Ten things you can do to master small talk in any language.

The English Toolbox

Small Talk

Interviews are all about demonstrating how your skills and experiences MATCH the job description. To be effective at this you need to do the RIGHT preparation. Answers must be concise, personal, structured. In this podcast I highlight some key tips for answering typical questions. If you want more detailed coaching - get in touch with me directly!

#interviews #jobs #career

How to create an awesome job application strategy: Advice on careers, CVs, cover letters, interview planning

Interview Preparation - key tips from a Finance Director

A1 Arabic

Arabic numbers 1>5

As it's already May, a lot of the part 1 and part 2 topics are changing in the IELTS speaking exam. Let's start with the topic "Describe a positive change you made in your life" with some good idioms which are explained below.

Remember this is just an example answer, and you should never learn example answers off by heart. It's very important to speak naturally in the speaking exam.


Idioms used in the example answer:

Out of shape

If someone is unhealthy or not able to do a lot of physical activity, we can say they are out of shape.

“He drinks and smokes too much, and has become very out of shape.”



In good shape

If you’re in good shape, you are fit and healthy. This  especially refers to the physical condition of your body ( being at a healthy weight, not overweight, getting plenty of exercise)


Run down

If you’re feeling run down, you are tired and lacking energy, usually after a sustained period without enough rest.

“After working late in the office every night for the last 2 weeks, he started to feel very run down.”


Full of beans

Someone who has a lot of energy might be described as full of beans.

“Young children are always full of beans, and love to run around, and play.”


Fit as a fiddle

Fit as a fiddle means ‘in very good health’ and may more often be used to refer to older people.

“My grandfather is 86, but is still as fit as a fiddle, and goes to exercise in the park every morning.”


Picture of good health

To look the picture of health simply means to look very healthy and well.

“Wow! Have you been going to the gym recently? You look the picture of health.


IELTS 85 Speaking

Describe a positive change you made in your life - IELTS speaking part 2

Jorge is shopping at a clothing store.

Salesperson (Lily):
This jacket fits you really well! Would you like to size up and try a bigger size?

Customer (Jorge, confused):
Size up? You mean bigger size?

Lily (nodding):
Yes, exactly! "Size up" just means trying a larger size than the one you have.

Jorge (scratching his head):
Hmm… Size up? You mean, when I grow bigger?

Lily (laughing):
Haha, no, no! "Size up" just means trying a bigger jacket. Not growing, just a bigger size!

Jorge (still confused):
So… Size up means I wear bigger clothes, but I don’t grow taller?

Lily (smiling):
Yes! "Size up" means getting a bigger size of the same jacket. You don’t need to grow taller for that!

Jorge (nodding, still unsure):
Okay, okay, I try bigger size jacket. I think I understand!

Jorge (curious):
By the way, your English is really good. How do you speak so well?

Lily:
Well, I took speaking lessons with Teacher Smith on italki! She’s amazing for improving English.

Jorge:
Really? How I book  lesson with her?

Lily:
It’s super easy, just click on her profile on italki and book a speaking lesson!

Jorge:
Wow, easy? I book it now!

LEARN BY LISTENING

Have You Ever Sized Up?

The interrogative particle “呢” is used after a noun or pronoun, forming a question about the situation mentioned previously. 
The commonly used sentence pattern is “A……, B呢？” 
For example：
wǒ shì dà wèi ， nǐ ne ？ 
我 是  大 卫  ， 你 呢 ？ 
nǐ shì xué shenɡ ， tā ne ？ 
你 是  学  生    ， 她 呢 ？ 
dà wèi shì měi ɡuó rén ， tā mā mɑ ne ？ 
大 卫  是  美  国  人  ， 他 妈 妈 呢 ？ 

JOJO CHINESE

呢ne？

In this episode you will learn how to read months.

HSK2

Learn how to answer date--Month

The character "目- Mù " is a pictographic character depicting an eye.

It has multiple meanings and usages, Today we are gonna take a look at some of the main points:

Frist, As an Independent Word, It refers to 
1.眼睛- Yǎn jing - eyes, The organ of vision.

2.看 - Kàn - look, Derived from the function of the eye, it means to observe with the eyes.
Example:	
他目不转睛地看着比赛。- Tā mù bù zhuǎn jīng de kàn zhe bǐ sài 。
-He watched the game without blinking.
目睹了整个过程 - Mù dǔ le zhěng gè guò chéng 
- Witnessed the whole event 

Compound words

1.目光 - Mù guāng - Vision: A person's gaze or attention.
Example: 		
他的目光炯炯有神。- Tā de mù guāng jiǒng jiǒng yǒu shén 。
- His eyes are piercing.

2.目的-Mù dì - Purpose: Goal, intention.
Example:		
他的目的是通过考试。- Tā de mù dì shì tōng guò kǎo shì 。 
- His purpose is to pass the exam.

3.题目-Tí mù - Title/ question
Example: 	
作文的题目- Zuò wén de tí mù - The essay title 

4.目录 - Table of contents
Example:	
这本书的目录- Zhè běn shū de mù lù 
-The book's table of contents

5.项目- Xiàng mù - Item/ project
Example:	
工作中的重要项目。-Gōng zuò zhōng de zhòng yào xiàng mù 。 
-Important projects at work

Idioms and Fixed Phrases

"目不暇接 - Mù bù xiá jiē" : Describes an overwhelming number of things to see.

The Chinese idiom "目不暇接- Mù bù xiá jiē" translates to "too much to see" in English. It is often used to describe a situation where there are so many things to see that one's eyes don't have enough time to rest on any single thing. 

In a more general sense, it can be used to express the idea of being overwhelmed by numerous sights or activities happening all at once. 

Another common translation is "a feast for the eyes," emphasizing the abundance and variety of visually appealing elements.


每日一字

こんにちは！Atsushiです。
今日は7月1日 。曇りです。肌寒いです。
 日本は、全国的には梅雨明けしていっていますが、北海道は雨が続いています。北海道には正式には梅雨はないようですが、最近では、雨が続くこともあります。  今日は、もう7月。1年の半分になりました。
ということで、今年の自分の振り返りをしてみようと思います！


 書き初め
日本では、書き初めといって、1年の初めに今年がんばることを決めて書き残します。
今の時代では、書き残すことは少なくなっているかもしれません。
私はスマートフォンにメモをして残しています。

大きく3つの書き初めをしていました。
・仕事 ・勉強 ・習慣しゅうかんー毎日続けること

■仕事について
私は2つの仕事をしています。
・オンラインコーヒーショップについて
お客さまにコーヒーの香りで幸せになってほしい。
そんな思いで運営しています。
毎月1日に新しいアクションを起こすようにしています。 何か新しいもの、知らないものを探されている方は多いなと感じます。引き続き、コーヒーを飲んでゆとりを持ってもらえるような提案をしていきたいです。
 ・オンライン日本語教師
継続的にレッスンを受けてくださる方もいるので、内容はもちろん大切ですが、どうやって見つけてもらうかも重要かなと思い、最近はこのPodcastをはじめました。
いろいろと試しているところです。


■勉強について
日本語教師の勉強と、英語の勉強をしています。 (日本語は)420時間の講座受講と、海外に住む時の為に、英会話をしています。
・日本語について、知識は増えていると思いますが、知れば知るほど、難しさも増しますね。
・英語は引越などで少し止まっていたのもあり、最近また始めました。

■習慣について
ランニングは続けています。 ヨガストレッチとトレーニングは今がんばっているところです。
 本は、読むとすぐに眠たくなってしまうので、結局、YouTubeで知識や情報を得ています。

できていることと、できていないことが両方あります。 毎日をムダに過ごさずに、丁寧に過ごしたいと思います。ということで、今日も最後まで読んでいただき、ありがとうございます。ではまた！