How to Be Pushy Without Being Pushy in English

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Today you-ll get six ways to check on someone-s progress in a non-pushy way in English!
Do you ever want to get the status of someone-s progress on a project or an assignment but do you get confused about how to ask without making the person feel pressured?
Today you-ll find out how to do it successfully in English.
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Ways to check on progress:

-How-s it going? I look forward to receiving the files.-

-Any updates?

- How are things progressing?-

-How are things moving forward?-

-How are things going?-

-Do you need any feedback on anything?-

-Do you want me to check your work?-

Slightly more direct ways to check on progress:

-What-s your timeline?-

-How-s your timeline looking?-

-I just wanted to check in. When do you think you-ll be able to get that done?-

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What other phrases do you use when you want to check on someone-s progress?
Let us know in the comments below.
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Don't Be a Fool! Learn About April Fool's Day with All Ears English

Come back to our blog and have a conversation with us!-Go to http://www.allearsenglish.com/294
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April Fool-s Day is coming up later this week.
Are you ready for it?
How do you celebrate April Fool-s Day in your culture?
Today you-ll learn what many Americans do on April Fool-s Day and you-ll get a few new vocabulary words for this day.
It-s common to play jokes on friends and colleagues at work or at college in the United States.
It-s especially common in colleges because students live together with their friends in dormitories.
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Vocabulary for April Fool-s Day:

Gullible: To trust people and believe things that people say, even if those things are not true.

Practical Joke: A joke that you play on someone (not a spoken joke). You act out this kind of joke.

A prank: A practical joke, a joke that is acted out

Gag gift: A silly gift that is not meant to be serious but is meant to be a joke

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What should you do if someone plays a joke on you?
Don-t take it too seriously.
Laugh at it.
Have a good time.
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Leave a message in the comments.
How do you celebrate April Fool-s Day?
Let us know.
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How to Learn English the Way a Child Learns to Walk

Come back to our site and let-s have a conversation about this episode in the comments section: http://allearsenglish.com/aee-293-how-to-learn-english-the-way-a-child-learns-to-walk/
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Today is a Deep Thoughts Thursday and we have an inspiring quote for you!
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Let-s talk about success.
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Here is the quote:
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-Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.-
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-Winston Churchill
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We can apply this quote to a lot of different aspects of our lives like learning English, dating, and our career paths.
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We have to keep going and take on new challenges with a positive attitude even if we have failed many times in the past.
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Try to avoid feeling bitter when you take on a challenge and try again.
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What do you think about this quote?
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Do you keep your heart open and stay enthusiastic when you try again with something?
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Leave us a comment below and let-s discuss it!
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How to Talk About Fashion in English

Come back to our site and talk about fashion with us! http://allearsenglish.com/how-to-talk-about-fashion-in-english
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What is your fashion style?
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Would you like to be able to talk about fashion in English in a more sophisticated way?
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Today you-ll get to expand your English fashion vocabulary in this episode with Lindsay and Michelle.
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Fashion Vocabulary:
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1) Umbrella term= Bag
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Purse

Backpack

Satchel

Handbag

Pocketbook

Evening bag

Clutch

Wristlet

2) Umbrella term= Shoes
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Sneakers

Tennis shoes

Walking shoes

Boots

Hiking boots

Heels

Flats

Sandals

Birkenstocks

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3) Umbrella term= Shirt
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T-shirt

Blouse

Tank Top (Spaghetti straps, sleeveless)

Sweater

Sweatshirt

Hoodie (hooded sweatshirt)

4) Umbrella term= Jacket
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Coat (heavier than a jacket)

Ski jacket

Leather jacket

Peacoat

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What do you think?
How do you know when someone is fashionable?
What is your fashion style?
Share it with us in the comments.
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Crazy? Insane? How to Use English Slang but Stay Politically Correct

Do you use a lot of English slang in your everyday conversations with natives?
In today-s episode you-ll find out how to use the words -crazy- and -insane- as slang words in conversations.
How to use the word -crazy- in a slang form:
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-I know someone who-s totally crazy because he still hitchhikes.-

It was crazy for us to hitchhike. Those were my crazy days.-

-Are you crazy about your boyfriend?-

-What is the craziest thing you have ever done?-

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The slang words -crazy- and -insane- mean wild and out of control.
They could also mean unexpected or out of control.
The words are also used a lot in song lyrics, especially love songs.
If you use these words in a literal way to describe someone who is mentally ill it is rude.
Instead you could say that they are -mentally disabled- or -mentally handicapped- or -mentally challenged.-
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Have you ever tried using these slang words in your English conversations?
Share your questions with us in the comments below.
Let-s talk!
Come back to allearsenglish.com/291
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To Tip or Not to Tip at an American Restaurant? That is the Question!

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Do you ever get confused about whether or not you should tip in an American restaurant?
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Do you wonder how much to leave?
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When to leave it?
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Today you-ll get insider information from Michelle, who used to be a waitress at an American restaurant.
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In the United States you MUST tip in a restaurant. Servers only make a few dollars per hour.
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They rely on your tips.
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How much should you tip?
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You should tip 18-20%. However, you do have a choice when it comes to leaving a tip. If you have bad service then you can tip less.
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If the waitress is slow or has a bad attitude then you don-t have to leave a lot of money as a tip.
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It-s up to you.
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When should you leave the tip?
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If you pay with a credit card they take your card and come back with a receipt and the receipt has a place to write in the tip and the total and then you need to sign the receipt before you leave.
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If you are paying in cash it-s ok to leave the cash on the table but put it under a cup or a plate.
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What if you are with a large party? (A group of 6 or more people):
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In this case gratuity (tip) is usually included.
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It-s added into the bill before you get the bill.
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Make sure you ask if you don-t know if it has already been included.
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In other episodes we will talk about tipping in a bar, a cafe, the hair salon, a taxi, etc.
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What is your opinion when it comes to leaving tips in the US?
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Have you ever made a mistake with this?
Do you have any additional questions? Please ask us in the comments below.
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SOS! Are You in Distress? How to Rescue Your English Phone Conversations

Come back to http://www.allearsenglish.com/287
Do you ever get into trouble during English phone conversations?
This is one of the biggest challenge for English students, especially at work.
Today we will show you how to get out of trouble if you aren-t understanding someone on the phone.
We-ll give you 8 things to do before or during the call to get the help you need.
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How to Rescue Your Phone Call:

-Practice to listening to natives as much as possible in your daily life (podcasts, sitcoms, the news on TV)

Ask the person to help you:

-I-m sorry. I-m having trouble understanding you. Would you (be able to ) say that again?-

-Could you repeat that (for me) please?-

-Would you mind slowing down a bit? It-s hard to hear you.-

Ask the person to follow up with a summary of the conversation by email

See if it-s ok to record the conversation

Breathe deeply before you get on the call with a native speaker

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It-s important not to be ashamed if you can-t understand someone in English on the phone.
Don-t pretend to understand when you don-t.
Use one of our strategies above to save your English conversations on the phone.
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What other tactics have you tried to rescue your English conversations?
Share them with us in the comments!
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Looking for a 7 on the IELTS Writing Test Check Out IELTS ENERGY

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3 Ways that Setting Intentions Can Make Your Life Abroad More Fulfilling

Come back to http://www.allearsenglish.com/286
Are you going abroad sometime soon?
Have you set an intention for your time abroad?
In today-s episode Lindsay talks with Norman Viss, an expat coach who helps his clients make the most of their time abroad by setting intentions.
How can setting intentions make your life abroad more fulfilling?

Think about what kind of expat you are and decide how that will shape your expat life:

Are you a foreign assignee? Has your company moved you abroad to work?

Are you an international student or former international student?

Are you a -love-pat-? (someone who has gone abroad because they have met a partner, are you a traveling spouse?

Are you a -greener pastures expat-? This is someone who has gone abroad to find a better place to live including retirees.

Set goals and don-t just -go with the flow-

Do you want to learn a language? Be realistic about what will be possible based on the amount of time that you will be abroad.

Be intentional about what kinds of friendships you want while you are abroad.

What are your areas of interest? Do you like desserts? Sports? Do you like history? What kind of focus will you have during your time abroad? Will you create a theme for your life abroad?

What about your work? What professional goals do you want to accomplish while you are abroad?

Consider how your life will look after your time abroad:

What do you want your life to look like after you return from abroad?

What about retirement? If you are going abroad in your 40-s or 50-s then it-s a good idea to think about the future after your time abroad.

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The key to a happy life abroad is being intentional!
Let us know in the comments below if you have been intentional in your life abroad and how it has affected your experience abroad.
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Norman Viss put down roots in Nigeria (10 years) and the Netherlands (22 years).
He has worked for mission organizations, churches and in the public sector for the City of Amsterdam.
He holds B.A. and Master-s degrees, with majors in cross-cultural and urban studies and theology; he is also an ICF- credentialed coach.
Currently he runs an online business coaching expats around the world (Expat Everyday Support Center) and serves part-time as a clergyman in the Philadelphia area in the USA. Norman is a thankful husband, father and grandfather.
Visit Norman-s coaching website at expateverydaysupportcenter.com
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How to Tell a Knock- Knock Joke in English

Come back to allearsenglish.com/284 to tell us your knock-knock joke in English.
Knock-kock jokes are super common in American culture.
Today you-ll find out how to tell a joke like this and make people laugh to build great connections with English speakers in your life.
These kinds of jokes are often told by kids.
They are fun, innocent and clever. They are a play on words.
Joke #1:
-knock knock-
-Who-s there?-
-Canoe-
-Canoe who?-
Can-oe (can you) help me me with my homework?-
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Joke #2:
-Knock knock-
-Who-s there?-
-Orange-
-Orange who?-
-Orange-ya (aren-t you) gonna let me in?-
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Joke #3:
-Knock knock-
-Who-s there?-
-Harry-
-Harry who?-
-Harry up (hurry up) it-s cold out here-
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What knock-knock jokes do you know in English?
Tell us your joke in the comment section below!
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