If you've ever been on the London Underground, you'll know the announcement:
Please mind the gap
This month, our teachers have been sitting down with students to set goals for the year.
We asked everyone to finish one sentence:
"By next summer, I want to be able to…"
The same answers kept coming back:
"React faster."
"Stop overthinking."
"Get rid of the block."
Hardly anyone mentioned grammar. They mentioned meetings, presentations and calls.
Put simply:
"I know the English. I just can't get it out when I need it."
That's the gap.
Not between the train and the platform.
Between knowing what to say…
…and saying it when it counts.
So from now on, each week: one real moment, and what to say in it.
This week: you're in a meeting, and someone asks you a question you weren't expecting.
Your mind goes blank.
Don't panic. Native speakers pause all the time. They just tell you they're pausing:
"That's a good question. Let me think about that for a second."
It buys you time.
And calm sounds confident.
This year, we're going to help you bridge that gap.
One moment at a time.
Good question…
You'll notice the tips below look a little different. All three now point back to this week's moment.
This week’s three tips to help you:
ELIMINATE SPANGLISH 🫣
🤦🏻♀️ “Let me think it”
Straight from Spanish: déjame pensarlo.
But in English, think needs about before the thing you're thinking about.
✅ “Let me think about it”
When someone asks you something, and you need a moment.
Say let me think about it.
Good question. Let me think about that for a second.
COMMUNICATE WITH CLARITY 💎
“Off the top of my head”
Without checking or preparing. What you can say right now. Así, de memoria.
Useful when someone asks you for a figure or a detail and you haven't checked.
Off the top of my head, I’d say around 20%. But I’ll check
Your turn
Before your next meeting, say this out loud three times:
That's a good question. Let me think about that for a second.
It will feel strange the first time.
By the third, it's yours.
Then hit reply and tell me:
What's the question you dread being asked at work?
(to dread = temer, tener pavor a: la pregunta que te da pavor que te hagan)
I'll answer the best ones in future editions.
NEXT STEPS ➡️
Keep learning,
Jack & Krystallo
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