The Speak Confident English Podcast

Annemarie — Speak Confident English
  • 4.9 (7)
  • LANGUAGE LEARNING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Build your English confidence and speak fluently — even if you feel shy, stuck, or nervous right now. I'm Annemarie, the founder of Speak Confident English and an English fluency coach with 20+ years of experience. Every week, I share proven strategies to help you go from, "I understand English," to "I speak it clearly and confidently." With every episode, learn exactly what to say — and how to say it — so you can speak with calm clarity at work, in conversations, and in everyday life. 🎧 Free Fluency Training → speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english

  1. Polite English Phrases for Daily Life: Ask Someone to Move

    4D AGO

    Polite English Phrases for Daily Life: Ask Someone to Move

    "Please move." It sounds polite. It isn't. Even "excuse me, please move" still comes across as a command in English. So what do native speakers actually say when someone is standing in your way at the grocery store, sitting too close on the bus, or blocking the hallway? In this episode, you'll learn the polite English phrases for daily life that turn a demand into a real request; the small words and phrases that most English courses never teach. You'll learn: ▪️ How to ask someone to scoot over or slide down when you need a little more space ▪️ How to politely squeeze past or slip past someone blocking your path ▪️ How to reach across or around someone without it feeling intrusive ▪️ When to use "sorry" and when to use "excuse me" Each phrase comes with real-life examples — on the subway, in a hallway, at a busy meeting — plus a chance to practice using them yourself. Episode Timestamps:  00:00 Why not "Please move"? 01:41 From rude to polite 03:18 Ask someone to move 05:42 Squeeze past someone 07:38 Reach across someone Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/polite-english-phrases-for-daily-life-ask-someone-to-move Get my free training, Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ These small phrases make a bigger difference than you'd expect and they're easier to use than you think.   --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

    11 min
  2. Fear of Speaking English? Here's What to Do

    APR 29

    Fear of Speaking English? Here's What to Do

    You've studied English for years, and the fear of speaking is still there. The fear of freezing in the moment, of making a mistake, of not being understood. And the truth is, more studying isn't going to fix it. In this episode, you'll learn why the fear of speaking English is physiological, not a sign that your English isn't good enough. You'll find out what's actually happening in your brain when your mind goes blank, why perfectionism quietly keeps you stuck at a lower level than your real ability, and the difference between a skill gap and a trust gap (and how to know which one is yours). You'll also get a simple record, evaluate, and pivot practice you can do anywhere, even between meetings or on your commute. It only takes a few minutes and gives your brain real evidence that your English works. Episode Timestamps:  00:00 It's not your English level 03:08 The fear of freezing 07:05 2 steps to control fear 13:57 The fear of mistakes 18:23 What helps with mistakes 21:16 The fear of not being understood 27:20 Close your trust gap Get my free training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/fear-of-speaking-english Fear isn't a sign that something is wrong with you. It's something you can work with, and it gets smaller every time you do.

    30 min
  3. 4 Steps to Find Flow and Enjoy Your English Practice

    APR 22

    4 Steps to Find Flow and Enjoy Your English Practice

    If you've lost motivation, then it's time to find flow and enjoy your English practice. To find flow means being so focused, so immersed in an activity that you begin to lose time, distractions, and self-doubt. And ultimately, you experience joy in what you're doing. You might be familiar with flow state learning and finding flow with hobbies such as painting, singing, playing piano, or running.  You can also find flow in your English language practice to spark motivation and renew your focus. The goal of this Confident English lesson is to share 4 steps to help you enjoy your English practice through flow state learning. Get the full lesson or watch the video at the Speak Confident English website: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/find-flow-english-practice   Episode Timestamps: 00:00 - The power of flow state 01:34 - Flow State & Your English Practice 03:09 - Examples of Being in Flow 04:30 - Benefits of Flow State 06:17 - Step 1 for Finding Flow in Your English Practice 07:47 - Step 2 for Finding Flow in Your English Practice 11:30 - Step 3 for Finding Flow in Your English Practice 15:14 - Step 4 for Finding Flow in Your English Practice 16:30 - 2 Strategies for Common Struggles to Find Flow   --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

    20 min
  4. Sound More Expressive in English | Humor and Hyperbole

    APR 15

    Sound More Expressive in English | Humor and Hyperbole

    Think about feeling tired after working 9 hours, answering 47 emails, and sitting in traffic for 1 hour after work. You could go home and say, "I'm really tired." But is that what you would say in your native language? Probably not. My guess is there would be a fun way to express yourself in a more intense way, showing your strong feelings at the moment. That's what this is about. How to be more expressive in English. English speakers exaggerate constantly, and it's one of the biggest reasons their conversations feel warm, even slightly funny. To do that, we use hyperbole. And once you understand how it works, you'll start hearing it everywhere. And you'll have the words to do it yourself. Practice these expressions with my free training — Say What You Want in English → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ Full lesson and transcript → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/sound-more-expressive-in-english-humor-hyperbole   Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Be funnier & more expressive in English 02:09 Why hyperbole? 04:00 Hyperbole for taking too long 08:23 Hyperbole for extremes 12:33 Practice   --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

    14 min
  5. How to Talk About Aging in English | Vocabulary for Honest Conversations

    APR 8

    How to Talk About Aging in English | Vocabulary for Honest Conversations

    Getting older comes up in conversations all the time (at least for me!) with friends, with family, with colleagues.  So let's talk about the real English expressions for conversations about aging — what you're noticing, what you're not sure about, and how to be there for a friend going through the same thing. Not just "I feel old." Expressions covered include: the march of time, take a toll, keep your wits about you, gain some distance, come into your own, and more. Practice these expressions with my free training — Say What You Want in English → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ Full lesson and transcript → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/how-to-talk-about-aging-in-english/   Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Getting older... 😬 02:03 Noticing aging 05:27 Uncertainty about aging 08:05 Reflecting on aging 11:14 Supporting others in aging   --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

    15 min
  6. English Phrases for Building Trust at Work

    APR 1

    English Phrases for Building Trust at Work

    If building trust in an English-speaking workplace has ever felt harder than it should be, there's a reason for that — and it's not your language skills. It's culture. In this episode, you'll learn six specific ways to build trust and influence in English-speaking professional environments like the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. These aren't generic communication tips. Each step comes with the exact English phrases you need and an explanation of why these behaviors matter culturally — so you can make informed choices about how you communicate. You'll walk away with phrases for showing genuine interest in your colleagues, listening in a way that builds real connection, owning mistakes with confidence, sharing credit specifically and effectively, setting honest expectations without disappointing people, and leading by example. This is a lesson worth listening to more than once — keep a notebook nearby the first time through. Get my free training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/english-phrases-for-building-trust-at-work Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Trust — a superpower 01:28 Invest time in each person 06:55 Listen to understand 11:06 Own mistakes 15:20 Share credit 17:08 Keep promises 20:00 Lead by example 22:30 How to practice   --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

    24 min
  7. How to Best Group Words & Pause for Clear English

    MAR 25

    How to Best Group Words & Pause for Clear English

    Sounds natural, more fluent, and clearer when speaking English with this one technique. One of the biggest challenges in English fluency is knowing how to group words and pause for natural-sounding English. If your speech feels too slow, too fast, or choppy, learning thought groups will help you master English pronunciation, improve English rhythm, and develop connected speech. In this lesson, you'll learn: ✔️ What thought groups are and how they improve English speaking practice ✔️ How to group words together to avoid awkward pauses ✔️ Where to pause naturally to improve stress and intonation ✔️ How to use English prosody for smooth, natural English speech If you've been struggling with speaking clearly in English, this lesson will show you exactly how to group words for fluency and confidence. Watch now to start improving your English communication skills and speak English fluently today! 🚀 Get the full lesson at https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/group-words-for-natural-sounding-english  And then practice using my FAVORITE speaking technique. You get it here for free: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ Also mentioned in this video: How to Think in English ➡️ https://youtu.be/Qop4k6m8gF0 Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Too fast or too slow? 02:00 What are thought groups? 03:25 How to identify thought groups 03:40 Pattern 1: Don't pause here 05:09 Pattern 2: Keep these together 07:08 Pattern 3: Use these to start groups 08:16 Pattern 4: Separate here 09:13 Pattern 5: Set these apart 10:03 Pattern 6: Extra info 11:51 Practice   --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

    15 min
  8. Stop Making This Common Grammar Mistake Speaking English | Word Forms

    MAR 18

    Stop Making This Common Grammar Mistake Speaking English | Word Forms

    Have you ever said "I want to improve my confident" or "she's a very competition person"? This is one of the most common grammar mistakes in English — using the wrong word form — and it's more fixable than you think. In this episode, you'll learn why this mistake happens even at an intermediate or advanced level, how English suffixes and word endings signal whether you need a noun or adjective, and one simple question that helps you choose the right word form every time. You'll also get three practical strategies to make the right choice automatic before you need it in a real conversation. This is a skill worth practicing — and once you see the pattern, you'll start noticing it everywhere. Find the full written lesson with word family examples and practice strategies at https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/english-word-form-mistakes-noun-adjective-suffixes Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Should you care about mistakes? 01:57 Mixing word forms 03:24 Suffixes (the fix) 05:02 Noun suffixes 07:25 Adjective suffixes 08:54 Word families 10:42 Choose the right form 14:56 Clues for quick decisions 19:44 Extra practice   --- Thank you for listening! I share new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure you click the follow button to get notified. Get the full episode show notes at: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/english-word-form-mistakes-noun-adjective-suffixes If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all my episodes on YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   COME SAY 'HI!' Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/speakconfidentenglish/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/speakconfidentenglish⁠   MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English (Free Fluency Training) → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/english-conversation-practice-film-awards If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! It really helps get encouragement and actionable advice to nonnative English speakers around the world.

    24 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Build your English confidence and speak fluently — even if you feel shy, stuck, or nervous right now. I'm Annemarie, the founder of Speak Confident English and an English fluency coach with 20+ years of experience. Every week, I share proven strategies to help you go from, "I understand English," to "I speak it clearly and confidently." With every episode, learn exactly what to say — and how to say it — so you can speak with calm clarity at work, in conversations, and in everyday life. 🎧 Free Fluency Training → speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english

Information

  • Creator
    Annemarie — Speak Confident English
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Annemarie — Speak Confident English
  • Show Website
    The Speak Confident English Podcast

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