Now You Are Asking Me Again

You accept been taught some English language phrases that you should never use.

No, not the slang phrases you've been working on—keep maxim those.

Non the phrases you've been hearing on sitcoms, either. Those are okay.

And the weird English words you just learned? Yeah, they're strange, but you can notwithstanding use them.

I'm talking about some simple, basic phrases that anybody learns, but are usually never used in actual conversations.

Then why did we ever learn them?

They provide a base to aid beginners understand grammar and sentence patterns. Afterwards, nigh students larn how to say more than advanced, personal phrases, and then they can leave the base backside. Information technology's only a problem when students keep using these simple phrases instead of using authentic words.

Don't worry though, we'll tell y'all exactly why you lot should stop using each phrase, and give you several options that you tin say instead.

Ready? Well, let's start with an piece of cake i.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that y'all tin can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

5 English language Phrases Everyone Learns but No One Should Use

Before you become to know what y'all shouldn't use, have a expect at the video from FluentU'southward English YouTube channel to larn some phrase you lot should definitely use:

FluentU English will only teach yous stuff native speakers use. Cheque out the aqueduct and subscribe today. Y'all'll be amazed at all the goodies (expert things) they have there!

Recognizing and avoiding the phrases beneath is an important manner to make your English language sound more natural. Similar we said above, we'll give you plenty of alternatives that yous tin use, too.

Want an easy and fun manner to learn more than English language phrases that really matter?

Every video comes with interactive subtitles, vocabulary lists, flashcards and fun quizzes. That means you lot get to absorb English phrases and other natural, real linguistic communication, without worrying that you're missing something.

1. Hello. How are you?

Information technology'southward an innocent question, right?

It's a question that students tend to ask their teachers every day at the beginning of class. Every English teacher has heard this question asked hundreds of thousands of times. That's the problem, it's used as well much by ESL students.

Information technology's such a mutual and overused question that it'southward no longer a good question. At best, the speaker sounds like a robot and at worst, the speaker sounds bored.

The easiest prepare is to brand the question longer. The longer the question, the better. Not to mention, you'll sound like you actually care nigh the answer.

Here are a few culling questions to ask instead:

• How are you doing today?
• How are you doing this morning?
• How are you doing this afternoon?
• How are you doing this evening?

Beginning with the word "Hello" is part of what makes the phrase sound unnatural and robotic. Instead, with friends try "Hey," "Hi" or "Hey there."

Then, you can also modify the question completely:

• Hey, how's it going?
• Hi, how are you doing?
• Howdy, how are you lot doing lately?

There are lots of options out at that place for greeting someone.

Just no thing what, please avoid using the phrase "Hi, how are yous?" It's the first thing that English students learn and information technology should be the first affair yous replace with a new phrase. At that place are more than enough options so that you'll never have to say, "Hullo. How are you?"ever again.

2. I'm fine. (And you?)

If "How-do-you-do. How are y'all?"  was the worst opening question someone can ask, so "I'one thousand fine" is the absolutely worst respond that anyone tin give. Information technology's so bad that near instructors call information technology the "conversation killer."

Instead, talk near anything else. Just broke upwardly with your girlfriend? Mention information technology here. Bought a new car? Brag a little bit. Going to watch the soccer game tonight? Say that! There is no limit to what you can say in response to "How are y'all?"

• Not not bad, I just bankrupt up with my girlfriend.
• I just got a new motorcar. Information technology'southward awesome.
• I'm doing pretty practiced. In fact, I'yard going to lookout a soccer game this night.
• I've been better. I recall I'thou getting sick.

When people enquire "How are you?," don't be afraid to bring up some contempo skilful news. Talk near how you just celebrated your daughter's birthday or how yous got a new high score on Super Mario. Accept fun with the answer.

Say anything besides a memorized response.

Sometimes your answer to "How are yous?" will alter depending on who asks you the question, and then check out these possible answers based on how formal you need to be.

And no affair how you respond, you lot should always ask "How nigh you?" in return. It's the polite thing to do.

3. How old are you?

Age is a very powerful matter.

In some parts of the world information technology is important, while in other parts it isn't at all. But in some cultures it's rude to ask a person how one-time they are, so you have to be conscientious.

In case you really need to know someone'south age, there are amend options. For example:

Did you get to college/academy? (Where did you become? What did you study?)

And then, you tin can ask, "When did yous graduate?"

If you know the person when to college, another question you could enquire is:

How long has it been since you lot graduated?

There are lots of other ways you lot can effigy out more than or less how one-time someone is. If they have children, ask how old the children are. You can also enquire, "How one-time were you when…?" to notice out well-nigh the person'south by.

• How old were yous when you lot started educational activity?
• How old were you when yous took your start flight?
• How former were you when you moved to Vermont?

Information technology's a fleck more work, I know. Just it's worth information technology to avoid offending the person you are talking to. Of grade, waiting until the bailiwick comes upwardly naturally helps likewise. Nearly anything works better than asking the question straight.

Personally, I ever tell studentsnon to ask "How quondam are you?" It should come up up in conversation naturally or not at all. No thing how curious y'all may be, but forget the question and talk about something else instead.

four. Are yous from ____?

Hither'due south a big one that gets asked as well often. Grammatically, in that location's nil wrong with this question. Only what it really means is:

I think you're from _____. Are yous?

I'thou going to say this in one case. No ane should ever ask this question, ever. There's no reason to phrase this question similar this.

Many people ask this question to people they run into for the first time. And most of the fourth dimension, people feel at least a trivial insulted. Even if you lot're correct, the person could feel offended. So this is never the right way to enquire.

Instead, try one of these questions:

• Where are you from?
• Where did you grow upwards?

These questions are much ameliorate. The chances of insulting someone are very low.

Request a person'southward nationality can be a sensitive topic. Merely handled carefully, it usually isn't a big deal. Notwithstanding, it'due south safer to exist considerate of others when asking.

5. Did you lot eat dinner?

Before I jump into the explanation, I'd like you to know that this question isn't just for dinner. The discussion "dinner" can be changed out for anything else similar tiffin, breakfast or java.

At present I know, it looks like a elementary and harmless question. The trouble is that this question is part of a fix:

A:Did you swallow dinner?
B: No, I haven't yet.
A:Well, would you like to eat dinner together?

If someone answers with a "aye" to the first question, at that place is no reason to inquire to consume together. Only, if someone answers with a "no," the speaker should ask the 2d question. Asking someone if they've eaten dinner without and then request them to eat with yous is considered rude.

Then if you do not want to invite the person to eat with y'all (you simply want to know if they've eaten or not), there are other options. Hither are a few other questions to ask instead:

• Did you get a chance to eat yet?
• Did you become some breakfast/lunch/dinner?
• What did y'all grab for breakfast/lunch/dinner?

For more than formal or general situations, use the post-obit questions or variations of them:

• Where did you get to eat?
• Where did you go for breakfast/lunch/dinner?
• What did y'all eat?
• How was breakfast this morning time?
• How was dejeuner today?

None of these questions crave an invitation to eat together. In fact, if someone answers "no" you lot tin but respond with, "Aw, that'southward too bad." Here are a few options for a follow up:

For "no" answers:

• Well, would like to get some ____ with me?
• Oh, that's besides bad. You should probably become some ____.

For "yeah" answers:

• That's good. What'd you eat?
• Great, how was information technology?

Remember, there'due south no reason to ask "Did you swallow dinner?" There are more than enough options that are much better.

And there you lot have it, 5 phrases you have definitely learned, but should never use. They're non terribly hard to re-learn, either, which is the plus sign.

Get used to saying the alternative options for these five phrases, and you'll exist speaking that much more like a native!

Download: This blog post is bachelor as a user-friendly and portable PDF that you tin take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

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Source: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/learn-english-phrases/

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