Daily English Conversation Practice for Beginners: Seven Everyday Places, Seven Key Sentences
Emily opens with a question that many learners know too well: “Have you ever stood in a shop, knowing exactly what you want?” (00:00) Paul finishes the thought: “And the words just would not come out of your mouth.” (00:04)
This episode visits seven everyday places, one by one: meeting new people, asking a stranger for help, the shop, the café, asking for directions, a phone call and the doctor or the pharmacy. Each place gets one key question, one sentence that opens the door. At the end, you speak through a whole day without reading anything.
Watch the episode: Watch the episode on YouTube
Time: about 33 minutes to listen. The practice below takes about 20 minutes. The chapter list at the bottom lets you jump to the place you need.
Before you listen: think of one place where you did not know what to say, a counter, a phone, a street. Keep that place in mind. The episode gives you a sentence for it.
How to use this page: listen once from the start, because the hosts build the ring of keys step by step. Then play the whole-day practice again (28:30) and say every answer out loud in the short pause before Emily gives her example. If you are only listening right now, the hosts say that is fine: “Say it in your head.” (28:48)
What You’ll Learn
- The one idea of the day: One place, one key question.
- Meeting people: Hi, I’m Paul. Nice to meet you., Busy, but good., I’m a bus driver. I work at night., We work together.
- Asking a stranger for help: Excuse me, can you help me?, Could you open the door, please?, Yes, please. That’s very kind of you.
- The shop: Where can I find the eggs?, I’m just looking, thanks., How much is this? How much are these?
- The café: I’d like a coffee, please., For here, please. To go, please., Excuse me, I think this is not my order.
- Directions: Excuse me, where is the post office?, Is there a pharmacy near here?, next to, behind, in front of, across from, near, Go straight. Turn left.
- Five sentences to fix: give me a coffee, I want toilet, where post office, yes, yes, yes
- The phone: Hello, this is Emily., I’m calling to make an appointment, please., Can I speak to Grace, please?
- The doctor and the pharmacy: I have a headache., Do you have something for a cough?, How long have you had it?
- A whole day of seven short speaking turns and a five-question quiz
Key Idea
One place, one key question.
Emily names this idea at the end of Paul’s pharmacy story, and the hosts say it together: “One place, one key question.” (02:48) It comes back at the end of the episode as the line to carry home. The idea is small on purpose: “You do not need many words in a new place. You need one good sentence for that place.” (02:41)
To keep it in mind, Paul gives a picture: “Think of a ring of keys.” (03:02) Every door has its own key, and every place in your day is a door. Today you put seven keys on one ring.
Know What You Want, No Words (00:00)
The episode starts with the feeling that every learner knows: you have the word, but not the sentence. Emily says it clearly: “You know the word. Eggs, or milk, or bus. But not the sentence.” (00:07) Paul promises to tell a pharmacy story soon.
Then the hosts explain how to practice: listen first, then repeat after them, and when they say your turn, answer out loud in the short pause. Paul adds a kind word for beginners: “Slow and clear is perfect for today.” (00:48)
Paul’s Pharmacy Story (00:52)
Paul tells about his first week in a new city. He had a bad cough and could not sleep. “At seven forty in the morning, I walked to a small pharmacy.” (01:08) He knew one word: “I knew one word. Cough. Only that word.” (01:16)
At the counter he pointed at boxes, and he pointed for a long time: “I pointed for almost two minutes.” (01:29) Four people waited behind him, and he felt his face get hot. Then the pharmacist smiled and asked him one sentence: Do you need something for a cough? Paul says yes, yes, yes, “like a happy dog.” (01:57)
After the pharmacy he took out his bus ticket and a pen and wrote her sentence on the back. He read it on the bus every day for a week. Emily asks if he ever said it himself. Paul says he did, three weeks later, and that she has to wait. The ending of the story comes in the pharmacy place, at the end of the day.
The Ring of Keys (02:59)
Paul says what he learned that morning, and the hosts say it together: “One place, one key question.” (02:55) He gives the ring-of-keys picture: the front door has a key, the back door has a key, and every place in your day needs its own key. Emily laughs that her own key ring has too many keys. Then they count today’s plan: “Seven keys, seven places.” (03:31) Emily says Paul’s bus ticket was his first key, and Paul agrees: “A paper key, but it worked.” (03:40)
Place 1: Meeting New People (03:43)
The first key is short: “Hi, I’m Paul. Nice to meet you.” (03:52) Emily adds that you say your own name, and Paul says that if your name is Paul, it is very easy. The hosts then add a second small question that people ask at parties: “How’s your day going?” (04:09) with two easy answers: Busy, but good. or Pretty quiet, thanks.
Emily gives a warning about a common habit: “Some learners answer, I’m fine, to every question, even a happy one.” (04:23) Her advice is to say what you feel: Yes, it’s great. The music is really good.
The hosts play a short scene at a friend’s birthday party. Paul asks how Emily knows Anna, and Emily answers: “We work together. We drive for the same bus company.” (04:54) He asks about her job and she answers: “I’m a bus driver. I drive the night route.” (05:00) Then they look at three small things from the scene:
- A job question gets a short answer and then one more line: Emily added I work at night, and Paul points out that this line makes the talk easy to continue.
- The small word a: “Many learners say, I’m driver.” (05:39) People will understand, but I’m a driver sounds right.
- How you know the host: We work together., We’re neighbors., We went to school together.
The hosts also teach Where are you from? and I’m from a small town in the north. They separate the two ideas: “I’m from is your old home.” (06:22) and I live is your home today. Emily points out the easy way to give a question back: “How about you.” (06:29) The goodbye line for this place is: “It was nice talking to you.” (06:47) Your turn comes with two prompts: say hello to a new person, and answer What do you do?
Place 2: Asking for Help (07:21)
Emily says the second place is not really a place, it is a moment: the moment when you need help from a stranger. She tells about a big train station where the elevator was broken and her suitcase was huge. A young man walked past and she only thought help, help in her head. Paul explains why that was not enough: “And help alone sounds like a big emergency.” (08:01)
The key for this place is: “Excuse me, can you help me?” (08:10) Paul explains why excuse me matters: “Excuse me is like a small knock on a door.” (08:24) After the key you say what you need in one short sentence: Can you help me with my bag? or the softer “Could you open the door, please?” (08:50)
The hosts also give the answers when someone offers help. You can say Yes, please. That’s very kind of you. or No, I’m okay, thanks. I can do it. Emily’s comment: “I love this one. People smile when they hear it.” (09:19) They play the station scene again with the key, and Paul says: “Twenty seconds, and the problem is gone.” (09:46) A helpful extra line for fast speakers is Sorry, can you say that again? The turn for you is to ask for help in a big building.
Place 3: At the Shop (10:30)
Emily says this place is where the idea of the day started, standing in a shop with no words. The key is: “Where can I find, and then the thing you need.” (10:40) The hosts practise it with the eggs, the rice and the bread, and Paul explains that the answer is usually short, like They’re in aisle nine. The word aisle is strange, and Paul says it sounds like the short word I’ll.
In the scene, Emily is the customer and Paul works at the shop. When he asks if she needs help, Emily answers with the line that many shy learners need: “I’m just looking, thanks.” (11:57) She then asks for the tea, learns the price and says: “I’ll take two, please.” (11:37) The hosts also teach How much is this? for one thing and How much are these? for more. A small warning ends the part: “In a normal supermarket, the price is the price.” (12:35)
Place 4: Ordering Food and Drinks (13:15)
The key for food is I’d like. Paul explains: “I’d like is a polite way to say I want.” (13:36) Emily adds that I want a coffee is not wrong, but it can sound strong, and I’d like is calm and friendly. The hosts slow down the sound so you can hear it: I’d like… a coffee… please. They also show that many short forms work the same way, I’m, it’s, I’ll and that’s, and Emily says they make your English sound relaxed.
In the café scene, Paul is the waiter. He asks if she is ready to order, whether it is for here or to go, and if she wants cake. Emily orders a chicken salad and a coffee, and then asks for the bill. The hosts take apart the lines: Not yet, sorry if you are not ready, For here, please or To go, please, and No, thanks, I’m full when you want to say no. Emily also explains that the bill is the paper with the price, and that in some countries people say the check.
Then Emily tells a story about her sister in a busy restaurant by the beach. She ordered a vegetable soup and the waiter brought a big plate of fish. Her sister does not eat fish, and she said nothing for a long minute. Paul says it is the same feeling as at his pharmacy: the words are not there. The calm sentence for this moment is: “Excuse me, I think this is not my order.” (16:48) Paul points out that I think makes it softer. They play the scene, and nobody gets angry. Paul says: “Notice that nobody got angry, and everything was fixed in ten seconds.” (17:23)
Place 5: Asking for Directions (17:58)
The fifth key is for directions: “Excuse me, where is the post office?” (17:58) A softer version is Is there a pharmacy near here?, which Paul says is great when you do not know the place. Because the answers come fast and people point, the hosts teach the small place words first, with a cup and a notebook on the table: “The cup is next to the notebook.” (18:31) Then behind, in front of, and across from: “Across from means on the other side.” (18:46) They add near and the moving words go straight, turn left and turn right, plus it’s on your left or it’s on your right.
In the scene, Emily is a tourist and Paul gives the way to a pharmacy. Emily uses the line from the help place: “Sorry, can you say that again, more slowly?” (19:39) Her comment afterwards is honest and kind: “Directions are fast, and nobody remembers them the first time.” (20:01)
Fix These Common Sentences (20:23)
Before the phone place, the hosts fix four sentences that are not terrible but sound a little strange or too direct. Emily says that she said every one of them in her first year.
- Give me a coffee. sounds like an order from a boss. Use Can I have a coffee, please? or I’d like a coffee.
- I want toilet. is very direct and the small word the is missing. Use Excuse me, where is the restroom?
- Where post office. sounds like a text message with no small words. Use Excuse me, where is the post office?
- Yes, yes, yes when you do not understand. Use the honest sentence: “Sorry, I don’t understand. Can you say that again?” (21:47)
Paul’s rule is short: “Honest sentences are always better than a confused yes.” (21:53)
Place 6: Making a Phone Call (21:58)
Paul says the next place is inside your phone, and Emily groans, because she has a story. In her first year in England she had a terrible toothache and had to call a dentist. “I sat on my bed with my phone for ten minutes. Just looking at it.” (22:15) When a woman answered, Emily said: “I am Emily.” (22:32) And then there was silence. The woman asked who it was and then how she could help, and Emily felt small.
She names two problems: on the phone, people say this is, not I am, and she did not say why she was calling. Paul gives a picture: “A phone call is like talking in the dark.” (23:05) The key is two short pieces: who you are and why you call. “Hello, this is Emily.” (23:21) Then the reason: I’m calling about my appointment. or I’m calling to make an appointment, please.
In the scene, Emily calls Green Street Office and asks: “Can I speak to Grace, please?” (23:41) Paul answers that Grace is not there right now, and Emily asks when she will be back, leaves a message and gives her number. The hosts remind you to say numbers slowly, one by one, because people write them down. Emily says: “That was much better than my dentist call.” (24:08)
Place 7: At the Doctor and the Pharmacy (24:57)
Emily says the last place is one nobody wants to visit, and Paul’s pharmacy story gets its ending. Three weeks later he had a sore throat and went to a different pharmacy. He did not point at boxes: “I walked to the counter, and I took a breath.” (25:22) He said: “Do you have something for a sore throat?” (25:25) It was the sentence from the bus ticket, with one new word. The man gave him a box in ten seconds. Paul says: “I walked out, and I felt taller.” (25:49)
The key for the doctor is I have a and the problem: I have a cough. I have a fever. I have a headache. Emily plays the doctor and Paul plays a sick patient. She asks What’s wrong today? and How long have you had it? He answers Since Tuesday and gets his medicine: “Take this medicine twice a day, after food.” (26:52) The hosts explain what’s wrong, which is not rude here, and twice a day, which means two times a day.
Then they put two keys together. Emily is the receptionist at Hill Street Clinic and Paul calls: Hello, this is Paul. I’m calling to make an appointment, please. Paul says it all in one line: “Two keys, one short telephone call, and the appointment is ready.” (28:05) Emily compares it with her ten minutes on the bed, and Paul answers: “The difference is not your English level. It’s having the first sentence ready.” (28:13)
Your Turn: One Full Day, Seven Places (28:30)
Now you speak. Paul says the hosts walk through one full day, place by place: “I play seven different people. You answer in the pause.” (28:39) After each pause, Emily gives one example answer, and yours can be different. The seven prompts are a new coworker, a heavy bag at the station, rice in a supermarket, a café order, the post office, a call to Tom, and a cough at the pharmacy.
Halfway through, Emily says something honest: “When I do this, I always forget the third one.” (29:30) Paul’s answer is gentle: “Everyone forgets one.” (29:33) At the end, he says: “That’s a full day. Seven places, seven keys.” (30:21) If you missed some, play the part again tomorrow, because the second time is always easier.
Quiz with Pauses (30:35)
The quiz has five questions, each with a short pause. The answers are:
- A shop worker comes to you and you do not need help: I’m just looking, thanks.
- The sentence Paul did not know at the first pharmacy: Do you have something for a cough?
- On the phone, I am Emily or this is Emily? This is Emily. “On the phone, we say this is.” (31:02)
- In a café, I want or I’d like? I’d like.
- The bank is on the other side of the street: It’s across the street. or It’s across from the park.
Emily says that even three correct answers is very good: “Even three is very good.” (31:25)
Your Small Job and Recap (31:29)
Paul gives a job that is not a big homework: “Choose three keys that you need most in your life.” (31:34) Emily suggests the shop, the café and the phone. Write them on your phone, “like my bus ticket,” (31:43) read each sentence out loud five times today, and tomorrow use one with a real person. Just one sentence, one time.
The three things to remember are: every place has one key question; polite words make everything easier (Excuse me, could you, I’d like); and on the phone, say who you are first. The hosts end with a question for the comments: “Which place is the hardest for you in English? The shop, the café, or the doctor?” (32:28) They ask you to write the place and your key question for it. In the next episode, they talk about making plans with friends in English.
Useful Language from the Episode
| Expression | Meaning | From the episode |
|---|---|---|
| One place, one key question. | one good sentence opens each place | “One place, one key question.” |
| Hi, I’m Paul. Nice to meet you. | meet a new person | “Hi, I’m Paul. Nice to meet you.” |
| How about you? | give the question back | “How about you.” |
| Excuse me, can you help me? | ask a stranger for help | “Excuse me, can you help me?” |
| Could you open the door, please? | a softer request | “Could you open the door, please?” |
| Yes, please. That’s very kind of you. | accept help | “Yes, please. That’s very kind of you.” |
| Where can I find the eggs? | ask where something is in a shop | “Where can I find the eggs?” |
| I’m just looking, thanks. | say you do not need help | “I’m just looking, thanks.” |
| I’d like a coffee, please. | order politely | “I’d like a coffee, please.” |
| Excuse me, I think this is not my order. | say the order is wrong, calmly | “Excuse me, I think this is not my order.” |
| Is there a pharmacy near here? | ask if a place is close | “Is there a pharmacy near here?” |
| Hello, this is Emily. | start a phone call | “Hello, this is Emily.” |
| Can I speak to Grace, please? | ask for a person on the phone | “Can I speak to Grace, please.” |
| Do you have something for a cough? | ask for medicine at a pharmacy | “Do you have something for a cough?” |
Mistake and Repair
The table is written for this page. It puts the moves from the stories in the episode next to the line that the hosts give in their place.
| A common move | Why it stops the talk | The line from the episode |
|---|---|---|
| Pointing at boxes and saying only cough | the other person has to guess | Do you have something for a cough? |
| Thinking help, help and saying nothing | help alone sounds like an emergency | Excuse me, can you help me? |
| Saying I’m fine to every question | it sounds flat | say what you feel: Yes, it’s great. |
| Saying I want a coffee | it can sound strong | I’d like a coffee, please. |
| Saying I am Emily on the phone, then nothing | the other person does not know who you are or what you need | Hello, this is Emily. I’m calling to make an appointment, please. |
| Saying yes, yes, yes when you do not understand | it hides the problem | Sorry, I don’t understand. Can you say that again? |
Practice with the Episode
1. Name the key
Write the place for each key sentence. The answers are below.
- Where can I find the rice?
- Hello, this is Mia. Can I speak to Tom, please?
- Do you have something for a headache?
- Excuse me, where is the bus stop?
- I’d like a tea and a small sandwich, please.
Answers
- the shop
- the phone
- the pharmacy
- directions
- the café
2. Which word?
Choose the right word. The answers are below.
- The pharmacy is ______ the park. (across from / across)
- Hello, ______ Anna. (I am / this is)
- I’m ______ driver. (a / the)
- I have a cough ______ Tuesday. (since / for)
Answers
- across from
- this is
- a
- since
3. Say it before the hosts
Play the whole-day practice again (28:30). Before Emily gives her example, say your own answer out loud in the pause. After each of the seven places, check one thing: did you start with the key sentence?
4. Your three keys
Write the three keys you need most this month on your phone, like Paul’s bus ticket. Read each one out loud five times today. Tomorrow, use one with a real person.
5. One phone call
Write the opening of a phone call you might really make: Hello, this is ______. I’m calling about ______. Say it three times out loud.
Keep Practicing
Do you want to look closer at the phone place, with Emily’s dentist call and a few more lines for calling a person or leaving a message? Read Hello, This Is Emily: How to Start a Phone Call in English and Say Why You Are Calling.
Chapters
- 00:00 Know What You Want, No Words
- 00:52 Paul’s Pharmacy Story
- 02:59 The Ring of Keys
- 03:43 Place 1: Meeting New People
- 07:21 Place 2: Asking for Help
- 10:30 Place 3: At the Shop
- 13:15 Place 4: Ordering Food and Drinks
- 17:58 Place 5: Asking for Directions
- 20:23 Fix These Common Sentences
- 21:58 Place 6: Making a Phone Call
- 24:57 Place 7: At the Doctor and Pharmacy
- 28:30 Your Turn: One Full Day, Seven Places
- 30:35 Quiz with Pauses
- 31:29 Your Small Job and Recap
Full Transcript
Emily: Have you ever stood in a shop, knowing exactly what you want?
Paul: And the words just would not come out of your mouth.
Emily: You know the word. Eggs, or milk, or bus. But not the sentence.
Paul: That happened to me in a small pharmacy. I’ll tell you soon.
Emily: Welcome to English Practice Daily. I’m Emily.
Paul: And I’m Paul. This podcast is for A1 and A2 learners.
Emily: Today we visit seven everyday places, one by one.
Paul: Each place has one key question, one sentence that opens the door.
Emily: By the end, you will say all seven, without reading anything.
Paul: Here is how to practice today. Listen first, then repeat after us.
Emily: When you hear, your turn, answer out loud in the short pause.
Paul: It is fine to be slow. Slow and clear is perfect for today.
Emily: Okay, Paul. The pharmacy story. I really want to hear it.
Paul: Okay. It was my first week in a new city.
Paul: I had a bad cough. I coughed all night and did not sleep.
Emily: Oh no. That is a terrible start in a new place.
Paul: At seven forty in the morning, I walked to a small pharmacy.
Paul: It was next to the train station, with a green sign outside.
Paul: I knew one word. Cough. Only that word.
Emily: So you had the word, but not the sentence around it.
Paul: Exactly. I stood at the counter, and I pointed at boxes.
Paul: This box. No. That box. No. I pointed for almost two minutes.
Emily: Two minutes is a very long time at a counter.
Paul: It felt like an hour. Four people were waiting behind me.
Paul: One man looked at his watch, and I felt my face get hot.
Emily: I can see it. Red face, many boxes, one word.
Paul: Then the pharmacist smiled. She was a kind older woman.
Paul: She asked me, do you need something for a cough?
Paul: And I said, yes, yes, yes. Like a happy dog.
Paul: Then she said, next time, you can ask me yourself. Say, do you have something for a cough?
Emily: Ha. At least she understood you in the end.
Paul: She did. I paid, and I went outside, near the bus stop.
Paul: I took out my bus ticket and a pen.
Paul: And I wrote that sentence on the back of the ticket. Do you have something for a cough?
Emily: That is lovely. You kept her sentence in your pocket.
Paul: I read it on the bus every day for a week.
Emily: Wait. I need to know if you ever said it yourself.
Paul: I did, three weeks later. But I’ll tell you that part later.
Emily: Oh, Paul. Now I have to wait.
Paul: You do. But here is what I learned from that morning.
Paul: You do not need many words in a new place.
Paul: You need one good sentence for that place.
Emily: One place, one key question. I like that a lot.
Paul: One place, one key question. Say it with us.
Emily: One place, one key question.
Paul: Now let me give you a picture to remember this.
Paul: Think of a ring of keys. Keys for a house.
Emily: Like the keys in my bag right now. Too many keys, actually.
Paul: Ha. Every door in your house has one key.
Paul: The front door has a key. The back door has a key.
Paul: Every place in your day is like a door.
Emily: And every place needs its own key to open it.
Paul: Yes. The shop is a door. The doctor is a door.
Emily: So today we put seven keys on one ring.
Paul: Seven keys, seven places. And you carry the ring in your pocket.
Emily: I love that. My bus ticket was your first key, then.
Paul: It was. A paper key, but it worked.
Emily: Okay. The first place is easy and very common.
Emily: You meet a new person. At a party, at work, or in class.
Paul: The first key is short. Hi, I’m Paul. Nice to meet you.
Emily: Hi, I’m Paul. Nice to meet you. Repeat with us.
Paul: Hi, I’m Paul. Nice to meet you.
Emily: Of course, you say your own name, not Paul.
Paul: Unless your name is Paul. Then it is very easy.
Emily: Ha. Many people ask a small question first. How’s your day going?
Paul: And the answer is easy. Busy, but good. Or, pretty quiet, thanks.
Emily: Busy, but good. Repeat with us.
Paul: Busy, but good.
Emily: One warning. Some learners answer, I’m fine, to every question, even a happy one.
Paul: Like, are you enjoying the party? And you say, I’m fine. It sounds a little flat.
Emily: Say what you feel. Yes, it’s great. The music is really good.
Emily: Okay, now a small scene. We meet at a friend’s birthday party.
Paul: Okay. Hi, I’m Paul. Nice to meet you.
Emily: Hi, Paul. I’m Emily. Nice to meet you too.
Paul: So, how do you know Anna?
Emily: We work together. We drive for the same bus company.
Paul: Oh, really. So what’s your job?
Emily: I’m a bus driver. I drive the night route.
Paul: That sounds hard. Night work is not easy.
Emily: It is hard, but I like my job. How about you?
Paul: I’m a cook. I work in a small restaurant downtown.
Emily: Nice. So you cook for people all day.
Paul: All day. And at home, I eat toast. Ha.
Emily: Let’s stop here and look at three small things.
Emily: First, Paul said, what’s your job. That is a simple question.
Paul: And Emily answered, I’m a bus driver. Then she added one more line.
Emily: I work at night. That line makes the talk easy to continue.
Paul: Second, listen to the word a. I’m a driver. I’m a cook.
Emily: Many learners say, I’m driver. Without the little word a.
Paul: People will understand you. But I’m a driver sounds right.
Emily: I’m a driver. I’m a teacher. I’m a student.
Paul: Third, at a party, people often ask how you know the host.
Emily: How do you know Anna. You can answer very simply.
Paul: We work together. We’re neighbors. We went to school together.
Emily: We work together. Repeat with us.
Paul: We work together.
Emily: We’re neighbors.
Paul: We’re neighbors.
Emily: Now, one more useful question for new people.
Paul: Where are you from. And then, where do you live now.
Emily: I’m from a small town in the north.
Paul: I’m from a big city. But I live here now, near the river.
Emily: Listen to the two parts. I’m from is your old home.
Paul: And I live is your home today.
Emily: One more thing. In the scene, I asked, how about you.
Paul: That is the easy way to give the question back.
Emily: Short, friendly, and it works for almost every question.
Paul: Now, the last line in this place. The goodbye.
Emily: When you leave, you can say, it was nice to meet you.
Paul: Or, it was nice talking to you. Both are friendly.
Emily: It was nice talking to you. Repeat with us.
Paul: It was nice talking to you.
Paul: Okay. Your turn. I meet you at a party. Hi, I’m Paul. Nice to meet you.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: You can say, hi, Paul. I’m Maria. Nice to meet you too.
Paul: Good. And now, so, what do you do?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, I’m a student. I study at a college near my home.
Paul: Great. The first key is on your ring.
Emily: Now, the second place is not really a place. It is a moment.
Emily: The moment when you need help from a stranger.
Paul: Maybe your bag is heavy. Maybe a door is closed. Maybe you are lost.
Emily: This happened to me last month, at a big train station.
Emily: I had a huge suitcase, and the stairs were very long.
Paul: So there was no elevator at all, then.
Emily: The elevator was broken. Of course it was broken.
Paul: Of course. Elevators always break on suitcase days.
Emily: A young man walked past me, and I wanted to ask for help.
Emily: But I only thought, help, help, in my head.
Paul: And help alone sounds like a big emergency.
Emily: Exactly. So I said nothing, and I carried it alone. Slowly.
Paul: Here is the key for this moment. Excuse me, can you help me?
Emily: Excuse me, can you help me? Repeat with us.
Paul: Excuse me, can you help me?
Paul: Let me tell you why excuse me is so important.
Paul: Excuse me is like a small knock on a door.
Emily: Knock, knock. Hello. I want to talk to you for a moment.
Paul: Yes. It is polite, and it makes the other person stop and look.
Emily: Without excuse me, can you help me can sound a little sudden.
Paul: Now, after the key, you say what you need. One short sentence.
Emily: Can you help me with my bag? It’s very heavy.
Paul: Could you open the door, please? My hands are full.
Emily: Could is a little softer than can. Both are fine with strangers.
Paul: Could you open the door, please? Repeat with us.
Emily: Could you open the door, please?
Paul: Now, the other side. Someone wants to help you.
Emily: Then you hear, can I help you with that?
Paul: You have two answers. Yes, or no. Both can be polite.
Emily: Yes, please. That’s very kind of you.
Paul: Or, no, I’m okay, thanks. I can do it.
Emily: That’s very kind of you. I love this one. People smile when they hear it.
Paul: Let’s play the station scene again, but this time with the key.
Emily: Okay. I’m at the stairs with my big suitcase.
Emily: Excuse me, can you help me? This bag is very heavy.
Paul: Sure. I’ll take this side, and you take that side.
Emily: Thank you so much. That’s very kind of you.
Paul: No problem. Have a good trip.
Emily: Thanks. You too.
Paul: Twenty seconds, and the problem is gone.
Emily: And nobody had to carry the bag alone.
Paul: One more useful line here, because people often speak fast.
Paul: If you do not understand, you can say, sorry, can you say that again?
Emily: Sorry, can you say that again? Short and very useful.
Paul: Your turn. You are lost in a big building. Ask a person for help.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: You can say, excuse me, can you help me? I’m looking for room twelve.
Paul: Nice. Now someone says to you, can I help you with that? You want help.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Yes, please. That’s very kind of you.
Paul: Good. Two keys on the ring now.
Emily: Now the third place. The shop, or the supermarket.
Emily: This is where the idea of today started. Standing in a shop, no words.
Paul: Here is the key for shops. Where can I find, and then the thing you need.
Emily: Where can I find the eggs?
Paul: Where can I find the rice?
Emily: Where can I find the bread? Repeat with us.
Paul: Where can I find the bread?
Paul: The answer is usually short. They’re in aisle nine.
Emily: Aisle is a long line of shelves in a supermarket.
Paul: The word is a little strange. It sounds like the short word I’ll.
Emily: So we say, aisle nine, or aisle three. And sometimes, it’s next to the milk.
Paul: Okay. Let’s do a scene. I work at the shop, and Emily comes in.
Paul: Hi there. Can I help you find anything?
Emily: I’m just looking, thanks.
Paul: Okay. Let me know if you need anything.
Emily: Wait, a little later, I really need something.
Emily: Excuse me, where can I find the tea?
Paul: The tea is in aisle three, next to the coffee.
Emily: Thanks. And how much is this one?
Paul: That one is four dollars.
Emily: Great. I’ll take two, please.
Paul: Would you like a bag?
Emily: No, thanks. I have my own bag.
Paul: Can I pay by card here?
Emily: Wait, Paul, that is my line. I’m the customer.
Paul: Ha. Sorry. Go on.
Emily: Can I pay by card?
Paul: Yes, of course. Just tap it here.
Emily: Lovely. Okay, let’s look at the best lines from that scene.
Emily: I’m just looking, thanks. This one is a small helper.
Paul: It means, I don’t need help right now. I’m only looking.
Emily: Many shy learners leave the shop when a worker comes to them.
Paul: Now you don’t need to run away. Just say, I’m just looking, thanks.
Emily: I’m just looking, thanks. Repeat with us.
Paul: I’m just looking, thanks.
Paul: Next, how much is this. Or for many things, how much are these.
Emily: This for one thing. These for two or more things.
Paul: How much is this? How much are these?
Emily: And when you decide, I’ll take two, please. Or, I’ll take this one.
Paul: Now, one small warning. In a normal supermarket, the price is the price.
Emily: Yes. You do not usually ask for a lower price there.
Paul: You can ask at a market, maybe. But not for milk and eggs.
Emily: True. The cashier will just look at you.
Paul: Your turn. You are in a supermarket. You need milk. Ask the worker.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Excuse me, where can I find the milk?
Paul: Good. And now a worker comes to you, but you don’t need help.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: I’m just looking, thanks.
Paul: Three keys on the ring. We are almost at the middle of the day.
Emily: And the middle of the day means one thing. Food.
Paul: My favorite place. Restaurants and cafés.
Emily: Of course. You’re a cook in our little scene.
Paul: A cook who eats toast. Okay. The key for food is I’d like.
Emily: I’d like a coffee, please. I’d like the chicken salad, please.
Paul: I’d like is a polite way to say I want.
Emily: I want a coffee is not wrong. But it can sound a little strong.
Paul: Like a child who says, I want ice cream. Now.
Emily: Ha. Yes. I’d like is calm and friendly.
Paul: Let’s listen to the sound of this key. It is very short.
Paul: I would like. I’d like. The two words become one small sound.
Emily: I’d. Like the word I, with a little d at the end.
Paul: Slowly. I’d like a coffee, please.
Emily: I’d like… a coffee… please.
Paul: Now a little faster. I’d like a coffee, please.
Emily: I’d like a coffee, please.
Paul: Now you. I’d like a tea, please.
Emily: One… two… three…
Paul: Good. The same small sound is in many words today.
Emily: I’m, it’s, I’ll, that’s. Two words, one short sound.
Paul: It’s next to the bank. I’ll take two. That’s very kind.
Emily: These short forms make your English sound relaxed.
Paul: Okay, now a scene. I’m the waiter this time, not the cook.
Emily: And I’m very hungry. Let’s go.
Paul: Good afternoon. Are you ready to order?
Emily: Yes. I’d like the chicken salad, please.
Paul: Of course. And anything to drink?
Emily: Hmm. Tea or coffee… I’d like a coffee, please.
Paul: Is that for here or to go?
Emily: For here, please.
Paul: Here you are. Enjoy your meal.
Emily: Thank you. It looks great.
Paul: Twenty minutes later. Would you like some cake?
Emily: No, thanks. I had a big lunch.
Emily: Can I have the bill, please?
Paul: Sure. I’ll bring it right away.
Emily: Let’s look at the scene. The waiter asked, are you ready to order.
Paul: If you are not ready, that’s fine. Just say, not yet, sorry.
Emily: Not yet. Can I have one more minute?
Paul: Then, for here or to go. This is very common in cafés.
Emily: For here means you sit and eat there. To go means you take it out.
Paul: For here, please. To go, please. Two easy answers.
Emily: And I’m full. That means my stomach has no more space.
Paul: No, thanks, I’m full. Very polite, even when the cake looks great.
Emily: The cake always looks great. That’s the problem.
Paul: Last line, can I have the bill, please.
Emily: The bill is the paper with the price of your meal.
Paul: In some countries, people say the check. Both are fine.
Emily: Can I have the bill, please? Repeat with us.
Paul: Can I have the bill, please?
Emily: Now, restaurants are not always perfect, and that is important to remember.
Paul: Sometimes the waiter brings something different from your order.
Emily: This happened to my sister last summer, in a busy restaurant by the beach.
Emily: She ordered a vegetable soup, and the waiter brought a big plate of fish.
Paul: And your sister doesn’t eat fish, I’m guessing.
Emily: Never. She just looked at the plate and said nothing for a long minute.
Paul: That is the same feeling as my pharmacy. The words are not there.
Emily: Exactly. So here is a calm and polite sentence for that moment.
Emily: Excuse me, I think this is not my order. I ordered the soup.
Paul: Excuse me again, our small knock. Then I think, which makes it softer.
Emily: I think this is not my order. Repeat with us.
Paul: I think this is not my order.
Emily: Let’s play it. I’m the customer, and Paul brings the wrong plate.
Paul: Here you are. One grilled fish with rice.
Emily: Excuse me, I think this is not my order. I ordered the vegetable soup.
Paul: Oh, I’m so sorry about that. I’ll change it right away.
Emily: Thank you. No problem at all.
Paul: Notice that nobody got angry, and everything was fixed in ten seconds.
Emily: The key from before still works here. I’d like, and now, I ordered.
Paul: Your turn. You are in a café. The waiter asks what you want.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, I’d like a tea and a small sandwich, please.
Paul: Good. Four keys on your ring now. Halfway there.
Emily: After lunch, we go for a walk, and of course, we get lost.
Paul: Of course. Every story has a moment where someone gets lost.
Emily: The fifth key is for directions. Excuse me, where is the post office?
Paul: Excuse me again. Our small knock on the door.
Emily: Excuse me, where is the bus stop? Repeat with us.
Paul: Excuse me, where is the bus stop?
Emily: Or a softer one. Is there a pharmacy near here?
Paul: Is there a pharmacy near here? This is great when you don’t know the place.
Emily: Now, the answers can be hard, because people point and talk fast.
Paul: So let’s learn the small place words first. Emily, use the table.
Emily: Okay. I have a cup and a notebook here on the table.
Emily: The cup is next to the notebook. Side by side.
Paul: Now she puts the cup behind the notebook. You can’t see it well.
Emily: Now the cup is in front of the notebook. Closer to me.
Paul: And across from means on the other side. Like on the other side of a street.
Emily: The bank is across from the park. The café is near the station.
Paul: Near means close, but not touching. A short walk.
Emily: Next to, behind, in front of, across from, near. Repeat with us.
Paul: Next to. Behind. In front of. Across from. Near.
Emily: Now the moving words. Go straight. Turn left. Turn right.
Paul: And at the end, it’s on your left, or it’s on your right.
Emily: Let’s do a scene. I’m a tourist, and Paul lives in this town.
Emily: Excuse me, is there a pharmacy near here?
Paul: Yes, there is. It’s not far.
Paul: Go straight on this street. Then turn left at the bank.
Paul: The pharmacy is across from the park. It’s on your right.
Emily: Sorry, can you say that again, more slowly?
Paul: Sure. Go straight. Turn left at the bank. It’s on your right.
Emily: How long does it take to walk?
Paul: About five minutes. It’s very close.
Emily: Thank you so much.
Paul: You’re welcome.
Emily: I hope you noticed my favorite line in that scene.
Paul: Can you say that again, more slowly. You used the line from the station.
Emily: Yes. Directions are fast, and nobody remembers them the first time.
Paul: Even native speakers ask again. Really. All the time.
Emily: Your turn. You need a bus stop. Ask someone on the street.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: Excuse me, where is the bus stop?
Emily: Good. Five keys. Before the next place, let’s fix some common sentences.
Paul: These sentences are not terrible. People will understand you.
Paul: But they sound a little strange, or a little too direct.
Emily: I said every one of these sentences in my first year. Every one.
Paul: Number one. In a café, a learner says, give me a coffee.
Emily: Give me sounds like an order from a boss. It feels a little cold.
Paul: The better sentence is, can I have a coffee, please. Or, I’d like a coffee.
Emily: Can I have a coffee, please? Repeat with us.
Paul: Can I have a coffee, please?
Paul: Number two. In a shop, a learner says, I want toilet.
Emily: Very direct, and the little word the is missing too.
Paul: Better is, excuse me, where is the restroom. Restroom is a polite word.
Emily: Some people say bathroom or toilet. All of them are understood everywhere.
Paul: Number three. On the street, a learner says, where post office.
Emily: People understand it, but it sounds too short, like a text message with no small words.
Paul: Ha. Add the small words. Excuse me, where is the post office.
Emily: Number four is my old favorite. I say, yes, yes, yes, when I don’t understand.
Paul: That was me with the pharmacist, three yeses and no understanding.
Emily: The better sentence is honest. Sorry, I don’t understand. Can you say that again?
Paul: Honest sentences are always better than a confused yes.
Emily: Now, the next place is not a place you walk to.
Paul: It’s a place inside your phone. Phone calls.
Emily: Ugh. Phone calls. I have a story here.
Paul: Oh, I want this story.
Emily: In my first year in England, I had a terrible toothache.
Emily: I had to call a dentist to make an appointment.
Emily: I sat on my bed with my phone for ten minutes. Just looking at it.
Paul: Ten minutes. Longer than my two minutes at the pharmacy.
Emily: Much longer. Then I called. A woman answered, and she said hello.
Emily: And I said, I am Emily. And then, nothing. Silence.
Paul: Oh no. I am Emily, and then the silence.
Emily: She said, sorry, who is this? And then, how can I help you?
Emily: She asked me twice. I felt so small.
Paul: So I wonder where the problem was, exactly.
Emily: Two things. On the phone, people say this is, not I am.
Emily: And I didn’t say why I was calling.
Paul: Here’s a picture for phone calls. A phone call is like talking in the dark.
Emily: In the dark. Because the other person can’t see your face.
Paul: Right. They can’t see you smile, or see what you need.
Paul: So you must say two things fast. Who you are, and why you call.
Emily: The key for phone calls is, hello, this is Emily.
Paul: Hello, this is Paul. Repeat with us.
Emily: Hello, this is Emily.
Paul: Then the reason. I’m calling about my appointment.
Emily: I’m calling to make an appointment, please.
Paul: Let’s do a scene. Emily calls a small office. I answer the phone.
Paul: Good morning, Green Street Office.
Emily: Hello, this is Emily. Can I speak to Grace, please?
Paul: Sorry, she’s not here right now.
Emily: Oh. When will she be back?
Paul: Around five fifteen this afternoon.
Emily: Okay. Can I leave a message?
Paul: Of course. Go ahead.
Emily: Can you tell her I called? My number is five five five, two one eight.
Paul: Five five five, two one eight. I’ll tell her.
Emily: Thank you. Have a nice day.
Paul: You too. Bye.
Emily: That was much better than my dentist call.
Paul: Much better. Let’s look at the important lines.
Paul: Can I speak to Grace, please. This is how you ask for a person.
Emily: Sorry, she’s not here right now. You will hear this one a lot.
Paul: Then, can I leave a message. A message is words for the other person.
Emily: And, can you tell her I called. Very short, very clear.
Paul: Say numbers slowly, one by one. Five, five, five.
Emily: Yes. People on the phone write numbers down. Give them time.
Paul: Your turn. You call a friend’s office. Say who you are.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Hello, this is Anna. Can I speak to Tom, please?
Paul: Great. Six keys. One more place to go.
Emily: The last place is the place nobody wants to visit. The doctor.
Paul: Or the pharmacy. My old friend, the pharmacy.
Emily: Wait. This is the end of your story, right? Three weeks later.
Paul: Yes. Three weeks later, I had a cold. A sore throat this time.
Paul: I went to a different pharmacy, near my new office.
Emily: Please tell me you didn’t point at boxes again.
Paul: No. I walked to the counter, and I took a breath.
Paul: And I said, hello. Do you have something for a sore throat?
Emily: Oh, Paul. The sentence from the bus ticket.
Paul: The same key, with one new word. Sore throat instead of cough.
Paul: The man said, sure, and gave me a box. Ten seconds. Done.
Emily: From two minutes of pointing to ten seconds. I love that.
Paul: I walked out, and I felt taller. Really. Just from one sentence.
Emily: One place, one key question.
Paul: One place, one key question. That is the whole lesson in my story.
Emily: So, the key for the doctor or pharmacy is, I have a, and the problem.
Paul: I have a cough. I have a fever. I have a headache.
Emily: I have a sore throat. Throat is here, inside your neck.
Paul: Repeat with us. I have a headache.
Emily: I have a headache.
Paul: And at the pharmacy, my sentence. Do you have something for a cough?
Emily: Do you have something for a headache? Repeat with us.
Paul: Do you have something for a headache?
Emily: Now the doctor’s side. I’m the doctor, and Paul is sick again.
Paul: Of course I am.
Emily: Hello, Paul. What’s wrong today?
Paul: I have a sore throat and a little fever.
Emily: How long have you had it?
Paul: Since Tuesday. It started in the evening.
Emily: Do you have any allergies?
Paul: No, I don’t. Not that I know.
Emily: Okay. Take this medicine twice a day, after food.
Paul: Twice a day, after food. Thank you, doctor.
Emily: Drink a lot of water, and rest. Feel better soon.
Paul: Let’s look at two doctor questions. First, what’s wrong.
Emily: What’s wrong means, what is your problem. It’s not rude here.
Paul: Second, how long have you had it. Answer with for.
Emily: Since Tuesday. For two weeks. For three days.
Paul: And twice a day means two times a day. Once is one time.
Emily: Once a day, twice a day, three times a day.
Paul: Now let’s put two keys together, because real life mixes places.
Emily: Sometimes you need to call the doctor’s office before you visit.
Paul: So you use the phone key and the doctor key in one conversation.
Emily: I’ll be the receptionist this time. Ring ring. Good morning, Hill Street Clinic.
Paul: Hello, this is Paul. I’m calling to make an appointment, please.
Emily: Of course. What’s the problem?
Paul: I have a bad cough and a sore throat, for three days now.
Emily: Okay. Is nine thirty tomorrow morning okay?
Paul: Yes, that’s perfect. Thank you very much.
Emily: Wonderful. See you tomorrow, Paul.
Paul: Two keys, one short telephone call, and the appointment is ready.
Emily: Compare that with my ten minutes of silence on the bed.
Paul: The difference is not your English level. It’s having the first sentence ready.
Paul: Your turn. You are at the pharmacy. You have a headache.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Hello. Do you have something for a headache?
Paul: Seven keys. The ring is full.
Emily: Now the big practice. Today you speak without reading anything.
Paul: We walk through one full day together, place by place.
Paul: I play seven different people. You answer in the pause.
Emily: After each pause, I say one example answer. Your answer can be different.
Paul: If you are only listening right now, that’s fine. Say it in your head.
Emily: Okay. It’s morning. You are at a new job. A new coworker comes to you.
Paul: Hi, I’m Paul. Nice to meet you.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Hi, Paul. I’m Sara. Nice to meet you too.
Paul: Now you are at the station, and your bag is very heavy.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Excuse me, can you help me? This bag is very heavy.
Paul: Good. Now you are in a big supermarket. You need rice.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Excuse me, where can I find the rice?
Paul: Let’s take a short break from speaking. Notice how you feel so far.
Emily: When I do this, I always forget the third one.
Paul: Everyone forgets one. That’s why we practice more than once.
Emily: True. Okay, lunch time. You are in a café.
Paul: Hi. Are you ready to order?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Yes. I’d like a coffee and a cheese sandwich, please.
Paul: After lunch, you are lost. You need the post office.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Excuse me, where is the post office?
Paul: Now in the afternoon, you call your friend’s office. You want to talk to Tom.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Hello, this is Mia. Can I speak to Tom, please?
Paul: Last one. In the evening, you have a cough. You go to a pharmacy.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Hello. Do you have something for a cough?
Paul: That’s a full day. Seven places, seven keys.
Emily: If you missed some, don’t worry. Play this part again tomorrow.
Paul: The second time is always easier. The keys get smooth with use.
Emily: Now a little quiz. Five questions, short and quick.
Paul: Answer in your head, or out loud. Then listen for the answer.
Emily: Question one. A shop worker comes to you, but you don’t need help. What do you say?
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: I’m just looking, thanks.
Emily: Question two. What sentence did Paul not know at the first pharmacy?
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: Do you have something for a cough? On the bus ticket.
Emily: Question three. On the phone, I am Emily, or this is Emily?
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: This is Emily. On the phone, we say this is.
Emily: Question four. In a café, which is more polite, I want or I’d like?
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: I’d like. I’d like a coffee, please.
Emily: Question five. The bank is on the other side of the street. What do you say?
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: It’s across the street. Or, it’s across from the park.
Emily: Count your correct answers. Even three is very good.
Paul: Now, one small job for today. Not a big homework.
Paul: Choose three keys that you need most in your life.
Emily: Maybe the shop, the café, and the phone. Or other ones.
Paul: Write them on your phone, like my bus ticket.
Emily: Read each sentence out loud five times today.
Paul: And tomorrow, use one of them with a real person.
Emily: Just one sentence, one time. That’s enough for tomorrow.
Paul: So, here is what we learned today. Three things.
Emily: One. Every place has one key question. Carry the ring with you.
Paul: Two. Polite words make everything easier. Excuse me, could you, and I’d like.
Emily: Three. On the phone, say who you are first. This is, and your name.
Paul: And remember the line from the pharmacy.
Emily: One place, one key question.
Paul: One place, one key question.
Emily: Now a question for you, for the comments.
Emily: Which place is the hardest for you in English? The shop, the café, or the doctor?
Paul: Write the place, and write your key question for it. We read every comment.
Emily: In the next episode, we talk about making plans with friends in English.
Paul: If this helped you, subscribe to English Practice Daily, so you don’t miss it.
Emily: Thank you for walking through the day with us. I’m Emily.
Paul: And I’m Paul. See you next time. Take care.