Speakwell

While we all are a bit nervous when it comes to speaking in English, but it doesn’t last long once you learn the trick that vanishes all your nervousness. English is an easy language once you get a hang of it. The first few times is going to be really tough, but after that I guarantee you, with daily practice you are going to make it. So here are a few tips that will help YOU! Don’t expect to be perfect. So, when I say this, I don’t mean that you lose your confidence and be comfortable with making many mistakes what I  meant by this was to know that you will say something wrong and it’s okay to do that. And learn from them. Start talking to people around you in English. This helps. When you start conversing with your friends or colleagues in English, it will create a big impact in your Life. Start with small words and then slowly start making sentences. Start with daily used sentences “How are you?” , “What is going on?” “Thank you.” Avoid being nervous about your nervousness. Always remember that nervousness is a just a feeling, that it has no control over you. Stop thinking and stressing about  it. The more you think about it, the more controlling it becomes and we don’t want that. So go with the flow. Think about positive things like “I can do it”, “It’s okay to make a mistake”. Trust me, it has helped me a lot through the years. Always be positive. Don’t memorize each and every word. For instance, if you’re talking to someone and you memorize the sequence of how the conversation is going to go, then as you something that was not mentioned when you were memorizing it, then what?? So always understand how the conversation goes and what are the sentences you can say. Be it if you’re talking about your Past, Present or Future. You should always act according to the situation. Improve your Pronunciation. There are many ways you can do it, However the most common reason why someone might find it hard to understand you is not because you have a ‘strong’ accent, but because you’re speaking too fast! Learn to slow down to give the other person time to tune in to your accent, and to understand you more easily. So to do that you can start off by talking to yourself in the mirror. Sounds weird right? But this is going to help you a lot. Once you know the speed you talk to yourself it will be easy to pronounce the words. Think about the person you are most comfortable with. This is my personal experience that we should think about the person we are comfortable with. When told to speak in a group, some closed my eyes and think of their mother or a close friend. And Viola! It helps. 7. Learn some daily used If everything goes wrong, here are some phrases that would help you to start the conversation again. “Sorry, but I didn’t catch what you said.” “Sorry, Let me start again.” etc.. Relax & don’t push yourself too hard. Learning a language is a process that isn’t easy. It is going to take some time. When you have good days, you have bad days too which is totally fine. Pick yourself up in this situation and try harder. These were tips to help you overcome your nervousness while talking in English. Enjoy learning!  

Everyone likes to be appreciated. Something good said about them helps create a positive effect around the person. Also acknowledging someone’s good points helps create an atmosphere of empathy and mutual understanding. Compliments are powerful reminders that words of thoughtfulness are more impactful than false flattery. Today we learn about some magical phrases that are cool and helpful in our everyday life. Phrases are a string of words that are put together to add meaning to a sentence often it is seen carrying a special idiomatic meaning; in this sense it is roughly synonymous with expression. Complimenting someone on their looks or style. Examples – You look great today! You’re looking gorgeous! You look Amazing! When you compliment a subordinate, employee, student or child Examples – I am proud of you! Good Job! Good Effort! Sometimes we are helped by someone who maybe a friend, relative or a stranger we say, Examples – I appreciate your support. I am grateful! Thanks a ton! A gift or a token of appreciation will always beget a compliment. We have to be grateful to their helpful ways and therefore express our appreciation as we say. Examples – Thank you! Ever so grateful Seeing somebody succeed at their work we say,the efforts they put in helps boost their confidence and in turn propels them to consistently work harder. Examples – You are a winner! Great job! Amazing work! When something is done with little effort and the result is exceptional. We say Examples – You’re a natural! For complementing someone’s home, Examples – Nice Apartment! Beautiful Décor!Lovely Furniture / Colours! Complementing someoneon their cooking, Examples – That was Delicious! Did you make it from scratch? You’re a fantastic cook! Compliments on Posession Examples – That’s a cool phone! Nice shoes! You’re jacket looks nice! Using these phrases will bring magic in your and peoples life around you.

Impromptu speaking! Easily an amazing way to give your immediate opinion truthfully. No thinking and manipulating your thoughts to make you socially acceptable. Impromptu speech is a swiftly organized thought stream where you speak on the spur of the moment. 1] To speak impromptu confidently, you need to read a lot. Read widely, voraciously, expansively on various topics. This time read books, novels, do serious reading. Read general knowledge books, information magazines, like the Times Magazine, India Today, National Geographic, Sportsbooks. Read books on management, inspirational books, religious books, thought-provoking books. As you read your knowledge will automatically increase. Read whatever you can lay your hands upon. Then you will be updated about the socio-economic scenario and on several subjects ranging from ancient history – geography to modern technology, religion, fashion, the Arts, etc. The topics are inexhaustible. You need to have an insatiable desire for knowledge. To speak out at an Impromptu event, you need to be a well-read person. 2] When you are speaking impromptu, be smart and alert. Organize your thoughts quickly. Be alert to all the knowledge you have. Understand the topic of discussion or dialogue you are about to participate in. Make it compatible to your train of thoughts. Only then will you be able to speak well, with eloquence and clarity of thought. 3] Before you can start speaking spontaneously, correct your English. The accent, intonation, pronunciation should be just right, otherwise you will feel embarrassed or nervous while speaking. Your English should be good if not perfect. However your knowledge of the information must be immaculate. Never use inverted or translated sentences. Keep your English simple. Try to use good vocabulary to impress but use it prudently. 4] Leave the baggage of nervousness behind. Know yourself, your capacity and your capability. Be confident in the knowledge you have. Do not be susceptible to criticism and learn from your mistakes which you must correct immediately. When you have to speak Impromptu, just stand up boldly and talk. The crucial tip is that till all your thoughts are collected, make witty small talk to hold everyone’s attention. Then begin your speech on the given topic. If you know the extempore subject well, then do not waste time. Go ahead, give it your best. Be ingenious when your grammar is going wrong and convert your sentence formation from complex to compound or simple. Using simple sentences will boost your confidence. 5] The most important factor which helps you to speak intelligently, is to remember and recall all the knowledge you have. When you read, read with interest and try to store the facts in your memory. When you come across some interesting incidents while reading, write them down or take a picture. This will assist you in your future reference. Reread them occasionally, if possible. You May Also Like: Tips to Expand your Vocabulary When you want to do something correctly that makes you happy and proud of yourself, then be assured; you can and will do it. Where there’s a will there’s a way!!! So get up and speak impromptu, to impress yourself not others!

Festivals are time for meeting, eating and celebration. Festivals could be religious, state festivals or national festivals. Have you ever been confused on the right words to use while greeting someone? I once called up my friend who is a Muslim to wish him ‘Happy Muharram’. He explained to me that Muharram is celebrated as a mark of respect to Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad who was martyred. I too have faced similar situations when my friends have wished me for Good Friday which commemorates the death of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we could be confused if we should wish people or not. Even if we know and want to wish people, we struggle to use the right words as greeting or wishing each other varies from celebration to celebration. Today, let us look at how to wish people for festivals. India is a diverse country with many religion and culture and we love our country for this wonderful and colourful nature. Wishes and greetings can be passed to each other in many ways. Digital, through instagram, Sms, mails, whatsapp and ofcourse pick up the phone and wish, what better still if you directly meet and greet face to face. The most colourful festival of India is Holi, you can feel the colours in the air, and people chanting Happy Holi, to each other, and along with this tag of happy holi you may add further ‘Let this holi bring plenty of colours in your life” or May God make your life as bright as the holi colours, or May your life has rain-bow colours. Navroz Mubarak or Happy Navroz, is wished during the parsi New year and add on line can go as May each day of the new year you celebrate with happiness and vigour. You May Also Like: 5 Tips to Improve Your Spoken English The festival of Eid is celebrated after the ongoing fasting period of Ramzaan. Eid Mubarak is commonly said with an embrace or hug. You can use the Arabic word of Mamrookh. May you always stay blessed. May God grant you blessings in all your endeavours. Ganesh Chaturti, Happy Chaturti  or ganpati bappa moriya as a way of greeting , but ofcourse why not with some showers of Ganpati bappa, you may add, may this festival bring in lots of prosperity into your lives or better still May bappa fulfil all your desires, and wishes . For Onam, happy onam, is what is usually heard as wishes, but wish a keralite with “Onam Aashamsakal” and again to spice it up you can add on may this festival of harvest bring in abundance of prosperity into your lives. Guru Nanak jayanti this festival is celebrated as the birthday of the first sikh guru, with a happy guru nanak jayanti you can even say Gurpurab di lakh lakh wadaii… Easter, is the  festival celebrated after  Christ was crucified and was risen, it is celebrated by distributing Easter eggs, with happy Easter greetings…you can greet further with may this Easter bring in new blessed beginnings into your lives., or May this Easter give you a fresh new  happy start. Deepavali, festival of lights is greeted with happy diwali, you can line it up with – May this deepavali lighten up your lives or may your life brighten up with lots of fresh blessed happenings. Makkar sanskranti is also known as the festivals of kites, India being an agricultural country, most of our festivals are relate to the harvest time, makkar sanskranti is one of them..With a happy makkar sanskranti, til laddos are made and distributed among friends and families, with a tag line til gul ghya aani goud goud bola meaning eat til sweets and speak sweetly. Mahavir jayanti is the birthday of king Mahavira, it is a very beautiful festival celebrated by the jains..On this day you greet each other by asking for forgiveness for the wrong doings to each other and a good way to reconnect and say sorry if you have hurt any one Christmas, the birthday of Christ, goes with wishing Merry Christmas. Why not say it with a small pray. May the Lord bestow you with health wealth and prosperity. For National festivals such as Independence day and Republic Day, each national should wish each other with Happy Independence to each other, it brings out the patriotism and unity among the nationals. Here we have mentioned just some festivals of our country, but there are many more, and festivals bring happiness, it is also better to use this wishing or greeting during the festival time with small good wishes and small prayers. Happiness multiplies and a sense of brotherhood shall prevail among all. I come to the end of this beautiful topic, hope you may have learnt how to wish others on different festivals.

Mobile or cell phones have a dualistic reputation. Some people may despite it and see it as a waste of time. However their importance cannot be denied when it comes to connecting the world at the disposal of your fingertips. Cell phones are common and is used everywhere in your personal space, workplace or public place, it’s the world in you’re pocket. However, the major concern being is ‘How much is too much?’ Work ethics demand a certain degree of responsibility. The employee may or may not have the freedom to use their device based on the company’s norms. However, if the company has not put restrictions, it is the deemed responsibility of the individual to comply with their morals when using the phone. You May Also Like: Importance of Using Proper Pronunciation Following are some ways to handle your phone with the responsibility when at work and other places. Always keep your phone on silent or vibrate mode. Loud ringtones are an absolute no-no, its only a nuisance to your co-workers and boss. The office is a compact place with cabins and partitions. Sounds travel within the environment. During meetings and presentations make sure to provide your undivided attention to the other person, cell phone beeps, alarms, calls and notifications will distract you. This will lead to an embarrassing situation for you and your company. Thus it is necessary to keep your phone on voicemail, silent or airplane mode. Keep your office number handy with your family so that they will have an alternative number in case of emergencies. Keep your family and friends informed that casual calls are not entertained and do not bide with the office decorum. Avoid texting and social media posts during office hours. Selfies don’t go down well too with office etiquettes. It is important to respect people around you when you are in their proximity, go to a private corner and take your call if needed. Reduce the pitch and tone of your voice. Do not be abusive or sarcastic while speaking as there are people who are passing by you who can feel your impoliteness. A Bluetooth earpiece would not be advisable as we invariablytend to speak In case you need a ringtone keep it professional and only slightly audible your ears. At a Business lunch a cell phone should not play a part in the ambience. Do not read your messages or social media tweets under the table, do not check scores on your laptops. This may come as discourteous to the speaker. Never use your cell phone in the restroom. Sometimes too much usage may disrupt productivity of an individual. Being cautious about your moves is always advisable. Try not to use your camera, microphone or recorder at work, as you can accidentally pick up something of high importance concerning the confidentiality of the organization you are working in. Work as a team player who has mutual respect for another individual. These etiquettes are appreciated in every workplace.

I once heard a friends saying – “I am getting cold feet.” I looked at her feet and found that normal. She started laughing and then explained that it means being nervous before a big event. Did you ever face such a situation? Let’s have a look at few other idioms with body parts. Cold feet – nervous just before a big event Example – My friend got cold feet the moment her name was announced to go for the competition. All ears – listening with whole attention Example – Give me a moment to finish my work and I will be all ears to your story. Cost an arm and a leg – something very expensive Example – Our house renovation coast an arm and a leg. Cry your heart out – to weep bitterly for a long time Example – She felt better after crying her heart out. Face the music – to bear with unpleasant consequences Example – After failing in the exam, Rohit had to face the music from his parents. Give a hand – help someone do something Example – She gave her mother a helping hand Head over heals – deeply in love Example – Jason was head over heals over his new girlfriend. Keep an eye on – take care of Example – Could you please keep an eye on the kids until I finish cooking? Let one’s hair down – to relax after a stressful period Example – After a tiring day at work, all friends let their hair down at the club house. Seal one’s lips – promise to keep a secret Example – My lips are sealed. I won’t tell anyone about your boyfriend. Makes my blood boil – makes me very angry Example – When someone disrespects women, it makes Tom’s blood boil. Old hand – an experienced person Romeo is an old hand at preparing presentations. Pull one’s leg – make fun of someone Example – We pulled their leg by telling them that the party has been cancelled. Wash one’s hand of something – withdraw oneself from something Jenny washed her hands of the project after she realized that few people had stolen money. Thick in the head – not very intelligent Example – She is thick in the heard when it comes to current affairs. These were our idioms with body parts. You can now easily understand what people mean when they use these idioms. Do use these idioms in your English conversations as it will add richness to your language. Keep speaking, keep learning!  

Going out to dine is a wonderful experience. You don’t need an occasion, just a frame of mind to be happy and eat out. Everyone likes to dress up well when going out to dine. However, do keep in mind your social manners and be mindful of the hospitality industry. They offer you food with respect and expect reciprocation from you. You May Also Like: 5 Tips to Improve your Spoken English Wodehouse’s pivotal character in his books, Bertram Wooster, is in this happy habit of dining out often. Clubs, restaurants and hotels; he is a perfect dinner. Many funny and humorous anecdotes are associated with this gentleman over his numerous dinners out. When we walk into a dining place, it should be with a soft, gentle ‘Hello’ to the user. Wait till he leads you to a table, do not push. Be ready with your ‘thank you’ and ‘please’. Friendly nods will make a great difference in the way they treat you. Do not snap your fingers or make weird noises to attract the waiters. Treat them with respect. Just say – “Excuse me!” When you waiter arrives, ask, ‘Can I please get some water?’ or ‘Could you please take our order?’ are the normal phrases you should use with a graceful smile. When you ask for drinks, cocktails or mocktails, you should request, say ‘could you please help me with an apple juice?’ This is appreciated by the hotel fraternity. After you finish your starters, you could ask – What do you have in the main course? You may specify the kind of cuisine you prefer. Never be rude or arrogant. Avoid making noise while eating or speaking in a loud voice. Be pleasant, enjoy your meal. Someone else is cooking and serving you, even if you are paying for it. Good manners are always acceptable, keep them with you. When you have finished dining, a request to remove the dishes is a good move. You may say – Could you please clear the table? Or could you get the finger bowl? Towards the end of your dinner, politely ask – May I please get the bill? You will be regarded as a valued customer and get deferential treatment next time. Thank them for the meal and service. Smile and have a nice word or conversation with them. If you liked the meal, appreciate them. You could say – “The food was delicious. We enjoyed the meal.” It’s great fun to dine out, and it becomes a delightful experience if you use all the proper words with propriety.  

Airports are busy places bustling with Welcomes and Goodbyes. Today we speak about the Transition from the Check-in counter to alighting the destination Airport. Once at the Airport we walk towards the Check-in counter where the executive asks us for our passport and Ticket. Thereafter they will pose us a few questions like ‘How many pieces of luggage do you have?’, or ‘Do you have any electronics or questionable items in your bag?’ To these questions, we reply accordingly with a Yes or a No. The bag we carry will always be tagged by the executives at the airport. You May Also Like: Speak English with Fluency Ask for a seat you’d prefer like ‘Could I get a seat at the aisle?’ or ‘Could I get a seat at the window?’ The executive would check the availability and accommodate you accordingly. If you are not accustomed to the airport ask for directions ‘Can you direct me to Gate Number 1?’ The executive will always tell you to go left, right or up the escalator towards you’re assigned Gate number, always affirm by repeating after them ‘OK so I go towards the right, Thank you!’ Before arriving at the gate the airport authorities do a security check of the luggage you carry and also there is a manual full body check. The Personnel’s will request you to remove all electronics from the bags you carry including phones, laptops, loose chargers, pen drives etc. We need to put them into a tray and slide our bags unto the machine for an X-ray. Always dispose all liquids from the bags. Alongside we too have to undergo a security check wherein we are asked to carry our Boarding Pass to be stamped after our check is done. The Arrival and Departure Monitors are displayed everywhere at the airport. Sometimes flights are rescheduled, in such situations Announcements are certain. However sometimes we miss out and have to do a reality check looking at the Arrival/Departure Monitor. The area near the gate has provisions for shopping along with eateries and rest rooms. Once you’re flight is on the Runway and ready to board, the crew announces the same. It is necessary to keep you’re boarding pass ready to be stamped. Once in the flight, the Flight Attendants will always be there to help us. Always keep the carry bags in the given Overhead Apartment, it helps us to get enough leg space.The Attendants then start their instruction’s which guide us to use the necessary objects like oxygen mask ,the water float and the emergency exits. They are shown how to be used in case of dire situations where the Airplane has to make an Emergency Landing. Always pay close attention if you are new, else we always need to respect the attendant as they have their efforts involved. You’re comfort and safety is their purpose. After a certain time the Pursers and Air Hostesses come around with water, beverages, meals and snacks. They ask if we need anything, you can ask questions – ‘Can I please get a glass of water?’ or ‘Could I have a chilled can of juice?’ or ‘What are the meals served?’ Specify vegan or non-vegan. Acknowledge the crew for their service with a ‘Thank you’ later. You will be asked to turn off you’re mobiles, laptops or any electronic devices as it may interfere with the signals in the cockpit. We will be told to fasten our Seat Belts for our safety which is especially of importance during storms and turbulence. Once we reach our destination an announcement will be made in the flight to collect all our belongings. Also, we will be instructed towards the destination of our luggage. If one is new to the destination we can always ask the Customer Support staff to help us towards a Taxi once we are at the airport. You may ask – ‘Excuse me! Can you help me with getting a taxi?’ Airports are a Customer Friendly and you will always be guided with the proper usage of Language.

One of the most difficult tasks in the world, especially in today’s time, is to listen to somebody. Everyone has so much to say, share and sermon about, that no one person is ready to listen. Even on a personal phone call or at a close friend’s party, everyone is talking together, no one   listens! To be a listener, you got to have the patience of Angels. To actually give your precious time to somebody – imagine! Time and ears are a priceless commodity! Mark Anthony may have coaxed and invited his countrymen, as ‘’Friends, Romans, countrymen – lend me your ears” They heard him. Those were the times, now there is a chance that people will turn their backs on you, ignore you. Listeners are fast becoming a rare breed. Little do we realize that listening is a virtue. When you listen you learn, you imbibe, you become a more patient and receptive person. On the other hand, the speaker respects you for listening. You May Also Like: Learning English is an absolute Must for Survival in Today’s World. The 8 tips to become better listeners are as follows: 1] Willingness to learn – You have to be ready and willing to listen to a speaker. It is said that; you can bring a horse to the well but you cannot force it to drink! You can be the speaker’s mirror; when you empathize, sympathize and show interest in what he speaks. 2] You should concentrate on the lecture or speech- whether it is an professor’s speech or a layman’s conversation, it is necessary to relate to it and listen deeply. You could be instrumental in giving useful inputs or use the ideas yourself. Listen well. 3] Please don’t talk in between/ don’t interrupt – It is otherwise bad manners to talk in between and disturb a speaker. The speaker can lose his continuity of idea or get irritated with you. You stand as the loser in this case. Listen first, then speak. 4] Pay attention – Paying attention is a quality of a good listener. It makes sense because you can understand and agree or disagree with the speaker. You can also ask for clarification. 5] Make notes – Good listeners can help themselves by jotting down notes, which they can use for further reference 6] Do not be distracted by several things and movements around you. Some people just can’t help it. Maybe they have an attention deficiency. If you are not inflicted by the abstract complication, then listen. Be a good, better and the best listener. Listen with your ears, mind and heart. Even the smallest conversation is meaningful when we give importance to the speaker 7] When you are listening, do not use your Mobile phone. It is not good etiquette to message or use the phone while a lecture or speech is progressing. So mobiles should be in your bags, better mute or shut down. 8] Presence of mind – To be alert to what you are listening, you should not only be physically but mentally present for the speaker. It is imperative to listen when you are being spoken to. So being a better listener comes from the heart, from a responsive mind who is aware of what is the best for them. What information you gather, will surprise you.