In April 2022 I started my podcast SmartEnglishCoach especially for people at an advanced level of English. The podcast episodes are about 10 minutes long, and they’re short coaching sessions to help with English fluency and confidence. There’s a new episode every week. So far, we’ve looked at mindset, strategy and learning tips. But what… Read More
One thing that’s changed our work lives for ever is online meetings. They have some advantages (you can work from home) but also some disadvantages. It’s sometimes difficult to find the right time to speak when you can’t see everyone in the room, for example. In this post, there are a few techniques to help… Read More
Native speakers don’t always say what they mean. Sometimes this is because they want to be polite, and sometimes it’s because they don’t want to admit that they’re wrong, or that they don’t know something. Instead of using a direct phrase, they say something that seems politer. Unfortunately, these phrases can be the opposite of… Read More
If you haven’t studied English for a while, it can be difficult to start studying again. Maybe you’ve forgotten things, or it takes you longer to do something in English, because you’re “out of practice”. So here are some ways that you can activate your brain, so that you can study effectively and productively! All… Read More
Most people try to avoid phrasal verbs. They can be difficult to learn or understand, and there are so many of them! But phrasal verbs really improve your English, and when you use them, you’ll automatically sound more natural and more advanced. Here are three reasons why they’re so important for you to understand and… Read More
If you want to improve your English – but you don’t have lots of time – check out my English learning plans. With 20 minutes a day, you CAN move up an English level, but make sure you dedicate at least 20 minutes a day, every day. These 20 minutes need to be focussed as… Read More
What can you say if you don’t want to join a conversation? Perhaps you don’t have anything to say, or you don’t want to give your opinion. Check out these phrases to avoid speaking in English! When you don’t want to add anything to the conversation Perhaps other people have already said everything you wanted… Read More
Being confident is essential if you want to be successful in English. You need confidence for fluency, to try new things in English, and you need it to take part in important events. But there are lots of things that can stop you from being confident. I believe that you can teach yourself ways to… Read More
What can you say when you forget a word, or when you don’t know how to continue a conversation in English? Instead of stopping, you can use one of these phrases. People will know that you still have something to say, so they will wait for you to continue speaking. These phrases will help your… Read More
Fluency is difficult to define, because it means different things to different people. But there are some things that show you when you’re becoming more fluent in English. Here are five signs that your spoken English is improving. If they’re true for you, then you know that you’re definitely getting more fluent! 1. Speaking English… Read More
