How to Start a Conversation at Work | English Lesson

Hey Eat Sleep Dreamers, how are things?

I hope you are well.

I'm doing great because the sun is finally shining in London so I'm doing fine.

However I'm inside, the sun is shining outside and I'm here but why am I here?

Well, it's because I want to make this really special video for you guys.

Now before I start I want to remind you that I have a very special e-book that I've made

for this video with all today's English that you can download for free, Ok?

I'll tell you more about that e-book at the end of the video.

Alright, now today's topic we are looking at three ways to start a conversation at work.

Now I've had so many messages from you guys and emails saying Tom please can you make

videos about English at work or useful phrases we can use at work.

Now it's incredible how many Eat Sleep Dreamers use English at work.

So today, we're going to look at three great ways to start a conversation.

Now I'm not talking about kind of 'Hey, how are you?'

kind of situations.

I'm thinking about situations where maybe you want to get your colleagues advice or

opinion.

Maybe you want to ask them a question or show them one of your ideas and get their advice.

So how do we start those kinds of conversations?

Well, I've got three great phrases to help you.

Alright, so let's have a look at number 1.

Ok, our first phrase is 'Have you got a minute?'

This is a really natural way to ask someone if they have time to talk.

Another way to say exactly the same thing is 'Do you have a moment?'

Again it's a really natural way to ask someone if they have time to talk to you.

Let's look at one of these in practice.

'Hey Katie, have you got a minute?' and she replies 'Yes, of course.

Take a seat.'

Alright, those are lovely natural English phrases but how do we really say them?

Well, do we say it like this?

Have you got a minute?

No, I don't think we say it like that or at least, it just sounds a bit strange.

Now, I'm going to say it in my accent which is a British English accent specifically from

London.

This is the one I have, you may have a different one and that's of course fine, there is no

right or wrong, ok.

But I'm going to say it how I would say it.

Have you got a minute?

Have you got a minute?

Alright, let's have a look at that.

So the 'Have you' becomes 'Have you' 'Have you' and then got a minute, got a minute gotta

gotta 'have you got a minute?'

Now I'm stressing the got there as well.

One more time, 'have you got a minute?'

Alright, good job.

I hope you are practising.

Let's look at the second phrase.

It was 'Do you have a moment?'

Again with 'do' and 'you' I'm blending the sounds together ok so from 'do' and 'you'

becomes 'do you' 'do 'you' 'Do you have a moment?'

'Do you have a moment?'

You practise!

'Do you have a moment?'

Alright good job.

Remember practice is so important.

What you can do, is rewind this video.

Ok, and play me again and listen and repeat.

Alright, now it doesn't matter, maybe you are on a train or you're walking along watching

the video.

Be careful where you are walking, of course that's very important.

Safety first!

But repeat as you are going.

No one around you will think you are crazy, maybe, maybe they will, I don't know.

I can't tell but that's a really useful way to help you improve your pronunciation.

Another fantastic way, is to record yourself.

Ok, so you've got a phone, maybe you can video yourself or you can use the voice recorder

to record yourself speaking English and then you can listen back to your pronunciation

and notice what you are doing really well and maybe what you need to improve.

It's a fantastic way to improve your pronunciation.

Alright guys, we've watched one, or we've looked at one useful phrase now let's look

at number two.

Ok, let's look at our second phrase which is 'Could I have a word?'

Now this is a polite way to ask someone if they have time to talk and usually you want

to do it in private.

Let's look at an example.

'Joe, could I have a word?'

'Yeah, sure.'

Ok, let's look at the stress of this sentence.

'Could I have a word?'

'Could I have a word?'

Ok, the stress is on the last word which is 'word' alright so let's try one more time.

'Could I have a word?'

Alright, good job guys, ok let's look at number three!

Ok, our final phrase is 'Can I get your help with something.'

So if you want someone's help you can ask them this question.

You don't have to say the 'with something' that's optional so you could just say 'Can

I get your help?'

Other questions you can ask include 'Can I get your advice about something?'

'Can I get your help with something?'

'Can I get your opinion on something?'

Alright guys, how was that?

I hope you enjoyed it.

There're some really useful English phrases there for you.

Now, as I said at beginning of this video I have a very special e-book with all today's

English that I'd like to give to you guys.

All you need to do, to get this free English e-book, is click the link below, it will take

you to a special page where you just need to put your email address and your name and

I will send it to you straight away.

So remember, click the link below this video to get your free English e-book.

Now I have one more request.

I would love to know where you guys are watching this video.

So in the comments below this video, please write down where you are from, your name and

where you are from and I will reply and say hi to you because we are an English community.

An English language learning community and I'd love to get to know you guys.

Alright, and also one last thing is I will release a new video in two weeks time and

it will be showing you 'How to give someone a compliment.'

it's going to be fantastic I promise.

Alright guys, thank you so much for hanging out with me today, I appreciate it, I love

hanging out with you guys so see you next time.

This is Tom from Eat Sleep Dream English saying goodbye.