Watch those false friends
False friends are those English words that sound very much like the German words you know, but mean something completely different. You’ll find a lovely little list on the Bayerischer Rundfunk site.
The best way to give a presentation
Rather than learn fixed phrases when giving a presentation, I suggest that use your own words. And that’s exactly what Carl Kwan from Presentation Expressions recommends, too. Your presentation will sound so much more natural and spontaneous.
Using bullet points
As far as I know there aren’t any fixed rules about how to use bullet points. So this is how I normally use them.
I like to introduce lists with a colon (that’s this punctuation mark here :).
I don’t use full-stops when I write a list of items.
Please bring with you:
- pens and paper
- dictionaries
- a pair of scissors
If my lists are made up of full sentences, I start each with a capital letter and end each with a full-stop.
Things to do before you write an email:
- Plan what you want to say.
- Make some notes.
- Think about your subject line, your salutation and how you want to sign off.
If my lists carry on from the introductory text, I use lower case (small letters) for the first letter in each bullet point and only add a full-stop to the very last sentence.
Before you write an email, remember to:
- plan what you want to say
- make some notes
- think about your subject line, your salutation and how you want to sign off.
On happiness
“Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.” Benjamin Disraeli
Mind your manners
Take a look at these etiquette rules (link to: www.rd.com). I think a lot of them are just common sense, aren’t they?
Are there any rules that you don’t want to observe?
One thing I don’t like is talking to someone who keeps his/her sunglasses on. But we here are moving on into the autumn, so there’s nothing to worry about at the moment! 😉
