This episode is for you if you’ve ever experienced (or if you’re experiencing) the intermediate plateau: that you've got to a point in your English when progress feels much slower than before.It's really common at the B2 or upper-intermediate level, but there are lots of things you can do to get past it!In this episode:- six reasons why we get to a plateau (adapted from "The Plateau Effect" written by Bob Sullivan and Hugh Thompson)- the 3 C's approach to getting past the intermediate plateau, with ideas for you to try.Send us a textSubscribe to the podcastNever miss an episode! Get free weekly coaching tips here.

It's my birthday this week, and to celebrate I'm offering a 50% discount on all my advanced English courses.The promotion is for you if you're at an intermediate level and want to progress to advanced level - without spending lots of time or money! You can get all these courses at just 50% of their normal price:Advanced English Pronunciation In 30 DaysAdvanced English Speaking In 100 StepsAdvanced English Vocabulary In 30 Days10 Steps For Advanced English (Grammar)English For Your CareerPhrasal Verbs MasterclassTo get your 50% discount coupon go to the pageSmartEnglishCoach.com/offerThe promotion lasts for ONE week only, and the first 40 people every day can get the discount. There's no limit on how many courses you can buy, so take advantage and get all the ones you think you'll need.I also offer a 30-day, 100% money-back guarantee on all my courses if you aren't completely satisfied. Just let me know within the first 30 days and I'll send you a full refund.This promotion is ideal for you if you have some time to study English over the summer. All the lessons are "bite-sized" so you see progress quickly. Start now, and by September you'll feel much more confident about your English!Send us a textSubscribe to the podcastNever miss an episode! Get free weekly coaching tips here.

You've got an English interview soon. How can you prepare for it so that you can be confident? Careers and interview expert Kristine Knutter shares her best tips!- How to be less nervous in an English interview- The biggest interview mistake to avoid- How to prepare for a group interview and a Zoom interview- Mindset tips for enjoying the interview moreFollow her tips to stand out at your next English interview!Links in this episodeExpress to Impress (Kristine's website where you can get a free Interview Preparation Guide)Kristine also recommends getting feedback on your speaking via a free tool called Yoodli.Send us a textSubscribe to the podcastNever miss an episode! Get free weekly coaching tips here.

If you want to feel fluent when you speak English, the quickest way is to use 'fluency phrases' - the 'blocks' of English that help you to build sentences almost without thinking.Two types of fluency phrases we've looked at are collocations and signalling phrases. (See links below.)But the third type is 'fixed phrases' - phrases that you don't need to add anything else to. They're complete, automatic phrases which help you sound natural when you speak.In this episode, find out- three different types of fixed phrases, and- how to learn themYou might also find that you already know and use a lot of them!Links in this episodePart 1: CollocationsPart 2: Signalling phrasesTwo-word phrasesThree-word phrases  Send us a textSubscribe to the podcastNever miss an episode! Get free weekly coaching tips here.

What do the phrases "I'd like to ...". "You wouldn't .... would you?" and "Can I just say..?" have in common?Answer: They're all examples of 'signalling' phrases that we can use to show the other person what we're going to say.Signalling phrases are a type of 'fluency phrase' (a block of language) that helps us speak more easily and automatically. In this podcast episode, find out:- the three types of fluency phrase- four reasons why they help you speak more fluently- how to learn themEpisode linksThe Quickest Way To Get Fluent In English (Part 1)The English Fluency Club (where you can get 'The Fast Phrase Finder')Send us a textSubscribe to the podcastNever miss an episode! Get free weekly coaching tips here.

My #1 tip for English fluency is to use 'fluency phrases' when you speak. Fluency phrases are the 'building blocks' of conversation, because very often, all you need to do is just fill in the details to create sentences easily and quickly.In this episode, I look at one type of fluency phrase: collocations.- six common types of collocations that help you with fluency- the two main reasons why they're so usefulSend us a textSubscribe to the podcastNever miss an episode! Get free weekly coaching tips here.

If you say things to yourself like "I should be better at English by now", or if you're always searching for more grammar or vocabulary courses, then this episode is for you!Mindset coach Rhiannon Carter helps you feel more positive about your English. She can help you overcome negative thoughts so that you reduce anxiety and become  more confident.This is a truly eye-opening episode! In it you'll learn:- how to trust your English- how to go beyond the intermediate plateau- the question to ask yourself if you want another grammar or vocabulary course- two coaching tools that you can use now to change the way you think about your English!Links in this episodeRhiannon's Instagram profile Rhiannon's website - get her mindset challengeSend us a textSubscribe to the podcastNever miss an episode! Get free weekly coaching tips here.

We're often better at one area of a language than another. So maybe your speaking skills are better than your writing, or your grammar knowledge is better than your listening ability.But when one area of English is less strong than another, it makes sense to focus on that area. One reason is that it gives you a great opportunity to see progress - which is motivating! (It's often harder to see progress at advanced levels.)In this episode:- two reasons why upgrading all your skills is important- fluency activities for five different areas of EnglishLinks in this episodeThe English Fluency Club - to improve your speaking fluency10 Steps To Advanced English - to improve your grammar and writingSend us a textSubscribe to the podcastNever miss an episode! Get free weekly coaching tips here.

What happened when a British English teacher and an American English teacher got together to talk about games?We didn't always understand each other - and those weren't the only differences!But, American teacher Vickie Kelty showed how playing games can help you develop your English and reduce speaking anxiety. Of course, games are also fun, and they allow you to explore the English you know in new and challenging ways!Episode highlights- Three types of games to play in English- Some surprising differences in common gamesEpisode linksVisit Vickie's page: Get fluent in English with gamesSend us a textSubscribe to the podcastNever miss an episode! Get free weekly coaching tips here.

One of the biggest fears about speaking English is that people won’t understand you. This could be because of your pronunciation, or because you use English that other people don't understand."Intelligibility" -  how easy it is for people to understand you - is really important, obviously. In this podcast, I show you two ways to be more easily understood, through pronunciation and "rescue" English.There are lots of suggestions for you - as well as an invitation to join the English Fluency Workshop.LinksMinimal Pairs For Pronunciation - exercises for better pronunciation English Fluency Workshop - 7 ways to get more fluent in EnglishSend us a textSubscribe to the podcastNever miss an episode! Get free weekly coaching tips here.