Beyond Thank You: How to Show Appreciation and Express Gratitude in English

Take a moment and think about how many times you’ve said “thank you” today. If you’re living in the United States or another English speaking country, you’ve probably said it more times than you can count. “Thank you” has become such a common response that we often don’t notice when we’ve said it. As a non-native speaker, you may be surprised by how much Americans say “thank you” for doing something that’s common courtesy, or … Read the article and watch the video lesson

How to Breathe When Speaking English | Get Started with Breathing, Pausing, and Thought Groups

When was the last time you thought about your breathing when speaking English? After all, breathing is an automatic process, right? When you run out of air, you breathe again. We usually don’t pay that much attention to our breathing unless we have a cold, or we’re feeling short of breath, maybe we’re nervous, or doing a sport or other activity like singing that requires breath support. That’s why I’m here to remind you that … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Find Your Voice in American English: Vocal Exercises for Non-Native Speakers (Pitch & Resonance)

Let me ask you something. How do you feel about the sound of your voice when you’re speaking English? If you’re like most people, you probably have some concerns about your voice. Maybe you feel like your pitch is too high or too low. Maybe you have trouble changing your pitch or you feel like your voice sounds a little monotone. Maybe you think your voice sounds too nasally or too high in your head, … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Contrast: Improve Your Accent and Sound More Natural and Interesting in American English 🎶

Over the past few months, I’ve been hearing from a lot of non-native speakers who are concerned that they sound monotonous, robotic, bored, or even annoyed when they’re speaking English. They’ve been working on their accent, but they feel like something is missing. When you’re trying to improve how you sound in English, you’ll find a lot of tips out there. (You can find quite a few of them right here!) But if you really … Read the article and watch the video lesson

How to Handle Uncomfortable Questions You REALLY Don’t Want to Answer in English

Let me ask you something. How do you feel when someone asks you an uncomfortable question? When you’re chatting with new people at a social event or a party, or you’re interacting with strangers while waiting for the bus or the train, you might get asked an awkward question you really don’t want to answer. For example: How old are you? Why do you wear so much makeup? Why do you cover your hair? Why … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Why Intonation is So Important: We Communicate Meaning Through Tone of Voice in American English

Ready to start working on your intonation? Let’s talk about the key elements of intonation you need to understand as you learn how to use your pitch and change your tone of voice in order to communicate more effectively in American English. This introduction to intonation will help you understand the following: why intonation matters for clear communication, the most important roles of intonation in American English, and the key elements of intonation you’ll need … Read the article and watch the video lesson