Georgiana: Today, we will discuss the meaning of the phrase "butter up"... Student: "How interesting, Georgiana! You know I am on a diet, but this morning I had some toast with butter, and let me tell you, it was delicious..." Georgiana: Sorry to interrupt, but the expression "butter up" has nothing to do with food. :) Let me explain it to you. Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of the podcast. I'm Georgiana, your English teacher, and my mission is to help you speak English fluently.  And if you want to help me, share the podcast. That would mean a lot. Thanks. Before you start listening to the episode, make sure to get the transcript on my website: SpeakEnglishPodcast.com It's free! Great! Let's start! Let's take a closer look at the expression "butter up" and how it is commonly used. When someone tries hard to please others to gain their favor or personal benefits in the workplace, it's known as 'buttering up.'"  This behavior can be observed in various professional settings such as offices, schools, and even politics, where individuals go to great lengths to please their superiors or influential colleagues. A classic example of 'buttering up' is an employee who frequently praises their boss, hoping to gain favor or secure a promotion. Another example is a student who compliments their teacher, aiming to receive better grades or special privileges. So, how is "buttering up" viewed in Western society? Opinions can differ. On one hand, some people consider it a negative behavior, often associated with insincerity or manipulation. On the other hand, in certain situations like the business world, some people see it as a useful social skill. They believe that being good at giving compliments and networking can help you progress in your career or create new opportunities. Whether "buttering up" is accepted or not depends on the particular workplace culture and what individuals think. Here are some other expressions that are similar to "buttering up": #1 Sucking up to someone: Excessively praising or pleasing someone, especially someone in authority, to gain favor. #2 Kissing up or Kissing someone's boots: Acting overly flattering toward someone in authority. #3 Playing up to someone: Behaving in a way intended to please or show respect to someone. #4 Apple-polishing: Currying favor through flattery or servile behavior. #5 Flattering: Complimenting someone excessively to win their favor or approval. #6 Brown-nosing: Similar to "sucking up," it involves ingratiating oneself to gain favor, often through excessive praise or flattery.  #7 Playing the game: Engaging in strategic behavior or actions to gain advantages or achieve success, often involving flattery or pleasing others. #8 Bending over backward: Going to great lengths or making excessive efforts to please or accommodate someone. Now, what are your thoughts? Do you believe "buttering up" can be useful? Are you comfortable engaging in such behavior or receiving it from others? I'm not a big fan of it, but I won't deny that receiving a compliment can feel good from time to time. :) Get the transcript on my website: speakenglishpodcast.com/podcast/

Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of the podcast. I'm Georgiana, your English teacher, and my mission is to help you speak English fluently.  And if you want to help me, share the podcast. That would mean a lot. Thanks.   Ok! We'll start with a brief conversation that includes the top 10 business expressions. And to make learning more fun, I've taken inspiration from 'The Office' TV show. And you'll learn grammar in context with a point of view story.   Before you start listening, make sure to get the transcript on my website: SpeakEnglishPodcast.com It's free! Let's get started!   Jack walked into the office and said...   Jack: "Wow, this place looks familiar. It's like I'm in 'The Office' TV show." Pam: "Yeah, Jack, we get that a lot. We like to think outside the box here." Jim: "You're right, Pam! We're always brainstorming new ideas to stay ahead of the competition." Jack: "That's great to hear. I'm ready to get the ball rolling and take it to the next level." Pam: "Good to hear. But make sure to touch base with your boss consistently. It's important to stay in the loop and keep him updated on your progress. Jack: "Definitely. I want to make sure we're all on the same page following best practices for team collaboration." Michael: "And we need people like you to keep an eye on the details." Jack: "Thanks for the advice. At the end of the day, it's all about producing high-quality work and making a difference." Pam: "Absolutely. This may feel like a TV set, but it's a real community of people. Welcome aboard!" Let's listen to the used expressions: #1 "Thinking outside the box" - This phrase means to think creatively or in a non-traditional way. #2 "In the loop" - This means to be informed or included in a particular situation or discussion. #3 "Get the ball rolling" - This phrase means to start a process or get something started. #4 "At the end of the day" - This phrase summarizes or emphasizes a point. #5 "Brainstorm" means generating ideas or solutions through group discussions or sessions. #6 "Touch base" means making contact or following up with someone. #7 "Get on the same page" - This phrase means to make sure everyone understands and agrees on a particular plan or idea. #8 "Keep an eye on" means monitoring or watching closely. #9 "Take it to the next level" - This phrase means improving or advancing to the next stage. #10 "Best practice" - An officially accepted and detailed method or set of methods for use in a specific business or industry. Get the transcript here: https://speakenglishpodcast.com/podcast/

Today, we will keep exploring and learning more about expressing larger amounts. When we want to talk about more significant quantities, we can use different words and expressions. These terms can indicate having more of something or a significant amount. When referring to small amounts, we use words like: "a little" or "a few." And when it comes to large quantities we can use words like "a lot," "many," or "plenty." Let's practice with a few examples. For example, instead of saying, "I have a few books," you can say:  I have a lot of books. I have many books. Let's imagine we want to express a large quantity without specifying an exact number.  Here, we can use words like "numerous," "countless," or "a great number of." These terms indicate a large quantity, even if an exact number is not specified. For example, instead of saying, "There are a few birds in the sky," you can say: There are numerous birds in the sky.  There are countless birds in the sky. There are a great number of birds in the sky. Great! Let's continue! "If you have a lot of something, you might use the word 'multiple.' For example, if you're discussing an online shopping order, you might say:  I ordered multiple items on Amazon, but they all arrived separately. (It's like having a relationship with a delivery driver who just can't commit.) If you're sharing a funny story about a doctor's visit, you could say:  According to my doctor, I have multiple personalities. Now, I can finally put the blame on someone else for my mistakes! Ok! Let's continue!  When we want to highlight a very large amount, we can use phrases like "a huge amount of," "a significant number of," or "a vast quantity of."  So, you can say:  The company invested a huge amount of money in research and development to create a groundbreaking new product. According to a recent survey, a significant number of students prefer learning through the internet. The library had a vast quantity of books, with rows upon rows of shelves filled from top to bottom. If you have more than you need of something, you could use words like 'plenty,' 'lavish,' 'overflowing,' 'teeming,' 'replete,' 'brimming,' 'packed,' or 'jam-packed.' 'Plenty' means more than enough. For example:  There was plenty of food at the picnic. There were sandwiches, fruits, cookies, and more. Read the transcript on my website: speakenglishpodcast.com/podcast/

Today, we'll talk about words and phrases that can help you express the amount or quantity of something and when to use them effectively. Get the text on my website: Speakenglishpodcast.com/podcast/ Let's start by discussing small quantities. If you only have a little bit of something, you might say "a few" or "some." A few means three to five of something, while some are a bit more vague and can mean any small amount. For example, if you're discussing job opportunities, you might say: I've applied for a few positions, but I haven't heard back from any of them yet. If you're talking about your progress in learning English, you could say: Even though I've been learning English for quite some time, I still face difficulties in speaking fluently. When you have a bit more of something but not a lot, you could say "several." Several usually means more than three but less than ten. For example, if you're talking about books you bought from a bookstore, you could say: She bought several books from the store, including a mystery novel and a travel guide. Or maybe you need a "handful" or a "bunch" of something. A handful represents the amount that can be held in your hand, while a bunch refers to a group of things that are tied or held together. For example, if you're at the beach collecting seashells, you could say: I picked up a handful of shells at the beach. If you're asking for a snack from a bag of chips, you might say: Can you pass me the bag? I just want a small bunch. Ok, let's continue! If you have a collection of items, you could say "a group" or "a cluster." A group typically refers to a small number of things, while a cluster denotes a small group of things that are close together. For example, if you're discussing a meeting you attended with indecisive people, you could say: I attended a meeting with a group of people who struggle to make decisions, but we couldn't come to an agreement on what to discuss. Get the text on my website: Speakenglishpodcast.com/podcast/

Do you need help with technical problems during Zoom calls? In this episode, we'll cover common tech problems in Zoom meetings and how to handle them using helpful phrases. And you'll practice your speaking with a fun mini-story. Get the transcript on my website: Speakenglishpodcast.com/podcast/ Zoom has become a crucial tool for remote work and communication. But, as you may have experienced, technical problems can pop up during a Zoom call. As an English learner, it's important to feel comfortable using the app and handling any problems that may come up. Don't worry if you're not a tech expert. Learning the basics of Zoom will help you communicate better with your coworkers and clients. It's a good idea to practice using Zoom's simple features, like sharing your screen, using the chat, and muting your microphone. These features can make your Zoom meetings run more smoothly. To help you tackle these issues, I've prepared an example conversation on Zoom addressing common technical problems. Participants: John from the United States; Maria from Brazil, and Yuna from South Korea John: Hello, everyone. Can you hear me clearly? Maria: Yes, I can hear you, John.  Yuna: Sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you. I may have a problem with the connection. John: No problem, Yuna. Can you check your internet connection or try refreshing your browser? Yuna: Sorry to interrupt, but my screen is blank. Is anyone else having this issue? Maria: No, my screen is working fine. John: Yuna, can you try exiting and then rejoining the meeting? Yuna: Okay, let me try that. Maria: John, I think you're frozen. I mean, your screen is frozen. Can you hear me?  John: Oh, sorry about that, Maria. I need to figure out what's going on. Let me turn off my camera and then turn it back on. Maria: I'm also having some issues. The image and sound are out of sync on my end. Yuna: I agree, Maria; I noticed the same thing. John: Hmm, that's strange. Let me check my internet connection to see if that's the issue.  Maria: You're breaking up a little bit, Yuna. Can you repeat what you just said? Yuna: Sorry about that. I said we needed to discuss the marketing strategy for the new product launch. Maria: There's an echo on the line. Can someone please mute themselves if they're not speaking? John: That's a good point, Maria. I am having trouble hearing you, Yuna. I think you're on mute.  Yuna: Oh, sorry about that. Can you hear me now? John: Yes, we can hear you now, Yuna. Let's continue with the meeting.   Get the transcript on my website: Speakenglishpodcast.com/podcast/