Can we leave it there for today?

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.

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1️⃣ Quick Win

When a meeting is dragging on, you don’t need to be blunt to end it.

A very natural phrase is:
✔ Can we leave it there for today?

It sounds calm.
It sounds cooperative.
And it often works.

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2️⃣ Real-World English in Action

A client said: We can finish the meeting now, or?

In English, that can sound abrupt.
Try one of these instead:

✔ Shall we wrap up here?
✔ I think we can stop here for today.
✔ Unless there’s anything else, we can end here.

Same intention. Softer landing.

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3️⃣ Christine’s Pick

Fact Check: How Videos Are Recycled for Political Purposes (DW)

This short piece from Deutsche Welle explains how old videos are reused in new political contexts — and how to spot them.

You don’t need to agree with every topic.
Use it to practise:

• following a real explanation
• catching key words
• understanding the main message without every detail

That’s the same skill you need in meetings and discussions too.

🔗 https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-how-videos-are-recycled-for-political-purposes/a-75589380

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4️⃣ Reader Question

Q: Is it OK to say “That’s all from my side”?

A: Yes – it’s very common in international meetings.
You can also say:
✔ That’s it from me.
✔ Nothing more from my side.

Clear. Neutral. Professional.

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5️⃣ AI Prompt to Test

Try this in ChatGPT:

“Give me 5 natural English phrases to end a meeting politely. Keep them short and suitable for international teams.”

Pick one that sounds like you. Ignore the rest.

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6️⃣ Spotlight

How to Break the Ice

If starting conversations in English still feels awkward, this short guide gives you simple, natural ways to open conversations — without forcing small talk.

It’s designed for real situations: meetings, networking, workshops.
No scripts to memorise. Just calm starting points.

👉 https://theenglishtrainer.gumroad.com/l/How-to-break-the-ice