The Speak Confident English Podcast

Annemarie — Speak Confident English
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Language Learning
  • 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. 2d ago

    Can You Get Your English Back After a Long Break?

    Coming back to English after a long break was a shock for Olga. She couldn't express her thoughts anymore. If you want to get your English back too, you'll hear what helped her, step by step. Olga lives in Ukraine, and I've known her since 2015. We also talk about what English confidence sounds like, low-pressure practice and the books we both love. Read more about Olga and our conversation → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/english-conversation-with-olga Learn more about the Confident Women Community → https://bit.ly/46NiVGe 00:00 Meet Olga, my longest student 02:15 The books we're reading now 04:29 A memorable book for Olga 07:40 The Power of Patient Progress 12:03 Our favorite colors: sage and moss 13:57 What English confidence sounds like 16:24 Practice, enjoyment and low pressure 18:44 Feeling nervous and trusting yourself 21:43 How Olga got her English back 25:49 My question for you

  2. Oct 21

    How to Express Relief in English | 8 Idioms & Expressions

    How do you express relief in English when you want to say more than "I'm so relieved"? Learn eight idioms and expressions to describe moments when a worry is gone, you've avoided a problem, or you've made it through something difficult. Maybe you finally had a conversation you'd been putting off. Or you caught a mistake just in time. Perhaps you've been dealing with a stressful situation for weeks, and things are finally getting better. In this Confident English episode, you'll learn: A weight off your shoulders, get something over with, and get something off your chest — for moments when a worry or responsibility is behind you. Off the hook and dodge a bullet — for situations when you escape something unpleasant or avoid a problem. Get through something and out of the woods — for talking about difficult experiences. Breathe a sigh of relief — for that moment when you can finally relax. You'll learn what each expression means, when to use it, and how to choose the one that best describes your experience. YOUR ENGLISH SPEAKING PRACTICE Think about a recent moment when you felt relieved. Choose one of today's expressions and tell a short story about what happened. Then, tomorrow, try telling that same story again without looking at your notes. FREE ENGLISH CONFIDENCE TRAINING Want to feel more comfortable speaking English aloud? Get my free training, How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English. https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ READ THE FULL LESSON Find all eight expressions, their meanings, and examples on my website: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/how-to-express-relief-in-english/

    How to Express Relief in English | 8 Idioms & Expressions

  3. Oct 14

    Linking Words to Tell Better Stories in English

    Want to tell better stories in English? When you're telling a story, you're already thinking about the words you need, your grammar, and what happened. Having a few familiar linking words and phrases makes it easier to move from one part of your story to the next. In this episode, I'm sharing a story about the day I thought I'd lost my wallet. I'll show you how expressions like eventually, that's when, and as it turned out help me tell that story. You'll learn how to: Start a story and introduce what happened. Connect events and show when something changed. Explain what you discovered later or what was happening at the same time. Finish your story and share what you think about the experience now. You'll also have opportunities to practice telling a story from your own life. And remember, you don't need to learn every linking phrase at once. Start with two or three and practice using them when you speak. READ THE FULL LESSON Find the linking words, explanations, and examples in the written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/linking-words-for-storytelling/ FREE ENGLISH CONFIDENCE TRAINING Want to feel more comfortable speaking English aloud? Get my free training, How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English. https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/

    Linking Words to Tell Better Stories in English

  4. Oct 7

    How to Finish Speaking in English Without an Awkward Silence

    How do you finish speaking in English so people know you're done and the conversation can keep moving? Sometimes you finish a story, share an opinion, or give an update… and then everyone waits. In this episode, you'll learn how to make the end of your turn clear before that awkward silence begins. You'll learn how to: Finish with a clear final thought Use falling intonation to show you're finished Slow down slightly on your final words Use clear closing phrases when you need them Invite someone else to respond or take the next turn You'll also practice creating a clear ending for a story, opinion, or update. Free training: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English → https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ Read the full lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/how-to-finish-speaking-in-english/

    How to Finish Speaking in English Without an Awkward Silence

  5. Sep 30

    I'm Not Afraid to Speak English Anymore

    After years of feeling nervous about speaking English in the United States, Mirtha can now say: "I'm not afraid anymore."  In this month's Confident English Conversation, Mirtha and I talk about her experience moving to the US, overcoming shyness, and learning to enjoy speaking English. We also talk about running (including the marathon she ran by herself!!!), her love of poetry and books, and one of her favorite study guides from the Confident Women Community: moving from languishing to flourishing after the pandemic. One part of our conversation I especially loved was Mirtha's description of confidence coming in waves. She shares what helped her keep practicing when a difficult conversation made her question her progress. And she tells me what English confidence means to her today. Mirtha joined my Confident Women Community in 2023. Since then, she's joined our book club and even started hosting conversations with other women. If you'd like to build your English confidence through regular practice with women around the world, explore the Confident Women Community → https://bit.ly/4xX5Hl7 Read the episode summary and transcript: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/english-conversation-with-mirtha Want a free first step? Get my training: How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English → https://bit.ly/4xRhVvC

  6. Sep 23

    Speak English with Confident Authority: Assertive vs Aggressive

    Want to speak English with confident authority without sounding more aggressive than you intended? In this episode, you'll hear how your words, tone, and the situation can change what your listener hears. We compare assertive and aggressive English in common work situations: setting a firm deadline, disagreeing, asking about a problem, giving feedback, and handling an interruption. You'll hear why direct English is sometimes exactly right, and how blame, criticism, or unnecessary pressure can change the message. As you listen, use the questions from the lesson to think about what the situation requires and whether your language stays focused on the issue. Learn more about Fluency School: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/fluencyschool/ Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/assertive-vs-aggressive-english

    Speak English with Confident Authority: Assertive vs Aggressive

  7. Sep 16

    How to Organize Your Thoughts When Speaking English (Stop Rambling)

    When someone asks what you think in English, do several ideas come to mind at once? You know you have something to say, but you don't know what to say first. In this episode, you'll learn how to organize your thoughts when speaking English so your main point is clear and you can avoid rambling. You'll learn how to decide what you want to do first, choose one idea to start with, and decide which details belong with that idea. You'll also learn why you don't need to organize every thought before you start speaking. At the end, we'll practice with a simple example so you can see how these decisions work together. If you want more practice organizing your ideas and speaking clearly, this is also something we work on deeply in Fluency School. You'll learn a simple structure for organizing your ideas and practice using it with guidance and feedback. Learn more about Fluency School: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/fluencyschool/ Related lesson: How to Think Out Loud in English https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/think-out-loud-english/ Full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/organize-your-thoughts-when-speaking-english

    How to Organize Your Thoughts When Speaking English (Stop Rambling)

  8. Sep 9

    English Fluency: 3 Types of Speaking Practice You Actually Need

    English fluency can feel easy in one conversation and difficult in another. You may answer simple questions easily, then lose your train of thought when you need to speak for several minutes. Or perhaps you speak clearly one-to-one, but struggle to join a fast-moving group discussion. Your English level did not suddenly change. The speaking situation changed. In this episode, you'll learn what English fluency really means and why different speaking situations require different skills. We'll look at three types of speaking: everyday exchanges, where you need to listen and respond quickly speaking at length, when you tell a story, explain a problem, give an update, or share an opinion group discussions, where you need to follow several speakers and find the right moment to join You'll also think about your own speaking practice. Which of these three situations is most difficult for you right now? Your answer can help you decide what kind of speaking practice you need next. Get my free English training, Say What You Want in English: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/say-what-you-want-in-english/ Learn more about Fluency School: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/fluencyschool/ Read the full written lesson: https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/speaking-practice-for-english-fluency/

    English Fluency: 3 Types of Speaking Practice You Actually Need
See All (76)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 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
    76
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Annemarie — Speak Confident English
  • Show Website
    The Speak Confident English Podcast

You Might Also Like