ENGLISH, BUT… I Understand Much More Than I Can Say

You understand the presentation.

You follow the conversation.

You can read the emails.

Then someone asks:

“What do you think?”

And suddenly, speaking English feels much harder.

This is very common. Understanding and speaking are different skills.

One thing that can help is giving yourself a little thinking time.

Try:

“That's an interesting question.”

“That's an interesting question. I think the main issue is timing.”

“Let me think about that for a second.”

“Let me think about that for a second. I'd probably choose the second option.”

“I'd say…”

“I'd say the biggest advantage is flexibility.”

These expressions don't make your English more fluent overnight. They simply give you a few seconds to organise your thoughts.

And if you sometimes think in your mother tongue first, that's perfectly normal. You don't have to eliminate your own language to improve your English.

You may already understand much more English than you can currently use. The next step is making more of it available when you need to speak.

 

 

 

 

Communicating with people from different cultures

Speaking the same language doesn't always mean communicating in the same way.

Someone may be more direct than you're used to. Someone else may avoid saying “no” directly. Some people interrupt to show interest; others may find interruptions rude.

None of these styles is automatically right or wrong.

So, what can you do?

Don't assume. Ask.

If you're not sure what someone means:

Just to make sure I understand…

Do you mean…?

Would that be OK with you?

And if someone's communication style feels unusual, remember:

Different doesn't necessarily mean rude.

Pay attention to how people communicate, check when you're unsure, and be ready to adapt.

You don't need to know every cultural rule.

You just need to be curious, clear and flexible.

TAKE THIS WITH YOU

Listen. Check. Adapt.

Good communication isn't only about choosing the right words.

It's also about understanding how other people use them.

 

 

 

 

 

Practical English for Work: How to Disagree Professionally

Disagreement is a normal part of working with other people.

You may have a different idea, think a deadline is unrealistic or disagree with a suggestion from a colleague or manager.

The challenge is expressing your opinion clearly without sounding unnecessarily direct.

Start by showing that you have listened

You don't have to agree with someone to show that you understand their point.

Try:

“I see your point, but I’m not sure I agree.”

“I understand what you mean, but I see it differently.”

“I can see why you think that, but I’m not sure it would work.”

Then explain your reason:

“I’m not sure I agree. I think we might need more time.”

“I see your point, but I think we should look at another option.”

A useful structure is:

ACKNOWLEDGE → GIVE YOUR OPINION → EXPLAIN WHY

What if you have another idea?

You can make the conversation more constructive by suggesting an alternative:

“What if we tried it another way?”

“Perhaps we could look at another option.”

“I’m not sure that would work. Maybe we could…”

One phrase worth remembering is:

“I see your point, but…”

It's simple and easy to adapt to many workplace situations.

Remember

You don't need to avoid disagreement at work.

You need to be able to express a different opinion clearly and respectfully.

A PLACE THAT IS PART OF ME

What places do you know really well?

Maybe it's your neighbourhood, a street, a park, a river, or simply a place you have passed hundreds of times.

Sometimes, familiar places have stories we don't know. And sometimes, looking at an old photograph can make us see a place we know in a completely different way.

One of those places is part of my own story — and it inspired this simple speaking activity for English classes.

So why not practise your English by talking about a place that is part of your life, and maybe discover something new about it along the way?

Look at these two photographs.

They show the Arroyo Ramallo and the area around Barrio SOMISA in San Nicolás at different points in time.

What can you see?

What is different?

What has stayed the same?

What do you think this place was like years ago?

What do you think people did there?

Now make it personal.

Think of a place that is important to you.

Where is it?

What did you use to do there?

Why is it special to you?

Has it changed?

For an extra challenge:

Why do some places become part of our memories?

Useful language:

I remember…

I used to…

There used to be…

It has changed…

It hasn't changed much…

It's special to me...

English Connection — English in small doses, with real places and real stories.

Photos from Facebook (Fotografiando San Nicolás) and Coral Somisa Photographic Archive

 

OUR NEXT READ: DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE
A mysterious classic by Robert Louis Stevenson, full of secrets, suspense and questions about human nature.
We’ll discover the story together.

At Once Upon a Book Club, we use adapted audiobooks to match the level of our readers and make the most of every reading experience in English. Listening while you read helps with pronunciation, rhythm and understanding spoken English.

Want to know more about the author before we begin?
Watch a short video about Robert Louis Stevenson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ywk_fbziS4&t=24s


NUESTRA PRÓXIMA LECTURA: DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE

Un clásico misterioso de Robert Louis Stevenson, lleno de secretos, suspenso y preguntas sobre la naturaleza humana.
Vamos a descubrir la historia juntos.

En Once Upon a Book Club usamos audiolibros adaptados al nivel de nuestros lectores para aprovechar cada lectura como una oportunidad de practicar inglés. Escuchar mientras leemos ayuda con la pronunciación, el ritmo y la comprensión del inglés hablado.

¿Querés conocer un poco más sobre el autor antes de empezar?
Mirá un breve video sobre Robert Louis Stevenson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ywk_fbziS4&t=24s 

Spring is here! And it's a good time to do a little spring cleaning in your English, too.

You don't always need more vocabulary. Sometimes, you simply need more ways to express the same idea.

Instead of always saying “I want to…”, try:

I'm hoping to…
I'm hoping to travel more this year.

I'd like to…
I'd like to improve my English.

I'm planning to…
I'm planning to take a short trip.

I might…
I might start a new activity.

These expressions aren't exactly the same. They help you show whether something is a wish, a hope, a plan or simply a possibility.

So this spring, don't just learn more English.

Find more ways to say what you mean.

What are you hoping to do this spring? 

 Thanks to Edutopia

 

When You Don’t Know the Word: Don’t Stop — Explain It!

You know the word in your own language, but suddenly you can’t remember it in English. What do you do? Stop speaking? Say “I don’t know” and give up?

Not at all. You can explain the word.

This is a very useful skill, especially in conversations, meetings and situations where you need to keep speaking.

You can say:

• It’s something you use to…
• It’s a person who…
• It’s a place where…
• It’s something you…
• It’s similar to…
• It’s the opposite of…
• It’s like a…
• I don’t know the exact word, but…

For example, you want to say “ladder”, but you can't remember the word.

“I don’t know the exact word, but it’s something you use to climb up and reach high places.”

Or you want to say “neighbour”:

“It’s a person who lives near you.”

You don't need perfect vocabulary to communicate successfully. Sometimes, the ability to explain a word is more useful than knowing every word.

And there is another advantage: when you explain something, the other person can often help you find the word:

“It’s something you use to open a bottle…”

“A bottle opener?”

“Yes! That’s it!”

So next time a word disappears from your mind, don’t stop the conversation. Go around the word!

                            English needs its building blocks

When you learn English, it is not enough to know lots of words. You also need to understand how those words work together.

One important thing to remember is that English usually needs a subject.

In Spanish, we can say:

Llegué tarde.

We don't need to say yo because the verb llegué already tells us who did the action.

In English, this is different:

I arrived late.

If we only say “arrived late”, the verb arrived does not tell us who did it. It could be I, you, he, she, it, we or they.

So, without the subject, the person listening to us or reading our message may not know who actually did the action.

The same idea applies to the object of a verb. English usually puts the object in the sentence as a separate word.

For example:

I want to buy it. → Quisiera comprarLO.
We have to meet her. → Tenemos que verLA.

In Spanish, lo and la can become part of the verb: comprarlo, verla. In English, it and her are separate words.

This is a small difference, but it is important to notice it when you are building sentences in English.

Of course, there are exceptions. In headlines and very informal conversation, you may hear or read:

Want to come?
Wanna come?

But when you are learning English, it is useful to first understand and practise the complete structure. Then you can learn when English speakers naturally leave things out.

A useful habit

When you speak or write in English, don't only ask yourself:

“Do I know the words?”

Also ask:

“Does my sentence have everything it needs?”

Look at the subject + verb + object and check how the words work together.

These small details can make a big difference to your English.

At English Connection, we believe that learning English means understanding your needs, your goals and your own learning process.

That is why we invite you to try a free meeting and discover our approach for yourself.

Your time matters. Your needs matter. Your English journey should respect both.

 

Understanding people who speak too fast

You understand English.

But then someone starts speaking very fast — and suddenly, you feel like you don't understand anything.

Don't panic. Don't pretend you understood. Manage the situation.

Here are five things you can do.

1. Don't try to understand every word

Listen for the key information: names, numbers, dates, places, decisions and important verbs.

You don't need every word to understand the main message.

2. Ask them to slow down — professionally

You don't have to say:

You're speaking too fast.

Try:

Could you speak a little more slowly, please?

or:

Would you mind slowing down a little?

Both are polite and professional.

3. If you missed one part, ask for that part

You don't need to ask them to repeat everything.

Try:

Sorry, I didn't catch the last part.

Could you repeat that last point?

I didn't quite catch the date.

This makes your request clear and specific.

4. Check that you understood the important information

This is especially useful at work.

So, just to make sure I've understood: the meeting is on Thursday, right?

or:

So, you're asking me to send the report by Friday, correct?

You're not showing weakness.

You're making sure you got it right.

5. If you still can't follow, take control of the conversation

You can say:

I'm having a little trouble following you. Could we take it one point at a time?

That's calm, clear and professional.

TAKE THIS WITH YOU

When someone speaks too fast:

Don't panic.
Don't pretend.
Don't give up.

Ask.

Clarify.

Check.

Understanding everything immediately isn't the goal. Making sure the message is clear is.

Sounding confident when your English isn't perfect

You don't need perfect English to sound confident.

You need to be able to keep communicating when your English isn't perfect.

If you are learning English, you will forget words, make mistakes and sometimes need time to think. That's normal.

The problem is when you let those moments stop you from participating.

Instead of staying silent…

Try:

You don't know a word?
I don't know the exact word, but it's…

You need time to think?
Let me think about that.

You make a mistake?
Sorry, I mean…

You're not sure?
I'm not completely sure, but I think…

You need to explain something differently?
Let me put it another way.

These phrases don't make your English look worse.

They show that you know how to communicate even when your English is still developing.

Confidence isn't perfection

You don't have to pretend that your English is better than it is.

You can say:

I'm still working on my English, but I'll try to explain.

That's confidence.

Not perfect English.
Not pretending.
Participating.

TAKE THIS WITH YOU

Your English can be a work in progress — and you can still be part of the conversation.

 

 

ONE CHAPTER ENDS. A NEW ONE BEGINS.

We've just reached the end of our series on English for Job Interviews.

But learning English isn't only about knowing the right words or grammar.

Sometimes, you know the English… but you don't know what to do with it in a real situation.

What happens when someone speaks too fast?

When you can't remember a word?

When you're nervous?

When everyone is talking at the same time?

When you make a mistake?

Or when the person you're speaking to has a completely different accent?

THAT'S WHAT OUR NEW SERIES IS ABOUT.

REAL ENGLISH. REAL SITUATIONS. REAL PROBLEMS.

In our new series, we'll look at the communication challenges that textbooks don't always prepare you for — and, more importantly, what you can actually do when they happen.

We'll talk about:

→ sounding confident when your English isn't perfect
→ understanding people who speak too fast
→ explaining something when you don't know the word
→ communicating with people from different cultures
→ and, finally, how to use AI without losing your own English

Because speaking good English doesn't mean speaking perfect English.

It means knowing how to keep communicating — even when things don't go according to plan.

THE NEW SERIES STARTS SOON.

Real English. Real situations. Real communication.

The final two topics in the series:

1. What to Do When the Interviewer Interrupts or Changes Direction
2. How to Ask Good Questions at the End of the Interview

WHAT IF THE INTERVIEWER INTERRUPTS YOU?

You have prepared your answers. You know what you want to say. Then, suddenly, the interviewer interrupts you.

What should you do?

Don't panic. An interview is a conversation, not a speech.

The interviewer may interrupt because they want more information, need an example, or simply want to take the conversation in a different direction.

Here are some useful ways to respond:

“Sure. Let me answer that first.”

“If I understand correctly, you're asking about…”

“That's a good question. Let me think for a second.”

“I can give you an example of that.”

“Going back to your previous question…”

And what if you don't understand the question?

Don't pretend you understand. It's perfectly acceptable to ask for clarification:

“Could you explain what you mean?”

“Could you give me an example?”

“Sorry, could you repeat the question?”

Remember:

You don't have to give the perfect answer.

You have to show that you can listen, adapt and communicate when things don't go exactly as planned.

A good interview isn't a perfectly rehearsed conversation. It's a real conversation.

“DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US?” — DON'T SAY “NO.”

You've answered the questions. The interview seems to be over.

Then the interviewer asks:

“Do you have any questions for us?”

And you say:

“No, I think that's all.”

Maybe it's time to change that.

This final part of the interview is another opportunity to show interest, preparation and professionalism.

Instead of asking very general questions, try questions that help you understand the job better:

“When will I get an answer?”

“What are the next steps in the recruitment process?”

“Is there training?”

“What kind of training would I receive during the first few months?”

Here are some other useful questions:

“What does a typical day look like in this role?”

“What would be the biggest challenge for someone starting in this position?”

“What would you expect me to achieve in the first three months?”

“How would you describe the team I would be working with?”

And here's a particularly useful one:

“Is there anything about my experience you'd like me to clarify?”

It gives you one last chance to explain something important or clear up a possible doubt.

One final tip:

Don't ask a question just because you memorised it.

Listen to the conversation and ask something that makes sense in that particular interview.

Good questions can make a strong final impression.

SUMMER IS COMING

It may still feel a little early, but we’re already thinking about summer at English Connection.

For the summer months, we’d like to offer some relaxed, enjoyable ways to keep using English, meeting people and sharing interesting ideas.

What would you enjoy?

MOVIE CLUB

Films, English and conversation.

READING CLUB

Books, stories and discussion.

NEWS & DISCUSSION CLUB

Current topics, opinions and conversation.

Which one would you choose?

We’d love to hear your ideas.

Summer at English Connection starts with you.

COMING SOON

REAL ENGLISH FOR REAL ADULTS

You know English.

But what happens when…

you don't understand someone's accent?

you need to explain something and don't know the exact word?

you're nervous and your English suddenly disappears?

everyone is talking at the same time?

you make a mistake and don't know how to continue?

someone speaks much faster than you expected?

These are not grammar problems.

They're real communication problems.

And they're rarely taught in textbooks.

So we're starting a new series at English Connection:

REAL ENGLISH FOR REAL ADULTS

Practical English for the moments when knowing the language isn't enough.

No complicated vocabulary.
No textbook dialogues.
No perfect-English fantasy.

Just real situations, useful strategies and natural English you can actually use.

First post coming soon.

 

How to Deal with Difficult Conversations

Not every conversation at work is easy.

Sometimes a colleague misses a deadline. A client is unhappy. There is a misunderstanding. Or something simply doesn't go as planned.

In these situations, the way you start the conversation can make a big difference.

Instead of immediately saying:

“This is your fault.”

try:

“Can we talk about what happened?”
→ A neutral way to start the conversation.

“I’d like to understand what went wrong.”
→ Focus on the situation rather than blaming someone.

“I understand your concern.”
→ Show that you are listening, even if you don't completely agree.

“I’m sorry if there was any misunderstanding.”
→ Useful when communication has not been clear.

“How can we solve this?”
→ Move the conversation towards a solution.

“What can we do differently next time?”
→ Focus on preventing the same problem in the future.

For example:

“I understand your concern. Can we talk about what happened and see how we can solve this?”

Notice the difference.

You are not ignoring the problem, but you are also not turning the conversation into an argument.

A useful rule is:

TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEM → LISTEN → FIND A SOLUTION

Good professional communication isn't about avoiding difficult conversations.

It's about knowing how to have them.

 

What to Say When Your Manager Gives You a New Task

Your manager gives you a new task while you are already working on something else.

Your first reaction might be:

“OK.”

But before you start, there are a few questions you may need to ask.

You can say:

“When would you need this by?”
→ Find out the deadline.

“Could you give me a little more information about what you need?”
→ Ask for clarification.

“Should I prioritise this over the report I’m working on?”
→ Check what is more important.

“Would you like me to send you a draft first?”
→ Check whether your manager wants to see your work before it is finished.

“I’m currently working on X. When would you like me to start this?”
→ Make your current workload clear.

For example:

“Sure. I can do that. I’m currently working on the monthly report, though. Should I prioritise this over the report?”

This doesn't sound difficult or unhelpful.

It shows that you are organised, responsible and aware of your priorities.

Remember:

Before you say “yes”, make sure you know WHAT, WHEN and HOW.

That's professional English you can use every day.