Isn’t it annoying when somebody interrupts you while you are speaking to someone, especially if you are discussing something rather important or are in the middle of a conversation or an argument. But sometimes interruption becomes mandatory and people have to do it; also there will be instances where you will need to interrupt a person, and you definitely don’t want to be annoying. So how do you interrupt a conversation politely? How do you do it in a manner that is acceptable and does not irritate the other person.





The one rule you need to remember when interrupting a conversation is that to keep it short and precise. A long speech on your part can make the person lose their train of thought. So let’s see how we can learn a very important social etiquette – how to politely interrupt a conversation. Remember, the keyword here is ‘politely’. Anything done with a good display of manners will earn you brownie points, and if you politely interrupt a conversation, chances are the speaker will not be offended, and might even take it as a pleasant distraction.


Here are some tips on how to interrupt a conversation





There will be different times and circumstances where you will need to interrupt a conversation. Here are some ideas on how you can do it.

With friends:

Now this is the most informal setting and it totally depends on the nature of conversation and your equation with your friend. When interrupting your friend, you can use term like ‘Hey, what I want to say is…’ or ‘I am sorry, I need to cut your conversation because I need to tell you…’ Or if there is a group of people, and you need to speak to  your friend, then it is better to first make eye contact, and once you have your friend’s attention, you can smile and say what you must.


In a formal setting:

If you are in a meeting, or need to interrupt a conversation with a colleague, it helps to be careful and quick about it. It is more respectful to not to cut somebody in mid-sentence, but wait for a break in their speech, or when they stop to think. You should always start with apologising for interrupting the conversation by saying, ‘I am very sorry to interrupt, but I would like to say…’ or if you are saying something in the same train of thought, you can say ‘Sorry for interrupting, but I would like to add something to what XYZ was saying.’


Interrupting a person is not a good move, but sometimes it is unavoidable. How you handle the situation is important. Using the right words and being as polite as possible helps.

-By Shailja Varma


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Have you ever been to a party where you do not know too many people? Or perhaps look back and recollect your first office party - where everyone around seemed to know everyone but YOU?  While some may have a natural flair for starting conversations in English with strangers or acquaintances, there are some others who feel out of place in such situations. This article shall quickly give you some valuable tips, to ensure that you can strike an engaging social conversation in English.





Small Talk

While some steer away from small talk when at work or busy, and understandably so, this same small talk can be your saviour when you need to get rid of awkward silences.  “Small Talk” as suggested, indicates speaking about relatively unimportant things, but is the best conversation starter. It is ideal to fill up silence and create a more comfortable equation. It allows the individuals to interact in a casual fashion without encroaching on each other’s minds.


Introducing your self:

This might seem a daunting task for some, but trust us, it simply gets easier the more often you do it.  A simple way to introduce yourself would be to smile and state your name. It would also be a good idea to include where you first met, or what you do so that there is a conversation flow created.

E.g.: “Good Evening – My name is Karan and I’m from the finance team -Delhi Branch. What about you?” OR “Hello Raj, I hope you remember, I’m Karan - we met last year in June at the Goa conference”


General Topics:





With the advent of social media, most of us are glued into the happenings of the world in real time. Everyone knows something about everything you read, hear or see, so topics like current affairs, weather, sports or entertainment are safe bets if you want the conversation to gain steam.

E.g.: “Did you watch yesterday’s India SL Match?” OR “Terribly rainy day yesterday, wasn’t it?”


Complimenting:

One of the easiest ways to break the ice at a party is by complimenting someone. It makes the recipient of the compliment feel more at ease with you.

E.g.: “I love your shoes – great shade of brown” OR “I really like your new hairstyle – it suits you well”


Questioning:

There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says, “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes: he who does not ask, remains a fool forever” – In simple terms, one should not underestimate the power of asking questions. This can come in handy to figure out common interests and lead towards an engaging conversation.

E.g.: “What kind of cuisine do you like? - I love Chinese” OR “What’s your type of music – I like Bollywood”


Observing:

If you are a good observer, you will always see ways and means to take the small talk ahead. For instance, you notice an IPL sticker on a colleague and say – “Hi – I am also a big time Mumbai Indians fan, who’s your favourite player?” OR “I like the song being played – was my favourite in college”

So, as you can see, Small Talk can be quite a BIG help when you want to strike a social conversation. But do remember, never try too hard. Feel confident and be as authentic as possible.

Stay tuned for more blogs on improving your spoken English.

About EAgeTutor:

eAgeTutor.com is the premier online tutoring provider. eAge's world-class faculty and ace communication experts from around the globe help you to improve English in an all-round manner. Assignments and tasks based on a well-researched content developed by subject matter and industry experts can certainly fetch the most desired results for improving spoken English skills. Overcoming limitations is just a click of mouse away in this age of effective and advance communication technology. For further information on online English speaking course or to experience the wonders of virtual classroom fix a demonstration session with our tutor. Please visit www.eagetutor.com.

- By Chander Madan


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In today’s competitive and busy world, it is not easy to get a job in an MNC company. As there are many candidates who apply on a daily basis, it becomes difficult for the HR to conduct the interviews. Hence, they conduct various rounds and the one who clears reaches the final round. These rounds include group discussions, written tests, and a JAM session. While you might be aware of tests and group discussions, JAM can be described as a short form of just a minute session. In a JAM session, a candidate is given a topic or sometimes asked to choose a topic on their own and asked to speak on it for a minute.





This test helps the interviewer judge the candidate on various factors. One of them is your Spoken English skills. You, as a candidate are required to have a fluent and clear English speaking skills. The interviewer will check the below skills:

Self-confidence
Time management
Communication skills
Flow of thoughts
Flow of speech
Spontaneity & GK


In this blog, we will provide tips for planning a JAM session which will help you get the job. Your English knowledge is important to describe or express your views in an articulate manner. Remember to wear a smile and confidence in your face.

1. You can begin with a thank you note.

2. Describe the topic in simple language.

3. Avoid long sentences and complex vocabulary.

4. Speak with a clear voice.

5. Don’t use negative words and sentences.

6. Prepare a few common JAM topics in advance as it will help you when the interviewer asks to choose a topic on your own.

7. Give brief details- past/present/future of the topic.

8. Use proper grammar.

9. Keep it straight and simple.

10. Conclude with a thanking note.


Some of the common topics you can prepare for is

Your role Model
How to prevent child labor?
What is the Internet?
Your favorite book?
Indian marriage system
Traffic
Love
Friendship
Education
Your favorite city
Time management
Travel
Recently watched movie
Music
Men and women equal
Daily life


These are some tips for planning a JAM session. The above-mentioned points will help you get a clear picture of how to maintain an English fluency throughout. Also, while delivering the speech ensure you have your English communication skills at its very best to refrain from making unwanted errors. In addition, understand the fact that practice makes perfect and hence, developing and improving your spoken English skills will help you describe a JAM session with utmost ease and confidence.

About EAgeTutor:

eAgeTutor.com is the premier online tutoring provider. eAge's world-class faculty and ace communication experts from around the globe help you to improve English in an all-round manner. Assignments and tasks based on a well-researched content developed by subject matter and industry experts can certainly fetch the most desired results for improving spoken English skills. Overcoming limitations is just a click of mouse away in this age of effective and advance communication technology. For further information on online English speaking course or to experience the wonders of virtual classroom fix a demonstration session with our tutor. Please visit www.eagetutor.com.

- By Chander Madan


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Are you a beginner in English? It is common to get confused with similar words or phrases. Speaking English is easy as it just takes confidence and a person to talk with. Don’t be afraid of mistakes, mistakes are the proof that you are trying. Only by making mistake you can learn new things. It is not that you are the only one who is making mistakes. There are many native English speakers who get confused while speaking. The mistakes can be rectified by learning the correct versions. In today’s blog, we will explain common mistakes that are made and ways to avoid them.





5 common mistakes to avoid

1. Verbs

People get confused between verbs – action and stative. So, it is important to know the difference between both - verbs which show an action such as dancing, singing, playing etc. are called action verbs. Stative verbs are verbs which do not show any definite point of the action starting/ ending.

Examples:

I am hating it (wrong)

I am feeling the heat. (wrong)

I hate it (right)

I feel the heat. (right)


2. Over usage of ‘to’

It has been observed that people use ‘to’ many times while speaking. It should be avoided when unnecessary.

Examples:

Tell to her that I want these boxes. (wrong)

Tell her that I want these boxes (Right)

Give it to her (sounds right at some places in sentences)

Give her (sounds more appropriate)


3. Many vs lot

Many is used with countable nouns whereas lot is used with uncountable or collective nouns. However, many is typically used in formal English, and the latter is used in informal English.

Examples:

I have lots of shirts many of which are black in colour.

In the above sentence, lots is used because the person doesn’t know how many dresses he has so he says “he has lots of shirts in his wardrobe” but out of those lots of shirts in his wardrobe he can count and tell how many are black.


4. Tell her this vs tell this to her

Could you please tell this to her that I love her? (wrong)

Can you pass this pen to her? (wrong)

Could you please tell her that I love her? (right)

Can you pass him this pen? (right)


5. Put vs keep

Put means to stuff something. Keep means to maintain possession or condition.

Examples:

I will keep this dress for a week.

Please put the book on the table.


Hope the above explanation helped understand the common mistakes and ways to rectify the errors. You can join an online spoken English course and improve your English.

About EAgeTutor:

eAgeTutor.com is the premier online tutoring provider. eAge's world-class faculty and ace communication experts from around the globe help you to improve English in an all-round manner. Assignments and tasks based on a well-researched content developed by subject matter and industry experts can certainly fetch the most desired results for improving spoken English skills. Overcoming limitations is just a click of mouse away in this age of effective and advance communication technology. For further information on online English speaking course or to experience the wonders of virtual classroom fix a demonstration session with our tutor. Please visit www.eagetutor.com.

- By Chander Madan


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