Think about the last time someone corrected you mid-sentence.
How did it feel?
School trained you to wait for the correction. To write the answer. To get it right before you spoke.
Small talk trained you differently – if it ever got the chance. In small talk, nobody marks you. Nobody waits. Nobody cares about the grammar. They care about the answer.
That’s the environment your English needs now.
Not a classroom. A conversation.
Quick win: Next time you hesitate, ask yourself: Is this a test – or is this just talking? It’s just talking. Go ahead.
Nobody has ever left a conversation thinking: “Great points – shame about the subjunctive.”
💬 Which feels more familiar – the classroom or the corridor?
Last week I made an AI video of myself. I uploaded a photo. The tool animated me turning and smiling.
The version of me on screen had perfect teeth. Straight, even, gleaming.
My first thought: Oh. I wish. My second thought, two seconds later: But that’s not me.
The AI had corrected something without being asked.
I see the same thing in almost every coaching session. Professionals arrive wanting to smooth away their accent, their hesitation, the phrasing that feels too foreign. They have a version of “good English” in their heads – and it doesn’t sound like them.
But the goal was never a perfect, generic version of you.
The goal is you – clearer. More confident. More heard.
Quick win: Next time you think my English isn’t good enough – replace it with: My English is working. Right now.
Nobody has ever said: “I understood you perfectly – but your teeth let you down.”
💬 What part of your English do you most want to “fix”?
Welcome to this week’s Sparks Plus. Short reflections and examples to help you speak up, respond and disagree in English without putting extra pressure on yourself.
Six short sections. Easy to read. Designed to reduce effort, not add more.
1️⃣ Quick Win
When you want to join a discussion, you don’t need a long introduction.
A very natural phrase is: ✔ Can I add something?
Simple. Polite. Confident.
2️⃣ Real-World English in Action
A client said in a meeting:
❌ I want to say something.
Grammatically correct. But in English, it can sound abrupt.
Try instead: ✔ Can I add something? ✔ Could I just add one point? ✔ If I may, I’d like to add something.
Same intention. Softer entry.
3️⃣ Christine’s Pick
How to Speak So That People Want to Listen (Julian Treasure, TED)
You don’t need perfect English to be heard. Tone, pace and clarity matter more.
Even a few minutes of this talk can change how you think about speaking.
