THINK AND SPEAK ENGLISH | HOW TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION LIKE A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER EPISODE 12

This week's English lesson is a continuation of our series,

think and speak English.

In this series, I teach you the five W's method.

Who, what, when, where, and why this simple five W's method will help you

speak English, like a native English speaker, meaning that you'll be able to

answer any question without an issue.

Are you ready?

Well, then I'm teacher Tiffani.

Let's jump right in.

So I want you to imagine this situation.

Here's the question.

Someone asks you, how would you describe the culture in your country?

Now, as an English learner, sometimes you get questions.

People ask you things and you have no idea how to answer the questions.

Or you have no idea how to expand on a topic.

Remember, I told you the five W's method will help you.

So this question, how would you describe the culture in your country?

Let's start with who university students across the nation.

What?

Engage actively in social and political discussions, aiming to affect change.

Now, before we get to the other W's notice that I specifically chose to speak about

university students with this five W's method, you can choose what you want

to speak about related to the topic.

You simply have to use the five W's and I've chosen the five W's.

University students related to this question about culture.

What about when, particularly during election years and at times

of national significance where on university campuses and city squares

and digitally through social media.

And finally.

Why to contribute to the shaping of their future and the future of their country.

So what are we doing right now?

We're doing the first thing we're thinking in English, organizing our

thoughts based on the five W's method.

Who, what, when, where, and why, when you organize the information, it will enable

you to speak English with confidence.

So I have all of my information organized.

Now it's time for me to speak English using this information.

So this is what my response to this question would look like.

Again, the question, how would you describe the culture in your country?

Here's my response based on the five W's I just stated.

University students across the nation are taking the initiative to delve deeply into

social and political discussions, aiming to affect meaningful change within their

communities and the broader landscape.

This surge in civic engagement is particularly noble.

During election years and times of national significance through

organized gatherings on university campuses, spirited debates in city

squares and vibrant discussions on social media platforms.

These students are making their voices heard.

Their active participation stems from a strong desire to contribute to shaping

their future and that of their country.

Now, just listening to this, right?

If you're watching it, you watched me read this.

The question was about the culture in my country.

I responded by talking about the culture we see with university students, right?

Still in my country.

Now, this is very true.

University students are very active.

And it gave you a good understanding of American university students.

Right now, there were some words and expressions that maybe you didn't know.

So I want to break them down very quickly.

The first one was delve deeply.

So after me delve deeply, excellent.

Again, delve deeply.

Great job.

Now this literally just means to explore or examine something thoroughly to

explore or examine something thoroughly.

This is exactly what we're doing right now.

I gave you my response.

I spoke English and I used the five W's that I organized in the first step.

Think in English, but there are some words and expressions that I used that

I knew Maybe you didn't understand.

So I want it to delve deeply.

I want it to explore or examine more thoroughly.

Makes sense.

Excellent.

All right.

Now we have broader landscape after me, broader landscape.

Excellent.

Again, broader landscape.

Great job.

Now, this literally just means a metaphorical expression referring to the

wider context or scope of a situation, looking at it in totality, the broader

view, not focused so intently on one aspect, but looking at the full picture.

In English, we say broader view.

Landscape.

So again, when I was reading the paragraph that included the five

W's information, I said this.

Aiming to effect meaningful change within their communities and the broader

landscape, not just their small community, but even outside of their community,

the city, the state, and possibly even the entire nation, broader landscape.

You got it.

Great job.

All right.

Next we have surge.

Good again, surge.

Yeah.

Great job.

Now, this literally just means a sudden powerful forward or

upward movement, a sudden powerful forward or upward movement.

I can give you a visual that will help you understand this word even better.

Think about black Friday, right?

Black Friday is the day of.

After Thanksgiving in America, when many stores have amazing sales, half off

70 percent off people get tech deals, black Friday is very popular in America.

Now let's say about five or six years ago, I would say 10 years ago, before

Amazon was as popular as it is right now.

People used to physically go to the stores, whether it be

Walmart or any other store.

And once the store doors open, there was a surge of people pushing forward.

There was a movement forward because they were rushing to get the deals.

You got it.

Excellent.

So again, surge, great job.

All right, the next one, again, many good expressions and words

were used in this first example.

After me.

Spirited debate.

Good job.

Again, spirited debate.

Great job.

Now this just refers to a discussion in which people express

their opinions passionately.

And energetically passionately and energetically.

No, I don't think that's true.

Well, I think it is going back and forth in a spirited debate.

Recently, at the time that I'm recording this lesson, we had the presidential

debates back and forth, back and forth.

And normally at the presidential debates, they're usually quite spirited.

Speaking with enthusiasm, speaking with passion, going back and forth.

You got it.

Excellent.

All right.

And the next one is vibrant discussion, vibrant discussion.

Great job.

Again, you're getting these very commonly used expressions,

phrases, and vocabulary words.

This just means a lively and energetic discussion.

So vibrant discussion and spirited debate.

Great.

Have similar meanings, vibrant discussion, and spirited debate.

What about this one stems from good again, stems from excellent.

Now this just means to originate or be caused by something came from this.

Right.

And I said, when I was giving the example, again, speaking of stems from.

From the last sentence, their active participation stems from a strong desire

to contribute to shaping their future.

And that of their country, the reason, the root cause or the root reason.

Why makes sense.

Excellent.

All right.

So again, in our first example, answering this question, we used the five W's

who, what, when, where, and why.

But I want to answer the same question and still use the five W's method,

but come up with a different response.

So let's check out our second example.

Now, before we get to the second example, don't forget after this

lesson, you can practice this new words and these new expressions by

going to the English with Tiffani app, the link is in the description, or

you can go to your phone and actually download the app and start studying

and reviewing what you're learning.

Right.

English with Tiffani app.

So number two, the second example, again, same question.

How would you describe the culture in your country?

Now I'm going to say, instead of university students, I'm going to say for

who families from diverse backgrounds.

What get together and have large meals together.

Once again, I want to emphasize, remember I said earlier, the

question is about the culture, right?

Of my country.

First, I talked about university students.

Now I'm talking about family dynamics.

Different family structures.

We're still talking about culture.

We're still using the five W's who, what, when, where, and why.

Here we go.

Continuing.

Now we're going to win during national holidays and cultural

events throughout the year.

Where?

At each other's homes and why to spend the holidays together and make memories.

Once again, thinking in English, using the five W's who, what, when, where, and why.

I've organized my information in order to answer the question.

So with that information, what will our response now look like?

Here we go.

Listen closely.

Families from diverse backgrounds embrace the spirit of unity.

And celebration by gathering for large meals together during national holidays

and cultural events throughout the year.

These gatherings take place in the welcoming spaces of each other's

homes, turning ordinary days into occasions of joy and togetherness.

It's all about sharing meals, creating memories, strengthening

bonds, spending time together.

And fostering understanding among families.

Notice how different this response is to the exact same question.

How would you describe the culture in your country?

When you use the five W's method, who, what, when, where, and why you

can get a very different response.

Each time you answer the question, if you simply change the W's.

Change the information.

Now, there are two expressions that I want to explain to you.

The first one is diverse backgrounds.

Good again, diverse backgrounds.

Excellent.

Now this just refers to the variety of experiences, identities, and

perspectives people bring due to their unique life experiences.

I've experienced many things in my life and you have as well.

So when we come into the same room, when we're at each other's, The

vicinity, the vicinity we're next to each other, we immediately will start

sharing things based on our experiences.

So when you have people from diverse backgrounds, very different experiences,

very different identities, they can actually blend and help each other.

Diverse backgrounds, again, variety of experiences, identities, and perspectives.

And finally, I want to explain this one from this example,

fostering good again, fostering.

Excellent.

Now this just refers to encouraging the development of something.

Especially something desirable.

Again, you're encouraging the development of something,

especially something desirable.

Now, remember when I used this word, it was the last sentence of the paragraph.

I'll read it one more time.

It's all about sharing meals, sharing time.

Creating memories, strengthening bonds, spending time together, and fostering,

developing understanding among families, understanding each other is important.

So we spend time together.

So we are able to understand each other more.

Fostering, you got it.

Excellent.

Excellent.

So again, what happened in the second example, we used the five W's method, who,

what, when, where, and why, and we were able to get a very different response.

But what about this third example, same question, can we use the five W's

method here, same question, how would you describe the diverse or the culture

in your country, who environmentalists and nature enthusiasts, I'm choosing an

entirely different group of people to now answer this question about my culture.

What?

Promote sustainable living and conservation efforts.

When?

All year.

Where?

Throughout national parks, wildlife reserves, and eco friendly communities.

Why to protect the natural environment and ensure the well

being of future generations.

Now I'm speaking again about who environmentalists and nature enthusiasts.

I'm answering the question about the culture in my country.

I chose for the who to speak about environmentalists because it

still will show you and help you understand the culture of my country.

So let's dive into this a little deeper.

Now, using the five Ws, the information we have this response,

again, the question, how would you describe the culture in your country?

Well, environmentalists and nature enthusiasts dedicate themselves

year round to promote sustainable living and conservation efforts.

Their activities span the nation's parks, wildlife reserves,

and eco friendly communities.

This passionate commitment is driven by the desire to protect the

natural environment, the natural environment, and ensure the well

being of future generations.

Through their unwavering efforts, they not only safeguard biodiversity, but

also inspire communities to adopt a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.

This is the bulk of my response to the question.

So this is what my culture is like.

We really care about the environment.

We really care about nature.

You just learned so much about my culture as it relates to.

The environment and how we view nature.

I only use the five W's.

Now there were four different expressions and words that I want to break down.

The first one is ensure good again, ensure excellent.

Now this just means to make certain that something will occur or be the case.

To make sure, Hey, I want to ensure that this happens.

Next well being, well being good.

Now this just refers to the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.

Hey, your wellbeing is my top priority.

I want to make sure you're comfortable, you're healthy and

you're happy, your wellbeing.

You got it.

Excellent.

All right.

And then we have unwavering, unwavering, literally just means Not

wavering, steady, or resolute, not going back and forth, not wavering.

No, very straight and resolute.

You're going to get done what needs to get done.

You got it.

Excellent.

And again, I want to read the sentence that uses this word.

The last sentence through their unwavering, through their unchanging,

through their consistent and steady efforts, the not only

safeguard biodiversity, but also inspire communities dot, dot, dot.

And finally, safe guard.

Good again, safe guard.

Excellent.

This just means to protect from harm or damage with an appropriate measure.

Thank you.

Again, to protect from harm or damage with an appropriate measure, doing something

to make sure nothing bad happens using the appropriate method or measure.

You got it.

Excellent.

All right.

So again, using this method, the five W's method, who, what, when, where,

and why you can answer any question in English about any topic and your

response might be different from someone else's response, but you're

still using the five W's method.

Who, what, when, where, and why I'll talk to you in the next lesson.

You still there?

You know what time it is.

It's story time.

Hey, I said it's story time.

All right.

So this is a quick one for you.

I actually, at the time of the recording of this lesson, just

got back from a family vacation.

We took a cruise, a 10 day cruise to the Bahamas.

Grand Turks and the Dominican Republic.

And I remember one of the days we were there, we were in the Dominican

Republic and we went to ocean world.

And when we went to ocean world, we saw many different animals.

We saw a dolphin show.

It was amazing.

And we were going to the next show, which was going to be a bird show.

But on the way to walk to the bird show, again, my mother, father, sister,

brother in law, and my two nieces and I, and also my best friend was there.

As we were going to walk to where the bird show was, we noticed that

people were gathering in one area.

So we kind of looked to see what was going on and we heard a lot of birds chirping.

So we asked the guy working there, Hey, what's going on in there?

He said, Oh, you can come in.

So we said, okay, when we walked in, there were literally about 200

birds, the cutest little birds, like little parakeets flying around.

And the guy said, I'm going to give you some food and the birds

will eat it out of your hand.

So he put the food in our hands.

It seemed like he hadn't even gotten out three kernels when

all of a sudden tons of birds.

They flew to my mom.

They flew to my sister.

They flew to my best friend.

They flew to my nieces.

And all you heard was because it is a little bit disconcerting.

It throws you off a bit to have birds just literally like nose

diving toward you flying full speed.

I had birds on my head.

I had four birds eating out of my hand.

There are about two birds standing on my head and I was in there for about maybe

15 minutes and I absolutely loved it.

There's something that happens when you connect with nature

and I've always liked birds.

They're just cute.

And these ones, they were orange, red, yellow.

And I think they had a little bit of green.

Very cute, smaller than my hand.

They were smaller birds.

But again, having a bird literally do a nose dive at you is a little

bit kind of throws you off.

Right.

But as I stood there, I started talking to them like, Ooh, look at you.

This is cute.

And they were just eating.

And I remembered my first interaction like this with the bird.

I've told this story before was with a bird named Matt.

One of my mom's friends, they stayed with us for a little while.

And well, her kids stayed with us for a little while when I think her

and her husband went on vacation and they had brought a bird to

our house and his name was Matt.

And Matt looked very similar to the birds that were eating out of my hand.

When I was in the Dominican Republic, Matt used to sit and watch TV with me

as I ate popcorn and he had his snack.

This happened literally when I was about 13 or 14 years old,

well over 26 or 27 years ago.

So in my mind I have a soft spot and I have this good

memory of birds because of Matt.

So when I was in the Dominican Republic, there was a warmth in my

heart as the birds ate out of my hand.

Maybe you like birds too.

Let me know in the comment section if you're watching the video and I

will talk to you in the next lesson.