Blog

Welcome to my Your-English-Coach.Com blog where I, from time to time, write about different aspects of the English language which may help you understand more about the idiosyncrasies of this “funny” language originating for the little group of islands on the north-eastern edge of the Atlantic ocean. The English language has gone on to be used by, many say, more than one-point-five-billion people, mostly, non-native speakers or rather, people from around the world as the international language for commerce, technology and travel. It is interesting to note that there are more non-native speakers of English than there are native speakers now, and understanding and being able to speak either can be a challenge. In Germany, where I am based, it is not uncommon to have a business meeting full of German speakers but one participant within the meeting who does not speak German, the consensus for most companies is then to switch to English which can be frustrating if not be a little daunting for the native German speakers. It is here that I can assist you in becoming more confident and feeling happier about yourself despite the perceived imperfections.

I would be happy to hear from you either by email or phone to arrange a Zoom appointment so we can meet and assess your needs.

20.02.2024

 

What if Grammar is the Issue?

I mentioned below that grammar isn’t the issue. I’d like to explain myself a little. I have taught and coached so many people over the many years I have been doing this and many believe that if they do not perfect their grammar knowledge and use, they will be seen on the world stage as a lesser man or woman.

I agree, in that to be able to speak accurately and to use the tenses and have a reasonable vocabulary is a boon to anyone’s conversational skills and their communication, but at the same time I have had many students who have “hidden behind” their fear of grammar and resorted during sessions with me to indulge themselves with grammar exercises.

I remember well an and ex German army veteran and later SAP manager who was working for one of Hamburg’s most famous publishing houses, who for many lessons, requested one grammar exercise after another until I arrived at his office one day and told him that on that particular day, we would spend the hour simply talking. He was at first shocked and didn’t like the idea, but after a period of some ten to fifteen minutes; he realised that he was communicating well and that his fluency was pretty good. He actually enjoyed it so much that his remaining booked sessions were spent speaking, with correction, of course, about his work, his interest in high-speed motorbikes and his dalmatian dog. The result was a much more confident speaker who had become extremely accurate and no longer frightened when speaking English and was a delight to discuss issues he chose to expound on during the ongoing sessions with me.

You too, can experience a much greater sense of confidence when you are prepared to embark on a speaking journey. Yes, it is true in that one needs to have reached a certain level of English and I’d like to suggest somewhere between the B1 and B2 which means that one’s understanding of the grammar rules has been integrated to a greater part. All that remains is to open one’s mouth and speak about the things one deems as being important, which is fun and a wonderful way to learn.

 

Vocabulary?

I remember yet another student who had just changed jobs from one of Germany’s largest banks to one of Germany’s largest tobacco companies. She was an attractive, self-confident young lady. She told me that she had changed from the one company because she felt that the new company would offer her more opportunities as a woman and the, so called “glass ceiling” was less apparent there.

When I asked her what it was she wanted to work on concerning her English skills, she said a much larger vocabulary than she currently was able to use. I complimented her on her current accuracy in English and then went on to say, to whom did she use her English on a day-to-day basis? She told me that her current contact circle was in Hungary, The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. I asked her how good their English was and she said, middling. I went on to ask her whether they would understand her if she increased her vocabulary to a much more sophisticated level, she remarked that it would be unlikely. We smiled and I mentioned that President Clinton, who was President of the United States of America at that time, and was perceived as a highly educated man. He received his Batchelors from Georgetown University and was later invited to do a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, and later received a law degree from Yale Law school, so he was in the top league as far as education was concerned but it was interesting to note that when he gave speeches in English, which one is prone to do, he used simple words, yes eloquently but nonetheless simple phrases because he wanted everyone in the USA to understand him well. Love him or dislike him, he was an excellent communicator and used a very straightforward form of the English language to communicate, although I feel pretty sure he could have used large, complicated phrases had he chosen to do so.

So there we have it. A good vocabulary is great to have and for your private use, I highly recommend it and, of course, should you have the change to communicate with well educated native speakers or, non-native English speakers, go ahead, it’s a great exercise and memory training is good for your brain.

 

Tips on Learning Vocabulary

Everyone learns differently. You might be a person who loves creating your own set of vocabulary cards. You might prefer to use something digital where the words are already installed, whereas there are other digital applications where you have to add your own preferred words. Some of you might prefer the “old-fashioned” self-created vocabulary book and I am sure you could probably mention some ways I have not mentioned here.

Personally, I like to take a word of the day, look at it and repeat it about thirty to forty times, speak it out loud and then conjugate the word (verb) in as many variations as possible while at the same time creating a visual representation of what the word, now phrase is doing. I am quite a visual person, we are all different but by using sound, I peak the work out loud and “seeing” the action the word creates and indeed the word and its letter itself, I am combining two of my senses. this might help you too. Trial and error, to find what works for you.

Wishing you the very best of luck.

I’d be happy to hear from you anytime if you need support at robert@your-english-coach.com or 0179 133 8136 or my landline: 0402204824

 

29.11.2023

Presenting and Speaking English to your English Speaking Partners in 2023 – A Big Thank You!

This year I have been fortunate to work with many men and women who occupy very senior positions in their companies or universities.

Almost all of them speak pretty good English but feel they have a certain lack, mostly in confidence when speaking to an audience, when speaking to investors, international business partners and general communication. My coaching work is in assisting them in reaching a point in their skill-set where they can happily speak to others more confidently and enjoy the communication be it at a conference or business meeting or during dinner after the business meetings and conferences are over for the day.

Relax and Just Speak!

I like to facilitate a relaxed environment where the coachee can blossom and become more aware of any idiosyncrasies in their language skill-set and if it is a grammar issue that is misused or misunderstood, this is addressed politely, concisely and with great empathy, which usually addresses any confusion. Should the coachee wish for a more in-depth view of a particular grammar issue, I, of course, fulfill their wishes with exercises which focus on this.

In particular, I like to see a client feeling more comfortable and enjoying the use of their English skills, which reflects on their use when speaking to other people outside of the safe environment I provide.

Grammar is not the Issue!

Although many colleagues love to focus on grammar and often only grammar, I have had fantastic results from clients hearing the sound of their own voice speaking, which for them, is still a relatively unfamiliar language to their conscious and unconscious mind. The more the speaker speaks English, no matter their level, the better they become.

The entrepreneurs, CEOs, CIOs, CFOs, doctors, lawyers and professors and many others I have worked with and continue to work with have gained a greater insight into their use of English, whether they are giving workshops, presentations or investor negotiations.

I am always interested in hearing what it is my client does and enjoy listening to details of their work, their challenges relating to work and their triumphs, too. Getting my client to speak, discuss the subject matter they know about in great detail is one of the most interesting aspects of my work because I am innately curious and believe I ask intelligent questions to deepen their ability to talk freely on their specialised subject.

Whether you come from marketing, software, engineering, the automobile branch, law, physics or an academic branch I would be happy to arrange a 20-minutes Zoom (or Teams or other) meeting to gain a better understanding of your needs, goals and current skill-set.

I welcome your email robert@your-english-coach.com or 0179-1338136 or telephone-call to arrange a meeting.