Have you ever been given unsolicited advice (that is advice you did not ask for) and it did not sit well with you? Maybe you took their advice negatively because of the way they said it to you? I know I have! Normally, that person has the best intentions but they just didn’t think about how their approach could come across as rude or condensing.

Well, I know you don’t want to be that person. Giving advice or feedback in a polite and still correct way all starts with how you approach the conversation.

Use these openers to give advice:

How about…? This is a great opener because it’s a question form so that the other person will have room to reflect and respond.

Example: How about you start to try walking every day for 30 minutes if weight loss is your goal?

Why don’t you…? Another great question to allow the other person to reflect positively.

Example: Why don’t you finish the emails every morning so that you don’t have to worry about them later?

You could try… Having the word “could” is great because it removes a condescending scenario.

Example: You could try studying for a couple of hours for the first week and see how you progress from there.

You probably… This one is a little stronger and so be careful with it!

Example: You probably have a bad reputation because you’re not careful with what you post on social media.

I think you need to… Letting the other person know that you “think” means that they are aware it is only your opinion.

Example: I think you need to start letting go of your emotions because its making you very stressed out.

It’s a good idea to… This opener is very “safe” and non-aggressive at all.

Example: It’s a good idea to start planning ahead so that you don’t get too busy at once.

You really should… This one can sound more aggressive, so be careful with it! Try to offer positive feedback afterwards.

Example: You really should go to this Supermarket instead! I know you like great deals and they have the best ones!

More tips for giving positive advice in English:

Make sure to keep the conversation light by offering positive feedback on what you like about the situation first.

If they don’t take your advice, simply change the subject of the conversation.

Time to practice!

Give these openers a try and practice them for a real-life situation!

If you are a student, a lawyer, a businessman, or any other career that requires strong and effective communication skills (or plan to be!), persuasive communication is an essential skill. But, it sounds much more complicated than it actually is! Take a look at these phrases that you can use at the beginning or middle of your sentences to immediately sound more persuasive.

1. On the other hand…

“On the other hand” can replace “but”. It sounds more formal and is effective to make strong statements.

See these examples:

• a. It seems like a great building, on the other hand, there are not many parking spots.
• b. I am happy that we chose to go away for the party. On the other hand, it would have been nice to get some things done at home.
• c. You have a big wedding planned. On the other hand, a small wedding would be more intimate.
• d. I feel bad for not welcoming him. On the other hand, he always tries too hard.

2. It has come to my attention that…

“It has come to my attention” is used when you are making light of a situation or making an announcement of something that was told to you.

See these examples:

• a. It came to my attention that some details were misplaced from the office.
• b. It has come to my attention that many people were annoyed by my judgments.
• c. The matter first came to my attention when I was working at the institute.
• d. It has come to my attention that many workers have been coming late to work.

3. Move forward

“Move forward” means to “go ahead”, or to “continue”:

• a. I think we can move forward from these negative comments. 
• b. All jokes aside, I think that we should finish these tasks and then move forward.
• c. It’s time for the prosecutors to move forward with the files.  
• d. If things are too complication at the studio, it makes it difficult to move forward with production.

4. Obviously…

Be careful not to overuse “obviously” but when you are able to use it, use it to make an impactful statement:

• a. With a $28 trillion global economy, the problem of child starvation is obviously not due to a shortage of means.
• b. Since he was obviously in a hostile mood, I chose to leave early, and change the discussion.
• c. There are several responsibilities that are obviously stated in the agreement.
• d. She was obviously uncomfortable during the take-off and kept holding her seatbelt.

5. Surely…

“Surely” is used to enforce a statement without a doubt:

• a. Surely, he’s not upset with the outcome.
• b. This fundraiser can surely carry out an event.
• c. A man who works on his goals will surely win.
• d. Surely, we will be home before the kids wake up.
• e. She surely knows how to work hard.

6. Regardless…

“Regardless” is used for something that is done or will be done without consideration.

• a. I will still protest, regardless of the situation.
• b. I am leaving the office, regardless if there is a meeting or not.
• c. He regularly travels first-class regardless of the price.
• 4. I will go regardless of the heat.
• 6. They will do it regardless of the consequences.
• 7. I’ll take the job regardless of the salary.

7. Although it may seem…

“Although it may seem” is used in replace of “even though it appears…”:

• a. Bad decisions are not the end of the world, although it may seem that way at the moment
• b. Although it may seem obvious, make sure your contract is on beneficial terms.
• c. Although it may seem like they are a happy family, they’ve had many martial problems over the years.
• d. Although it may seem like a loss, we note that this will be worth it later.

So what now?

Now it is time to practice!

Go over these examples and then try to make your own! If you have any questions or concerns, send us a message or leave a comment with your own examples.

Good luck!

Teacher Dawn

Analogies are used to explain how two things relate to each other. Assume and presume to have similar etymological roots and derives from the Latin language. Assume and Presume are spelled almost same, apart from for their prefixes. So their distinctive qualities give them unique meaning and usage. Assume means “Suppose” while Presume means “suppose and probability”.

Let’s break down the explanations even further:

Assume

Assume is a verb that means to suppose, take for granted, take upon, pretend to do so, or undertake a task. Assume is used when someone guesses without evidence. But that’s not the exclusive thing you could be saying. You can also use assume as taking responsibility for a duty or undertaking a task.

Let’s use Harry Potter as a scenario to see how the author used assume:

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling: “The Sirius Black had covered the walls with banners so that small portion of the walls’ was detectable. Harry could only assume that Sirius’s parents had not been capable of taking out the Permanent Sticking Charm that kept them on the wall because he was confident they would not have cherished their eldest son’s taste in decoration.” In that scenario, Harry does not know whether this is the cause the posters remain on the wall. He is making a judgment without any proof.

Examples

Accept without verification

1.       I assume her train was late.

Take on a specific attribute

2.       She assumed strange manners to me.

Occupy or take on

3.       Joe assumes the lotus location.

Take on responsibilities

4.       When will the new CEO assume office?

Seize without Authority

5.       She assumed to herself the right to fill all positions in the city.

Presume

Presume is a verb that means to “take for granted” or “to suppose” but presume carries another meaning like probability, and “to act or to undertake with undue boldness or without permission”.

In law, it leads to believing something as true in the lack of proof of its falsity. If you presume, that’s mean you act as though it is valid before all the evidence is in.

The well-known quote “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” introduces Henry Stanley, who surprisingly came along to the explorer David Livingstone in wild Africa in 1871. It’s humorous because these were the only two white men known to be in that portion of Africa at the time.

Examples

Basis of probability

1.       Two of the reporters who went missing are presumed dead.

Taking on an attitude

2.       He had presumed too great a level of knowledge.

Constitute a piece of reasonable evidence for

3.       A restaurant bill presumes the intake of food.

To suppose

4.       I presumed Jack would be late because traffic is terrible.

5.       My boss presumed I can handle this project based on my experience.

So what now?

Now is an excellent time to take your new knowledge to use! There’s no better way to ensure your subconscious mind will remember the differences than to actively practice!

For some quick practice, simply create a couple of examples for both assume and presume. But if you have more time, create an example for every scenario as seen in the text. Do not be too hard on yourself, if you are struggling, ask for help!

To make sure you are using them correctly, you can always send them to a friend who knows English well (or even better, a native speaker!) or you can even send us your examples and then we can make sure you are using them correctly.

Good luck!

Your teacher,

Dawn