Phrasal Verbs and Idioms
"Please don't put off this task."
What does "put off" mean? How do you avoid putting things off?
To "put off" means to procrastinate, or wait to do something.
Maybe you avoid putting things off by creating to-do lists, silencing your phone, or sticking to a strict schedule.
Make a prediction for the following statement:
There will be more regulations for AI.
•"It is quite likely that there will be more regulations for AI in the future."
•"I am highly confident that there will be more regulations for AI."
•"There is no chance there will be more regulations for AI."
What are some traits/characteristics that make a good leader?
What about traits that make a bad leader?
Positive: Empathy, humility, generosity, integrity
Negative: Reckless, people-pleaser, arrogant
Why do these traits make a good/bad leader?
Can any of these traits be both good and bad?
What is a direct question? What is an indirect question? Provide examples for both.
A direct question is a question that begins with a question word like who, what, where, when, why, how, etc.
An indirect question has an "introductory phrase" before the question itself.
What is the difference between a jingle and a slogan? In your opinion, which one is more effective?
A jingle includes music, while a slogan is just a short phrase.
If something is "taking a toll" on you, what is happening? How do you feel?
If something "takes a toll" on someone, it means that something has a serious or bad effect on someone.
Come up with an example sentence.
How would you phrase a prediction if you are only a little bit confident that it will happen (ie, if you have a medium level of confidence)?
Possible phrases:
•I am fairly/relatively confident that...
•It’s (somewhat) likely that...
•There’s a chance that...
•I have a feeling that...
What is company culture? Who creates and maintains company culture? Is company culture important?
Company culture is a shared set of rules, beliefs, values, and goals at a company.
Management may "create" and maintain the culture, but workers may also create and maintain the culture.
"When does the train arrive?"
"Are you ready yet?"
"What time does the meeting end?"
Turn these direct questions into indirect questions.
Examples:
"Could you tell me when the train arrives?"
"I was wondering if you are ready yet."
"Do you have any idea when the meeting ends?"
What does it mean to be gullible?
"Gullible" is an adjective that describes someone who believes something easily or who is easily persuaded.
In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of being gullible?
What does it mean to "walk the talk"? What is another idiom that has the same meaning?
To "walk the talk" means that your actions match your words; you do what you say you will do.
To "practice what you preach" is the same as "walk the talk".
Which modal verbs are used here? Do the modal verbs have the same meaning/are they interchangeable? What are they expressing?
•I might see you tomorrow if you're in the office.
•There may be another issue that we don't know about.
•This illness could be prevented.
Might, may, and could are used here.
They have the same meaning, but may is a bit more formal than might or could.
Might, may, and could express that we think something in the present or future is possible, but we're not sure.
GROUP QUESTION!
Follow this link: https://www.english-conversation-questions.com/esl-topics/companies/company-culture/
And select a question about company culture to ask the group.
Everyone will receive points for participating here.
Why do indirect questions sound more polite or formal?
Indirect questions sound more polite or formal because they have the introductory phrase, which helps to "soften" the question.
Indirect questions are similar to using the formal "you" in many other languages.
GROUP QUESTION!
Everyone must create their own "elevator pitch", and share with the group.
(Potential elevator pitch topics: Maybe you are introducing yourself in an interview, posting a bio on Linkedin, or promoting your own product or business.)
Everyone will receive points for participating here.
In what situations would you need to "read the room"?
You may need to read the room at a meeting, party, event, or even a one-on-one conversation.
Any time you need to understand a social situation to gauge what is appropriate to say or do, you will need to "read the room".
Can you think of any examples of situations where someone did not read the room?
"It is likely that the store will be closed tomorrow."
Do you think this is a subjective prediction, a prediction based on fact, or an estimation? Why?
This is probably a prediction based on fact, because it uses the phrase "it is likely". This shows a high level of confidence, so it's likely that the speaker has information to back up their prediction.
What other phrases can you use if you are making a prediction based on fact or research?
How would you describe your own work-life balance? What words or phrases would you use?
Does company culture influence work-life balance? How? Why or why not?
Words to talk about your own work-life balance:
Juggle, pressure, prioritize, leisure, booked-up; having a "full plate", "burning the candle at both ends"
Which sentence sounds more polite? Why?
A. "I was wondering if it would be possible for you to please share the results from the test."
B. "Would it be possible for you to share the results from the test?"
Sentence B sounds more polite (in my opinion - other native speakers may disagree!). This is because generally, an indirect question only needs one introductory phrase. If you include too many, it may sound excessive, and maybe even passive-aggressive.
What is the difference between networking and self-promotion? Is there any overlap? Is one easier than the other?
Provide your opinion/perspective. In what ways are advertising and self-promotion connected?
"I'll run it by my colleagues."
What does this mean? Describe a situation where someone would say this.
To "run (something) by (someone)" means to notify someone; to ask for someone's opinion or permission
Which sentence misuses the modal verb "should"? Why is it misused?
A. Rest and drink plenty of water. You should feel better in a day or two.
B. The surgery should be very painful.
C. This solution should work for our problem.
Sentence B misuses the modal verb "should", because we use "should" to express positive expectations about the future. We don't use "should" to predict something negative or unwanted, like a painful surgery.
Take a look at the sample questions at the bottom of this page: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/how-to-ask-about-work-life-balance
These are questions you could ask a company during an interview about their work-life balance.
Are there any “red flags” for company responses regarding work-life balance? What are some “green flags” for this?
What is a "red flag" when it comes to work-life balance? What about a "green flag"?
Which question sounds more polite? Does anything need to be edited/changed?
A. "Why have you waited so long to work on this?"
B. "Could you please tell me why you have waited so long to work on this?"
Question B is perhaps slightly more polite, but it would be better to rewrite this question entirely. This is because you are potentially accusing someone of something, which may sound harsh.
It would be best to edit/change the question so it is not accusing someone. For example:
"Why was the task postponed?"
Choose one of these situations. You must make a statement or sentence to try to persuade others.
A. You must persuade your team to try your idea, an unconventional approach to solving a problem. No one has tried this before, but you are confident your solution will work.
B. You are trying to persuade a company, bank, or other financial donor to give you a grant for your project.
-You may decide what your project is about, but some sample topics include: new technology; a personal art project (you need funding to create your own movie, for example); studying or research (you need money to fund your research)
Share your statement with the group. Others will listen and provide their feedback/whether they are persuaded by your statement.