The BBC has a reputation for using correct or standard English (the so-called "Queen's English"), but a group of critics say that presenters on both television and radio are making grammatical mistakes, misusing words, and using slang instead of standard English.
October 30th 2007 |
Speaking skills
There are a range of ways to introduce people, in both formal and informal situations. Here are some common phrases you can use:
How important is accent in the UK? Very important, according to research for Vodafone, the mobile phone network. Speaking “The Queen’s English” is considered the best accent for TV newsreaders, sports commentators or politicians. The worst accent to have according to the research, is from Liverpool or the south west of England (areas such as Devon and Cornwall).
September 16th 2007 |
Speaking skills
Take the stress out of making a business phone call with these tips.
Many articles and books have been written on the subject of presentations. Along with good meeting and good negotiating skills, the art of giving a presentation is one of the most fundamental if you want to get ahead in business. But all too often, a business presentation doesn’t have the effect on the audience that was intended. It’s not just what is wrong in terms of content or language, but sometimes the delivery, the use (or abuse) of visuals, a perceived lack of organisation – or even a missing “WOW” factor turn a presentation into a dull, boring “speech”.
Unless you know someone well, or you work closely with them, it’s a good idea to avoid giving bad news without some sort of softening or cushioning word or phrase. Using a softening phrase gives the other person time to get ready to hear bad news. The other person can avoid losing their cool (and losing face) if they know some bad news is just ahead. Even a simple word like “Sorry” is better than nothing. Here are some more examples:
July 30th 2007 |
Speaking skills
Why do English speakers say "sorry" so much? Or "please" and "thank you" for that matter? My students often find it strange that we use "sorry" so much, especially as it seems that we don't really need to use it to make a grammatical sentence.
July 13th 2007 |
Speaking skills
