2 marks:

1) phonetics:

Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that studies how humans produce and perceive sounds
or deals with the production and articulation of speech sounds.

2) Speech Mechanisms:

Speech Mechanisms the conventional term for the system of psycho -physiological
prerequisites that enable a human being to make meaningful utterances and to understand
another's speech.

3) speech organs:

The various organs which are involved in the production of speech sounds are
called speech organs (also known as vocal organs).

Examples:

The main articulators are the tongue, the upper lip, the lower lip, the upper teeth, the upper
gum ridge (alveolar ridge), the hard palate, the velum (soft palate), the uvula (free-hanging
end of the soft palate), the pharyngeal wall, and the glottis (space between the vocal
cords).(any two)

4) vowel:

Vowels are letters that represent speech sounds where air leaves the mouth without any
blockage by the tongue, lips, or throat. The vowels in the alphabet are a, e, i, o, u, and 20
vowel sounds in English.

5) Monophthong :

A monophthong is a single vowel sound. The word monophthong comes from the Greek
“mono”, which means “one”, and “-phthong”, which means “tone” or “sound”. So
monophthong means “one sound” or “single sound”.

Monophthongs are sometimes called pure vowels.

6) diphthong:

A diphthong is a vowel that contains two different vowel sounds in one syllable. The word
diphthong comprises di, which means ‘two’ in Greek, and phthong, which means ‘sound’.
Therefore, diphthong means two sounds.

7) difference between long and short vowel:

Long vowel Short vowel

Produce a long vowel sound Produce a short vowel sound
Found in open syllables Found in closed syllables
Pronounced like the actual name of the Not Pronounced like the actual name of the
vowel. vowel.

Include ā (as in rain), ē (beat), ī (wine), ō Include a (as in fat), e (as in rest), i (as in
(go), and ū (fuse) win), o (as in cot), u (as in cup)

8) consonant:

In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or

partial closure of the vocal tract.

9) consonant cluster:

In linguistics, a consonant cluster, consonant blend , consonant sequence or consonant

compound, is a group of consonants which have no intervening vowel.

Example: string, desk, splits.

10) IPA symbols:

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system where each symbol is associated with
a particular English sound.

11) Transcription:

Transcription in the linguistic sense is the systematic representation of

spoken language in written form. The source can either be utterances (speech or sign
language) or preexisting text in another writing system.

12) syllable:

A syllable is a unit of pronunciation having one vowel sound, with or without surrounding
consonants, forming the whole or a part of a word.

Example: wa / ter, com / pu / ter

13) stress:

Stress is the way that a word or syllable is pronounced with greater force or with more
emphasis than other words in the same sentence or other syllables in the same word.

Examples: *The kids are at the park.

* Do you have any brothers or sisters?

14) Intonation :

Intonation describes how the voice rises and falls in speech.

The three main patterns of intonation in English are: falling intonation, rising intonation
and fall-rise intonation.
 15) Speaking skills:

Speaking skills are defined as the skills which allow us to communicate effectively. They
give us the ability to convey information verbally and in a way that the listener can
understand.

17) elements of speaking skill:

 FLUENCY.
 VOCABULARY.
 GRAMMAR.
 PRONUNCIATION

19) greetings:
Greeting is an act of communication in which human beings intentionally make their presence
known to each other, to show attention to, and to suggest a type of relationship (usually
cordial) or social status (formal or informal) between individuals or groups of people coming
in contact with each other.

20) polite way to greet(formal way):

Greet with a smile and say: “ good morning/ afternoon/ evening Mr./ Ms.(name) or sir/
ma’am, welcome to xyz.”

Ex: “good morning Thacchu, welcome to our hotel.”

21) informal way:

“Hello” and “Hi” are the most popular greetings for informal situations. Generally, they are
followed by the person’s name:

Ex: Hello, Michel. How are you?

Hi, Monica. Nice to see you!

22) requesting:

When we make a request, we ask someone for something, or we ask someone to do something.

23) making polite request in formal method:

 Would you please pass the salt?
 Would you please take me with you?
 Could you help me for a minute, please?
 Could you explain that again, please? I didn’t understand.
 Could you please close the door?

24) making polite request in informal method:

  Can you pass the box?
 Can you do it for me?
 Can you make it happen now?
 Will you go there?
 Will you send me the files?

25) persuading:
to cause (someone) to do something by asking, arguing, or giving reasons
or
induce (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument.

Example:

 He persuaded his friend to go back to school.

 She couldn't be persuaded to go.

26) ask for direction in English:

 How do i het the police station?
 Where is the church?
 Is there a shop around here?
 What’s the best way to get to the supermarket?

27)giving direction:
 The bank is on the main road.
 Go north for two blocks.
 The hotel is in front of the school.
 The school is between the park and the bank.

28) Phrases to Invite Guests: (formal)

 We ask you to join us at the marriage of…
 Our joy will be more complete if you will join us to celebrate…
 Please be our guest as we celebrate…
 With pride and joy, we invite you to share a special day in our lives as we…

29) (informal):
 do you want to come to a concert with me?
 Come to a movie with me.
 are you free tonight?
 Do you want to come to my friend's birthday party?

30) listening skill:

Listening is giving attention to a sound or action.[1] When listening, a person hears what others
are saying and tries to understand what it means.

31) What is a good listening?

good listening is someone who focuses completely on what another person is saying and
engages with their ideas in a thoughtful, comprehensive way. Good listening is not just about
learning what a person is saying, but making a commitment to digesting the information they
are presenting and responding constructively.

31) listening activities:

 listening to news broadcast.
 Listening to telecast and news bulletins.
 Read Stories.
 Play The Directions Game. ...

32) Presentation Skills:

Presentation skills are the skills you need in delivering effective and engaging presentations to
a variety of audiences.
Or
Presentation skills can be defined as a set of abilities that enable an individual to: interact with
the audience; transmit the messages with clarity; engage the audience in the presentation; and
interpret and understand the mindsets of the listeners.

33)goals of presentation:

 To inform
 To educate
 To persuade or convince
 To activate
 To inspire or motivate
 To entertain

34) What is listening comprehension with example?

Listening comprehension isn't just hearing what is said—it is the ability to understand the words and
relate to them in some way. For example, when you hear a story read aloud, good listening
comprehension skills enable you to understand the story, remember it, discuss it, and even
retell it in your own words.

Long questions:
1) classifications of English sounds:

44 ssounds

20 vowels 24 consonants

monophthongs dipthongs
a) Vowel:
Vowels are letters that represent speech sounds where air leaves the mouth without any
blockage by the tongue, lips, or throat. The vowels in the alphabet are a, e, i, o, u, and 20 vowel
sounds in English.

I) Monophthong (12)

A monophthong is a single vowel sound. The word monophthong comes from the Greek
“mono”, which means “one”, and “-phthong”, which means “tone” or “sound”. So
monophthong means “one sound” or “single sound”.

Monophthongs are sometimes called pure vowels.

* 7 short vowels:

 [ɪ], as in lip /lɪp/, is pronounced in the front part of the vocal tract, with the tongue half-
closed to the roof of the mouth and the lips in a spread position. Pit/ pIt, ship/ ship.
 [ʊ], as in cook /kʊk/, is produced in the back part of the vocal tract, with the
tongue close to the back of the roof of the mouth and the lips in a rounded position.
Good/ gʊd, look/ l ʊk.
 [e], as in ten /ten/, is produced in the central part of the vocal tract, with the
tongue close to the roof of the mouth and the lips in a rounded position. Bed/ bed, red/
red.
 [ə], as in among /əˈmʌŋ/, is articulated in the central part of the vocal tract, with the
lips partly opened.
 [ɒ], as in fog /fɒg/, is produced in the back part of the vocal tract, with the
tongue open and low in the mouth, and in a rounded position.
 [ʌ], as in nut /nʌt/, is pronounced in the back part of the vocal tract, with the
tongue half-open and the lips in an unrounded position.
 [æ], as in man /mæn/, is articulated in the front part of the vocal tract, with the
tongue half-open and the lips in a spread position.

* 5 long vowels:

 [i:], as in sheep /ʃiːp/, is articulated in the front part of the vocal tract, with the
tongue close to the roof of the mouth and the lips in a spread position.
 [ɜ:], as in girl /gɜːl/, is pronounced in the central part of the vocal tract, with the
tongue partly opened and the lips in an unrounded position.
 [ɑ:], as in bard /bɑːd/, is pronounced in the back part of the vocal tract, with the
tongue completely open and low in the mouth, and the lips in a spread position.
 [ɔ:], as in cord /kɔːd/, is articulated in the back part of the vocal tract, with the
tongue partly opened and the lips in a rounded position.
  [u:], as in fool /fuːl/, is articulated in the back part of the vocal tract, with the
tongue close to the roof of the mouth and the lips in a rounded position.

II) diphthong (8)

A diphthong is a vowel that contains two different vowel sounds in one syllable. The word
diphthong comprises di, which means ‘two’ in Greek, and phthong, which means ‘sound’.
Therefore, diphthong means two sounds.

a) /IƏ/

 The glide begins from /ɪ/ and moves towards /ə/

 The lips are neutral.

Ex:

eer – deer / dɪə/ eir – weired / wɪəd/ ear / ɪə/

ear – dear / dɪə/, fear / fɪə/ ier – fierce / fɪəs/ feared / fɪəd /

ere – here / hɪə/ ea – idea / aɪdɪə/ severe / sɪvɪə /

b) /ʊə/

 The glide begins from /ʊ/ and moves towards /ə/.

 The lips are weakly rounded at the beginning of the glide and become neutrally spread.

Ex:

oor – poor / pʊə/ our – tour / tʊə/ tourist / tʊərɪst /

ure – pure / pjʊə/, sure / ewer – fewer / fjʊə/

ʃuə/
sure / ʃʊə /
ur – curious / kjʊərɪəs/,
fluent / flʊənt /
during / dʊərɪŋ/

c) /eə/

 The glide begins in the half-open from the position /e/ and moves in the direction of /ə/.
 The lips are neutral.
 are – care / keə/, rare /  ear – bear / beə/, wear  eir – their / ðeə/, heir /
reə/ / weə/ heə/
 air – fair / feə/, chair /  ere – here / heə/, there  air / eə /
tʃeə/ / ðeə/  hair / heə /
 rare / reə /

d) /eɪ/

 The glide begins from /e/ slightly below the half-close position and moves in the directions
of /ɪ/
 The lips are spread.

 a – late / leɪt/, game /  ai – aim / eɪm/, waist /  ey – they / ðeɪ/

geɪm/ weɪst/  ea – great / greɪt/,
 ay – day / deɪ/, may /  ei – eight / eɪt/, vein / break / breɪk/
meɪ/ vein/

e) /ɔɪ/

 The glide begins from /Ɔ:/ slightly below the half-close position and moves in the direction
of /ɪ/
 The lips are spread.

 oy – boy / bɔɪ/, joy /  oil / ɔɪl /  join / dƷɔɪn /

dƷɔɪ/  coin / kɔɪn /  destroy / destrɔɪ /
 oi – voice / vɔɪs/, point  annoy / ənɔɪ /
/ pɔɪnt/  ointment / ɔɪntmənt /

f) /aɪ/

 The glide begins from just above the open position /a:/ and moves towards /I/.
 The lips are spread.
 u – buy / baɪ/, guy /  y – fly / flaɪ/
 i – five / faɪv/, mine gaɪ/  right / raɪt /
/ maɪn/, file / faɪl/  ie – tie / taɪ/, die /  lie / laɪ /
daɪ/  fly / flaɪ /

g) /əʊ/
  The glide begins at a central position / ə/ between half close and half-open. It then
moves in the direction of /ʊ /
 The lips are neutral for the first element and sounded for the second.

 – so / səʊ/, old /  oe – toe / təʊ/, foe /  ow – know / nəʊ/,

əʊld/, home / fəʊ/ blow / bləʊ/
həʊm/  ou – soul / səʊl/,  old / əʊld /
 oa – road / rəʊd/, though / ðəʊ /  go / gəʊ /
soap / səʊp/  nose / nəʊz /

h) /aʊ/

 The glide begins at a point between the back and front open position /a:/ and moves
towards /ʊ/.
 The lips change from a neutrally open to a weakly sounded position.

 our – house / haʊs/  owl / aʊl /

 ow – cow / kaʊ/,  loud / laʊd /
brown / braʊn/  allow / əlaʊ /

b) consonant: In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with

complete or partial closure of the vocal tract

Consonants are classified to:

 the place of articulation
 the manner of articulation
 voicing( voiced or voiceless)

1. the place of articulation:

i. Bilabial: contact between the lips: [p], [b], [m],[w].

ii. Labio-dental: contact between the lower lip and the upper teeth: [f], [v].
 iii. Dental: contact between the tip of the tongue and the area just behind the upper
teeth: [θ], [ð]

iv. Alveolar: contact between the tongue and the Alveolar ridge (this is the ridged
area between the upper teeth and the hard palate): [t], [d], [n], [s], [z], [l].
v. palato alveolar: consonant articulated either with the tip or blade of the tongue:
[ʃ, ʒ, ʧ, ʤ]
vi. Palatal: contact between the tongue and the hard palate or Alveolar ridge: [j]
vii. Post-alveolar: contact between the tongue and the back of the Alveolar ridge: [r]
viii. Velar: contact between the tongue and the soft palate: [g, k, ŋ]
ix. Glottal: restriction of the airflow at the glottis: [h]

2. the manner of articulation:

In articulatory phonetics, the manner of articulation is the configuration and interaction of
the articulators (speech organs such as the tongue, lips, and palate) when making a speech
sound.

i. Plosive :
Plosive, often called stop, is an oral occlusive, where there is occlusion (blocking) of the
oral vocal tract, and no nasal air flow, so the air flow stops completely. /p/, /t/, / k/,
/b/ /d/ /ɡ/

ii. Fricative:
Fricative, sometimes called spirant, where there is continuous frication (turbulent
and noisy airflow) at the place of articulation. /f/ /v/ /s/ /z/ /h/ /ʃ/ /ʒ/ /ð/ /θ/

iii. Affricates:
While pronounce these sounds there is some plosion as well as friction. / ʧ, ʤ/

iv. Nasal:
Nasal, a nasal occlusive, where there is occlusion of the oral tract, but air passes through the
nose /m/ /n/ /ŋ/

v. Lateral:
When we pronounce this sounds air escapes through both side of the mouth passage. /l/

vi. Frictionless continuants:

While we pronounce these sounds the tip of the tongue touches the hard palate continually
by pronouncing the sounds. /r/

vii. Semi vowel:

The sounds are half vowel and half consonants. /j. w/
 3. voiced and voiceless consonants:
Voiced Voiceless
Consonants Consonants

(Vocal (Vocal
cords cords not
moving) moving)
back, pencil,
/b/ /p/
above drop
day, two,
/d/ /t/
need wait
candy,
/g/ gold, rug /k/
awake
very, find,
/v/ /f/
give before
thin,
/ð/ the, this /ɵ/
with
zone,
/z/ /s/ see, city
has
measure, she,
/ʒ/ /ʃ/
beige dish
jeans, change,
/dʒ/ /tʃ/
enjoy rich
make,
/m/ /h/ He. has
same
no, town
/n/,
sing,
/ŋ/
pink
look,
/l/
believe

/r/ red, car

/w/ We, who

j Yet, year

2) Consonant Cluster
A consonant cluster, also known as a consonant blend, is where two or more consonant sounds appear
in a word with no intervening vowels
Forms of c c:

i. Two cc
ii. Three c c
iii. Four c c
Ex:

 soft – so-ft

 fast- fa-st

 asks –‘as-ks’

 tasks – ‘tas-ks’

 desks – ‘des-ks’

 discs – ‘dis-ks’

 tempts – practice as ‘temp-ts’

 sixths- si-xths

3) syllable:
a) Closed Syllables

A closed syllable is any syllable that ends with a consonant. The vowel sound in most closed syllables is usually the short vowel sound.
Examples:

1 syllable words with closed syllables: cat, slug, dent, fog, van

2 syllable words: pocket, index, cabin, sandwich

3 syllable words: fantastic, admonish, establish, Atlantic

b) Open Syllables

An open syllable is any syllable that ends with a vowel. There is no consonant at the end of the syllable
to make it closed.

Ex:

1 syllable words: go, we, hi, be,she

2 syllable words: minus, item, global, focus, vacant

3 syllable words: tomato, reprogram, museum

c) Magic E Syllables
  When a syllable has the pattern VCe (vowel + consonant + e), the e is silent. The
magic e syllable type usually appears at the end of the word, but you might notice it in the
middle of some words, especially compound words.

Ex:

1 syllable words: tape, cute, slide, hope

2 syllable words: female, timeline, escape, locate

3 syllable words: demonstrate, incomplete, illustrate

d) Vowel Team Syllables

Vowel teams are when two vowels work together to make one vowel sound. These are sometimes
referred to as vowel digraphs.

1 syllable words: cheek, rain, moon, snow

2 syllable words: compound, enjoy, repeat, preheat

3 syllable words: unafraid, recounted, outstanding

e) R Controlled Syllables

When the letter r follows a vowel, it creates an r-controlled syllable. The r will influence the sound the
vowel makes.

1 syllable words: bark, fort, chirp, lurk

2 syllable words: barnyard, absurd, barber, perfect

3 syllable words: comforting, peppermint, minister

f) Consonant -le Syllables

There are three-letter combinations that can make the /ǝl/ sound. These three combinations, and the
consonant in front of them, can make up the final stable syllable of some words.

 The three letter combinations that make the the /ǝl/ sound are: -le, -al, and -el.

Ex:

 2 syllable words: table, purple, mumble, drizzle

 3 syllable words: eternal, disable, unstable, resemble

G) diphthong syllables:

A diphthong is a sound formed by combining two vowels in a single syllable. The sound begins as one
vowel sound and moves towards another.
Ex: “aw”/“au” - straw, law, saw, cause, haul, author

“oy”/“oi” - toy, boy, coy, coin, noise, oil

“ow”/“ou” - cow, now, flower, cloud, house, loud

4) process of listening:

The Receiving Stage

The first stage of the listening process is the receiving stage, which involves hearing and attending.

Hearing is the physiological process of registering sound waves as they hit the eardrum. As obvious as
it may seem, in order to effectively gather information through listening, we must first be able to
physically hear what we’re listening to. The clearer the sound, the easier the listening process
becomes.

The Understanding Stage

The second stage in the listening process is the understanding stage. Understanding or
comprehension occurs when both the speaker and audience share an experience of meaning, and
constitutes the first step in the listening process. This is the stage during which the audience
determines the context and meanings of the words they hear. Determining the context and meaning of
individual words, as well as assigning meaning in language, is essential to understanding sentences,
and, thus, both are essential to understanding a speaker’s message.
The Evaluating Stage

This stage of the listening process is the one during which the listener assesses the information they
received, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Evaluating allows the listener to form an opinion of
what they heard and, if necessary, to begin developing a response.

During the evaluating stage, the listener determines whether or not the information they heard and
understood from the speaker is well constructed or disorganized, biased or unbiased, true or false,
significant or insignificant

The Remembering Stage

In the listening process, the remembering stage occurs as the audience categorizes and retains the
information they’ve gathered from the speaker for future access. The result—memory—allows the
person to record information about people, objects, and events for later recall. This process happens
both during and after the speaker’s delivery.

Memory is essential throughout the listening process. We depend on our memory to fill in the blanks
when we’re listening and to let us place what we’re hearing at the moment in the context of what
we’ve heard before. If, for example, you forgot everything that you heard immediately after you heard
it, you would not be able to follow along with what a speaker says, and conversations would be
impossible

The Responding Stage

The responding stage is the stage of the listening process wherein the listener provides verbal and/or
nonverbal reactions based on short- or long-term memory. Following the remembering stage, a
listener can respond to what they hear either verbally or non-verbally. Nonverbal signals can include
gestures such as nodding, making eye contact, tapping a pen, fidgeting, scratching or cocking their
head, smiling, rolling their eyes, grimacing, or any other body language.

5)

Hearing listening

Hearing is the act of perceiving sound and
receiving sound waves or vibrations through
your ear.
Hearing is one of the five senses and it just
happens all the time – whether you like it or
not – unless
you have a hearing problem
Hearing simply happens.
Listening is the act of hearing a sound and
understanding what you hear.
Listening Requires concentration so that
your brain processes meaning from words
and sentences.
Listening leads to learning.

Hearing is a skill where you use your ears only. Listening uses different senses, like the
It one of the five senses. sense of hearing, seeing, or sense of touch.

Hearing is an involuntary act where you simply Listening is a skill that lets the sound you
receive vibrations through your ears. hear go through your brain to process the
meaning of it.

Physiological Psychological

Concentration is not required Concentration is required

Subconscious level Concentration is required

6) Asking for permission

We use can to ask for permission to do something:
Can I ask a question, please?
Can we go home now?
could is more formal and polite than can:
Could I ask a question, please?
Could we go home now?
may is another more formal and polite way of asking for permission:
May I ask a question, please?
May we go home now?
Asking for permission 1

Asking for permission 2

Giving permission
We use can to give permission:
You can go home now.
You can borrow my pen if you like.
may is a more formal and polite way of giving permission:
You may go home now.
We use can to say that someone has permission to do something:
We can go out whenever we want.
Students can travel for free.
may is a more formal and polite way of saying that someone has permission:
Students may travel for free.
7) problems the student face in listening.

1. They are trying to understand every word

Despite the fact that we can cope with missing whole chunks of speech having a conversation on a
noisy street in our own language, many people don't seem to be able to transfer that skill easily to a
second language. One method of tackling this is to show them how to identify the important words
that they need to listen out for. In English this is shown in an easy-to-spot way by which words in the
sentence are stressed (spoken louder and longer). Another is to give them one very easy task that you
know they can do even if they don't get 90% of what is being said to build up their confidence, such as
identifying the name of a famous person or spotting something that is mentioned many times.

2. They get left behind trying to work out what a previous word meant

This is one aspect of the problem above that all people speaking a foreign language have experienced
at one time or another. This often happens when you hear a word you half remember and find you
have completely lost the thread of what was being said by the time you remember what it means, but
can also happen with words you are trying to work out that sound similar to something in your
language, words you are trying to work out from the context or words you have heard many times
before and are trying to guess the meaning of once and for all. In individual listenings you can cut own
on this problem with vocab pre-teach and by getting students to talk about the same topic first to
bring the relevant vocabulary for that topic area nearer the front of their brain. You could also use a
listening that is in shorter segments or use the pause button to give their brains a chance to catch up,
but teaching them the skill of coping with the multiple demands of listening and working out what
words mean is not so easy. One training method is to use a listening or two to get them to concentrate
just on guessing words from context. Another is to load up the tasks even more by adding a logic
puzzle or listening and writing task, so that just listening and trying to remember words seems like an
easier option. Finally, spend a lot of time revising vocabulary and doing skills work where they come
into contact with it and use it, and show students how to do the same in their own time, so that the
amount of half remembered vocab is much less.

3. They just don't know the most important words

Again, doing vocabulary pre-teaching before each listening as a short term solution and working on
the skill of guessing vocab from context can help, but please make sure that you practice this with
words that can actually be guessed from context (a weakness of many textbooks) and that you work
on that with reading texts for a while to build up to the much more difficult skill of guessing vocab and
listening at the same time. The other solution is simply to build up their vocabulary and teach them
how they can do the same in their own time with vocabulary lists, graded readers, monolingual
dictionary use etc.

4. They don't recognise the words that they know

If you have a well-graded textbook for your class, this is probably a more common (and more tragic)
problem than not knowing the vocabulary at all. Apart from just being too busy thinking about other
things and missing a word, common reasons why students might not recognise a word include not
distinguishing between different sounds in English (e.g. /l/ and /r/ in "led" and "red" for many
Asians), or conversely trying to listen for differences that do not exist, e.g. not knowing words like
"there", "their" and "they're" are homophones. Other reasons are problems with word stress, sentence
stress, and sound changes when words are spoken together in natural speech such as weak forms.
What all this boils down to is that sometimes pronunciation work is the most important part of
listening comprehension skills building.

5. They have problems with different accents

In a modern textbook, students have to not only deal with a variety of British, American and
Australian accents, but might also have Indian or French thrown in. e.g., if they are sorting out the
outsourcing to India, you could actually spend part of a lesson on the characteristics of that accent. In
order to build up their ability to deal with different accents in the longer term, the best way is just to
get them listening to a lot of English, e.g. TV without dubbing or BBC World Service Radio. You might
also want to think about concentrating your pronunciation work on sounds that they need to
understand many different accents rather than one, and on concentrating on listenings with accents
that are relevant for that particular group of students, e.g. the nationality of their head office.

6. They lack listening stamina/ they get tired

This is again one that anyone who has lived in a foreign country knows well- you are doing fine with
the conversation or movie until your brain seems to reach saturation point and from then on nothing
goes in until you escape to the toilet for 10 minutes. The first thing you'll need to bear in mind is to
build up the length of the texts you use (or the lengths between pauses) over the course in exactly the
same way as you build up the difficulty of the texts and tasks. You can make the first time they listen
to a longer text a success and therefore a confidence booster by doing it in a part of the lesson and
part of the day when they are most alert, by not overloading their brains with new language
beforehand, and by giving them a break or easy activity before they start. You can build up their
stamina by also making the speaking tasks longer and longer during the term, and they can practice
the same thing outside class by watching an English movie with subtitles and taking the subtitles off
for longer and longer periods each time.

7. They have a mental block

This could be not just a case of a student having struggled with badly graded listening texts in school,
exams or self-study materials, but even of a whole national myth that people from their country find
listening to English difficult. Whatever the reason, before you can build up their skills they need their
confidence back. The easiest solution is just to use much easier texts, perhaps using them mainly as a
prompt to discussion or grammar presentations to stop them feeling patronized. You can disguise
other easy listening comprehension tasks as pronunciation work on linked speech etc. in the same
way.

8. They are distracted by background noise

Being able to cope with background noise is another skill that does not easily transfer from L1 and
builds up along with students' listening and general language skills. As well as making sure the tape
doesn't have lots of hiss or worse (e.g. by recording tape to tape at normal speed not double speed, by
using the original or by adjusting the bass and treble) and choosing a recording with no street noise
etc, you also need to cut down on noise inside and outside the classroom. Plan listenings for when you
know it will be quiet outside, e.g. not at lunchtime or when the class next door is also doing a listening.
Cut down on noise inside the classroom by doing the first task with books closed and pens down.
Boost their confidence by letting them do the same listening on headphones and showing them how
much easier it is. Finally, when they start to get used to it, give them an additional challenge by using a
recording with background noise such as a cocktail party conversation.

9. They can't cope with not having images

Young people nowadays, they just can't cope without multimedia! Although having students who are
not used to listening to the radio in their own language can't help, most students find not having body
language and other cues to help a particular difficulty in a foreign language. Setting the scene with
some photos of the people speaking can help, especially tasks where they put the pictures in order as
they listen, and using video instead makes a nice change and is a good way of making skills such as
guessing vocab from context easier and more natural.

10. They have hearing problems

As well as people such as older students who have general difficulty in hearing and need to be sat
close to the cassette, you might also have students who have problems hearing particular frequencies
or who have particular problems with background noise. As well as playing around with the graphic
equaliser and doing the other tips above for background noise, you could also try setting most
listening tasks as homework and/ or letting one or more students read from the tapescript as they
listen.

11. They can't tell the difference between the different voices

This was the problem that took me longest to twig, but voices that are clearly distinct to a native
speaker can be completely confusing for a non-native speaker. I haven't quite worked out why those
problems occur on some occasions and not on others, but the native speaker could be identifying a
lisp, an accent or a difference in range of tone that escapes a student. You can avoid these problems by
using texts with one woman and one man, or you can practice them with tasks where the students
only have to count how many times the speaker changes.

12. limited vocabulary skill

As a matter of fact, knowing plenty of vocabulary will contribute to the individuals'

comprehension of what they read and listen, and it will make important contributions for them to
be able to tell what they feel and think both verbally or in writing.

8) Common Barriers to Effective Listening

1. Physical and Environmental Barriers

The most obvious obstacle to effective listening is anything that physically makes it difficult to hear
what is being said. This might be too much distance between the speakers, excessive external noise, or
physical obstructions blocking sound from traveling between individuals.A person's ability to listen
effectively can also be hindered by environmental factors such as temperature and lighting. For
example, an uncomfortably hot room can distract someone from fully paying attention to a speaker,
and a room that is too dark could leave them tired and disengaged. Even the way that furniture is
arranged can impact a person's ability to listen. While some seating arrangements encourage
listening, others discourage it and separate people.

2. Cultural Barriers

When people have different backgrounds religiously, ethnically, culturally, or otherwise, it can create
cultural barriers that make it difficult to listen effectively. For example, cultural barriers can emerge
when two companies are doing business together from different parts of the world. Each business
might have customs and social norms informed by their respective cultural context.

3. Emotional and Psychological Barriers

We've already talked about external noise creating an obstacle to effective listening, but there's also
something known as psychological noise.
That is the mental noise that emerges from our mood and energy level. It becomes difficult to receive
and process information when you're in a more extreme mood, whether positive or negative. For
example, it can be just as distracting to be madly in love as it can be to feel consumed by anger.Both
excited arousal and anxious arousal can negatively impact our ability to listen. An employee that is
eager to start their weekend is likely not going to be fully listening to what is being said, much in the
same way an employee that is worried about losing their job will struggle to listen effectively.

The way that we think can also get in the way of actively listening. Sometimes, we are quick to judge
what is being said by another person, or we feel we know what they're going to say before they say it.
This can influence our ability to hear what is being communicated.

4. Physiological Barriers

When we aren't feeling our best, it's hard to be fully present. If a person is suffering from an
injury, an illness, or bodily stress, it can get in the way of their ability to hear and process what
is being said.

5. Language Barriers

Another thing that can hinder the ability to listen actively is the presence of a language barrier. When
two or more people are communicating, they don't speak the same native language or have distinctly
different accents. Language barriers can also emerge within the same language if the parties involved
are from different regions or cultures and use expressions unknown to each other.Effectively listening
when there is a language barrier isn't, by any means, impossible. However, it can take more empathy
and attention to ensure that you fully understand the communication that is occurring.

6. Making Assumptions

When we make assumptions about the speaker's intent or meaning before they have even finished
their statement, we aren't practicing effective listening. A person might be biased against another
individual and assume they hold certain beliefs even though they haven't gotten to know them.

7. Too Much Information

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by something new and complex that you stopped being able to
intake information? This situation is an example of another barrier to effective listening: information
overload. If a person doesn't seem to be actively listening to you, it might not be that they are being
rude. It's possible that they've reached their limit in terms of new information, and they're
decreasingly able to be present and focused on what's being said.

8. Tone of Voice

The tone that a person uses to speak can also create barriers to effective listening. Not everyone will
react the same way to different tones of voice, and two people might hear the same vocal tone in very
different ways.For example, one listener might find that an energetic speaker is engaging, while
another might react emotionally to what they feel is a loud and angry tone.

9. Speed of Speech

When someone is talking too fast, it can be challenging for listeners to keep up with the conversation.
Some people naturally have a fast pace of speech, while others might be talking faster than normal out
of nervousness. At the same time, a person talking too slowly can also lose their audience's attention.
If they speak abnormally slow, listeners might start to disengage and no longer listen actively.
10. Time Pressure

When you run into someone you know, and you ask them how they've been, what do they say? Almost
always, the response is: busy. It's common to feel like there isn't enough time in the day to get to
everything that needs to be done. When we feel pressed for time, it becomes challenging to engage
with what someone is saying fully. Whether you have a meeting in ten minutes or you're up against a
deadline, feeling time pressure can mean that your ability to listen effectively is hindered.

11. Interruption

Both the speaker and the listeners can be responsible for creating interruptions that make it
difficult to listen effectively. The listener might chime in frequently and un-empathetically
when the speaker is talking, making it difficult for everyone involved to follow along and focus.
The speaker could also create interruptions by allowing environmental distractions to capture
their interest and take them off track.
9) What is a good listener?
A good listener is someone who focuses completely on what another person is saying and engages
with their ideas in a thoughtful, comprehensive way. Good listening is not just about learning what a
person is saying, but making a commitment to digesting the information they are presenting and
responding constructively.
Whether through questions, suggestions or simply providing your thoughts when it is necessary, a
good listener is one that actively engages with the material they are listening to. How a person listens
to something is just as important as whether they are listening at all.

Why is it important to be a good listener?

Being a good listener can help make you a better leader and professional in the workplace regardless
of your position. Whether you're a manager in charge of a team or looking to provide support to
coworkers, improving your listening skills can help you succeed in your professional career.
Instead of letting yourself become distracted easily or letting yourself miss important information,
practicing and becoming a better listener can help you stay focused on the things that are important
and improve your communication skills.
Dos

 Clear your mind

 Turn off your phone (or put it away)
 Turn away from monitors
 React in the moment

Don'ts

 Check email
 Plan your answers in advance
 Multitask
 Think about your upcoming schedule

9) What is visual aids and its types?

A visual aid is any material that gives shape and form to words or thoughts. Types of visual aids
include physical samples, models, handouts, pictures, videos, infographics, etc. Visual aids have come
a long way to now include digital tools such as overhead projectors, PowerPoint presentations, and
interactive boards.

What are visual aids used in?

The purpose of a visual aid is to engage the audience, boost their understanding of your content,
ignite an emotional response, and help you convey important messaging—but it is never a
substitute for preparation.

What is purpose behind using the visual aids?

Before knowing the types of visual aids that you can use in public speaking, we should first see why do
we even need them?

1. Engaging the audience and holding their attention is the first and the foremost purpose of using
visual aids.
2. Most people retain what they see more than retaining what they hear.
3. They help in summarising the information.
4. Making things easier to understand.
5. Using visual aids make your presentation more impactful.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Using Visual Aids in Public Speaking.

Let us see why it is advantageous to use visual aids in public speaking.

1. It is easier to hold the attention of the audience towards you when you use visual aids. It may be
unexciting to just sit and pay attention to someone’s talk but use of visual aids would catch the
interest of most of the people present there.
2. Involvement and engagement of the participants increases when you use aids as they are
hearing as well as seeing. This would give a better learning experience to the audience.
3. With the use of visual aids, it is easier for the audience to understand and remember the
information you provide. Seeing text with relevant image is easier to understand than a simple
text. People remember more of what they see than what they hear.
4. Correct usage of visual aids also minimizes the chances of any kind of mistakes. If used correctly,
visual aids can make presentations more exciting, more vibrant, and more effective.
Now how these aids can be disadvantageous, let us see.
1. Firstly, having visual aids need a lot of presentation material and preparation for the same. This
may be really time consuming and you may end up giving more time to this than to your speech.
2. Use of visual aids may also distract your audience from your speech as they pay more attention
on the visual aids. Ultimately, the purpose of your speech may not be fulfilled.
3. Keep away from overly elaborated visual aids. The ability to see and understand the aid by the
audience is more important than the way of delivery.

Speakers have been using different kinds of visual aids, both old and new, to make their presentation
easier to understand and deliver their message clearly. Visual aids not help the speaker but also the
audience. Following are some commonly used visual aids:

1. PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint is probably the most commonly used visual aid for presentations as one can
easily create attractive and professional presentations with it. The advantage of being able to insert a
wide range of videos, audios animations and other things into the slides helps in catching the
audience’s attention better.

2. Whiteboards
Whiteboards work great when you have to give further explanations like explaining difficult words,
explaining the order of a process, creating diagrams etc. They are generally used for writing headings,
important information to be displayed for the entire duration, and to note the suggestions given by
the audience.

3. Video clips
You can engage your audience really well by using an appropriate audio or video. This also adds
variety to your presentation.

4. Charts and graphs

A variety of charts and graphs are available to assist you in various purposes like pie charts, line
graphs, bar charts, flow charts and organisational charts. Choose the most suitable one to convey your
points.

5. Handouts
The key information from your presentation or further information of your presentation may be given
in printed form on sheet of papers. These are called handouts. They are generally used when your
topic is too complex to understand just by speaking.

6. Flip chart
In public speaking, flip charts are a low cost solution to record and convey information while you
present. They are very low in technology. They prove to be beneficial when you have a small audience.
They are often used for brainstorming sessions to collect the ideas easily and also to summarize the
information given.

7. Props
A prop can be either an object or a model. An object is the actual item you are talking about whereas a
model is a representation of the item you are talking about. Whichever prop you use, the purpose is to
clarify the message and maximize understanding. They can make a dull topic really interesting.

8. Overheads
An overhead projector is an extremely popular device for using as a visual aid. They can be used to
show how a machine works, how a building has been built, to show some step by step procedures or
processes.

There are many more visual aids which may be used as per the requirement of the presentation.

English-Open Elective

Spoken English for Global Communication

Unit- 3 Speaking Skills

Greeting
Useful Phrases Common Responses

Good morning. Good to see you too.

Good afternoon. How do you do?

Good evening. I’m fine, thank you.

Good to meet you. I’m fine thanks.

Good to see you again. I’m doing well

Hello, Shelly. Nice to see you again. I’ve actually been pretty good.

Hi, Mark. How are you doing? Never better.

HI, Mark. How are you? Nice to meet you too.

How do you do? Nothing much.

How have you been?

How’s it going?

How’s life?

I hope all goes well with you.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to see you again.

What’s new?

What’s up?

Examples of English Conversations:

Between Friends

Conversation 1

George: Good morning, Mary.

Mary: Good morning, George.

Jenny: Hello, Mr. Gracia. How are you doing?

Gracia: Pretty good, thanks. How about you, Jenny?

Jenny: Not bad, thanks.

Paul: Good morning, Anny. How is everything?

Anny: OK, thanks. How are you today, Paul?

Paul: Just fine, thanks.

Dina: Good evening Jhon, where have you been lately?

Jhon: I have been busy with my project.

Dina: It is good to see you again.

Jhon: Thanks.

Conversation 2

Alice: Hi, Bent.

Bent: Hello Alice. Long time no see. How are you?

Alice: Fine. And you?

Bent: Getting on well. How is your brother Andre? I really miss him.

Alice: He is OK. Busy with his studies. He’s going to have his final exam next week.

Bent: By the way, have you heard about Nancy?

Alice: No. What happened to her?

Bent: She’s getting married soon to a colleague of her.

Alice: That’s good news. So Nancy will soon settle down to a domestic life.

Bent: Sorry, Alice. It’s time for my bus. I must hurry.

Alice: I’ll ring you up sometime.

Bent: Please do.

Alice: I will. Bye.

Bent: Bye.
On the Telephone

Rina: Good morning. Rina is here.

Michael: Hi, Rina! How are you?

Rina: Hello, Michael. I’m alright. How are things with you? How is your school?

Michael: It’s good. I enjoy studying there. It’s quite different from the one where I was

studying last year.

Rina: So at last you’ve found a place where you’d like to study.

Michael: Rina, I hear that your friend Sofie is planning to sell her laptop. Is it true?

Rina: Yes, she told me so. Why, are you interested?

Michael: Well, I am thinking of buying it. If the price is within my reach, that is.

Rina: I’ll talk to Sofie and then call you back. Is that all right?

Michael: Perfectly. Thanks, Rina. Bye.

Rina: Bye

Greeting with Acquaintance

Rony: Jim, I hope you know Ms. Kiki from the University of Surabaya.

Jim: Oh, yes. We met last year at Jakarta. Nice to see you again, Ms. Kiki. How are you?

Kiki: Fine. How are things with you?

JIm: OK. What brings you to this city?

Kiki: I came on official work. I had the evening free. So I thought I’d call on old friends.

Jim: That’s so kind of you. By the way, how long are you here?

Kiki: Another two or three days.

Jim: And you’re staying at the guest house?

Kiki: Yes, room No. 15.

JIm: I’ll meet you there. When can I meet you?

Kiki: How about tomorrow evening? About 7.30 pm?

JIm: Very good. I’ll see you then. Thank you so much, Ms. Kiki.

Kiki: Not at all. See you tomorrow.

Making Request

Useful Phrases

Can/ could you open the window, please?

Do you think you could open the window, please?

I’m sorry to trouble you, but...

I hope you don’t mind my asking, but...

I wonder whether you could open the window.

I’d be (very) grateful if you could open the window.

Please do me a favor by opening the window.

Would it be possible...

Would you be so kind as to open the window?

Would you mind opening the window, please?

Etc.

Examples of English Conversations:

At The Post Office

Fabien: Excuse me. Could you give me your pen for a moment please?

Brad: I’m really sorry. It doesn’t write well.

Fabien: That’s alright.

Brad: (to another person) Would you mind lending me your pen, please?

Fabien: Certainly not. Here you are.

Brad: Thank you

Talking to a Friend on the Telephone

Andy: Good morning. May I speak to Mr. Edward, please?

Omar: May I know who is calling, please?

Andy: Andy Moora from NZT Corp, Ltd.

Omar: Please hold on for a moment, Sir. I’ll see if Mr. Edward is available... Please speak on,

Sir. Mr. Edward is on the line.

Andy: Hello Edward, How are you?

Edward: Hi, Andy. I’m fine. How are you?

Andy: Fine, thank you. Edward I need your help. Do you think you could lend me some money?

Edward: How much?

Andy: Ten Million rupiahs.

Edward: Oh, certainly. Let me know your bank account number, please. I will transfer it

as soon as possible.

Andy: Thank you, Edward.

Edward: That’s alright.

Telephone Messages

Here the example of English conversation that talks about telephone messages, we may
experience the

moment when we have to leave messages because we cannot speak with someone directly on
the

phone. Now, please read and enjoy the conversation below.

Secretary: Good morning, Parker Industries.

Mr. Kale: Hello. May I speak to Ms. Graham, please?

Secretary: I’m sorry. She’s not in. Would you like to leave a message?

Mr. Kale: Yes, please. This is Mr. Kale.

Secretary: Is that G-A-L-E?

Mr. Kale: No, it’s K-A-L-E.

Secretary: All right.

Mr. Kale: Please tell her the meeting is on Friday at 2:30.

Secretary: Friday at 2:30.

Mr. Kale: And would you ask her to phone me this afternoon? My number is 555-4040.

Secretary: 555-4040. Yes, Mr. Kale. I’ll give Ms. Graham the message.

Mr. Kale: Thank you. Goodbye.

Secretary: Goodbye.
After read the conversation above, please invite your partner to practice in turns. You can use
the

example below to modify your own conversation by requesting with “tell” and “ask”.

Messages with statements: Requests:

The meeting is on Friday Please tell Ann the meeting is on Friday.

Would you tell her...?

Could you tell her...?

Messages with imperatives: Requests:

Phone me this afternoon. Please ask him to phone me this afternoon.

Would you ask him to...?

Could you tell him to...?

At The Office

Mr. David: Good morning, Ms. Nita.

Ms. Nita: Good morning, Sir.

Mr. David: Ms. Nita, we are planning to hold our next Board meeting sometime during

the last week if this month. Can you prepare the project report on our

proposed proposal?

Ms. Nita: Certainly, Sir. I’ll be really glad to do that.

Mr. David: Thank you. Please get on with the work. You may consult me whenever you

want to.

Ms. Nita: Thank you, Sir. If you don’t mind, may I know the date of the meeting?

Mr. David: Most probably it will be the 25th

.
Ms. Nita: OK, Sir.

What is Persuasion?

Persuasion can be described as the process of convincing someone else to carry out an action

or agree with an idea. In the workplace, you may use persuasion to sell products, recruit team

members and increase productivity.

Persuasion can be done through verbal or written communication using logical reasoning,

data analysis and verifiable facts to prove that your point of view is feasible and has merit.

Examples of English Conversations:

At a College (Formal)

Mrs. Lala: Good morning Madam. May I come in?

Mrs. Jenny: Good morning, Mrs. Lala. Do come in and take your seat.

Mrs. Lala: Thank you, Madam. I’m thinking of leaving the college.

Mrs. Jenny: But why? Aren’t you happy here?

Mrs. Lala: Of course, I am. It’s really a pleasure working here.

Mrs. Jenny: Then what’s the matter now?

Mrs. Lala: I’ve been selected as an officer in the Reserve Bank.

Mrs. Jenny: And you want to accept that?

Mrs. Lala: I am thinking of accepting it. As you know, a bank officer gets much more

than a lecturer.

Mrs. Jenny: I know that. In terms of salary, it is an attractive job for you. Do you think

you’ll be happy working in a bank? You’re M.A in English Literature, you’ve

a flair for writing and the students like your classes.

Mrs. Lala: Well, what you say is true. But...

Mrs. Jenny: I don’t want to stand in your way. But do you think you have considered

everything? I think you’ll do well to reconsider your decision. On your part,

we are very happy with your work. We’ll be sorry if you decide to leave.

Mrs. Lala: All right, Madam. I’ll think about it once again.
Between Friends (Informal)

Mark: Anthony. What are you doing this evening? How about a movie?

Anthony: Which one?

Mark: There’s a good Indonesian movie at 21st theatre.

Anthony: you know I don’t like Indonesian movies.

Mark: Oh, Come on. I’ll sure you’ll enjoy this one.

Anthony: I don’t enjoy Indonesian movies. I can’t follow the conversation fully.

Mark: So what? We’re not Indonesian. Most of us are not able to follow the

conversation fully. But there are so many other things you can enjoy.

Anthony: That’s true.

Mark: Then why don’t you come?

Anthony: All right. I’ll be at the theatre at 7. Is that OK?

Mark: Fine. See you at 7.

Anthony: See you.

Asking If Someone Agrees

Asking If Someone Agrees

OK?

Right?

Yeah?

Is it OK?

Is that all right with you/ OK with you?

Do you agree?

Don’t think/ feel...?

Would you agree that/ with...?

I wonder if you’d agree with...?

Agreeing
I agree entirely.

I agree with you.

I could agree with you more.

I think so.

I think you’re right.

I totally agree.

That’s quite right/ true.

Yes, I agree.

Yes, it’s OK.

You’re right

You’re absolutely right.

Partly Agreeing

I agree with you in principle, but...

I agree with you up to a point, but...

That’s quite true, but...

Disagreeing

I’m afraid, I can’t agree with you.

I’m afraid, I disagree.

I’m afraid I don’t agree.

I’m afraid I don’t share your opinion.

I couldn’t agree with you less.

I disagree with you.

I don’t agree at all.

I totally disagree.

Not really.

Oh surely not.
Personally, I tend to agree with...

That’s not true.

You don’t mean it.

Examples of English Conversations:

Teacher and Student

Teacher: Well, we’ve decided to hold a camp at Bogor. Is that OK with you?

Student: That’s lovely.

Teacher: As usual, the camp will be for three days. Those who would like to take part in

this camp must give me their names by tomorrow morning. OK?

Student: But, Sir. We need time to write to our parents and get permission.

Teacher: In that case, you’ll give me your willingness by the 10th of this month at the

least. Is that all right with you all?

Student: Quite all right, Sir.

Between Friends

Ryan: So we’ll meet at the Regal Cinema at 5.30, OK?

Ricky: But isn’t it too early? The show begins only at 6.30.

Ryan: That’s right, but we might have to stand in the queue to get tickets. So it’s better

to meet at 5.30.

Ricky: All right.

Ryan: Okay. Can one of you pick me up from my house?

Ricky: Okay. I shall meet you at your place at 5.20, OK?

Ryan: Fine

Asking About Direction

There are several questions which may be asked if someone ask about direction, questions
that you

may hear are:

Are you from around here?

Can you tell me where the ... is?

How do I get to ...?

I’m looking for ...

Where is the closest ...?

Etc.

And if you know the way or the answer of those questions, you may use several phrases below:

At the next traffic lights turn ...

Do you want me to draw you a map?

Follow me. I’ll show you the way.

Get in the left lane.

Go one more block. Then turn right.

If you pass the ... you went too far.

It’s a bit of a way. (it takes a while)

It’s a very busy road.

It’s about a five minute walk.

It’s about twenty minutes by taking a bus.

It’s across from the blue mosque.

It’s going to be on your right.

It’s just around the corner (not far).

It’s not far.

Stay in the right lane.

Stay on Route 1 for about ten minutes.

The best way is to turn right on Main Street.

The easiest way is to go right on Commercial Avenue.

The quickest way is to take Road Number 1.

There might be construction.

There’s no parking.

Turn right at the next street.

You will pass a gas station.

You will see a large clock on the right.

And if you don’t know the way or the answer, you may use several phrases below:

I’m sorry, please ask the front desk clerk.

I’m afraid I can’t help you.

I’m sorry, I’m not from here.

Sorry I don’t know my way around here.

You could ask the bus driver.

Examples of English Conversations:

Talking with Stranger

Conversation 1

A: Excuse me. Is there a grocery store around here?

B: Yeah. There’s one right across the street.

Conversation 2

A: Can you tell me how to get to Phoenix?

B: Sorry. I don’t live around here.

Conversation 3

A: Excuse me, where’s Taner’s Leather Shop?

B: It’s on the corner of Holly and Vine. It’s next to the library.

A: Fine, thank you for the information.

Conversation 4

A: Excuse me, how do I get to the bank?

B: Go straight down this street for two blocks. And then, turn left when you get to

Maple Street. Stay on Maple for half a block. It’s on the left hand side.

A: OK, thank you very much.

Asking Permission

Asking Permission Giving Permission Refusing Permission

Can I ..., please? By all means. I’m afraid it is not possible.

Could I ..., please? Certainly. I’m refusing.

Do (Would) you mind if I ...? Go ahead. I’m sorry, I cannot let you ...

I wonder if I could ... I can’t see any objections. I’m sorry, I don’t have the

authority to let you ...

Is it alright if I ...? Yes, of course. No, you may not.

May I ..., please? You can if you want Permission will not be granted.

Etc. You may if you like. Sorry, It’s not possible.

You have my permission. You’re not allowed to ...

Etc. Etc.

Examples of English Conversations:

On the Train

Armand: Excuse me. Would you mind my opening that window?

Bryan: Not at all, please go ahead.

Armand: Thank you. It’s very hot here.

Bryan: True. Can I take some water from your pitcher?

Armand: Certainly. Can I have that magazine for a while?

Bryan: I’m sorry, I haven’t finished reading it. I’ll give it to you as soon as I’ve finished.

Armand: Thank you.

Between Friends

Roman: HI Bobby! Would you mind I kept this here?

Bobby: Not at all.

Roman: I’ll come back around eleven. Is it ok?

Bobby: Fine. I may not be here then. But Cindy will be.

Roman: Fine. Shall I keep it in that corner?

Bobby: Oh, yes. It’s safer there.

At the Meeting

Ryan: Excuse me. If you don’t mind, I’d like to make a suggestion.

Mark: Please go ahead.

Ryan: It would be a good idea if we considered the latest developments in the field

while examining the project proposal.

Mark: The latest developments? Could you give me more details?

Complaining

Excuse me, but there’s a problem with ...

I really must object to ...

I think you’ve given me the wrong change.

I wish to complain in the strongest terms about ...

I’m not at all satisfied with ...

I’m not quite sure how to put this, but ...

I’m sorry to bring this up, but ...

I’m sorry to say this, but ...

I’ve got a bit of a problem here, you see ...

I’m afraid I have to make a complaint.

Sorry to bother you, but I think there’s something wrong with ...

Sorry, I think this change is wrong. I gave you $20, not $10.

Would you please not ...?

After complaining, you may ask an apology or ask the specifics and then take action about the

complaint. Please learn useful phrases below:

Apologizing Ask for Specifics Take Action

I apologize ... Please tell me exactly

what the problem is.

I don’t know what happened,

but I will get back with you

later today.

I apologize for the

inconvenience ...

Please tell me exactly

what happened.

I will send someone to take

care of it.

I apologize for the

problem ...

Let me check with the

shippers and see what

happened.

I’m sorry ...

I’m sorry to hear that ...

Examples of English Conversations:

At the Hotel or Restaurant

Customer: Excuse me, I’m sorry to bring this up, but no one seems to attend to table No. 15

Manager: I’m sorry. I’ll send someone at once. Please be seated.

Customer: Thank you

At the Office

Mr. Brown: I’m sorry to have to say this, but you seem to make too many spelling mistakes in
all the

letters.

Anita: I’m really sorry, Sir. I shall be more careful.

Mr. Brown: You ought to be.

The Missing Parts

Diana: Hello, Mr. Jimmy. May I help you?

Mr. Jimmy: Yes, I ordered spare parts for my generator, but you sent the wrong parts.

Diana: Oh no! Can you tell me exactly what parts you ordered and what you got?

Mr. Jimmy: Yes, I ordered two of part number X808Z, but I got two D777X instead! They

won’t fit my generator.

Diana: I’m very sorry, let me check and see if we have the correct parts here right now

and if we do, I can have someone deliver them this afternoon. Would that be

okay?

Mr. Jimmy: Yes, please. The sooner I have the parts the better.

(Later...)

Diana: Hello Mr. Jimmy, did you get the correct parts I sent over? Are they exactly what

you needed?

Mr. Jimmy: Yes, they just arrived. Thank you.

Diana: My pleasure Mr. Jimmy, again, sorry for the inconvenience.

Apologizing

Apologizing Accepting an apology

Excuse me/ Pardon me (for...) It doesn’t matter at all.

I feel bad about... Not at all.

I’m sorry, that was (entirely) my fault. Please don’t feel bad about it.

I’m sorry. Please don’t worry.

Please accept my apologies for... That’s (quite) alright/ OK.

Please allow me to offer my apologies. That’s really not necessary.

Etc. Etc.

Examples of English Conversations:

Between Neighbors

Conversation 1

Mr. Bent: Mr. Owen, I feel bad about what happened this morning. I ought not to have

spoken so. I’m extremely sorry.

Mr. Owen: There’s no need to apologize at all. I could quite understand your feelings.

Conversation 2

Mrs. Amira: Good morning.

Mr. Parker: Good morning.

Mrs. Amira: I heard that my son misbehaved with you last evening. I’m ashamed of what

he did. I came to apologize to you.

Mr. Parker: There’s no need for an apology. It’s true that he used some bad words. But I

didn’t take it seriously. Let’s forget about it.

Mrs. Amira: I’ll certainly warn him.

Mr. Parker: please don’t be very harsh with him. I’m sure he’ll realize his mistake.