Hello, my name is Emmelda and today's lesson will be an interesting one for all those who
are trying g to learn English. A lot of students of mine learn English in a very formal way.
For example, hello, how are you? How do you do? But yes we've realized that when we speak
to someone who is native, they don't really speak formal English all the time and that
becomes a barrier for someone who is learning English because you have learnt English in
a particular way. So today, we will be discussing how to be informal to a native speaker but
in the correct way. Okay, so let's get started with your English lesson, which is how formal
is your English?
If you watch a lot of Hollywood movies, especially you know movies which talk about New York
or South American, which is Texas, the accent is very different. You know they don't really
pronounce words clearly. They try to squash words and they often say, I don't wanna get
that. They don't say the word, don't. They say don. It’s okay for them but if you're
learning English, please do not use these set of words because you can confuse someone
else. Okay, so let's see the right way of pronouncing these words. Informal way, some
people say, I don't get that. I don't get that. They don't use the T sound here. So
if you're trying to be informal to someone, instead of saying, I don, you say correctly,
I don't get that, make that T a little more prominent. Okay, however, if you are speaking
to someone in an office meeting or when you're addressing public or a large group of a crowd,
don't use this word. Rather say, please do not attempt to enter the premises of the building.
So use the correct word which is, do not. This is formal, this is informal. This my
dear friend is incorrect.
Okay, let's move on to the next one. Can, can is actually a word or for that matter
a word that describes your ability to do something but can, native Americans or native English
speakers, when they squash words, they use the same word to say, no, I can't do it or
I can do it. They swallow the T sound. However, if you are speaking to someone, please use
I can't do it. Pronounce the T a little more prominently, otherwise, you'll confuse other
people. For example, I can't take it. Okay, if you want to say, I can't take it or I can't
take it, you have to be prominent with your T. so trying to ape a native speaker like
they say, I can't take it. The other person may get confused because he may not understand,
can you take it or can you not take it? So when you're being informal to someone say,
I can't or I can't take it. Have that distinction between the two Ts. Okay, simply omitting
the T sound here can change the meaning of what you're trying to say. Okay, I can't take
it or I can't take it. British, I can't, American, I can't. Okay, however, when you are being
very formal to someone, the appropriate word is, I cannot accept what you're trying to
say. So the word is cannot and not can't. One thing that you may want to note is, use
these words, more often when you're writing to someone, an email or a presentation. When
you're speaking to someone, may be in an office capacity, it's okay to use these words but
when you're writing, it will be more appropriate if you use these instead of these words.
Okay, the next word I have for you is, coulda. A lot of Americans will say, you coulda done
that. Sorry, what? You coulda done that. No, I really can't understand you. You coulda
done that. It was very difficult for me for the first time when I went to the US because
I genuinely could not understand what they are saying. Well, what they meant was you
could've done that. You have to pronounce the V sound in between. You could've done
that. Could’ve, could've, could've, okay. You could've done that. For that matter, if
you are typing in MS office or Ms Word, nowadays it is acceptable to use these phrases when
you're writing. Please avoid these terms when you're writing to someone whom you think is
very, very important because this becomes very informal. So it's okay to speak like
this. I could've done that but when you're writing, please use the complete word, I could
have done that, she could have done that. This could have gone wrong or this could have
gone right. Informal, formal, incorrect. Now that example can be used in a lot of other
words as well. For example, woulda. woulda, informally you can say, I would have, formal,
I would have or would've. She would've done it. She would've done it. Please do not say,
she woulda done it. Native Americans can speak like that, it's fine because it's so common
for them. they know what the other person means but if you're trying to learn it, do
not use this or these words to someone else who is also learning English because you're
gonna confuse him as well as yourself, okay. So use the right informal phrases. I would've
or I would have but not I woulda or even for that matter I shoulda. The right word would
have been, I should have. I should have, I would have or I should've. Should’ve, should
have is the appropriate way when you're trying to speak to someone. Okay, so those are certain
words, cause a lot of people make mistakes. These are the right ways to pronounce them
correctly if you're talking informally and these are the right ways to write them correctly
if you're being very formal.
Now one thing that you have to understand is, you cannot be formal to almost everybody.
Okay, there are places that you have to be informal. At the same time, if you're a student
and you're writing an email to someone who is sitting far away. Please you have to be
formal and today, we will be learning a few tips, rather only 2 tips on how to be more
formal and more polite when you're writing an email or speaking to someone.
Okay, the first thing I have for you is, place a request instead of an order. Don’t just
say, give me a glass of water or give me that sheet of paper or I want to sit here. Make
it into a question. A request, could I or May I. could I get a glass of water, please?
You’re asking a question, that's more polite or may I get a glass of water, please. A lot
of attendants or waiters will thank me for this because do not use, do not be aggressive.
It’s considered very rude especially if you're going to a country where English is
spoken quite fluently. For example, the UK or the US. If you're just gonna say, give
me water, it's considered rude. The attendant or the waiter will give you a very weird look.
Okay, so use the right word. Could I get a glass of water, please? Or may I get a glass
of water, please? These are very formal. However, if you try to be a little informal, it's fine.
Just use the word, please, at the end of the sentence. Okay, water, please. A drink, pleas
or a sheet of a paper, please. That is good enough but this will be a little informal
but still considered polite.
Okay, the next I have for you is, talk in complete sentences. Let me give you an example.
You know there was once, I was waiting in office and I was waiting for someone and she
just says, he's busy, gotta wait. What she meant was, he is busy, you have to wait. That
was very informal of her, for someone who is meeting me for the first time. In an appropriate
way, she could have said, Mr Smith is busy, would you like to wait for him? Or shall I
take a message? Look how polite and formal, this way of expression is. Instead of saying,
half-hearted words or the incomplete sentences, use a complete sentence when you're speaking
to someone or writing an email. If you notice reading a magazine or a newspaper, you'll
realize the sentences are too long. Why because they include every single expression that
is required in the sentence. So the next time when you're trying to be formal to someone
who's important may be you’re talking to the President of the country or you’re talking
to the President of your office, okay please be formal, make a request instead of ordering
someone and secondly talk in complete sentences.
That’s all I have for today. I hope you enjoyed the lesson and learnt something important.
Please feel free if you wanna ask something. I'll be back with another lesson until then,
goodbye.