English Instructions (Instructions en français après.)

1. Identify Your Goals: Start by determining what specific language skills you want to improve. For example, are you focusing on casual conversation, formal writing, or specific topics like travel or business?
2. Set Up Your Practice Sessions:
   • Frequency: Decide how often you want to practice (e.g., daily, weekly).
   • Duration: Set a time limit for each session (e.g., 15-30 minutes).
3. Access ChatGPT:
   • Sign In: Visit the ChatGPT platform via your web browser at chat.openai.com. Sign in with your account, or create one if you don't already have it.
   • Select a Conversation Style: Choose between different modes, like “Creative” or “Balanced,” depending on your goals. For language practice, "Balanced" might be most suitable.
   • Use Prompts: Begin the conversation by typing a prompt such as, "Can we practice a conversation about [topic]?"
4. Initiate a Conversation:
   • Choose a Topic: Start with a topic you're interested in or one relevant to your goals. You could say, "Let's talk about travel," or "Can we discuss a business meeting scenario?"
   • Ask Questions: Engage by asking questions, just as you would in a real conversation. For example, "What do you think about...?" or "Can you explain...?"
   • Voice Input (Optional): If your device supports voice input, you can enable the microphone to speak your questions instead of typing them. To do this, click on the microphone icon (if available) in the text input box.
5. Practice Different Scenarios:
   • Role-Playing: Use ChatGPT to simulate various situations like ordering food at a restaurant, checking into a hotel, or having a job interview. Type prompts like, "Let's pretend I'm checking into a hotel, and you're the receptionist."
   • Switch Roles: Sometimes, you can ask ChatGPT to take the role of the learner, and you play the native speaker. This can help you think about how to explain things in the target language.
6. Focus on Vocabulary and Grammar:
   • Ask for Explanations: If you encounter a word or phrase you don't understand, ask ChatGPT to explain it. For example, "What does this word mean?" or "Can you use that word in a different sentence?"
   • Practice Grammar: Request grammar exercises or explanations of specific rules. For example, "Can you help me practice the past tense?" or "How do I form questions in French?"
7. Review and Reflect:
   • Analyze Responses: After each session, review the conversation. Identify areas where you struggled and focus on improving them in future sessions.
   • Take Notes: Write down new vocabulary or phrases that you find useful and try to use them in your next session.
8. Seek Feedback:
   • Ask for Corrections: Occasionally, request that ChatGPT corrects your mistakes. For example, "Can you correct my sentences if I make a mistake?"
   • Compare Responses: Try responding to a question in different ways and ask ChatGPT which one is more accurate or natural.
9. Stay Consistent: Consistency is key in language learning. Regular practice will help reinforce your skills and build your confidence.

French InstructionsComment les apprenants adultes peuvent utiliser ChatGPT pour pratiquer les compétences de conversation

1. Définir vos objectifs : Commencez par déterminer quelles compétences linguistiques spécifiques vous souhaitez améliorer. Par exemple, vous concentrez-vous sur la conversation informelle, l'écriture formelle, ou des sujets spécifiques comme les voyages ou les affaires ?
2. Organiser vos séances de pratique :
   • Fréquence : Décidez de la fréquence de vos séances de pratique (par exemple, tous les jours, une fois par semaine).
   • Durée : Fixez une limite de temps pour chaque séance (par exemple, 15-30 minutes).
3. Accéder à ChatGPT :
   • Se connecter : Rendez-vous sur la plateforme ChatGPT via votre navigateur web à l'adresse chat.openai.com. Connectez-vous avec votre compte, ou créez-en un si vous n'en avez pas encore.
   • Sélectionner un style de conversation : Choisissez entre différents modes, comme « Créatif » ou « Équilibré », selon vos objectifs. Pour la pratique linguistique, « Équilibré » pourrait être le plus approprié.
   • Utiliser des prompts : Commencez la conversation en tapant une invite comme : « Pouvons-nous pratiquer une conversation sur [sujet] ? »
4. Initier une conversation :
   • Choisir un sujet : Commencez par un sujet qui vous intéresse ou qui est pertinent par rapport à vos objectifs. Vous pourriez dire : « Parlons des voyages » ou « Pouvons-nous discuter d'un scénario de réunion d'affaires ? »
   • Poser des questions : Engagez-vous en posant des questions, comme vous le feriez dans une conversation réelle. Par exemple : « Que pensez-vous de… ? » ou « Pouvez-vous expliquer… ? »
   • Saisie vocale (facultatif) : Si votre appareil prend en charge la saisie vocale, vous pouvez activer le microphone pour poser vos questions à l'oral plutôt que de les taper. Pour ce faire, cliquez sur l'icône du microphone (si disponible) dans la zone de saisie de texte.
5. Pratiquer différents scénarios :
   • Jeux de rôle : Utilisez ChatGPT pour simuler diverses situations comme commander de la nourriture au restaurant, s'enregistrer dans un hôtel, ou passer un entretien d'embauche. Tapez des invites comme : « Faisons semblant que je m'enregistre dans un hôtel et que vous êtes le réceptionniste. »
   • Changer de rôles : Parfois, vous pouvez demander à ChatGPT de jouer le rôle de l'apprenant, et vous jouez le locuteur natif. Cela peut vous aider à réfléchir à la manière d'expliquer des choses dans la langue cible.
6. Se concentrer sur le vocabulaire et la grammaire :
   • Demander des explications : Si vous rencontrez un mot ou une phrase que vous ne comprenez pas, demandez à ChatGPT de l'expliquer. Par exemple : « Que signifie ce mot ? » ou « Pouvez-vous utiliser ce mot dans une autre phrase ? »
   • Pratiquer la grammaire : Demandez des exercices de grammaire ou des explications sur des règles spécifiques. Par exemple : « Pouvez-vous m'aider à pratiquer le passé composé ? » ou « Comment forme-t-on des questions en français ? »
7. Réviser et réfléchir :
   • Analyser les réponses : Après chaque séance, passez en revue la conversation. Identifiez les domaines où vous avez eu des difficultés et concentrez-vous sur leur amélioration lors des prochaines séances.
   • Prendre des notes : Notez le nouveau vocabulaire ou les expressions que vous trouvez utiles et essayez de les utiliser lors de votre prochaine séance.
8. Demander des retours :
   • Demander des corrections : Parfois, demandez à ChatGPT de corriger vos erreurs. Par exemple : « Pouvez-vous corriger mes phrases si je fais une erreur ? »
   • Comparer les réponses : Essayez de répondre à une question de différentes manières et demandez à ChatGPT laquelle est la plus précise ou naturelle.
9. Rester constant : La constance est essentielle dans l'apprentissage d'une langue. Une pratique régulière vous aidera à renforcer vos compétences et à augmenter votre confiance.

1.  Slow down! If you speak too quickly, you will make a mistake. Give yourself, and the people who are listening to you, time to think. It’s not a race, and by trying to go too fast, you will probably end up repeating yourself because the others haven’t understood, therefore wasting time rather than gaining any.

​2. Actively listen to other people. The more you listen, the easier you will find pronunciation. Listen to podcasts, watch series and films in English. 
BBC learning English offers facebook live sessions where you can message the word(s) that you find difficult to pronounce, and they show you how it’s done.
Best of all, try to speak with anglophones. 
Conversation exchanges also offer a great opportunity to meet others and improve your English at the same time.

3. Be curious. If you’re not sure how to pronounce a word, look it up in an online dictionary which will let you hear the correct pronunciation in various regional accents.You can use the phonetic symbols to check if your word stress is correct. Even if you don’t know the phonetic alphabet, all you need to do is look for the apostrophe.
​
Fifteen /fIf’ti:n/ The apostrophe is placed before the stressed syllable, so the second syllable is stressed, like this: oO, or fifTEEN.
You can do this for all words.

​5.  Pay attention to strong and weak pronunciation.Saying a word in isolation is completely different from saying it in a sentence.
Try pronouncing “for”. It sounds like the number “four”. This is the strong pronunciation.
Now try saying “would you like to come for tea?” Here the “for” sounds more like “fff”.  This is the weak pronunciation.
We can apply this to all small unstressed words.
If you can master strong and weak sounds, your pronunciation will be more understandable for an anglophone.

​Finally, don’t worry about your accent. There are hundreds of regional English accents, and we manage to understand each other! 

Let's start with a definition: what is a false friend?
It's a word that looks or sounds the same in two languages, so it's easy to believe that the meaning is the same. However, in reality, the meaning is different, and it's very easy to make a mistake and confuse the person you are talking to.

So, I've made a list of the five most common false friends that I hear in a professional context.

1. Actually.
In English, "actually" is a synonym for "in fact".
We never use "actually" to talk about time, or what's happening at the moment.

2. Agenda.
An agenda is a list of points that you talk about during a meeting.
Be careful, an agenda is NOT a timetable.

3. Attend.
"Attend" means to be present. 
Are you going to attend the meeting this afternoon?

4. Eventually.
This means "finally".
Today, I eventually managed to catch up on writing my blog!

5. Important.
We use "important" to talk about a person or an object which has importance.
The Queen is an important person.
However, please don't use "important" to express the idea of quantity, it just isn't possible in English.
You could use "large" "sizeable" or "considerable" instead.

Of course, there are a lot more than five false friends! If you're not sure if a word is a false friend, there's only one solution: use your dictionary!
Your dictionary is your true friend!

Everybody wants to be fluent, but what does that really mean?
In my opinion, "fluent" means understanding, processing, and replying smoothly without any interruptions.
It's easy to say and not so easy to do, so what techniques can you use to make it easier?

1. Take your time when you speak. Give yourself time to breathe! If you race to get the words out as quickly as possible, you won't even understand yourself!
So, slow down, breathe, and articulate.

2. Take every opportunity to learn new vocabulary. Get into the habit of carrying a notebook with you, and write down new words when you hear them. So, when you watch your favourite series, or see a film, remember to write down new words so that you can look them up later.

3. So, once you've started using your notebook (see number 2) then you can look up the new words and try to remember them in context. It's much more useful, and interesting to learn vocabulary in a whole sentence rather than just a list of words. This is a huge boost for your fluency!

4. Immerse yourself in an English speaking environment. This might not be easy, but it's possible. Try speaking English for one day every week at home. Ask your friends to practice dialogues & role plays with you. Listen to English speaking radios. Record yourself , then listen and try to correct your mistakes. Create your very own English bubble.

5.Take the plunge! It seems difficult and it can be scary to start speaking, but once you've started, you won't regret it. Don't worry about making mistakes, we all make them. What you've got to do now is to start speaking as a means of communication; it's the only way to attain the level of fluency that you've been looking for.

1. Don't panic, think positively!
It sounds like a cliché, but if you start with the idea that it's too difficult, it probably will be. There's no reason why you can't understand; it takes perseverance & motivation. Remember, you CAN do it!

2. Concentrate on key words.
It's NOT always NECESSARY to UNDERSTAND every single WORD.
Often the GLOBAL MEANING is clear, just from the most IMPORTANT WORDS. See?!

3. Pay attention to the whole situation.
Gestures & intonation can also play an important role in communication.

4. When we speak, we often use the same vocabulary over and over again! 
If you hear a word you don't understand, make sure that you note it down and learn it. The chances are that you'll hear it again very soon!

5. Finally, practice makes perfect!
The more you listen, the easier it becomes!
So, watch Netflix in English, pick up the phone when you see an international call coming through.

What's the worst that can happen? You watch the same scene in your series a few times in order to understand? On the telephone you could ask someone to repeat? So what?

Your colleagues will never think badly of you for making an effort to learn, but making no effort will certainly have negative consequences.

​Of course, there are hundreds of different expressions that you can use to end a call, but to avoid difficult situations that might make you panic, it might be a good idea to learn a few and be prepared!

4. If you received the call, check if the caller needs any other information or help.

You could try using this expression:

"Do you need any other information?" or "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

These sentences are a sure sign that it's time to hang up!

5. What should you say at the very end?

Quite simply: "Goodbye" or "Goodbye, speak to you soon"

Whilst this list is far from conclusive, it may help you to feel more comfortable during the first calls you make.

Feel free to get in touch if you would like more information about telephone English!


​

Does the "ring ring" of the telephone fill you with fear?

Have you ever ignored the telephone because you see the number is coming from abroad and you don’t want to speak in English?
 
Do you wait for your colleague to answer?
 
Here are five ideas to help you answer the telephone in a professional situation.
 
1. Ring ring, ring ring!
 
Don’t panic! The first word to say is “hello”!
 
Follow this simple rule: 
 
Greeting + company name + your name = Hello, XYZ Company, Sarah speaking.
 
Remember, a greeting could also be “good morning” or “good afternoon”.
 It’s as simple as that.

​2. How do I know who is calling?

Jusk ask! A simple, easy question to ask is:
 
Who’s calling, please?
 
3. What if I don’t understand?
 
Don’t worry, it happens to everybody. In that case, you say:
 
I’m sorry, could you repeat, please?
 
4. How do I introduce myself?
 
This is John speaking.
 
Or, even easier, just:
 
John speaking.
 
5. What do I do next, the caller wants to speak to my colleague?
 
In that case, ask the caller to wait, and transfer the call.
 
Hold on please, I’ll put you through to my colleague.
 

 

​Well done, you’ve survived your first telephone call!
 
Actually, it was easy, wasn’t it!?

1. "Agree" is a verb. You can say "I agree" or "I don't agree". 

Very often, I hear people say "I am agree". This is not correct!
You can use "I am..." to give your name, or age, but not for agreement!

I have certainly met a lot of people called Agree, it seems to be a popular name here!

2. People or person?

It's really very simple! "People" is plural and "person" is singular.
So we say "1 person" but "2 people".

3. Answer
​
Use "answer + something", for example:
I answer the phone; she answers the question; he answers the email....
Remember, we never use "to" after the verb "answer"

4. Present or introduce?

You can present a slide, a document, or some figures, or tables, but not a person!

For a person, use "introduce"! For example:
Hello Sarah, I'd like to introduce you to Catherine.

You can also introduce yourself: 
Hello, let me introduce myself, my name is......

Of course, not everybody makes the same mistakes, but these are examples of vocabulary and sentences that I hear everyday.

Learn fixed expressions to help you communicate from effectively!

How do you explain the reason(s) why you arrived late for work?

Here are the top 5:

1. I'm sorry I'm late, the bus/train was late.

2. I'm sorry I'm late, my car wouldn't start.

3. I'm sorry I'm late, there was a traffic jam.

4. I'm sorry I'm late, I forgot my telephone and I had to go back home to get it.

5. I'm sorry I'm late, my alarm clock didn't go off, so I overslept.


Let's hope you don't need to use these expressions too often!