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BritSpeakPod episodes
- 115 - Forgot a Word When Speaking? Do This!
Get the free STOP STRUGGLING - START SPEAKING Workshop -
https://www.britspeak.co/workshop-podcastForgetting a word mid-sentence is one of the worst feelings as an English speaker. You search for it, but you come up blank and the whole time are panicking and just hoping it will show up eventually.This happens to everyone from time to time, but how you handle this situation is the main thing that separates the confident English speakers from the nervous ones.In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:
- What really causes this to happen
- Why it is something you really want to avoid
- The strategy you can use next time it happens to you
- How to practice the skill of talking around missing words
Want more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.com
Welcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.
Who am I?
My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.
Learn from me for free:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speak
Articles - https://www.britspeak.co/blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeak
Work with me:
Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/store
Academy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academy
Courses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
21 min - 114 - How to speak for longer in English without rambling
Get the free STOP STRUGGLING - START SPEAKING Workshop -
https://www.britspeak.co/workshop-podcast
If your English answers are always short, it might not be because you have nothing to say. It might be because short answers feel safe.
You answer quickly. You avoid mistakes. You escape the conversation before things get too difficult... But the problem is, short answers can make you seem uninterested, even when you’re not.
They can make you feel like a smaller version of yourself in English and they can stop real conversations from developing.
So today, we’re talking about how to speak for longer in English without rambling because the goal is not to give long, complicated answers. The goal is to give answers with enough detail, enough structure, and enough connection that the conversation actually goes somewhere.
In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:
- Why short answers feel safe
- The problem with short answers
- How to actually expand when speaking
- Tools and tips you can start using today
Want more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.com
Welcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.
Who am I?
My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.
Learn from me for free:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speak
Articles - https://www.britspeak.co/blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeak
Work with me:
Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/store
Academy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academy
Courses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
19 min - 113 - Why more vocabulary won’t fix your speaking confidence
Get the free STOP FREEZING Workshop -
https://www.britspeak.co/stop-freezing-workshop-podcast
30-Day Speaking Kickstarter - https://www.britspeak.co/kickstarter
You probably don’t need more vocabulary. I know that might sound weird, because when you speak in English and struggle to express your ideas, it feels obvious…
“I just need more words”
So you study loads of vocabulary and save more reels with interesting expressions in them. You fill your notebook with idioms and phrasal verbs, but then when it is time to speak… the words are still no where to be found.
That is exactly the problem I want to talk about today because speaking confidence isn’t limited by how many words you know. It is limited by how quickly you can access words under pressure.
In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:
- Why you feel the need to learn more words
- The real cause you are not addressing
- How much vocabulary is really needed
- Why passive learning can only get you so far
- What you should focus on moving forward
Want more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.com
Welcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.
Who am I?
My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.
Learn from me for free:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speak
Articles - https://www.britspeak.co/blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeak
Work with me:
Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/store
Academy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academy
Courses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
18 min - 112 - What to do when your mind goes blank in English
Get the free STOP FREEZING Workshop -
https://www.britspeak.co/stop-freezing-workshop-podcast
Freezing up when speaking English happens to all of us sometimes and of course we try our best to avoid that situation through practice and learning new skills, but we can never fully avoid it…
So that begs the question, what should I actually do when my mind goes blank when speaking in English?
In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:
- What actually causes this problem
- Who it is most likely to affect
- What happens when you don't fix it
- How to recover when it happens
- Which strategies you should focus on
Want more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.com
Welcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.
Who am I?
My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.
Learn from me for free:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speak
Articles - https://www.britspeak.co/blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeak
Work with me:
Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/store
Academy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academy
Courses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
21 min - 111 - Why You Freeze Up When Speaking English
Get the free STOP FREEZING Workshop -
https://www.britspeak.co/stop-freezing-workshop-podcast
Do you freeze up when it is your turn to speak in English, even though you understand everything you heard?
This happens to so many people but most of them don't know why this happens, or what they are supposed to do about it.
In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:
- What causes you to freeze up
- What really causes this to happen
- Why more studying won't fix it
- How to actually stop it from happening
- The benefits of overcoming this problem
Want more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.com
Welcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.
Who am I?
My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.
Learn from me for free:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speak
Articles - https://www.britspeak.co/blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeak
Work with me:
Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/store
Academy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academy
Courses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
19 min - 110 - Why Your English Sounds Messy When You Speak
Get the free STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/freeze
Join the Speaking Confidence Bootcamp- https://www.britspeak.co/bootcamp-early-access
Do your ideas feel clear in your head, but messy when you try to explain them in English?
Maybe you start answering a question, then lose your direction halfway through. Or you speak for a while, but afterwards you think, “That didn’t sound clear at all.”
In this episode, I explain why this happens and why it does not always mean your English is bad.
Often, the real problem is not vocabulary or grammar. The problem is that your ideas do not have a clear structure when you are speaking under pressure.
In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:
- Why your English can sound messy even when you understand the topic
- Why more advanced vocabulary is not always the solution
- How structure helps your brain stay on track
- How to use Point → Reason → Example → Point
- Examples for daily life, opinions, and professional situations
- A simple practice task you can try this week
Want more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.com
Welcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.
Who am I?
My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.
Learn from me for free:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speak
Articles - https://www.britspeak.co/blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeak
Work with me:
Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/store
Academy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academy
Courses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
17 min - 109 - You’re Not Bad... You’re Just Speaking in Survival Mode
Get the free STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/freeze
Join the Speaking Confidence Bootcamp- https://www.britspeak.co/bootcamp-early-access
Do your English conversations often stop after one or two sentences?
Maybe someone asks, “How was your weekend?” and you say, “Good, thanks.” Then the conversation becomes awkward, and you start thinking, “I’m just not good at speaking English.”
In this episode, I explain why this happens (and why it does not mean you are boring, rude, or bad at English.)
Often, English learners give short answers because they are trying to stay safe. They want to avoid mistakes, so they keep everything simple. But the problem is that short answers give the other person nothing to respond to.
In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:
- Why English conversations often die after one or two sentences
- Why short answers feel safe but limit your communication
- Why your personality can feel “smaller” in English
- How to use the simple Answer → Detail → Question framework
- Why you don’t need advanced vocabulary to have better conversations
- A simple speaking exercise you can practise this week
Want more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.com
Welcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.
Who am I?
My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.
Learn from me for free:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speak
Articles - https://www.britspeak.co/blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeak
Work with me:
Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/store
Academy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academy
Courses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
18 min - 108 - You're Preparing Too Much Before Speaking English
Get the STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/freeze
Book Your Action Plan Call - https://www.britspeak.co/action-plan
A lot of English learners think they are not prepared enough. But sometimes, the real problem is the opposite. You are preparing too much.
You prepare because it feels safer. You want to avoid mistakes. You want to choose the right words. You want to make sure your grammar is correct before you speak.
And that makes sense when you’re writing an email or sending a message. You can take your time. But real conversations are different. You can’t pause a conversation for five minutes while you check what to say.
In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, I talk about why overpreparing can actually make speaking English harder, why it leads to freezing in real conversations, and how to start practising spontaneous communication instead.
Because speaking English is not a test. The goal is not perfect grammar. The goal is to communicate your message clearly enough for the other person to understand.
In this episode, I talk about:
- Why loads of learners prepare too much before speaking English
- How fear of mistakes creates dependence on preparation
- Why written English and spoken English are different skills
- Why prepared English and spontaneous English are not the same thing
- How overpreparing can make you freeze in real conversations
- How to practise speaking before you feel ready
- A simple one-minute exercise to build confidence speaking without preparation
Want more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.com
Welcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.
Who am I?
My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.
Learn from me for free:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speak
Articles - https://www.britspeak.co/blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeak
Work with me:
Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/store
Academy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academy
Courses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
29 min - 107 - The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck About Perfect English
Get the STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/freeze
Book Your Action Plan Call -
https://www.britspeak.co/action-plan
In this episode, I talk about a few ideas from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* by Mark Manson and how they apply to English learners.
This is not really a book review. It’s about what happens when you care too much about every part of your English at the same time.
If you’re constantly worrying about grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, accent, mistakes, and what other people think, your brain gets overloaded. And when your brain gets overloaded, speaking becomes much harder.
In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:
- Why caring about everything can make your English worse
- How speaking anxiety creates a cycle that keeps you stuck
- Why the fear of freezing can actually cause you to freeze
- Why mistakes are not proof that your English is bad
- How to choose better problems when practising English
- Why confidence comes from action, not waiting until you feel ready
Want more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.com
Welcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.
Who am I?
My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.
Learn from me for free:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speak
Articles - https://www.britspeak.co/blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeak
Work with me:
Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/store
Academy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academy
Courses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
23 min - 106 - Staying quiet even though you understand?
Get the Starter Kit - https://www.britspeak.co/starter-kit
Book Your Action Plan Call -
https://www.britspeak.co/action-plan
You understand everything in English… but when it’s your turn to speak in a meeting, you either say very little… or nothing at all.
In this episode, I break down what’s really happening in that moment… why your brain slows down under pressure, why you miss your chance to speak, and why this has nothing to do with your English level.
This isn’t about learning more vocabulary or grammar. It’s about learning how to enter conversations earlier, organise your thoughts quickly, and contribute clearly… even when you don’t feel ready.
In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:
- Why you stay quiet in meetings (even when you understand everything)
- What’s actually happening in your brain when you try to speak under pressure
- Why waiting for the “perfect sentence” makes things worse
- The real reason confident speakers seem faster and more natural
- How to enter a conversation before your idea is fully ready
- A simple structure to give clear answers without overthinking
- A practical way to start contributing more in conversations this week
Want more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.com
Welcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.
Who am I?
My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.
Learn from me for free:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speak
Articles - https://www.britspeak.co/blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeak
Work with me:
Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/store
Academy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academy
Courses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
17 min
About BritSpeakPod
From the publisher's feed
Welcome to the BritSpeakPod, your go-to podcast for improving your communication skills in the UK. Whether you're new to the country or have been living here for a while, this weekly podcast is…
designed to help you navigate the nuances of British communication and culture. Join us as we explore tips and tricks to help you build a better life, advance your career, and foster stronger relationships in your new environment.
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