Why Feedback Needs More Than “I’m Right”: Phrases you can use when someone disagrees with you
I made a big mistake the other day. I was giving feedback to someone on something they had done. Recently, I have started giving written feedback rather than verbal feedback. This means the feedback is asynchronous. In other words, I write the feedback, the other person reads it in their own time, and then they […]
Deadlines: How to ask for more time in English
Deadlines are normal in any job. So are delays. The real problem is not the delay itself. The problem is silence. When you wait until the last moment, the other person has no time to adjust plans, shift priorities, or communicate to stakeholders. If you want to sound professional, use a simple structure. Flag it […]
Questions that drive decisions and alignment in English meetings
Hosting a meeting is not about talking more.It is about creating clarity. Many meetings fail for one simple reason.Nobody makes the decision visible. People discuss.They brainstorm.They share updates.But the group never aligns on what they are trying to achieve, what they are deciding, and what happens next. If you host meetings, you can change this […]
Team Meeting Phrasal Verbs — Explained with Examples
Phrasal verbs are a key part of sounding natural in English, especially when talking about meetings or project work.They’re short, flexible, and help your speech sound less robotic and more fluent. Let’s look at how we use them in context. The Story Imagine your software team has been asked to attend a sprint-planning meeting.Everyone blocks […]
How to Ask for More Information and Updates in English – Naturally and Professionally
Have you ever been in a meeting where you didn’t quite understand what someone meant, but you didn’t want to interrupt?Knowing how to ask for more information is a vital part of professional communication, especially when English isn’t your first language. You will learn how to ask naturally, clearly, and politely, just as a native […]
Five English tips for tech leaders that even native speakers forget
I have been teaching English for over 9 years now, and these are the five English tips that I share with students (maybe not all in one go)! And I even apply them myself during my meetings! 1. Slow down the conversation A short pause is a brilliant thing, especially when you use it to […]
Meant, Planned, and Intended: Clear Communication for Tech Leaders
As a tech leader, you’re often explaining plans, goals, and sometimes why things haven’t gone exactly to plan. Clear communication about intentions is crucial. Today, let’s look at how to use “meant to,” “planned to,” and “intended to” accurately. Understanding the Basics All three expressions follow this structure: Subject + (meant/planned/intended) + to + infinitive […]
Agreeing and Disagreeing in English
Using precise collocations can significantly enhance clarity in conversations. Here’s how to effectively use collocations about agreeing and disagreeing in English: Agreeing Collocations Disagreeing Collocations Why Should You Care? These collocations express slight nuances. For instance, “tend to agree” indicates cautious agreement, while “complete agreement” indicates full consensus. And by using them, and using them […]
What You Really Need to Say: Mastering Cleft Sentences
When you’re leading a technical team or communicating complex ideas, clarity is essential, and one way to enhance your clarity is to use cleft sentences. What Exactly Is a Cleft Sentence? A cleft sentence is a structure that splits an idea into two parts to clearly emphasise the most important piece of information. Using ‘What…’ […]
Past Continuous vs Present Perfect Continuous: A Tech Lead’s Guide to Clear Updates
Why this matters Deadlines, deployments, daily stand‑ups, your calendar is crammed with moments when you need to signal progress fast. Two tenses do the heavy lifting: Past Continuous for a moving snapshot in the past.Present Perfect Continuous for a job that started then and still echoes now. Nail the difference, and your updates sound focused […]