Communication Skills: Express Yourself Clearly Archives • English with Kim

Change Your Meaning with Your Voice – Intonation, Inflection, & Tone of Voice

You can say the same question in several different ways: What are you doing? (falling intonation) What are YOU doing? WHAT are you doing? What are you doing? (steep fall in pitch) What are you doing? (wavy pitch) What are you doing? (flat pitch) Even though the words are the same, the feeling you get from them is totally different. In this video, you’re going to learn three ways to change your meaning with your … Read the article and watch the video lesson

10 Transition Phrases and Expressions for Conversations in American English

Ever wanted to acknowledge something that’s happening during a conversation, or describe a specific moment during a discussion? Then this video will help! In this video, you’re going to learn 10 expressions that we use to describe what’s going on, or what happened, during a conversation, discussion or interaction. These phrases will help you transition or explain what’s coming next. Or they’ll help you describe what happened during the conversation. Let’s get started! Having a … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Find Your Flow When Speaking English – Stress, Rhythm, Melody, Contrast and Thought Groups

Ever noticed how native English speakers use their voices to emphasize important words and help you follow what they’re saying? The rise and fall of their pitch, and the contrast between the words that matter, and those that don’t, create the natural rhythm and melody of American English. If you’re wondering how to find your own flow when speaking English, then this video is for you. In this video, you’ll learn how to use stress, … Read the article and watch the video lesson

11 Super Common Conversation Expressions in American English

Chances are you’ve been in a conversation with a native English speaker when they used a few expressions that were pretty new to you. You probably got the gist of what they were saying, but you still wanted to make sure that both of you were on the same page. In fact, we use a lot of expressions to transition between ideas, move on to another point or change the subject, or even to refer … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Indirect Questions – Make Requests and Offer Subtle Suggestions

Do you happen to know what time it is? I was wondering if you’d help me move next week. Could you tell me where the nearest station is? Notice anything interesting about these sentences? That’s right – they’re questions hiding within other questions or statements. If you’ve ever missed answering a question because the question was actually hidden within a statement or another question, then this video will help. In this video, you’ll learn how … Read the article and watch the video lesson

How to Give Clear Suggestions and Strong Recommendations Using Polite Language

Have you ever wanted to give a clear, strong suggestion to a friend, relative, or coworker, while still sounding tactful and polite? At times, we need to encourage or even urge other people to take action, but we don’t want to sound bossy, demanding, or like we’re ordering people around. I recommend that you keep watching to find out how to offer clear suggestions and make strong recommendations in American English. In this video, you’ll … Read the article and watch the video lesson