• agenda (unless it’s for a meeting), use ‘plan’ instead
• advance, use ‘improve’ or something more specific
• collaborate, use ‘work with’
• combat (unless military), use ‘solve’, ‘fix’ or something more specific
• commit/pledge, use ‘plan to x’, or ‘we’re going to x’ where ‘x’ is a specific verb
• counter, use ‘prevent’ or try to rephrase a solution to a problem
• deliver, use ‘make’, ‘create’, ‘provide’ or a more specific term (pizzas, post and services are delivered – not abstract concepts like improvements)
• deploy (unless it’s military or software), use ‘use’ or if putting something somewhere use ‘build’, ‘create’ or ‘put into place’
• dialogue, use ‘spoke to’ or ‘discussion’
• disincentivise, use ‘discourage’ or ‘deter’
• empower, use ‘allow’ or ‘give permission’
• facilitate, say something specific about how you’re helping – for example, use ‘run’ if talking about a workshop
• focus, use ‘work on’ or ‘concentrate on’
• foster (unless it’s children), use ‘encourage’ or ‘help’
• impact (unless talking about a collision), use ‘have an effect on’ or ‘influence’
• incentivise, use ‘encourage’ or ‘motivate’
• initiate, use ‘start’ or ‘begin’
• key (unless it unlocks something), usually not needed but can use ‘important’ or ‘significant’
• land (unless you’re talking about aircraft), depending on context, use ‘get’ or ‘achieve’
• leverage (unless in the financial sense), use ‘influence’ or ‘use’
• liaise, use ‘work with’ or ‘work alongside’
• overarching, usually superfluous but can use ‘encompassing’
• progress, use ‘work on’ or ‘develop’ or ‘make progress’
• promote (unless talking about an ad campaign or career advancement), use ‘recommend’ or ‘support’
• robust (unless talking about a sturdy object), depending on context, use ‘well thought out’ or ‘comprehensive’
• slim down (unless talking about one’s waistline), use ‘make smaller’ or ‘reduce the size’
• streamline, use ‘simplify’ or ‘remove unnecessary administration’
• strengthening (unless it’s strengthening bridges or other structures), depending on context, use ‘increasing funding’ or ‘concentrating on’ or ‘adding more staff’
• tackle (unless talking about fishing tackle or a physical tackle, like in rugby), use ‘stop’, ‘solve’ or ‘deal with’
• transform, describe what you’re doing to change the thing
• utilise, use ‘use’

Words can make your message clear and understandable.

Choose them wisely.

Making mistakes when speaking English is like taking detours on a road trip. They might lead you down unexpected paths, but each one offers a chance to learn and discover new aspects of the language journey.

Christine

I often hear people say, “I look forward to meet you” when they ought to say, “I look forward to meeting you” if they want to be grammatically correct.

Imagine you get an email saying, “Can’t wait for our chat next week! I look forward to meet you.“

Now, it’s super clear they’re excited, but the grammar’s gone a bit haywire.

It’s like wearing mismatched socks to a fancy dinner. It’s not a big deal! It just stands out.

Swap that “meet” with “meeting” and voilà!:

“Can’t wait for our chat next week! I look forward to meeting you.“

Or even: “Can’t wait for our chat next week! I’m looking forward to meeting you.“*

* In practice, both phrases are widely used and the difference is subtle. The choice between them often comes down to personal preference and the tone you want to convey in your message.

And here a quick reminder:

I’m often asked, “What does a one-to-one session with you look like, Christine?“

This is how I might respond. So only read on if you’re interested!

I believe that real conversations are the key to improving English skills.

I start our session by asking questions to get to know you better. These questions could revolve around your educational background, work history and past experiences.

I encourage your words to flow naturally, without me interrupting or correcting you. Unless, of course, you have a question or need support.

During our conversation, I take notes in the Zoom chat. This allows me to guide you without disrupting your train of thought. I capture essential words and phrases and even offer alternatives or pronunciation help. Are there any grammatical mistakes? These are noted, too. 

We discuss this feedback during our session when the time is right.

Upon request, our sessions can be recorded for you to review at your own pace. This serves as a valuable tool for tracking progress and focusing on areas you need to improve.

You’ll also receive the chat text from our session, a handy resource for further study.

The most exciting part? We engage in real discussions about topics that matter to you—your background, achievements, current work, short- and long-term goals, or any subject you choose to explore.

This is language in action, your gateway to mastering English.

If you’d like to give your English a boost, let’s get together to chat.