Happy Halloween! It's Halloween at the time of recording this, and it's a time for strange and spooky stories. Something strange and spooky happened to me a few years ago, and I want to share this story with you on this episode.

I will tell you about the time I saw a ghost in my room, what I did, and how it felt to experience this thing. Listen for new vocabulary and expressions during my story and use them in your stories.

Has anything like this ever happened to you? I'd love to hear about your story.

Instead, focus on ONE goal and plans of action to accomplish that goal.

Your goal should be:
​
- SPECIFIC - you can check off yes/no if you did it
- CONCRETE - include an amount or time frame
- REALISTIC - you should be able to achieve this goal

Jesse talks about this and more in this episode of the More Than English Podcast.

Visit sweedacademy.com/podcast for show notes and more.

I would like to take you through a typical first lesson with one of my students. Typically, for a first lesson, we look at your goals. Let's look at your goals. I will teach you how to set goals, and how to use English to make a plan to accomplish those goals.

This is going to be an interactive episode, so I'd like you to get a pen and a piece of paper to get ready to write down your goals. Also, take a photo of your goals and tag me on Instagram @SweedAcademy

You don't have to make 3 goals. If you only have one goal, do these exercises for that goal!

Here are some important things to keep in mind when creating your goals.

​You should be able to check off your goals.

Goals should be:

- Concrete
                Ex. NOT "I want to improve my listening."  ---> "I will be able to understand a Ted Talk."
- Specific
                Ex. NOT "I will improve the guitar." ---> "I will learn 2 barre chord songs."
- Measurable
                Ex. NOT "I will be successful." ---> "I will make 10,000€ in the first quarter."

Goals are NOT "I want to..."

Your goals SHOULD be written "I will..."

Write your goals down and post them somewhere you can see on a REGULAR BASIS.

​Let's talk about the most common thing that holds learners back from learning something new or improving something... self-belief. In other words, CONFIDENCE. If you believe you can or you believe you can't, you're right. This is what I want to talk with you about today. 

I will share a story of a student and help you in your confidence because believe it or not, you know more than you think you know. You're better than you think you are. You can do more than you think you can. 

Visit sweedacademy.com for show notes.

​It's always important to get off to a good start and make a good first impression. However, starting a conversation is often very difficult and makes us nervous.

In this episode, I want to share some strategy, tips, and expressions to use when you want to start a conversation with somebody. 

After the episode, we will have an English lesson and look at the expressions, vocabulary, pronunciation, and some grammar from this episode. Learn these, practice these, and use these next time you want to start a new conversation.

1.Starting new – (Expression) To re-start something. Starting afresh.
2.It’s kinda like – (Fluency Builder) It’s kind of like…
3.The question is… – (Transition) Your main point.
4.Actually…– (Fluency Builder) “There are people talking behind me, which is actuallygood…”
5.Make you nervous- (Grammar) You’re the cause of something- To make + someone + something
6.To minimize– (Verbs) To make something smaller.
7.Get off to a good start– (Expression) To start something well 
8.First impression – (Vocabulary) The first thing somebody thinks about something
9.What about you? – (Pronunciation) 
10.Do you like it?– (Pronunciation) 
11.Boom. Right there. – (Expression) A way to emphasize a point or lesson you made.
12.Common ground– (Vocabulary) Things you have in common with somebody
 
Did you catch any other phrasal verbs or expressions you like? Write them here.
_____________________________________________________________________________

1.“We’re _______________.”
2. “It’s kinda like ______________, isn’t it?”
3. “If you’re an English teacher, but not an native English speaker, ___________________.”
4.“ There______________.”
5.“_______________, ‘What are some ways you can minimize your nervousness and make a good first impression?’” 
6.“It’s always good to _________________.”
7. “How can we _______________ the nerves?”

​II – 1. starting new 2. the new year  3. it can make you nervous  4. is common ground  5. the question is  6. get off to a good start  7. minimize 

Do you feel like you're not improving in your English? There are many complicated parts of English that students find very difficult. Maybe you're studying grammar, vocabulary, phrasal verbs, expressions, verb tenses, and other details in English. In this episode, Jesse teaches you a trick to try when you get stuck with your English and you feel like you're not improving.

The secret is... Less is More. Focus on only one grammar point, vocabulary, or expression that you're having trouble with and become obsessed with that for one week. Jesse will go into further detail with this in this episode.

Visit sweedacademy.com/podcast for episode notes and a listening quiz.

I’ll be honest… - (Fluency Builder) Transition to say something a bit surprising or unexpected
To have you stumped – To make somebody confused about something
Look at the big picture– (Expression) Get the general idea about something
Less is more – (Expression) Simplification leads to better results
To get lost – To be confused and to lose information about something
Take one principle- (Expression) Use ‘take’ sometimes to mean ‘use’. 
Over the next week– ‘Over’ here means ‘during’. We use this for durations of time.
Forget about it– (Pronunciation) 
To catch something – To understand a principle or idea. Normally subtle.
To be immersed in something – To be completely surrounded by something
Math formula– (Vocabulary) Math equation to find an answer
Set a goal for yourself – Use the verb ‘set’ to say ‘make’.
 
Did you catch any other phrasal verbs or expressions you like? Write them here.
_____________________________________________________________________________

1.“Let’s take a look at the finer details that ______________at times.”
2. “Choose one concept and I want you to become obsessed with it _______________.”
3. “Maybe the first day, you might _______________.”
4.“The next day, you might ______________.”
5.“Then by day 3 and 4, you’ll become so ___________________ that these principles will start to pop out at you.’ 
6.“You try studying so much, and you end ___________________.”
7. “__________________, I have trouble teaching those.”
8.“Language isn’t meant to be used as ____________________.”

1.Practicing listening exercises with background noise can help your listening.          T / F
2.“To knock your socks off” means to impress somebody.                                             T / F
3.Language is simply a mathematical formula of grammatical rules.                         T / F
4.Phrasal verbs are impossible to learn and use naturally.                                          T / F
5.According to Jesse, the more you study, the better.                                                    T / F     
6.This strategy may take a few days to sink in and start working.                               T / F     
7.Memorizing grammar rules is a good way to master a language.                           T / F
8.This tip will work for everybody who is listening.                                                       T / F
9.Jesse thinks it’s important to have a specific goal to work towards.                        T / F
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Answers: 
II – 1. may have you stumped 2. over the next week  3. forget about it  4. catch one or two  5. immersed in it  6. getting lost  7. I’ll be honest  8. math formula 
 
III- 1.T  2.T  3.F  4.F  5.F 6.T  7.F  8.F 9.T

​IELTS Speaking Part 2 is "The Long Turn", or as many students say it, "The Hell Turn." I asked Dr. Peter Crosthwaite to share tips and advice to be successful on this part of the speaking exam. He will give you study tips to prepare for the exam, advice and things to say, and some common mistakes to be careful for and not do or say on your speaking exam. If you are preparing for a speaking exam, this advice is a must listen. 

At Sweed Academy, you will see a listening quiz to go with the conversation.

At the end of our conversation, we have natural English conversation and banter that will really help your REAL English listening.

As always, after the episode, we have a 

Visit https://www.sweedacademy.com/podcast for notes and a listening quiz.

You get – Another way to say “You have”
It’s go time– (Expression) It’s time to do something 
Right off the bat – (Expression) Immediately; First thing
Bullet points – Writing down a few words that are the main idea
In real time- (Vocabulary) The time as something is happening. Live.
Best-case situation– The best possible result in a situation
Worst-case scenario– The worst possible result in a situation
Oh shoot! – (Slang) Use when something goes wrong. (Nice way of saying, “Oh shit!”)
And then what you do is… – (Fluency Builder) Use this as a transition when giving directions
To kill something– (Slang) To say that something failed immediately
As long as you’re ___ing – (Grammar) To express something is the most important thing
Canned answers– (Vocabulary) Memorized answers that are very generic and not personal
 
Did you catch any other phrasal verbs or expressions you like? Write them here.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
 
II. Fill-In-The-Blank
(Listen to the podcast -again if necessary- and answer the questions. Use the expressions above to help you.)
 
1. “That doesn’t really matter, _________ they’re talking.”
2. “Once the clock reaches 60 seconds, ____________.”
3.“_________________ ask yourself ‘what happened next?’
4. “These people fail ______________.”
5.“Some people write ______________, which I think is a good idea.”
6.“_____________one minute to prepare your notes..’
7.“It’s easier to do that ___________  just looking at your notes.”
8. “They might say, ‘I’ve never been to a foreign country’, and ________________.”
 
 
III. Listen to the episode and answer the question.
 
1.For speaking part 2, you get more than one minute to prepare.                               T / F     
2.You should write down your script for speaking part 2.                                             T / F     
3.IELTS examiners don’t look at your notes for evaluation.                                          T / F
4.You can take notes and add extra information than what’s only on the card.          T / F
5.You should stop talking when you answer all the questions on your card.                T / F
6.The IELTS examiner will fact-check what you say to see if you were lying.               T / F
7.When preparing for IELTS Speaking Part 2, you should practice story telling.          T / F
8.The important thing in speaking part 2 is to not stop talking.                                   T / F
9.Being creative and funny in your answer could help you get a higher mark.            T / F
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Answers: 
II – 1. as long as 2. it’s go time  3. And then what you do is  4. right off the bat  5. bullet points 6. You get  7. in real time  8. that kills it right there 
 
III- 1.F  2.F  3.T 4.T  5.F  6.F 7.T  8.T  9.T

1.For speaking part 2, you get more than one minute to prepare.                               T / F     
2.You should write down your script for speaking part 2.                                             T / F     
3.IELTS examiners don’t look at your notes for evaluation.                                          T / F
4.You can take notes and add extra information than what’s only on the card.          T / F
5.You should stop talking when you answer all the questions on your card.                T / F
6.The IELTS examiner will fact-check what you say to see if you were lying.               T / F
7.When preparing for IELTS Speaking Part 2, you should practice story telling.          T / F
8.The important thing in speaking part 2 is to not stop talking.                                   T / F
9.Being creative and funny in your answer could help you get a higher mark.            T / F
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Answers: 
II – 1. as long as 2. it’s go time  3. And then what you do is  4. right off the bat  5. bullet points 6. You get  7. in real time  8. that kills it right there 
 
III- 1.F  2.F  3.T 4.T  5.F  6.F 7.T  8.T  9.T

​In Part 2 of my interview with Dr. Peter Croswaithe, we talk about his specialty... IELTS Writing and Speaking. He gives some POWERFUL tips to be successful in your IELTS Writing and Speaking exams. He contributed to the IELTS training series called Mindset for IELTS and is a former IELTS examiner, so he knows the IELTS exam from the inside out.

Note: We don't talk about specific expressions or 'templates' to use. We talk about overall strategy and tips.

We talk about the different parts of the writing exam and different approaches to the IELTS writing exam. He tells us some of the most important factors to perform and do your best on your exam day.

After this, we talk about general approaches for the speaking exam and we answer some common questions and concerns including grammar, expressions, pronunciation, accents, and common mistakes. He also gives some GREAT TIPS and advice to do on exam day.

If you take notes and follow his advice, you will be more prepared and less nervous on your exam day.

Below are vocabulary and expressions from our conversation and a listening quiz. Listen to the conversation as many times as you need to.

Ask any questions in the comments below or at Jesse Sweed on Facebook.

Rubric – (Noun) How your exam is evaluated
Which is basically…(Fluency Builder) Use this to explain something further
To be straightforward – (Adjective) To be direct and clear
Roll your eyes – To show frustration or exhaustion with something you don’t like
We see this with…- (Fluency Builder) Use this when you are giving an example of something
Overuse– (verb) To use something too much
Let’s move onto…- A way to transition onto something else
Babble – (Noun) Unintelligible sounds that aren’t words
Strain – (Phrasal Verb) Something that is difficult to do or perform
A slice–  (Slang) A slice of pizza. “Let’s go get a slice.”
Impede – (Expression) To block something from happening
 
Did you catch any other phrasal verbs or expressions you like? Write them here.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

1.“There’s the coherence and cohesion ____________asking yourself, ‘Can the reader follow the text with no problem.’
2.“The grammatical range and accuracy which tests your grammar, so that’s _________________.”
3.“The examiner will normally ______________and bury their face in their hands and mark off their score.”
4.“_________with Chinese students. They ____________these fixed expressions and linkers and they tend to lose the content words.”
5.“_______________the speaking test.”
6.“If you listen to Spanish or Chinese, it sounds like it’s just an endless stream of_______.”
7.“If you have a strong accent, it _______________your chances of finding work.”

1.‘Coherence and cohesion’ means that your writing should 
makes sense.                                                                                                                  T / F
2. When using fixed expressions, it’s important to make sure you 
use them correctly.                                                                                                        T / F
3.In IELTS Writing, the more connectors you use, the better.                                     T / F
4.You should use plenty of academic words when doing the
speaking exam.                                                                                                              T / F
5.There is a difference between spoken English and written English.                        T / F
6.A student’s accent is an important factor in the IELTS exam.                                 T / F
7.Word stress and intonation are more important than your accent 
for the speaking exam.                                                                                                  T / F







​

Answers: 
II – 1. which is basically 2. fairly straightforward  3. roll their eyes  4. We see this/ overuse  5. Let’s move onto 6. babble  7. can impede 
 
III- 1.T  2.T  3.F 4.F  5.T  6.F  7.T

This is Part 1 of a 3-part interview with Dr. Peter Crosthwaite. He is a doctor of linguistics, former IELT examiner, and currently a lecturer at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. In this episode, we have a conversation about the strange intricacies of English, and tricks to handle the True/ False/ Not Given part of the IELTS reading exam. We also find out what Peter's favorite WrestleMania Moment is. 

If you are preparing for an IELTS exam, the next three episodes (Ep. 23, 24, and 25) are for you. We will discuss IELTS writing preparation and IELTS speaking tips that will change your IELTS approach. We talk about general exam advice and T/F/NG tips. Below, you will be able to see key vocabulary and expressions as well as a space for you to take notes from the conversation.


Sign up and get $10 USD to learn a new language on italki. Click here to start!
​

To have a treat for you – (Expression) To have exciting news about something
He wrote the book on ____.(Expression) To say somebody is an expert on something (not usually literal)
To aim for something – (Verb) To have a specific objective.
It pays the bills – normally what we say about our job. A little tongue-in-cheek
Wrestlemania Moment – (Noun) Favorite memory of Wrestlemania 
Took on – (Phrasal Verb) To do something (normally challenging)
Undergraduate/ Graduate– Undergraduate- Basic University courses… Graduate level- University program after you get your undergraduate degree.
Growing like a weed – (Expression) we say this to express how quickly a child is growing
Hick town – (Noun) A small country town
To narrow down – (Expression) To eliminate some options.
Setting them up for failure– (Expression) To make something impossible to pass
Job security – (Vocabulary) To have a safe position at your job.
 
Did you catch any other phrasal verbs or expressions you like? Write them here.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

1. “What’s your favorite ____________________?”
2. “It’s made for people who __________________ a 7.”
3. “That’s not _______________, is it?”
    “No, that’s at _________________.”
4. “Find the not given first, and then you can narrow downfrom there.”
5. “These exams are ______________________?”

1. “If you are preparing for your IELTS exam, boy _____________________.”​

1. What was Peter’s biggest advice for T/F/NG?

​Get a pen and paper or your voice recorder ready because this episode will be interactive. Jesse will guide you through the Proust Personality Test to go deep into getting to know yourself even better.

The Proust Personality Questionnaire is a fun exercise that will ask you different levels of personal questions that you probably don't think about in your daily life.

Answer these 35 questions honestly for yourself either orally or written, and you will surprise yourself. You will also learn some new vocabulary and have practice forming questions in English. 

There is no vocabulary lesson at the end of this episode, but I explain some unusual vocabulary words during the test that will help you answer the questions. Let me know about your results.

Great question!

Some ways people have used this questionnaire:
     - Self-investigation
     - Having fun
     - Writers and Actors/Actresses have used them to create characters
     - Practice thinking in English
     - ______________________________

Find an English teacher on italki and get a free lesson.

Option #1 - Grab a pen and a piece of paper and write down your answers to the following questions.
Option #2 - Use your phone voice recorder to record yourself saying the answers with the episode.

​1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? 
2. What is your greatest fear? 
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? 
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others? 
5. Which living person do you most admire? 
6. What is your greatest extravagance? 
7. What is your current state of mind? 
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
9. On what occasion do you lie?
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
11. Which living person do you most despise?
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
16. When and where were you happiest?
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
21. Where would you most like to live?
22. What is your most treasured possession?
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
24. What is your favorite occupation?
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
26. What do you most value in your friends?
27. Who are your favorite writers?
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
31. What are your favorite names?
32. What is it that you most dislike?
33. What is your greatest r1egret?
34. How would you like to die?
35. What is your motto?