Master the American /r/ sound! Learn the difference between retroflex and bunched /r/, common challenges, and tips to improve your pronunciation for clearer, more natural speech.

 Pronunciation and Accent Reduction with a Focus on North American English

Key Consonants:  The American R

In this episode, we explore why it is important to understand and embrace your motivation for learning a new language. (Hint: It's different for everyone!)

Motivation Monday

Validating Your Language Learning Experience

Have you ever been so confused you didn't know what to do or say? If so, you might find these words helpful.

If you're shocked by something, you can say you are "flabbergasted." No one knows where this word comes from, but it might come from "aghast," which means "horrified."

So if you got home and found that everything you own had been stolen, you might say, "I'm flabbergasted that they were able to steal everything without being seen!"

If something is very complicated and confusing, you can say you are "bewildered." This word probably comes from "to wilder," an old word that means "to make someone become lost."

So if the police were not able to find out anything about what happened, they might say, "We're bewildered — we have no idea who took your things."

Another word that could be used is "flummoxed," which also means "confused." People don't know for sure, but it may have come from "flummock," an old word that meant "to make untidy or confuse."

So you could say to the police, "I'm just as flummoxed as you are — I can't understand how they could have stolen everything."

If something is difficult to understand, you can say it's "perplexing," or makes you feel "perplexed." So the police might say, "I'm sorry, but we might not be able to find your things. This is a very perplexing case!"

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

4 Ways to Say You're Confused

Il corpo di Philip Kleinman, famoso architetto americano, viene ritrovato in una stanza di Palazzo Carli, il luogo in cui si è appena svolta una conferenza, a cui lo stesso Kleinman ha partecipato. Accanto al cadavere viene ritrovato un foglietto di carta su cui c'è scritto il numero 88. Quale sarà mai il significato di questo numero?  E chi è l'assassino?

Se io fossi Sherlock Holmes

Il caso Philip Kleinman

EP 36 Learn Thai Alphabet for beginners _ How to memorize & write ก ไก่ (kor kai) #learnthai #Thaialphabet 

Thai for Everyone with Kru Robert

Top Tip 2 Read Along- How to immerse yourself in English!

Implicit learning is how humans have evolved to learn language! Learn how you and your family can work smarter not harder and learn natural sounding English. Find more video tips and lessons on https://www.youtube.com/@englishteacherzoe.

Teacher Zoe- The Easy Way to Learn Natural English!

Top Tip 2 Read Along!

Negotiations are a dance – a balance between collaboration and advocating for your position. Confidence is, of course, key, and the language you use plays a crucial role in conveying it. 

Here's how to harness the power of words in three key areas:

1. Framing & Highlighting Value:

Start Strong: Open with a positive, confident statement that positions your value. Instead of "We're happy to discuss this opportunity," try "Our solution has a proven track record of increasing sales by X%."

Focus on Benefits: Shift the conversation from features to the benefits your offer brings. Don't just say "Our software is user-friendly," explain how it "streamlines workflows and saves your team time."

2. Concession Language with Strength:

Conditional Agreements: Acknowledge their points without conceding defeat. Use phrases like "That's a valid concern. To address it, we can offer..." This shows you're listening while steering the discussion.

"We Can" vs. "We Might": Use strong verbs that project confidence. "We can offer a discount for a bulk order" sounds more assured than "We might be able to consider a discount."

3. Closing the Deal with Clarity:

Active Voice & Ownership: Phrases like "We propose a contract with..." sound stronger than "Perhaps we could have a contract."

Summarize & Confirm: Recap key points and confirm next steps. End with "By finalizing the contract today, we can begin implementation next week"

Confident language isn't about aggression; it's about clear, persuasive communication. By strategically using these tips, you'll project confidence, effectively advocate for your value, and navigate negotiations with power and professionalism.

The Global Professional Podcast

Using Confident Language in Business Negotiations - Episode 33

In this episode I talk about how a failed hippie retreat. Here is Carl's italki teacher profile: https://italki.com/teacher/1947582 Thanks for listening! Visit my website for more of my full-length podcasts . https://www.streetwisenglish.com

Streetwise English

SWE 76 🌈🍄☮ Failed Hippie Retreat

In this episode of Chillchat we are learning structures you can use to talk about your daily schedule and long-term plans. Let’s go!

Note: This podcast is intended for language learning ONLY. Not for promoting or criticizing any political party or ideology. Let’s keep it friendly and accessible to all :)

Also, all of the experiences are the hosts’ own experiences so please do your own research if you need more information.

