English Talk: Informative

Phrases to talk about ‘Different Styles of Eating’.

Wolf down
To eat fast as you are very hungry. Like a wolf preys and eats quickly.

Gobble Up
Gob is an old worth for mouth. Gobble up means to quickly swallow down the food in a hurry or when you are hungry.

Scoff
To eat greedily

Inhale
To eat very fast. Inhale means to breathe in, which takes a second. SO, to inhale food means to eat very fast.

Choke down
To eat forcefully and gulp down food that you may dislike.

Gorge
To overeat something that you like to eat.

Pig out
To overeat and stuff yourself to the extent that you feel your
tummy is blasting.

Nibble
To chew a small quantity of food. Like nibble on nuts.

English idioms for effective communication

Today’s English lesson has some interesting English idioms related to communication that can easily be used in English daily conversation. These idioms are often used by Native English speakers in their Spoken English, you could practice these idioms and improve your English speaking and speak fluent English. Communication is of utmost important in today’s world since it brings people together.

To get hold of – to manage to contact someone
Example: I have been trying to get hold of you since yesterday, please meet me immediately.

To give the low down – to give complete information
Example: I missed the football match yesterday; I need a low down on everything.

To hear through the grapevine- to get some information, mostly gossip or rumors through friends or informally.
Example: I heard through the grapevine that Peter split up with his girlfriend

Touch base – to renew communication
Example: I need to touch base with you regarding our old business ideas.

Word of mouth – promote something through conversation
Example: My salon has been getting a lot of customers just through word of mouth

To put someone in the picture – to make someone aware
Example: We need to put the new guy at work, Charles in the picture so that he gets familiar with everything

Can’t make head or tail of anything – unable/ fail to understand any information or situation
Example: This report is of no use because I can’t make head or tail of anything it states.

Avoid using incorrect workplace phrases.

This English lesson talks about some important work related English vocabulary. With the help of this Spoken English lesson you can express your job related experiences or speak in English about it to people using appropriate words.

1) This job is too stressful. ( noun)

2) There is a lot of work,but I can handle it.(verb)

3) They fired two of my co-workers last month.(verb)

4) I work in the sales department.(verb)

5) I usually don't eat in the lunch room.(noun)

6) The dress code for tomorrow is casual.(noun)

7) My job demands a lot of travelling.(verb)

8) I report directly at the head office.(verb)

9) The company has a reputation of treating their employees well.(verb)

10) I commute (travel) to work by train.(verb)

Idioms related to Business negotiations –

One of the most important skill one can hold is the ability to negotiate. Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more people or parties intended to reach to an understanding or come to an agreement. In the business world you may have come across people, using different idioms related to negotiations for variety of reason such as to negotiate a salary, or a promotion, to secure a sale or to form a new partnership. In this lesson you will learn some interesting business English idioms related to negotiating.

Here are some Business negotiation idioms for you:

1) Above board – If business negotiations are described as above board it means they are open, legal and honest.
Example – Our dealing have always been above board.

2) Bend over backwards : - If you bend over backwards it means you try very hard to do something in order to please someone
Example – Your business is very important to us hence we will bend over backwards to keep it up.

3) Blank Check – To give someone the permission or to authorize someone to do what they think is the best in a situation.
Example – John was given a blank check by his boss and was told to get the best deal possible.

4) Bide your time – To wait patiently for a good opportunity to do something.
Example – He’s not hesitating to work with your company, he’s just biding his time for the prices to drop.

5) Blow a deal - To ruin a business deal with someone
Example – We don’t want to blow the deal with your company because of our minor mistakes.

6) Get the raw end of the deal – A bad deal for you. When something is not fair and not in your favour
Example – The contract is ours but the company won’t use our name on the product, we have got the raw end of the deal.

7) Come to terms – To reach an agreement
Example – After negotiating all day long the company came to terms with the new rates.

06 tips to write effective emails –

For a thorough professional it is imperative to know how to write effective emails. The below mentioned tips will help you not only to write effectively but also to ensure that your emails are read and answered.

# Subject line-
What seems interesting to you may not be important for your reader so write a subject line which draws their interest and they are at least compelled to open the email.

# Keep the message focused-
Add an introductory line. Number your points to ensure that all are read. Write short paragraphs. Use caps only where required.

# Avoid heavy attachments-
In order to ensure that your email is delivered, avoid heavy attachments. Instead you can copy the link and paste it in the body of the text. Apparently it will help your reader and not waste their time.

# Be kind, don't flame
While you write- Remember that everything that is written is a record. If you find yourself writing in a bad mood STOP go get yourself a cup of coffee and calm down and then write. You don't want to let anyone get a bitter taste through your email.

# Distinguish between a formal and informal situation-
Linguistic shortcuts are generally signs of friendly intimacy. Don't use informal language when your reader expects a formal approach.

# Proofread-
While we are all blessed with spell check, it won't catch all the spelling errors. Therefore if your email has to be read by a superior or someone at a higher position take an extra minute to read your email thoroughly and then click send.

What are Mass Nouns -

Mass nouns are uncountable by a number. Mass nouns are quantified by a word that signifies amount.

A few examples:

Materials, food, metals, and natural qualities: bread, cotton, wood, lightness, adolescence
Names of liquids, gases, and substances made of many small particles: cappuccino, oil, smoke, oxygen, rice, sugar, salt, cement, gravel
Names of languages: English, Spanish, French, Latin, Sanskrit, Chinese
Most gerunds: looking, listening, swimming, running, anticipating
Remember that a number can not be used to quantify a mass noun. Incorrect: four woods, one rice, three courages.

To measure or classify mass nouns, use "of" after a measurement: a foot of wood, a pound of rice, an ounce of courage, a bar of chocolate, a piece of music, a bag of money.

Important points to remember while using Mass Nouns:

Mass nouns are quantified by an amount rather than a number.
They have only one form (singular).
They cannot have "a," "an," or "one" before them as modifiers.
They can use "much" as a modifier.

Using abbreviations i.e., and e.g., correctly in a sentence. -

The abbreviations e.g. (from the Latin exempli gratia) and i.e. (from the Latinid est) are often confused. This is because they are both used to introduce some clarification of something previously mentioned.

e.g.

The abbreviation e.g. is used to provide an example:

Examples:

The buffet provided excellent variety, e.g., vegetarian and non-vegetarian soups, Italian and French breads, and numerous sweets.
(e.g. = for example)

He was the school champion of many activities (e.g., chess, badminton, 110m hurdles, and high jump).
(e.g. = for example)

i.e.

The abbreviation i.e. is used to restate an idea more clearly or offer more information.

Examples:

It happened in August, i.e., two months ago.
(i.e. = in other words)

It happened in August, e.g., two months ago.
(e.g. = for example)

Service charge is included in all prices; i.e., you don't have to leave a tip.
(i.e. = in other words)

Getting Them Wrong

Often mixing the abbreviations up does not mean your sentence is grammatically incorrect. However, getting them wrong will change the meaning of your sentence.

For example:

All amphibians are thriving in the new pond; e.g., the two bullfrogs were being very active yesterday.
(This sentence is fine grammatically. From it, we infer that there are more amphibians than two bullfrogs in the pond.)

All amphibians are thriving in the new pond; i.e., the two bullfrogs were being very active yesterday.
(This sentence is fine grammatically. We infer that the only amphibians in the pond are the two bullfrogs)

COMMA AFTER E.G. OR I.E.

In the US, it is usual to follow e.g. or i.e. with a comma. It is less common in the UK. There is leniency in all conventions. The golden rule is: be consistent.

FULL STOPS /PERIODS OR NOT

It is usual to see full stops (periods) with e.g. and i.e. However, you can write them without. The golden rule is simply: be consistent.

Homophones in English.

Homophones are words that have exactly the same sound (pronunciation) but different meanings and (usually) spelling.

For example, the following two words have the same sound, but different meanings and spelling:

hour
our

Usually homophones are in groups of two (our, hour), but very occasionally they can be in groups of three (to, too, two) or even four.

The word homophone is made from two combining forms:

homo- (from the Greek word "homos", meaning "same")
-phone (from the Greek word "phone", meaning "voice" or "sound")

You will see many other English words using one or other of these combining forms.

Sail Sale
Eight Ate
Sun Son
Stairs Stares
Here Hear
Board Bored
Mail Male
Waste Waist
Tire Tyre

Enjoy the lesson!

10 New Valentine’s Day Slang Words you would Love. –

Love is in the air and like any healthy relationship even the English language is constantly evolving and we come across lot of new words related to love, romance and relationships. So in this lesson today we are going to look at some slang words you can use for this Valentines.

1) To have the hots for – To be extremely attracted to someone
Eg- He’s got the hots for my cousin.

2) Mack on – To hit on someone or to flirt with someone
Eg- All he knows is macking on the girls.

3) Puppy love – young love or infatuation. Many young kids these days get the feeling of love and romance but it is just an infatuation.
Eg- It’s just puppy love; you need to start concentrating on your projects.

4) Trophy wife – The young and attractive wife of a wealthy, famous or important man. She is more like a Status symbol for her husband.
Eg) I spotted John with his new trophy wife at the concert last week.

5) To go Hogging – To go out seeking less desirable women, or to pursue overweight women with the intentions of just having s*x with them.
Eg) let’s give the fat ladies a chance, let us all go hogging.

6) Manicorn – The elusive perfect man who is charming, attractive, successful, and funny but he doesn’t exist.
Eg- I’m still single, still holding out for my manicorn.

7) Cupcake – To stay home romancing with your lover rather than going out.
Eg- We had planned a dinner out for valentines, but we just cupcaked.

8) Up one’s butt- Being obsessed with another person and always being glued.
Eg – She’s totally up James butt these days.

9) Whipped – Extremely obedient and being true to your partner.
Eg – His girlfriend has him whipped.

10) Bugaboo – An annoying person especially one making unwanted s*xual advances.
Eg- That bugaboo keeps texting me all day long.

Difference between the pronouns This, That, These and Those –

Pronouns are quite simple, however do you get a little confused on using this, that, these and those. This lesson will help you to clear all your doubts and you can use these pronouns confidently.

This (singular pronoun) – We use this to talk about people or things near us or close at hand.
Example:
1) This is a book.
2) This is a marker.

This is also used to introduce people and also used to introduce ourselves, to begin the conversation on the phone.

Example:
1) This is my friend, John.
2) Hello, this is Niharika, is it the right time to talk to you?

That (Singular Pronoun) – That is used to talk about things that are not near us, the things which are more distant.
Example:
1) That is a book.
2) That is a marker.

The Difference between these and those is rooted in the difference between the words this and that. These and Those are plural versions of this and that.

These (Plural Pronoun) – These is used to something which is here, right next to us or is easily referenced as close by.
Example
1) These are books.
2) These are markers.

Those (plural pronoun) – Those is used to something which is not near us, at distance.
Example :
1) Those are books
2) Those are markers.

So just keep in mind the above rules.

12 idioms to describe the character of a person-

In this lesson, I tell you about different characters of people with idiomatic expressions. There are people who are fun to be with, some may be boring and some are humble. You can use different idioms to talk about characters of people.

1. Arm chair critic: There are a lot of people who love criticizing all the time. So, imagine a person sitting on an armchair and passing comments, and doesn’t help at all.

2. Busy body: There some people who are genuine and some who are busy interfering in other people’s lives. So, a busy body is someone who interferes in other’s lives and want to know everything about everyone.

3. Cheapskate: is someone, who hates to spend money when it is actually required. In simple terms, they are called stingy people.

4. Worrywart: is someone who worries all the time. They are anxious all the time and keep worrying about everything.

5. Down to earth: such people are very realistic and sensible. They are humble and have a lot of humility. They are the nicest people to be with.

6. Behind the times: A person who is very old fashioned is referred to as someone who is behind the times. They won’t adopt to new ways as they are very rigid.

7. Go-getter: someone who is very energetic and ambitious. Once they decide to achieve something, they go out there and get it.

8. Know it all: it is a sarcastic idiom used to say that someone is over smart. They are also called smart alec. These people have a fixed mindset and don’t want to listen to anyone.

9. Set in one’s ways: these are stubborn people. You tell them many times to do something, but they just don’t change. They will do exactly what they want to do and the way in which they want to do it.

10. Slime ball: is a very disgusting person and someone who deserves to be hated.

11. A party pooper: people who spoil the fun in a party are called party pooper. They spoil the fun with their negative attitude and actions. A person who gets drunk and breaks into a fight at a party, is a party pooper as he ruins the fun.

12. A social butterfly: is a person who loves to talk or socialize with several people. They are extroverts and not inhibited to speak to new people around. They flit from one person to another, just as a butterfly flits from one flower to another.

05 tips to nail your next job interview – Job Interview Skills

Keep the following tips in mind during your next job interview, and your skills, experience, and personality will do the talking:

Know you’ll be OK no matter what. As badly as you want the job, you’ll have other opportunities." Don’t put undue stress on yourself by believing that one mistake will change the course of your life. Adding unrealistic weight to the interview situation only adds pressure. Even if you never hear back from the company, life will go on.

Remember we’re all human. Don't forget that the interviewee once sat on the other side of the desk to get the job they currently have. You’re both breathing the same air and are more alike than you might realize. Don't assign superhero status to the interviewer. Speak to them the way you would talk to one of your friend's parents; be respectful, polite, concise, and natural. Accept that they’re in control (at least partially) and all you can do is representing yourself as honestly as possible.

Be personable. The interview is not just about your accomplishments and the skills you bring to the table to help an organization meet their goals. It's also an exercise to assess your personality and determine whether you're a match for the company's culture. Nothing is easier than being yourself. If you attempt to change yourself to match a company’s culture, you’re doing nothing more than trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

Convey confidence. Give yourself a confidence boost before the interview starts. Avoid colloquialisms such as, "I'll do whatever it takes to get the job done." You don’t want to sound like you’re owed anything, but just like a first date; the stench of desperation is a turn off. Calmly and firmly state your answers, never putting yourself down and never begging for the opportunity.

Use calming techniques. The more relaxed you are during an interview, the clearer you will be think—making you a better listener and speaker. There are many natural ways to keep calm, and it's your job to identify which anti-anxiety mechanisms work best for you. Some people will be at their best if they meditate before the interview; others would prefer to exercise vigorously to get rid of stress. If you don’t know what helps you relax in stressful situations, your first homework assignment is to figure that out.

Remember you could have a new job, bigger paycheck, and better boss in your future, and those are all things to be stoked about. Be true to yourself and your first interview can’t go wrong.