still and Watch Your Confidence Grow During Presentations! (7788) ↗

Stand Still and Watch Your Confidence Grow During Presentations!    You may have a picture in your mind of a speaker pacing back and forth while holding the eyes of everyone on him. But walking around just gets in the way of your voice clearly ringing in the ears of your listeners. 1. You look […]

224. Careers- Getting Hired— Don’t Forget the Cover Letter (7785) ↗

Careers- Getting Hired— Don’t Forget the Cover Letter Cover letter—Get a competitive edge with a cover letter. Cover letters are a graceful way to introduce yourself, express your personality, and impress a hiring manager with your experience and writing skills. A bonus for you:  You can tailor the cover letter to a specific company in […]

225. How Does an Audience Impact a Speaker? (7782) ↗

How Does an Audience Impact a Speaker? 1. You walk to the front of the room and turn to face the audience. Your instincts say to scan the audience. Your eyes almost wander by themselves. But that makes a feeling of nervousness. You get an extra jolt of adrenaline. Your thoughts get jumbled; your mind can go […]

226. Careers – Getting Hired— Four Steps to a Perfect Resume (7780) ↗

Careers – Getting Hired— Four Steps to a Perfect Resume Did you know that companies have favorite times for eliminating positions… and you.  I know from personal experience—the experience of our students in the last 15 years. Thankfully, organizations actually do try to avoid eliminating positions and letting go of employees before or after the […]

227. Don’ts for Effective Preparation and Speaking (7778) ↗

Don’ts for Effective Preparation and Speaking 1. Never read a speech to an audience. They deserve better and so do you. Recall your own experience. Have you ever been impressed when a speaker read a talk or sermon to you? If you answer is, “No,” then don’t inflict the same injury on others. 2. What about reading notes? […]

228. Interview— How to Pick the Best References (7775) ↗

Interview— How to Pick the Best References Before the most recent Great Recession, the average USA worker changed jobs about every 7 years.  I have not seen data and research for what the current data is for this topic.  My observation is that people, especially people younger than 35, are changing jobs more frequently. From […]

229. Cool Tips for How to Prepare for Your Presentation (7773) ↗

Cool Tips for How to Prepare for Your Presentation 1. Should you write out your talk? Some say absolutely no. Others say that with the computer, this is easy and helps us think. People are surprised to hear that is what I do. Many other ESL people have told me that is what they do. 2. […]

230. English communication—What Not to do at the Interview (7771) ↗

English communication—What Not to do at the Interview So many different social situations to deal with in your life. What about interviewing? Keep these tips in mind—What Not to do at the Interview Don’t let your eyes wander to the floor, ceiling or walls of the interviewer’s office. Instead, maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Don’t forget to research the […]

231. Stand Up and Speak as Well as You Think! (7769) ↗

Stand Up and Speak as Well as You Think! 1. Winston Churchill said it took him six to seven hours to prepare a forty-five minute speech. If you want to be confident, you must know that your message is worthy of the audience, worthy of the occasion, and worthy of you. The time and work are worth […]

232. English communication skills- Networking- How to Get Acquainted-Great Questions (7767) ↗

English communication skills- Networking- How to Get Acquainted-Great Questions  Networking is communicating. It is the way you interact and relate to the people, the world, and opportunities around you. Fact is, there is joy in connecting and building relationships – that is the spirit of networking in our personal and professional life. Beginnings are hard […]

233. Where Should Your Hands Be? (7765) ↗

Where Should Your Hands Be?   1.   Where should your hands be? When you begin, they should hang naturally by your body. Then they should describe and emphasize what you are saying. 2.   Ideally, you should gesture with one hand at a time. When you move both you waste energy without getting any […]

234. English communication skills- Networking is Communicating and Connecting (7763) ↗

English communication skills-  Networking is Communicating and Connecting It is all about relationships, connecting.  Networking is another term for that lifelong process of meeting people, making contacts, developing friendships and building professional relationships. It is in the communicating where networking happens.  The skill of networking involves learning how and when to approach people, how and […]

235. How Do You as a Speaker Impact an Audience? (7761) ↗

How Do You as a Speaker Impact an Audience? How you look includes your clothes, your facial expression, your stance, your body movement, your hands, how you move your eyes. Suppose you are trying to motivate a group, and you tell them something is “a wonderful opportunity,” but you don’t look or sound it.  Vision is […]

236. English communication skills- Networking- Relationships- Power of Sending Notes for Praise and Thanks (7758) ↗

English communication skills-  Networking- Relationships- Power of Sending Notes for Praise and Thanks Amazing how it is often the little things in life that touch us. Sending notes is one of those little things that means a lot.  It can be email. It can be handwritten.  Handwritten is a wow these days.  For the recipient- […]

237. End Your Presentation With A Bang (7756) ↗

End Your Presentation With A Bang The end of a presentation, especially at a luncheon, needs to feel like dessert – sweet and satisfying. Show your enthusiasm through lively gestures, facial expressions, and speech volume. Restate your viewpoint.  Send them back to work with a lift.     Rerun from Aug 8, 2016

238. English communication skills- Networking- Relationships- Power of Praise and Thanks (7754) ↗

English communication skills-  Networking- Relationships- Power of Praise and Thanks Dear all– Thanksgiving in the USA comes on the last Thursday in the month of November. And… it is soooo good to thank people around us for all that they do– every day, not just on national holidays of Thanksgiving, whether in the USA or […]

239. Grab Audience Attention with Shocker Sentence (7752) ↗

Grab Audience Attention with Shocker Sentence Use this very effective way to get attention of an audience, especially at a luncheon.  Make a statement that surprises, startles, or challenges them. Example: “The organization is going to change in ways you can hardly imagine over the next six months.” Here are the three rules to make […]

240. Accent Reduction – Habit Success – The Other Secret is Forgive Yourself (7749) ↗

Accent Reduction –  Habit Success – The Other Secret is Forgive Yourself You are going to fail sometimes.  That’s okay, Richard Wiseman studied people who achieved their goals.  From those investigations,  he realized we should: Expect to go back to your old habits sometimes. Treat that failure as a temporary set-back, and go forward. What […]

241. How to Tell a Story (7747) ↗

How to Tell a Story Start at a point in time. Remember, the most memorable stories in any culture start with some variation of “once upon a time” the same way a fairy tale begins. Don’t explain the story. Re-create it the way it happened.  Use dialogue. Add rich detail so the audience sees what […]

242. Accent Reduction – The Secret of “If” and “Then” (7745) ↗

Accent Reduction –  The Secret of “If” and “Then” Plans are good.  And with a super simple plan, you can resist temptation to fall back to your old habit. When do you always perform that bad habit? Example: “Whenever I am with another person, I interrupt them before they are finished talking.” Yes. OK. Now […]

243. How to Find the Best Story for You (7743) ↗

How to Find the Best Story for You Choose an event you lived through or studied about, that moved you and had an emotional impact. The more the impact or influence it had on you, the more impact it will have on audience. If your story involves kids, yours or someone else’s, you can’t miss […]

244. Accent Reduction – Shortcut to Get Rid of the Habit = Replace It (7740) ↗

Accent Reduction – Shortcut to Get Rid of the Habit = Replace It You already know this from your own experience.  Studies show that replacing one habit with another is the easiest way to your goal. Want to stop the trip of donuts into your mouth?  When you feel the urge, reach for that sugarless […]

245. Designing Your Luncheon Talk (7738) ↗

Designing Your Luncheon Talk Tell me a fact, and I’ll learn Tell me a truth, and I’ll believe. But tell me a story, and it will live in my heart forever. –Indian Proverb Provide information, yes.  But above all be interesting.  Tell a story.     Rerun from July 11, 2016

246. Accent Reduction – Get the Habit- Relax and Receive (7736) ↗

Accent Reduction – Get the Habit-  Relax and Receive What makes you more likely to engage in bad habits? Stress. Alex Korb, UCLA neuroscientist says that staying relaxed helps your brain make the right choices.  Korb reports that the part of the brain which prompts decisions, the prefrontal cortex, is limited in its resources.  When […]

247. How Long Do I Talk for Luncheon (7734) ↗

How Long Do I Talk for Luncheon Twenty minutes is good.  If they beg you to go thirty, give in gracefully.  Longer than that works for a seminar – but not lunch. Rerun from 07/04/16

248. Accent Reduction – Get the Habit- Change Your World (7731) ↗

Accent Reduction – Get the Habit-  Change Your World Want to speak clearer… surround yourself with clear talkers. When you listen to music with English lyrics,  find the artists who enunciate the words. When you go to YouTube or visual media, movies, comedy or adventure series — seek out the programs with the people who […]

249. Lights On or Off for Luncheon (7729) ↗

Lights On or Off for Luncheon As soon as an audiovisual aide knows you are using slides of PowerPoint type, he or she will want to turn lights way down. Your job is to tell him or her, “I want the lights as bright as possible even if they have to squint to see the […]

250. Luncheon Speaker Challenge: Where to Stand (7725) ↗

Luncheon Speaker Challenge: Where to Stand  Luncheon is not a formal meeting where the audience sits in one place and the rostrum or podium is set so the speaker is center of attention.  Instead, configuration of tables makes it difficult to find a central place to stand so you are in command of all the […]

251. Accent Reduction – Get the Habit- Count, Keep a Record (7727) ↗

Accent Reduction – Get the Habit-  Count, Keep a Record People who keep records tend to make more progress than people who don’t. Research shows that people who record on their calendar the days they get that 30 minutes of recommended physical exercise, do more exercise.   People who record exactly what they eat each day […]

252. Don’t Do This for Any Presentation (7715) ↗

Don’t Do This for Any Presentation Don’t hand out copies of your slides before your presentation or your listeners will focus on those instead of you.  For a presentation, you are the center, the best visual aid, and the inspiration for acceptance of your viewpoint or recommendation.         Rerun from June 13, […]

253. Accent Reduction – Change Only One Habit (7723) ↗

Accent Reduction – Change Only One Habit At one time we have all felt like our lives are a whole orchestra of bad habits. For example, you get home from an exhausting day at work.  You didn’t like your communication that day.  A lot of people said “What?”  You know you are speaking accented English.  […]

254. The Two Best Rehearsal Strategies for Presenting Up the Management Chain (To Supervisors and Your Bosses) (7710) ↗

The Two Best Rehearsal Strategies for Presenting Up the Management Chain (To Supervisors and Your Bosses) Rehearse out loud, standing up, five times, from beginning to end for best success. Know your content thoroughly.  You will be challenged.  Rise to all questions with accurate answers – from your preparation and knowing your content cold.  Your […]

255. Accent Reduction – Get the Habit- Secrets from Research (7712) ↗

Accent Reduction – Get the Habit- Secrets from Research Habits—we all have them.   Some good. Some bad.  You know what they are.  You know which are good.  You know which you should stop.  But… it’s hard.  In fact, sometimes you feel positively powerless.  And, fact is, you are not crazy. Get this: 40% of what […]

256. Best Number of Minutes for Presentations to Management (7706) ↗

Best Number of Minutes for Presentations to Management Keep it short.  Ten minutes.  That means refine your presentation so it’s direct and to the point and interesting.             Rerun from May 30, 2016

257. Accent Reduction – Get the Syllable Accent Stress Rules for French-Latin Suffixes (7708) ↗

Accent Reduction – Get the Syllable Accent Stress Rules for French-Latin Suffixes       I like finding the patterns in English pronunciation.  Based on academic learning and experience, I’ve learned that about everything has a pattern. I’ve been looking for the pattern for syllable accent stress when suffixes are added to English words for quite some time. […]

258. Dressing for Presentations (7702) ↗

Dressing for Presentations If your office dress is business casual, be sure you err on the side of business versus casual.  This gives the impression that you are more serious and committed to your work. Rerun from May 23, 2016

259. Accent Reduction – Finally- the Keys to Suffixes and Syllable Accent Stress (Germanic vs French-Latin suffix rules) (7704) ↗

Accent Reduction – Finally- the Keys to Suffixes and Syllable Accent Stress (Germanic vs French-Latin suffix rules) Have you ever wondered why when you add a suffix onto a root word, sometimes the syllable accent stress stays on the same syllable as the root word and sometimes it moves to the syllable next to the […]

260. Speak with Energy with Microphone (7700) ↗

Speak with Energy with Microphone You must speak as forcefully with a mic as without one.  The energy of your voice gives color and meaning to your language.  The more robust the volume, the greater the intonation, inflection, and greater the shades of meaning you will be able to convey.       Rerun from […]

261. Accent Reduction – The History & Backstory to English’s Wonderful Triplets and Doublets (7698) ↗

Accent Reduction – The History & Backstory to English’s Wonderful Triplets and Doublets Have you ever wondered why English has so many words that come from other languages? Have you ever wondered why English has words – often two or three- for the same thing.  These triplets and doublets allow us to express ideas with […]

262. When to Use a Microphone (7696) ↗

When to Use a Microphone If in a large room where you are forced to be 15 to 20 feet from the audience, use a lavalier mic – the kind that tacks to your lapel or collar and leaves your hands free.           Rerun from May 9, 2016

263. English Communication- Magic Phrases for Moving Among People (7694) ↗

English Communication- Magic Phrases for Moving Among People There are magic phrases that everyone uses to make moving among people in daily life a pleasure and which endear you to others. Gracious politeness.  Smile when you say these phrases. Smile so that your eyes are also smiling. Good morning.  Good afternoon.  Good evening. These are the […]

264. The Power of Standing for Presentations (7691) ↗

The Power of Standing for Presentations Why standing for presentations is awesome: There is more of you to see so you and presentation are more visually stimulating and memorable. You will speak louder. Louder is better. Three of four presenters speak too softly. When volume is down, excitement is down and the presentation is less […]

265. English Communication- Do These for that Important Interview (7688) ↗

English Communication- Do These for that Important Interview What are your critical actions during job interviews?  What are critical behaviors? These critical behaviors also apply to interviews which look like meetings where your  supervisor is determining whether to promote you to a higher position (with more or different responsibility and perhaps greater salary/fee). Here are […]

266. Preparation- The Key to Drive Away Anxiety (7659) ↗

Preparation- The Key to Drive Away Anxiety The three most important words for decreasing anxiety for a presentation is “Preparation, Preparation, Preparation.” Prepare your talk, outline it, write it out, make notes, immerse yourself in the materials.  Rehearse it aloud until you are sick of it.  Then do it one more time.     Rerun […]

267. English Communication- Get Best Body Language for Face-to-Face Communication (and Interviews) (7682) ↗

English Communication- Get Best Body Language for Face-to-Face Communication (and Interviews) What’s the most important body language during face to face communication – especially job interviews? You have a core feeling about how important the communication of your body is to the other person.  Here are some body language tips to give you the confidence […]

268. Death of Fear (7657) ↗

 Death of Fear Seek opportunities to speak. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Do the thing you fear to do and the death of that fear is certain.”     Rerun from April 14, 2016

269. English Communication: Change in the World’s 7000 Languages and What Happens When Languages Die (7680) ↗

English Communication: Change in the World’s 7000 Languages and What Happens When Languages Die Here’s some more information about the world’s current 7000 languages – information all communicating human beings should know. English is the lingua franca of our digital age.  Those who use it as a second language may outnumber its native speakers by […]

270. Special Tips for Using Quotes to Communicate the Judgment of Experts (7655) ↗

Special Tips for Using Quotes to Communicate the Judgment of Experts For best results for using  the judgment of experts as evidence to support your viewpoint or recommendation: Explain expert’s credential if not known to listeners (Example: renown physicist) Use short quotes Putting quotes on projected slides increases their power       Rerun from […]

271. Accent Reduction: The Twenty Most Predominantly Spoken Languages (7678) ↗

Accent Reduction: The Twenty Most Predominantly Spoken Languages We are all part of this vast globe.  We are approximately seven billion people.  We conduct our lives in one or several of about seven thousand languages. The mother tongue of more than three billion people is one of twenty.  In order of their predominance: Mandarin Chinese […]

272. Use the Power of Analogy as Evidence In Presentations (7653) ↗

Use the Power of Analogy as Evidence In Presentations Whenever you can, use analogies to support the points you are making.  People remember vivid mental images longer than they remember words. Rerun from April 4, 2016

273. Accent Reduction- Get Inspired to Master These English Speech Sounds (7676) ↗

Accent Reduction- Get Inspired to Master These English Speech Sounds Here is some information about the English language which will give you inspiration for mastering particular sounds: The most frequently spoken consonant is “n.” The “e” is the most commonly used letter in the English language. Furthermore, as many as one in eight of all […]

274. Presentations: Get and Use These Five Kinds of Evidence (7651) ↗

Presentations: Get and Use These Five Kinds of Evidence To support or back up your viewpoint or recommendations, use these 5 kinds of evidence: Personal experience or story Analogy Judgment of Experts Examples Statistical Facts     Rerun from March 28, 2016

275. English Communication: Get More of Backstory for Those Unusual Spellings of English Words (7674) ↗

English Communication: Get More of Backstory for Those Unusual Spellings of English Words Does understanding how changes came about in the English language make the pronunciation and spelling easier for you?  Yes!  It gives you the patterns for whole sets of words. And, oh my! … the reasons for changes in the English language are […]

276. Successful Speaking Means You Must Provide Evidence for Your Viewpoint or Recommendations (7649) ↗

Successful Speaking Means You Must Provide Evidence for Your Viewpoint or Recommendations Evidence is what makes what you have to say interesting and believable. Evidence makes your presentation persuasive and memorable.     Rerun from March 21, 2016

277. English Communication: Fascinating Reasons for Those Unusual Spellings for Some English Words (7671) ↗

English Communication: Fascinating Reasons for Those Unusual Spellings for Some English Words You know that for as much as 70-75% of words in English, the pronunciation follows English language rules tied to the spelling of the word. But what about the other words?  Why are they spelled the way they are spelled? Knowing the patterns […]

278. Let Your Voice Ring Out During Presentations (7647) ↗

Let Your Voice Ring Out During Presentations Greater volume means everyone can hear all your speech sounds and can understand all your words. Wonderful is that when your voice rings out, the volume is a trigger mechanism.  The rest of your body will follow, and you’ll gesture more, emphasize more, and hand movements and facial […]

279. English Speaking Skills: Understanding Gets You to Pronunciation Mastery- Important Reasons for Some Strange Spellings (7669) ↗

English Speaking Skills: Understanding Gets You to Pronunciation Mastery- Important Reasons for Some Strange Spellings Here are two sets of words which give you a sample of words in English that do not follow the rules of pronunciation or spelling of English. Corpse and corps Horse and worse About 70% of the words in English […]

280. All Speakers Think They Speak Louder than They Do (7645) ↗

All Speakers Think They Speak Louder than They Do That’s because they are hearing themselves through the bone structure of their head as well as through their ears.   Rerun from March 7, 2016

281. Accent Reduction: One of Hottest Job Skills is Fluency in English and Another Language (7667) ↗

Accent Reduction: One of Hottest Job Skills is Fluency in English and Another Language Are you working to get accurate, fluent English? Fluency in English and another language is one of the hottest job skills in the U.S. As early as 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor noted that translators and interpreters  would be one of the […]

282. Impact of Low Volume Voice During Presentations (7643) ↗

Impact of Low Volume Voice During Presentations Audiences interpret low volume as the speakers having low conviction or low interest on their topic.  Audiences say to themselves, “If the speaker isn’t interested, I’m not either.”  Then the audience stops paying attention to you.     Rerun from Feb 29, 2016

283. Accent Reduction: Why did English Become a Dominant World-Language? (7665) ↗

Accent Reduction: Why did English Become a Dominant World-Language? Have you ever wondered why English became a dominant world-language?  Have you ever wondered whether Mandarin (China’s official language) would take the place of English as the globe’s most important language? The answer to English becoming a dominant language lies in history.  The British Empire spread […]

284. Best Stance for Speakers (7641) ↗

Best Stance for Speakers You look strongest and in greatest control when you plant your two feet shoulder-width apart, weight equally balanced, body facing square to the audience. That way, all your energy communicates itself in gestures, facial expressions, and upper body movements.         Rerun from Feb 22, 2016

285. English Speaking Skills: What is Best Number of Words in Sentences? (7663) ↗

English Speaking Skills: What is Best Number of Words in Sentences? English communication and writing.  Did you ever wonder what length of sentences are best for communicating information in writing? Here is one angle of view on that question. I investigated newspapers for answers because they are intended for a large variety of readers.  Readers […]

286. What to do With Your Hands During a Presentation (7639) ↗

What to do With Your Hands During a Presentation When you begin, your hands should hang relaxed by your side. Best is to gesture with one hand at a time. Hand and arm movements can be descriptive and emphatic.       Rerun from Feb 16, 2016

287. English Speaking Skills: Come and Get It: Memorable Colloquial Phrases From All Sections of Newspapers (7661) ↗

English Speaking Skills: Come and Get It: Memorable Colloquial Phrases From All Sections of Newspapers Don’t you love it when something you enjoy has an additional benefit? It’s like “Buy one, get one free”  or BOGO as our media likes to call it. I love to read newspapers. Now colloquial phrases leap out at me […]

288. What to do With the Energy and Adrenaline When Presenting (7636) ↗

What to do With the Energy and Adrenaline When Presenting Energy is awesome during a presentation. Use that energy by: Gesturing for emphasis Gesture for excitement           Rerun from Feb 8, 2016

289. English Speaking Skills: For Sure Current Colloquial Phrases (7634) ↗

English Speaking Skills:  For Sure Current Colloquial Phrases Students have asked me every year for some current good colloquial phrases.  I haven’t been able to provide them easily.  Getting them from current popular media of movies and television shows would mean hours of viewing with the specific purpose of directly listening for them and writing […]

290. Benefits of Focusing on One Person at a Time in the Audience (7631) ↗

Benefits of Focusing on One Person at a Time in the Audience Great benefits come when you focus your eyes on one person at a time: You control your nervousness by getting back to doing what you do best – talking one-to-one You communicate your connection and rapport to people Helps you read your audience […]

291. English Speaking Skills: Finally! An Awesome Way to Find Excellent Colloquial Phrases (7629) ↗

English Speaking Skills:  Finally! An Awesome Way to Find Excellent Colloquial Phrases How to make your English speech – spoken or written—more interesting? It’ s easy: Use current colloquial phrases. The problem is knowing which ones to use.  Books are written in every decade of the last half-century about colloquialisms and what they mean and […]

292. Where to Focus Your Eyes When Presenting (7627) ↗

Where to Focus Your Eyes When Presenting Focus on one person and one pair of eyes.  Remain focused on that one person in the audience until you complete a thought.  A thought is not a paragraph, it’s a sentence or a phrase.  Usually it is more than five seconds but not as much as fifteen […]

293. English Speaking Skills: Tips for Spicing up Conversation (7625) ↗

English Speaking Skills:  Tips for Spicing up Conversation The lovely thing about conversations is that you can add to your skill of making your conversations even more satisfying. Consider this:  Borrow an idea from professional speakers and develop a collection of attention-getting small stories or quotes to use in conversations.  Gather together these sayings and stories from […]

294. Complaints- How to Respond (7622) ↗

Complaints- How to Respond Top tip: treat a complaint with as much respect as an order, letting customers know you are eager to serve them as to sell them. (Paraphrased from L.E. Frailey, Handbook of Business Letters)       Rerun from Jan 4, 2016

295. English Speaking Skills: Small Talk Topics (7620) ↗

English Speaking Skills:  Small Talk Topics Holidays are occasions for gatherings and conversation. We also use small talk conversations to build rapport and relationship when we gather for meetings.  Thirdly, even when waiting for events to begin, we often engage in conversation and build connection to those people around us. Whether or not we are […]

296. Acknowledgments and Confirmation- Useful Phrases (7617) ↗

Acknowledgments and Confirmation- Useful Phrases Here are some useful phrases for acknowledgments and confirmations: as I mentioned on the phone as we agreed yesterday I enjoyed our conversation of in response to your letter I sincerely appreciated look forward to continuing our discussion thank you for the package that this will acknowledge the receipt of […]

297. English Speaking Skills: Top Communication Skills — Especially as a New Hire (7615) ↗

English Speaking Skills:  Top Communication Skills — Especially as a New Hire Communication skills are critical for all.  What is crucial for a new hire is super important no matter how long you have worked at an organization. Communication is critical for clear understanding of your responsibilities.  Ask these questions as a new hire and […]

298. Acknowledgments and Confirmation- Format (7607) ↗

Acknowledgments and Confirmation- Format Some tips on format: Use email for routine acknowledgments and confirmations. For business records, be sure to have back-up file copies of transactions. Personal acknowledgments and confirmations are handwritten on informal personal stationery. Email can be used for casual situations.       Rerun from Dec 21, 2015

299. English Speaking Skills: Top Tips for Leadership — Especially as a New Hire (7605) ↗

English Speaking Skills:  Top Tips for Leadership  — Especially as a New Hire Here are some top tips and guidelines for your leadership and coordinating your efforts with your team at work. Take time to understand the company’s current goals and how things work. First, listen and learn. Then do your leadership job and move […]

300. Acknowledgments and Confirmation- Tips on Promptness (7602) ↗

Acknowledgments and Confirmation- Tips on Promptness Do write promptly.  Acknowledgments are, by their very nature, sent immediately. One except is acknowledging expressions of sympathy.  Because of the hardships involved, responses may be sent up to six weeks later. Or, a close relative of the bereaved may write the acknowledgment:  “Mother asked me to tell you how […]

301. English Speaking Skills: Top Tips for Figuring Out Your Work Culture (7600) ↗

English Speaking Skills:  Top Tips for Figuring Out Your Work Culture Do you notice that some people at work are confident and so very comfortable with their work and colleagues? You have probably figured out that all work environments are not the same.  We call that culture – work culture. Consider these tips when you […]

302. Acknowledgements and Confirmation- How to say it (7596) ↗

Acknowledgements and Confirmation- How to say it To make communication clear, here are suggestions for what to include in communications of acknowledgement or confirming: State precisely (reservation, amount, letter, order) what you are acknowledging or confirming. Refer to the date and occasion of your last contact (telephone conversation, previous letter or email, in-person discussion). Describe what action, if […]

303. English Speaking Skills: More Tips on When You Have to Say No (7594) ↗

English Speaking Skills:  More Tips on When You Have to Say No We all want to be able to say “yes” to all requests for help.  However, there are always times when we have to say no.  Here are some more techniques which let us feel more comfortable and the other person feel more comfortable, […]

304. Acknowledgements and Confirmations- Personal Acknowledgments (7592) ↗

Acknowledgements and Confirmations- Personal Acknowledgments You always acknowledge expressions of condolence. You generally or usually acknowledge anniversary or birthday greetings, congratulations, apologies, or divorce announcements.     Rerun from Nov 30, 2015

305. English Speaking Skills- When You Have to Say No (7589) ↗

English Speaking Skills- When You Have to Say No   Many of us have a hard time saying no.  However, from time to time, we all have to say it – and with practice, we can get better at it.  Oh yes, we can say no in a way that lets us feel more comfortable […]

306. Acknowledgments and Confirmations- Other Tips (7585) ↗

Acknowledgments and Confirmations- Other Tips Sometimes a letter of acknowledgment also serves as a “thank you.”  Or it says you received the message or materials, but will respond later, or that you passed them on to the appropriate person. Sometimes, also, “acknowledgment” letters are really marketing letters that use the excuse of acknowledging something (an order, a payment) […]

307. Public Speaking- The Power in Pauses (7582) ↗

Public Speaking- The Power in Pauses   You know that pauses are great for giving people time to process your information.  Pauses are also a perfect strategy for catching audience interest. But that is not all.  Instead of getting flustered with the unexpected, either from you or your surroundings, here are several other clever uses […]

308. Acknowledgements and Confirmations- The basics (7577) ↗

Acknowledgments and Confirmations- The basics “Life is not so short but that there is always time for courtesy.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson Letters of acknowledgment and letters of confirmation are similar.  The letter of acknowledgment says, “I received your letter (email, telephone call, gift, materials).” The letter of confirmations says, “I received your letter (email, message, […]

309. Public Speaking: The Silence is the Gold—Where to Pause (7574) ↗

Public Speaking:  The Silence is the Gold—Where to Pause Have you noticed that the best presenters use pauses when they talk?  You know it sounds and feels good.  Where are they pausing?  Here are three examples: After introductory phrases or clauses “By the time we finish with this endless series of meetings [Pause] we may […]

310. Acceptances: Paragraphs (7572) ↗

Acceptances: Paragraphs Here are some well-composed paragraphs of acceptances. I will be delighted to have dinner with you on Friday, the fourteenth of April, at seven o’clock.  Thanks so much for asking me.  I can hardly wait to see you and Rueben again. Thanks for telling me how much the children at the Thomasville Afterschool Program liked […]

311. Public Speaking- Gestures (7570) ↗

Public Speaking- Gestures   When doing a presentation, gestures are a wonderful way to get people’s attention and to emphasize information. Watching for gestures of professional presenters or debaters is a great way to alert you to gestures you can use. Study and engrain in your memory what you see. Here are observations from the most recent […]

312. Acceptances: Choice and Excellent Sentences (7566) ↗

Acceptances: Choice and Excellent Sentences Here are some sentences putting together communication advice for a variety of acceptances: After reviewing your application, we are pleased to be able to offer you the funding requested. I accept with pleasure the position of senior business analyst. I am happy to be able to do this. I appreciate very much […]

313. English Speech Communication- More for Ending a Conversation (7564) ↗

English Speech Communication- More for Ending a Conversation   Here are some more phrases for ending a conversation.  Always use kind phrases. We Should Mingle May I introduce you to (innocent bystander). Let’s go around and meet some people. I’m going to circulate around the crowd. I don’t know anyone here. Can you introduce me […]

314. Acceptances: What Format to Use (7544) ↗

Acceptances: What Format to Use Model your reply on the format used in the invitation.  If it is handwritten, then handwrite your reply.  If letterhead stationery is used, reply on your letterhead.  If the invitation is emailed, email your acceptance.  When the language of the invitation is informal, your reply is also informal.     […]

315. Acceptances: Job Offers (7537) ↗

Acceptances: Job Offers When offered a position you want, write an acceptance letter that expresses your enthusiasm and pleasure and which confirms the details of your employment. When writing to offer a job to an applicant, include congratulations about being chosen and something complimentary about the person’s background or credentials, experience, or interview. Also give […]

316. Acceptances: Tips on Writing (7532) ↗

Acceptances: Tips on Writing Send acceptances as soon as possible. If you are late, apologize, but keep brief and to the point. Here’s a tip from noted usage expert Rudolf Flesch, “If your answer to an inquiry is yes, it’s a good idea to make yes the first word in your letter.” Be enthusiastic. Of […]

317. Acceptances: How to Say It (7527) ↗

Acceptances: How to Say It When you are writing an acceptance, here are some great guidelines: Express your pleasure in accepting the invitation, offer, proposal or agreeing to do what was asked Repeat the details of what you are accepting (meeting date and time, amount of the contribution, the precise nature of your assistance, the […]

318. What to Write Acceptances for (7522) ↗

What to Write Acceptances for Some people express that they are uncertain whether they need to respond in writing to a request.  To help you know, here is a list of what to write acceptances for: admissions requests: organizations, clubs, school invitations: dinner, luncheon, meeting, party job offers membership offers: organization, board, commission proposals requests: […]

319. Acceptances- The Difficult is Being Sure of the Yes (7518) ↗

Acceptances- The Difficult is Being Sure of the Yes A “yes” that does not come from the heart and emotions results in an unenthusiastic acceptance.  You might find yourself backing out later.  Writing the acceptance is not as difficult as being sure you want to say “yes” in the first place.     Rerun from […]

320. Acceptances- One of Easiest Letters to Write (7513) ↗

Acceptances- One of Easiest Letters to Write Once you decide to accept an invitation or grant a request, simply say that.  This is one of the easiest letters to write.     Rerun from Aug 31, 2015

321. Acceptances- The Only Way to Say Yes (7508) ↗

Acceptances- The Only Way to Say Yes “The mind gives us thousands of ways to say no, but there’s only one way to say yes, and that’s from the heart. “ – Suze Orman             Rerun from Aug 24, 2015

322. Responding to Their Need – Part 3 (7503) ↗

Responding to Their Need – Part 3 “This may or may not be exactly what you’re looking for, but Mary Jones has a business that…” “I don’t know if they are hiring, but here’s the name of someone at XYZ Company.”       Rerun from Aug 10, 2015

323. Responding to Their Need – Part 2 (7498) ↗

Responding to Their Need – Part 2 Here are more phrases that can be used to respond to the needs of others.  Notice that there are no obligations or expectations of reciprocation. “I just thought of someone you might enjoy talking to because…” “It sounds as if what would be helpful is … Here’s the […]

324. Public Speaking: Slides: How to Make the 30 Seconds Viewing Time Work (7496) ↗

Public Speaking: Slides: How to Make the 30 Seconds Viewing Time Work   Keep the key principle in mind—presentations are merely another form of communication.  Visual aids are an ingredient in the recipe of presentations. Visual aids make it easier to communicate complex topics. Now for critical information for you.  The viewing time for most […]

325. Guidelines for Powerful Listening 4-7 (7488) ↗

Guidelines for Powerful Listening 4-7 Be eager to learn something from the conversation. That will also prompt you to ask follow-up questions. Listen with the intention of gathering information, connecting, and developing rapport. Listen for what you have in common. Listen for information that can open the door to other relationships.

326. Guidelines for Powerful Listening, 1-3 (7484) ↗

Guidelines for Powerful Listening, 1-3 Show interest in people and what they say. Make eye contact and focus your attention on the other person. Give all of your attention to what is being said. Looking at the person will help you focus!   Rerun from July 13, 2015

327. Listening & Sharing= Master Networker (7477) ↗

Listening & Sharing= Master Networker Listening, sharing, and passing useful information along to others is the mark of a master networker—a person who grows and nurtures relationships.   Rerun from July 6, 2015

328. Barriers to Offering Information (7472) ↗

Barriers to Offering Information People sometimes hesitate to offer information or ideas to others.   They may think, “It is not my business” or “They didn’t ask, so maybe I shouldn’t offer information.” However, if you offer information with no expectations of reciprocation, I think you will find most people receptive and appreciative.     Rerun […]

329. Fine Tune Your Listening (7468) ↗

Fine Tune Your Listening Find out what people want and need.  Listen for the following phrases: “ I want …” “I need…” “My goal is to …” “I’m having a problem with…” “I’m looking for …” “I’m involved in a project that …”     Rerun from June 22, 2015

330. The Power of Listening and Responding- How to Develop Lifetime Customers (7463) ↗

The Power of Listening and Responding- How to Develop Lifetime Customers If you have a product or a service you sell, don’t think you are done when you have made the sale.  The sale is actually the beginning in building a client relationship that will lead to a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. In addition, by […]

331. The Power of Listening and Responding (7458) ↗

The Power of Listening and Responding Listening and responding to your clients when there is nothing in it for you will help you strengthen your relationships with them and bring rewards in the future. Listen to your customers – and social acquaintances — to see what nonbusiness needs you can help fulfill.  There are many […]

332. What to do When Listening (7453) ↗

What to do When Listening Listen to your clients, and when you hear them talk about something they need, step in and offer help.  Help could come in the form of offering information or introducing them to another person who could help them.     Rerun from June 1, 2015

333. What Happens When You Don’t Listen… and When You Do (7447) ↗

What Happens When You Don’t Listen… and When You Do Poor listening skills can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and missed opportunities. Developing your skill of listening will increase your ability to make immediate connections with people, develop trust and rapport quickly, and build strong relationships that lead to greater satisfaction and successful outcomes.   […]

334. What to do Now for Staying in Touch (7442) ↗

What to do Now for Staying in Touch If you have not been focused on staying in touch with people, take a leap now and get in touch to make connection.   A great goal?   One person a week to reach out to. Here’s an extra tip.  When are some of the best times to call […]

335. More Thoughts on Staying in Touch (7437) ↗

More Thoughts on Staying in Touch The previous Monday speech tips have been about seven different kinds of calls you will be making to friends or colleagues in your network.  You now have examples of openers for those kinds of calls.  When you know what to say, it gives you confidence with telephone communication.  Voices […]

336. How to Begin the “Developing Friendship” Call (7432) ↗

How to Begin the “Developing Friendship” Call “Hi.  This is  Clare Lawton.  I enjoyed our brief visit last week and wanted to see about getting together for lunch.” “Hi.  This is Mike Bryant.  I enjoyed working with you at the conference last month.  Hope things are going well.  I wanted to see if you would […]

337. The “Developing Friendship” Call (7426) ↗

The “Developing Friendship” Call Sometimes you meet someone and recognize an easy, natural rapport that leaves you wanting to get together with that person.  A “developing friendship” call is similar to a “thinking of you “ call, but the focus is to create an opportunity for a personal or professional friendship to develop.   You make […]

338. How to Begin the “How Can I Help” Call (7419) ↗

How to Begin the  “How Can I Help” Call “Hi, this is Frank Lightner.  I remember hearing you comment at breakfast last week that you were looking for information about  … I wanted to let you know about…” “Hi, this is Lindsey Dartmouth.  Richard told me you are looking for a position in …  I […]

339. The “How Can I Help” Call (7412) ↗

The “How Can I Help” Call For this “How Can I  Help” call, just by calling you are showing that you care.  Letting someone know that you are available can mean a lot.  People often don’t know what to ask for, but with good listening and asking skills, you may be able to find out […]

340. The “How Can I Help” Call (7404) ↗

The “How Can I Help” Call You make this call to offer support and make yourself available as a resource.  When you hear about a project or challenge someone is facing, do call.  If you hear someone is going through a job search, you can call and offer ideas and moral support. You may have to ask […]

341. How to Begin the “Asking for Support” Call (7399) ↗

How to Begin the “Asking for Support” Call “Hello, this is Ben Castle. I’m looking for some information about after-school child care centers in the area.  I thought you might be able to help me.” “Hello, this Karen Carpenter.  I wanted to find out who you would recommend I call about getting a new pamphlet designed for […]

342. The “Asking for Support” Call (7395) ↗

The “Asking for Support” Call The “Asking for Support” call is not only a request for something.  It is also your research to get information and  learn more about a specific topic.  This kind of call can provide information, a recommendation, a referral, an appointment, words of encouragement, new ideas, or new opportunities.       Rerun […]

343. The “Asking for Support” Call (7390) ↗

The “Asking for Support” Call This call is made to ask for information, ideas, contacts, or support of some kind.  The most important thing is to be clear about what you want and how you think this person can help. Let people know what is special about them that caused you to call.     […]

344. How to Begin the “Thinking of You” Call (7385) ↗

How to  Begin the “Thinking of You” Call “Hi, this is William Barton.  Just calling to say hi and find out how the book is coming along.  Give me a call when you have a chance.” “Hi, this is Christina Douglas.  I haven’t seen you in a while and have missed you.  No real need […]

345. The “Thinking of You” Call (7379) ↗

The “Thinking of You” Call It is important with friends, clients, and associates to call occasionally for no particular reason other than to say hello and let them know you are thinking of them. A “thinking of you” call is a simple way of keeping communication lines open – no sales pitch, no request, no […]

346. The “New Contact or Referral” Call (7373) ↗

The “New Contact or Referral” Call You make this kind of call to either someone you have just met  or someone you have not yet met  who has been referred to you by someone you know. With a “new contact or referral” call, you are just getting to know each other.  This is an opportunity to gather information to […]

347. The “Follow-Through” Call (7368) ↗

The “Follow-Through” Call A “follow-through” call is made to follow up on an idea or project.  This call may involve asking or giving  information, scheduling a meeting or appointment, or staying in touch about an opportunity: “Hi, this is Marie, calling to follow up to schedule our meeting about next year’s conference.” “This is David.  I wanted […]

348. How to Begin the “Reconnection” Call (7363) ↗

How to Begin the “Reconnection” Call Here are examples for first greetings for the reconnection call: “Jim, this is Anna Jones.  We  sang together in the Sun Valley Choir at the Peach Festival several years ago.” “Elizabeth, this is Mark Carlson.  We used to work together at  ABC Associates.” “Steve, this is Jennifer Higgens; used […]

349. The “Reconnection” Call (7358) ↗

The “Reconnection” Call Cultivating connections is part of the spice and joy of life. The reconnection call is a call to someone you have not talked to in a while.  Your purpose  is  reconnecting, reestablishing the relationship , and getting an update on what the other person is doing. You can start out by acknowledging that it has been […]

350. What You Get From Your Reconnecting Conversation (7353) ↗

What You Get From Your Reconnecting Conversation The information the other person gives could be something of interest to you or something about which you can give support. Or the information might be valuable to someone else you know. Typically, after telling you what’s going on in their lives, they will come back and inquire […]

351. The Power of Reconnecting 2 (7348) ↗

The Power of Reconnecting 2 When calling to reconnect with people, all you have to say is: “I was thinking about you because … “ “I was talking to … and I thought of you.” “I was thinking about my career and I thought about how you influenced me with …”     Rerun from […]

352. The Power of Reconnecting 1 (7342) ↗

The Power of Reconnecting 1 When calling to reconnect with people,  all you have to say is: “Can you believe it’s been … years?” “Do you remember the time we worked on the … project together?”     Rerun from Dec 29, 2014

353. The Power of Staying in Touch… and Reconnecting (7338) ↗

The Power of Staying in Touch… and Reconnecting Everyone has a vast network of relationships. It is great to cultivate your relationships, your network, for growth, action, and interaction So it is important to stay in touch with people.  Staying in touch with people is like the little drops of water that make the trees […]

354. How Do You Approach People with Confidence? (7333) ↗

How Do You Approach People with Confidence? Learning to approach people with confidence is a professional skill that can serve anyone in any line of work. It is not about making people talk or confronting people on elevators. It is about your ability to open the door to conversation, with those people right around you […]

355. How Your Comfort Zone Gets in the Way of Making Contact with Other People (7328) ↗

How Your Comfort Zone Gets in the Way of Making Contact with Other People Notice your comfort zone: Are you comfortable or at ease making conversation with someone you don’t know at a convention or conference? Do you avoid making eye contact with people in elevators and airplanes? Can you respond easily when someone tries […]

356. Networking and Conversations (7318) ↗

Networking and Conversations Networking takes place during conversation.  Opportunities for conversations exist all around you – on airplanes, on elevators, in grocery store lines, at sporting events, conferences, and workshops. Wherever people are, conversation is possible. Anytime there is conversation, networking, or making connections and building relationships, is possible. Conversation happens because some person takes the initiative to […]

357. Important Principles about Small Talk (7310) ↗

Important Principles about Small Talk The principles of small talk are the same whether you are at a small dinner party, a wedding, a conference or corporate meeting. The key principal is worth repeating: Be open and find common ground with the other person.  Always listen.  And do great follow-up questions.     Rerun from Nov […]

358. What Questions do People Enjoy Answering? (7305) ↗

What Questions do People Enjoy Answering? For example, encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments. Be open, find the common ground with the other person.  And always listen. Rerun from Nov 17, 2014

359. What’s the Mark of a Good Conversationalist? (7292) ↗

What’s the Mark of a Good Conversationalist? Answer: Follow-up questions. It is careful listening that makes you better able to respond in conversation.  You can build on what the other person said and be a good talker when it’s your turn.  And best of all, good follow up questions are key to being a good conversationalist. Great tip: […]

360. So You Never Know What to Say! (7282) ↗

So You Never Know What to Say! One key to small talk is listening. Use what the other person is saying as the natural guide.  The person who is talking is always giving ideas and cues about what you might say or ask. Here’s a rule of thumb from Larry King, the long-standing popular talk show host.  […]

361. The Power of Small Talk (7277) ↗

The Power of Small Talk Just as it is little things that build strong relationships, it is small talk that develops the rapport which leads to information, opening opportunities and strong connection. Small talk is not insignificant. Instead, it is the gateway to business referrals, job opportunities, and new friends. During small talk people are paving the […]

362. Networking and the Power of Conversations (7273) ↗

Networking and the Power of Conversations No matter what your career path or role in life, your ability to build a strong support system will be key in your success and well being. Networking is a lifelong process of meeting people, making contacts, developing friendships, and building professional relationships. How do you network? Herein lies […]

363. How Do You As a Speaker Impact an Audience? (7269) ↗

How Do You As a Speaker Impact an Audience? How you look includes your clothes, your facial expression, your stance, your body movement, your hands, how you move your eyes. Suppose you are trying to motivate a group, and you tell them something is “a wonderful opportunity,” but you don’t look or sound it.  Vision is […]

364. Rapport- How Much to Customize? (7265) ↗

Rapport- How Much to Customize? Go to the trouble of learning about the audience.  Make six or seven references geared specifically to your audience.  That makes you, the speaker, something of an insider and lets the audience know you took the trouble of learning about them. Make comments – humorous statements, praise, or just simple […]

365. Rapport- How to? (7261) ↗

Rapport- How to? How to get to that sweet spot of building mutual warmth and walking the same page with your audience? Answer: Put their needs and interests ahead of your own. You don’t ignore your own needs, but put the spotlight on their needs. For example,  if your audience has been listening to hours of […]

366. Rapport- Pure and Simple (7255) ↗

Rapport- Pure and Simple What makes you different from a robot?  You can grow rapport with the audience. What is the goal of rapport?  A feeling of mutual warmth and the sense that you’re on the same wavelength and mind frame.     Rerun from Oct 1, 2014

367. What do YOU want to accomplish through your speech? (7250) ↗

What do YOU want to accomplish through your speech? Get the answer to the question of what you personally want to achieve through your speech makes developing your speech… the words and the nonverbal props and body language… easier. Do you have any of these goals? You want to build your credibility You want the […]

368. Figure Out Why You Are Presenting (7246) ↗

Figure Out Why You Are Presenting What is the function of your talk?  Are you trying to inform, persuade, inspire, or entertain. What is your motivation for speaking -Were you asked to speak? -Were you ordered to speak? -Do you want to speak? What is your audience’s motivation for listening? -Does the audience want to hear […]

369. Deciding Whether You Should Accept an Invitation to Speak- Part 1 (7232) ↗

Deciding Whether You Should Accept an Invitation to Speak- Part 1 (Of course, if your boss asks you to give a speech, do it!) First things first: Do you have the time in your schedule? o   You need time to get to and from the event and answer questions Do you have time to prepare? o   You […]

370. Write It Out (7223) ↗

Write It Out You should write out your conclusion for two reasons. First, writing the conclusion combats stage fright. This time is the second most nerve-racking time for speakers So if you write it out, you don’t have to worry about forgetting it. Second, and most important, if you write out the conclusion, you’ll know […]

371. Wow Your Audience (7218) ↗

Wow Your Audience Get a business card from someone in the company that you’ll be addressing and scan in the company logo. Then you can make it appear in the corner of every screen with your logo.       Rerun from 08/04/2014

372. Tips for Teleconferencing (7214) ↗

Tips for Teleconferencing Use emotion in your voice. Emphasize emotion so you don’t speak in a flat tone. Use metaphors and similes to create word pictures for others.         Rerun from 07/28/2014

373. Practice Makes Confidence (7210) ↗

Practice Makes Confidence Simulate the real conditions. The more closely you can imitate actual speaking conditions in your rehearsal, the more confident you will be for the actual presentation. Use your actual notes. Use the actual clothes. Will you use a handheld microphone? Most people don’t have a sound system in their home for rehearsal purposes. Comedy coach […]

374. Tip: Sending a Message with Facial Expressions (7204) ↗

Tip: Sending a Message with Facial Expressions Use your face to accentuate key points. Act what you are saying. Are you incredulous about a statistic you have just spoken? Raise your eyebrows in disbelief. Are you describing a strategy you disagree with? Frown.     Rerun from July 14, 2014

375. Tips for Teleconferences (7200) ↗

Tips for Teleconferences Pause so another person can speak. Save complex questions for e-mail unless you need an immediate answer.       Rerun from July 7, 2014

376. Practice Makes Perfect (7196) ↗

Practice Makes Perfect Rehearse out loud. The only way you can tell how your speech will sound is to do it and listen to it. That means you have to say it out loud. Doing the speech in your head and listening to it doesn’t work – that is not the voice your audience will hear.   […]

377. Tip: Convincing People (7192) ↗

Tip: Convincing People The more separate arguments you make against your opponent’s position, the more difficult it is for your opponent to deal with each of those items.       Rerun from June 23, 2014

378. Sending A Message with Facial Expressions (7187) ↗

Sending A Message with Facial Expressions The single most important facial expression is the smile. Create instant rapport anywhere in the world by simply smiling at the audience.     Rerun from 06/11/2017

379. Tip for Questions & Answers in Presentations (7182) ↗

Tip for Questions & Answers in Presentations End the presentation on time. Some audience members come solely for your speech. Stick to the schedule. You can make yourself available after for anyone who wants to pursue the discussion further.       Rerun from 06/09/2014

380. Tips for Teleconferences (7178) ↗

Tips for Teleconferences Speak clearly. Identify yourself and your location when speaking. Indicate when you are finished.   Rerun from 05/05/2014

381. Rule of 60% (7173) ↗

Rule of 60%   Only 60% will show up.   So set up chairs for a presentation for only 60%. Keep extra chairs available.   Rerun from 04/28/2017

382. The Real Thing (7171) ↗

The Real Thing There is no substitute for the real thing.  A 30-second demonstration is more effective than 30 minutes of words.       Rerun from 04/21/2014

383. To Get Ahead (7160) ↗

To Get Ahead If you are looking for a horse to ride to get ahead, just become a good presenter. Notice I didn’t say “excellent” or “outstanding”.  Just become good – because the rest of the world is so terrible. -David Peoples   Rerun from April 7, 2017

384. Job Advancement (7155) ↗

Job Advancement   As executives reach middle management and above, the primary criteria for advancement are communication and motivation skills rather than basic job performance.

385. Conclusion for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning (7151) ↗

Conclusion for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning   The natural tendency of human beings is to:  Justify on facts, but buy on feeling  Justify with business reasons, but buy for personal reasons  Justify with logic, but buy on emotion Rerun from March 24, 2014

386. Communication Skills and Changing Times (7146) ↗

Communication Skills and Changing Times Times have changed. Yesterday, the most qualified person got the job. Today, among equal qualifications, the best communicator gets the job.           Rerun from 03/17/2014

387. English Speaking Skills: A Job Interview as an Audition (7143) ↗

English Speaking Skills: A Job Interview as an Audition A great tip for job interviewing : Think of the job interview as an audition.  Most people put lots of energy into getting an interview.  But many fall down during the actual interview.  Why?  Poor planning and a lack of practice. What to do? Stage a […]

388. Communication Skills (7140) ↗

Communication Skills  According to a survey of faculty members at engineering schools:  Opinion of the faculty members was that 15% of an engineer’s future success depends on his or her engineering skills, while 85% depends upon communication skills.     Rerun from 03/03/2014

389. Communication (7135) ↗

Communication   The thinking human being Not able to express himself, Stands at the same level as Those who cannot think.  -Pericles Rerun from 02/24/2014

390. Visual Aids (7131) ↗

Visual Aids Visual Aids Learning is improved up to 200%  (Study at University of Wisconsin) Retention is improved up to 38% (Studies at Harvard and Columbia) Time to explain complex subjects is reduced by 25% and 40% (Study at Wharton School of Business)   Rerun from 02/17/2014

391. Part 2- Stand up and Use Visual Aids (7127) ↗

Part 2- Stand up and Use Visual Aids The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania did a controlled study of a presentation in which they tried to persuade people to invest their money in a new business. Group A: told story sitting down, and  58% agreed to sign up for the business […]

392. Stand Up and Use Visual Aids! (7123) ↗

Stand Up and Use Visual Aids!   People who stand up and use visual aids are perceived as: -more professional -more persuasive -more credible -more interesting -and better prepared   Rerun from Feb 3, 2014

393. Success (Over $250,000) (7119) ↗

 Success (Over $250,000) Primary Factors in Achieving Success (over  $250,000): 1.      Communication skills 71% 2.      Intelligence 64% 3.      Integrity 54% 4.      Experience 50% 5.      Enthusiasm, positive attitude 48% 6.      Self-esteem/confidence  37% 7.      Risk taking attitude 35% 8.      Formal education 29% 9.      Ambition 25% 10.   Emotional Maturity 16% (Lamalle Report on Top Executives of the 1990s)     Rerun from Jan 27, 2014

394. Success (7115) ↗

Success Research by the American Society for Training and Development concluded that “the only thing that ranks above communication skills as a factor in workplace success is job knowledge.”         Rerun from Jan 20, 2014

395. The Power of Speaking (7107) ↗

The Power of Speaking                      Ponder this gem: If all my talents and powers were to be taken from me by some inscrutable Providence, and I had my choice of keeping but one, I would unhesitatingly ask to be allowed to keep the Power of Speaking, […]

396. Anxious? (7102) ↗

Anxious? Most important strategy: Preparation My personal favorite:27 Rehearse out loud My newly found tip: Arrive one hour early and meet and greet people at the door.     Rerun from 12/30/2013

397. Breath Pauses (7097) ↗

Breath Pauses One of my favorite strategies is to mark breath pauses in your narrative for a presentation.  Many people, especially nonnative speakers of English, polish their presentation by writing it out their script or narrative.  Many people forget to include pauses.  Listeners need the pauses to process what you are saying. Marking your copy for […]

398. Easy Tips to a Better Voice During Presentations (7093) ↗

Easy Tips to a Better Voice During Presentations Here are some easy to do tips to get you a better voice during presentations: Avoid the restriction of tight clothing that might keep the abdominal area from expanding. Tight clothing is especially restrictive if you have just eaten a heavy meal. Better yet, do not eat […]

399. How to Solve the Problem of a Very High-Pitched Voice from Anxiety (7089) ↗

How to Solve the Problem of a Very High-Pitched Voice from Anxiety Here is another tip for a problem that is very common with improper breathing – a very high-pitched voice. When we get nervous or anxious, our pitch generally rises because of increased tension in the throat area. When you combine anxiety with having […]

400. How to Fix the Common Voice Problem of Glottal Fry During a Presentation (7082) ↗

How to Fix the Common Voice Problem of Glottal Fry During a Presentation   Here are is a tip for a common voice problem called glottal fry during a presentation. The Problem: Glottal fry is a popping sound or voice with a low pitch and rough voice that can be heard toward the ends of […]

401. A Clever Technique for Breathing Before a Presentation (7080) ↗

A Clever Technique for Breathing Before a Presentation I love this tip for helping your breathing before a presentation. Take a good abdominal-diaphragmatic breath about 10 seconds before you are going to start your presentation. Take another good abdominal-diaphragmatic breath just before you begin your opening line. These two deep breaths will build your air supply. […]

402. Choppy Speech and the Breathing Solution (7075) ↗

Choppy Speech and the Breathing Solution Here is a problem that can happen with poor breathing during presentation speaking: Poor breathing may result in choppy disjointed speech that can happen when you take a breath pause at the wrong time. The solution: do greater inhalations using the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. Mark your script with […]

403. The Importance of Good Breathin (7071) ↗

The Importance of Good Breathing Did you know that when we speak, we use a different breathing pattern than when we are at rest? • Our ratio of inhalation to exhalation at rest is close to 1:1 • For speech, that ratio must change to 1:5 or even 1:10 • You can control the air […]

404. Fail-Safe Questions (7066) ↗

Fail-Safe Questions   For this week’s accent reduction advice, we have a speech tip video below. Also, whether you are a student meeting new people or an adult who knows no one at a work gathering, you can use fail-safe questions with particular themes to open and start conversations.  Today, here are three: The journey […]

405. Polish Your Conversational Skills (7060) ↗

Polish Your Conversational Skills For this week’s accent reduction advice, we have a speech tip video below. Also, an important aspect of English speech training is polishing conversational skills. If you avoid brief social interactions, try making pleasant connections with neighbors, co-workers or other people you see regularly. Smile at the woman serving you at […]

406. Tips to Perfect the Fine Art of Dialogue (7055) ↗

Tips to Perfect the Fine Art of Dialogue For this week’s clear English speech coaching, here are a couple of tips to perfect the fine art of dialogue. Good, engaging conversation is like a Frisbee that you catch, spin and toss to the next person. Marylynne Pitz March launches spring, spring break, and socializing outdoors. […]

407. Public Speaking: How to Train Yourself to Stay (7053) ↗

Public Speaking: How to Train Yourself to Stay Staying focused when you are responding to complex questions is difficult for all people. Maybe the question comes in a meeting. Maybe during a presentation. It is even more difficult if you are a non-native born speaker of English or you have English as a native language and […]

408. Set-Up for You for Your Presentation (7051) ↗

Set-Up for You for Your Presentation Hello Everybody, For this week’s clear English speech coaching, here are a couple of tips for the set-up for you for your presentation. Don’t let the audiovisual staff run your show. Turn the lights up bright, so you are displayed better. Don’t hide behind the lectern. Get out front. […]

409. Jolt Them With a Headline! (7036) ↗

Jolt Them With a Headline For this week’s clear English speech tip, here is a tip for grabbing the attention of an audience: Jolt them with a headline. A headline is a statement that surprises or challenges them. Three rules for a headline It should be one sentence. It should hint at information that makes […]

410. Tips for Story Telling (7031) ↗

Tips for Story Telling  For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, here are tips for story telling in a presentation… or conversation.   The hard thing is to begin. There is a right way and a wrong way to start a story, whether it is an anecdote […]

411. THE ENTIRE WORLD LOVES A STORY (7027) ↗

Here are tips for telling a story as part of your presentation… or conversation: THE ENTIRE WORLD LOVES A STORY So find one. You won’t have to look that hard. You need to look inside yourself and decide what you are willing to share. A story is always appropriate. All the world loves a story […]

412. Tips for Being a Masterful Presenter (7023) ↗

Tips for Being a Masterful Presenter 1.    An effective presentation builds a relationship with people who are giving you the gift of their time and attention. You may be able to require their time, but you have to earn their attention. 2.    To paraphrase Lani Arrendondo, to relate like a Pro or master of communication, […]

413. Tips for Organizing Your Presentation Like a Pro (7019) ↗

Tips for Organizing Your Presentation Like a Pro The scenario:  You are asked to do a presentation. Perhaps it is at a lunch or you are asked to talk as part of a team. You were asked to speak because you have recognized expertise. To paraphrase Kevin Daley, the temptation for any speaker is to […]

414. The Rule of Three! (7014) ↗

The Rule of Three!  For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, do the Rule of Three. Every great message contains at least one but not more than three key points. 1. Why should you follow the Rule of Three? People are so swamped with information, they quickly […]

415. Seize Your Audience’s Attention When You Do A Presentation (7009) ↗

Seize Your Audience’s Attention When You Do A Presentation My favorite opener: John Paul Getty once told a group of would-be billionaires his secret of success was: “Rise early, work hard, strike oil.” Now, here are 3 different ways to grab your audience’s attention right away: 1. Begin with a quotation. When it comes to […]

416. Start Your Presentation With A Bang! (7004) ↗

Start Your Presentation With A Bang!  For today’s dollop of clear English speech coaching, here’s more advice about starting your presentation with a bang. 1. If you do nothing else to prepare for your speech, make an opener that not only gets people’s attention, but makes them think about your theme. 2. For that reason, […]

417. A Brilliant Opener to Your Presentations (7000) ↗

A Brilliant Opener to Your Presentations Here’s more on a brilliant opener to your presentations—the story or anecdote. 1. An anecdote briefly describes an incident that’s interesting, amusing or biographical. All three together are sure to get attention. That’s why many presenters start by saying “A funny thing happened to me…” 2. It’s critical to make the […]

418. Earn Your Audience’s Attention! (6991) ↗

Earn Your Audience’s Attention!  Let’s turn our attention to those first words for your presentation. 1. The audience has given you their time. But their attention is something you have to earn. 2. The only way you get them thinking and participating is to seize their attention, to grab them. 3. Questions are good grabbers. So are […]

419. Pauses In A Presentation, Part Two (6984) ↗

Pauses In A Presentation, Part Two For your weekly dose of clear English coaching, we have a weekly speech tip video below. Do you want to know a brilliant tactic for pausing at the beginning of a presentation? 1. Brilliantly effective is this: When you are first introduced, upon arriving at the podium or your location of delivery, […]

420. Pauses In A Presentation, Part One (6980) ↗

Pauses In A Presentation, Part One If you are an ESLer, your audience welcomes pauses in a presentation. If it is a lengthy pause of more than two seconds, smile at them, so they won’t think you forgot what to say next.  1. Pauses give the audience time to process words when they are said in accented English. […]

421. A Powerful Point of View for Presentations (6957) ↗

A Powerful Point of View for Presentations Remember this:  “The presentation is a moment of truth for the presenter. We can’t hide. We are exposed, for better or worse. The listeners decide whether they like us, believe us, trust us, and perceive whether we are secure in ourselves and confident in what we are saying.” — Kevin Daley […]

422. Stand Still and Watch Your Confidence Grow During Presentations! (6955) ↗

Stand Still and Watch Your Confidence Grow During Presentations!    You may have a picture in your mind of a speaker pacing back and forth while holding the eyes of everyone on him. But walking around just gets in the way of your voice clearly ringing in the ears of your listeners. 1. You look […]

423. How Does an Audience Impact a Speaker? (6953) ↗

How Does an Audience Impact a Speaker? 1. You walk to the front of the room and turn to face the audience. Your instincts say to scan the audience. Your eyes almost wander by themselves. But that makes a feeling of nervousness. You get an extra jolt of adrenaline. Your thoughts get jumbled; your mind can go […]

424. Don’ts for Effective Preparation and Speaking (6951) ↗

Don’ts for Effective Preparation and Speaking 1. Never read a speech to an audience. They deserve better and so do you. Recall your own experience. Have you ever been impressed when a speaker read a talk or sermon to you? If you answer is, “No,” then don’t inflict the same injury on others. 2. What about reading notes? […]

425. Cool Tips for How to Prepare for Your Presentation (6949) ↗

Cool Tips for How to Prepare for Your Presentation 1. Should you write out your talk? Some say absolutely no. Others say that with the computer, this is easy and helps us think. People are surprised to hear that is what I do. Many other ESL people have told me that is what they do. 2. […]

426. Stand Up and Speak as Well as You Think! (6947) ↗

Stand Up and Speak as Well as You Think! 1.Winston Churchill said it took him six to seven hours to prepare a forty-five minute speech. If you want to be confident, you must know that your message is worthy of the audience, worthy of the occasion, and worthy of you. The time and work are worth it. Your […]

427. Where Should Your Hands Be? (6945) ↗

Where Should Your Hands Be?   1.   Where should your hands be? When you begin, they should hang naturally by your body. Then they should describe and emphasize what you are saying. 2.   Ideally, you should gesture with one hand at a time. When you move both you waste energy without getting any […]

428. How Do You as a Speaker Impact an Audience? (6943) ↗

How Do You as a Speaker Impact an Audience? How you look includes your clothes, your facial expression, your stance, your body movement, your hands, how you move your eyes. Suppose you are trying to motivate a group, and you tell them something is “a wonderful opportunity,” but you don’t look or sound it.  Vision is […]

429. Careers – Getting Hired— Four Steps to a Perfect Resume (6938) ↗

Careers – Getting Hired— Four Steps to a Perfect Resume Did you know that companies have favorite times for eliminating positions… and you.  I know from personal experience—the experience of our students in the last 15 years. Thankfully, organizations actually do try to avoid eliminating positions and letting go of employees before or after the […]

430. End Your Presentation With A Bang (6801) ↗

End Your Presentation With A Bang   The end of a presentation, especially at a luncheon, needs to feel like dessert – sweet and satisfying. Show your enthusiasm through lively gestures, facial expressions, and speech volume. Restate your viewpoint.  Send them back to work with a lift.

431. English communication skills- Networking- How to Get Acquainted-Great Questions (6929) ↗

English communication skills- Networking- How to Get Acquainted-Great Questions  Networking is communicating. It is the way you interact and relate to the people, the world, and opportunities around you. Fact is, there is joy in connecting and building relationships – that is the spirit of networking  in our personal and professional life. Beginnings are hard […]

432. English communication skills- Networking is Communicating and Connecting (6927) ↗

English communication skills-  Networking is Communicating and Connecting It is all about relationships, connecting.  Networking is another term for that lifelong process of meeting people, making contacts, developing friendships and building professional relationships. It is in the communicating where networking happens.  The skill of networking involves learning how and when to approach people, how and […]

433. Acknowledgements and Confirmations- The basics (6597) ↗

Acknowledgements and Confirmations- The basics “Life is not so short but that there is always time for courtesy.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson Letters of acknowledgement and letters of confirmation are similar.  The letter of acknowledgment says, “I received your letter (email, telephone call, gift, materials).” The letter of confirmations says, “I received your letter (email, message, […]

434. Public Speaking- The Power in Pauses (6668) ↗

Public Speaking- The Power in Pauses   You know that pauses are great for giving people time to process your information.  Pauses are also a perfect strategy for catching audience interest. But that is not all.  Instead of getting flustered with the unexpected, either from you or your surroundings, here are several other clever uses […]

435. Acceptances: Paragraphs (6595) ↗

Acceptances: Paragraphs Here are some well composed paragraphs of acceptances. I will be delighted to have dinner with you on Friday, the fourteenth of April, at seven o’clock.  Thanks so much for asking me.  I can hardly wait to see you and Rueben again. Thanks for telling me how much the children at the Thomasville […]

436. Public Speaking: The Silence is the Gold—Where to Pause (6663) ↗

Public Speaking:  The Silence is the Gold—Where to Pause   Have you noticed that the best presenters use pauses when they talk?  You know it sounds and feels good.  Where are they pausing?  Here are three examples: After introductory phrases or clauses “By the time we finish with this endless series of meetings [Pause] we […]

437. Acceptances: Choice and Excellent Sentences (6593) ↗

Acceptances: Choice and Excellent Sentences Here are some sentences putting together communication advice for a variety of acceptances: After reviewing your application, we are pleased to be able to offer you the funding requested. I accept with pleasure the position of senior business analyst. I am happy to be able to do this. I appreciate […]

438. Public Speaking- Gestures (6660) ↗

Public Speaking- Gestures   When doing a presentation, gestures are a wonderful way to get people’s attention and to emphasize information. Watching for gestures of  professional presenters or debaters is a great way to alert you to gestures you can use. Study and engrain in your memory what you see. Here are observations from the […]

439. Acceptances: Excellent Phrases (6591) ↗

Acceptances: Excellent Phrases Here are some useful and well constructed phrases you can use for your acceptances: able to say yes accept with pleasure agree to glad to be able to vote yes happy to let you know I am pleased/happy/honored to accept It is with great pleasure that It was so thoughtful of you […]

440. English Speech Communication- More for Ending a Conversation (6656) ↗

English Speech Communication- More for Ending a Conversation   Here are some more phrases for ending a conversation.  Always use kind phrases. We Should Mingle May I introduce you to (innocent bystander). Let’s go around and meet some people. I’m going to circulate around the crowd. I don’t know anyone here. Can you introduce me […]

441. Acceptances: Choice and Helpful Words (6589) ↗

Acceptances: Choice and Helpful Words Here are some choice words you are likely to find helpful when you are communicating acceptances: accept approve certainly delighted gratifying pleased pleasure satisfying thoughtful thrilled touched welcome willing

442. English Speech Communication- Ending a Conversation (6651) ↗

English Speech Communication- Ending a Conversation   To wrap up a conversation, start winding it down with your body language.  Change your posture and break eye contact for a few seconds, perhaps clear your throat, look at your watch, or change your tone of voice.  Use kind phrases: “It has been nice talking to you.” […]

443. Acceptances: What Format to Use (6586) ↗

Acceptances: What Format to Use Model your reply on the format used in the invitation.  If it is handwritten, then handwrite your reply.  If letterhead stationery is used, reply on your letterhead.  If the invitation is emailed, email your acceptance.  When the language of the invitation is informal, your reply is also informal.

444. English Speech Communication- Starting a Conversation (6647) ↗

English Speech Communication- Starting a Conversation   One of my favorite Chinese proverbs is “There are three hundred and forty-six subjects for elegant conversation.” Yes, there are lots of things to talk about, even with the newest acquaintance.  Keep these topics in mind when you want to start a conversation:  Especially good is talking about […]

445. Acceptances: Job Offers (6583) ↗

Acceptances: Job Offers When offered a position you want, write an acceptance letter that expresses your enthusiasm and pleasure and which confirms the details of your employment. When writing to offer a job to an applicant, include congratulations about being chosen and something complimentary about the person’s background or credentials, experience, or interview. Also give […]

446. English Speech Communication- Joining a Conversation (6641) ↗

English Speech Communication- Joining a Conversation   What people like the most is going into conversational settings and  leaving later feeling they connected with others. Here are some tips that savvy socializers use: They go early and act to welcome new arrivals as if they were part of the established group. They use the tactic […]

447. Acceptances: Tips on Writing (6580) ↗

Acceptances: Tips on Writing Send acceptances as soon as possible. If you are late, apologize, but keep brief and to the point. Here’s a tip from noted usage expert Rudolf Flesch, “If your answer to an inquiry is yes, it’s a good idea to make yes the first word in your letter.” Be enthusiastic. Of […]

448. Public Speaking: Get Rid of Your Confusion Now- Graphs and Charts (6638) ↗

Public Speaking: Get Rid of Your Confusion Now- Graphs and Charts   When thinking about public speaking, keep it simple in your head.  Keep anchored to the oh-so-simple idea of communication.   Just remember that presentations and all forms of public speaking, whether informal for a few people or formal in a room of 100 or […]

449. Acceptances: How to Say It (6578) ↗

Acceptances: How to Say It When you are writing an acceptance, here are some great guidelines: Express your pleasure in accepting the invitation, offer, proposal or agreeing to do what was asked Repeat the details of what you are accepting (meeting date and time, amount of the contribution, the precise nature of your assistance, the […]

450. Public Speaking: Living Color- Get the Best for Your Slides (6634) ↗

Public Speaking:  Living Color- Get the Best for Your Slides   The fun of communicating, for you the presenter to any number of people, is to use our wonderful earthly tools to spark the listener/viewer. Color has an amazing ability to stimulate the senses.  You’ve seen a great number of presentations with power point or […]

451. What to Write Acceptances for (6576) ↗

What to Write Acceptances for Some people express that they are uncertain whether they need to respond in writing to a request.  To help you know, here is a list of what to write acceptances for: admissions requests: organizations, clubs, school invitations: dinner, luncheon, meeting, party job offers membership offers: organization, board, commission proposals requests: […]

452. English Speech Communication- Tips for Introductions (6630) ↗

English Speech Communication- Tips for Introductions   Social gatherings feel the best when you are confident that you can handle lots of situations. Here are some tips: If another person seems to be struggling to retrieve your name from his memory, come to his rescue. If your name is mispronounced, correct the person gently, but […]

453. Acceptances- The Difficult is Being Sure of the Yes (6574) ↗

Acceptances- The Difficult is Being Sure of the Yes A “yes” that  does not come from the heart and emotions results in an unenthusiastic acceptance.  You might find yourself backing out later.  Writing the acceptance is not as difficult as being sure you want to say “yes” in the first place.

454. English Speech Communication- Forgot a Name- Here’s What To Do (6626) ↗

English Speech Communication- Forgot a Name- Here’s What To Do   Sometimes you will recall a face but not remember the name. My personal favorite remedy is to reach forward to shake the hand and say, “It’s Antonia, Antonia Johnson.  I sure remember your face, but refresh me on your name.” Here are other strategies […]

455. Acceptances- One of Easiest Letters to Write (6572) ↗

Acceptances- One of Easiest Letters to Write Once you decide to accept an invitation or grant a request, simply say that.  This is one of the easiest letters to write.    

456. English Speech Communication- How to Remember Names (6620) ↗

English Speech Communication- How to Remember Names   At a gathering, any gathering, there is nothing more satisfying than remembering everyone’s name. Here are some great tips. Practice these and you, too, will be able to remember every name. Get a wonderful advantage even before you meet a new group of people. If possible get […]

457. Acceptances- The Only Way to Say Yes (6569) ↗

Acceptances- The Only Way to Say Yes “The mind gives us thousands of ways to say no, but there’s only one way to say yes, and that’s from the heart. “ – Suze Orman    

458. Accent Reduction: Half of All Languages Come From One Root Language (6565) ↗

Accent Reduction:  Half of All Languages Come From One Root Language There is so much which connects human beings to human beings.  Remarkable.  Don’t you think that it is remarkable that half of all languages come from one root language? To get to the facts —  What do English, Spanish and Hindi all have in […]

459. Accent Reduction: Fascinating Facts About the World’s Most Spoken Languages (6562) ↗

Accent Reduction:  Fascinating Facts About the World’s Most Spoken Languages   Get these fascinating facts about languages. Our world of languages: There are at least 7,102 known languages being used in the world today. Twenty-three of these languages are the first language or mother tongue for more than 50 million people. Also, these 23 language […]

460. Responding to Their Need – Part 3 (6379) ↗

Responding to  Their Need – Part 3   “This may or may not be exactly what you’re looking for, but Mary Jones has a business that…” “I don’t know if they are hiring, but here’s the name of someone at XYZ Company.”  

461. Public Speaking: Slides: What the Experts Know About the Print (6555) ↗

Public Speaking:  Slides: What the Experts Know About the Print   You know, confidence is much more fun than uncertainty. There are so very many choices for the printed words on Power Point or other slides. How is a person to know which features are best? Yay, yay. You don’t have to guess.  Experts at […]

462. Responding to Their Need – Part 2 (6377) ↗

Responding to Their Need – Part 2 Here are more phrases that can be used to respond to the needs of others.  Notice that there are no  obligations or expectations of reciprocation. “I just thought of someone you might enjoy talking to because…” “It sounds as if what would be helpful is … Here’s the […]

463. Public Speaking: Slides: How to Make the 30 Seconds Viewing Time Work (6551) ↗

Public Speaking: Slides: How to Make the 30 Seconds Viewing Time Work   Keep the key principle in mind—presentations are merely another form of communication.  Visual aids are an ingredient in the recipe of presentations. Visual aids make it easier to communicate complex topics. Now for critical information for you.  The viewing time for most […]

464. Responding to Their Need- Part I (6374) ↗

Responding to Their Need- Part I Here are some phrases you can use to respond to the needs of others: “Based on what you just said about needing … I know someone who would be a good person for you to talk to.” “If I could schedule a lunch meeting with you and …  would […]

465. Public Speaking: The Top 6 Tips for Using Visual Aids in Your Presentation (6546) ↗

Public Speaking:  The Top 6 Tips for Using Visual Aids in Your Presentation People remember 30% of what they hear. 40% of what they see and 50% of what they see and hear. Thus, using visual aids when doing a presentation is a fantastic way to boost what people remember of what you say. The […]

466. Guidelines for Powerful Listening 4-7 (6372) ↗

Guidelines for Powerful Listening 4-7   Be eager to learn something from the conversation. That will also prompt you to ask follow-up questions. Listen with the intention of gathering information, connecting, and developing rapport. Listen for what you have in common. Listen for information that can open the door to other relationships.

467. Accent reduction: Grab the Power of Vowels (6536) ↗

Accent reduction: Grab the Power of Vowels   There’s incredible power in vowels. Have you noticed that it is the multiple syllable words that people are most likely to say to you “What?”  “What did you say?” Today, I’ll give you a tip that will make a huge difference  in people understanding your multiple syllable […]

468. Guidelines for Powerful Listening, 1-3 (6370) ↗

Guidelines for Powerful Listening, 1-3 Show interest in people and what they say. Make eye contact and focus your attention on the other person. Give all of your attention to what is being said. Looking at the person will help you focus!

469. Accent Reduction: Best Strategies for HOW To Learn Accurate, Clear English Speaking (6529) ↗

  Accent Reduction: Best Strategies for HOW To Learn Accurate, Clear English Speaking   Before we get to the best strategies for HOW to learn accurate, clear English speaking, let’s ask the important WHY question.  So why do you need to know how to learn the skills  for reducing your accent and making your English easy to understand? The […]

470. Listening & Sharing= Master Networker (6368) ↗

Listening & Sharing= Master Networker   Listening, sharing, and passing useful information along to others is the mark of a master networker—a person who grows and nurtures relationships.

471. Public Speaking- Top Tips for Practicing Your Speech (6525) ↗

Public Speaking-  Top Tips for Practicing Your Speech   What to do when you are invited to do a speech? The general rule of thumb is to begin practicing your speech at least several days before you are scheduled to deliver it.  Many expert speakers recommend practicing your speech about five times in its final […]

472. Barriers to Offering Information (6366) ↗

Barriers to Offering Information People sometimes hesitate to offer information or ideas to others.   They may think, “It is not my business” or “They didn’t ask, so maybe I shouldn’t offer information.” However, if you offer information with no expectations of reciprocation, I think you will find most people receptive and appreciative.

473. Public Speaking- Top Tips for Speech Writing (6521) ↗

Public Speaking-  Top Tips for Speech Writing   Asked to do a presentation, a speech? Speech writing is different than other forms of writing.  The best speeches are written not to be read but to be heard. Get into the joy of speeches and writing.   Maximize your chances of saying something well by writing the […]

474. Fine Tune Your Listening (6364) ↗

Fine Tune Your Listening Find out what people want and need.  Listen for the following phrases: “ I want …” “I need…” “My goal is to …” “I’m having a problem with…” “I’m looking for …” “I’m involved in a project that …”

475. English Communication- Connecting: Here’s Tips for a Profile for Online Dating (6517) ↗

English Communication-  Connecting: Here’s Tips for a Profile for Online Dating   Connecting to people and building relationship is one of those golden endeavors of life.  For the avenue of online dating, you need to write an online dating profile.  Here are some tips for that. Before writing a profile, make a few lists: Hobbies […]

476. The Power of Listening and Responding- How to Develop Lifetime Customers (6362) ↗

The Power of Listening and Responding- How to Develop Lifetime Customers If you have a product or a service you sell, don’t think you are done when you have made the sale.  The sale is actually the beginning in building a client relationship that will lead to a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. In […]

477. English Communication- Do and Don’t for Profile Picture for Online Dating (6512) ↗

English Communication- Do and Don’t for Profile Picture for Online Dating   Using the route of online dating for connecting to people has been around for a while.  That’s good because it means there is a good amount of advice to be read and analyzed.  We’ll share with you some of those tips in this […]

478. The Power of Listening and Responding (6360) ↗

The Power of Listening and Responding Listening and responding to your clients when there is nothing in it for you will help you strengthen your relationships with them and bring rewards in the future. Listen to your customers – and social acquaintances — to see what nonbusiness needs you can help fulfill.  There are many […]

479. English Communication- Connecting Info for Online Dating (6508) ↗

English Communication- Connecting Info for Online Dating Relationship. Connection. Online dating.  Have you wondered about that route for initiating relationships? Perhaps you have heard friends and coworkers talk about their experience.  According to Harwell, Washington Post, 2015,  1 in 10 Americans currently use online dating. I went to Melissa, one of our staff, for information […]

480. What to do When Listening (6358) ↗

What to do When Listening Listen to  your clients, and when you hear them talk about something they need, step in and offer help.  Help could come in the form of offering information  or introducing them to another person who could help them.

481. English Speaking Skills- Keep Your Vision In Front of You (6504) ↗

English Speaking Skills-  Keep Your Vision In Front of You   Keep your vision in front of you.   The idea is simple.  You know in your heart what you are wanting.  Keep the fire burning by placing a symbol of that in front of you.  We move toward what we constantly see.   What […]

482. What Happens When You Don’t Listen… and When You Do (6355) ↗

What Happens When You Don’t Listen… and When You Do Poor listening skills can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and missed opportunities. Developing your skill of listening will increase your ability to make immediate connections with people, develop trust and rapport quickly, and build strong relationships that lead to greater satisfaction and successful outcomes.

483. English Speaking- The Amazing Journey from Spanish Patterns to Clear English Patterns (6501) ↗

English Speaking- The Amazing Journey from Spanish Patterns to Clear English Patterns  Growth leaped ahead 53% for the Hispanic population in the United States to 54 million from 2000 to 2013.   That was mostly growth among US-born Hispanics, not immigrants according to Washington-based Pew Research Center.  That’s compared with 12 percent growth in the total […]

484. What to do Now for Staying in Touch (6353) ↗

What to do Now for  Staying in Touch If you have not been focused on staying in touch with people, take a leap now and get in touch to make connection.   A great goal?   One person a week to reach out to. Here’s an extra tip.  When are some of the best times to call […]

485. English Speaking Training- Opening a Conversation: The Other Magic Question for Conversations (6497) ↗

English Speaking Training- Opening a Conversation: The Other Magic Question for Conversations   In the culture of the United States, when we first greet a person, we will ask a question to get a general idea of how the person is doing. Typically, we will ask “How are you doing?” or “How are you?” But […]

486. More Thoughts on Staying in Touch (6351) ↗

More Thoughts on Staying in Touch The previous Monday speech tips have been about seven different kinds of calls you will be making to friends or colleagues in your network.  You now have examples of openers for those kinds of calls.  When you know what to say, it gives you confidence with telephone communication.  Voices […]

487. English Speaking Training- Magic Question for Conversations (6492) ↗

English Speaking Training- Magic Question for Conversations   What is a magic question for conversations? To make a satisfying conversation—consider the strategy of asking a good number of questions.  That way you are in dialogue with the other person, and both people are learning about each.   You have already figured out that monologues where only […]

488. How to Begin the “Developing Friendship” Call (6349) ↗

How to Begin the “Developing Friendship” Call “Hi.  This is  Clare Lawton.  I enjoyed our brief visit last week and wanted to see about getting together for lunch.” “Hi.  This is Mike Bryant.  I enjoyed working with you at the conference last month.  Hope things are going well.  I wanted to see if you would […]

489. EASY, FREEDOM, INNOVATION, INEXPENSIVE- Accent Reduction (6486) ↗

EASY, FREEDOM, INNOVATION, INEXPENSIVE- Accent Reduction   Currently about 4,000 people get a weekly speech tip, so they get a little dose of learning each week: a speech tip video tips for great English pronunciation, oratory, and communication Who are these people? alumni or people who have taken one or more (up to 8, but […]

490. The “Developing Friendship” Call (6347) ↗

The “Developing Friendship” Call Sometimes you meet someone and recognize an easy, natural rapport that leaves you wanting to get together with that person.  A “developing friendship” call is similar to a “thinking of you “ call, but the focus is to create an opportunity for a personal or professional friendship to develop.   You make […]

491. You Can, You Will- Subscription ClearTalk Weekly is open for business- Accent Reduction (6480) ↗

You Can, You Will- Subscription ClearTalk Weekly is open for business- Accent Reduction You can, you will. You have a dream – to speak English clearly, with wonderful confidence!  Yay! You want people to understand everything you say. Now you can get that dream.  You will! Today I am delighted to announce that our newest […]

492. How to Begin the “How Can I Help” Call (6345) ↗

How to Begin the  “How Can I Help” Call “Hi, this is Frank Lightner.  I remember hearing you comment at breakfast last week that you were looking for information about  … I wanted to let you know about…” “Hi, this is Lindsey Dartmouth.  Richard told me you are looking for a position in …  I […]

493. https://youtube.com/devicesupport (6479) ↗

494. English Speech Communication: Commitments, Clarity, and Trust at Work, in Negotiations, and in Daily Life (6472) ↗

English Speech Communication: Commitments, Clarity, and Trust at Work, in Negotiations, and in Daily Life  In the culture of the United States, keeping commitments is key to being clear and to building and keeping trust. Keeping your commitments is the acid test or highest evidence of clarity.  Being consistent in the words you say and […]

495. The “How Can I Help” Call (6343) ↗

The “How Can I Help” Call For this “How Can I  Help” call, just by calling you are showing that you care.  Letting someone know that you are available can mean a lot.  People often don’t know what to ask for, but with good listening and asking skills, you may be able to find out […]

496. English Speech Communication: Tips for Being Clear When Teaching a Task (6466) ↗

English Speech Communication: Tips for Being Clear When Teaching a Task   Do you recall the last time you assigned a person to complete a task for you at work or in daily life (family or friend)? Here are some tips for being clear in that circumstance: Set the climate. Be sure you are in […]

497. The “How Can I Help” Call (6341) ↗

The “How Can I Help” Call You make this call to offer support and make yourself available as a resource.  When you hear about a project or challenge someone is facing, do call.  If you hear someone is going  through a job search, you can call and offer ideas and moral support. You may have […]

498. Public Speaking Training: Clear and To-the-Point (6453) ↗

Public Speaking Training: Clear and To-the-Point   Do you want to be a communicator who expresses ideas clearly?  Do you want to be clear and to-the-point for presentations?  Those presentations could be any presentation, from a five-minute informal chat, to a thirty-minute formal speech using many examples. Here are some tips for expressing ideas clearly. […]

499. How to Begin the “Asking for Support” Call (6339) ↗

How to Begin the “Asking for Support” Call “Hello, this is Ben Castle. I’m looking for some information about after school child care centers in the area.  I thought you might be able to help me.” “Hello, this Karen Carpenter.  I wanted to find out who you would recommend I call about getting a new […]

500. English Communication Skill: Asking Questions- Secrets of Open-Ended Questions (6447) ↗

English Communication Skill: Asking Questions- Secrets of Open-Ended Questions   Increasing your question asking skill is indeed the skill experts say will do the most for career advancement.  And increasing your skill in asking questions will make your conversations more interesting – for the other person and you! And here is a tip for you.  […]

501. The “Asking for Support” Call (6337) ↗

The “Asking for Support” Call The “Asking for Support” call is not only a request for something.  It is also your research to get information and  learn more about a specific topic.  This kind of call can provide information, a recommendation, a referral, an appointment, words of encouragement, new ideas, or new opportunities.

502. English Communication Skill: Asking Questions- Secrets to the Two Goals of Questions (6441) ↗

English Communication Skill: Asking Questions- Secrets to the Two Goals of Questions   Today we get back to English communication skills. Asking questions is at the heart of communication.   In fact experts say that increasing skills in asking questions and voice inflection are the two skills that do the most to boost the careers of […]

503. The “Asking for Support” Call (6335) ↗

The “Asking for Support” Call This call is made to ask for information, ideas, contacts, or support of some kind.  The most important thing is to be clear about what you want and how you think this person can help. Let people know what is special about them that caused you to call.

504. Who Should Do This ClearTalk Weekly Subscription Program? Accent Reduction (6435) ↗

Who Should Do This ClearTalk Weekly Subscription Program?  Accent Reduction So you ask—Who should do this ClearTalk Weekly subscription program? Put simply: We designed the weekly lessons for all people who want to reduce their accent and speak clear, easy to understand American English. The ClearTalk Weekly  subscription program is based on the Clear Talk […]

505. How to Begin the “Thinking of You” Call (6333) ↗

How to  Begin the “Thinking of You” Call “Hi, this is William Barton.  Just calling to say hi and find out how the book is coming along.  Give me a call when you have a chance.” “Hi, this is Christina Douglas.  I haven’t seen you in a while and have missed you.  No real need […]

506. ClearTalk Weekly- What IS the Weekly Learning? Accent Reduction (6430) ↗

ClearTalk Weekly- What IS the Weekly Learning?  Accent Reduction Here’s some more detail for you about our newest course, the subscription course ClearTalk Weekly. What are you learning in the ClearTalk Weekly subscription program? Each week you get different learning material.  You get: Instruction on exactly what to do with your tongue, lips, teeth, jaw […]

507. The “Thinking of You” Call (6331) ↗

The “Thinking of You” Call It is important with friends, clients, and associates to call occasionally for no particular reason other than to say hello and let them know you are thinking of them. A “thinking of you” call is a simple way of keeping communication lines open – no sales pitch, no request, no […]

508. How to get the Most out of ClearTalk Weekly, the Subscription? Accent Reduction (6424) ↗

How to get the Most out of ClearTalk Weekly, the Subscription?  Accent Reduction For several weeks we have told you  more and more about our new product, a subscription: ClearTalk Weekly. How do you get the MOST out of this ClearTalk Weekly subscription program? You do the videos in the order given for systematic, easy […]

509. How to Begin the “New Contact or Referral” Call (6329) ↗

How to Begin  the “New Contact or Referral” Call   “Hello, my name is Jane Richmond.  I got your name and number from David Jones.” “Hi, my name is Gary Olds.  Martha Eden recommended that I contact you about…” “Hi, this is  Martin Smith.  I met you last week at the  …  and we talked […]

510. Why the Excitement about ClearTalk Weekly? Accent Reduction (6416) ↗

Why the Excitement about ClearTalk Weekly?  Accent Reduction We are downright excited about our new online course, Clear Talk Weekly.  As you recall from last week’s blog, each week this subscription program gives you a new set of videos, audios, written lessons and a study guide for quick reference. Why are we so excited about […]

511. The “New Contact or Referral” Call (6327) ↗

The “New Contact or Referral” Call You make this kind of call to either someone you have just met  or someone you have not yet met  who has been referred to you by someone you know. With a “new contact or referral” call, you are just getting to know each other.  This is an opportunity […]

512. Clear Talk Weekly Subscription, Accent Reduction (6411) ↗

Clear Talk Weekly Subscription, Accent Reduction Today I am happy to announce that we have a wonderful new product, Clear Talk Weekly.   We are very excited because it is perfect for reducing your accent and going to the next level.  And we put all our effort to make it affordable for everyone. Monthly membership is […]

513. The “Follow-Through” Call (6325) ↗

The “Follow-Through” Call A “follow-through” call is made to follow up on an idea or project.  This call may involve asking or giving  information, scheduling a meeting or appointment, or staying in touch about an opportunity: “Hi, this is Marie, calling to follow up to schedule our meeting about next year’s conference.” “This is David.  […]

514. English Communication Skill: Asking Questions- The Power Tool (6408) ↗

English Communication Skill: Asking Questions- The Power Tool   As you intently listen, you make an enlightening discovering.  Sometimes the person is not giving you the information you need.  The chief tool of the good listener is a good question. Questions are wonderful tools for stimulating, drawing forth, and guiding communication. Asking good questions is […]

515. How to Begin the “Reconnection” Call (6323) ↗

How to Begin the “Reconnection” Call Here are examples for first greetings for the reconnection call: “Jim, this is Anna Jones.  We  sang together in the Sun Valley Choir at the Peach Festival several years ago.” “Elizabeth, this is Mark Carlson.  We used to work together at  ABC Associates.” “Steve, this is Jennifer Higgens; used […]

516. English Communication Skill: Ask the Critical Questions to Clarify Pesky “Relative Words.” (6405) ↗

English Communication Skill: Ask the Critical Questions to Clarify Pesky “Relative Words.”   Here’s an important situation to ask questions – when people use relative words.  Relative words are nonspecific descriptive words which only have meaning in relation to something else. Here are examples of relative words that can create a great deal of confusion: […]

517. The “Reconnection” Call (6321) ↗

The “Reconnection” Call Cultivating connections is part of the spice and joy of life. The reconnection call is a call to someone you have not talked to in a while.  Your purpose  is  reconnecting, reestablishing the relationship , and getting an update on what the other person is doing. You can start out by acknowledging […]

518. English Communication Skill: Effective Listening Needs Questions (6401) ↗

English Communication Skill: Effective Listening Needs Questions   Effective listening requires asking questions.  No one says everything you want to hear in the optimal order, depth, and detail that you are wanting.  You have to ask.  Questions are a way of getting the information you want or need. In the American culture, our etiquette prohibits […]

519. What You Get From Your Reconnecting Conversation (6319) ↗

What You Get From Your Reconnecting Conversation   The information the other person gives could be something of interest to you or something about which you can give support. Or the information might be valuable to someone else you know. Typically, after telling you what’s going on in their lives, they will come back and […]

520. English Communication Skill: Be a Listening Magnet- Part 2 Be Alert & Write it Out! (6396) ↗

English Communication Skill: Be a Listening Magnet- Part 2 Be Alert & Write it Out!   Here are some  more practical tips for shooting forward in your listening skill–   Take an alert body position   Enhance your conversation by doing these body positions Uncross your arms and legs. Sit straight in the chair. Face […]

521. English Communication Skill: Be a Listening Magnet (6390) ↗

English Communication Skill: Be a Listening Magnet   Communication is connecting with people.  Relationship. And half of the story is listening. Do you want to be a better listener?  Do you want the other person to know you are truly in the same space with them? There are four things you can do right now […]

522. The Power of Reconnecting 2 (6316) ↗

The Power of Reconnecting 2   When calling to reconnect with people, all you have to say is: “I was thinking about you because … “ “I was talking to … and I thought of you.” “I was thinking about my career and I thought about how you influenced me with …”

523. Accent Reduction: Best Strategies for HOW To Learn Accurate, Clear English Speaking (6388) ↗

Accent Reduction: Best Strategies for HOW To Learn Accurate, Clear English Speaking   Before we get to the best strategies for HOW to learn accurate, clear English speaking, let’s ask the important WHY question.  So why do you need to know how to learn the skills  for reducing your accent and making your English easy to understand? The answer […]

524. The Power of Reconnecting 1 (6314) ↗

The Power of Reconnecting 1   When calling to reconnect with people,  all you have to say is: “Can you believe it’s been … years?” “Do you remember the time we worked on the … project together?”

525. English Communication Skill: How do you ask for a date? (6381) ↗

English Communication Skill: How do you ask for a date?   Connecting with people.  Getting started —  that is the hardest part in so many human activities. People who speak English as a second language often ask about colloquial or typical ways of asking a person out for a date.  What is the general American […]

526. The Power of Staying in Touch… and Reconnecting (6312) ↗

The Power of Staying in Touch… and Reconnecting Everyone has a vast network of relationships. It is great to cultivate your relationships, your network, for growth, action, and interaction So it is important to stay in touch with people.  Staying in touch with people is like the little drops of water that make the trees […]

527. English Communication Skill: Great Getting to Know You Venues (6308) ↗

English Communication Skill: Great Getting to Know You Venues It is all about relationship.  Communication and relationship.  People want connection with other people.  There is something wonderful about getting to know a new person.   That is especially true if you have had an encounter that gave you the intuition or gut feeling that you and […]

528. How Do You Approach People with Confidence? (6271) ↗

How Do You Approach People with Confidence? Learning to approach people with confidence is a professional skill that can serve anyone in any line of work. It is not about making people talk or confronting people on elevators. It is about your ability to open the door to conversation, with those people right around you […]

529. English Speech Skill: Subscription (6298) ↗

English Speech Skill: Subscription    The great pleasure of what we do is to help people.  We love to  discover and develop new ways of teaching to help more and more people improve their English speaking.  Through this, people leap to better jobs and careers, better social communication.  More fulfilling lives. Now I am delighted […]

530. How Your Comfort Zone Gets in the Way of Making Contact with Other People (6269) ↗

How Your Comfort Zone Gets in the Way of Making Contact with Other People Notice your comfort zone: Are you comfortable or at ease making conversation with someone you don’t know at a convention or conference? Do you avoid making eye contact with people in elevators and airplanes? Can you respond easily when someone tries […]

531. English Communication Skill: More Secrets of Talk Magnets (6295) ↗

English Communication Skill:  More Secrets of Talk Magnets   Talk Magnets communicate so that other people feel comfortable and start and blossom seeds of relationships built on rapport. The relationship is the foundation of social and work life. Talk magnets will notice what surrounds another person, say a picture of an ocean setting, and start […]

532. Networking and Conversations (6267) ↗

Networking and Conversations Networking takes place during conversation.  Opportunities for conversations exist all around you – on airplanes, on elevators, in grocery store lines, at sporting events, conferences, and workshops. Wherever people are, conversation is possible. Anytime there is conversation, networking, or making connections and building relationships, is possible. Conversation happens because some person takes […]

533. English Speech Communication_ Secrets of Talk Magnets or How to do Great at Encouraging Conversation (6291) ↗

English Speech Communication_ Secrets of Talk Magnets or How to do Great at Encouraging Conversation   Have you noticed how some people make it easy to make conversation?  You could call them Talk Magnets.  They help other people open up and converse in a lovely way. What do these people do? Talk Magnets use certain […]

534. Important Principles about Small Talk (6265) ↗

Important Principles about Small Talk The principles of small talk are the same whether you are at a small dinner party, a wedding, a conference or corporate meeting. The key principal is worth repeating: Be open and find common ground with the other person.  Always listen.  And do great follow-up questions.

535. English communication skills- Networking- Relationships- Power of Sending Notes for Praise and Thanks (6287) ↗

English communication skills-  Networking- Relationships- Power of Sending Notes for Praise and Thanks Amazing how it is often the little things in life that touch us. Sending notes is one of those little things that means a lot.  It can be email. It can be handwritten.  Handwritten is a wow these days.  For the recipient- […]

536. What Questions do People Enjoy Answering? (6263) ↗

What Questions do People Enjoy Answering? For example, encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments. Be open, find the common ground with the other person.  And always listen.

537. English communication skills- Networking- Relationships- Power of Praise and Thanks (6282) ↗

English communication skills-  Networking- Relationships- Power of Praise and Thanks An attitude of gratitude nourishes your network and relationships and helps it blossom in its growing. Think about all the people who support you personally and professionally. Praise is the act of giving positive and sincere feedback and support to those people. You can’t just […]

538. What’s the Mark of a Good Conversationalist? (6261) ↗

What’s the Mark of a Good Conversationalist? Answer: Follow-up questions. It is careful listening that makes you better able to respond in conversation.  You can build on what the other person said and be a good talker when it’s your turn.  And best of all, good follow up questions are key to being a good […]

539. English communication skills- Networking- How to Get Acquainted-Great Questions (6279) ↗

English communication skills- Networking- How to Get Acquainted-Great Questions  Networking is communicating. It is the way you interact and relate to the people, the world, and opportunities around you. Fact is, there is joy in connecting and building relationships – that is the spirit of networking  in our personal and professional life. Beginnings are hard […]

540. So You Never Know What to Say! (6259) ↗

So You Never Know What to Say! One key to small talk is listening. Use what the other person is saying as the natural guide.  The person who is talking is always giving ideas and cues about what you might say or ask. Here’s a rule of thumb from Larry King, long standing popular talk […]

541. English communication skills- Networking Is Communicating and Connecting (6276) ↗

English communication skills-  Networking is Communicating and Connecting It is all about relationships, connecting.  Networking is another term for that lifelong process of meeting people, making contacts, developing friendships and building professional relationships. It is in the communicating where networking happens.  The skill of networking involves learning how and when to approach people, how and […]

542. The Power of Small Talk (6257) ↗

The Power of Small Talk Just as it is little things that build strong relationships, it is small talk that develops the rapport which leads to information, opening opportunities and strong connection. Small talk is not insignificant. Instead, it is the gateway to business referrals, job opportunities, and new friends. During small talk people are […]

543. English Communication Skills- How to Join In a Group at a Gathering (6273) ↗

English Communication Skills- How to Join In a Group at a Gathering How do you join in when people are already gathered in groups, conversing and having a good time? Minimize the problem by arriving no more than fifteen minutes after the appointed time If you are one of the early arrivals, people are more […]

544. Networking and the Power of Conversations (6255) ↗

Networking and the Power of Conversations No matter what your career path or role in life, your ability to build a strong support system will be key in your success and well being. Networking is a lifelong process of meeting people, making contacts, developing friendships, and building professional relationships. How do you network? Herein lies […]

545. English Communication- Keeping a Conversation Going (6249) ↗

English Communication- Keeping a Conversation Going   For great conversations and satisfying conversations, memorize these questions: “What do you think?” “How did you become interested in…?” “I am considering taking up _____ (yoga, weight lifting, tennis, meditating, scuba diving).  Would you recommend a class or individual lessons?” These questions focus on someone else’s expertise and […]

546. How Do You As a Speaker Impact an Audience? (6246) ↗

How Do You As a Speaker Impact an Audience? How you look includes your clothes, your facial expression, your stance, your body movement, your hands, how you move your eyes. Suppose you are trying to motivate a group, and you tell them something is “a wonderful opportunity,” but you don’t look or sound it.  Vision is […]

547. English Communication- Get Ready to Start a Conversation (6239) ↗

English Communication- Get Ready to Start a Conversation Do you want to be a good conversationalist? Prepare several topics of conversation before you head out for a meeting, reception, social gathering, or meal. Here are some general subjects you can personalize or adapt to your situation: Sports (national, international, local) Weather (the good, the bad, […]

548. Rapport- How Much to Customize? (6237) ↗

Rapport- How Much to Customize? Go to the trouble of learning about the audience.  Make six or seven references geared specifically to your audience.  That makes you, the speaker, something of an insider and lets the audience know you took the trouble of learning about them. Make comments – humorous statements, praise, or just simple […]

549. English Communication: How To Be a Great Conversationalist (6230) ↗

English Communication: How To Be a Great Conversationalist Conversation is the basis of communication. It establishes rapport and connects us to our colleagues, clients, co-workers, friends, family. Confidence in your ability to converse makes you better in your work relationships and personal relationships. Susan RoAne made a survey of what she called, “ConverSensations”, people who […]

550. Rapport- How to? (6226) ↗

Rapport- How to? How to get to that sweet spot of building mutual warmth and walking the same page with your audience? Answer: Put their needs and interests ahead of your own. You don’t ignore your own needs, but put the spotlight on their needs. For example,  if your audience has been listening to hours […]

551. What Practical Real-Life Difference will Increase in Intelligibility Make? (6222) ↗

What Practical Real-Life Difference will Increase in Intelligibility Make? Everybody wants people to grasp what they say, so a high intelligibility score is better than a low score. It is a no-brainer. Speaking accurate English sounds and words makes life much better for the speaker and the listener! Recall the range of scores for our clients before […]

552. Rapport- Pure and Simple (6218) ↗

Rapport- Pure and Simple   What makes you different from a robot?  You can grow rapport with the audience. What is the goal of rapport?  A feeling of mutual warmth and the sense that you’re on the same wavelength and mind frame.

553. Communication Skills Training : Space Comfort Zone in the U.S. (6211) ↗

Communication Skills Training : Space Comfort Zone in the U.S. In all countries, people need a certain amount of space to feel comfortable in different situations. The size of these zones is determined by culture—Japanese  feel comfortable with closer contact than Latinos or North Americans. Here is what communication scientists have identified for the United […]

554. What do YOU want to accomplish through your speech? (6209) ↗

What do YOU want to accomplish through your speech? Get the answer to the question of what you personally want to achieve through your speech makes developing your speech… the words and the nonverbal props and body language… easier. Do you have any of these goals? You want to build your credibility You want the […]

555. Communication Skills Training: Strategic Sitting (6202) ↗

Communication Skills Training : Strategic Sitting Whenever we meet with a group of people, we often have to make a decision about where to sit.  Burton Kaplan offers advice for strategic sitting. He takes the position that where you sit says a lot about who you are and what you want to accomplish. For me, […]

556. Figure Out Why You Are Presenting (6199) ↗

Figure Out Why You Are Presenting What is the function of your talk?  Are you trying to inform, persuade, inspire, or entertain. What is your motivation for speaking -Were you asked to speak? -Were you ordered to speak? -Do you want to speak? What is your audience’s motivation for listening? -Does the audience want to […]

557. Accent Reduction- How do Chinese Youth Learn English and English Speech in School? (6193) ↗

Accent Reduction- How do Chinese Youth Learn English and English Speech in School? An important question is: What does the current learning of English, especially learning to speak English, consist of in China? Knowing the answer to this question would help universities, graduate schools, and employers of native-born Chinese individuals know better about what to […]

558. Part 2 Deciding Whether You Should Accept an Invitation to Speak (6191) ↗

Part 2 Deciding Whether You Should Accept an Invitation to Speak Second things first, too! Do you have something to say? -Either you have bunches in your experience or -You need to research! -Sometimes it is just better to decline Must you accept immediately? -You don’t have to accept immediately. -It is often better to […]

559. English Communication: How to Say Good-bye (6185) ↗

English Communication: How to Say Good-bye Greeting people is easy compared to saying good-bye, especially when at a social gathering. Here are some of my favorite tips for graciously departing from a conversation.  The emphasis here is on “gracious.” The situation: You have listened intently and participated in a conversation.  You deem it is  time […]

560. Deciding Whether You Should Accept an Invitation to Speak- Part 1 (6183) ↗

Deciding Whether You Should Accept an Invitation to Speak- Part 1 (Of course, if your boss asks you to give a speech, do it!) First things first: Do you have the time in your schedule? o   You need time to get to and from the event and answer questions Do you have time to prepare? o   You […]

561. English Communication: How Are You? More Angles of View–In Person & On the Phone (6177) ↗

English Communication: How Are You? More Angles of View–In Person & On the Phone It’s not what you say, but how you say it. “How are you?” is a ritual greeting in the United States.  But how you say it can move it from ritual to relationship. Here are a few more angles of view: Angle […]

562. Make the Last Words Memorable (6171) ↗

Make the Last Words Memorable Here’s a simple formula for setting up your final line: just say, “I have one final thought that I want to leave you with.”  Or: “If you remember just one thing I’ve said today, remember this…”  Then give them a whopping thought.  Make it strong and make it relevant — […]

563. English Communication: How Are You? Two Angles of View (6173) ↗

English Communication:  How Are You?  Two Angles of View “How are you?” Simple little phrase, yes? But it drives international people a little crazy in the U.S. That’s because in their home country, if people say, “How are you?”, they really do want to know how you are doing or what is happening in your […]

564. Write It Out (6169) ↗

Write It Out You should write out your conclusion for two reasons. First, writing the conclusion combats stage fright. This time is the second most nerve-racking time for speakers So if you write it out, you don’t have to worry about forgetting it. Second, and most important, if you write out the conclusion, you’ll know […]

565. English Communication: Wicked Awesome Words (6165) ↗

English Communication: Wicked Awesome Words The other day, Roberta (from Italy) commented, “Why does English have so many words for everything? ‘Smart,’ ‘Clever,’ ‘Brainy,’ ‘Intelligent’– in Italian we just say ‘Intelligente!’ It’s true, English has a lot of words!  You may think too many.  Most experts count at least 250,000. (Other experts say half a […]

566. Wow Your Audience (6163) ↗

Wow Your Audience Get a business card from someone in the company that you’ll be addressing and scan in the company logo. Then you can make it appear in the corner of every screen with your logo.

567. English Communication: How to Put People at Ease at Meetings (6160) ↗

English Communication: How to Put People at Ease at Meetings Sometimes you are going to a meeting to persuade.  In that case, use the first five minutes to put people at ease.  People’s egos are on alert status the first few minutes of a meeting, and you want to relax them so they’ll be receptive to […]

568. Tips for Teleconferencing (6154) ↗

Tips for Teleconferencing Use emotion in your voice. Emphasize emotion so you don’t speak in a flat tone. Use metaphors and similes to create word pictures for others.

569. English Communication: Meetings- How to Succeed in the First Five Minutes (6156) ↗

English Communication: Meetings- How to Succeed in the First Five Minutes Everyone goes to meetings.  You could be there to persuade.  Or you could be there to take in or contribute information.  Whatever your purpose, the first five minutes are not about impressing other people.  The first five minutes are about putting people at ease. […]

570. Practice Makes Confidence (6142) ↗

Practice Makes Confidence Simulate the real conditions. The more closely you can imitate actual speaking conditions in your rehearsal, the more confident you will be for the actual presentation. Use your actual notes. Use the actual clothes. Will you use a handheld microphone? Most people don’t have a sound system in their home for rehearsal purposes. Comedy coach […]

571. English Communication Skills: Time of Day Tips for Presentations – Afternoon and Evening Presentations (6146) ↗

English Communication Skills:  Time of Day Tips for Presentations – Afternoon and Evening Presentations Knowing  the  barriers associated with different times of the day can help you think of clever ways to maximize your impact in a presentation. Nice! What you are learning for presentations is, of course, also true with meetings.  Use the same […]

572. Tip: Sending a Message with Facial Expressions (6139) ↗

Tip: Sending a Message with Facial Expressions Use your face to accentuate key points. Act what you are saying. Are you incredulous about a statistic you have just spoken? Raise your eyebrows in disbelief. Are you describing a strategy you disagree with? Frown.

573. English Communication Skills: Time of day tips for presentations–Lunch (6132) ↗

English Communication Skills: Time of day tips for presentations–Lunch As human beings, we like to combine business with pleasure.  Thus, presenters are asked to do the noon meal.  Here are some tips for you so that this occasion for presentation can indeed combine work with pleasure. Presentations during lunch: Lunch presents problems for listeners, who, of course, […]

574. Tips for Teleconferences (6128) ↗

Tips for Teleconferences Pause so another person can speak. Save complex questions for e-mail unless you need an immediate answer.

575. English Communication Skills: Presentation Time of Day Pitfalls (6119) ↗

English Communication Skills: Presentation Time of Day Pitfalls What time of day will you be speaking or doing a presentation?  Will it make a difference? Absolutely. Here are some pitfalls.   Know these, and you can prevent problems.  For today’s blog, we will discuss  pitfalls for morning presentations. Breakfast/early morning Listeners may be groggy.  Choose a […]

576. Practice Makes Perfect (6114) ↗

Practice Makes Perfect Rehearse out loud. The only way you can tell how your speech will sound is to do it and listen to it. That means you have to say it out loud. Doing the speech in your head and listening to it doesn’t work – that is not the voice your audience will hear.

577. English Communication: Greetings and Goodbyes, part 1 (6108) ↗

English Communication: Greetings and Goodbyes, part 1  ‘What’s up?’  ‘How’s it going?’  ‘Good evening, sir.’  When it comes to greetings and words of parting, it is important to know that in the culture of the United States, these are usually ritual greetings.  That means that if someone asks you “How are you ?”  or “How […]

578. Tip: Convincing People (6099) ↗

Tip: Convincing People The more separate arguments you make against your opponent’s position, the more difficult it is for your opponent to deal with each of those items.

579. English Communication: Modern Slang (6092) ↗

English Communication: Modern Slang In previous blogs, you heard about some slang terms and acronyms inspired by (or only used on) the internet and text messages. But American slang doesn’t stop there. Every era has the same, funny pattern: the young people create new vocabulary of their own–to the dismay and confusion of their parents […]

580. Sending A Message with Facial Expressions (6088) ↗

Sending A Message with Facial Expressions The single most important facial expression is the smile. Create instant rapport anywhere in the world by simply smiling at the audience.

581. English Communication: Internet Slang, part 2 (6082) ↗

English Communication: Internet Slang, part 2 Last time, I told you about common acronyms that are used on the internet and in text messages (like TTYL, meaning ‘talk to you later’).  These acronyms are all fun new inventions of the internet age. But the internet hasn’t just influenced the way we type– it has also […]

582. Tip for Questions & Answers in Presentations (6078) ↗

Tip for Questions & Answers in Presentations End the presentation on time. Some audience members come solely for your speech. Stick to the schedule. You can make yourself available after for anyone who wants to pursue the discussion further.

583. English Communication: Internet Slang (6071) ↗

English Communication: Internet Slang  Slang. You hear it on TV, on the street, in conversations with your friends and colleagues. It’s fun to know slang in order to better understand the communication around you.  It’s fun to use current popular phrases and words! Beware though, in using slang.  Make sure you know what the words […]

584. Tips for Teleconferences (5913) ↗

Tips for Teleconferences Keep your answers short Explain any extra noises (such as people moving around the room) Repeat any questions before you answer them

585. English Pronunciation: More on Why So Many “r”s in English (5751) ↗

English Pronunciation: More on Why So Many “r”s in English Recall from the last blog that we discussed why there are so many “r”s in English. That leads to the next question:  Is there a logical reason or a physiological reason why the English language would use the “r” physiological movement in so many words?  (Speech is […]

586. Do you use quote or paraphrase? (5728) ↗

Do you use quote or paraphrase? The decision whether to use a quote or paraphrase can be influenced by word economy. If a long quote can be paraphrased in a very short version, it will take less time to say and give you more time to introduce other evidence or arguments.

587. English pronunciation: Why is the “r” in so many words in English? (5721) ↗

English pronunciation: Why is the “r” in so many words in English? Did you know that the “r” sound in English is the most difficult sound to say?   It is so difficult that native-born north American children don’t master the “r” until they are about  four years old or seven years old.  There are some […]

588. Tip for International Speaking (5718) ↗

Tip for International Speaking The best way to win over audiences from any culture is to communicate that you care for them and are really interested in them. You are very happy and honored to be there with them.

589. Public Speaking: “You”-Oriented Statements, Part 2 (5711) ↗

Public Speaking: “You”-Oriented Statements, Part 2 What is the most important word in communication? “You.” It has the power to help you connect with listeners. Here are more “you”- oriented statements: “You know the problem all too well:_______________.” “You are certainly welcome to ___________________.” “You can rely on my department for ______________.” “You’ll get good […]

590. Tips for Great Meetings (5706) ↗

Tips for Great Meetings People who attend face-to-face meetings build relationships by arriving early or staying late and chatting with each other. You can create rapport by beginning or ending with meeting attendees talking about non-work related items.

591. Public Speaking: “You”- Oriented Statements (5699) ↗

Public Speaking: “You”- Oriented Statements If you want to connect with  listeners during a presentation, don’t focus so much on yourself.  Find ways to address others’ needs. Tip: Involve your listeners by using more “you”-oriented lines. “You know from your own experience that _________.” “You’ll be relieved to learn ______________________.” “You can benefit if you […]

592. Tips for Teleconferences (5690) ↗

Tips for Teleconferences Speak clearly. Identify yourself and your location when speaking. Indicate when you are finished.

593. English Speaking Skills: The Job Interview as an Audition – Part 2 (5684) ↗

English Speaking Skills:  Job Interview as an Audition- Part 2   When you are interviewing for a job, the frame of being in an audition will focus you and help you to stand out from other job applicants.   Practice these tips during your rehearsal for the interview: State or show the not-obvious.  Create an intriguing […]

594. Rule of 60% (5678) ↗

Rule of 60%   Only 60% will show up.   So set up chairs for a presentation for only 60%. Keep extra chairs available.  

595. English Speaking Skills: A Job Interview as an Audition (5672) ↗

English Speaking Skills: A Job Interview as an Audition A great tip for job interviewing : Think of the job interview as an audition.  Most people put lots of energy into getting an interview.  But many fall down during the actual interview.  Why?  Poor planning and a lack of practice. What to do? Stage a […]

596. The Real Thing (5662) ↗

The Real Thing   There is no substitute for the real thing.  A 30 second demonstration is more effective than 30 minutes of words.

597. English Communication: The Clarity is Simple (5657) ↗

English Communication: The Clarity is Simple All of life is relationship.  Love, compassion, helping, encouraging.  Hope, faith. A year ago, April 2, on his birthday, my beloved passed. I, more than anyone, know which words were his.  Which ideas sprang from his fertile mind.  Where the science is that he was chief architect for.   Our […]

598. KISS (5653) ↗

KISS            Keep it simple.

599. English Speaking – Grammar, Pronunciation, And Magical Changes in Words (5641) ↗

English Speaking – Grammar, Pronunciation, And Magical Changes in Words   Once my genius linguist and priest pointed out that “grammar is in the pronunciation,” I starting seeing so, so many instances of this. Some of my favorites are suffixes and prefixes.  Those are the little syllables that we put on the end of the […]

600. To Get Ahead (5638) ↗

To Get Ahead If you are looking for a horse to ride to get ahead, just become a good presenter. Notice I didn’t say “excellent” or “outstanding”.  Just become good – because the rest of the world is so terrible.  -David Peoples         

601. English Speaking: The Grammar is in the Pronunciation, Part Two (5624) ↗

English Speaking: The Grammar is in the Pronunciation, Part Two Last time, I told you about how the grammar is in the pronunciation of “ed” for regular verbs for past tense and grammar “s” for subject and verb agreement.  You also got that the grammar is in the pronunciation of grammar “s” for plurals and […]

602. Job Advancement (5633) ↗

Job Advancement   As executives reach middle management and above, the primary criteria for advancement are communication and motivation skills rather than basic job performance.  

603. English Speaking: The Grammar is in the Pronunciation (5618) ↗

English Speaking: The Grammar is in the Pronunciation It is so simple.  It took a genius linguist and priest to point out the obvious.  He said: “Now I understand.  I want better grammar.  You want me to get perfect pronunciation because the grammar is in the pronunciation!” “Exactly!” I told him. Part one of understanding […]

604. Conclusion for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning (5615) ↗

Conclusion for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning    The natural tendency of human beings is to:  Justify on facts, but buy on feeling  Justify with business reasons, but buy for personal reasons  Justify with logic, but buy on emotion

605. Presentation Skills: The Pause – The Silent Moment that Packs a Punch (5610) ↗

Presentation Skills: The Pause – The Silent Moment that Packs a Punch “Pauses can achieve an effect that no combination of words could ever accomplish!”  -paraphrased from Mark Twain You’ve seen master comedians  break up a crowd with a well-timed pause.  Today’s young comedians study the great– the late Jack Benny, Johnny Carson.  The well-timed […]

606. Communication Skills and Changing Times (5605) ↗

Communication Skills and Changing Times   Times have changed. Yesterday, the most qualified person got the job. Today, among equal qualifications, the best communicator gets the job.

607. Presentation skills: Why you should consider using a full manuscript (5600) ↗

Presentation skills: Why you should consider using a full manuscript Why should you do all the work of preparing a full manuscript for your speech?  Wouldn’t it be easier to “wing it?” Here’s one compelling reason: CEOs of top corporations pay freelance speechwriters $3,000-$7,000 and more to write a speech.  They wouldn’t repeatedly do this […]

608. Communication Skills (5594) ↗

Communication Skills  According to a survey of faculty members at engineering schools:  Opinion of the faculty members was that 15% of an engineer’s future success depends on his or her engineering skills, while 85% depends upon communication skills.

609. Presentation skills: Great Tips for Using Notes for a Presentation (5585) ↗

Presentation skills: Great Tips for Using Notes for a Presentation   Ah, I was delighted to get this information: Experienced speakers often discipline themselves to write their entire presentation first.  Then they work backwards and reduce their manuscript to shortened notes.  I loved finding that information because most often that is exactly what I do. […]

610. Communication (5582) ↗

Communication   Survey in USA Today on women in management: The number one critical success factor for the women who have made it big is communication skills.

611. Presentation Skills: What to Do About Misspeaking? (5575) ↗

Presentation Skills: What to Do About Misspeaking? Mistakes happen all the time.  You mean to say one thing, but a glitch of the tongue brings something else out of your mouth. While campaigning for the presidency,  Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis referred to “modern musicians” instead of “modern munitions.” Jimmy Carter once referred to himself as […]

612. Communication (5571) ↗

Communication   The thinking human being Not able to express himself, Stands at the same level as Those who cannot think.  -Pericles

613. English Speaking Skills: The What and How of a 30 Second Elevator Speech (5551) ↗

English Speaking Skills: The What and How of  a 30 Second Elevator Speech An elevator speech is used as a marketing tool since it lets those you meet know where you’ve been and where you’re hoping to go in the future.  Write that 30 second speech, and it is worth memorizing.  What’s not to like […]

614. Visual Aids (5564) ↗

Visual Aids   Visual Aids Learning is improved up to 200%  (Study at University of Wisconsin) Retention is improved up to 38% (Studies at Harvard and Columbia) Time to explain complex subjects is reduced by 25% and 40% (Study at Wharton School of Business)

615. English Speaking Skills: How to Write an Elevator Speech (5539) ↗

English Speaking Skills: How to Write an Elevator Speech   The term “elevator speech” first became popular during the early days of the internet explosion, when companies that won cash from venture capitalists were often those with a simple pitch.  The best could explain a business proposition in the time it took occupants to arrive […]

616. Part 2- Stand Up and Use Visual Aids (5544) ↗

Part 2- Stand up and Use Visual Aids   The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania did a controlled study of a presentation in which they tried to persuade people to invest their money in a new business. Group A: told story sitting down, and  58% agreed to sign up for the […]

617. Stand Up and Use Visual Aids! (5534) ↗

Stand Up and Use Visual Aids!   People who stand up and use visual aids are perceived as: -more professional -more persuasive -more credible -more interesting -and better prepared  

618. English Speaking Skills: Elevator Speech– Introduction (5529) ↗

English Speaking Skills: Elevator Speech–  Introduction Have you developed your “elevator speech”? Shi on Facebook asked about an “elevator speech”.  She had read several articles on the importance of having a couple of versions of an “elevator speech” to maximize your communication.  In her case, she was seeking advice on how to get the most […]

619. Success (Over $250,000) (5514) ↗

 Success (Over $250,000)   Primary Factors in Achieving Success (over  $250,000): 1.      Communication skills 71% 2.      Intelligence 64% 3.      Integrity 54% 4.      Experience 50% 5.      Enthusiasm, positive attitude 48% 6.      Self-esteem/confidence  37% 7.      Risk taking attitude 35% 8.      Formal education 29% 9.      Ambition 25% 10.   Emotional Maturity 16% (Lamalle Report on Top Executives of the 1990s)

620. English speaking skills: Become a memory champion (5518) ↗

English speaking skills: Become a memory champion   You’ve heard this great advice for doing an excellent presentation:  Memorize the first several minutes and the last several minutes. How to do that, you ask?   Under the pressure of the need to perform, you just know your mind will go blank. What to do? The answer– […]

621. Success (5509) ↗

Success Research by the American Society for Training and Development concluded that “the only thing that ranks above communication skills as a factor in workplace success is job knowledge.”

622. English Speaking Skills: Overlearning–You’ll Love the Results (5503) ↗

English Speaking Skills: Overlearning–You’ll Love the Results You’ve heard it:  It takes 1000 times of doing a pattern to make a mental trace.  And it takes 10,000 times of doing a pattern to make a habit. “Why do I have to keep practicing?  I already have the skill?” Such is the protest from all of […]

623. We Remember (5489) ↗

We Remember     We remember: 10% of what we read 20% of what we hear 30% of what we see 50% of what we both see and hear

624. English Speaking Training: The Fragile Nature of Intelligence (5482) ↗

English Speaking Training:  The Fragile Nature of Intelligence I’ve felt it. You have probably felt it, too. You feel especially smart and funny when talking to one person and then feel unintelligent and unable to speak fluently with another. It’s not your imagination.  Experiments show that when people report feeling comfortable with a conversational partner, […]

625. The Power of Speaking (5473) ↗

The Power of Speaking                      Ponder this gem: If all my talents and powers were to be taken from me by some inscrutable Providence, and I had my choice of keeping but one, I would unhesitatingly ask to be allowed to keep the Power of Speaking, […]

626. English Speaking Training: Understand that Strange Spelling (5461) ↗

English Speaking Training: Understand that Strange Spelling Did you ever wonder why some words in English have such strange spelling?   For accurate pronunciation of many words, you say the consonants loud and clear using the positioning for English, not for other languages.  And for most words, using the English spelling rules for vowels, you can […]

627. Anxious? (5454) ↗

Anxious? Most important strategy: Preparation My personal favorite: Rehearse out loud My newly found tip: Arrive one hour early and meet and greet people at the door.

628. Public Speaking Training: Great Exercises for Coping With Stress (5442) ↗

Public Speaking Training:  Great Exercises for Coping With Stress Here  are some of my favorite “coping with stress” exercises. For some people, anxiety is a problem whenever they do presentations.  Are you like many people and also feel stressed out during your daily work or academic life?   These exercises are good training in your […]

629. Breath Pauses (5437) ↗

Breath Pauses   One of my favorite strategies is to mark breath pauses in your narrative for a presentation.  Many people, especially nonnative speakers of English, polish their presentation by writing it out their script or narrative.  Many people forget to include pauses.  Listeners need the pauses to process what you are saying. Marking your copy […]

630. Public Speaking: How to Relax Before You Present (5427) ↗

Public Speaking: How to Relax Before You Present   The beginning of a presentation is often a difficult time to maintain your focus.  Try taking a slight pause at the beginning and thinking of a word to help you focus.  That word might be “focus” or for me it is “twinkle” to remind me to […]

631. Accent Reduction – How to say the grammar s sound rule #2 – Tip 81 (5418) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the grammar s sound with a voice. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent Reduction, visit our website:http://www.cleartalkmastery.com Like us on facebook: http://facebook.com/ClearTalkMasteryFollow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/ClearTalkM

632. Easy Tips to a Better Voice During Presentations (5411) ↗

Easy Tips to a Better Voice During Presentations   Here are some easy to do tips to get you a better voice during presentations: Avoid the restriction of tight clothing that might keep the abdominal area from expanding. Tight clothing is especially restrictive if you have just eaten a heavy meal. Better yet, do not […]

633. Public Speaking: How to Do Practice for Being Direct and to the Point (5401) ↗

Public Speaking: How to Do Practice for Being Direct and to the Point Ahhh, to be direct and to the point in your communication.   I have heard that wish over and over.  What can you do to improve that skill? You can learn to be direct and to the point by simplifying a story to […]

634. How to Solve the Problem of a Very High-Pitched Voice from Anxiety (5395) ↗

How to Solve the Problem of a Very High-Pitched Voice from Anxiety Here is another tip for a problem that is very common with improper breathing – a very high-pitched voice. When we get nervous or anxious, our pitch generally rises because of increased tension in the throat area. When you combine anxiety with having […]

635. Public Speaking: How to Train Yourself to Stay (5387) ↗

Public Speaking: How to Train Yourself to Stay Staying focused when you are responding to complex questions is difficult for all people. Maybe the question comes in a meeting. Maybe during a presentation. It is even more difficult if you are a non-native born speaker of English or you have English as a native language and […]

636. How to Fix the Common Voice Problem of Glottal Fry During a Presentation (5377) ↗

How to Fix the Common Voice Problem of Glottal Fry During a Presentation   Here are is a tip for a common voice problem called glottal fry during a presentation. The Problem: Glottal fry is a popping sound or voice with a low pitch and rough voice that can be heard toward the ends of […]

637. Public Speaking: How to Be Your Own Voice or Communication Coach (5368) ↗

Public Speaking:  How to Be Your Own Voice or Communication Coach   How to improve your own presentation style.  You CAN learn from others.   Use video media (television, movies, YouTube presenters, website videos) to do your own communication analysis.  Choose samples of people you think do very well.  Learn from the experts. It is fun! […]

638. A Clever Technique for Breathing Before a Presentation (5361) ↗

A Clever Technique for Breathing Before a Presentation I love this tip for helping your breathing before a presentation. Take a good abdominal-diaphragmatic breath about 10 seconds before you are going to start your presentation. Take another good abdominal-diaphragmatic breath just before you begin your opening line. These two deep breaths will build your air supply.  […]

639. The Top 10 Public Speaking Tips from Broadcasters (5348) ↗

The Top 10 Public Speaking Tips from Broadcasters Everyone is asked to answer questions about work or academic topics or issues.  It could be in a meeting, when you are asked to describe your project.  It could be in a class, when you are asked to describe your experience with a topic or analyze an […]

640. Choppy Speech and the Breathing Solution (5340) ↗

Choppy Speech and the Breathing Solution   Here is a problem that can happen with poor breathing during presentation speaking: Poor breathing may result in choppy disjointed speech that can happen when you take a breath pause at the wrong time. The solution: do greater inhalations using the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. Mark your script […]

641. English communication and American Slang: Nouns and Adjectives (5316) ↗

English communication and American Slang: Nouns and Adjectives American slang is a casual vocabulary.  These words are some of the most popular and can be used by all.  Here are noun and adjective slang words. American Slang Nouns brain: a very intelligent person Bill Gates must be a brain. munchies: snacks like pretzels, popcorn, potato […]

642. The Importance of Good Breathing (5309) ↗

The Importance of Good Breathing   Did you know that when we speak, we use a different breathing pattern than when we are at rest? • Our ratio of inhalation to exhalation at rest is close to 1:1 • For speech, that ratio must change to 1:5 or even 1:10 • You can control the […]

643. Accent Reduction – How to say the grammar s sound – Tip 80 (5308) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the grammar s sound with no voice.. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent Reduction, visit our

644. English Speech Communication and American Slang: Greetings and Verbs (5295) ↗

English speech communication and American Slang:  Greetings and Verbs American English has its own casual variety of the English language and vocabulary.  Historically, it has been influenced by sports, the cowboys, the building of the railroad, the card game of poker, African-American culture, immigrants, native and so forth. Here are some words which are common […]

645. Fail-Safe Questions (5268) ↗

  Fail-Safe Questions     For this week’s accent reduction advice, we have a speech tip video below. Also, whether you are a student meeting new people or an adult who knows no one at a work gathering, you can use fail-safe questions with particular themes to open and start conversations.  Today, here are three: […]

646. Accent Reduction: Best Strategies for HOW To Learn Accurate, Clear English Speaking (5254) ↗

Accent Reduction: Best Strategies for HOW To Learn Accurate, Clear English Speaking     Before we get to the best strategies for HOW to learn accurate, clear English speaking, let’s ask the important WHY question.  So why do you need to know how to learn the skills  for reducing your accent and making your English easy to understand? The […]

647. Accent Reduction – How to say the short a and short u sounds – Tip 79 (5292) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the short vowels a and u. She uses the words pan and pun as examples. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next!<br

648. Polish Your Conversational Skills (5245) ↗

Polish Your Conversational Skills     For this week’s accent reduction advice, we have a speech tip video below.   Also, an important aspect of English speech training is polishing conversational skills. If you avoid brief social interactions, try making pleasant connections with neighbors, co-workers or other people you see regularly.   Smile at the […]

649. English Pronunciation: Smart Learning Strategies for Accent Reduction (5217) ↗

English Pronunciation: Smart Learning Strategies for Accent Reduction   Here is more of the story about training and learning to speak clear English and get accurate English pronunciation. What’s the key to effective learning  — whether learning to speak clear English or reduce one’s accent, or any kind of learning?  One intriguing body of research […]

650. Accent Reduction – How to say the qu sound – Tip 78 (5235) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the qu sound. She uses the word quote as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent

651. Tips to Perfect the Fine Art of Dialogue (5222) ↗

Tips to Perfect the Fine Art of Dialogue   For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, here are a couple of tips to perfect the fine art of dialogue.   Good, engaging conversation is like a Frisbee that you catch, spin and toss to the next person. […]

652. Accent Reduction: Why Your English Speech is Difficult to Understand Even Though You Live in an English Speaking Country (5198) ↗

Accent Reduction: Why Your English Speech is Difficult to Understand Even Though You Live in an English Speaking Country   What you are saying: “I have been trying my best to improve my English.  I went to an ESL class and I had a private English tutor about four times.  I couldn’t succeed.  I think […]

653. Accent Reduction – How to say the s and sh sounds – Tip 77 (5215) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the s and sh sounds. She uses the word associate as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information

654. Set-Up for You for Your Presentation (5188) ↗

  Set-Up for You for Your Presentation Hello Everybody, For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, here are a couple of tips for the set-up for you for your presentation.     Don’t let the audiovisual staff run your show. Turn the lights up bright, so you […]

655. English Language Communication- Did you know this about foreign-born people in the US? (5148) ↗

Did you know this about foreign-born people in the US?    For this last installment about interesting facts about people with English as a Second Language, here are data to satisfy your curiosity! A recent study by the Pew Research Center indicates that Asians have recently passed Latinos as the largest group of new immigrants […]

656. Accent Reduction – How to say the b and br sounds – Tip 76 (5185) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the b and br sounds. She uses the word brother as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information

657. Jolt them with a headline! (5167) ↗

Jolt them with a headline.   For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, here is a tip for grabbing the attention of an audience: Jolt them with a headline.   A headline is a statement that surprises or challenges them.     Three rules for a headline […]

658. English language communication: What are most prevalent languages of the internet and publishing? (5145) ↗

What are most prevalent languages of the internet and publishing?    What are internet’s top languages by number of users? (Internetworldstats.com) English (27.3%) Chinese (22.6%) Spanish (7.8%) Japanese (5.3 %) Portuguese (4.3%) 4.0% and less are German, Arabic, French, Russian, Korean. Let’s look at a more informal way of measuring the languages of the internet […]

659. Tips for Story Telling (5137) ↗

Tips for Story Telling    For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, here are tips for story telling in a presentation… or conversation.       The hard thing is to begin.   There is a right way and a wrong way to start a story, whether […]

660. What are Facts About the World’s Most Spoken Language? (5124) ↗

What are Facts About the World’s Most Spoken Language?   Another snapshot of our wonderful talking world. What is the world’s most spoken language? Here, let’s focus on the most widely spoken languages by number of native speakers. Mandarin Chinese (1197 million) Spanish (406 million) English (335 million) Hindi-Urdu (260 million) Arabic (223 million) Portuguese […]

661. Accent Reduction – How to say long u and l sounds – Tip 75 (5136) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the long u and l sound. She uses the word calculations as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more

662. The Entire World Loves a Story (5116) ↗

For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, here are tips for telling a story as part of your presentation… or conversation:   THE ENTIRE WORLD LOVES A STORY   So find one. You won’t have to look that hard. You need to look inside yourself and decide […]

663. Tips for Being a Masterful Presenter (5076) ↗

Tips for Being a Masterful Presenter 1.    An effective presentation builds a relationship with people who are giving you the gift of their time and attention. You may be able to require their time, but you have to earn their attention. 2.    To paraphrase Lani Arrendondo, to relate like a Pro or master of communication, […]

664. What are Five Important Numbers for Global Communication and English Speaking? (5101) ↗

What are Five Important Numbers for Global Communication and English Speaking?    In my previous blogs, we were talking about my favorite advice from pros and experts about preparing and delivering a presentation.  Here in this post and the next couple we are going to look at wonderful numbers which give a snapshot of our […]

665. Accent Reduction – How to say the short o sound – Tip 74 (5113) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the short o sound. She uses the example words: process, problem, and project. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on

666. Organizing Your Presentation Like a Pro (5078) ↗

For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below.  Also, here are tips for organizing your presentation like a pro.   The scenario:  You are asked to do a presentation. Perhaps it is at a lunch or you are asked to talk as part of a team. You were asked […]

667. Father Shoury Ramji -Testimoinal (5099) ↗

Father Shoury Ramji talks about his experience with Clear Talk Mastery. http://ClearTalkMastery.com

668. Public Speaking : How Long for the First Draft & Best Format for Delivery (5057) ↗

Public Speaking : How Long for the First Draft & Best Format for Delivery   I love learning from other people.  I love going to experts and figuring out their tricks and secrets.  For presentations, I like to be successful.  I like to enjoy the process.  Top pros are successful and enjoy the process.  Here’s […]

669. Accent Reduction – How to say the g sound – Tip 73 (5075) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the g sound. She uses the word goals as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent

670. Public Speaking Skills: How Much Time To Prepare for A Speech (5025) ↗

Public Speaking Skills: How Much Time To Prepare for A Speech    Don’t you just hate the mad scramble for getting ready for a presentation.  You can avoid that scramble.  The top professionals – the top pros –do.  Here are their secrets: How much time to prepare for a speech? Start right away.  Even if […]

671. Accent Reduction – How to say the long u and long e sounds – Tip 72 (5052) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the long u and long e sounds. She uses the words reveal and review as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next!<br

672. The Rule of Three! (5017) ↗

The Rule of Three!    For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, do the Rule of Three. Every great message contains at least one but not more than three key points.   1. Why should you follow the Rule of Three? People are so swamped with information, […]

673. Accent Reduction – How to say the p sound – Tip 71 (5024) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the p sound and she shows how to divide the word anticipate. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on

674. Understanding Americans’ Nonverbal Behavior (4986) ↗

On Thursday August 22, 2013 Dr. Antonia Johnson did a workshop “Understanding Americans’ Nonverbal Behavior” for international teaching assistants at the University of Colorado at Boulder for the Fall Intensive Training. Here are brief summaries of those articles and bibliography information compiled by Grace Sanders.               Summaries of Articles […]

675. English Speaking Communication: Presentations- Secrets of the Pros for Reading a Speech (4971) ↗

English Speaking Communication: Presentations- Secrets of the Pros for Reading a Speech   Sometimes pros will read their speech.   I’ve seen pros look and sound very, very good.  They used special strategies to maximize the effectiveness of their presentation.  Here are some of my favorite tips and strategies from the pros: No matter what format […]

676. Seize Your Audience’s Attention When You Do A Presentation (4957) ↗

For this week’s dose of clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Secondly, seize your audience’s attention when you do a presentation. My favorite opener: John Paul Getty once told a group of would-be billionaires his secret of success was: “Rise early, work hard, strike oil.” Now, here are 3 different […]

677. Accent Reduction – How to say the “sts” ending – Tip 70 (4955) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the “sts” ending. She uses the word guests as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent

678. English Speaking Communication: My Biggest, Stupidest Error AND The Presentation Strategy that Works! (4943) ↗

English Speaking Communication: My Biggest, Stupidest Error AND The Presentation Strategy that Works! Last week I told you I stopped talking when I was a teenager. Don’t do that as a response to your frustration with your English speech! Here is the rest of the story.  I recalled it as I meditated one recent morning. […]

679. Start Your Presentation With A Bang! (4935) ↗

Start Your Presentation With A Bang!    For today’s dollop of clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, here’s more advice about starting your presentation with a bang. 1. If you do nothing else to prepare for your speech, make an opener that not only gets people’s attention, but makes […]

680. Accent Reduction – How to say the short vowel a sound – Tip 69 (4933) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the short a sound. She uses the words status and statue as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more

681. A Brilliant Opener to Your Presentations (4869) ↗

A Brilliant Opener to Your Presentations   For today’s dollop of clear English speech coaching, we give you a speech tip video below. Here’s more on a brilliant opener to your presentations—the story or anecdote.   1. An anecdote briefly describes an incident that’s interesting, amusing or biographical. All three together are sure to get attention. That’s […]

682. Clear Talk Mastery Channel (4927) ↗

Welcome to Clear Talk Mastery’s YouTube channel! Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent Reduction, visit our website:http://www.cleartalkmastery.com Like us on facebook: <a

683. Three of the Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Indian Speakers (4872) ↗

Three of the Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Indian Speakers   In India, about 10 percent of the population are English speakers.  Of these, 226,449 speak English as a first language, while 125,000,000 speak English as an additional language. About 4 percent of the population consider themselves fluent  Our Indian students live in: Boulder […]

684. Earn Your Audience’s Attention! (4866) ↗

Earn Your Audience’s Attention!    For this week’s dose of clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, let’s turn our attention to those first words for your presentation.   1. The audience has given you their time. But their attention is something you have to earn.   2. The only way you […]

685. Accent Reduction – When to use th with a voice – Tip 68 (4864) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows when to use the th sound with and without a voice. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent Reduction, visit our

686. Three of the Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Chinese Speakers (4849) ↗

Three of the Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Chinese Speakers In Asia, the number of English-users has surpassed 350 million, equal to the number of people who live in countries where English is the dominant language: the United States, Britain and Canada. More Chinese children now study English — about 100 million — than there are Britons. […]

687. Pauses In A Presentation, Part Two (4812) ↗

Pauses In A Presentation, Part Two     For your weekly dose of clear English coaching, we have a weekly speech tip video below. Do you want to know a brilliant tactic for pausing at the beginning of a presentation?   1. Brilliantly effective is this: When you are first introduced, upon arriving at the podium or your […]

688. Accent Reduction – How to say the l sound, clothes – Tip 67 (4847) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the l sound. She uses the word clothes as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent

689. Accent Reduction – How to say the long vowel e, procedure – Tip 66 (4846) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the long e sound. She uses the word procedure as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on

690. Three Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Spanish Speakers (4827) ↗

Three Most Commonly Mispronounced English Sounds for Spanish Speakers  Nearly 20% of Americans speak a different language at home. About 47% of the foreign-born  population are Hispanic. The Latino population has doubled since 1990. Florida is home to the third highest total of Latinos, or 22.8 percent of the state’s population. California and Texas are home […]

691. Pauses In A Presentation, Part One (4805) ↗

Pauses In A Presentation, Part One   For your weekly dose of clear English coaching, we have a weekly speech tip video below. Now hear this: If you are an ESLer, your audience welcomes pauses in a presentation. If it is a lengthy pause of more than two seconds, smile at them, so they won’t think you forgot […]

692. Accent Reduction – How to pronounce the zh sound – Tip 65 (4824) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the zh sound. She uses the word version as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent

693. From Weakness to Excellence for You: A Lesson for English Pronunciation (4792) ↗

From Weakness to Excellence for You: A Lesson for English Pronunciation   I love reading the sports news.  It tells stories of heroes.  People say Michael Jordan is one of the greatest sportsmen in history.  His extraordinary success can be linked to a single quality.  His story can be a guiding light for you. Let me […]

694. Jumping to the Next Level for English Pronunciation—A Hero (4780) ↗

Jumping to the Next Level for English Pronunciation—A Hero Last month I went to south Florida to connect with relatives for a family wedding and to connect with Catholic priests doing the clear talk program in the Archdiocese of Miami. Father R had been stuck in his English speech communication. But now he is hero again […]

695. What About Variety? (4744) ↗

What About Variety?    For your weekly dose of clear English coaching, we have a weekly speech tip video below. What about variety? We all crave variety: different places, different things,different people. This is especially true in a presentation where the audience may take any excuse to tune out. By giving the audience vocal variety, you give […]

696. Dear Friend Letter from a Grieving Person (4749) ↗

Dear Friend Letter from a Grieving Person I found it.  I got it on May 23rd, the last and fourth night of my four week grief support group.  It’s a letter given to the 10 of us for sending to friends.  Why would grieving people need to send a letter to friends?  A letter to educate friends (and family!) about […]

697. The Danger of Becoming Overly Enthusiastic (4736) ↗

The Danger of Becoming Overly Enthusiastic   For your weekly dose of clear English coaching, we have a weekly speech tip video below. Let’s turn our attention now to the danger of becoming overly enthusiastic and perhaps intimidating or irritating an audience.   1. If you notice your voice elevating almost to the point of shouting, bring […]

698. How to Communicate With a Grieving Person (4695) ↗

How to Communicate With a Grieving Person Life is a series of births and deaths.  From death to rebirth and renewal – sometimes in unexpected ways. A couple of years ago, I read a great article on how to talk to a grieving person.  Most powerful and memorable for me was the advice to use […]

699. Accent Reduction – How to pronounce the ng sound – Tip 64 (4735) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the ng sound. She uses the words “going” and “hanging” as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information

700. Believe In What You Are Selling! Elevate Your Emotions (4682) ↗

  For your weekly dose of clear English speech coaching, we have a weekly speech tip video below. For your weekly dose of clear, successful communication, let me paraphrase Michael Klepper. There are speeches where you are selling. You’re selling a concept. You’re selling your organization’s capabilities. You’re selling a product. You’re selling a service. Most importantly, you’re selling […]

701. American Accent Training: What does it take to make a habit? (4688) ↗

How do you form a habit? Neuroscientists tell us it takes doing a new pattern a thousand times before we make a neural trace in our brains.  Neuroscientists tell us it takes 70 days of practice every day to change a habit. They say it takes 10,000 times of practice before a pattern is a habit. The […]

702. Accent Reduction – How to say the th sound – Tip 63 (4729) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the th sound. She uses the word “authentic” as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent

703. Tips for Your Presentation and Enthusiasm (4675) ↗

For your weekly dose of clear English speech, we have a weekly speech tip video below. Let’s turn now to tips for your presentations and enthusiasm. According to Michael Klepper, most presentations suffer from a lack of enthusiasm.   1. Start with this viewpoint from Kevin Daley. The five watchwords for presentations are: credibility, commitment, integrity, enthusiasm, knowledge. Can […]

704. English Pronunciation: How to Overcome Your Speech Mispronunciations in Daily Life and Presentations (4661) ↗

Let’s talk about a clever strategy to overcome your speech mispronunciations in daily life and presentations to give you the strength of confidence.  The biggest key to people understanding your words is the accuracy of your pronunciation, and the sounds being loud enough for them to hear.  We’ve all been there: you are confident your speech is […]

705. Accent Reduction – How to say the r sound – Tip 62 (4672) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the r sound. She uses the word camera as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent

706. ESL Speakers: You Probably Speak Too Fast! (4643) ↗

For your weekly dose of clear English communication coaching, we have a weekly speech tip video above. AND hear this:   1. “My own observation is that most presenters overaccelerate their rate of delivery, making it difficult for audiences to stay in step.” Michael Klepper   2. “One way to curb overacceleration is to make certain you […]

707. How to Figure Out What An Intelligibility Score Really Means (4630) ↗

When native U.S. English speakers talk just above a whisper, they measure about 50% intelligibility. What does this mean to you? A score around 50 percent for an international person means that listeners have to strain to understand them. It is about the same as listeners trying to get information from a native speaker talking a […]

708. Accent Reduction – How to say the long a sound – Tip 61 (4650) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the long a vowel sound. She uses the word complaints as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information

709. A Powerful Point of View for Presentations (4635) ↗

Besides a weekly speech tip video above, here is a powerful point of view for presentations. Remember this:  “The presentation is a moment of truth for the presenter. We can’t hide. We are exposed, for better or worse. The listeners decide whether they like us, believe us, trust us, and perceive whether we are secure in ourselves and […]

710. Clear Talk Mastery Testimonial – Saeng (4629) ↗

In this video Saeng talks a bit about her experiences with Clear Talk Mastery. For more information on Clear Talk Mastery visit our website http://cleartalkmastery.com

711. Getting the American Accent : “Never Say Never” (4555) ↗

And this from Raul, on Facebook Hi Antonia,Would you please do a video and use as a topic “never say never”. I believe the majority of us think we are not going to go further into learning clear English speech. However, life pushes us to take more instruction and classes on this subject. Our jobs demand more […]

712. Stand Still and Watch Your Confidence Grow During Presentations! (4533) ↗

Above is a weekly speech tip video. This cool tip is for a steady stance versus walking while presenting to an audience. It is true for men and women alike.   You may have a picture in your mind of a speaker pacing back and forth while holding the eyes of everyone on him. But […]

713. What Practical Real-Life Difference will Increase in Intelligibility Make? (4543) ↗

Everybody wants people to grasp what they say, so a high intelligibility score is better than a low score. It is a no-brainer. Speaking accurate English sounds and words makes life much better for the speaker and the listener! Recall the range of scores for our clients before any accent reduction instruction has been between 2% and 85%. […]

714. Accent Reduction – How to say the v sound – Tip 60 (4574) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English v sound. She uses the word never as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent

715. How Does an Audience Impact a Speaker? (4528) ↗

Above is a weekly speech tip video. How does an audience impact a speaker?   1. You walk to the front of the room and turn to face the audience. Your instincts say to scan the audience. Your eyes almost wander by themselves. But that makes a feeling of nervousness. You get an extra jolt of adrenaline. […]

716. Accent Reduction – How to say the long o sound – Tip 59 (4527) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the long o vowel sound. She focuses on the word focus. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent

717. Why is Intelligibility Important? (4514) ↗

A key question for you is: What do you want for your English speech communication skills? Probably first on your wish list is for people to understand your words. The professional term for that is “intelligibility.” Wikipedia states that intelligibility is a measure of the degree to which speech can be understood. Most important is that you […]

718. Accent Reduction – How to say the ch sound – Tip 57 (4509) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce on the English ch sound. She uses the word chin as an example. For more information on Accent Reduction, visit our website:http://www.cleartalkmastery.com Like us

719. What is “Accent” and What is “Accent Reduction?” (4502) ↗

What is “Accent” and What is “Accent Reduction?” Sylvia posted on Clear Talk Mastery’s timeline:“Another set of sounds that are difficult for my Hispanic students are in the words shin and chin. That short i is always a problem. But distinguishing between the sh and the ch is hard for them too. They wanted me to […]

720. Accent Reduction – How to Say the d Sound – Tip 56 (4506) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the d sound. She uses the word decision as an example. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent

721. Cool Tips for How to Prepare for Your Presentation (4496) ↗

We give you our weekly speech tip video above. Here are some cool tips for how to prepare for your presentation.   1. Should you write out your talk? Some say absolutely no. Others say that with the computer, this is easy and helps us think. People are surprised to hear that is what I do. Many […]

722. How to Overcome Your Fear of Speaking in Public (4487) ↗

How to Overcome Your Fear of Speaking in Public What NOT to do: Take solace in the thought that you are an introvert or shy or a “behind-the-scenes person.” Or have the excuse that English is NOT your first language. That has nothing to do with being able to speak. BTW, I always had the excuse […]

723. Stand Up and Speak As Well As You Think! (4412) ↗

Hello Everybody, Above is our weekly speech tip video. Here are some tips for how to stand up and speak as well as you think!   1.Winston Churchill said it took him six to seven hours to prepare a forty-five minute speech. If you want to be confident, you must know that your message is worthy of […]

724. How to say: j, courage – Accent Reduction Tip 55 (4486) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the consonant j and the word courage. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on Accent Reduction, visit our website:<a

725. Courage (4465) ↗

“This tragedy is not going to stop Boston,” said Thomas Menino, the city’s outgoing mayor. “We are Boston. We are one community and we will not let terror take us over.” Now for you. What are you most afraid of? People’s Almanac Book of Lists by David Wallechinsky, et al. reports on a survey: What are […]

726. Where Should Your Hands Be? (4409) ↗

Hello Everybody, We have our weekly speech tip video above. And here are some cool tips for what to do with your hands during a presentation.   1.   Where should your hands be? When you begin, they should hang naturally by your body. Then they should describe and emphasize what you are saying.   […]

727. Speech Strength – Accent Reduction Tip #1 (4463) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to strengthen speech muscles for accent reduction. She uses the words, dad, judge, gag, and Bob to practice. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next!<br

728. What are the Seven Most Important Numbers for ESLers in the U.S.? (4447) ↗

What are Seven Most Important Numbers for ESLers in the U.S.?  I love data. I love knowing about my brothers and my sisters. In the engineering, sciences, and technology labor force, one in three employees is foreign-born. Nearly 35% of U.S. physicians are foreign-born. 20% of the priests in active service in the U.S. were […]

729. How You Sound and Look is Critical (4403) ↗

Hello Everybody, Besides our weekly speech tip video above, here’s a question.  How do you as a speaker impact an audience? How you look includes your clothes, your facial expression, your stance, your body movement, your hands, how you move your eyes. Suppose you are trying to motivate a group, and you tell them something is […]

730. Be Not Afraid (4436) ↗

In my life, like all lives, I have lived with fear. For my youth and young adulthood, I had a huge fear of speaking, because I stuttered. I stammered badly like King George in the movie “The King’s Speech.” When given a list of common fears, 90% of people, including CEOs (Chief Executive Officers), list fear […]

731. Cool Tips for the Sound of Your Voice (4398) ↗

Hello Everybody, Besides our weekly speech tip video above, here are some Cool Tips for the Sound of Your Voice at a Meeting. How you sound accounts for 38% of the impression you make.  How you sound depends more on volume and inflection than the quality of your voice. Kevin Daley, who trained more than 450,000 […]

732. How to Say: project, short o, j – English Speech Tip:52 (4426) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word project. She focuses on the “short o” and “j” sounds. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more information on

733. How to say: th, r, n, long e – thirty, thirteen | English Speech Tip 53 (4425) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds th, r, n, and long e using the words thirty and thirteen. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For more

734. Welcome (4376) ↗

My name is Antonia Johnson. I am a certified Speech-Language Pathologist and I love helping people communicate clearly in English.  I love it so much that is what the best of my Ph.D. was all about. This blog is a place for people eager to find ways to improve their English speaking skill. I will post multiple times a week.   These posts […]

735. Speech Volume and Consonant Volume – English Speech Tip (4363) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson talks about how increasing your speech volume especially with consonants will help your understandability. For more information on Accent Reduction, visit our website:http://www.cleartalkmastery.com Like us on facebook:

736. English Speech Tip 50: n, r – patience, perseverance (4261) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds n and r. She uses the words “patience” and “perseverance” from this quote by John Quincy Adams: “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which

737. English Speech Tip 49: uh, y – took, year (4259) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “uh” and “y.” She uses the words “took” and “year” as examples from the 2013 Super Bowl. Let us know what sounds or words we should

738. English Speech Tip 48: zh, q – decision, quests (4256) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “zh” and “q.” She uses the words “decision” and “quests” as examples. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next! For

739. English Speech Tip 47: x, z – extraordinary, zero (4176) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “x” and “z” using the words “extraordinary”

740. Clear Talk Mastery Testimonial – Bob Tan (4431) ↗

Many thanks for recording this testimonial!

741. English Speech Tip 46: ng, th – wavelengths (4178) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English “ng” and “th with no voice” sounds. She

742. English Speech Tip 45: th, aw – daughter, that (4179) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “th” with a voice and “aw.”

743. English Speech Tip 44: long u – January (4180) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the “long u” sound. She uses the word “January”

744. English Speech Tip 43: j, oy – joy (4181) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “j” and “oy.” She uses

745. English Speech Tip 42: Merry Christmas – m, k (4182) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the holiday greeting “Merry Christmas.” She focuses on the “m”

746. English Speech Tip 41: ou, sh – shout (4183) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “ou” and “sh.” She uses the word

747. English Speech Tip 40: r, short o – probability (4184) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “r” and “short o.” She the word

748. English Speech Tip 39: s, short u, k – success (4185) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds: “s,” “short u,” and “k.” She

749. English Speech Tip 38: v, g, short i – give (4186) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “v,” “g,” and “short i.” She focuses

750. English Speech Tip 37: b, ch, long e – beach (4187) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds, “b,” “ch,” and “long e.” She uses

751. English Speech Tip 36: l, long o – TOEFL (4188) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the sounds “l” and “long o.” She uses TOEFL

752. English Speech Tip 35: l, f – file, value (4189) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the sounds, “l” and “f.” She uses the words,

753. English Speech Tip 34: w, er, l – word, world, work (4190) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the “w,” “er,” and “l” sounds. She uses “word,”

754. English Speech Tip 33: k, t, short a – can, can’t (4191) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds k, t, and short a. She uses

755. English Speech Tip 32: p, y as long e – priority (4192) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the consonant “p” and the long vowel “e” spelled “y.”

756. English Speech Tip 31: h, ur – hurricane (4193) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “h” and “ur.” She uses the

757. English Speech Tip 30: long i, d – kind, mind (4194) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “long i” and “d.” She uses the

758. English Speech Tip 29: v, long a – innovate (4195) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the “v” and “long a” sounds. She uses the

759. English Speech Tip 28: conscience, conscious – sh, n (Part 2) (4196) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word “conscience.” She focuses on the sounds “sh”

760. English Speech Tip 27: conscious, conscience – sh, ous (Part 1) (4197) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word conscious. She focuses on the “sh” and

761. English Speech Tip 26: short a, short e – batter, better (4198) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “short a” and “short e.” She uses

762. English Speech Tip 25: cystoscopy – short i (4199) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word cystoscopy. She focuses on the short i.

763. Accent Reduction with Clear Talk Mastery (4200) ↗

For more information and to sign up for a free 1 on 1 sample lesson click: http://cleartalkmastery.com/from-youtube

764. English Speech Tip 24: w sound – what, where, why, when (4201) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English w sound. She uses examples from the words

765. Speech Tip #24 (3479) ↗

English Speech Tip 24: w sound – what, where, why, when In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English w sound. She uses examples from the words “what,” “where,” “why,” and “when.”

766. English Speech Tip 23: environmental – n (4202) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word environmental. She focuses on the n sound.

767. Speech Tip #23 (3441) ↗

English Speech Tip 23: environmental – n In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word environmental. She focuses on the n sound.

768. English Speech Tip 22: ow – vowel (4203) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word vowel. She focuses on the ow sound.

769. Speech Tip #22 (3437) ↗

English Speech Tip 22: ow – vowel In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word vowel. She focuses on the ow sound.

770. English Speech Tip 21: ou / uh – could, would (4204) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English words could and would. She focusus on the

771. Speech Tip #21 (3433) ↗

English Speech Tip 21: ou / uh – could, would In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English words could and would. She focusus on the “uh” vowel.

772. English Speech Tip 20: x – experience (4205) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word experience. She focuses on the x sound.

773. Speech Tip #20 (3429) ↗

English Speech Tip 20: x – experience In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word experience. She focuses on the x sound.

774. English Speech Tip 19: f, v – favorite (4206) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word favorite. She focuses on the sounds f

775. Speech Tip #19 (3423) ↗

English Speech Tip 19: f, v – favorite In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word favorite. She focuses on the sounds f and v.

776. English Speech Tip 18: y, ur – yogurt (4207) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word yogurt. She focuses on the sounds y

777. Speech Tip #18 (3419) ↗

English Speech Tip 18: y, ur – yogurt In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word yogurt. She focuses on the sounds y and ur.

778. English Speech Tip 17: short u, long a – pronunciation (4208) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word pronunciation. She focuses on the sounds short

779. Speech Tip #17 (3413) ↗

English Speech Tip 17: short u, long a – pronunciation In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word pronunciation. She focuses on the sounds short u and long a.

780. English Speech Tip 16: j, l, r – jewelry (4209) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word jewelry. She focuses on the sounds “j,”

781. Speech Tip #16 (3407) ↗

English Speech Tip 16: j, l, r – jewelry In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word jewelry. She focuses on the sounds “j,” “l,” and “r.”

782. English Speech Tip 15: h, long e, ous – homogeneous (4210) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word homogeneous. She focuses on the sounds “h”

783. Speech Tip #15 (3109) ↗

English Speech Tip 15: h, long e, ous – homogeneous In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word homogeneous. She focuses on the sounds “h” and “long e” as well as the suffix “ous.”

784. English Speech Tip 14: p, b – probably (4211) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “a as in father,” “p,” and “b.”

785. Speech Tip #14 (3105) ↗

English Speech Tip 14: p, b – probably In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sounds “a as in father,” “p,” and “b.” She uses the word “probably.”

786. English Speech Tip 13: zh sound – usually (4212) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sound “zh.” She uses the practice word “usually.”

787. Speech Tip #13 (3101) ↗

English Speech Tip 13: zh sound – usually In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sound “zh.” She uses the practice word “usually.”

788. English Speech Tip 12: oy – point (4213) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sound “oy.” She uses the practice word “point.”

789. Speech Tip #12 (2764) ↗

English Speech Tip 12: oy – point In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English sound “oy.” She uses the practice word “point.”

790. English Speech Tip 11: d, v, ng – good evening (4214) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English phrase “good evening.” She focuses on the sounds:

791. Speech Tip #11 (2746) ↗

English Speech Tip 11: d, v, ng – good evening In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English phrase “good evening.” She focuses on the sounds: “d,” “v,” and “ng.”

792. English Speech Tip 10: parameterization – p, a as in father, t, z, sh (4215) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word “parameterization.” She focuses on the sounds: “p,”

793. Speech Tip #10 (2588) ↗

English Speech Tip 10: parameterization – p, a as in father, t, z, sh In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word “parameterization.” She focuses on the sounds: “p,” “a” as in “father,” “t,” “z,” and “sh.”

794. English Speech Tip 9: th no voice, th with voice, r, long u, long o — through, throw, though (4216) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English words “through,” “throw,” and “though.” She focuses

795. Speech Tip #9 (2486) ↗

English Speech Tip 9: th no voice, th with voice, r, long u, long o — through, throw, though In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English words “through,” “throw,” and “though.” She focuses on the sounds: th with no voice, th with voice, r, long vowel u, long vowel o.

796. English Speech Tip 8: short u & i, long u, k, l, m — curriculum (4218) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word “curriculum.” She focuses on long u, short

797. Speech Tip #8 (2390) ↗

English Speech Tip 8: short u & i, long u, k, l, m — curriculum In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the English word “curriculum.” She focuses on long u, short u and i, k, l, & m.

798. English Speech Tip 7: long o vs. aw, won’t vs. want (4219) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English word “won’t.” She focuses on the long

799. Speech Tip #7 (2241) ↗

English Speech Tip 7: long o vs. aw, won’t vs. want In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English word “won’t.” She focuses on the long o, w and n. She compares the word “won’t” to “want,” and why it’s important to say these words clearly.

800. English Speech Tip 6: meteorology, ology, short o, l, r (4220) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English word “meteorology.” She focuses on suffix “ology,”

801. Speech Tip #6 (2144) ↗

English Speech Tip 6: meteorology, ology, short o, l, r In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English word “meteorology.” She focuses on suffix “ology,” the short vowel “o,” the consonant “l,” and the consonant “r.” Let us know what sounds or words we should do next!

802. English Speech Tip 5: qu, ti, tion, question (4221) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English word “question.” She focuses on “qu” and

803. Speech Tip #5 (2138) ↗

English Speech Tip 5: qu, ti, tion, question In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English word “question.” She focuses on “qu” and “ti.”

804. English Speech Tip 4: w, r, l, d world (4222) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English word “world.” She shows how to pronounce

805. Speech Tip #4 (2130) ↗

English Speech Tip 4: w, r, l, d world In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English word “world.” She shows how to pronounce each sound in the word. Let us know what sounds or words we should do next!

806. Speech Tip #3 (2121) ↗

English Speech Tip 3: Long “e” vs Short “i” and Leave vs Live In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English long vowel “e” and short vowel “i.” She shows how to pronounce each sound and how to make sure they sound different. She uses the words “leave” and “live” […]

807. English Speech Tip 3: Long “e” vs Short “i” and Leave vs Live (4223) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English long vowel “e” and short vowel “i.”

808. English Speech Tip 2: Short Vowels a, e (4224) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English short vowel A and short vowel E.

809. Speech Tip #2 (2073) ↗

English Speech Tip 2: Short Vowels a, e In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English short vowel A and short vowel E. Let us know what sounds or words you would like help with!

810. Speech Tip #1 (2042) ↗

English Speech Tip 1: l, r, e “clear” In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English word “clear.” She focuses on the English l, r, and long ē sounds. Let us know what sounds or words you would like help with!

811. English Speech Tip 1: l, r, e “clear” (4225) ↗

In this video Dr. Antonia Johnson shows how to pronounce the American English word “clear.” She focuses on the