The Speak Confident English Podcast

How to Interrupt Politely in English | In-Person & Online

You're on a call. The conversation is moving, you only have 40 minutes, and you need to say so without sounding rude. Or someone is sharing a long story and you have a question that can't wait. Learning how to interrupt politely in English changes how comfortable you feel in those moments, at work, in meetings, and in everyday conversations. In this episode, you'll get: * 5 tips for stepping into a conversation without sounding rude, including timing, tone, body language, and a cultural note that makes everything else easier * 11 polite English phrases you can use right away, sorted by situation * What changes when you're on Zoom or Teams You'll also learn the visual signs that tell you whether someone is finished talking or just thinking. Once you can read those, the words come easier. Listen on your next walk or commute, then try one or two of the phrases in a real conversation this week. Get my free training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/] Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/interrupt-someone-politely-in-english/ [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/interrupt-someone-politely-in-english/] Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Interrupt politely? How? 01:18 Cultural tips 02:17 Tip 1: Reasons 03:01 Tip 2: Politeness 03:41 Tip 3: Tone 04:39 Tip 4: The moment 07:08 Tip 5: Signals 08:40 11 Ways to Interrupt 13:25 Interrupting online   --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish]   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/] Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish]   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/] If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to non-native English speakers around the world.

Handle Interruptions in English — The Best Ways to Respond

Have you ever been interrupted in English and frozen, lost your thought, or felt like you couldn't get your turn back? Knowing what to say when someone interrupts you in English depends entirely on what kind of interruption is happening. In this episode, you'll get five specific responses matched to five different situations. Some interruptions are collaborative and show active listening. Some are confused and need clarification. And some are blatant attempts to talk over you. Each one calls for a different response, and most advice on interruptions misses that completely. You'll learn: * How to tell which kind of interruption you're dealing with * What to say to acknowledge enthusiasm and still finish your thought * How to clarify and continue when someone is confused * How to hold your turn calmly when someone tries to talk over you * How to address a persistent interrupter directly * Two simple strategies to prevent being interrupted in the first place Plus you'll get specific phrases to practice, so the next time it happens — in a meeting, a presentation, or a conversation with a friend — you know exactly what to say. Episode Timestamps:  00:00 Interrupt? Not so fast. 01:58 Not always equal 04:23 Response 1 08:19 Response 2 10:57 Response 3 12:07 Response 4 14:18 Response 5 16:39 Prevent interruptions   Get my free training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/] Full written lesson with all five responses and practice prompts: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/respond-to-interruptions-in-english/https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/respond-to-interruptions-in-english/ [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/respond-to-interruptions-in-english/https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/respond-to-interruptions-in-english/]     --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish]   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/] Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish]   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/] If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

Polite English Phrases for Daily Life: Ask Someone to Move

"Please move." It sounds polite. It isn't. Even "excuse me, please move" still comes across as a command in English. So what do native speakers actually say when someone is standing in your way at the grocery store, sitting too close on the bus, or blocking the hallway? In this episode, you'll learn the polite English phrases for daily life that turn a demand into a real request; the small words and phrases that most English courses never teach. You'll learn: ▪️ How to ask someone to scoot over or slide down when you need a little more space ▪️ How to politely squeeze past or slip past someone blocking your path ▪️ How to reach across or around someone without it feeling intrusive ▪️ When to use "sorry" and when to use "excuse me" Each phrase comes with real-life examples — on the subway, in a hallway, at a busy meeting — plus a chance to practice using them yourself. Episode Timestamps:  00:00 Why not "Please move"? 01:41 From rude to polite 03:18 Ask someone to move 05:42 Squeeze past someone 07:38 Reach across someone Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/polite-english-phrases-for-daily-life-ask-someone-to-move [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/polite-english-phrases-for-daily-life-ask-someone-to-move] Get my free training, Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/] These small phrases make a bigger difference than you'd expect and they're easier to use than you think.   --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish]   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/] Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish]   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/] If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

Fear of Speaking English? Here's What to Do

You've studied English for years, and the fear of speaking is still there. The fear of freezing in the moment, of making a mistake, of not being understood. And the truth is, more studying isn't going to fix it. In this episode, you'll learn why the fear of speaking English is physiological, not a sign that your English isn't good enough. You'll find out what's actually happening in your brain when your mind goes blank, why perfectionism quietly keeps you stuck at a lower level than your real ability, and the difference between a skill gap and a trust gap (and how to know which one is yours). You'll also get a simple record, evaluate, and pivot practice you can do anywhere, even between meetings or on your commute. It only takes a few minutes and gives your brain real evidence that your English works. Episode Timestamps:  00:00 It's not your English level 03:08 The fear of freezing 07:05 2 steps to control fear 13:57 The fear of mistakes 18:23 What helps with mistakes 21:16 The fear of not being understood 27:20 Close your trust gap Get my free training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/] Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/fear-of-speaking-english [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/fear-of-speaking-english] Fear isn't a sign that something is wrong with you. It's something you can work with, and it gets smaller every time you do.

4 Steps to Find Flow and Enjoy Your English Practice

If you've lost motivation, then it's time to find flow and enjoy your English practice. To find flow means being so focused, so immersed in an activity that you begin to lose time, distractions, and self-doubt. And ultimately, you experience joy in what you're doing. You might be familiar with flow state learning and finding flow with hobbies such as painting, singing, playing piano, or running.  You can also find flow in your English language practice to spark motivation and renew your focus. The goal of this Confident English lesson is to share 4 steps to help you enjoy your English practice through flow state learning. Get the full lesson or watch the video at the Speak Confident English website: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/find-flow-english-practice [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/find-flow-english-practice]   Episode Timestamps: 00:00 - The power of flow state 01:34 - Flow State & Your English Practice 03:09 - Examples of Being in Flow 04:30 - Benefits of Flow State 06:17 - Step 1 for Finding Flow in Your English Practice 07:47 - Step 2 for Finding Flow in Your English Practice 11:30 - Step 3 for Finding Flow in Your English Practice 15:14 - Step 4 for Finding Flow in Your English Practice 16:30 - 2 Strategies for Common Struggles to Find Flow   --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish]   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/] Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish]   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ [https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/] If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.