YOUR ENGLISH SUCCESS TODAY
  • Home
  • About us
    • Our mission
    • School policies
  • Courses and Fees
    • General English
    • Travel English
    • English Speaking Course
    • English Speaking and Writing Course
    • IELTS >
      • IELTS Writing Task 2 Correction Service
      • IELTS Speaking Course
      • IELTS Speaking Exam Preparation Course
      • Mini IELTS Speaking Part 2 Course - 2019 Topics
      • IELTS Speaking Part 2 Course – 2019–2020 Topics
    • Business English Speaking Course
  • FAQ
  • Contact us
  • English Language Blog
    • Blog Posts by Category
  • IELTS

English Language Blog

ALL FREE LESSONS

English Vocabulary for Expressing Change

18/3/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
(Photo Credit: Chris Lawton, UK)
In this lesson, you will learn how to use six English verbs to talk about change. 


VARY 

If something varies, it changes depending on the situation. 

  • Prices vary widely from store to store. 
  • The language I speak varies a lot depending on who I'm talking to. 
  • The seasons in Sweden vary a lot from north to south. 
  • The weather in my country varies a lot throughout the year. It's difficult to say with city has the most unpredictable weather. 
  • My taste in music varies greatly, but I usually prefer listening to mainstream music. 


SHIFT 

To change attention or a situation  

  • When students have a good knowledge of grammar, they should shift their attention towards conversational English. 
  • Retailers like Zara and H&M have shifted their focus towards fast response to changing fashion trends and consumer demand. 


ADAPT 

To change your behaviour in order to deal more successfully with a new situation. 

  • I found it hard to adapt to my new school. 
  • When I moved to Korea, I could easily adapt to the culture because I've been exposed to it previously and I have a few Korean friends, too. 

To change something to make it suitable for a different purpose.  

  • These recipes can easily be adapted to suit vegans and vegetarians. 
  • The lesson materials can easily be adapted for use with lower level students. [adapt something for someone] 


SWITCH 

When you change from doing or using one thing to doing or using another. 

  • I speak more than one language so I switch from one to the next depending on who I talk to. 
  • I can switch easily from Chinese to English. [switch from something to something] 
  • I worked as a banking consultant before switching to marketing. [switch to something] ​

To replace one thing with another, or exchange things. 

  • It took me a long time to switch to a bigger car. 
  • We must have switched our notebooks by mistake. 
​

ALTER 

To change, or to make someone or something change 

  • Her new hairstyle has altered her appearance, making her look younger. 
  • You can alter the whole appearance of a room by painting the walls in lighter colours. 
  • We need to alter the way we see English as either British or American, as it's obviously an international language. 


BECOME 

To change and to start to be something different 

  • The weather is becoming warmer. (= is getting) 
  • English has become the most important language in the world. 
  • She became more confident when her spoken English started to improve. 
  • I think customer service has become more important than the product itself. 


Exercise 

Complete the gaps with the correct form of the verbs below. One of the verbs can be used twice. 

vary - shift - adapt - switch - alter - become (2x) 

  1. U.S. fast food chains typically have different menus in other countries because they try to .............................. to local tastes. 
  2. German .............................. increasingly popular in South America. 
  3. You can always .............................. your clothes so that they aren't too big. 
  4. I try to .............................. my attention towards learning vocabulary that I will actually need in conversations. 
  5. The weather can be quite changeable and it can .............................. between sunshine and rain. 
  6. I .............................. from coffee to green tea only for a week. 
  7. I .............................. dependent on caffeine. 


Answers:  

1. adapt; 2. is becoming / has become; 3. alter; 4. shift; 5. vary; 6. switched; 7. have become; 



Other lessons: 
Confusing words: Come vs. Go 
Confusing words: Bring vs. Take 
Confusing words in English: Famous vs. Popular 
Confusing words in English: Crowded vs. Congested
 

Lessons with English collocations: 
English Lesson: Collocations for Leisure 
English Lesson: Collocations for Feelings 
English Lesson: Collocations for Describing a Conversation 

​
Please LIKE and SHARE with friends!

DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH SKILLS?

You can have 1-on-1 speaking classes on Skype or you can choose to prepare for
the IELTS speaking test. Click below to find out more information about each course.
English Speaking Course
IELTS Speaking Course

Subscribe to our newsletter for any future lessons on this blog.
You will be notified via email.

Join our Newsletter
0 Comments

6 Ways to Say that Something is Cheap

4/2/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
We usually use the adjective 'cheap' to say that something costs less money than we expected. 
Cheap can suggest that something is poor quality. To avoid the negative connotation of this word, we can use other adjectives when we talk about products and services that cost little money. 

In this lesson, you will learn how to use 6 different adjectives that can replace the word 'cheap'. 

Let's look at the example sentences below. 

LOW (meaning: not costing a lot of money) 
We use 'low' to talk about prices, rents, and fees.  

  • Walmart is able to keep prices low. 
  • January is always a good month to travel because prices are low. 
  • A great way to save money on airline tickets is to use a low-cost carrier. 
  • Some airlines offer lower fares and make travelling easier. 

REASONABLE (meaning: not too expensive) 
When a price is 'reasonable', it seems fair – neither cheap nor expensive. 

  • I would definitely go to that restaurant again. They offer good food at a reasonable price. 
  • Vegetables are very reasonable at this time of year. (= not too expensive) 
  • They sell quality products at reasonable prices. 
​
INEXPENSIVE (rather formal) (meaning: cheap; doesn't cost a lot of money) 
When we say that something is 'inexpensive', we actually mean it's good value for its price. 

  • It's a simple, inexpensive meal. 
  • Can you recommend a relatively inexpensive hotel? 
  • I'd rather have an inexpensive cup of coffee. (= prefer to have) 
  • What is the best store where I can find inexpensive furniture? 

AFFORDABLE (meaning: not expensive) 
When something is 'affordable', it is cheap enough for most people to be able to buy. 

  • The restaurant is fancy, yet very affordable. 
  • I love shopping for new clothes but I try to save money at the same time -- that's why I always shop online at affordable prices. 
  • Public transport fares in Singapore are more affordable than those in Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei. 
  • Many governments are struggling with providing high quality affordable housing. 

COMPETITIVE (meaning: not expensive to make, buy, or use) 
Competitive prices and rates are as low as those charged by other shops and companies. 

  • The store sells a large range of kitchen appliances at very competitive prices. 
  • Their exchange rates are very competitive if you compare them with other banks. 

ECONOMICAL (meaning: cheap because you do not need to use a lot of money) 
We use 'economical' when something doesn't cost much money. 

  • The big packet is more economical than the small one -- it's only 80 cents more. 
  • It's more economical to buy a bike rather than renting one every time. 
  • It wasn't very economical to get my washing machine repaired, so I bought a new one. 


Other lessons: 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Good 
6 Ways to Say that Something is Expensive 
Common Phrases in Spoken English (Part 1) 
Common Phrases in Spoken English (Part 2) 


Please LIKE and SHARE with friends! 

DO YOU WANT TO PRACTISE SPEAKING ENGLISH IN A GROUP?

Practise speaking English with other learners of English for 7 days.
Record a voice message of up to 10 minutes and share it with others for feedback.
Interaction is encouraged, so you can learn from others.
COME AND JOIN US!
7-Day Group English Speaking Course
0 Comments

6 Ways to Say that Something is Expensive

28/1/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
We usually use the adjective 'expensive' to say that something costs a lot of money. We can also use other adjectives with the same meaning. 

In this lesson, you will learn how to use 6 different adjectives that can replace the word 'expensive', which can make you sound like a better English speaker. 

Let's look at the example sentences below. 

HIGH (meaning: too expensive and not worth the price) 
We use 'high' to talk about a rent, fee, price, tax, etc. 

  • Rent prices in major cities around the world are higher than previous years. 
  • Housing shortage and rental demand are the main reasons for high rent prices. 
  • The cost of accommodation is extremely high in some neighbourhoods.
  • Some countries like the UK and Germany have a progressive income tax, which means that the more money you earn, the higher taxes you pay. ​
  • Overseas students entering Dutch universities pay higher tuition fees than EU nationals. 
  • The cost of living in Denmark is high even by European standards. 
  • Salaries in Denmark are relatively high. 

Note: We can also use high to talk wage, salary, pay, income. 

PRICEY (informal) (meaning: expensive) 
We use 'pricey' when something costs more than we want to pay for it. 

  • Everything on the menu is very pricey. 
  • The food there is a bit pricey but it's absolutely delicious. 
  • Eating out and utility bills in Denmark are especially pricey. 
​
OVERPRICED (meaning: too expensive and not worth the price) 
Something that is overpriced is more expensive than it should be. 
​
  • I think the food there is a bit overpriced. 
  • The shop sells overpriced clothes. 
  • The shoes are nice, but they're really overpriced. 

COSTLY (meaning: costing a lot of money) 
When you say that something is costly, you mean that the price is more than you want to pay. 

  • Buying a new car can be costly, so why not look for a used one? 
  • We gave up buying a new fridge because it was too costly. 
  • It's extremely costly to purchase all the necessary equipment for the business. 

EXORBITANT (meaning: much too expensive; much more than is reasonable) 
We use 'exorbitant' to talk about an amount of money that is much higher than it should be. 

  • Some dentists charge exorbitant fees. 
  • The company charges exorbitant prices for everything.  
  • I decided to cancel my credit card because of the exorbitant interest rate. 
​
ASTRONOMICAL (meaning: extremely high) 
We use 'astronomical' to talk about prices, costs, rates, and fees that are extremely high. 

  • The house was sold for an astronomical price. 
  • Tuition fees at private universities are astronomical. 
  • I can't take out a loan because the interest rate is astronomical. 

​
Other lessons:
​English Lesson: 5 Types of Lifestyle 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Good 

English collocations: 
English Lesson: Collocations for Leisure 
English Lesson: Collocations for Rural Life 
English Lesson: Collocations for Urban Life 
English Lesson: Collocations for Saving Money 

​
Please LIKE and SHARE with friends!

DO YOU WANT TO PRACTISE SPEAKING ENGLISH IN A GROUP?

Practise speaking English with other learners of English for 7 days.
Record a voice message of up to 10 minutes and share it with others for feedback.
Interaction is encouraged, so you can learn from others.
COME AND JOIN US!
7-Day Group English Speaking Course
0 Comments

10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad

14/5/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
We usually use the adjective 'bad' to say that something is badly made, of bad quality or harmful. 

It's also very common to describe films, books, food, products, events, experiences, weather, and so on, as being bad. 
​
In this lesson, you will learn how to use 10 different adjectives and a verb phrase that can replace the word 'bad'. 

Let's look at the example sentences below. Look up the pronunciation of new words and practise. 

AWFUL (spoken; informal) (meaning: very bad or unpleasant) 
  • We went on holiday in May but the weather was absolutely awful. It was raining all day. 
  • Going there in summer was a really awful experience. The streets were busy with tourists and the weather was very humid. 
  • Traffic in this area is awful. 
  • 'Do you like this colour?' 'No, I think it's awful.' 

Note: Awful is not used with 'very'. You can use absolutely or really instead. 

TERRIBLE (meaning: very bad) 
  • The journey was terrible – it took us eight hours to get there by train. 
  • The food there is good but the service is terrible. 
  • Can you write it down for me, please? I have a terrible memory. 
  • Have you ever noticed how terrible doctors' handwriting can be? Much of what is written on prescriptions is impossible to read. 
  • I have a terrible headache. 
​
Note: Terrible is not used with 'very'. You can use absolutely instead. 

APPALLING (meaning: very bad, unpleasant and shocking) 
  • The weather was absolutely appalling. (= very bad) 
  • Your handwriting is appalling. I can barely understand anything. 
  • It's important to raise awareness about Indian women working on tea plantations in the northeast part of the country. Plantation workers on tea gardens in Assam earn between $1.50 and $2 per day and live in appalling conditions. Workers' houses are old and have no access to sanitation facilities. Their children do not receive proper education and health care. 

Note: You can also use appalling ​when you talk about situation, crime, injury, etc. 

NEGATIVE (meaning: harmful, unpleasant) (used about effects or people's reaction to something) 
  • Social media can have a negative effect on your mental health without you even realising. 
  • Overexposure to sunlight can have negative effects on your skin such as sunburn and skin cancer. Don't forget to protect your skin from the sun. 
  • Travelling helps you grow as a person and boosts your confidence but, on the negative side, it costs a lot. 
  • There was a lot of negative feedback from viewers when the new TV show came out. 
  • Globalisation has a negative impact on wages on developing countries. 

DETRIMENTAL (formal) (meaning: harmful) 
  • People's reliance on social media can have a detrimental effect on their mental health. Those who use them too frequently can feel increasingly unhappy and isolated from others. 
  • Air pollution can be detrimental to health. 

SERIOUS (meaning: very bad or dangerous) 
  • Obesity is a serious problem in many Western countries. 
  • Too much stress can have serious consequences for people's health. You cannot eliminate all stress from your life, but you can relieve some of it by doing exercises, meditation, or trying breathing exercises to help you relax. 
  • Floods are considered one of the most expensive natural disasters. They can cause serious damage to crops, private property (including homes and businesses), public infrastructure like roads, rail networks, and many more. 

Note: Serious is used to talk about illnesses, problems, accidents, crimes, etc. You can use this word in more formal English.

POOR (meaning: not as good as it could be; a quality that is low or lower than expected) 
  • Personally, I don't like driving when it's raining heavily because the visibility is really poor. 
  • Checking social media platforms before bed can lead to poor quality of sleep. 
  • Stress and lack of sleep are some of the main reasons for poor health. 
  • A poor diet can affect people's health. 
  • I decided not to buy that T-shirt because it was of very poor quality. (= not made well or not made of good materials) 
  • It is extremely important for people to wash their hands frequently, especially before having a meal, because poor personal hygiene can lead to many diseases caused my germs. 

Note: Poor is more formal than bad. 
​
UNPLEASANT (meaning: not pleasant or enjoyable) 
  • Going to the dentist is a bit scary and I find it an unpleasant experience. 
  • Replying to emails on a daily basis can be an unpleasant task. 
  • Some people may feel unhappy at work and some of the reasons for that can be related to pay, colleagues, flexibility, chances for promotion, and so on. There will always be unpleasant circumstances, but the key is to find work rewarding enough. 
​
BE A NIGHTMARE [verb phrase] (spoken; informal) (meaning: it is used to talk about an extremely bad experience or situation) 
  • Filling in different forms in public institutions is a complete nightmare. 
  • My neighbours are always noisy at the weekend and it's a real nightmare for me when I need to study or work at home. 
  • Our holiday was a nightmare - our flights were delayed for hours, and stayed in hotels without any Wi-Fi. 

DESPERATE (meaning: a desperate situation is very bad; If you are desperate, it means you want or need something very much.) 
  • ​We were in desperate need for money. 
  • I was in a desperate situation with very little money. 
  • Water pollution is becoming a serious problem around the world and some countries face a desperate shortage of clean water. 


Other lessons: 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Good 
English Lesson: Describing a Friend 
English Lesson: Talking about Childhood 
Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English 

English conversation lessons: 
English Conversation: Socialising with people and working in coffee shops 
English Conversation: Buying sunscreen products at a store 

Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons: 
IELTS Speaking Test: Means of Transport 
IELTS Speaking Test: Arriving Early and Being Patient 
IELTS Speaking Test: Places That Tourists Visit and Being a Tourist 
IELTS: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Internet 
​

Please LIKE and SHARE with friends!
(You don't have to, but if you do, that would be very nice of you.) 


OTHER ENGLISH LEARNERS HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THESE COURSES!

If you think that you also need to improve your speaking skills, click the buttons below to read more about each course.
English Speaking Course
IELTS Speaking Course
0 Comments

10 Ways to Say that Something is Good

7/5/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
We usually use the adjective 'good' to say that something is well made or of high quality, that we enjoy or like it very much. We can also use adjectives to say that something is extremely good in a very exciting way. 

In this lesson, you will learn how to use 10 different adjectives that can replace the word 'good', which can make you sound like a better English speaker. 

Let's look at the example sentences below. 

NICE (meaning: pleasant, attractive, or enjoyable) 
  • Fort Collins in Colorado is a nice place to live. It is considered one of the best cities in the U.S. It's a college town with a great atmosphere and lots of open spaces and outdoor activities to choose from. 
  • My friend's a really nice guy. (= kind, friendly) 
  • Oh, you have such a nice house. 
  • What a nice surprise! I didn't expect to see you here. 

POSITIVE (meaning: good or useful) 
  • Whenever you feel sad, take some time to write down all the positive things about your life.
  • I've had the chance to live abroad and I must say that it has been a very positive experience for me. 
  • There are positive aspects to being a freelancer, but negative ones too. 
  • Doing exercises has a positive effect on health. 
  • Some parents prefer living in the countryside because they think the rural environment has a positive effect on their children's health. 
  • In the beginning, going to the gym was kind of painful and my body hurt but, on the positive side, I feel physically fine now. (in the beginning = at first) 

BENEFICIAL (meaning: having a good effect) 
  • Drinking plenty of water has a beneficial effect on your skin. 
  • I always drink this tea in winter because it has a beneficial effect on my immune system. 
  • Cycling is highly beneficial to health and the environment. (beneficial to/for) 

​FINE (meaning: very good or of a very high standard) 
  • When you get at the top of the hill, you get fine views of the city and the river.  
  • They enjoy good food and fine wines. 
​
FIRST-CLASS (meaning: of very good quality, and much better than other things of the same type) 
  • I love going to that restaurant because their food is always first-class.
  • I bought this car because it was in first-class condition. 
  • This company has always made first-class cars. 
​
Note: You can use the adjective first-class to talk about a product or service that is much better than most others. 


EXCELLENT (meaning: extremely good or of very high quality) 
  • I bought a second-hand car in excellent condition. 
  • Your English pronunciation is excellent. 

PERFECT (meaning: so good that it could not be made any better) 
  • It was a perfect day out.
  • We had a perfect holiday. 
  • The weather was perfect during the trip. | We had perfect weather during the trip. 
  • I think you would be a perfect match for this position. (= job) 

AMAZING/INCREDIBLE (meaning: extremely good, in a surprising and exciting way) 
  • Sydney is an amazing place. 
  • It's the most amazing film I've ever seen. ('see a film' - at the cinema) 
  • The food at that restaurant is amazing value for money. 
  • The view is just incredible. 
  • My grandmother always has incredible stories to tell. I love staying with her every holiday. 

BRILLIANT (spoken; informal) (extremely good) 
  • Our trip was absolutely brilliant. 
  • The film was absolutely brilliant. 
  • She's brilliant at dealing with difficult customers. 


Other lessons:
English Lesson: Describing a Friend 
Confusing words: Come vs. Go 
Confusing words in English: Famous vs. Popular 
Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English 
10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad 

English conversation lessons:
English Conversation: Socialising with people and working in coffee shops 
English Conversation: Buying sunscreen products at a store

Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons: 
IELTS Speaking Test: Means of Transport 
IELTS Speaking Test: Arriving Early and Being Patient 
IELTS Speaking Test: Places That Tourists Visit and Being a Tourist 
IELTS: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Internet 
​

Please LIKE and SHARE with friends!
(You don't have to, but if you do, that would be very nice of you.) 


DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH SKILLS?

Our lessons are engaging and encourage students to speak more on a specific topic.
Students learn and practise new vocabulary, and improve grammar as well.
​You will receive feedback on your mistakes and advice how to improve.
English Speaking Course
English Speaking & Writing Course
0 Comments

Confusing verbs: Say vs. Tell

7/10/2016

0 Comments

 

​Pre-intermediate / Intermediate level

Picture
The main meaning of say is to speak or tell somebody something, using words. 

say = to speak 

The main meaning of tell is to give information to somebody by speaking or writing. 

tell = to give information 

Here’s the basic difference: 
We say something. 
BUT
We tell somebody something.


Which word to use? 

Say 

Say never has a person as the object. You say something or say something to somebody. 

Examples:
  • Michael said he was tired. OR Michael told me he was tired.
  • Sarah said she was moving house. OR Sarah told me she was moving house. 
  • Peter said: “I’m hungry, Elizabeth.” OR Peter told Elizabeth he was hungry. 

We can also use this structure: 
say [something] to somebody.
  • She said something to me but I didn’t understand.
  • She didn’t say anything to us.
  • My neighbour always says good morning to me. 
  • What did he say to you? 

Remember that we use a phrase with 'to'. 

Say is often used when you are giving somebody’s exact words: 

Examples: 
  • ‘I’m in a hurry,’ he said to me.
  • ‘Sit down’, she said. 
  • Anne said, ‘I’m tired.’ 
  • Anne said (that) she was tired. 
  • He said (that) his name was Sam. 
  • She said goodbye to all her friends and left. 
  • He never forgets to say 'Please" and 'Thank you'. 
  • How do you say 'goodbye' in Vietnamese? 
  • She said she would wait for us outside. 
  • They asked if I was looking for a job and I said yes.  
  • The offer was so good that I couldn't say no (= couldn't refuse).  
  • I asked him if he wanted it today but he said to leave it till tomorrow. 
  • And then she said to me, ‘I’m your cousin. We’ve never met before’.   
  • He said, ‘I’m not paying £50 for that’. ​ 

You can use say about and say something about: 


Examples: 
  • What did they say about the house? 
  • I want to say something/​a few words/​a little about my family. 

Say can also be used with a clause when the person you are talking to is not mentioned: 

Examples: 
  • She didn’t say what she intended to do. (The person she is talking to is not mentioned.) 
  • She didn't say whether she was coming. 
  • Did she say why she wasn't coming? 
  • She finds it hard to say what she feels. 


Tell 

Tell usually has a person as the object and often has two objects: 

If we use an object pronoun (me, him, her, someone, etc.) or someone’s name, we use tell, not say: 

Examples: 
  • Have you told him the news yet? 
  • Did she tell you her name? 
  • Whad did I tell you? (= you should have listened to my advice.) 
  • The boy told us he didn't want any money. 
  • 'I'm ready to go,' he told her. 

It is often used with ‘that’ clauses: 

Examples: 
  • Anne told me (that) she was tired. 
  • The doctor told me (that) I should eat less fat. 
  • I kept telling myself (that) everything was OK. 

Tell is usually used when somebody is giving facts or information, often with what, where, etc: 

Examples: 
  • Can you tell me when the movie starts? (BUT: Can you give me some information about the school?) 
  • She told him they were going on holiday. (The focus is on the information.) 
  • She told him when they were going to London. 
  • He told me how he had got the job by lying about his age. 
  • Tell me where you live.  
  • Don't tell me what to do. 

Tell is also used when you are giving somebody instructions: 

Examples: 
  • The doctor told me to stay in bed. 
  • The doctor told me (that) I had to stay in bed. OR The doctor said (that) I had to stay in bed. 
  • They told us to come back the next day.  
  • They told her to wait till the doctor arrived. 


When only tell is possible 

We use tell when we are giving facts or information. If we use an object pronoun (me, him, her, someone, etc.) or someone’s name, we use tell, not say. 

Structures with tell: 
  • tell somebody (that) ... 
  • tell somebody something
  • tell somebody about something
  • tell somebody who/when/where, etc. 

There are also some set phrases with tell:
  • tell (someone) a lie
  • tell (someone) the truth
  • tell (someone) a story  

Examples: 
  • You never tell a lie. 
  • Are you use you're telling the truth? 
  • You're good at telling jokes. 


​When only say is possible


We use say when our words do not contain facts or information, for example when we greet people:
  • She said hello to me.
  • She said: ‘Hello’. 
​
  • She said no.
  • She said: ‘No!’
​
We can use say that if we want to give information:
  • He said that he likes football.

Structures with say:
  • say (something)
  • say that (something) 
  • say (something) to (a person)
  • “(something)” a person said ('Hello,' she said.) 


Now try this quick exercise to see how well you can use say and tell.
Instructions: fill in each gap using say or tell in its correct form. Be careful! 

  1. .............. me when you want to go home. 
  2. How do you .............. 'good morning' in Korean? 
  3. I asked them to give me a discount, but they .............. no. 
  4. They wrote to .............. us that they were moving to a new office. 
  5. The instruction manual .............. you how to use the printer properly. 
  6. Don't believe him! He never .............. the truth. 
  7. He looked at me but he didn't .............. anything. Perhaps he didn't recognise me. 
  8. How was your job interview? Sit down and .............. me all about it.  
  9. Please .............. us your name and occupation. 
  10. The police officer ............. him to stop. 
  11. I just stopped by to .............. hello. 
  12. They .............. that you should drink eight glasses of water a day. 
  13. Sarah, I .............. you not to eat any cookies before dinner! 
  14. Helen .............. she doesn't like chocolate. 
  15. What did your parents .............. to you when they saw your exam results? 


​Answers: 
1. Tell; 2. say; 3. said; 4. tell; 5. tells; 6. tells; 7. say; 8. tell; 9. tell; 10. told; 11. say; 12. say; 13. told;
14. says; 15. say; 
0 Comments

Confusing verbs: Speak vs. Talk

5/10/2016

0 Comments

 

Pre-intermediate / Intermediate level 

Picture
The verbs speak and talk both generally mean ‘say words’, but there are some small differences in how they are used. Speak is more formal than talk. 

Compare: 

  • I need to speak to you. 

(Formal) It is possible that:
  1. The speaker does not know you very well.
  2. This is in a formal setting, such as work.
  3. What the person has to say is important/serious. 

  • I need to talk to you. 

(Informal) It is possible that: 
  1. The speaker is your friend.
  2. The speaker is someone you don’t know very well, but what they have to say is informal. 
​
We usually use speak for more formal presentations and lectures, and talk for more informal ones: 
​
  • I've spoken to the manager about it. 
  • The President refused to speak to the waiting journalists.
  • Megan will speak at the conference tomorrow morning. 
  • Liz will talk about the new marketing plan. 
  • Jim is going to talk about the benefits of the software. 

Speak usually only focuses on the person who is producing the words (one person is speaking): 
  • He spoke about the importance of taking exercise and having a good diet. 
​
Talk focuses on a speaker and at least one listener, and can mean ‘have a conversation’ (there is a conversation between two or more people): 
  • I hope I can meet you to talk about my plans for the company.

Compare: 


  • He always looks down when he is speaking. 

The focus is on his use of his voice to produce words. ​'Speak' focuses only on the person who is producing the words. 

  • I was talking to Maria yesterday. 

The focus is on the use of words as part of a conversation with someone else. 

We use speak on the telephone:

           A: 
Is Rita there?
           B: 
Who’s speaking?
           A: My name’s Anna. I work with her. 
  • ‘Can I speak to Susan, please?’ ‘Speaking.’ (= at the beginning of a telephone conversation) 
  • Who were you speaking to on the phone? 

When we refer to languages, we use speak:
  • How many languages do you speak?
  • I wish I could speak Italian. 
  • I can speak several languages. 
  • I want to overcome my fear of speaking English. 
  • How old were you when you learned to speak? 


Speak and talk with prepositions: 

We usually use 'to' after 'speak' and 'talk'. In more formal situations, people sometimes use with:
  • I need to speak to you about this conference next week.
  • I was talking to Richard Moss the other day about the golf club.
  • May I speak with you for a moment? (rather formal) 

'Speak to' and 'talk to' are used more often than 'speak with' and 'talk with'.
  • I was talking to Tom yesterday. He told me about his new house and job.  
  • Can I speak to the manager? 

'Speak to' is a little more formal than 'talk to', and is often used in polite requests. 
  • Hello, could I speak to Mr Jones, please? [formal, on the telephone]
  • I’ve got a complaint: I want to speak to the manager. [formal, in a restaurant or shop]

We can say:
  • speak to somebody 
  • talk to somebody 
  • speak to somebody about something
  • talk to somebody about something 

speak (to somebody) (about something/somebody) 
  • I've spoken to the manager about it. 
(especially North American English) speak (with somebody) (about something/somebody) 
  • Can I speak with you for a minute?

talk to somebody (about something)
  • What are you talking about? (= ‘you are not making sense’ or ‘you are not being truthful’) 
  • I was talking to my friend about my new job. 

Remember to use the preposition 'to' after 'speak' and 'talk'. (speak to, talk to) 

Tip: 

In British English speak to and talk to are more common than speak with and talk with.


Remember: 

We don’t use talk when referring to foreign languages: 
  • I can speak German and Spanish.​​​​

We don’t use speak to focus on conversation:
  • They can talk and get to know each other over dinner. 


When to use speak 
In some idioms and fixed phrases:
  • Speak your mind. (= to say exactly what you are thinking, in a very direct way) 
  • Come on, speak your mind! We want to know what you’re thinking.
  • Speak up [often on the telephone] Could you speak up, please? I can’t hear you. 
  • Generally speaking [when generalising] Generally speaking, better quality food costs more.
  • Speak about / Speak in public [to address an audience, to make a speech] The professor spoke about fair trade in Asia. 
  • Speak for yourself [informal] (= used to tell somebody that a general statement they have just made is not true of you) ‘We didn't play very well.’ ‘Speak for yourself!’ (= I think that I played well.)

Other examples with speak: 


  • I was so shocked that I could hardly speak. 
  • Actions speak louder than words.  
  • Everyone speaks well of Jenny. She is so kind and intelligent. 
  • I haven't spoken to Rachel since she cheated me over the bill in the restaurant. 

When to use talk
In the following examples, only talk is correct:
  • talk sense
    I always listen to him: he talks a lot of sense.
  • talk nonsense
    I agreed with you earlier but now you’re talking nonsense.
  • talk rubbish
    He’s talking rubbish again. Don’t listen to him!
  • talk business [to discuss business things, to negotiate] Let’s have some lunch, then we’ll talk business.

Other examples with talk: 


  • I don't know why she has stopped talking to me. 
  • ​I met my friend and we talked for an hour. 
  • Let's go for a coffee and talk it over. 
  • It's just talk, that's all. I don't believe a word of it. 
  • You don't snore, but you do talk in your sleep. 

Speak is not usually used before sense, nonsense and other words with similar meanings. 


​
Remember: 

Sometimes 'talk' and 'speak' are BOTH wrong.
We say:
  • tell the truth 
  • tell a lie 
  • tell a story  


Now try this exercise to see how well you can use 'speak' and 'talk'. 
  1. ​Michael's very direct; he always .............. his mind. 
  2. My brother .............. four languages. 
  3. I'm too shy to .............. in public. I get nervous in front of an audience. 
  4. It was great to see my old friends again. We .............. about lots of things, but mainly about our old school days together. 
  5. [on the phone] Hello, could I .............. to David Williams in the sales department, please? 
  6. He's lived in Italy for five years, but he still can't .............. Italian. 
  7. I don't believe him; he's .............. nonsense again. 
  8. Generally .............. , people in the countryside are friendlier than people in big cities. 
  9. Ok, let's .............. business. Can you offer us a discount? 
  10. He was so angry with the waiter that he demanded to .............. to the hotel manager. 
  11. She .............. so much that it gives me a headache. 
  12. I've noticed Jack only .............. about himself. 
  13. Don't say anything about this to Susan. She ............. behind people's backs. 
  14. The facts .............. for themselves. 
  15. Can you .............. up a little, please? I can't hear you very well. 


Answers:
1. speaks; 2. speaks; 3. speak; 4. talked; 5. speak; 6. speak; 7. talking; 8. speaking; 9. talk; 10. speak;
11. talks; 12. talks; 13. talks; 14. speak; 15. speak; 
0 Comments

    Author

    Your English Success Today is happy to share some free lessons with you. We want to help you improve your English language skills through this blog. Please feel free to leave a comment and share this blog with your friends and colleagues who are also learning English. We hope you enjoy our lessons. 

    No copying 

    You must not modify, adapt, copy, store, transfer or circulate the contents of this website under any other branding or as part of any other product. You may not print out material for any commercial purpose or resale. 

    Copyright © Your English Success Today 
    Picture

    Picture


    ​NEW!

    IELTS
    SPEAKING
    PART 2


    2019 & 2020
    Exam Topics

    practice
    ​&
    feedback


    More Info


    ​IELTS Speaking Exam Preparation Course
    More Info

    Thanks for visiting the blog! :) 

    ALL LESSONS

    Archives

    January 2025
    December 2024
    October 2020
    June 2020
    February 2020
    August 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016

    Categories

    All
    Business English
    Collocations
    Confusing Words
    Discourse Markers
    English Conversation
    English Study Habits
    Festivals And Celebrations
    Grammar
    Idioms
    IELTS
    IELTS Speaking Part 1
    IELTS Speaking Part 2
    IELTS Speaking Part 3
    IELTS Vocabulary
    Phrasal Verbs
    Phrases
    Prepositions
    Quizzes
    Story Time
    Theme Lessons
    Travel English
    Vocabulary Bank

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    ​Receive our Newsletter

    Do you want to receive English lessons via email? Subscribe and we will take care of that.

Subscribe
Picture
We won't share your email address and you can unsubscribe any time. 

Online Courses

General English 
​​Travel English 
​English Speaking Course
English Speaking and Writing Course

IELTS Speaking Course 
IELTS Speaking Exam Preparation 

Business English Speaking Course 

Company

About Us
Our Mission
School Policies 

Support

Contact Us
​FAQ 

​Our Contact Info: 

​​Skype: yourenglishsuccesstoday

Email: 
[email protected]
You can contact us on Facebook, Instagram, Microsoft Teams or via email.
© COPYRIGHT 2016 - 2025, Your English Success Today  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • About us
    • Our mission
    • School policies
  • Courses and Fees
    • General English
    • Travel English
    • English Speaking Course
    • English Speaking and Writing Course
    • IELTS >
      • IELTS Writing Task 2 Correction Service
      • IELTS Speaking Course
      • IELTS Speaking Exam Preparation Course
      • Mini IELTS Speaking Part 2 Course - 2019 Topics
      • IELTS Speaking Part 2 Course – 2019–2020 Topics
    • Business English Speaking Course
  • FAQ
  • Contact us
  • English Language Blog
    • Blog Posts by Category
  • IELTS