AEE 233: One Super Conversational Way to Talk About Your Plans in English

How can you improve your English conversations? Is conversation a science? Find out today as Lindsay talks with Travis Wolven about the poetics of conversation! Come back to our site for more info and tips   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

27 Marras 201427min

What should be your focus when learning English? How can you make the most of the time you invest in studying? Today Lindsay talks with Nick Vance about the 80/20 principle, and how it can improve your English conversations!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   Nick believes that 80% of the positive benefits of something come from 20% of the input. In business, some customers are more valuable than others. With friends, though you may have many, only a few are truly close. In learning English, most of the grammar mistakes a new learner makes are really the same mistake over and over. Correcting these most common 20% of mistakes would eliminate 80% of all grammar mistakes. The best way to identify these is by working with a teacher who can help point out your mistakes.   Another way to work with the 80/20 principle is to prepare answers to the most common questions you might get from native English speakers. This will help you comfortably get conversations started — which is probably 80% of the work! You might prepare answers to questions like: Where are you from? How long have you lived here? What do you do for a living?   Do you see the 80/20 principle working in your life? How so? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!  Nick Vance is originally from Kentucky and has lived in North Carolina, Washington DC, San Diego and Portland. He has been living in Berlin, Germany for 2.5 years.  Nick’s degree is in math but he left that field when he realized how much he enjoyed helping others learn English.  Nick has been helping people improve their English for 4 years and have been teaching online via Italki for about one year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

26 Marras 201418min

How do you get a job in the United States? What do employers want and expect? Today, Lindsay and Kristy talk about 3 things an employer in the U.S. might look for in a job candidate!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   If you’re applying for a job, it’s important to know what your potential employer is looking for. Like any other country, the U.S. has a professional culture which places more value on some individual qualities than others. These qualities may be very different from what employers look for in your home country!   Some qualities American employers seek in employees: Proactive attitude: Show that you are autonomous and energetic – the opposite of passive. It means to show up early, confirm the time you will meet, and say thank you. Positive attitude: Americans like smiles. But it’s also important that you get along with others and not be pessimistic. Communication: When you actively communicate it shows you are engaged. A big part of this is simply that you let the boss know what is going on. Be a “Giver”: Show that you believe in the vision of the company and are personally invested in its success. In other words, it’s more than a job to you.   Are these the same traits that employers look for in your country? Do you have them? Let us know in the comments section below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

25 Marras 201417min

When should you use the word ‘the’ in English? Today, in #1 of the Top 15 Fixes series, we discuss the most common article in the English language, ‘the’! Come back to our site   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training now   Use if the word ‘the’ can be a confusing. But there are some rules that can help you get it right most of the time.   The first requires that you consider whether the focus is on something specific, or something more general. When focused on specific items, use ‘the’. If you’re sitting at a table, talking about the food that is actually in front of you, you might say: “Do you like the turkey?” “Yes, the turkey is great!” “Could you please pass the salt?” When focused on more general terms, you don’t use ‘the’. If you’re discussing food in general, you might say: “Do you like turkey?” “Have you tried pumpkin pie?” “Cranberries are too tart for me.”   Geographical terms can also be tricky for ‘the’. In most cases, large, well-known geographic places will have ‘the': the content, the Pacific Ocean, the moon. With specific countries, a country’s formal name might require ‘the,’ while a less formal name might not: the United States, the Russian Federation; America, Russia.   Other Entries in the 15 Fixes Series: Episode 165: Listen or Hear? Episode 169: Speak, Talk, Tell and Say? Episode 173: Wish vs. Hope Episode 177: Talking About Age in English Episode 181: Future Tense in English Episode 185: Interested or Interesting? Episode 189: Talking About the Past Episode 193: How to Borrow Money Episode 197: Who Pays for Lunch? Episode 201: Will vs. Going To Episode 205: Talking about People Episode 209: How much versus How many Episode 213: Make vs. Do Episode 217: By Yourself vs. On Your Own   What have you found difficult about ‘the’? Tell us all about it in the comments section below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 Marras 201419min

Are you free to follow your goals in life? Or are you afraid? Today, learn how freedom comes with fearlessness! Come back to allearsenglish.com/219 for more!   Go here to read the full episode summary   There are so many things to be afraid of: loneliness, lack of money, professional failure or meaninglessness. Fears can overwhelm you. But what if you have a vision that’s bigger than fear? To accomplish anything, you have to get out of your head and into your body. Action means letting go of your thoughts. But to do that, you need the freedom to be fearless.   Freedom to be fearless means: Questioning everything Avoiding “perfectionist paralysis” Having goals, but knowing that goals are not always the most important thing Being able to communicate effectively with others when the stakes are high   Are you free and fearless? How does it come out in your life? Tell us your story in the comments section below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

13 Marras 201418min

You need to be able to write in English in a concise way. Today meet AEE blogger and writer Jay Bethke and get his top tips to write like a pro in American English. Go here to subscribe to transcripts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

12 Marras 201418min

Are you an adult living at home with your parents? Did you know that American culture discourages this? Today, find out why Americans feel compelled to move out of their family home at age 18 – even if they don’t have enough money to do so!   Come back to our site for more info   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

10 Marras 201415min

Do you surround yourself with doers? Is it important to spend time with others who appreciate your dreams? Today, we talk about why it’s a good idea to hang out with people who can do and dream, and one action you can take to build a supportive social circle!   Come back to our site for more tips   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video trainnig course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

6 Marras 201411min