Nobody Speaks Perfect English: Language Anxiety, Six Small Steps and Five Helper Phrases

Emily opens with a moment that many learners know: “Have you ever sat in a meeting, knowing what to say in English, and let the moment pass?” (00:00) Paul answers with the line that sums up the whole feeling: “The sentence was ready. My courage was not.” (00:07) The topic changes, the chance is gone, and you feel heavy on the way home.

This episode is about that heavy feeling. It does not promise to make your English perfect. It gives you a secret that no teacher writes on the board: “Nobody speaks perfect English. That includes your teacher.” (00:26) Then it gives you something to do with it: three reasons the fear shows up, six small steps to speak anyway, five short phrases for the moment when you feel lost, and one line to take home.

Watch the episode: Watch the episode on YouTube

Time: about 46 minutes to listen. The practice below takes about 20 minutes. The chapter list at the bottom lets you jump to one part.

Before you listen: think of one moment this month when you knew the English word or sentence and did not say it. What did you fear would happen? Keep that moment in mind, because the hosts finish by asking you to say one sentence this week, even if it is not perfect.

How to use this page: listen once for Paul’s story. Then go back to the quiz and the role plays (33:35) and say every answer out loud before the hosts do. Many parts have a short pause with the count One, two, three., so listen where you can speak. If a line goes too fast, the full transcript is at the bottom.

What You’ll Learn

• Why the fear of speaking is normal, and the compass picture: My nerves are not a wall. They are a compass.
• Three reasons we are afraid to speak: fear of being wrong, comparing, and waiting for perfect
• What native speakers get wrong too: less / fewer, could of, literally, who / whom, between you and I
• The understood test: five common learner mistakes (verb forms, articles, prepositions, accent, a forgotten word) and when they do not stop the message
• Six small steps: start tiny, talk to yourself, find a safe person, make a mistake on purpose, change the sentence in your head, celebrate small wins
• Five helper phrases: I am not sure how to say this, but… / What I mean is… / Am I making sense? / Bear with me. / Give me a moment to find the word.
• A quiz and two role plays (a meeting and a phone call to a restaurant)
• Four phrases about fear and confidence: face your fears, step out of your comfort zone, the more you do it, the easier it gets, break the ice
• A one-minute emergency plan: Breathe, helper phrase, simple sentence.

Key Idea

Clear beats perfect.

The hosts give you this line during Arman’s story and repeat it at the end: “Clear beats perfect.” (26:57) The idea is simple. Your listener wants the message, not a perfect sentence. If they can understand you, the sentence did its job, and you can fix the details later.

The task for today is small: say one English sentence to a real person, or record yourself for thirty seconds. Then write one sentence in the comments about what you will say this week.

Have You Ever Let the Moment Pass? (00:00)

Emily and Paul start with the feeling, not with grammar. Paul has a ready sentence and no courage; Emily completes the picture: “Then the topic changed, and the chance was gone.” (00:10) She promises a secret, and Paul asks her to tell everyone how many mistakes he made that morning. Her answer: “I stopped counting at four. And that was before breakfast.” (00:36)

Then the hosts say what you will have by the end: you will know why the fear shows up, six small steps to speak anyway, and five short phrases for when you feel lost. They also say how to listen. This is an English speaking podcast, so they talk like two friends, and they leave quiet spaces: “So please do not just listen. Open your mouth and join us.” (01:42)

The first practice is one sentence, the ticket for the whole episode: “I am learning, so I will try.” (01:52) Paul asks you to say it out loud, even on a bus.

Paul’s Story: The Hardware Store Washer (02:20)

Paul tells a story from a Saturday at ten in the morning. The kitchen tap is dripping, and he decides to fix it himself. Inside he finds the problem: “A little round rubber ring inside. It was old and cracked.” (02:51) He takes the old ring in his pocket to the hardware store, walks past the screws, the nails, the paint and the ladders, and stands in front of a hundred tiny boxes for ten minutes.

The reason is not the shape or the size. It is the word: “Because I did not know the word. I knew the shape. I knew the size. I did not know the name.” (03:23) A young man in an orange shirt comes to help, and Paul says, “Yes, I need the small round thing, for the water.” The young man answers kindly: “Which small round thing?” (04:02) Paul’s ears get hot, he says never mind, and he buys a bag of screws. The tap is still dripping when he gets home.

The word was washer, and he found it in two seconds on his phone: “Washer. A washer for a tap.” (04:28) Emily points out the missing sentence. If Paul had described the thing by what it is, the young man would have understood at once: “It is a small rubber ring for a tap.” (04:43) But his head was busy with another question: “That question was louder than the English.” (04:55)

Emily gives the feeling a name: language anxiety, the nervous worry about speaking in a second language. It lives in the body: “It is the hot ears. It is the white page in your head.” (05:19) And it is common: “Teachers have it. Travelers have it. People who live abroad for ten years still have it on some days.” (05:28)

Then comes the picture of the episode, a compass. A compass does not show a perfect map. It shows a direction, and a shaking needle still helps you walk: “My nerves are not a wall. They are a compass.” (06:12)

Three Reasons We Are Afraid to Speak (06:25)

Emily gives three big reasons, and each one has its own picture.

1. The fear of being wrong. Paul asks you to imagine a car with a scratch on the door. The car still drives. The driver looks at the road, not at the scratch, and your listener is the same: “A few scratches will not stop the car.” (07:07)

2. Comparing. A man starts to run today and runs ten minutes. Then he watches a marathon runner on television and thinks he is a bad runner. Paul says what is wrong: “That race was never fair. The marathon runner started long before.” (07:36) The fairer comparison is with yourself: “Last year, could you read this sentence? Could you understand us today?” (07:56)

3. Waiting for perfect. Emily’s picture is a swimmer who reads books about water for a year and never gets in the pool: “Speaking is the water. You get better only inside it.” (08:36)

This part also gives you two sentences to say for the cold-water moments, with a pause after each: “It does not have to be perfect.” (08:49) and “I will say it, and I will see.” (08:54)

Native Speakers Make Mistakes Too (09:15)

Emily admits something: she is a native speaker and she still makes mistakes. The hosts go through a short list of mistakes that native speakers make, so you can see that “perfect” is a moving target.

• Less and fewer. People say There are less people today, but people can be counted, so the careful sentence is There are fewer people today. Paul’s rule: “Fewer for things you count. Less for things you cannot count, like water or time.” (10:06)
• Could of. When we speak, could have sounds like could of, so the hand writes what the ear hears. “And a lot of native adults write it wrong.” (10:44)
• Literally. “I am literally dying of hunger.” (10:53) Nobody is dying, because literally is used as a big word for very.
• Who and whom. Many natives avoid whom because it sounds too formal for a normal day.
• Between you and I. The careful version is between you and me, but smart people say it the other way because they think it sounds more polished. Paul sees the lesson: “So even the effort to be perfect can create a mistake.” (11:38)

Then Emily tells her own story from her first week at a new office. She needed a pen and asked a colleague: “I said, Could you borrow me your pen? Very proud, very smooth.” (12:24) She had mixed up borrow and lend, and the colleague simply handed over the pen: “She smiled and gave me the pen. She said, Of course. Then she said, I do that all the time.” (12:40) Emily said Ah, lend. Thank you., and they went back to work. The hosts turn this into two phrases you can use when a friend corrects you: “Ah, lend. Thank you.” (13:00) and “Good point, let me say it again.” (13:19)

The picture for this part is a carry-on bag at the airport. Pack everything you own and the bag is too heavy: “Perfect grammar is like packing everything. It makes the bag heavy.” (13:44) You need your clear message, your friendly face and a few good phrases. The part ends with a thought about your listener: “Most people want the conversation to work. They want a friendly moment.” (14:24) The practice sentence is: “Most people want me to succeed.” (14:41)

Five Common Mistakes: The Understood Test (14:50)

Emily gives the learner mistakes a simple test: if the listener can still understand, the sentence passes. Paul names it: “Let’s call that the understood test.” (15:02)

1. Verb forms. He go to work by bus should be He goes to work by bus. The message is clear, so it passes: “Fix it later, but do not stop talking.” (15:26)
2. Articles. She is doctor becomes She is a doctor. “Some languages have no articles at all, so learners skip them.” (15:35)
3. Prepositions. I am good in cooking becomes I am good at cooking, and we discussed about the plan becomes We discussed the plan. “Each one has its own habit.” (16:21) Read and listen a lot and the habits become familiar.
4. Pronunciation and accent. Emily’s picture is a signature: “You do not need to hide it. You only need to be clear. Clear is the goal.” (16:48)
5. A forgotten word. This is Paul’s washer problem. The trick is to talk around the word and say what the thing does: “It holds papers together.” (17:20) The hosts remind you that episode twelve teaches one more way to describe things.

For all five, the picture is a flashlight. In a dark room you do not need the sun, only enough light for the next step. The practice sentence is: “I only need enough light for the next step.” (18:13) The hosts then repeat the five corrected sentences, and Paul notices something: “Correct English is often simple English.” (18:57)

They also prepare you for the rare case when someone laughs at a mistake. Paul’s answer is calm: “Yes, English is tricky. Let me try again.” (19:16)

Six Small Steps: The Staircase (19:30)

The picture is a very tall staircase. You cannot see the top, but you only climb one step at a time. Each of the six steps is small on purpose.

1. Start tiny. Pick the smallest English moment of your day, such as Hello to a neighbor or Thanks to the bus driver. “And a habit is much stronger than a big plan.” (20:27)
2. Talk to yourself. This is the safest practice room. Tell your day in three short sentences and record thirty seconds on your phone. “Keep the recording safe, and listen again in three months.” (21:08)
3. Find a safe person. The hosts give you a short script: send a message, choose an easy topic, and agree on one rule before you start. The sentence to learn is: “Please correct me only if I ask.” (21:33)
4. Make a mistake on purpose. Say a sentence wrong, then right, and smile. For example, I will goed to the market. Oh, no. It should be went. Paul explains why it works: “Your brain loves a funny mistake, and it keeps the correction.” (23:13)
5. Change the sentence in your head. Do not fight the critic inside you. Answer it with a calmer sentence. “I did this last week, and I survived.” (23:44)
6. Celebrate every small win. Give each win a name, such as Today I asked a question in English. Paul keeps a notebook and writes one line each evening. “After a month, you have thirty small proofs of courage.” (24:38)

Emily and Paul each name their hardest step. For Paul it is step four, and for Emily it is step three. “So we both have homework.” (25:15)

Two Stories: Arman and Lucia (25:20)

The hosts say clearly that these two people are not real people from their files: they are learners the hosts imagine from the many they have met.

Arman delivers food at night on a blue scooter. At eleven o’clock in the rain a customer calls and says her soup is cold. His English is good in class, but this is a phone call in the rain. He takes a breath and speaks: “I am very sorry. I am coming. Five minutes.” (26:14) He forgets the word for traffic, so he describes it: “Many cars, very slow, on the bridge.” (26:25) The customer calms down and gives him a towel when he arrives. His message was clear, so the evening turned out fine. This is where the line of the episode appears: “Clear beats perfect.” (26:57)

Lucia has moved to a new city and goes to the school meeting for her seven-year-old daughter. She understands almost everything but has three questions in her head, and she does not ask. In November she writes the questions on a small paper and raises her shaking hand: “Excuse me. I am not sure how to say this, but how long is the trip?” (28:15) One word is wrong, and everybody hears the question. Another mother says she wanted to ask the same thing. Emily asks what changed between October and November: “She prepared, and she took one small risk.” (28:55) Paul adds: “She stopped waiting for a flawless moment, and moved when she was ready.” (28:59)

Lucia’s sentence is also the first of the five helper phrases, and the hosts say so at the end of the part.

Five Helper Phrases for Moments When You Are Lost (29:25)

These are short sentences for the moment when you are not sure. Paul calls them small lights on the path, and Emily connects them to the compass: they are how you walk while the needle still shakes.

1. I am not sure how to say this, but… A soft knock on the door. “It says, I am searching for words, but I am here.” (30:10)
2. What I mean is… Use it when your sentence lands in the wrong place. “No need to start over. Say, What I mean is, and aim again.” (30:43)
3. Am I making sense? A quick check-in that turns a speech into a shared moment. “Either answer is good. You are not alone on the road.” (31:26)
4. Bear with me. It means Please be patient for a moment. and fills the gap while your brain looks for the word.
5. Give me a moment to find the word. A longer version of the same idea. If the name of a fruit disappears, you can describe it: It is small, it is round, and it is red. “Cherry. Ah, thank you.” (32:35)

The hosts add a reminder: these phrases are not weak. “A confident speaker is a person who knows what to say when they feel lost.” (33:26)

Quiz and Role Plays: Your Turn (33:35)

The game is called Fear voice or Brave voice. The hosts read a sentence, count to three, and you decide which voice it is. Then you say a brave sentence in answer. For example, They will laugh at me is the fear voice, and the brave answer is the sentence you practised earlier: “Most people want me to succeed.” (34:31) I must wait until my English is perfect is the fear voice too, and the answer is the line of the episode.

After the game there are two role plays, with a count of three for your answer:

• A meeting at work. Paul is your colleague and asks what you think about the new plan. A good answer is: “I am not sure how to say this, but I like the first idea.” (35:37)
• A phone call to a restaurant. Emily plays the restaurant and you answer, for example to book a table for four people at seven thirty. The hosts notice that every answer is short and polite, and they give a rule for the phone: “Short, polite, and slow.” (37:42)

Emily adds why slowing down helps: “When you are nervous, you speak faster, so slow down on purpose.” (37:45)

Phrases for Fear and Confidence (38:45)

This part gives four natural phrases you will hear in movies and at work, each with a sample sentence and a pause.

1. Face your fears means to walk toward the thing that worries you instead of around it. The sample sentence: “Next Saturday, I will face my fear and ask the shop assistant for help.” (39:12)
2. Step out of your comfort zone is a quick review of episode twenty-three. The sample: “This week, I will step out of my comfort zone and send a voice message in English.” (40:01)
3. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Paul’s picture is a bicycle: “I fell twice, and I scratched my knee. Now I ride without thinking.” (40:41)
4. Break the ice means to start a friendly talk with someone new, for example in a lift: “Hi, I am new here. How long have you worked here?” (42:49)

In the middle of this part, the hosts answer an honest question: what if I forget everything when I start to speak? Their emergency plan has five steps and takes less than a minute, and you can remember it in three words: “Breathe, helper phrase, simple sentence.” (41:58)

Today’s Action and Your Challenge (43:15)

The action is small: “Today, say one English sentence to a real person.” (43:24) If nobody is near, record yourself for thirty seconds. Choose a sentence from the episode, and allow yourself to make a mistake, because a mistake is part of the job.

The hosts go back to the hardware store. Paul now knows the word and the sentence he should have said: “I am not sure how to say this, but I need a small rubber ring for a tap.” (44:07) Then they remember the three big ideas of the day. One: nobody speaks perfect English, so you do not need to. Two: the fear is normal and it is a compass, not a wall. Three: small steps and small phrases get you moving.

The challenge for the comments is: “What is one sentence you will say in English this week? It can be imperfect.” (45:01) In the next episode, the hosts talk about keeping a conversation going when you run out of things to say.

Useful Language from the Episode

Expression	Meaning	From the episode
language anxiety	nervous worry about speaking a second language	“Psychologists call it language anxiety.”
Nobody speaks perfect English.	a reminder that everyone makes mistakes	“Nobody speaks perfect English. That includes your teacher.”
Clear beats perfect.	being understood matters more than being flawless	“Clear beats perfect.”
It does not have to be perfect.	permission to start	“It does not have to be perfect.”
I will say it, and I will see.	try first, judge later	“I will say it, and I will see.”
Ah, lend. Thank you.	accept a correction without drama	“Ah, lend. Thank you.”
Good point, let me say it again.	repeat the corrected sentence	“Good point, let me say it again.”
Please correct me only if I ask.	set a rule with a practice partner	“Please correct me only if I ask.”
I am not sure how to say this, but…	start when you do not have the words	“I am not sure how to say this, but I really need more time.”
What I mean is…	repair a sentence that came out wrong	“What I mean is, I need a little help.”
Am I making sense?	check that the listener follows	“Am I making sense?”
Bear with me.	ask for a little patience	“Bear with me. I am looking for the right word.”
Give me a moment to find the word.	buy time to remember a word	“Give me a moment to find the word.”
face your fears	walk toward what worries you	“Next Saturday, I will face my fear and ask the shop assistant for help.”
step out of your comfort zone	try something new that makes you nervous	“This week, I will step out of my comfort zone and send a voice message in English.”
The more you do it, the easier it gets.	skills grow with repetition	“The more you do it, the easier it gets.”
break the ice	start a friendly talk with someone new	“Hi, I am new here. How long have you worked here?”

Mistake and Repair

The table below is written for this page. It puts the learner mistakes from the episode next to the form the hosts use, and shows which ones pass the understood test.

A common mix-up	The episode’s form	Passes the test?
He go to work by bus.	He goes to work by bus.	Yes, fix it later
She is doctor.	She is a doctor.	Yes
I am good in cooking.	I am good at cooking.	Yes
We discussed about the plan.	We discussed the plan.	Yes
Could you borrow me your pen?	Could you lend me your pen?	Yes, one word changes the meaning
There are less people today.	There are fewer people today.	Native speakers say both
I have thirty years.	I am thirty years old.	Yes
Sorry, sorry, my English is bad!	Bear with me. I am looking for the right word.	The second one keeps the talk moving

Practice with the Episode

1. Fear voice or brave voice?

Decide which voice speaks, then write a brave sentence in answer.

1. I cannot say this. My English is too bad.
2. I will say it, and I will see.
3. I will just stay quiet, and maybe the problem will go away.
4. Bear with me. I am looking for the right word.

Sample answers (written for this page)

1. Fear voice. A brave answer: I will try. I am learning.
2. Brave voice.
3. Fear voice. A brave answer: Give me a moment to find the word.
4. Brave voice. The speaker is moving forward.

2. Which helper phrase?

Choose the best helper phrase for each moment: I am not sure how to say this, but… / What I mean is… / Am I making sense? / Bear with me. / Give me a moment to find the word.

1. You start to speak and the right sentence is not ready.
2. Your sentence came out strange and you want to try again.
3. You finished a long idea and want to check that the other person follows.
4. You forgot the name of a fruit in the middle of a story.
5. You need a few seconds to think while someone waits.

Sample answers (written for this page)

1. I am not sure how to say this, but…
2. What I mean is…
3. Am I making sense?
4. Give me a moment to find the word.
5. Bear with me.

3. Pass the understood test?

Say which sentences pass the understood test (the listener can still understand) and write the careful version.

1. She go to school every day.
2. I am good in swimming.
3. He is engineer.

Sample answers (written for this page)

1. It passes. Careful version: She goes to school every day.
2. It passes. Careful version: I am good at swimming.
3. It passes. Careful version: He is an engineer.

All three can be understood, so the speaker should keep talking and fix the details later.

4. Describe the missing word

You forget the word umbrella in the middle of a sentence. Write a helper phrase and a description.

A model answer (written for this page)

Give me a moment to find the word. It is the thing you open when it rains.

5. Say it out loud

Choose one of the six small steps. Write one sentence that starts with This week, I will… Then say it out loud three times. Write the sentence in the comments: The sentence I will say in English this week is …

Keep Practicing

Do you want to look closer at the moment right after you make a mistake and someone corrects you? Read Ah, Lend. Thank You. How to Accept a Correction in English and Keep Talking. It compares three reactions, gives you a calm two-step reply and shows you how to set a rule with a practice partner.

Chapters

• 00:00 Have You Ever Let the Moment Pass?
• 02:20 Paul’s Story: The Hardware Store Washer
• 06:25 Three Reasons We Are Afraid to Speak
• 09:15 Native Speakers Make Mistakes Too
• 14:50 Five Common Mistakes: The Understood Test
• 19:30 Six Small Steps: The Staircase
• 25:20 Two Stories: Arman and Lucia
• 29:25 Five Helper Phrases for Moments When You Are Lost
• 33:35 Quiz and Role Plays: Your Turn
• 38:45 Phrases for Fear and Confidence
• 43:15 Today’s Action and Your Challenge

Full Transcript

Emily: Have you ever sat in a meeting, knowing what to say in English, and let the moment pass?

Paul: Yes. The sentence was ready. My courage was not.

Emily: Then the topic changed, and the chance was gone.

Paul: And on the way home, you felt a little heavy.

Emily: Today we talk about that heavy feeling. And we share a secret with you.

Paul: A secret that no teacher writes on the board.

Emily: Here it is. Nobody speaks perfect English. That includes your teacher.

Paul: It includes the two of us. Emily, tell them how many mistakes I made this morning.

Emily: I stopped counting at four. And that was before breakfast.

Paul: Welcome to English Practice Daily. I’m Paul.

Emily: And I’m Emily. This episode is made for B1 and B2 learners.

Paul: This is an English speaking podcast, so we talk like two friends, not like a textbook.

Emily: Please treat it like a conversation, and answer us out loud.

Paul: You can already understand a lot. You can read, and you can follow a story.

Emily: But when it is your turn to speak, your mouth closes.

Paul: That is the exact problem we want to fix today.

Emily: By the end, you will know why the fear shows up.

Paul: You will know six small steps to speak anyway.

Emily: And you will have five short phrases to keep you going when you feel lost.

Paul: There is also one line to take home. It is only three words long.

Emily: Keep your ears open, because we will say it more than once.

Paul: Near the end, you will practice too. We leave quiet spaces for your voice.

Emily: So please do not just listen. Open your mouth and join us.

Paul: Let’s start with a small test. Repeat after us, if you want.

Emily: I am learning, so I will try.

Paul: I am learning, so I will try. Say it out loud, even if you are on a bus.

Emily: One more time, a little slower. I am learning, so I will try.

Paul: Very good. That sentence is your ticket for the next forty minutes.

Emily: Paul, I think you have a story for us. I can see it on your face.

Paul: I do. It is a small story about a very small piece of metal.

Emily: Now I am curious. Please start from the beginning.

Paul: It was a Saturday, at ten in the morning. The kitchen tap was dripping.

Emily: That sound is terrible. Drip, drip, drip, all day.

Paul: I had a free morning, so I decided to fix it myself.

Emily: A brave decision for a man who cannot hang a picture.

Paul: Thank you, Emily. I opened the tap and I found the problem.

Emily: What was it?

Paul: A little round rubber ring inside. It was old and cracked.

Emily: So you needed a new one.

Paul: Yes. I took the old ring in my pocket and I went to the hardware store.

Emily: Good plan. A hardware store is a big place, though.

Paul: It is huge. I walked past the screws, the nails, the paint, and the ladders.

Emily: And you found the right shelf?

Paul: I found a shelf with a hundred tiny boxes. And I stood there for ten minutes.

Emily: Ten minutes. Why?

Paul: Because I did not know the word. I knew the shape. I knew the size. I did not know the name.

Emily: The word was washer. A small, flat ring that goes inside a tap.

Paul: Exactly. But on Saturday, in my head, there was only a white page.

Emily: So what did you do?

Paul: A young man in an orange shirt came and said, Can I help you?

Emily: That was your chance.

Paul: It was. And I said, Yes, I need the small round thing, for the water.

Emily: The small round thing. For the water.

Paul: He looked at me with a kind face. He said, Which small round thing?

Emily: I feel your face getting red from here.

Paul: It was red. My ears were hot. So I said, Never mind, thank you. And I bought a bag of screws.

Emily: Screws. For a tap that needed a ring.

Paul: The wrong size, too. I went home and the tap was still dripping.

Emily: Later, did you learn the word?

Paul: I looked it up in two seconds. Washer. A washer for a tap.

Emily: Two seconds. After an hour of shame.

Paul: And here is the funny part. The young man could have helped me easily.

Emily: Because the shape was the clue.

Paul: Yes. If I said, It is a small rubber ring for a tap, he would understand at once.

Emily: But your brain was busy with something else.

Paul: It was busy with, What will he think of me? That question was louder than the English.

Emily: That feeling has a name, and the name helps. Psychologists call it language anxiety.

Paul: Anxiety is the nervous kind of worry that lives in your body.

Emily: So language anxiety is simply nerves about speaking.

Paul: It is the tight chest before you open your mouth in a second language. Even in your own, on a bad day.

Emily: It is the hot ears. It is the white page in your head.

Paul: And listen to this. It is very, very common.

Emily: Teachers have it. Travelers have it. People who live abroad for ten years still have it on some days.

Paul: So if you feel it, there is nothing wrong with you.

Emily: Now here is a picture to keep in your mind. A compass.

Paul: A compass, like the one on a hiking trip.

Emily: A compass does not show you a perfect map. It only shows you a direction.

Paul: And that is what anxiety is. It is a needle that jumps and shakes.

Emily: It says, Careful, this matters to you. It does not say, Stop.

Paul: You can walk with a shaking compass. You will still arrive.

Emily: Let’s try that thought in a sentence. Repeat after us.

Paul: My nerves are not a wall. They are a compass.

Emily: My nerves are not a wall. They are a compass.

Paul: Nice. Keep that picture, because we will use it again later.

Emily: Now let’s look at why the fear comes. There are three big reasons.

Paul: The first reason is the fear of being wrong.

Emily: We think a mistake is a big red stamp on our forehead.

Paul: But think about a car. Imagine a car with a scratch on the door.

Emily: Does the car still drive?

Paul: Of course it does. It takes you to work, to the shops, to your family.

Emily: A scratch looks bad when you stand and stare at it.

Paul: But the driver is looking at the road, not at the scratch.

Emily: Your listener is the same. They look at the road. They look at your message.

Paul: Your English can have scratches and still take the message all the way there.

Emily: Say it with us. A few scratches will not stop the car.

Paul: A few scratches will not stop the car.

Emily: The second reason is something we do every day. We compare.

Paul: We hold our own beginning next to a stranger’s finished work.

Emily: Imagine a man who starts to run today. He runs ten minutes and he is tired.

Paul: Then he watches a marathon runner on television.

Emily: And he thinks, I am so slow. I am a bad runner.

Paul: That race was never fair. The marathon runner started long before.

Emily: Put your English next to a fluent speaker, and you do the same.

Paul: They practiced for decades. You began recently. Give yourself time.

Emily: Or compare yourself with you, from last year.

Paul: Last year, could you read this sentence? Could you understand us today?

Emily: If the answer is yes, you are already a runner who is running.

Paul: So let’s save our comparing for the person we were last year.

Emily: The third reason is a tricky one. We wait for perfect.

Paul: I will speak when I am ready. I will speak after one more grammar book.

Emily: It sounds very sensible. But think about a swimmer.

Paul: A swimmer who reads books about water for a whole year.

Emily: And never gets in the pool.

Paul: He knows every word about swimming. But he is still dry.

Emily: Speaking is the water. You get better only inside it.

Paul: And the water is a little cold at the start. That is normal.

Emily: Let’s say two short phrases for those moments. Repeat after us.

Paul: It does not have to be perfect.

Emily: It does not have to be perfect.

Paul: I will say it, and I will see.

Emily: I will say it, and I will see.

Paul: Those two phrases are small, but they open a very big door.

Emily: So, three reasons. We fear mistakes, we compare, and we wait for perfect.

Paul: And all three become smaller when we say them out loud.

Emily: Next, let’s visit the people who have spoken English since birth.

Paul: Surely they never slip, right?

Emily: Let’s find out together.

Paul: Stay with us, and you will hear a few funny answers.

Emily: Welcome back. Paul, I have a little confession to make.

Paul: Oh, I like confessions. Please go on.

Emily: I am a native speaker. I have spoken English for my whole life.

Paul: And you still make mistakes.

Emily: Every week. Sometimes every day. Let me show you a few.

Paul: Please, teach us. We love to see a teacher in trouble.

Emily: Mistake number one. Less and fewer.

Paul: I think I know this one. People say, There are less people today.

Emily: Yes. But people can be counted, so the careful sentence is, There are fewer people today.

Paul: Fewer for things you count. Less for things you cannot count, like water or time.

Emily: Exactly. Fewer cars, less traffic. Fewer coins, less money.

Paul: And most people say less for both, in daily talk.

Emily: Next, a small and strange one. People write could of.

Paul: Could of? I have seen that on the internet.

Emily: It should be could have. But when we speak, could have sounds like could of.

Paul: So the ear hears one thing, and the hand writes another.

Emily: That is the reason. And a lot of native adults write it wrong.

Paul: That makes me feel better already.

Emily: There is also the word literally. People say, I am literally dying of hunger.

Paul: And nobody is dying.

Emily: Nobody is dying. Literally means in a real way, but we use it as a big word for very.

Paul: And then there is who and whom.

Emily: Ah, whom. Many natives avoid it completely.

Paul: Because it sounds too formal for a normal day.

Emily: Right. In a text to a friend, nobody writes, To whom am I speaking?

Paul: Nobody. Unless they want to be funny.

Emily: Another famous one is, between you and I.

Paul: The careful version is, between you and me.

Emily: Many smart people say it the wrong way, because they think it sounds more polished.

Paul: So even the effort to be perfect can create a mistake.

Emily: That is a good lesson. Perfect English is a moving target.

Paul: Everyday talk is messy. We hesitate, we repeat, and we say um.

Emily: We start a sentence, and we change our mind in the middle.

Paul: Listen to any radio interview. You will hear it in every minute.

Emily: Now, I promised a personal story, and I do not want to skip it.

Paul: Please do not skip it. I have been waiting.

Emily: It happened in my first week at a new office, a few years ago.

Paul: A native speaker, in her own country, in her own language.

Emily: Yes. I needed a pen, and a colleague was sitting next to me.

Paul: So you asked her.

Emily: I said, Could you borrow me your pen? Very proud, very smooth.

Paul: Borrow me?

Emily: I mixed up borrow and lend. The right sentence is, Could you lend me your pen?

Paul: And what did she do?

Emily: She smiled and gave me the pen. She said, Of course. Then she said, I do that all the time.

Paul: That is the thing. She did not stop the world.

Emily: Not for one second. And I remembered that moment on days when I was afraid.

Paul: So what did you say after that?

Emily: I said, Ah, lend. Thank you. And we went back to our work.

Paul: Ah, lend. Thank you. A tiny correction, and no drama.

Emily: Let’s make that a phrase for you. Repeat after us.

Paul: Ah, lend. Thank you.

Emily: Ah, lend. Thank you.

Paul: Good point, let me say it again.

Emily: Good point, let me say it again.

Paul: Those two lines are perfect when a friend corrects you.

Emily: You do not argue, you do not apologize ten times. You just smile and keep going.

Paul: And now a picture. Think about a carry-on bag at the airport.

Emily: The small bag that you take on the plane.

Paul: If you pack every single thing you own, the bag is too heavy to carry.

Emily: Perfect grammar is like packing everything. It makes the bag heavy.

Paul: You do not need all of it for the trip. You need the useful things.

Emily: Your clear message, your friendly face, and a few good phrases.

Paul: The rest can stay at home. You will walk faster without it.

Emily: And here is a very important point. Your listener is not a judge.

Paul: Think about when you listen to someone with a hard accent. What do you do?

Emily: I lean in. I try to catch the meaning. I want to understand.

Paul: Exactly. You are on their side. They are on your side, too.

Emily: Most people want the conversation to work. They want a friendly moment.

Paul: And if someone does mock your English, that is rude behavior.

Emily: It says nothing about your worth. Please remember that.

Paul: Here is one more phrase to try. Repeat after us.

Emily: Most people want me to succeed.

Paul: Most people want me to succeed.

Emily: Good. Now let’s move to the mistakes that learners make most often.

Paul: Learners, this is your section. Take a deep breath.

Emily: There are five typical ones. And we have a rule for each. If the listener can still understand, it passes.

Paul: Let’s call that the understood test.

Emily: Number one is verb forms. For example, He go to work by bus.

Paul: The careful sentence is, He goes to work by bus. Add an s for he and she.

Emily: But did you understand the first one?

Paul: Of course. He goes to work by bus. The message is clear.

Emily: So it passes the test. Fix it later, but do not stop talking.

Paul: Number two is articles. The little words a, an, and the.

Emily: Some languages have no articles at all, so learners skip them.

Paul: For example, She is doctor.

Emily: The better sentence is, She is a doctor.

Paul: And again, you understood. She has a job, and the job is a doctor.

Emily: Test passed. Let’s practice the right one. Repeat after us. She is a doctor.

Paul: She is a doctor. He is an engineer.

Emily: He is an engineer. Good.

Paul: Number three is prepositions. Those tiny words that jump around.

Emily: I am good in cooking. The natural phrase is, I am good at cooking.

Paul: And, we discussed about the plan. The natural phrase is, We discussed the plan.

Emily: Each one has its own habit. Read and listen a lot, and the habits become familiar.

Paul: But in both examples, did we understand the person?

Emily: Yes. Test passed again.

Paul: Number four is pronunciation and accent. Many learners fear this one the most.

Emily: Let me tell you what I think. An accent is like a signature.

Paul: A signature shows who you are, and where you have been.

Emily: You do not need to hide it. You only need to be clear. Clear is the goal.

Paul: If one sound is hard, slow down and say the word again.

Emily: That is not a failure. That is a good listener in the room.

Paul: Number five is forgetting a word, like I did with the washer.

Emily: Here is a rescue move. Talk around the missing word.

Paul: Say the job of the thing, not the name.

Emily: For example, you forget the word stapler.

Paul: You say, It holds papers together.

Emily: And the other person says, Ah, a stapler. And you say, Yes. Thank you.

Paul: In a few seconds, you are friends with the word again.

Emily: We also have a lesson about this in an earlier episode, number twelve. You can find it on our channel.

Paul: It teaches one more way to describe things. Here, we only need the simple idea.

Emily: Describe it, and the conversation goes on.

Paul: Let’s use a picture for all five. Think about a flashlight.

Emily: In a dark room, you do not need the sun. You only need enough light to see the next step.

Paul: Your English does not have to shine like the sun. It only has to light the next step.

Emily: A small clear sentence is a flashlight. It is enough to walk together.

Paul: Say it with us. I only need enough light for the next step.

Emily: I only need enough light for the next step.

Paul: Beautiful. Keep that in your pocket.

Emily: Before we go on, let’s practice the five corrected sentences, one after another.

Paul: Repeat after us. He goes to work by bus.

Emily: He goes to work by bus. She is a doctor.

Paul: She is a doctor. I am good at cooking.

Emily: I am good at cooking. We discussed the plan.

Paul: We discussed the plan. It holds papers together.

Emily: It holds papers together. Wonderful, your pronunciation was clear and confident.

Paul: Did you notice something? None of these sentences was long or difficult.

Emily: Correct English is often simple English. Complicated sentences are not a sign of intelligence.

Paul: A good speaker chooses the clearest words, and then stops. That is real communication.

Emily: And what if somebody does laugh at a mistake? It happens, although it is rare.

Paul: Then you can smile, and you can say, Yes, English is tricky. Let me try again.

Emily: A relaxed reply ends the tension. Usually the mocker feels awkward, not you.

Paul: And you walk away with your dignity, and with a better sentence.

Emily: Enough about mistakes. Now let’s turn to action.

Paul: Six small steps, and one staircase to climb. Stay with us.

Emily: Here they are, the six small steps.

Paul: And we have a picture for them. A staircase.

Emily: Imagine a very tall staircase. You look up, and you cannot see the top.

Paul: Your legs feel weak, and you think, I cannot climb that.

Emily: But you do not climb the whole staircase. You climb one step.

Paul: Only the first step is low, and it is easy for everyone.

Emily: And here is step one. Start tiny.

Paul: Pick the smallest English moment of your day.

Emily: Maybe it is Hello to your neighbor. Maybe it is Thanks, to the bus driver.

Paul: Your voice works, and the day goes on. Nothing breaks.

Emily: After a week, that tiny moment feels like a habit.

Paul: And a habit is much stronger than a big plan.

Emily: Step two is to talk to yourself. This is the safest practice room.

Paul: It is just you and the wall, so you can fail loudly and try again.

Emily: Here is a simple plan. Tell your day in three short sentences.

Paul: Like a spoken letter. I got up. I brushed my teeth. I chose a blue shirt.

Emily: That is it. Small, boring, and perfect.

Paul: Then press record on your phone, and say it again for thirty seconds.

Emily: Do not play it on the first day. Just record. Come back to it on the third day.

Paul: Keep the recording safe, and listen again in three months.

Emily: Your old voice next to your new voice is real evidence.

Paul: Step three is to find a practice partner you trust.

Emily: A neighbor, a coworker, or a stranger from a chat group works.

Paul: What matters is that you feel safe with them.

Emily: Safe listeners let you relax, so the words come more easily.

Paul: And you can tell them, Please correct me only if I ask.

Emily: Many learners are afraid of this step, so let me give you a simple script.

Paul: First, send a short message. Hi, I am practicing English. Do you have ten minutes this week?

Emily: Second, choose an easy topic, like food, weekend plans, or a film.

Paul: Third, agree on one rule before you start. For example, we do not stop for small mistakes.

Emily: With that rule, the conversation can flow, and you finish with a warm feeling.

Paul: A warm feeling matters. It is the reason you will come back next week.

Emily: That is a wonderful sentence. Repeat after us.

Paul: Please correct me only if I ask.

Emily: Please correct me only if I ask.

Paul: Step four is a strange one. Make a mistake on purpose.

Emily: Yes. Take a simple sentence, twist it wrong, and laugh.

Paul: For example, I will goed to the market.

Emily: Goed. Oh, no, that is wrong. Ha ha. It should be went.

Paul: Now try it. Say it wrong, say it right, and smile.

Emily: Let me give you three more examples for your practice.

Paul: I am very boring. Oh, no. I am very bored.

Emily: She is married with a doctor. Oh, no. She is married to a doctor.

Paul: I have thirty years. Oh, no. I am thirty years old.

Emily: Do you see what happens? The wrong sentence sounds funny, and the right one stays in your memory.

Paul: That is a clever trick. Your brain loves a funny mistake, and it keeps the correction.

Emily: If you laugh first, the error feels much smaller.

Paul: It is like turning on the light in a dark room, and the monster is only a coat.

Emily: Step five is to change the sentence in your head.

Paul: Many of us carry a critic inside, who whispers, You will fail.

Emily: Do not fight the voice. Answer it with a calmer sentence.

Paul: Try, Let’s see what happens. Or, I did this last week, and I survived.

Emily: A kind sentence does not lie to you. It simply opens a way forward.

Paul: You talk to yourself before you talk to anyone else.

Emily: So make that first conversation a kind one. Say it with us.

Paul: I did this last week, and I survived.

Emily: I did this last week, and I survived.

Paul: Step six is to celebrate every small win.

Emily: Give each win a name, and say it out loud.

Paul: Today I asked a question in English.

Emily: Today I understood a whole song.

Paul: Today I spoke for one minute without stopping.

Emily: Even a clumsy sentence counts, because it came out of you.

Paul: I keep a small notebook for this. Every evening, I write one line. Today I spoke when I was afraid.

Emily: What a lovely habit. After a month, you have thirty small proofs of courage.

Paul: And on a bad day, you open the notebook, and you remember who you are becoming.

Emily: Let’s put all six steps on the staircase. Tiny, talk to yourself, safe person, mistake on purpose, new voice, celebrate.

Paul: Six steps, and you do not need to climb them in one day.

Emily: Paul, which step is hardest for you?

Paul: Step four. Making a mistake on purpose makes my face hot.

Emily: For me it is step three. I am shy about asking people to practice.

Paul: So we both have homework.

Emily: And so do you. Pick one step now. Choose it in your heart.

Paul: Great. Now we want to share two stories with you.

Emily: These are not real people from our files. They are learners we imagine from the many we have met.

Paul: We tell them so that you can see yourself inside the story.

Emily: The first one is about a man who delivers food at night.

Paul: Let’s call him Arman. He is thirty-four, and he drives a small blue scooter.

Emily: It is eleven o’clock, in the rain. His phone rings, and a customer is calling.

Paul: Arman hears a fast, angry voice. The customer says, Where are you? My soup is cold!

Emily: His stomach drops. His English is good in class, but this is a phone call in the rain.

Paul: He wants to hang up, and he wants to say sorry in his own language.

Emily: But he takes a breath, and he says, I am very sorry. I am coming. Five minutes.

Paul: His grammar is not perfect. He forgets the word for traffic.

Emily: So he describes it. He says, Many cars, very slow, on the bridge.

Paul: The customer is quiet for a second. Then she says, Okay. Thank you for telling me.

Emily: He arrives in six minutes, with wet shoes and a nervous smile.

Paul: She opens the door and says, Oh, you are all wet. Come in for a second.

Emily: She gives him a towel. She has a soft voice now.

Paul: Later he told a friend, She only needed to hear I was on my way.

Emily: His message was clear, so the evening turned out fine.

Paul: Clear beats perfect.

Emily: Say it with us. Clear beats perfect.

Paul: Clear beats perfect. That is our line for today.

Emily: Keep it close. We will bring it back again.

Paul: The second story is about a mother. Let’s call her Lucia.

Emily: Lucia moved to a new city last year. Her daughter is seven years old.

Paul: In October, the school invites all the parents to a meeting in the library.

Emily: It is at six in the evening. The chairs are small, and the room smells like old paper.

Paul: Lucia sits in the back, with her coat on, and she holds her bag with both hands.

Emily: The teacher talks about homework, and about a trip to a farm.

Paul: Lucia understands almost everything. But she has three questions in her head.

Emily: How long is the trip? What should the children bring? Who pays for the bus?

Paul: She does not ask. She thinks, My English is not good enough. I will ask my daughter at home.

Emily: The second meeting is in November. The same chairs, the same smell.

Paul: But this time she writes her questions on a little paper.

Emily: She reads them quietly in the corridor before the meeting.

Paul: At the end, she raises her hand. Her hand is shaking a little.

Emily: She says, Excuse me. I am not sure how to say this, but how long is the trip?

Paul: Her voice is soft. One word is wrong. But everybody hears the question.

Emily: The teacher smiles and says, About four hours. Thank you for asking.

Paul: And another mother says, I wanted to ask the same thing.

Emily: Do you see? Her small question helped a whole room.

Paul: After the meeting, the teacher asked, Would you like to join our parents’ group?

Emily: Lucia said yes. And a friendship began over a farm trip.

Paul: Now, what changed between October and November?

Emily: She prepared, and she took one small risk.

Paul: She stopped waiting for a flawless moment, and moved when she was ready.

Emily: Prepared is a goal you can actually reach this month.

Paul: Let’s repeat the line together once more. Clear beats perfect.

Emily: Clear beats perfect.

Paul: Great. Now, in these stories, did you notice the phrase Lucia used?

Emily: I am not sure how to say this, but.

Paul: That is one of our five helpers for today. Let’s learn them in the next part.

Emily: Now we come to the part that many of you are waiting for. The helper phrases.

Paul: These are short sentences for the moment when you are not sure.

Emily: We have five of them today. And we say each one slowly, so you can repeat.

Paul: Think of them as small lights on the path. They keep you walking.

Emily: Do you remember our compass from the beginning?

Paul: The shaking needle. Yes.

Emily: These five phrases are how you walk, while the needle still shakes.

Paul: Helper number one. I am not sure how to say this, but.

Emily: This phrase is like a soft knock on the door. You say it, and then you try.

Paul: The other person hears it, and often waits a bit longer.

Emily: It says, I am searching for words, but I am here.

Paul: Let’s say it slowly. I am not sure how to say this, but.

Emily: I am not sure how to say this, but.

Paul: Again, with a full sentence. I am not sure how to say this, but I really need more time.

Emily: I am not sure how to say this, but I really need more time.

Paul: Very natural. Lucia used it in our story.

Emily: Helper number two. What I mean is.

Paul: Use it when your sentence lands in the wrong place.

Emily: No need to start over. Say, What I mean is, and aim again.

Paul: For example, She is very interesting about music. What I mean is, she is interested in music.

Emily: That is a nice rescue. Repeat after us. What I mean is.

Paul: What I mean is.

Emily: What I mean is, I need a little help.

Paul: What I mean is, I need a little help.

Emily: Helper number three. Am I making sense?

Paul: This one is a quick check-in. It turns a speech into a shared moment.

Emily: You say your idea, and then you check. Am I making sense?

Paul: And most people answer, Yes, I understand. Or, Can you say a little more?

Emily: Either answer is good. You are not alone on the road.

Paul: Let’s say it. Am I making sense?

Emily: Am I making sense?

Paul: Now in a sentence. I think we should start earlier. Am I making sense?

Emily: I think we should start earlier. Am I making sense?

Paul: Good. Helper number four is a new one. Bear with me.

Emily: Bear with me means, Please be patient for a moment.

Paul: Say it when you need a few seconds to think.

Emily: Bear with me. I am looking for the right word.

Paul: Bear with me. I am looking for the right word.

Emily: You will hear it in call centers, in offices, and at kitchen tables.

Paul: It sounds polite, and it fills the gap while your brain finds the word.

Emily: Helper number five. Give me a moment to find the word.

Paul: A slightly longer version of the same idea, and it is very useful.

Emily: Imagine you are telling a story and the name of a fruit disappears.

Paul: You say, Give me a moment to find the word. And then the word comes back.

Emily: Or you describe it. It is small, it is round, and it is red.

Paul: Cherry. Ah, thank you.

Emily: Let’s say it. Give me a moment to find the word.

Paul: Give me a moment to find the word.

Emily: Wonderful. Five helpers, five small lights.

Paul: Let’s put them in a row, so your memory can hold them.

Emily: One, I am not sure how to say this, but.

Paul: Two, what I mean is.

Emily: Three, am I making sense?

Paul: Four, bear with me.

Emily: Five, give me a moment to find the word.

Paul: You can write them on a small note and keep it in your bag.

Emily: Or on the back of your hand, like a student before an exam.

Paul: Now before we practice, a short reminder. You are not asking for pity.

Emily: These phrases are not weak. They are the language of confident speakers.

Paul: A confident speaker is not a person who never gets lost.

Emily: A confident speaker is a person who knows what to say when they feel lost.

Paul: That is a big difference, and it is a skill you can learn.

Emily: So, are you ready for a game?

Paul: This part is for your voice. Please, do not skip it.

Emily: We call the game, Fear voice or Brave voice.

Paul: We read a sentence. You decide if it is the fear voice, or the brave voice.

Emily: Then you say a brave sentence in answer.

Paul: After each question, we count to three. That is your thinking time.

Emily: Let’s start with a warm-up. Listen. I cannot say this. My English is too bad.

Paul: One, two, three. Fear voice or brave voice?

Emily: Fear voice. And the brave version could be, I will try, I am learning.

Paul: I will try, I am learning.

Emily: Round one. Listen. They will laugh at me.

Paul: One, two, three.

Emily: That is the fear voice. A brave answer is, Most people want me to succeed.

Paul: Most people want me to succeed.

Emily: Round two. I will say it, and I will see.

Paul: One, two, three.

Emily: That one is the brave voice. We used it in the beginning.

Paul: Round three. I must wait until my English is perfect.

Emily: One, two, three.

Paul: Fear voice. And a brave answer is, Clear beats perfect.

Emily: Clear beats perfect.

Paul: Round four. Bear with me. I am looking for the right word.

Emily: One, two, three.

Paul: Brave voice. A person who says that is moving forward.

Emily: You did very well. Now a role-play. This is a little harder.

Paul: We imagine a meeting at work. I am your colleague. You are yourself.

Emily: At the end of the exercise, we say a good answer for you.

Paul: Round one. I say, What do you think about the new plan?

Emily: Your turn. One, two, three.

Paul: A good answer is, I am not sure how to say this, but I like the first idea.

Emily: I am not sure how to say this, but I like the first idea.

Paul: Great. Round two. I say, Sorry, I did not understand your last point.

Emily: Your turn. One, two, three.

Paul: A good answer is, What I mean is, we should start earlier. Am I making sense?

Emily: What I mean is, we should start earlier. Am I making sense?

Paul: Very good. You can do this exercise alone, in a taxi, or in the kitchen.

Emily: Say the questions in your head, and answer in a low voice.

Paul: Three times a week, and you will feel the difference in a month.

Emily: Again, our line is, Clear beats perfect.

Paul: And you just practiced it with your own mouth. One more role-play before we finish. This time it is a phone call to a restaurant.

Emily: Phone calls are hard, because you cannot see the other person’s face.

Paul: So the helper phrases become even more valuable.

Emily: Round one. I am the restaurant. I say, Good evening. How can I help you?

Paul: Your turn. One, two, three.

Emily: A good answer is, Good evening. I am not sure how to say this, but I would like to book a table.

Paul: Good evening. I am not sure how to say this, but I would like to book a table.

Emily: Round two. I say, For how many people, and for what time?

Paul: Your turn. One, two, three.

Emily: A good answer is, Bear with me. Four people, at seven thirty.

Paul: Bear with me. Four people, at seven thirty.

Emily: Round three. I say, I am sorry, could you repeat the name?

Paul: Your turn. One, two, three.

Emily: A good answer is, Of course. It is Karen, spelled K, A, R, E, N.

Paul: Of course. It is Karen, spelled K, A, R, E, N.

Emily: Excellent. Notice that every answer was short, and every answer was polite.

Paul: That is the secret of confident speaking on the phone. Short, polite, and slow.

Emily: When you are nervous, you speak faster, so slow down on purpose.

Paul: A calm speaker gives the listener time to understand, and it also gives you time to think.

Emily: Let’s do two last rounds of our game, Fear voice or Brave voice.

Paul: Round five. I will just stay quiet, and maybe the problem will go away.

Emily: One, two, three.

Paul: That is the fear voice. A brave answer is, Give me a moment to find the word.

Emily: Give me a moment to find the word.

Paul: Round six. I made a mistake, but the conversation is still alive.

Emily: One, two, three.

Paul: That is the brave voice. A mistake is not the end of a conversation.

Emily: It is just a small scratch on the car.

Paul: And the car is still driving. You are doing great.

Emily: Let’s take a short breath. Breathe in, count to three, and breathe out slowly.

Paul: Now let’s learn some phrases for fear and confidence. These are natural English phrases that you will hear in movies and at work.

Emily: Phrase number one. Face your fears.

Paul: It means you walk toward the thing that worries you, instead of around it.

Emily: You stop postponing it, and you give it a time and a place.

Paul: Imagine the hardware store again. I could have faced my fear in that aisle.

Emily: How would you say that in a sentence?

Paul: Next Saturday, I will face my fear and ask the shop assistant for help.

Emily: Next Saturday, I will face my fear and ask the shop assistant for help.

Paul: Good. Your sentence can be different. Pause the audio, and make your own.

Emily: Take a few seconds. One, two, three.

Paul: Now say it out loud. Do not whisper.

Emily: Phrase number two. Step out of your comfort zone.

Paul: We have taught this one before, in episode twenty-three. It is worth a quick review.

Emily: Your comfort zone is where life feels easy and known.

Paul: For me, it is a quiet seat at the back of the room.

Emily: To step out means to try something new that makes you nervous.

Paul: Not a big jump, just a step. We said it earlier, with the staircase.

Emily: Here is a fresh sentence. This week, I will step out of my comfort zone and send a voice message in English.

Paul: This week, I will step out of my comfort zone and send a voice message in English.

Emily: Nice. A voice message is a perfect small step, and nobody sees your face.

Paul: Phrase number three. The more you do it, the easier it gets.

Emily: Skills grow that way, in every part of life.

Paul: Driving, cooking, swimming, and speaking English.

Emily: The first time, it feels heavy. The tenth time, it feels lighter.

Paul: The hundredth time, you forget it was ever hard.

Emily: Think of the first time you rode a bicycle.

Paul: I fell twice, and I scratched my knee. Now I ride without thinking.

Emily: Let’s say the phrase together. The more you do it, the easier it gets.

Paul: The more you do it, the easier it gets.

Emily: In a sentence. I was nervous on the phone, but the more I call, the easier it gets.

Paul: I was nervous on the phone, but the more I call, the easier it gets.

Emily: Some listeners ask us a very honest question. What if I forget everything when I start to speak?

Paul: It happens to everybody, even to people with years of practice. So let’s make a small emergency plan.

Emily: Step one. Stop for a second, and breathe out slowly.

Paul: Step two. Say one helper phrase, like, Bear with me.

Emily: Step three. Say the simplest sentence you know about your idea.

Paul: A short sentence is better than a beautiful sentence that never arrives.

Emily: Step four. Add one more short sentence. Then another one.

Paul: Small pieces build a big idea, like small bricks build a house.

Emily: And step five. After the talk, smile, and give yourself a point for trying.

Paul: Please keep this plan in mind. It takes less than one minute.

Emily: Say it with us. Breathe, helper phrase, simple sentence.

Paul: Breathe, helper phrase, simple sentence.

Emily: Phrase number four is a bonus. Break the ice.

Paul: To break the ice means to start a friendly talk with someone new.

Emily: Imagine a lift with four silent people. Somebody says, It is a rainy day, isn’t it?

Paul: And suddenly, the air in the lift is warmer.

Emily: Breaking the ice is a small skill, and you can learn it.

Paul: A simple way is to ask a light question, or to give a small compliment.

Emily: I like your bag. Where did you get it?

Paul: Your turn. Say a sentence to break the ice, in a lift, at a party, or at a bus stop.

Emily: One, two, three.

Paul: A good example is, Hi, I am new here. How long have you worked here?

Emily: Hi, I am new here. How long have you worked here?

Paul: Wonderful. Four phrases, and every one of them is a tool for your bag.

Emily: Face your fears. Step out of your comfort zone. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Break the ice.

Paul: Write them down, and try one this week.

Emily: Now let’s talk about what to do after this episode.

Paul: Because a good lesson without action is only a nice story.

Emily: Your task today is small, and it will take only a minute.

Paul: Today, say one English sentence to a real person.

Emily: Or, if there is nobody near, record yourself for thirty seconds.

Paul: Choose a sentence from today. Maybe, I am not sure how to say this, but.

Emily: Or, Bear with me. Or, Am I making sense?

Paul: And please allow yourself to make a mistake.

Emily: Yes. A mistake is part of the job, and it is a good sign.

Paul: It proves you tried. Every skill begins with a clumsy first attempt.

Emily: Let’s go back to the story of the hardware store, for a short review.

Paul: Now I know the word. Washer. And I also know the sentence I should have said.

Emily: Tell us, Paul.

Paul: I am not sure how to say this, but I need a small rubber ring for a tap.

Emily: That is a perfect sentence. Short, kind, and clear.

Paul: And with the right words, I would have saved one hour, and a bag of useless screws.

Emily: Next Saturday, I want to go with you to that shop.

Paul: I would like that. I will bring a new tap, to celebrate.

Emily: Let’s remember the three big ideas of today.

Paul: One, nobody speaks perfect English, so you do not need to either.

Emily: Two, the fear is normal, and it is a compass, not a wall.

Paul: Three, small steps and small phrases get you moving.

Emily: And the line to take home, one last time.

Paul: Clear beats perfect.

Emily: Clear beats perfect.

Paul: Say it in the morning, and say it before you speak.

Emily: Now a question for you. What is one sentence you will say in English this week? It can be imperfect.

Paul: Please write it in the comments. We read them, and your sentences make our day.

Emily: And if you are shy, write a short one. Even a word counts.

Paul: In the next episode, we talk about how to keep a conversation going when you run out of things to say.

Emily: It is a very useful topic, and it fits nicely with today.

Paul: If you like the show, please subscribe once. It helps us a great deal.

Emily: Thank you for practicing with us, and thank you for being brave.

Paul: Goodbye, and see you in the next one.

Emily: Clear beats perfect.