The Speak Confident English Podcast

Making plans in English conversation can feel awkward, especially when someone says, "We should get together sometime," and then nothing happens.
In this episode, you'll learn how to make plans in English with a simple 6-stage process, so you can invite people naturally, read the signals, and follow through with confidence.
You'll learn how to:
start casually: "Are you free this weekend?" / "What are you up to this weekend?"

use natural invitations (inviting in English): "How about we…?" and "I was thinking we could…"

understand we should get together meaning (warm politeness vs real interest)

understand let me check my calendar meaning (often not rejection)

get specific with time + place so plans actually happen

decline politely in English and how to reschedule in English

send a simple follow up text in English before you meet

 
Related lesson: https://speakconfidentenglish.com/yes-no-maybe-in-english
 
Episode Timestamps:
00:00 Missed opportunities?
02:44 Initiating plans
04:40 Suggesting plans
07:43 Reading unspoken signals
13:53 Determining time/place
16:15 Responding to invitations
19:45 Finalizing plans
20:29 Following up
22:20 Recap
 
Want to learn with me?
My next Fluency School program is coming soon. Get all the details here: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/fluencyschool/
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Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified.
Get the full episode show notes at: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/making-plans-in-english-conversation
If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠
 
COME SAY 'HI!'
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠
 
MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU:
How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → ⁠https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/⁠
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

Learn to use just in English correctly, because it changes meaning and tone. In this Confident English lesson, you'll learn the real just meaning in 6 common situations—so you can sound natural in conversation and clear in emails at work.
You hear "just" everywhere:
"I just finished the report,"
"I just need five minutes."
"That's just perfect."
But the meaning of just depends on context.
In this episode, you'll learn:
how to use just for time (just recently)

just in time and just missed (close calls)

just vs only (limits and expectations)

how to soften requests in polite English (especially email English)

how hedging language can affect tone in professional English and workplace English

how "just" can add emphasis in conversational English

Perfect if you want practical English vocabulary you can use right away.
 
Episode Timestamps:
00:00 What makes 'just' tricky
01:40 The foundation
03:27 #1 for time
05:15 #2 for close calls
07:26 #3 for 'only this'
11:14 #4 for perfect fits
12:53 #5 for soft requests
14:53 #6 for strong feelings
16:23 Next steps
 
Want to learn with me?
My next Fluency School program is coming soon. Get all the details here: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/fluencyschool/
---
Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified.
Get the full episode show notes at: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/use-just-in-english
If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠
 
COME SAY 'HI!'
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠
 
MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU:
How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → ⁠https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/⁠
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

You can speak English with power and credibility, even if you feel nervous inside. This lesson shows you how to keep nerves from showing in your voice, so you sound confident and in control.
If you want to speak English with authority and inspire trust but notice your voice shaking, speeding up, or rising at the end of sentences, this video will help. You'll learn how to adjust your breathing, pace, posture, and intonation so your voice sounds calm and confident, even when you don't feel perfectly calm.
This doesn't mean you never feel nervous. Nervousness is normal, especially in high-stakes conversations like job interviews or presentations.
Instead, this is about changing the habits that make nervousness audible, so your voice supports what you're saying instead of working against you.
This lesson will help you:
Stop the shakiness that makes you sound uncertain

Use pauses that make you sound thoughtful (not lost)

Sound calm and in control (even when your heart is racing)

Stop sounding like you're asking a question when you're making a statement

Practice in a way that actually shows you're improving

Next step: To practice this even more, watch How to Group Words and Pause for Natural-Sounding English. It will help you slow down, breathe, and sound more confident when you speak.
If you're listening and thinking, "This makes sense, but I know these habits will be hard to change on my own," that's exactly what we work on inside Fluency School.
It's my in-depth speaking program where you practice voice control, pacing, and confidence in real conversations—with feedback and support.
You can learn more here: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/fluencyschool
Episode Timestamps:
00:00 Why Your Voice Betrays You When Nervous
01:22 Control Breathing
05:14 Slow Down & Pause
08:07 Open Your Posture
11:35 End Statements with Certainty
14:52 How to Practice
 
 
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Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified.
Get the full episode show notes at: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/speak-english-with-authority
If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠
 
COME SAY 'HI!'
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠
 
MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU:
How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → ⁠https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/⁠
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

American English intonation helps your listener understand what you mean in real time. It signals things like: "I'm asking a question," "I'm not finished," "I'm building to a point," or "I'm open to your input."
So if you've ever been interrupted mid-sentence, asked a question and gotten silence, or felt like your message didn't land even when your grammar was correct, this episode will help.
We're focusing on rising intonation — one of the clearest parts of English intonation for turn taking, clarity, and connection.
In this lesson, you'll learn:
what prosody is (stress and rhythm + pitch in English + intonation)

what rising intonation is and what it signals

how to hold the floor and stop interruptions when you're explaining or listing ideas

how to ask yes/no questions with question intonation that invites a response

how to clarify in English naturally (repeat, confirm, check understanding)

how rising intonation can soften polite requests and open dialogue

when rising intonation becomes upspeak, and how to avoid upspeak so you sound confident and credible

This is one of the most useful pronunciation tips for American pronunciation because it helps you speak clearly, sound natural, and reduce misunderstandings.
Listen next: How to Group Words and Pause for Natural-Sounding English https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/group-words-for-natural-sounding-english/
 
Episode Timestamps:
00:00 Why are you getting interrupted?
02:19 Why grammar isn't enough.
04:21 What is rising intonation?
06:16 Rise to hold attention.
08:39 Rise to ask & clarify.
10:30 Rise to express emotion.
11:43 Rise to soften.
13:49 A note of caution.
17:31 How to practice.
 
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Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified.
Get the full episode show notes at: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/american-english-rising-intonation
If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠
 
COME SAY 'HI!'
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠
 
MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU:
How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → ⁠https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/⁠
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

Choosing between formal vs informal English can feel uncomfortable — especially when you don't want to sound unprofessional, too casual, or distant.
In this episode, you'll learn how to recognize formal and informal English in real conversations and how to adjust your tone so it fits the situation. We'll focus on formal vs informal tone in English, why context matters more than rules, and how small language choices affect how your message is received.
This episode helps you understand when to use formal English, when to use informal English, and how English tone and register guide those decisions — particularly in professional and social situations where the "right" tone isn't always obvious.
If you've ever replayed conversations in your head or worried about sending the wrong signal, this episode will help you build stronger English communication skills and more natural English speaking confidence.
Listen now and learn how to read the situation, trust your instincts, and choose words that feel right for the moment.
And if you're looking for real-world speaking practice in a supportive, friendly community, join us inside the Confident Women Community. Details here → https://speakconfidentenglish.com/community
Episode Timestamps:
00:00 What's the Difference
03:04 Tip: Read the Room
05:31 Formal vs Informal
07:59 When to Switch
14:19 Examples of Formal vs Informal
17:26 Semi-Formal
20:58 Quiz
21:53 Real-World Practice
26:41 Quiz 2
 
---
Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified.
Get the full episode show notes at: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/formal-vs-informal-english
If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠
 
COME SAY 'HI!'
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠
 
MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU:
How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → ⁠https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/⁠
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.