Communicate Clearly and Confidently in English - Videos on Stress, Intonation, and Communication Skills • Page 14 of 18 • English with Kim

Start a Conversation by Asking “What’s keeping you busy these days?”

Have you ever run into a coworker in the breakroom and felt a little awkward or uncomfortable? Maybe you felt like you should try to engage them in a brief conversation, but you didn’t know what to say. Whether you cross paths in the hallway, are taking a quick break between meetings, or are pouring yourself a cup of coffee or refilling your bottle at the water cooler, you likely have plenty of opportunities to … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Moving Beyond “Where are you from?” to Create a Conversation

Even though I know this question is boring, I’m guilty of asking it over and over again: “Where are you from?” If you have even the slightest accent or even a behavior that suggests that you’re not a local, people are likely to ask you where you’re from. Whether you are living or traveling in another country or region, you’ll probably encounter someone who wants to know a little more about you. Rather than quickly … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Key Difference Between Long and Short Vowels in English & How to Pronounce “Kim”

Let’s talk about something very important to me: how to pronounce my name, Kim! Many non-native English speakers struggle with the name “Kim” because it contains a short vowel. I recently received this question from Serg from Russia: I’ve listened a lot of teachers in the internet, but I still can not hear any difference between short “i” and long “ee.” They seem to be sounding the same. No difference at all. How short is … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Principles of Making Small Talk in English & Guidelines for Casual Conversations

If you’re interested in having better conversations in English, you’re probably already familiar with the concept of small talk. Because making small talk is so essential in English-speaking cultures, I want to make sure we’re on the same page. Let’s go back to basics and talk about the principles for making small talk. But first, I want to remind you: making small talk is incredibly cultural. Small talk may vary between cultures, so I’m going … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Start Thinking in English! Access Your Vocabulary with Practical Writing and Speaking Exercises

How would you feel if you were able to think in English? For many of us, achieving fluency means we’re able to stop translating and start thinking in a language that isn’t our first. When I became fluent in Spanish, I realized that I had stopped thinking in English. I was finally coming up with words and ideas in Spanish rather than translating from my native language. This was not an overnight process. I had … Read the article and watch the video lesson

When to Use Expect, Wait for, Looking Forward to, Be Excited About, and Can’t Wait

Quick question: do you expect new videos from me? 🤔 Maybe what you actually want to say is that you are waiting for, looking forward to, are excited about, or can’t wait for new videos from me! But first, let me give you some context. As you may know, I practice yoga every day, and I love to check out yoga instructors on YouTube. One morning, I scrolled down and saw that someone had commented, “I … Read the article and watch the video lesson