Today I've got 5 tips to instantly sound more like a native speaker! And the good news is
you don't need to spend hours learning them and practising them. These are small changes
that will immediately make a difference. Sometimes I find there is a gap between the way that
native English speakers use English and the way that English learners speak. Even when
they have a high level. Sounds like they learnt English rather than grew up with it. Today
we're going to bridge that gap. Here are five things that you can learn fast and these tips
are for all levels of English even if your English is not fantastic follow these steps
and you're going to sound more confident and more like a native speaker today. So stay tuned
Hello and welcome to LetThemtalk so we've got 5 tips for you today to instantly sound
like a native speaker. Plus a bonus tip too so stay tuned for that.
And the first tip is use MAY and MIGHT for probability.
In English we've got these beautiful modal verbs to talk about probability. but I find
in most students hardly use them. Even with really advanced students I hear For example,
"maybe I go to Greece this year" Is that right? "Maybe I go to Greece" No it isn't. or "It
is possible I will be late". When a native speaker would say. "I may go to Greece this
year" or "I might. be late". Don't complicate your life just use MAY and MIGHT before a
verb to talk about probability. If I hear someone say "maybe I go" , "maybe I do" I
know I'm not spaying to a native speaker. Is there a difference between may and might.
Well a very small difference. MAY has a slightly higher level of probability. I may to Greece
70% yes I might go to Greece 50% yes (I don't have the statistics). MAY is a slightly higher
level of probability but don't worry too much about that just use MAY and MIGHT for probability.
Tip number 2 use HAVE GOT for possession In English the most common way of talking
about possession in the present is HAVE GOT or HAVEN'T GOT in the negative. So for example
"I've got a pen but I haven't got any money". This is especially true In questions
"Have you got a pen?" That's what most native English speakers will say. "Do you have a
pen?" Yes, it's correct sounds a bit formal it's correct but I hear some students say.
"Have you a pen?" I haven't got the statistics it's Grammatically correct but nobody speaks
like that. So tip number 2 is use HAVE GOT for possession.
It's more natural it's more native.
So tip number 3 is try to find alternative words to MUCH, MANY and A LOT OF. These words
are perfectly correct but don't use them all the time try to use different more advanced
words and these will really give your sentences a lift. For example instead of saying. "I
did a lot of work on this project" you could say. "I did a GREAT DEAL of work on this project".
Instead of saying, "many people got involved" say "A LARGE NUMBER of people got involved",
See it sounds better. For uncountable things use A LARGE AMOUNT" . "Finding a place to
stay took up a large amount of time". And if you want to sound informal use LOADS OF
"I ate loads of doughnuts this afternoon and I might be sick". "I spent loads of money
on my Hello Kitty Collection and I MAY have the best Hello Kitty collection in the world".
So there you are so to sound more advanced or more informal just like native speakers
find alternatives, to MUCH, MANY and A LOT OF.
Tip number 4 is don't use VERY use understatement
British people love understatement. Understatement is saying something is less important than
it actually and we use it all the time. An by using in you'll give your sentences a lift
- a nuance - and sound more native. so instead of VERY" try using some of these words QUITE,
PRETTY, RATHER, FAIRLY So, instead of saying. "I'm very tired", say
I'm rather tired. Instead of saying... I'm very angry say "I'm
pretty angry" Instead of saying I am very surprised say
I am quite surprised. Instead of saying.... Ronaldo is a very good
footballer. Say Ronaldo is farily good.
the differences between these 4 words we'll discuss in another video but do use them.
Tip number 5 is don't say thank you. well that's not quite true. but if someone give
you something or does a small favour for you native (British) English speakers might use another word.
In London we just say CHEERS. Sounds friendly Some people say TA. of course sometimes you
can say thank you if someone does you a big favour or saves your life then by all means
say thank you but if it's just a small act of kindness - someone holds a door open for
And here's that bonus tip I promised you. If someone asks you "Do you speak English?"
What do you reply? Don't say "yes" or "ehh yes I do".
. You want to give the impression that the question
is so ridiculous, so absurd. that you won't even dignify that with a serious response.
The subtext is "why are you asking me this ***ing stupid question". Don't stand there
like a robot and say "Yes, I do" instead say something like "I get by,"...."I manage"....
"just a smattering". If you don't know what a smattering is then look it up.
By using one of these phrases you'll sound more confident
and people will believe you. It's also linked to the British love of understatement that
we talked about earlier. Ok there you are, I hope you found them useful and I'll just