a- Listen carefully to the following sentences below
b- Record yourself with the tool below: press the red record button to record your voice
In a business meeting
1- In my opinion, we should implement these changes as soon as possible.
2- Regarding the employee well-being, I think you are right. However, I would wait a few weeks more regarding the new production measures.
3- From my point of view, the sooner we implement the changes, the sooner we get better results.
4- I totally agree with you.
5- Our company culture, future and structure should be a priority.
For a presentation on a business matter:
Following our last meeting and the need to improve our customer care process, I have made some research on this matter and will now present you my conclusions.
When debating:
1- I agree with you on this point, however we also have to take into account the elderly people’s point of you.
2- I understand your point, but according to this article, the new trend in this business implies sustainable solutions.
3- I would agree with you if we were based in Australia. However, here, in the UK, the situation is different. We don’t have the large variety of landscapes they have there.
Benefits of the pronunciation & recording exercise:
Dealing with phone calls in an international business, is- or should be- part the daily working life. Moreover, unless you speak your interlocutor’s mother tongue, most of the calls will be in English, as it is the most widely spoken language in business. However, it can also be a tricky task. Indeed when speaking a foreign language, the phone conversation is the hardest situation, because:
you can’t see your interlocutor which means:
you can’t read his lips,
you can’t see his expressions,
you can’t see his gestures,
the line can have poor quality, which would make the understanding harder.
even if the line is good, the conversation, will never be as clear as a face to face meeting.
Consequently, in order to avoid misunderstanding, you need to be prepared.
How to answer the phone professionnaly in English?
A typical business call
In the video below, you can see how the lady answers professionnaly the phone:
‘Good morning, Chic Boutique, how can I help you?’
The professionnal way to answer customer’s phone calls in a company is this:
Good morning/ good afternoon, the name of the company, and: how can I help you?
You can also add your name between the name of the company and how can I help you.
A few basic typical sentences for business phone calls:
I would like to talk to …
I will put you through to Mr … (in French: je vais vous passer Mr …)
The line is engaged: (in French: la ligne est occupée )
Please hold the line (in French: un instant s’il vous plaît, veuillez patienter un instant)
Can I leave a message?
The right attitude on a business call
Even if the customer cannot see you, it is important to smile on the phone. This will convey an impression of happiness. Furthermore, when you listen to the customer take your time and remain focused, listen carfully and try not to interrupt him -unless he really speaks fast and you don’t get a word, in this case let him know and ask him nicely to speak more slowly-.
When you speak, speak clearly as
3 tips to avoid misunderstandings
Spelling with the NATO alphabet
In the video about, the Mr Wright uses the English alphabet to spell his name, which is absolutely correct. Nevertheless in a phone conversation, the understanding of the letter p, t or b can be challenging. That is why in an international call I would recommend to use the NATO Alphabet or even better both English and NATO Alphabet.
What is the NATO phonetic alphabet, and why is it vital in an international phone call?
According to Wikipedia, it is the most widely used set of clear-code words for communicating the letters of the Roman alphabet. It is a standard alphabet used in many countries and in military communication.
NATO Phonetic Alphabet
In the video below, you will be given an example of how this spelling technique can save situations. This is the example of a call center, but it works each time you want to get the proper information when it involves spelling words that can be key in a conversation and that you don’t understand: a name, an address, a specific product…
For instance, to spell SMITH, it would be : S for Sierra, M for Mike, I for India, T for tango, H for hotel
If you want someone to spell like that, you can ask : ‘Could you key-spell your name, please‘
If you don’t have much time you can start the video at minute 5′
Make your interlocutor repeat, make sure you understand properly
When you use a foreign language during a phone call, it is vital to feel free to inform your interlocutor if there is something you haven’t understood.
Could you repeat?
Do you mean that …?
Do not hang up before you make a summary of the conversation or actions you have to take.
Finally at the end of the conversation, make sure everything is clear. A short summary of the conversation will avoid mistakes. Make sure you wait for the customer feed-back on the summary before ending the conversation.
Whether you book your hotel online, on the phone or in the hotel, it is vital to know some useful English words and sentences. This vocabulary will help you every time you travel abroad and you have to find accommodation.
According to the Cambridge dictionary, sightseeing is the act of visiting interesting places, especially by people on holidays.
I will do some sightseeing in London.
You can do some sightseeing: on your own, in groups, with a guide or with an audio guide. This will depend on your expectations, the time you have, your abilities and the place you want to explore.
Guided tours:
A guided tour will provide with the comments of an experienced professional. A Licensed or official tourist guide will be happy to give historical details, explain the architecture or answer all your questions in your own language! The official guides usually have knowledge in history, art and architecture, besides they often speak several languages.
In some countries, some street vendors will propose you tour packages. Unfortunatly, these may not be the more reliable tours and your guide may not be able to give thorough information about history and culture. Moreover, you may be asked for more fees during the tour that the vendor forgot to tell you about.
It is, indeed, advisable to choose your own experienced guide from the official country guides or from a company specialized in this business.
Sightseeing on your own is an enriching experience that offers unparalleled freedom and personal growth. It allows you to explore at your own pace, savoring moments without the pressure of a group itinerary. You can linger in places that captivate you, skip those that don’t, and indulge in spontaneous detours that might lead to hidden gems. I have always been in awe of people who explore new countries on their own.
My personal experience
As far as I concerned, my first limitation is my poor sense of direction. Even though I know I can, partly, rely on GPS or maps, not everyone is a born adventurer, and I can only push myself beyond my own boundaries for a short period of time. Actually, I have visited new places abroad on my own or even with young children. But I feel some kind of selfconsciousness stops me from using all my freedom potential, is it lack of confidence or lack of sense of directions which leads to lack of confidence? I guess both. Therefore, personnaly if I want to explore thorougly a new place to set myself some goals that go way beyond seesighting.
What about your personal experience of sightseeing on your own?
Traveling solo fosters a deeper connection with your surroundings. Without the distraction of companions, you can immerse yourself fully in the sights, sounds, and scents of a new place. This heightened awareness often leads to more meaningful interactions with locals, offering a more authentic glimpse into the culture.
Planning your solo adventure can be both exciting and empowering. It gives you the opportunity to tailor your journey to your interests, whether that’s art, history, nature, or food. With resources like travel blogs, apps, and guidebooks, crafting a perfect itinerary is easier than ever.
A great advantage of exploring solo, is that you can wander in streets or paths without any set target or destination, in order to feel the atmosphere, and not only follow some blogger experience but make your own. When you have company, it might be harder to agree on the random wandering.
Safety and practicality are important considerations. Always be mindful of your environment, keep your belongings secure, and stay connected with loved ones back home. By being prepared and staying open to new experiences, solo sightseeing can be a profoundly rewarding journey, offering memories and personal insights that last a lifetime.
When the weather is mild, during your holidays or for a break in a business trip, why not make a bike tour to discover the area and do some sightseeing.
Cycling city tours
Bicycle city tours tend to be more and more popular in many big cities for sightseeing. The company in charge usually let bikes to a group of people who get to visit a city or an area of a city with a guide who leads the group in predefined routes. These have many advantages:
You can go faster from one place to another- which is very convenient in big towns because you can cover a wider area-.
you can meet new people from all over the world during this tour and practice your English,
you will make some exercise and feel better at the end of the day: cycling reduces stress and helps manage anxiety.
there is no need to be a trained cyclist to engage in this kind of tours, most of the time, anyone who can ride a bike can do it. But personnaly I would ask before booking a bike tour if it involves a lot of climbing, because I am not very keen of big slopes, unless electric bikes are available.
you usually don’t have to bring any special cycling equipment, the tour company generally includes the gear in the tour fare. However, it would be recommended to bring at least your own bottle of water and a back-pack to carry whatever may be useful.
As far as I am concerned, the main disadvantage of this type of activity is the trafic. Indeed, riding a bike in a big city implies a lot of noise- which can make interactions difficult-, it can be unsafe -cyclists are very vulnerable compared to car drivers-, and the air you breathe can be polluted.
Unlike a bike city tour, bike touring usually involves a lot of planning and preparation. In most cases, bike city tour will take up to from 2 hours to the whole day while if you go on bike touring you may decide to go for several days or even several weeks, and this will require a lot of preparation such as:
planning the route: this is definitly the core of the trip.: the roads will need to be safe, interesting… and matching your cycling abilities…
arranging accomodation according to the scheduled stops. Don’t be too optimistic, if this is your first bike touring, you need to make sure you will be able to reach your room for the night.
the distance you will be able to cover in one day will be a vital criteria for your organization. Many features will have to be taken into account: the weather, the tracks, every participant abilities, resupplying and unexpected problems (technical, personal …). Be realistic.
what to bring: so many things ! Cycling gears, also including maintenance equipment is vital in this kind of expedition, but also, don’t forget plenty of water, sun cream, hats or caps… and so much more. The weight of your bags will be to taken into account in your performance calculation. The heavy weight will definitly slow you down.
Some examples of Bike touring accross Europe: https://www.freedomtreks.co.uk/blog/the-best-cycling-tours-in-europe
Regarding bike backpacking or bike packing, the preparation and planning will be even more important as in this kind of trip, you sleep in the wild or at least outside. Therefore you will need to plan everything mentionned above – except room reservations- and bring sleeping gears such as a tent, sleeping bags and check where you will be able or allowed to sleep. Obviously the weather will be even more important and affect your trip.
In this kind of travelling trip, your route will be of a different and consist of less roads and more tracks surrounded by nature.
More content about city cycling and exploring cities by bike
A website that gives the advantages of urban cycling and bike commuting: https://shiftercourses.thinkific.com/products/courses/ultime-guide
A video about exloring different kind of cities by bike and the Youtube channel that promotes urban cycling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd2OwKWRth8
The video requires a good intermediate to advanced level of English. I recommend using the subtitles -in English, of course- if needed.
Whether you prepare to take a domestic flight or to travel abroad, the passenger flow in the airport can be quite an experience. Moreover the different steps you will have to take will be different if you fly within your own country or if you take an international flight.
But here we will be focusing on overcoming the language barrier when you happen to take your plane in a foreign airport.
Eating out definition: to eat away from home, especially at a restaurant.
At the restaurant
You will find here different situations and vocabulary very useful when eating out in an English speaking country.
Practice your English and enjoy !
Test your vocabulary
Watching and understanding
Eating out: role play
Work in pairs
Decide who will be the waiter/waitress and the customer.
Decide what kind of restaurant you’re going to eat in and the menu – pick one out of the options below-
Tastes and flavours:
But before choosing your restaurant or your dish you may want to discuss the flavours or the kind of dishes you like:
Let’s explore different tastes and flavors with examples:
Sour: This taste is sharp and acidic.
Example: Lemons are very sour because they have a lot of citric acid. Vinegar also has a sour taste.
Bitter: This is a strong, often defined as an unpleasant taste. But taste is really relative.
Example: Black coffee without sugar is often bitter. Dark chocolate also has a slightly bitter flavor.
Sweet: This taste is sugary and -for most people- pleasant.
Example: Chocolate, candies, and honey are all sweet. A ripe mango is juicy and sweet.
Spicy: This flavor is hot and often makes your mouth burn.
Example: Chili peppers are very spicy. Indian and Mexican cuisines are known for their spicy dishes.
Salty: This taste comes from salt and is often found in snacks.
Example: Potato chips are very salty. Pretzels also have a salty flavor.
Savoury: This taste is rich, flavorful, and not sweet.
Example: Grilled chicken has a savoury taste. Cheese, soups, and roasted vegetables are often described as savoury.
Each of these tastes plays an important role in making food delicious and interesting. Combining them can create amazing dishes, like sweet and sour chicken or spicy and savoury curry! Which taste is your favorite?
