Practice Makes Perfect

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.

English Communication: Greetings and Goodbyes, part 1

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 […]

Tip: Convincing People

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.

English Communication: Modern Slang

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 […]

Sending A Message with Facial Expressions

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.

English Communication: Internet Slang, part 2

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 […]

Tip for Questions & Answers in Presentations

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.

English Communication: Internet Slang

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 […]

Tips for Teleconferences

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

English Pronunciation: More on Why So Many “r”s in English

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 […]