In a recent
article, a man wrote how he had agreed to give some lectures on art, and was asked to include some humour. As he isn't a funny man, he decided to take a course in comedy. Over the course, he learnt about the different types of humour, and how to be funny. And his conclusion? "I will never resort to Powerpoint in a lecture again. I will always talk to, and not at, audiences."
July 22nd 2008 |
Speaking skills
A recent
article from the India Times reports on how business outsourcing companies in India are training their staff in accent neutralisation.
How often do you pay your colleagues a compliment? We all like to receive positive comments about how we look, but how you do it is important. To avoid any possibility that you are making someone feel uncomfortable, men should only compliment men, and women should stick to complimenting other women.
Here are some useful ways you can use to ask people to do things for you. Using the modal verbs could, can, will and would will make what you say polite as well as
concise.
We use the word "Cheers!" when we toast each other. For example, in a pub when everyone has their drink, someone will say "Cheers!"
How can you tell someone that they are not allowed to do something? Pity whoever it was that had to tell the Portuguese prime minister that smoking on an aircraft contravened his own law banning smoking in public places. (The PM explained that he didn't think he was breaking the law as there was a curtain separating the first-class section of the aeroplane.)
May 20th 2008 |
Speaking skills
How can you politely say that you find something unacceptable if other people in your office are happy with it?
This blog post was inspired by a question I received on the forum of our sister site, www.english-at-home.com
May 14th 2008 |
Speaking skills
If you've just come back to work after a public holiday, or if your colleague has had a day off, it's considered friendly to talk about the holiday.
If someone offers to do something for you, how can you refuse? Just saying "No" is likely to offend the person making the offer. Here are some ways to politely refuse an offer.
