The Speak Confident English Podcast

A coworker says, "I'm already on my third cup of coffee, and it's not even ten." You understand every word. But what do you say next?
That small moment is an invitation, and knowing what to do with it is the start of social fluency in English: the ability to join the everyday conversations that help people get to know you, and help you get to know them.
In this lesson, you'll learn how to recognize when someone is opening the door to small talk, a simple way to respond (show you heard them, then ask one simple question), and how to tell whether the conversation is continuing or naturally ending.
Then you'll get one small, low-pressure way to practice this week, in a moment where nothing important depends on the outcome.
Get my free training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/
Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/social-fluency-in-english/
As promised, if you'd like to know more about Fluency School, learn more here: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/fluencyschool/

You know what happened. You remember every detail. But when you tell a story in English, it can be hard to show when each thing happened.
In this lesson, you'll learn how to use 3 past tenses to tell one clear story. The past simple tells your listener what happened next. The past continuous shows what was happening when something else happened. And the past perfect explains what had happened earlier, like the phone you forgot to charge the night before.
At the end, you'll practice with a short story from your own life, in just 4 to 6 sentences.
Get my free training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/
Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/tell-a-story-in-english/
Start enjoying English conversations without fear. Get more details about the Confident Women Community: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/community/

Think of someone you'd like to know better. Maybe a neighbor, or another parent at your child's school. You've talked a few times, but the conversation never goes past simple facts. In this lesson, you'll learn how to ask better questions in English so your conversations can go deeper.
You'll learn how to listen for one detail and use it to form your next question. You'll learn what makes a question better when you want to know someone. You'll also get phrases like "I remember you said..." to return to a topic the next time you talk, and simple ways to ask without putting pressure on anyone.
At the end, I'll guide you to form one follow-up question for a real person in your life, so you can use this lesson right away.
Get my free training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/
Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/deeper-conversations-in-english
One better question can lead to a deeper conversation. And over time, it can help a friendship grow.

Do you feel stressed in English conversations? Do you prepare everything you want to say before you speak, and still worry about mistakes? My guest this month did that for years. Today she enjoys her conversations in English. In this real English conversation, she shares the simple mindset shift that helped her: communication over perfection.
My guest is Chih-shian. I've known her for almost 4 years, since she joined my Confident Women Community in the summer of 2022. She's from Taiwan and works in academia, with a busy schedule of lectures, conferences, and travel. And she still makes time for English every week.
Along the way, we talk about childhood memories, a green onion cold remedy, her 8 days in Oxford, and why neither of us has read Harry Potter.
This conversation is unscripted, the way friends talk. You'll hear easy moments and small mistakes. Sometimes we pause and search for a word. That's normal. It happens in every real conversation. I want you to hear what English confidence really sounds like.
Chih-shian built her confidence by practicing English with other women every month, in a safe and friendly space. That space is the Confident Women Community. You can join us here: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/community/
 
Want a free first step? Get my free training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english

How many times have you told the story of how you met someone you love? In this lesson, you'll learn 16 phrasal verbs for relationships in English, so you can tell that story naturally, from the first meeting to your life now.
You'll learn how to describe the moment you met, with run into, strike up, and set someone up. You'll hear the difference between fall for and grow on, including the grammar change that surprises people. And you'll get the phrasal verbs for the harder chapters too: get through, stand by, break up, get over, and move on.
At the end, I'll give you a simple storyline to practice with, so you can tell the story of your own relationship or friendship in English.
Get my free training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/
Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/phrasal-verbs-for-relationships
Your story deserves to be told in English too. This lesson gives you the words for it.