Connected to English: Recent Episodes
Claudia Markovic
Hello ... Good morning ... Good afternoon ... Good evening ...
How are you?
I'm fine, how about you?
I'm fine, too.
In English we use ALL these words to GREET each other.
It's a very interesting greeting.
Some people question
why ask ‘How are you?’
if we don't really want to know
how the person feels.
Well let's have a look at that question:
The ‘I’m fine’ response gives a lot of information.
It can be upbeat, in which case the person is feeling good.
It could be hesitant, then you know there might be something wrong.
At this point in the conversation,
if you have a close relationship with the person,
you can now ask more questions to show interest.
You can then ask a second level question:
‘What's happening? You sound excited!’
Or
‘You don’t sound so fine. What’s wrong?’
If you don't have a close relationship,
you're going to understand that maybe you need to be more compassionate,
but you’re not necessarily going to ask second level questions.
In English we use this greeting to gauge how the person is feeling.
Their response determines the second level questions,
depending on our relationship.
Hope that's given you more of an understanding into the English greeting:)
In this call you will
- Create a crystal clear vision of how better English will help you with your business goals.
- Undercover hidden challenges that could be sabotaging your overall language skills.
- Explore which next steps to take to improve your English.
Hello, everyone.
So good to be here with you. I'm just so amazed at how this podcast has grown. And I just wanted to tell each and every one of you who is listening. I really appreciate that you listening to this podcast. I'm so, so grateful and so thankful. I've gotten some feedback from some from you. And you've just told me that it's also really useful and that you appreciate the work that I put into the podcast. And so yeah, I just want to honour that. And I want to say thank you. And it's amazing to know that I'm connected to so many people around the world. So just wanted to start off by saying thank you.
So let's get to our episode today. Today it's all about networking, in your second language. So, of course, I live in Germany. My second language is German. And also Afrikaans, because I come from South Africa. And so in Germany, I often have to network in German. And oh, my goodness, it's, it's tough sometimes, you know, I'm not gonna hide that it really is tough. Sometimes, I'm struggling to find the words. Sometimes I want to express something that I know I could express really easily in English. And it's just not happening in, in German, it's one of the things that I really notice inside of myself, I use the mindset that I teach my clients. And I have mindset tools to help me through that.
Mindset is so important when you're speaking in your second language. And that's the part that's actually going to get you through most of the barriers that you face and encounter, in your experience with your second language. So the first step I always do is I breathe. Well, actually, you know, the first step is to just to notice that that's actually happening inside of your head. That's the first step. The second step is actually then to breathe. And let it go. And the third step is to break the wall. And this perceived wall, this feeling of, oh, there's something holding my language back. Just like break it visually, with your hand, like, I like to punch through that wall. And just say - this is not going to hold me back - I'm still going to give the message that I want to give in the best possible way that I can give it and I just plough through that. And I deliver my message and I feel great about it afterwards. So maybe like yeah, of course I'm human. I have thoughts of like well, could have been better. But actually overall, I feel really great about the fact that I didn't give up and I just delivered the message I wanted to deliver.
Hello, everyone.
Yes, I am really enjoying the summer weather at the moment. Tomorrow, they're expecting a storm. And the weekend is going to be super hot. Another word that you could use for super hot is it's going to be a scorcher. It's going to be a scorcher. So scorching: to scorch something means to burn, to burn it, you know, it's been scorched. It's been burnt. So when it's really really hot!
I know in places like South Africa, India, parts of South America. The weather is really, really hot. And yeah, so there's scorching weather. I know, in South Africa it's winter now and so there it's currently freezing. So I don't know which part of the world you're in. Maybe you're experiencing scorching hot weather. And maybe you're experiencing freezing weather. It's freezing. So you can practice those phrases.
Either,
"I'm freezing" or
"It's freezing outside." Or
"It's a scorcher."
"It's a scorcher out there."
Hope you have a beautiful weekend and connect with you soon. Remember, stay connected.
Professional English Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/connectedtoenglish/60min
Hi everyone,
What a glorious day!
The insects are busily getting on with their insect ways. The amount of life you can observe in just 1 square meter is incredible. I just saw a small yellow and black striped spider scuttling across the pathway - he was definitely in a hurry. Every insect here seems to be on a mission, gathering food, catching the sun, finding love, building a home. And they do it like they know it.
Do you know your English mission? Do you know how to get there?
Do you want to be more confident with your sales conversations / speaking to your team in English?
Are you aiming for that next promotion?
If you want help in any of these areas, book your free Path to Professional English Discovery Call with me. Just book a time to get started. Click the link: https://calendly.com/connectedtoenglish/60min
In this call we'll look at:
-
What your business/career is all about
-
What gaps need to be filled
-
And we'll map out your path to better English.
Be well.
Find me on IG: @connectedtoenglish
Language is a communication tool.
There are many advantages to speaking an additional language. Developing confidence is one of them.
Start with a “Close your eyes and just do it” attitude.
Realise that if you want results you cannot be scared or passive - no one is going to meet you halfway.
Learn to become expressive; point at things and forget about being shy and timid.
What matters is making yourself understood.
Business English is the same
If you want results:
- Step forward in confidence.
- Show up in your language powerfully.
- Show your competence.
Ask yourself:
- What do you need to master your English?
- Do you have a daily word-learning habit?
- Do you use your English, no matter what?
You need to find what works for you and steam roller ahead.
Non-stop!
Link to the newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c53325ae5f4b/connectedtoengnewsletter
Prefixes are letters we add to the beginning of a word. For example pleasant - unpleasant. We have a range of prefixes in English. In this exercise we will focus on three: un-, im- , il-
(This is a great way to build up vocabulary! So keep a list of your new words in a notebook)
The crone was walking down the wooden pathway, carrying some sticks and herbs. She was on her way to prepare a potion to assist a group of people with connection problems.
This group has been isolated from one another for many months. They each lived in their own personal bubble and connecting could only happen through electronic means. You can imagine what they had lost. Not only did this effect the external connections, it also interfered with the internal connections of the individual. People became insular, fear was growing and distances between people seemed to become insurmountable.
The crone arrived at the clearing in the middle of the forest. There was a fireplace with a three legged pot. She fetched some water from the nearby brook and slowly started putting her herbs in, whispering words of love, acceptance, wonder and more love. She also added some touch to the potion. It could not be physical touching, so she made it a mental connection. For now it has to suffice.
After many hours of chanting and stirring the potion, it was finally finished. With a wave of her magic wand she dispersed of the potion into the universe spreading hope, love and connection to all.
A great way to increase your vocabulary is to work out the different meanings of a word.
So this week's word is "crane". There are 3 different meanings. Can you work them out?
I have posted a video with the solution in the Facebook group. Click the link and be part of the Connected to English Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup
Join our newsletter and the exercise that goes with this podcast. If you would like the exercise to this podcast please ask me for the remember, remind, recognise, forget exercise and I can send that to you. (You can do this as soon as you've received the first email from me:)
https://mailchi.mp/c53325ae5f4b/connectedtoengnewsletter
Hello, Hello, everyone. How are you today? So happy that you're here.
And today we are going to speak about four words that can sometimes get mixed up when we use them. So the words we're dealing with are remember, remind, forget, recognise. But just before I get into the explanation, rate yourself from 1 to 10, 1 being the lowest 10 being the highest. How well you understand these words and how well you think you can use these words. Have got your number. Excellent.
So I'm going to give you a few of the rules. And if you want to have a specific exercise to practice, I do have a newsletter that comes out on a weekly basis, and you can just sign up for that. (The link is above) And I have some regular exercises that I post in that newsletter, and you can practice your English even more. So here we go.
Let's start with remember.
So the rules for remember are, we can use remember, plus a gerund. Remember, meeting someone somewhere for the first time. Yeah, it's something in the past, I remember meeting, so and so, at the party.
Then we have remember, when something happened. After 'remember', you can use 'when'. We can remember a person and we can remember to phone someone. We can remember to call someone. 'to phone' or 'to call' are interchangeable.
Our next word, remind:
We can remind someone to phone you,
we can remind someone about a message.
And we can remind someone of another person.
So after remind, we always have someone
Recognise, we can recognise somebody's face, we can recognise a piece of music that we're listening to.
Recognise is about a person or a thing.
And then forget,
We've got forget that you did something.
You can forget to do something.
You can forget something. So you can forget a birthday message and appointment.
And you can forget about something.
Newsletter link:
https://mailchi.mp/c53325ae5f4b/connectedtoengnewsletter
Get in touch with Florian if you would like to access your growth and purpose through your gifts:
wellamo.fp@gmail.com
You can find Magda on Instagram: @blogumagu
To join the English Facebook Group go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup
Here are some words from the podcast to listen out for:
without further ado
It's made my day.
bond
photography
portraiture
analogue
digital
municipality
artistic journey
at ease
dabbles in the arts
over and over again
skeptical to the idea
what the represented
curious
sometimes I'm stiff
break the ice
don't moan about things
false expectations
immersed
memorise
painful
a lump in my throat
humiliating
It too me ages!
plough through
mispronounced
Has knowing more languages enriched your life?
Click the link to join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup
The Feast - by Petra Esmark
The Village was in a tizz. This weekend was Feasting Day and everybody was preparing for this great event.
Aunty Rachel was busy turning her olives, making sure that they were just perfect. Cousin Elizabeth was once again checking the ingredients for her Lemon Meringue Pie, and over there, Carola was getting ready to make her famous Strawberry Punch. Uncle Kurt was tending to the huge pumpkins as his wife needed the best for her pumpkin pie.
Everybody was wondering what Linda was going to bring. She loves experimenting and always surprised the folks with some outlandish dish. It was also whispered that Thomas has had a wonderful wine harvest.
Those that preferred the tasting to the preparing were setting up the tables and chairs, decorating the area with garlands, table cloths and flowers, making sure everything would be very festive. The bands were rehearsing and everybody was singing to their favourite tunes.
The day had arrived. Everybody was scurrying around since early, applying the final touches. It did look so festive. The flags were flapping in the wind, the children were laughing and playing, friends were happy to see each other and there was an underlying excitement for the wonderful food.
It was essentially a day where family and friends could meet, eat and drink of the best foods and just have a jolly good time. And Linda’s dish was divine, whatever it was called:)
As the day drew to an end, families said their goodbyes. Small groups were still talking, enjoying
the last embers of fellowship of this day.
What a great story for the past continuous!!!
Hello there:)
This is another story written by my mom. Thank you so much!
Which words are new for you?
Notice the way the tense changes. Especially from the present perfect to present simple.
This is a great story to practice !He/She/It das 's' muss mit!
Please note: Promise is the name of the lady in the story.
It is a typical translated name in South Africa.
Here we go, we hope you enjoy it:)
It is hot! The sun is baking down on the earth. The earth is brown and cracked; it looks as if it’s coated with a layer of broken chocolate.
Promise intently stares at the big blue sky, searching for a speck of white. Nothing. Not a cloud in sight.
The village she lives in is next to a river, but the river has very little water. There are mainly muddy puddles and the villagers are anxiously praying for a miracle. Without water the village will die.
The village elders have invited the Rain Queen. Fortunately she has agreed to assist them. A big feast is being prepared for the weekend. The Rain Queen is coming to do the rain dance Saturday evening. Promise is so excited. All who have seen the rain dance have assured Promise that it is wonderful.
At last the day has arrived. The village is abuzz; the women are preparing all the food; the men are getting the rituals ready.
The queen arrives and the festivities begin. It’s time for the main dance. Everybody is very quiet. The drums start and beautiful voices make eerie sounds. The dance begins. It is wild, it is beautiful, it is sacred. The prayers rise to the heavens and after what feels like hours, the dance ends. The queen falls asleep next to the fire.
The next morning, when the villagers gathered around the fireplace, the queen had already moved on.
The big waters arrived in the late afternoon. There was much rejoicing, dancing and feasting that evening.
Praise the Rain Queen!
Hello there!
Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup
I've been posting a lot about 'health and fitness' at the moment and I hope you are as fit as a fiddle and not as sick as a dog - in which case you may need a new lease on life.
These are just 3 useful 'health' idioms.
- as fit as a fiddle means you've got lots of energy. You're well and healthy.
- as sick as a dog means you're really very sick.
- a new lease on life means you have a new enthusiasm for life. Something has changed. You're feeling more positive and enthusiastic and you know where your life is heading.
If you want to have a new lease on life, the next vision board workshop may help you.
Here you can set up some goals for 2021 and use the power of pictures and stories to help learn vocabulary.
It's happening
- on Friday 5th February from 4pm-7pm
- Via Zoom
- 38 €
If you are interested register at www.connectedtoenglish.com
Have a wonderful week.
Till next time:)
Link to register for the English Vision Board Workshop: www.connectedtoenglish.com
Hello there:)
I would like to wish you a very happy New Year and I hope it will be filled with unexpected, beautiful surprises.
Saturday we met for our monthly Conversation Class and we discussed some of our goals for 2021, including our English goals (in my case German goals;). And at the end of the exercise I asked everyone to find one word that would guide them through this next year. These are some of the wonderful words that came up in the session: balance, trust, patience, clarity, healing, learn - to name but a few.
Thinking about your English and staying connected to English, I'd like to suggest the word: JOURNEY.
It's often easy to forget that learning and maintaining another language is actually a journey. A journey with words. A journey with yourself as you explore what you sound like in a different language and how it influences your thinking. A journey takes time. Learn to love the frustrations and the excitement along the way.
If you'd like to explore your goals for this year, for your life and for English, there will be 2 Vision Board Workshops running on 22nd January from 2pm-5pm and on the 5th February from 4pm-7pm.
This is such a powerful way to learn vocabulary because you can see it visually and you can immediately associate a strong emotion to it. Strong emotions are needed in order to remember new words more successfully. Emotions send memories into your long term memory in your brain.
To register for the workshop go to: www.connectedtoenglish.com
To get in contact with Annette Fengler from Hamsterradoase: www.hamsterradoase.de
A: Hello Claudia. I’m looking forward to asking you my questions. So let’s begin. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
C: So as many of you know my name is Claudia Markovic and I started a company called Connected to English. So I’m the English coach in this space.
A:Yes you are. But you also have very specific reasons for WHY you coach English. Give us a little bit of background to that?
C: That’s true. I believe no one should feel unheard even in your second language and so I help you to connect with your English voice and guide to express yourself authentically. Show the world who you are and what your ideas are.
A: That’s super interesting? Why is this important to you?
C: Well I’m a native English speaker and I live in germany where I’m required to speak German and I go through very similar emotions and face very similar challenges with my German. So I know what it feels like to speak to people where you feel like their language ability is so much better than yours or when you struggle to find the words and then everything shuts down because as soon as you are afraid your brain shuts down.
A: Yes I can totally understand. (I have this feeling very often when I need to speak English.) Thank you for sharing that perspective. How does that connect to doing a vision board?
C: Well a vision board is a great, fun way to explore your goals and dreams in a relaxed way. This immediately helps your mind to be open to new input. Your language can flow more naturally. You are also connecting to your language on a visual and emotional level so you include more of the senses. And because it’s in a group you get to practice speaking straight away.
A: You’re spot on, yes vision boards are very powerful tools for goal setting and ….
But Claudia, you were actually part of one of my workshops, how was it to create your own vision board?
C: I absolutely loved it. I really enjoy tapping into my creativity and just choosing pictures (I used pinterest but you can use your own photos magazines google images) without judging them and then seeing what comes up. Usually there is always a surprise. So the surprise I had in my vision board with you was … well let’s just say that throughout the year I have put a lot of focus on my business, but through my vision board I noticed the most important thing to me is family and relationships. I wasn’t aware of that before. So that really surprised me. The other thing that I found really helpful was being able to speak to the other people and share my vision board and also hear about their hopes and dreams. I loved this connection to people.
A: …… Where can people register for our workshop?
C: So if you are interested in using this creative tool to set goals for 2021 and learn English, go and register now at www.connectedtoenglish.com the workshop will be on Friday the 11th of December and start at 6pm. It’ll run for about 4 hours - and these will go quickly. Just so you know spaces are limited. We only have space for 6 participants. So head on over to connectedtoenglish.com and secure your spot.
Annette thank you for your questions, it was certainly different being on the other side for a change
A: You’re welcome. I had fun. I look forward to seeing you at the workshop. The links are in the show notes.
For more information and to register for the workshop go to www.connectedtoenglish.com
Welcome to another special guest podcast. Today we will be meeting Annette Fengler! We met each other at a conference and decided we have to collabarate. Because our business compliment each other so at the end of this interview I will be making an announcement for our project together! Which you will be able to register for at …... Welcome Annette
Thank you, Claudia. So nice to be here.
Claudia
Annette, you founded the Hamsterradoase, literal translation (hamster wheel oasis). (break away) Hamsterrad and Oase? How does that fit together?
Annette:
Thank you for the question Claudia.
The name Hamsterradoase is polarising. And that’s good.
It’s just like life. There’s always something.
Annette:
I’m a Stress Management and Mind Coach.
I support you to discover your inner core
with an effective combination
- of individual relaxation techniques and (mind / mental)
- stress management training.
They’re complementary.
Claudia:
Interesting. You also conduct Vision-Board-Workshops. Why?
Annette:
During these workshops you
- discover your goals and
- visualise them using pictures that evoke good feelings within you.
You gain clarity and focus.
Claudia:
And that’s enough ta achieve my goals?
Annette:
Looking at your vision board daily,
your subconscious will continuously support you with new ideas to achieve your goals.
This makes it easier for you to realise your goals,
- than not formulating them at all
- or just having a mental picture of what you would like to achieve.
Claudia:
I understand that. AND now for the big announcement - This is the reason why we are having a Vision-Board-Workshop with the theme: How do you easily integrate the English language into your daily life?
Annette:
That’s correct. I am looking forward to that.
If you’ve ever wanted to learn English in a relaxed atmosphere with your own visual inputs and the vocabulary which is important to you - this is the place to be. Check out the poster below for more information. the Workshop will run on the 11th Dec You can register for it at www.connectedtoenglish.com the link is below in the comments and show notes
And in our next podcast Annette will be interviewing me - so that will be a change.
Have a wonderful day!
Remember to register for the workshop go to www.connectedtoenglish.com
See you at the workshop
Join the Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup
Continuing with more banking vocabulary:
(This is just basic, everyday banking terminology)
You deposit money into someone's account either by transfer, by credit card or by cash.
At the end of each month your bank will send you your bank statement. On this bank statement you will see your bank balance which is the amount of money you have at the end of each month. Of course you can check your bank balance on a daily basis, but that will be a different amount to that on your statement.
The monthly bank fees you pay to have your account are called bank charges.
Come and join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup/
(If you speak German, this will be particularly useful)
Words you may need for banking:
Most people have a current bank account (Girokonto) and possibly a savings account as well. When you want to withdraw cash from your account you will probably use your debit card to withdraw money from an ATM (Bankautomaten).
Excuse me, where is the nearest ATM? (Great question to learn)
If you need to pay someone via your bank account you will make a transfer into that person's account or you'll transfer the money into their account.
If you would like to have more information about these building blocks, go ahead and subscribe to my weekly newsletter. After that you can request the building block sequence and I will gladly email you what was in the newsletter. This newsletter is a great way to start building up a weekly ENGLISH READING HABIT which is o important to keep your language on track.
https://mailchi.mp/c53325ae5f4b/connectedtoengnewsletter
- Here are some words that you may find useful from the podcast:
- redundant,
- confidence,
- computer department (What else does Susan call the computer department?),
- get a promotion,
- go for a promotion,
- facing getting a new job,
- puzzle pieces,
-
entrepreneurial world,
-
Confidence Tip
-
- Start to record all the things you have done well.
-
- Notice how many things are going well.
-
- Write down what is working for your English right now?
- You can find Susan on the following links:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-graves-1805956/
- https://www.facebook.com/susanlgraves
Hello all you English Fans!
For those of you who know me, you know I LOVE food!
And it was really funny because I was in the countryside a few weeks ago and there were these HUGE mushrooms growing in the garden. I saw these things and all I wanted to do was cut one, cook it and eat it. But I wasn't allowed to! They were so beautifully big, that I had to wait and be patient (geduldig) because my boyfriend's grandparents wanted to still show their daughter these wonderful mushrooms.
I waited 4 days! And FINALLY I was allowed to harvest them. I even learned a new skill of how to dry the mushrooms and fry them properly so they don't go soggy.
(If you'd like to see the photos come and join the English community in the private facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup)
Sometimes, good things take their time. Are you patient (geduldig) with your English? Learning English can feel like a HUGE mountain and can be frustrating at times, but if you take it step by step and keep going - your satisfaction with your English will be tremendous. You will feel great at work when you're speaking with clients or negotiating that next deal or speaking to your team.
Come and join the Private Facebook Group and join other English learners. Come and practise your English in a safe space.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup
HELLO HELLO!
Are you ready to get back into the swing of things? It took a few days for me, but now I'm ready and raring to go!
Holiday reflections:
I go to the Baltic Sea every year and, I don't know about you, but every year I learn something new. Last year I deepened the lesson of "I live in an abundant universe". You just have to look at the amount of water, sand, trees, grass, leaves ...
If you would like to read the rest of this story, subscribe to your weekly English newsletter. Just click this link: https://mailchi.mp/c53325ae5f4b/connectedtoengnewsletter
Till next week! Stay CONNECTED!
We're off to the sea …
Hooray! Finally, the date has arrived.
The Smith family are going to the beach this year. It has been a very demanding year and a couple of weeks of rest in an ocean environment is just what the doctor ordered. Oodles of sunshine; hours of lazing on the beach; building sand castles; therapeutic swims in salty water; delicious ice cream … and many more fun activities.
The car is packed, the house is locked, even Ben, the dog, is in the boot (he can't wait to play in the waves), and away they go! Many kilometres later the first whiffof salty air welcomes them and the excitement rises. At their holiday cottage they all pile out, hastily unpack the car and rush towards the beach.
The holiday has started…
Wow! Some wonderful new words! What are your favourite ones?
And notice the Present Perfect - has arrived, has been, has started. In this particular story the present perfect releases the tension. The Smith's have been waiting to go on holiday and it has finally arrived! Woohoo!!!
May your week be wonderful:)
Hello, hello!
When I was living in South Africa, I was busy learning Zulu. I already had a little bit of knowledge from school, but I wanted to go deeper. And even though my Zulu was by no means perfect, and no matter how nervous I was to use it, I spoke to every person I met who would speak to me. And that really accelerated my learning. So I needed to be BRAVE. I needed to have courage. And I gained this courage by USING the language. I didn't wait to be perfect first and then speak Zulu. I spoke Zulu firstand then gained courage.
I challenge you to do the same with English. Be brave! USE your English.
"But Claudia I have no one to speak to!"
Well, I have created a Private Facebook Group for you to USE your English. Click this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup/
Already in the group? Amazing!!!!!! Go get started and use this opportunity to USE your English:)
Look forward to seeing you all there.
Have a great day all you brave, amazing English speakers:)
In 3 weeks I'll be off on holiday. How about you? Any plans this summer?(Note: that's a cool small talk question!!!!! I digress).And if you're anything like my boyfriend, he's already started planning the logistiks - how much food to take, what food to take. (Notice, that was a MIXED CONDITIONAL) Food's always a very important subject for us. If you didn't know this about me - I love food! Who's with me on this one?
But he's also planning inall thegadgets and gizmos, and bells and whistleswe might need as well. Chairs, lights, of course hand sanitiser is on the list this year, bicycle, umbrella. And then there's the discussion of 1 or 2 umbrella's. To these questions I always go with the smaller amount
Wishing you all a lot of fun with your summer plans!
Come share your thoughts in the Private Facebook Group and practice your English there. Would love to see you in the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup/
Hello there!
Are you enjoying the summery weather? Did you enjoy the rain over the weekend? Are you more a summer or a winter person (or something in between)? Have you been spending time outside lately due to the lovely weather? What's it been like for you?
WOW!!!! So many tenses, so many questions - in just ONE paragraph! Can you work out which tenses they are?
I'll give you the list. Can you match them up correctly?
Present Simple
Present Continuous
Present Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous
Past Simple
If you've attended the Back to Basics Grammar Review, can you work out WHY I've used those tenses? Can you feel the difference?
I hope you have fun with this little exercise. If you would like to go deeper into this subject, or if you would like to be part of the next Back to Basics Course, I'm here to help and support you. Please feel free to contact me directly. Message me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connectedtoeng/ - just click the "send email" button.
There are also other free resources in my Private Facebook Group and an opportunity to meet people in English. Come and join us there:) https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup/
Facebook: @connectedtoeng
Today we're off on an adventure with Jane.
So let's get started!
Jane was so bored. Another day in the countryside where she knows everybody and each day is just the same as the next. She wanted to experience something new! She needed to get out! The vegetable delivery truck, that came every day, was getting ready to go to the Jo'burg market and without any further ado Jane managed to hitch a ride.
The truck arrived at the market and Jane hurried into the crowds. There were so many people, so much noise and - ooh - such good smells. Food was cooking and she sauntered over to see whether she could find something new to eat, which she'd never eaten before. She tried a bit of this and a bit of that. The various taste sensations livened up her taste buds.
She heard the truck starting up for its return journey. Jane raced to catch her lift just in time. She was so excited to tell her friends about her adventures.
Lately I've been focusing on my wishes. How do wishes come true? What are wishes? And I found a German book, "Magie der Wünsche" by Daphne Unruh. It's a fantasy story - my favourite genre. And the best thing about it for me is that it is in GERMAN! I love finding wonderful German books which I can read or listen to because I know it is one of the most powerful ways to stay connected to German and improve it at the same time. Reading helps because I can see the words and I can focus my learning, and listening to an audio book helps because my pronunciation and phrasing starts to improve. Plus I can use it for unfocussed learning. A time, where I can do something else at the same time. I usually wash the dishes or iron.
Are you reading something in ENGLISH? Which book are you reading at the moment? Come and share it with me in the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup/
Are you finding it easy or is it still quite difficult? If it's still difficult, try starting with a children's book. That's how I started to improve my German reading when I first started.
So REALLY recommend reading English to keep in your language flow.
And enjoy reading:)
The more you enjoy it, the more your brain will absorb the English.
Have a wonderful week!
Hello Everyone!
You can find me on Facebook: @connectedtoeng
This story is compliments of my mom:) We both send greetings.
Enjoy!
Abundant Avocado
John lived in the heart of a very green tree. It was huge and provided a lot of shade during the hot summer months. It had some odd-looking green fruit which was very hard. Occasionally one of the fruits would fall down with a thump. This always frightened him as it was very loud. As the colder weather approached John suddenly lost his job. His pantry started to look empty. He worried as he realised winter is on the way and he would be without food. He started looking for what he could gather but realised that he was already too late. The animals had already harvested their winter reserves.
He sat under his tree, slowly eating the last of his berry stash when that green fruit dropped. This time not with a thump, but more a splotch. John picked up the fruit. It was soft to the touch and a soft yellowy green paste was oozing out where the skin was broken. Gingerly he tasted it. It was amazing! Rich and creamy and soft. John looked up at the tree and saw lots and lots of green fruit, ripening and waiting to be eaten. With a whistle and a spring in his step, he smiled, grabbed a branch, swung into the tree and enjoyed his abundance.
Yes, of course it was an avocado tree.
Last week this story was sent as an email in my newsletter, were you able to check the pronunciation for some of the words.
Thanks for listening. Remember this podcast is here to help you integrate English into your daily life, by providing you with stories and English Tips to listen to. If you find these episodes useful and you know of anyone else who would benefit from them, please tell them about this podcast.
Oh the song I mentioned in the podcast was written by Gershwin!!!!
You can find me on Facebook @connectedtoeng
Greetings everyone!
Summer looks like it's on it's way!
Today I wanted to discuss that we have many phrases of agreement in English. Do you know what they are? I will share 2 of them today. (I gave you a clue in the subject line:)
These are the phrases we use to agree with someone's statement.
So for instance, in a dialogue between person A and person B:
A: I like running.
B: So do I!
Notice that person A has said a positive sentence.
But what happens in a negative sentence?
This is where we need to concentrate in English. Because in a negativesentence it's all different.
Dialogue:
A: I don't play the piano
B: Neither do I!
So have fun playing around with that:)
If you are interested in having your own postcard set to send out to friends and family, this is where you can get them:
Www.familiacard.de
Also if you would like them to be in English please send me a DM on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/claudia.markovic
Use #postcardenglish and I'll know what the message is about.
Have a beautiful day:)
Hello:)
Links: https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup/
Have you ever felt really frustrated about learning English? Maybe you've been learning for a while and you still feel - MY ENGLISH SHOULD BE BETTER! Why is it so hard for me? Why can't I find the words? We've all been there, including me when I want to level up on my German. This place of - is it ever going to improve? Am I improving? I'm trying so hard!
I'm here to remind you, it is! When this frustration happens, REJOICE (be happy)! Because it means you are in the process of learning right now. And when you break through your frustration, you will have reached the next level of your English skills. Don't give up! Continue what you are doing.
For those of you who don’t know me my name is Claudia Markovic. And I am an English Coach and trainer. If you would like to accelerate your English learning, or need some support to get through the frustration come and find me on Facebook and join my private group where you can get further input for your English.
Currently there are some videos which tackle the top 5 tenses, so you can build a solid foundation for your English.
Come and join us in the group I look forward to seeing you there.
I hope you have an amazing day in these ever changing times.
Today, I wanted to spend some time ontenses. What do you think the top 5 tenses are in English?
Here is my list:
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Present Simple (for habits and the future)
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Present Continuous (for right now and the future)
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Past Simple (for events in the past)
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Present Perfect (for events that have started in the past and are still relevant now)
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Future simple (for future events and predictions)
Of course there are many tenses in English - 12 to be exact. And if you want to take Activeand Passiveas two separate categories then it's 24! But for the most part you can be understood using the list I have shared above.
Maybe you'd like to master Past Continuous and Present Perfect Continuous as well, just to add a bit of flare to your language - especially if you love English:)
If you'd like to continue to master these tenses or refresh your knowledge
then why not join the BACK TO BASICS GRAMMAR GREATS where you can refresh your grammar and build a solid foundation. Email: claudia(at)connectedtoenglish.com
This is a 5 week course where you will be reminded of the top 5 tenses in English.
Today we are meeting Thomas Neumann!
If you would like to know more about what Thomas does here are the links you need to get hold of him:
Dipl. Ing. Thomas Neumann
Geschäftsführer
Artel.Pro – Expertise I Consulting I Management
linkedin.com/in/thomas-neumann-70a205a1
www.artelpro.de
Is your life still really busy, despite our current situation? Do you still have a hundred and one things to do for work, family and home schooling?
Then let this time for English be your down time. Take a breath, grab your favourite drink and take a few minutes to find three new words or phrases in this text which inspire you.
I'vemanaged to make my life ultra busy in this time, working on ideas, pivoting old ones and working out ways to not cancel everything. Fortunately I noticed this in myself and now I am making time to meditate and to talk to friends. I really enjoy those moments when I've been able to interact with people - even if they're not in the same room as me. It has lifted my spirit and I realise I am still connected to someone. How are you connecting to the people you love at this time?
I’m running a 5 week Back to Basic Grammar Course starting this week on the 18thof April.
If you'd like to take some time out and treat yourself to something you love as well as connect to people with similar interests, you may also want join the BACK TO BASICS Grammar Greats!
In these 5 weekswe will practice the top 5 tenses in English and we will speak, speak, speak.
So it starts:
- Saturday 18th April at 10:15am
- For an hour via zoom.
- Price 75€
- EMAIL: claudia(at)connectedtoenglish.com
You will find further information in the show notes.
If you would like to be part of this experience please email me directly.
Other than that, I wish you all well for the coming week.
Till next time
Stay connected
Why not subscribe to our weekly newsletter? That way you can see and read the story as well. Go to this website and subscribe:
http://bit.ly/2VV7zfYCtoEngNewsletter
Check:
- Which new words pop out at you. Write them down and use them in a new sentence.
Come share your inspiring words with me on facebook: @connectedtoeng
Welcome to this Bonus episode, where we will be speaking to our special guest, Christiane Stolze.
I wanted to create a space where we can still be connected to other people during this coronavirus time and not forget about the beautiful people we have around us and with whom we can still communicate.
If you would like follow Christiane, here are her details:
www.christianestolze.com
instagram.com/christianestolzeinterior
m.facebook.com/christianestolzeinterior
If you would like to connect to Connected to English here are the links:
Facebook: @connectedtoeng
Instagram: @connectedtoenglish
Links: Private Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup/
Facebook: @connecttoeng
Instagram: @connectedtoenglish
Email: claudia[at]connectedtoenglish.com
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter: http://bit.ly/2VV7zfYCtoEngNewsletter
Hello! Hello!
How is everybody holding up during this time? Please come find me on Facebook connectedtoeng. I’d really love to hear from you.
I'm keeping busy by continuing to develop my online English concepts and teaching my students via Zoom. Even the English group classes have moved to zoom and we’re busy having fun there.
So let’s begin with our story–(Flowers on my Balcony)
Subscribe to the newsletter to read the full story: http://bit.ly/2VV7zfYCtoEngNewsletter
-
Remember to check:
-
Which vocabulary is new for you?
-
Can you use those words in a sentence?
-
Choose a notebook for your English and write down what you're learning.
Remember you can find us on Facebook @connectedtoeng
There’s also a private facebook group called Connected to English Group. We are busy doing the Back to Basics Grammar review where we are covering the main Grammar points which are most used in English. So if that is of interest to you. Go and join the English community on Facebook. All the links will be in the show notes below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedtoenglishgroup/
Hello! Hello! All you English fans
Greetings to all on this beautiful sunny day:) The sun is shining in Leipzig. And I am experiencing warmish weather on my balcony. (Practicing social distancing you know)
Ooh! Did I just say warmish? What doeswarm-ISHmean?
Did you know you can almost end any adjective with -ish in English? Try it! Choose an adjective and add -ish. Pretty-ish, ugly-ish, tall-ish, ....
-ISH is a useful suffix(ending) to add when something is almost warm but not quite. Something is almost red but not quite. The flowers were reddish.
It works with some nouns as well. You go to a restaurant and try something new – What does it taste like? It tastes coffee-ish. Yes, it tastes somewhat like coffee but not quite.
Would you like a weekly reading practice and stay up to date with the latest offers? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the rest of the story a week before you hear it! Click (or copy and paste into the browser) the link to subscribe: http://bit.ly/2VV7zfYCtoEngNewsletter
So try it this week. Find someone to practice with or come and post your sentence on
Facebook(you'll find the page on @connectedtoeng) and share it me. I would personally love to know which sentences you are using with –ish
Stay strong in this time!
Till next week!
And stay connected
Hello all you English Fans!
Since we can’t ignore the fact that the Coronavirus is the central theme at the moment, I thought I would take this time to help shift the focus a little in this strange but real situation.
Personally I’m experiencing different emotions. On the one hand I’m quite relaxed about everything and am happy to go with the flow. On the other hand I'm going through a range of emotions as I notice how people’s lives are being rearranged by this situation.
I am taking this opportunity to reflect on life, the universe and everything. And learning to trust the process of life. How are you responding to it? Is life carrying on as normal for you? Are you being more creative? Have you got more on your plate than usual? Maybe you need to stay home with your kids or stay home altogether because you have been quarantined.
So, with all these thoughts running through our heads I thought we could think about this question “What can I be grateful for in my life right now?” It could be the tiniest thing. For me it's my beautiful flowers that are blooming on my balcony and the fact that I can have afternoon coffee with my partner on a Tuesday afternoon. What are you grateful for? Write it down – in English:)
I have an evening ritual where I write down three things every day which I'm grateful for and it always cheers me up.
Come share your bright moments with me on the
Facebook page @connectedtoeng
Let’s shine a light together.
On that note:
Stay healthy
Hello hello everyone!
Welcome to this podcast where we help you to grow a habit to listen to English through short stories and tips on a weekly basis so you can stay in touch with your English. Learn new words. Listen to sentence structures and your own discoveries.
Let’s begin…
(If you would like to read the story, subscribe to the weekly newsletter by clicking the link: http://bit.ly/2VV7zfYCtoEngNewsletter)
Check:
-
Write down any new words or phrases in a dedicated notebook for your English
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Grammar - I used the past perfect twice. Why?
Also remember:
We do have a weekly newsletter with the story, which you get a week before. If you’d like a weekly reading habit subscribe to the newsletter by clicking the link in the show notes.
You can also find us on Facebook @onnectedtoeng
And Instagram @connectedtoenglish.
If you have found this podcast useful and you know of other people who will benefit from it, please pass on the good news. I Look forward to speaking to you next week.
In the mean time
Stay connected
Hello all you English Fans!
So, a lot of you have probably learned English at school or you've done an English course (or both!) but now what?! Have you been using your English consistently since then? Have you been able to practice, improve and maintain your English on a weekly basis to keep it active in your brain?
If your answer is YES! That's fantastic:) Keep going! and let this podcast be part of your weekly English listening habit.
If your answer is NO. You're in the right place, because this podcast is here to help you build English into your weekly routine! So, well done for being here! High fives.
This of course reminds me of a little story...
Before you listen notice:
Which vocabulary is new for you? Write it down
Are you surprised by any of the grammar? Write it down
Write down everything that you’ve discovered in a little notebook dedicated to your English.
Let’s begin
(Listen to the story)
As I said earlier this podcast is the first step in the right direction. By listening to the podcast you start a weekly listening habit. And you start to incorporate English regularly into your life. Which is what you want to be doing. The only way to keep a language alive is to be interacting with it as often as possible.
If you would like a weekly reading habit, sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Link: http://bit.ly/CtoEnewsletter
Here you will be able to read the story a week in advance and then check the pronunciation, intonation and generally how it's spoken with the podcast. It’s a very basic page so don’t get a fright. It’s still a work in progress.
PS You can also connect with us on Facebook @connectedtoeng
https://www.facebook.com/connectedtoeng/
CluedUpp Detective Day Leipzig
If you’d like more input and support you can find us on Facebook @connectedtoeng or Instagram at @connectedtoenglish.
The rest of the show notes will be posted in a weeks time:)
Hello English Fans!
Welcome to the first ever episode on our Connected to English podcast. I’m really excited to be using this technology to help you improve your English listening skills! This is where you can practice and strengthen your listening skills each week through a little story. Our first one is all about Wacky Weather, since we’ve been having some whacky weather due to a few storms.
Ready to get started!
I'm currently sitting in my flat watching the whacky weather – changing from dark clouds to sunshine to storm. I don't know why but the crows seem to be enjoying this weather the most. Everytime it clears up they take to the sky and fly in their flock (or should I say murder - after all it's a flock of birds, but a murder of crows) .Personally, I'm quite happy to be indoors.
Check yourself:
Did you understand all the words?
What was new for you?
Why not post your thoughts on our facebook page @connectedtoeng
We’d love to hear from you. Till next week.