“Sam, fancy meeting you here! It’s been ages since I saw you – how are things?!
“Pretty good. Got a new job in Prague and my wife’s expecting.”
“Congratulations!”
What do you do when you bump into someone you know but who you are not so close to? Perhaps someone you went to university with or an old colleague. Do you try to leave as soon as possible or do you stay and have a chat?
Small talk is something which some of my Czech students find difficult, as it’s not as common here. Compared with Americans or Brits, Czechs chat less with people who they don’t know as well. However when you meet up with English speakers, being able to carry a friendly everyday conversation will help give a more positive impression of yourself and improve the rapport between you.
Below are some typical small talk phrases you can use next time you bump into someone you know, where perhaps you haven’t seen each other for a while. And if you feel uncomfortable with small talk, next time try to stay longer in the interaction. Stay one minute longer than you would normally. Do it regularly and you’ll more relaxed in these situations.
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by David Sweetnam on January 17, 2012
What can you do to improve your English when it’s pouring rain outside and you don’t feel like leaving the house? How about something different? Grab a piece of paper and a pen and start writing! Here are some ideas to get you started.
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by David Sweetnam on December 26, 2011
It seems so strange on the surface. Of course you want to get better at English, especially after you’ve paid for your lessons this term. Yet a few people avoid or delay coming to class – and may not even be aware of how they’re ‘avoiding’ English.
“I’m really sorry, I haven’t had much time to prepare for today’s lesson,” Jitka says apologetically as she walks in the door. I’ve never been quite sure if Czech students really mean to use the word ‘prepare’ when referring to their English lessons, or whether it’s a mistranslation. In any case, whenever a student hasn’t done the homework, they’ve said this. continue reading…
by David Sweetnam on November 26, 2011
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Prague is now full of people coming to the city centre to see the Christmas markets and the spendidly lit up tree in Old Town Square. The cafes, pubs and shops are abuzz with activity and the year is coming to a close. If you’re in a country which celebrates Christmas, then your city may be similar. But what’s this got to do with learning English?
For those who want to get better at English, this is a tricky time of year. This is the busiest and most stressful time for many of you. At work you have deadlines to meet, end of year accounts to manage, and company events to keep you going. At university you may have essays to write or research to do for an exam. You’ve got family and friends to catch up with. So December is often a time when people have very little contact with English. Here in Prague language schools begin to shut down around the 15th and some don’t re-open till mid-January. For you though does it really need to be a lost month?
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by David Sweetnam on November 21, 2011
Do you think this story is true? For the Cambridge First Certificate in English [FCE] writing exam, you need to write a story in 120-180 words. Here’s an example.
The question for an FCE story can be worded in a few different ways. For example, you may have to answer something like this:
FCE Writing: part 2 – example
LearnEnglishMagazine.com is asking readers to write a story beginning or ending with the words: “she smiled and walked away.”
The winning entry will be published in our Christmas issue.
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by David Sweetnam on November 5, 2011
Thanks for your comments and feedback following my last post on typical learner mistakes. Today we look at a few of your questions that came up during the week – with more to come next week!
What’s the difference between ‘a few’ and ‘few’?
“There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart…pursue those.” – Michael Nolan
“You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action.” – Tony Robbins
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by David Sweetnam on October 31, 2011
Sadly some students are taught at school that “mistakes are bad.” But mistakes are good: looking at them in class and seeing why you make them can help improve your understanding of English, as well as help improve your accuracy in speaking and writing. Here are some classic ones a few of my students made last week – can you spot the mistakes below?
Spot the mistakes
Level: Upper Intermediate (B2+)
1. I see my friends quite often because of they are fun to be with.
2. I like when he cooks for me.
3. I visit a gym 3 times a week.
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