E 4 P 's Walk and Talk English
Communicate Eloquently & Effectively in English
1 Edinburgh, capital of Scotland, U.K.
INTERMEDIATE 4
From The Economist.
"The benefits of speaking more than one language."
Language is an essential component of how the brain functions throughout life.
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”
– Ludwig Wittgenstein
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Language fuels our brain, frames our thoughts, and makes complex communication possible.
The truth about the bilingual brain.
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The brain, like any muscle, likes to exercise, and as it turns out, being fluent in two or more languages is one of the best ways to keep it fit and keep degenerative disorders like dementia at bay. In fact, bilingual people show noticeable symptoms of Alzheimer’s nearly five years later than people who are monolingual and only speak one language. That’s significantly longer than what the best modern medicines can offer. Amazingly enough, this advantage is noticeable even in people who are illiterate.
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Q 1,100,000: Do you think that speaking two languages will help you or your parents to not get Alzheimer's in the future?
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True bilingualism also offers a more specific and distinct benefit to those who regularly speak two or more languages at a native level, and crucially, switch between them on a regular basis. The brains of Puerto Rican New Yorkers who used both Spanish and English in their daily lives were indeed more nimble and agile than those of monolinguals. A study of Singaporeans who grew up with and used their native Asian tongue and English regularly came to a similar conclusion.
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The cultural case is also worth examining, as is answering this important question: Does speaking more than one language help us feel more connected to the world, or “gain a second soul”?
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Q 1,150,000: Do you think differently when you talk in English?
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Q 1,154,000: Do you have different memories in English than in Portuguese?
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Q 1,165,000: Do you think that speaking a second language changes your personality a bit?
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Q 1,176,000: Do you read different articles now that you speak English?
The bi-cultural bonus.
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Languages help us to make sense of the world and can even influence the way we see and describe it, as a recent study examining German and English speakers shows. There’s also no doubt that a Finnish and Arabic speaker, for example, would describe the world differently. After all, Arabic hardly needs 40 words or expressions related to snow as Finnish does, and there’s likely to be a noticeable difference in how a Finn describes, perhaps even experiences, a winter wonderland as a result.
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Q 1,187,000: What words do you need in Portuguese that you will probably never use in English?
Indeed, learning another language not only helps us to see the world from a different perspective, but it can even impact the way we think about it. As Dr Panos Athanasopoulos, an expert in linguistics and bilingualism, puts it: “There’s an inextricable link between language, culture, and cognition”.
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Many studies support this, showing that people who speak different languages score higher in tests that measure open-mindedness and cultural sensitivity and have an easier time seeing things from a different (cultural) perspective. Bilingualism, therefore, seems to make people bicultural (or multicultural if you speak more than two languages), a significant advantage in today’s borderless world, and a vital skill when travelling and getting to know new cultures and people.
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Q 1,198,000: Do you agree? Do you think that speaking two languages helps to open your mind?
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Q 1,201,000: Do you understand the world, or culture, more now that you understand two languages?
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The business case for bilingualism.
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The benefits of bilingualism don’t end there, however. Studies in Switzerland, Britain, Canada, and India, as well as our very own EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), highlight the financial rewards associated with bilingualism or multilingualism at all levels.
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A Swiss study, for example, noted that multilingualism is estimated to contribute 10 percent of Switzerland’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), proving that the language skills of workers open up more markets to Swiss businesses, greatly benefiting the economy as a whole. In Britain, on the other hand, the cost of the country’s stubborn attachment to the English language and unwillingness to significantly invest in learning other languages has been estimated to be as high as £48bn a year, or a staggering 3.5 percent of GDP.
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Q 1,205,000: Do you believe that those who speak two languages help to increase your country's GDP or generate more jobs?
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For businesses, the language skills of their workers – be it a language spoken in a new market they’re expanding to, or English, the global lingua franca – are just as important. In an Economist Intelligence Unit study, quoted in the 2014 EF EPI, nearly 90 percent of managers said that better cross-border communication would improve the bottom line, while another study noted that 79 percent of companies that had invested in the English skills of their workers, had seen an increase in sales.
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Q 1,205,001: Is it important to speak English in your profession? Is there a benefit for your company?
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At the individual level, the benefits of bilingualism are a little harder to quantify, mainly because they depend on the industry, location, and level of employment. A 2010 study in Canada, for example, showed that bilingual workers earned between 3-7 percent more than their monolingual peers.
Speaking both of the country’s official languages – English and French – helped people earn more, even if they weren’t required to speak that second language on the job. In the U.S, studies have shown that speaking a foreign language can increase your salary by (at least) 1.5-3.8 percent, with German skills having the highest value due to their relative scarcity and Germany’s importance to global trade. In India, this premium was even more notable, with those who spoke English earning, on average, 34 percent more per hour.
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Q 1,205,025: Does 5% more on your salary compensate for the investment of money and time studying English?
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Bilingual or multilingual managers are also increasingly valued and sought after. Recruiters and industry leaders consider them to be better equipped to manage both global business relationships and teams.
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Q 1,205,055: Is English only important if you are a manager or director, or at all levels?
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Bilingual is better. Period.
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There are clear and very tangible benefits to being bilingual. Although there is limited proof that growing up bilingual gives children a significant cognitive edge. However, lifelong learning, and using a second language regularly does indeed seem to make our brains more nimble and resilient. The economic benefits, moreover, can be substantial. Speaking more languages also makes us more open-minded and helps us feel more connected to other cultures and to the world. Who knows – bilingualism might even foster peace and understanding at a global level. If that’s not a good reason to learn another language, I don’t know what is.
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Q 1,212,075: Do you think that a bi-lingual world could help to reduce racism? Could it increase tolerance in society?
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Present Perfect & Past Tense questions
a: Have you been to Oxford Street?
b: Have you been to Oxford Street last year?
a: Have you been to the fashion exposition last week?
b: Have you been to the fashion exposition?
a: Have you ever eaten Madras curry?
b: Have you eaten Madras curry this week?
c: Have you eaten Madras curry yesterday?
a: Have you spoken to your mother last week?
b: Have you spoken to your mother this week?
a: Have you ever been to Munich?
b: Did you go to Munich?
a: Have you been to Eldorado Shopping Centre?
b: Did you go to Eldorado Shopping Centre?
a: Did you go to the world cup?
b: Did you go to the world cup in 2018?
c: Have you ever been to the world cup?
a: Did you go to the Olympics in Rio in 2016?
b: Have you been to the Olympics in Rio in 2016?
a: Have you drunk coffee with milk yesterday?
b: Did you drink coffee with milk yesterday?
c: Have you drunk coffee with milk today?
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a: Have you finished the project?
b: Have you finished the project last week?
a: Did you finish the project last week?
b: Have you finished the project last week?
a: Did you call the Consulate today?
b: Have you called the Consulate today?
a: Have you designed the website yet?
b: Did you design the website yet?
a: Did you send an email to the Federal Police today?
b: Have you sent an email to Federal Police today?
c: Have you sent an email to Federal Police yesterday?
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Re-write the Present Perfect & Past Tense questions
a: Have been you to London?
b: Have you to been London this year?
c: Have been to you the food exposition week this?
d: You have been to the London food exposition?
e: Have you ever chicken tikka eaten?
f: You eaten have feijoada this week?
g: Have you chicken tikka eaten today?
h: Spoken you have to your mother this week?
i: You a lot worked to have this week?
j: You have been to Manchester?
k: Did you go to Manchester year last?
l: You have been to a Canadian shopping mall?
m: You go did to Canadian shopping mall last week?
n: You go to the world cup did in 2018?
o: Did go you to the world cup in 2018?
p: Ever have you been to the world cup?
q: Did you to go the Olympics in Rio in 2016?
r: Ever have you been to the Olympics?
s: You have drunk Irish coffee today?
t: You did drink Irish coffee yesterday?
u: You have Irish coffee drunk today?
v: You have finished the project example?
w: You finish did the project example last week?
x: You did finish the project example last week?
y: Finished you have the project example this week?
z: You did call the patient yesterday?
bb (double b): You have called the patient today?
cc: Have you the designed website?
dd: You did design the website last week?
ee: Did you an email send to the Embassy yesterday?
ff: Have you an email sent to the Embassy today?
gg: You have sent an email to the Embassy this week?
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"7 Steps for Creating the Life YOU Want."
April 27, 2016, by Jack Canfield.
We all aspire to do, be, and have great things. Yet most of us simply haven't created the successful life we want, yet.
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Q 2,350,260: Have you already created the life you want?
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We complain that we don't have enough money, romance, success, or joy in our lives. We point fingers and blame outside problems that "happen" to us and make life more difficult. But what we need to understand and keep at the forefront of our minds is that greatness exists in all of us. It is simply up to us to pull it out of ourselves.
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Q 2,355,270: Have problems, relationships, health or circumstances prevented you from achieving success?
Regardless of personal circumstances, economic climates, and access to resources, it helps to maintain faith in the fact that we are each more powerful than we think. We all have the ability to create the life we want. We just need to learn how to do it.
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Is there an exact "formula"? No, but there are certain common features that successful people exhibit and that anyone can practice. They are features that make it possible to jumpstart your success and attract what you want in life. It is difficult to find any high achiever who doesn't live by the following 7 tips:
1. Take No Less than 100% Responsibility for Your Life.
One of the greatest myths that is pervasive in our culture today is the idea that you are entitled to a great life – and that somehow, somewhere, someone is responsible for filling our lives with continual happiness, exciting career options, nurturing family time, and blissful personal relationships simply because we exist.
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But the real truth is that there is only one person responsible for the quality of the life you live. That person is you.
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Everything about you is a result of your doing or not doing. Income. Debt. Relationships. Health. Fitness level. Attitudes and behaviours.
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Q 2,551,380: This is not true, because an accident can change your life, and so can bad health or a death in the family. What do you think?
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I think everyone knows this in their hearts, but the mind can play games, tricking plenty of people into thinking external factors are the source of failure, disappointment, and unhappiness. But the truth of the matter is that external factors don't determine how you live. You are in complete control of the quality of your life.
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Successful people take full responsibility for the thoughts they think, the images they visualize, and the actions they take. They don't waste their time and energy blaming and complaining. They evaluate their experiences and decide if they need to change them or not. They face the uncomfortable and take risks in order to create the life they want to live.
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Q 2,662,490: Do you complain a lot about your life, a little bit, or are you proactive about changing your life?
2. Be Clear Why You're Here.
I believe each of us is born with a life purpose. Identifying, acknowledging, and honouring this purpose is perhaps the most important action successful people take.
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They take the time to understand what they're here to do, and then they pursue that purpose with passion and enthusiasm.
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Q 2,763,500: Do you pursue your dreams with passion?
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If you don't know what you're supposed to be doing, tune in to the signals around you. Looking toward others for help and guidance is helpful, but don't forget to stay tuned in to yourself—your behavior, attitude, likes and dislikes, and life experiences. Identify what's working and what isn't. If you need to, write it all down. You might be surprised by what you discover.
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3. Decide What You Want.
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It sounds so simple, but here's the problem: I see plenty of people who are overly-busy yet who feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled. They are physically tired, spiritually drained, and far from where they'd like to be—as if they've been running on a treadmill going nowhere fast.
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Q 3,856,750: Do you know anybody who is very successful but has no social life? Always busy, always tired, and always stressed?
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Why? Because they haven't clearly mapped out what they want and then taken the steps to get there. Rather than identifying specific goals, milestones, and dreams (and I'm talking BIG dreams and goals here), they go through the motions day in and day out tackling unimportant tasks. They end up...you guessed it...going in circles and wasting lots of energy. In the meanwhile, they grow increasingly uninspired and out of touch with their authentic selves. This, of course, sets anyone up to living a life out of balance.
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One of the main reasons why most people don't get what they want is they haven't decided what they want. They haven't defined their desires in clear and compelling detail. What does success look like to you? Not everybody's definition of success is the same, nor should it be.
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Q 3,950,741: Have you decided what you want in your life next year? After five years? After 10 years?
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Don't let your inner devil's advocate (or that incessant, but important, To-Do list) inhibit you from dreaming big. As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You'll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, but they also compel others to want to play big, too.
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4. Believe It Is Possible.
Scientists used to believe that humans responded to information flowing into the brain from the outside world. But today, they're learning that instead, we respond to what the brain, based on previous experience, expects to happen next. In fact, the mind is such a powerful instrument, it can deliver literally everything you want. But you have to believe that what you want is possible.
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As you commit to believing in yourself, also make a commitment to toning down the complaint department. Look at what you are complaining about:
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I'm fat. I'm tired. I can't get out of debt. I won't ever get a better job. I can't stand the relationship I have with my father. I'll never find a soul mate in life.
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Q 4,655,655: Do you complain a lot about yourself?
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Really examine your complaints. More than likely you can do something about them. They are not about other people, other things, or other events. They are about YOU.
5. Believe in Yourself.
If you are going to be successful in creating the life of your dreams, you must believe that you are capable of making it happen. Whether you call it self-esteem, self-confidence, or self-assurance, it is a deep-seated belief that you have what it takes; the abilities, inner resources, talents, and skills to create your desired results.
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Q 5,570,325: Do you believe in your abilities?
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Have unwavering faith in yourself, for good and bad. Make the decision to believe that you create all your experiences. You will experience successes thanks to you, and you will experience pain, struggle, and strife thanks to you. It sounds a little strange, but accepting this level of responsibility is uniquely empowering. It means you can do, change, and be anything. Stumbling blocks become just that—little hills to hop over.
6. Become an Inverse Paranoid.
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This one is straightforward: Imagine how much easier it would be to succeed in life if you were constantly expecting the world to support you and bring you an opportunity. Successful people do just that.
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Q 6,278,297: Do you believe that the government needs to help you? Or do you believe that you need to be proactive and organise your future?
7. Unleash the Power of Goal Setting.
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Experts on the science of success know the brain is a goal-seeking organism. Whatever goal you give to your subconscious mind, it will work day and night to achieve. To engage your subconscious mind, a goal has to be measurable. When there aren't any criteria for measurement, it is simply something you want, a wish, a preference, or a good idea.
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Sometimes we need to make just one initial goal to get started, and that's okay. At least it comes with a few actions to achieve. A first step simply can be making an immediate change in a single area in your life. Are you unhappy about something that is happening right now? Make requests that will make it more desirable to you, or take the steps to change it yourself.
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Q 7,134,000: What goals do you have for this year? Next year? The next five years?
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Remember that self-motivated people win at life so always push yourself to accomplish your goals and learn new skills.
If you want a different outcome, change your behaviour.
Making a change might be uncomfortable and overwhelming for you. It might mean you have to put in more time, money, and effort. It might mean that someone gets upset about it, or makes you feel bad about your decision. It might be difficult to change or leave a situation, but staying put is your choice so why continue to complain? You can either do something about it or not. It is your choice and you have responsibility for your choices.
Pro tip: Use daily affirmations to focus on your goals and reprogram your subconscious mind.
Bear in mind that you have to be willing to change your behaviour if you want a different outcome. You have to be willing to take the risks necessary to get what you want. If you've already taken an initial step in the right direction, now's the time to plan more steps to keep moving you forward faster. That's how people become successful!
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Isn't it a great relief to know that you can make your life what you want it to be? Isn't it wonderful that your successes do not depend on someone else?
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So, if you need just one thing to do differently today than you did yesterday, make it this: Commit to taking 100% responsibility for every aspect of your life. Decide to make changes, one step at a time. Once you start the process you'll discover it is much easier to get what you want by taking control of your thoughts.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul®and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
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Grammar.
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Would have / should have / could have
Would have = teria
Should have = deveria ter
Could have = poderia ter
Translate the following:
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a: If I’d had 50 R$ yesterday, I would have drunk some beer.
Se eu tivesse tido 50R$ ontem, ......................................
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b: If I’d gone to Outback yesterday, I would have eaten ribs.
Se eu tivesse ido ao Outback ontem, ...............................
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c: Had you told me earlier, I would have brought your book.
Se tivesse me contado mais cedo, ....................................
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d: I would have helped you with your problem if you had asked me.
………………………………………………………………….. se você tivesse pedido.
e: I should have paid my bills on time.
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f: I should have bought a new telephone before this one broke.
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g: I should have gone to the doctor before I got sicker.
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h: I should have helped you. I’m sorry.
i: I could have taken the vaccine but I preferred to listen to Bolsonaro’s advice. Now I’ve got covid.
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j: I could have invested my money better.
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k: If you had invited me yesterday, I could have met you.
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m: If you had told me about your problem, I could have helped you.
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Grammar: There is, there are, have.
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Which is correct, and which is incorrect?
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​a: There is a bakery on my street.
b: Have a bakery on my street.
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c: Have a very good shopping centre on Avenida Paulista, São Paulo.
d: There are a very good shopping centre on Avenida Paulista, São Paulo.
e: There is a very good shopping centre on Avenida Paulista, São Paulo.
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f: There are two cartons of milk in my fridge.
g: Have two cartons of milk in my fridge.
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h: There is a lot of traffic in my street every day.
i: Have a lot of traffic in my street every day.
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j: There are many cars on my street every day.
k: There is many cars on my street every day.
l: Have many cars on my street every day.
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m: In my company, there are many employees with expensive smartphones.
n: In my company, have many employees with expensive smartphones.
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o: There are many discounts available in shops during a recession.
p: There is many discounts available in shops during a recession.
q: Have many discounts available in shops during a recession.
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r: There isn't a Marketing department in my company.
s: No have a Marketing department in my company.
t: There aren't a Marketing department in my company.
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u: Don't have a shopping centre or a sports centre in my neighbourhood.
v: There isn't a shopping centre or a sports centre in my neighbourhood.
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w: There aren't air conditioning in my house.
x: There isn't air conditioning in my house.
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y: Don't have a competent leader in my department.
z: There isn't a competent leader in my department.
3 Hadrian's Wall. This Roman wall divides England and Scotland.
7 Critical Skills for the Jobs of the Future
By Raya Bidshahri -
Jul 04, 2017
We live in a world of accelerating change. New industries are constantly being born and old ones are becoming obsolete. A report by the World Economic Forum reveals that almost 65 percent of the jobs elementary school students will be doing in the future do not even exist yet. Both the workforce and our knowledge base are rapidly evolving.
Combined with the effects of technological automation on the workforce, this leaves us with a crucial question: What are the skills future generations will need?
Education expert Tony Wagner has spent a lifetime trying to answer this very question. Through investigating the education sector, interviewing industry leaders and studying the global workforce at large, Wagner has identified seven survival skills of the future. These are skills and mindsets young people absolutely need in order to meet their full potential.
1. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving.
We spend so much time teaching students how to answer questions that we often neglect to teach them how to ask them. Asking questions—and asking good ones—is a foundation of critical thinking. Before you can solve a problem, you must be able to critically analyze and question what is causing it. This is why critical thinking and problem-solving are coupled together.
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Q 7,188,999: Do you need to do a lot of critical thinking or problem-solving? For example?
Wagner notes the workforce today is organized very differently than it was a few years ago. What we are seeing are diverse teams working on specific problems, as opposed to specific specialities. Your manager doesn’t have all the answers and solutions—you have to work to find them.
Above all, this skill set builds the very foundation of innovation. We have to have the ability to question the status quo and criticize it before we can innovate and prescribe an alternative.
2. Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by Influence.
One of the major trends today is the rise of the contingent workforce. In the next five years, non-permanent and remote workers are expected to make up 40 percent of the average company’s total workforce. We are even seeing a greater percentage of full-time employees working on the cloud. Multinational corporations are having their teams of employees collaborate at different offices across the planet.
Technology has allowed work and collaboration to transcend geographical boundaries, and that’s truly exciting. However, collaboration across digital networks and with individuals from radically different backgrounds is something our youth needs to be prepared for. According to a New Horizons report on education, we should see an increasing focus on global online collaboration, where “digital tools are used to support interactions around curricular objectives and promote intercultural understanding.”
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Q 80,100,250: Do you reckon that today and in the future, you will need to work with people from different cultures more and more? Is it problematic or more interesting? Or a combination of both?
Within these contexts, leadership among a team is no longer about commanding with top-down authority, but rather about leading by influence. Ultimately, as Wagner points out, “It’s about how citizens make a change today in their local communities—by trying to influence diverse groups and then creating alliances of groups who work together toward a common goal.”
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3. Agility and Adaptability.
We live in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world. Hence, it’s important to be able to adapt and re-define one’s strategy.
In their book, “Critical Thinking: How to Prepare Students for a Rapidly Changing World,” Richard Paul & Dillion Beach note how traditionally our education and work mindset has been designed for routine and fixed procedure. “We learned how to do something once, and then we did it over and over. Learning meant becoming habituated,” they write. “But what is it to learn to continually re-learn? To be comfortable with perpetual re-learning?”
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Q 90,150,387: Are you ok with continuous learning? Or would you prefer to continue doing the same things at work?
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Q 94,150,390: What skills do you reckon you still need to acquire or improve upon?
In the post-industrial era, the impact of technology has meant we have to be agile and adaptive to unpredictable consequences of disruption. We may have to learn skills and mindsets on demand and set aside ones that are no longer required.
4. Initiative and Entrepreneurship.
Traditionally, initiative has been something students show in spite of or in addition to their schoolwork. For most students, developing a sense of initiative and entrepreneurial skills has often been part of their extracurricular activities. With an emphasis on short-term tests and knowledge, most curricula have not been designed to inspire doers and innovators.
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Q 155,255,825: Do you believe the new generation shows initiative or are they lazy?
Are we teaching our youth to lead? Are we encouraging them to take initiative? Are we empowering them to solve global challenges? Throughout his research, Wagner has found that even in corporate settings, business leaders are struggling to find employees who consistently “seek out new opportunities, ideas, and strategies for improvement.”
5. Effective Oral and Written Communication.
A study by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills showed that about 89 percent of employer respondents report high school graduate entrants as “deficient” in communication.
Clear communication isn’t just a matter of proper use of language and grammar. In many ways, communicating clearly is an extension of thinking clearly. Can you present your argument persuasively? Can you inspire others with passion? Can you concisely capture the highlights of what you are trying to say? Can you promote yourself or a product?
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Q 195,255,855: How good are your oral communication skills?
@
a: Zoom meetings?
b: Face to face meetings?
c: With leaders?
d: With foreigners?
e: With executives or CEOs?
f: In English?
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Q 205,250,763: How good are your written communication skills?
a: In your first language?
b: In English?
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Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson has famously said: “Communication is the most important skill any leader can possess.” Like many, he has noted it is a skill that can be learned and consequently used to open many opportunities.
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6. Assessing and Analyzing Information.
We now live in the information age. Every day we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data, and it would fill 10 million Blu-ray disks.
While our access to information has dramatically increased, so has our access to misinformation. While navigating the digital world, very few students have been taught how to assess the source and evaluate the content of the information they access. Moreover, this information is continuously evolving as we update our knowledge base faster than ever before.
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Q 340,000,000: Do you use sites run by reputable sources, or do you get your information and news from FB, WhatsApp, etc?
Furthermore, in the age of fake news, an active and informed citizen will have to be able to assess information from many different sources through a critical lens.
7. Curiosity and Imagination.
Curiosity is a powerful driver of new knowledge and innovation. It is by channelling a child-like sense of awe and wonder about the world that we can truly imagine something even better. It takes powerful imagination to envision breakthroughs and then go about executing them. It is the reason Albert Einstein famously said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
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Q 348,678,456: Do you agree that imagination is more important than knowledge? Why or why not?
We consistently spoon-feed students with information instead of empowering them to ask questions and seek answers. Inquisitiveness and thinking outside the box need to be treated with the same level of importance the school system gives to physics or math.
Transforming the Future of Education.
There is a stark contrast between these seven survival skills of the future and the focus of education today. Instead of teaching students to answer questions, we should teach them to ask them. Instead of preparing them for college, we should prepare them for life.
Beyond creating better employees, we must aim to create better leaders and innovators. Doing so will not only radically transform the future of education and the workforce, but it will also transform the world we live in.
About the author:
Raya Bidshahri Raya is an entrepreneur and science communicator. She is the co-founder of Intelligent Optimism, a social media movement that serves to get people excited about the future in a rational way. Raya is interested in the ethical and existential implications of exponential technologies on society.
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Re-write the Present Perfect & Past Tense questions
a: Have been you to Berlin?
b: Have you to been Berlin this year?
c: Have been to you the yacht exposition week this?
d: You have been to the yacht exposition?
e: Have you ever chicken stroganoff eaten?
f: You eaten have chicken stroganoff this week?
g: Have you chicken stroganoff eaten today?
h: Spoken you have to your mother-in-law this week?
i: You spoken your mother-in-law to have this week?
j: You have been to Manchester?
k: Did you go to Manchester year last?
l: You have been to the fashion show?
m: You go did to fashion show last week?
n: You go to the beer festival did in 2018?
o: Did go you to the beer festival in 2018?
p: Ever have you been to a beer festival?
q: Did you to go the Olympics in Rio in 2016?
r: Ever have you been to the Olympics?
s: You have drunk Irish coffee today?
t: You did drink Irish coffee yesterday?
u: You have Irish coffee drunk today?
v: You have finished your homework?
w: You finish did your homework last week?
x: You did finish your homework last week?
y: Finished you have your homework this week?
z: You did call the boss yesterday?
bb: (double b) You have called the boss today?
ee: Have you the designed house?
ff: You did design the house yesterday?
gg: Did you an email send to the central office yesterday?
ss: Have you an email sent to the central office today?
tt: You have sent an email to the central office this week?
4 Scotland.
THE MUSE.
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3 Times Impatience Is Hurting Your Career (And 3 Times It’s Helping It).
by ALYSE KALISH
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Throughout our lives, we’re told to be a little more patient. From our parents when we complained while waiting in line for a rollercoaster, from our friends when they’re taking forever to get dressed, and even from our managers when we think we’re ready for a promotion or to take on new responsibilities.
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But how often are we really in the wrong? And how often is our impatience, well, acceptable?
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The thing is, like some “bad” qualities, impatience can be a good thing in the right setting. It’s a driving force for some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, and one could argue nothing would get done if we never questioned how long something should take.
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Here are three times your eagerness can be bad for your career, and three times it’s actually beneficial:
It’s Hurting it If: You Expect Big Results Right Away.
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You know this, but the higher your expectations, the more disappointed you’ll ultimately be when they aren’t met. So, when we’re impatient that something’s taking too long to get off the ground, or our careers are moving too slowly, we never fully appreciate the small strides we make along the way.
Q 380,755,366: Are men or women more impatient for a promotion at work?
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Q 380,755,367: Are young people or millenniums more impatient for a promotion at work?
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Achieving some of your biggest goals will take time—and often, they’ll take multiple tries and consist of many failures. Rather than expect everything good to happen right now, be patient that things will happen at the right moment when you’ve put in the right amount of effort.
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It’s Helping it if: You Know Things Should Happen Sooner.
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That said, some things go on longer than you know they should—maybe you’ve done this before in past jobs or know from experience that something’s off.
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Q 380,755,368: Is there a right time to be impatient and ask for a promotion or a raise?
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Let your impatience question systems that are outdated, inefficient, or slow even if you can’t directly change them, you can often start productive conversations on ways to do things better.
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It’s Hurting it If: You’re Too Quick to React.
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You sent someone an email yesterday, and they haven’t gotten back to you yet, so you send them a follow-up email. Then another one or two days later. Then you ping them again on Slack to see if they got your message.
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In the day to day, being impatient in how you communicate will only lead people to ignore you or dislike working with you. No one likes a nag.
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Give people the respectable amount of time to do something, and trust they’ll get it done (and when they don’t meet your deadlines, then you can follow up).
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It’s Helping it If: You’re Proactive.
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However, if your impatience just means that you’re eager to get involved and help out, that’s OK.
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The people who spin their impatience into a positive thing do so by focusing on what they can do rather than what they need from others.
Q 380,755,369: Do you think it's better to be proactive and do something to prove that you deserve a promotion or a raise?
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Otherwise, when you find yourself getting antsy over someone else’s delay, ask yourself:
What systems can I create to encourage people to work faster?
What pieces can I do without them?
What can I get started now to make it easier for them to finish later?
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It’s Hurting it If: You Want to Move Up Before You’re Ready.
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If you’re six months into your job, you probably won’t get promoted. If you’re 23, you’re probably not qualified for a C-level position. If you’re three weeks into a new role, you probably won’t get to represent that next big account.
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These are unfortunately the realities of your career. Sure, there are exceptions to the rule (we all know a friend of a friend who got promoted after only three months), but for the most part, you shouldn’t expect a raise or promotion or some other big career opportunity before you’re truly ready for—and you’ve earned it.
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It’s Helping it If: You Find Ways to Challenge Yourself.
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That said, some of that impatience might just be a form of ambition. Maybe you’re not qualified for a position bump, but you’ve mastered your job and are ready for more responsibility, so you talk to your boss about taking on new projects. Or, you pick up a side gig. Or, you decide to learn to code so you can fix your site’s problems on your own.
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Q 435,255,005: Do you have time to take on extra challenges?
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Impatience can be an amazing thing when it’s converted into drive. It forces you to think of new and different places to take your career, push yourself a bit further, and ultimately achieve your goals.
Read More: How to Know if You’re Being Ambitious—or Just Plain Old Impatient
Impatience gets a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. However, when you choose to turn it into something productive and motivating, it can have a huge, positive effect on your career.
The key is knowing when it’s acceptable to push forward, and when it’s better to wait it out.
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As an Associate Editor for The Muse, Alyse is proud to prove that yes, English majors can change the world. She calls many places home, including Illinois where she grew up and the small town of Hamilton where she attended Colgate University, but she was born to be a New Yorker. In addition to being an avid writer, Alyse loves to dance, both professionally and while waiting for the subway.
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Grammar. 'His', 'her' or 'your'? Choose the correct word.
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​a: Mirella picked up his / her / your book.
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b: Marcio picked up his / her / your book.
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c: Lorena bought his / her / your handbag yesterday.
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d: Marcio bought his / her / your wife a handbag yesterday.
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Observation: As you can see, 'your' is ALWAYS wrong. Never use it!
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e: Eduardo finished reading his / her / your book yesterday.
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f: Mirella finished reading his / her / your book yesterday.
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g: Did Lorena forget his / her / your keys?
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h: Did Marcos forget his / her / your keys?
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i: Lorena spoke to his / her / your father yesterday.
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j: Marcio spoke to his / her / your father yesterday.
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k: Lorena spoke to his / her / your mother two days ago.
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l: Marcio spoke to his / her / your mother two days ago.
5 Loch Ness, Scotland.
RICHARD FLORIDA SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL PUBLISHED MARCH 14, 2014.
JUNE 5, 2017
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People see cities as more than just where they happened to find a job. A major Gallup survey identified "quality of place" as the single most important source of civic satisfaction. The more beautiful, welcoming and diverse the city, the happier and more prosperous its residents will be.
How does a community meet this challenge? We asked Richard Florida, director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management and global research professor at New York University, to pinpoint the most crucial principles for building a better city.
1. UP, NOT OUT
Sustainability, as well as success in the modern knowledge economy, requires density, the clustering of people. Clearly, we need to reduce urban sprawl, but supply and demand have made living downtown in major cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, New York, and San Francisco increasingly unaffordable. We have to build more housing, a lot more, and the only way to go is up.
Q 435,356,835: Do you reckon that it is very expensive to rent a place to work or open a business in cities these days? Can you give some examples?
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Q 435,675,911: Why is there more creativity in big cities than in smaller ones?
2 TRANSIT IS THE TICKET
Just as investment in rail and roads once spurred growth, a new round of spending on urban transit can spark denser development and greater human connectivity.
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Q 458,200,000: Does good public transport help to build a city's infrastructure to create more jobs?
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3. NO FREE RIDES
We buy tickets to travel by train, bus, and plane, so why give car drivers a free pass, especially when it amounts to a giant subsidy for suburban development? It’s time for people to pay for the roads they use, ideally by charging a sliding rate for different times of the day. This will not only reduce congestion but encourage development that goes up rather than out.
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Q 545,212,300: Should cars pay road tax based on each mile that they use?
4. SHARE THE WEALTH
To make cities more affordable and equitable, urban growth must be more inclusive, and of benefit to all economic classes. This requires upgrading millions of precarious jobs in the service sector. Research shows that higher pay makes employees more engaged and innovative, which improves customer service and promotes prosperity across the board.
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Q 545,213,301: How can we guarantee that people in the services sector, (supermarket cashiers, delivery boys, nurses, waitresses, bus drivers, etc) people who risked their health and their lives during the pandemic, receive the salaries that they deserve?
5. DIVERSITY = CREATIVITY
Diversity can make a city a cauldron of creativity, but as musical innovators, David Byrne and Moby have lamented, great cities are becoming so expensive that creative people are being edged out. To remain fertile, they must be affordable to all – artists as well as techies and professionals.
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Q 545,213,302: Do you agree that a greater diversity of people produces greater creativity and more jobs?
6. KEEP IT GREEN
Long at war with nature, many cities have improved their environmental records, but they can do better. They also must be more resilient, a requirement illustrated dramatically by recent natural disasters from ice storms to hurricanes.
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Q 545,213,303: Do you consider your city green? Do you think that parks, trees, flowers, and less pollution are fundamental to the well-being of people?
7. SAFETY FOR ALL
Canadians assume our cities to be safe, but elsewhere there remains great danger. From the slums of the global south to the “sacrifice zones” of such places as Newark, Detroit, Chicago’s South Side and Oakland, there are still killing fields, and not nearly enough is being done to halt the violence.
Q 545,213,304: How much more tax would you be prepared to contribute from your salary towards more police, better policing, and safer streets in your community? 1%? 5%? 10%? 20%?
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8. DESIGN FOR HEALTH
Cities are said to be the only organisms whose metabolic rate increases with size: They prosper because they speed goods, people, and ideas around. But favouring the automobile also promotes obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes – which is why its mayor has put Oklahoma City on a diet. We can design cities for better health, lowering the cost of care in the process.
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Q 545,213,312: Do you think that city councils should promote better health? Or do you think it is up to the individual to decide?
9. BE FAMILY FRIENDLY
The resurgence of cities is driven in part by their attractiveness to young singles as well as empty-nesters. But too many places, especially in the United States, are on their way to becoming childless. They could learn from Toronto, which I consider an urban “family zone,” despite pressure from rising housing prices. Great cities have decent schools, safe streets, good jobs, and affordable housing, all of which should make them friendly to families, be they gay or straight, rich or poor, or from any ethnic or racial group.
6 Edinburgh, Scotland.
Forbes reported West's net worth had reached $1.3 billion last April 2020.
New York (CNN Business)Kanye West officially became a billionaire at the end of 2020. Now, he's worth $6.6 billion.
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The 43-year-old rapper turned fashion and athletic shoe mogul is now worth $6.6 billion, according to Bloomberg.
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545,213,313: Good money to live on, or pocket money for you?
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The vast majority of West's wealth is tied up in his apparel businesses: The combined value of West's Yeezy sneaker partnership with Adidas and his clothing line with the Gap is worth a combined $3.2 billion to $4.7 billion, according to a UBS report published in February.
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545,213,314: Will he be able to sustain his deal with Adidas and Gap for 10 years? Or do you think he will give up?
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West has an additional $1.7 billion in other assets, including a major investment in his estranged wife Kim Kardashian's Skims shapewear line.
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545,213,315: Kanye West seems to know how to invest his money. Do you agree?
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His music catalog is worth $110 million, and he holds $122 million in cash and stock, according to Bloomberg.
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Gap and West announced their 10-year partnership in June 2020.
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545,213,316: Why do so many rappers know how to make money from clothing? Or do they have expert marketing teams?
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Adidas, meanwhile, expanded its partnership with Ye in 2016 after a successful multi-year run with his Yeezy sneaker line. The German sports apparel company called its deal with West "the most significant partnership ever created between a non-athlete and an athletic brand." West's high-end athletic shoes routinely sell out within minutes of going on sale online.
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545,213,317: Why did Adidas make a deal with a non-athlete? Kanye West is a rapper, not a footballer, boxer, basketball star or swimmer.
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West also filed for a trademark for a Yeezy beauty line last June.
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545,213,318: Would you buy products from his beauty line?
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Photo 7: The Pantanal
600,000: Does it worry you how many animals lost their lives in the deliberate fires and destruction of the Pantanal and Amazonia?
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655,829: Is there a solution?
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723,987: Will the destruction of Amazonia and the Pantanal affect negatively on Brazil's ability to export or to be respected in the world?
Eillean Dollan Castle, Scotland.
Photo 8: Scotland
Harvard Business School news
U.S. Businesses Must Take Meaningful Action Against Racism
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and
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The United States is in crisis. As we write this article, videos of racial violence and racist threats toward Black people in America flood social and news media channels. Public demonstrations against injustice are happening in at least 30 localities. During non-violent protests, other parties have engaged in vandalism and looting, spurring varied and often disproportionate police response. Several cities are burning, while Covid-19 continues to rage throughout the country, hitting minority communities the hardest.
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​
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What Leaders Must Do Today to Address Systemic Racism
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How do we start real conversations about race in our organizations?​
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​In a week that focused on “reopening the economy,” everyone has become keenly aware that there is more than one pandemic affecting U.S. lives and local economies. As the American Psychological Association has declared, “we are living in a racism pandemic” too. World leaders are weighing in. The United Nations has urged action from U.S. authorities.
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No matter your racial, political, or other identity, these events are almost impossible to escape. In particular, millions of Black people and their allies are hurting. And these issues are not ones that organizations or their leaders — from CEOs at the top of the hierarchy to team managers on the frontline — can ignore.
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777,888: Is the U.S.A the only country with racial problems? Why or why not?
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856,912: Is there a solution to racism, or just a gradual reduction of it?
Photo 9: Dublin
"Making Sense of People."
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Extraversion.
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Is the tendency to actively reach out to others. People high in extraversion are stimulated by the social world, like to be the centre of attention and often take charge. They also like excitement and are inclined to be upbeat, fun-loving, full of energy, and to experience positive emotions.
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People low in extraversion are less interested in interpersonal interactions. and tend to be reserved and quiet. But their relative lack of interesting in being with other people need not indicate that they do not like them, or that they are socially anxious or depressed; they may just prefer to be alone.
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912,256,343: Do you think that you are high, low or average in extraversion?
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Agreeableness.
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Is the tendency to be altruistic, cooperative, and good-natured. People high in good-naturedness are considerate, compassionate, helpful, and willing to compromise. They truly like people and assume that everyone is decent and trustworthy.
People low on agreeableness are more self-interested than altruistic, more competitive than cooperative, and likely to be skeptical of others' intentions. They also tend to be cold, antagonistic, and disrespectful of the rights of others.
​912,256,443: Do you consider yourself a VERY agreeable person? Why or why not?
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Conscientiousness.
Is the tendency to control impulses and to tenaciously pursue goals. people high in conscientiousness are orderly, reliable, hardworking, neat, and punctual. they tend to plan ahead and think things through. They are more interested in long-term than short-term goals.
People low in conscientiousness are more spontaneous, less constrained, less dutiful, and less achievement-oriented. Although Conscientiousness shows up prominently in the performance of tasks, it also influences interpersonal relationships.
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913,556,443: Do you consider that you are conscientious about the actions that you take, or do you not worry too much?
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Neuroticism.
Is the tendency to have negative feelings, particularly in reaction to perceived social threats. People high in Neuroticism are emotionally unstable, tend to be upset by minor threats or frustrations, and are often in a bad mood. They are prone to anxiety, depression, embarrassment, self-doubt, self-consciousness, anger, and guilt.
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People low on Neuroticism are emotionally stable, calm, composed, and unflappable. But their freedom from negative feelings does not mean that they are particularly inclined to have positive feelings
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914,556,443: Are you a little bit neurotic sometimes or in some situations?
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Openness
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Openness is the tendency to be imaginative and enjoy novelty and variety. People who are high in Openness tend to be artistic, non-conformist, intellectual, aware of their feelings, and comfortable with new ideas.
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People low in Openness prefer the simple, straightforward, familiar, and obvious to the complex, ambiguous, novel, and subtle.. They tend to be conventional, conservative, and resistant to change. Although people who are high on openness enjoy the life of the mind, openness is not identical with intelligence. Highly intelligent people can be high or low on openness.
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914,556,843: How open are you to the following, and why or why not? Give explanations for your answers:
a: New ideas?
b: New technology?
c: New methods?
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d: Different opinions?
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e: Different cultures?
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Recognising the usefulness of such evocative words as brainy, lazy, hard-worker, stupid, etc, psychiatrists have come up with vocabulary for the potentially troublesome personality patterns that they observe in their practices.
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A committee of experts described 10 that they felt were critically important. Here are a few:
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ANTI-SOCIAL - a pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others.
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COMPULSIVE - (obsessive-compulsive) a pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control.
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DEPENDENT - a pattern of submissive and clinging behaviour related to an excessive need to be taken care of.
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HISTRIONIC - a pattern of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking.
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NARCISSISTIC - a pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy.
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PARANOID - a pattern of distrust and suspiciousness such that others' motives are interpreted as malevolent.
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SCHIZOTYPAL - a pattern of acute discomfort in close relationships, cognitive or perceptual distortions, and eccentricities of behaviour.
Photo 10: Valletta, capital of Malta.
An eccentric loner: Mr Noitrix.
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Many of us know people who like to be alone. Here is a man who is very different. He loves being alone; as much as possible in fact.
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"I have been thinking recently whether my life is so unnatural/weird if I compare myself to others, but for me, my life isn't weird or strange at all.
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I mean, I have never really had an interest in making friends. I had only two friends in my entire life, but I have no one at the moment. I do not feel loneliness, sadness or anything like that. For me, loneliness as a feeling does not exist because I always wanted to be a loner.
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In my free time, I don't go anywhere. I don't have any friends and I don't want anyone, really. I don't want to be even with my family. At school, I don't talk to anyone. I have no desire to get close to anyone; in fact, I love to be alone. I don't know how it is possible, but I'm not attracted to girls - but I'm not attracted to boys, either. Never had a girlfriend because I never wanted one because I find it pointless/useless. I don't think I'll ever fall in love. I feel like I'm asexual.
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I don't really care what people say about me. I don't feel anything when someone praises or criticises me. Also, I avoid eye contact when I meet strangers.
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If I have to spend a lot of time with others, I feel like they suck out life energy from me and I need to spend a great deal of time alone in order to regenerate. I hate rumours. I hate gossip, and I hate small talk.
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My only goal in life is to achieve my dreams. Everything else is meaningless. Friendship/love doesn't mean anything to me."
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914,556,863: What kind of jobs could Noitrix fit into well?
"The Beaches are my Classrooms!"
Photo11: "The Beaches Are My Classrooms!". E4P Intercâmbio 2022. Malta & Greece
5 SUREFIRE WAYS TO MAKE TODAY BETTER THAN YESTERDAY
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By Dan Rockwell
"Leadership Freak."
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You will never enjoy work until you stop blaming others for your dissatisfaction.
5 surefire ways to make today better than yesterday.
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#1. Honor the power of words.
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One negative interaction erases many positive.
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Notice something good about a team member. But don’t erase the good by mentioning the bad in the same interaction.
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“You’re doing really great at XYZ, but you suck at ABC,” only serves to erase an affirmation.
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People enjoy encouragement more than correction.
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1: Gratitude is a celebration of something that’s working.
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2: Persistent criticism drains enthusiasm.
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3: Complaints produce resistance more than positive change.
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4: Connect feedback to aspiration. Know what people want for themselves so you can give useful feedback.
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1,000,000,000: Do you agree or disagree with the above four statements of wisdom?
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#2. Embrace the importance of being seen.
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One team member told a leader I coach that he could be more available.
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Distance is interpreted as disapproval. Disconnection is seen as arrogance.
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1: Walk around smiling.
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2: Ask a question and listen.
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3: Be present when you’re present – no fidgeting, cell phones, or interrupting.
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1,200,000,000: Do you agree or disagree with the above three statements of wisdom?
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#3. Eliminate one useless activity.
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1: If your schedule is full and you’re dissatisfied with your day, you’re doing too many dissatisfying things.
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2: Do a few more things you love and a few less things you hate.
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3: You have two options if you don’t enjoy what you do; change your attitude or change what you do.
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1,250,000,000: Do you agree or disagree with the above four statements of wisdom?
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#4. Practice brief disengagements.
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Mindless activity blocks fulfilment. Rushing from one thing to the next might feel important, but eventually frustration sets in.
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Disengage from the last thing before you engage in the next thing.
1: Mentally check something off your list.
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2: Breathe deeply for one minute.
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3: Take a short walk.
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4: Send a thank-you email.
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1,355,100,000: Do you agree or disagree with the above four statements of wisdom?
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#5. Look forward.
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It’s better to be pulled toward the future than to run from the past.
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1,367,150,000: How does today’s work create your preferred future?
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1,569,167,000: What might make today better than yesterday?
English 4 Professionals
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The 7 Cs of communication need to be:
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1. Clear. 2. Concise. 3. Correct. 4. Coherent. 5. Complete. 6. Courteous. 7. Credible.
1. Clear
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When writing or speaking to someone, be clear about your goal or message.
What is your purpose in communicating with this person?
If you're not sure, then your audience won't be sure either.
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To be clear, try to minimize the number of ideas in each sentence.
Make sure that it's easy for your reader to understand your meaning.
People shouldn't have to "read between the lines" and make assumptions on their own to understand what you're trying to say.
Bad Example.
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Hi Ricardo,
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I wanted to write you a quick note about Daniel, who's working in your department. He's a great asset, and I'd like to talk to you more about him when you have time.
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Best,
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Luciano.
Observation.
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What the fuck is this email about? It’s difficult to know exactly. First, if there are two Daniels in John's department, Ricardo won't know which one Luciano is talking about.
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Next, what is Daniel doing, specifically, that has made him a great asset to the company? We don't know that either from this communication. It's so vague that Ricardo will definitely have to write back for more information.
​
At work, few of us have time to reply to emails, especially emails that are incomplete and lack clarity.
​
Secondly, why has Luciano written this email? Could he not have just called or caught Ricardo’s attention at the coffee machine or the water cooler?
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Does Luciano want to just chat about Daniel, or does he have a job offer to make that will impact on Ricardo’s team? What is the message here, what is the goal? There is no sense of clarity or direction in this message.
Good Example.
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Hi Ricardo,
​
Daniel Fulano’s advice regarding programming and requirements has been helping us a lot here in the finance department.
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We've got a tough upgrade project due to run over the next three months, and his knowledge and skills would prove invaluable. Could we please have more of his help with this work? Can he afford the time?
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Best wishes,
​
Fabio.
Observation.
​
This second message is much clearer because the reader has the information he needs to make a decision.
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2. Concise.
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When you're concise in your communication, you stick to the point and keep it brief. Your audience doesn't want to read six sentences when you could communicate your message in three.
• Are there any adjectives or "filler words" that you can delete?
• Are there any unnecessary sentences?
• Have you repeated the point several times, in different ways?
Bad Example.
​
Hi Jessica,
​
I wanted to touch base with you about the email marketing campaign we kind of sketched out last Friday at the meeting with Jeff and Carol. I really think that our target market is definitely going to want to see the company's philanthropic efforts. I think that could make a big impact, and it would stay in their minds longer than a sales pitch. This is something that I have learned from experience; marketing goes hand in hand with image.
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For instance, if we talk about the company's efforts to become sustainable, as well as the charity work we're doing in local schools, football clubs for poorer kids, demanding that our suppliers are also on board if they want a contract with us etc, then the public and clients that we want to attract are going to remember our name and our message for much longer. The impact will just be greater.
​
What do you reckon?
Regards,
​
Matt.
Observation.
​
This email is too long! There's repetition, and there are plenty of “unnecessary words’ taking up space and occupying the reader’s time.
This isn’t a book or a short story for someone to enjoy the beauty of writing and literature. It should be a simple, clear and concise communication.
Good Example.
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Hi Jessica,
​
Regarding our meeting on marketing and our targets. I believe we should use the great image that we have regarding our charity work and principles of sustainability to attract the public and clients we want.
1: Get the company name out there.
2: Aim to make our name synonymous with sustainability and quality.
3: Create an impact that ensures the public remember us.
Anything you’d like to add here?
Regards,
​
Thiago.
3. Correct.
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When your communication is correct, it fits your audience. And correct communication is also error-free communication.
• Do the technical terms you use fit your audience's level of education or knowledge?
• Have you cited links, data etc. from reliable sources to back up your numbers, ideas or message?
• Have you checked your writing for grammatical errors? Remember, spell checkers won't catch everything. (conversation / conservation, for example.)
• Are all names and titles spelt correctly?
• Have you used any English expressions that will confuse others?
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Bad Example.
Hi Svetlana,
​
Thank you so much for meeting me in lunch today! I enjoyed our conservation, and I'm so happy to hear that the project will not get put on the backburner. I'm sure that the two-weak deadline won't be an issue.
Thanks again, and I'll speak for you soon!
Best,
Tamara.
​
Observation.
If you read that example fast, then you might not have noticed any errors. But there are 4. Can you see them?
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Also, the term backburner is not known to many people who aren’t native English speakers.
​
Double-check everything. Use Grammarly, too.
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4. Coherent.
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When your communication is coherent, it's logical. All points are connected and relevant to the main topic, and the tone and flow of the text is consistent.
Bad Example.
​
Traci,
​
I wanted to write you a quick note about the launch report Peter finished last week. I gave it to Tony to proof-read, and he also wanted to make sure you knew about the department event we're having this weekend. We'll be launching a new e-sports product.
​
Thanks,
​
Michelle.
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Observation.
As you can see, this email communicates one or two points, but not perfectly. Other points are totally incoherent.
​
1: Where is Michelle's feedback on Peter’s report?
2: What report has Peter finished?
3: Where is the event?
4: Then, during the part about proof-reading Michelle changed topics to that of an event.
Good Example.
Dear Traci,
Peter finished the “Eat the Pizza” game launch report last week, so I have given it Tony to proof-read
Tony confirmed that there will be the launch of the new e-sports product next Saturday, 16th October, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Hyde Park.
Regards,
Michelle.
5. Complete.
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In a complete message, the audience, client etc. have everything they need to be informed of and, if applicable, take action.
• Does your message include a "call to action," so that your audience clearly knows what you want them to do?
• Have you included all relevant information – contact names, dates, times, locations, and so on?
Bad Example.
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Hi everyone,
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I just wanted to send you all a reminder about the meeting we're having tomorrow!
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See you then,
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Chris.
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Observation.
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This message is not complete, for obvious reasons. What meeting? When is it? Where? Chris has left his team without the necessary information.
Good Example.
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Hi everyone,
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I just wanted to remind you about tomorrow's meeting on the new telecommunication policies. The meeting will be at 10:00 a.m. in the second-level conference room. Please let me know if you can't attend.
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See you then,
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Andreia.
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6. Courteous.
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Courteous communication is friendly, open, and honest. There are no hidden insults or passive-aggressive tones. You keep your reader's point of view or culture in mind, and you're empathetic to their needs.
Bad Example.
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Doria,
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I wanted to let you know that I don't appreciate how your team always monopolizes the discussion at our weekly meetings and then turns the subject to areas that have nothing to do with us. It wastes our time, like we have nothing better to do.
We all have a lot of projects, and I really need time to get my team's progress discussed as well. So far, thanks to your department, I haven't been able to do that. Can you make sure that they stick to the question at hand and give my team a chance to talk about what is important to our department?
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Jair.
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Observation.
Well, it’s aggressive and rude. It's perfect if you have to deal with an ignorant imbecile like Trump, but it isn’t exactly going to get Doria to cooperate and the content will reach the eyes and ears of Doria’s team, causing unnecessary conflict between the two departments!
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Messages like this can potentially start office-wide fights. And this email does nothing but create bad feelings, and it lowers productivity and morale.
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A little bit of courtesy and diplomacy, even in difficult situations, can go a long way.
Good Example.
Hi Doria,
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During our weekly meetings, your team does an excellent job of highlighting their progress. However, sometimes it uses up some of the time available for my team to highlight theirs, which I think would be helpful for your guys, too.
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I'd really appreciate it if we could find a way to give my team a little extra time each week to fully cover their progress reports and see how we can help each other more.
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Let’s discuss it over lunch? My shout!
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Warm regards,
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Henrique.
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Observation.
What a difference! This email is courteous, friendly, and there is the added motivation of a paid lunch to get the talk started.
7. Credibility.
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1) Does your message improve or highlight your credibility?
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• This is especially important when communicating with an audience that doesn't know much about you.
2) Do you really have the background to support your message? Have you got genuine experience, or is everything theory from your college courses?
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Re-write these Present Perfect & Past Tense questions.
a: Have been you to Bahia?
b: Have you to been Bahia this year?
c: Have been to you the book exposition week this?
d: You have been to the book exposition?
e: Have you ever beef stroganoff eaten?
f: You eaten have feijoada this week?
g: Have you sushi eaten today?
h: Spoken you have to your mother this week?
i: You spoken your mother to have today?
j: You have been to Portugal?
k: Did go you to Portugal last year?
l: You have been to Shopping D&D?
m: You go did to Shopping D&D last week?
n: You go to the world cup did in 2018?
o: Did go you to the world cup in 2018?
p: Ever have you been to England?
q: Did you to go the Olympics in Rio in 2016?
r: Ever have you been to the Ireland?
s: You have drunk Irish coffee today?
t: You did drink Irish coffee yesterday?
u: You have Irish coffee drunk today?
v: You have finished the project?
w: You finish did the project last week?
x: You did finish the project last week?
y: Finished you have the project this week?
z: You did call the client yesterday?
ee: (double e) You have called the client today?
ff: You have finished the article?
oo: You did design the page yesterday?
pp: Did you an email send to the client yesterday?
rr: Have you an email sent to Miss Smith today?
ss: You have sent an email to the bank this week?
Congratulations! You have successfully concluded Intermediate 4 of your English course.
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You should now be prepared to start the Pre-Advanced stage of your English language skills.
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