0:00 When something really matters to you,
0:02 like something that needs to happen right now, a deadline,
0:06 a safety issue, a serious mistake,
0:09 the words you use can decide whether people take action or do nothing
0:14 at all. And if you've ever tried to be super polite when you've needed something
0:18 urgently and then found that nothing happened, nobody did anything,
0:24 then you know exactly what I'm talking about.
0:27 And if you saw a lesson I did recently, a little part of you might be thinking,
0:32 didn't Annemarie just talk about the importance of polite
0:37 diplomatic language with subtle English phrases like If I
0:42 were you, I wish it were that simple. Suppose we were to,
0:46 and you're absolutely right, I did.
0:48 Those structures help to soften disagreement,
0:52 show empathy and keep conversations respectful even
0:57 when opinions differ.
0:58 But sometimes softening isn't the right move.
1:03 Sometimes you need to be direct, clear and simply obvious.
1:08 The truth is sometimes polite or indirect language can cause problems,
1:14 especially when time is short.
1:17 Decisions matter and someone needs to take action. Now,
1:22 ultimately, as a skilled English communicator,
1:24 you need to know when and how to use both diplomatic language
1:29 and direct language in English.
1:32 So how exactly do you say what you need directly,
1:37 clearly, and respectfully without sounding too harsh or rude?
1:41 And when? How do you know the difference?
1:44 That's exactly what we're going to focus on in this lesson today.
1:47 You're going to learn how to use specific grammar forms such as
1:52 imperatives,
1:53 simple statements and modal verbs to give instructions,
1:58 set boundaries, meet deadlines,
2:00 and keep your work moving forward with clarity and confidence. Now,
2:05 before we keep going,
2:07 if this lesson already feels like something you need to practice,
2:11 not just learn in a video, but actually try in real conversation,
2:16 then I want to tell you about the Confident Women community.
2:19 It's where women around the world come together to speak English for
2:25 real conversation, practice with weekly workshops,
2:29 small group discussions, and daily support.
2:32 It's a space to stop overthinking and actually start using
2:37 English with confidence.
2:38 The truth is learning grammar and vocabulary is one thing,
2:42 but knowing how to use what you've learned out loud, clearly,
2:47 calmly, and without second guessing or doubting yourself,
2:51 that takes practice, real speaking practice.
2:55 And that's exactly what we do inside the Confident Women Community.
2:58 So if you're tired of studying alone or if you're ready for progress that
3:03 feels natural and supportive,
3:06 I would love for you to join us and you can find out all the
3:09 details@speakconfidentenglish.com slash community.
3:13 I'll leave a quick link to that in the show notes below.
3:16 And now let's get back to the five moments when being direct
3:21 isn't just okay, it's actually essential.
3:25 Let's start by talking about when to use direct language at work. Again.
3:30 Last week we learned that polite indirect language has its place.
3:35 It can help you build better relationships,
3:38 offer suggestions or share opinions thoughtfully,
3:42 but sometimes being super polite and soft isn't enough.
3:47 Some situations require immediate clarity,
3:51 not diplomacy, because when a message isn't clear,
3:55 people don't act, and that can lead to misunderstandings,
4:00 mistakes or delays.
4:02 So when exactly is it appropriate or even necessary to be direct?
4:07 Here are five common workplace scenarios where clear direct language is
4:12 the best choice. Number one, emergencies.
4:16 I want you to consider this example.
4:18 Someone says there's a fire in the building, please exit immediately.
4:23 You cannot stay inside. Of course,
4:25 this is not the time to be vague or to soften the message. This is about safety,
4:30 it's about urgency.
4:32 The second situation when we need to be more direct is in giving instructions.
4:38 For example, you might say to someone your onsite training begins tomorrow.
4:44 In the meantime, wear your safety glasses and follow all the safety rules.
4:48 Whether you're training someone new or working with a team,
4:52 direct language helps to ensure that everyone knows exactly what to do
4:57 and how to do it safely. The third situation is when setting boundaries,
5:02 and I want to use this as an example,
5:05 I really need to focus on this particular project right now.
5:09 So please do not interrupt me unless it's urgent. If you've got questions,
5:14 let's set a time to talk after 3:00 PM this afternoon.
5:17 This kind of language is clear, respectful, and firm.
5:22 It helps others understand your boundaries without guessing and without
5:26 misinterpreting your needs.
5:29 The fourth situation where we absolutely want to use direct communication is
5:33 with communicating deadlines. For example,
5:37 please submit the report by Tuesday morning.
5:39 We must review it by noon so the marketing team can finalize
5:44 the campaign. If it's late, we're going to miss the launch deadline.
5:48 And the client's contract includes penalty for delays. In this example,
5:53 the direct language emphasizes urgency,
5:56 expectations and consequences.
5:59 There's absolutely no confusion about the timeline or what is required.
6:04 And then finally, the fifth situation is in giving feedback.
6:09 For example, there were multiple errors in this sales forecast section,
6:14 and as a result, we presented incorrect data to the client.
6:19 For future reports,
6:20 please make sure to verify all calculations against the source file.
6:25 This must be a hundred percent accurate before submission when
6:30 it comes to giving feedback. It doesn't have to be harsh,
6:34 but it does need to be clear.
6:36 When expectations are direct improvement becomes easier.
6:41 These are moments where indirect or overly polite language can cause
6:46 real problems. Again, in emergencies, giving instructions,
6:51 setting boundaries, communicating deadlines,
6:55 and giving feedback to make sure the language we use in these
6:59 situations is both direct and polite or professional.
7:03 English speakers often rely on three powerful tools,
7:07 imperatives, simple,
7:09 present or past statements and modal verbs.
7:13 So let's take a look at how each one works and how you can use them
7:18 to communicate directly and politely when you need to.
7:22 Now to help you remember these three grammar structures,
7:25 I have a simple metaphor that I like to use with each one.
7:28 The first is imperatives are like a flashlight.
7:33 They shine a clear light on what action needs to happen,
7:38 and they indicate, do this now.
7:41 Then statements are like a mirror.
7:43 They reflect what is true or real right now and they outline
7:49 this is the situation. And finally,
7:52 modal verbs are like signs. They tell people what is allowed,
7:56 what's expected or what's necessary, and they clarify,
8:00 you must do this or you can't do that.
8:04 So now let's take a closer look at how each one works. First up,
8:09 the imperatives are flashlight. As a reminder,
8:12 we want to use these when you need someone to act
8:17 immediately. In English,
8:19 imperatives are sentences that start with a verb and they don't include a
8:23 subject, and that's because the subject is understood. It's you.
8:29 For example,
8:30 email me the report by 5:00 PM Call me when the clients
8:34 arrive. Don't reach out to the clients until we have a solution.
8:39 Follow the exit signs.
8:42 Wear your ID at all times in any of these situations.
8:46 If you wanna soften the tone just a little bit, you can add the word. Please,
8:51 please cc me in the email. Please remember to send the report.
8:56 This imperative structure helps you give clear professional
9:01 instructions with no confusion.
9:03 Next up are the simple statements that we want to use or the mirror that we have
9:08 to describe. Facts, expectations,
9:12 or feedback without any emotion or suggestion.
9:16 These statements can be both in the simple present or simple past tenses.
9:21 And what's important here is that they don't ask, they don't suggest,
9:26 and they don't soften. They simply reflect what is true.
9:31 For example, the deadline is tomorrow. The app is down.
9:36 I'm unavailable on Friday. There were several errors in the last report.
9:41 These statements don't tell someone what to do, but they create clarity.
9:46 They help others understand the situation or what's expected.
9:51 And last up, we have our mods, our signs.
9:55 These are words you want to use when you want to express rules,
9:59 restrictions, or urgency. Mods are words like, must,
10:04 cannot, could, will, would and should.
10:08 And these are extremely common in professional English.
10:13 So let's take a look at each one starting with must.
10:17 This means strong necessity. For example,
10:20 we must submit their proposal by 3:00 PM and then can't or
10:25 cannot is used to say that something is prohibited.
10:30 You can't enter the building without your ID will and won't help
10:35 us to indicate certainty.
10:37 Your application won't be accepted without the documents.
10:42 And then should we use this for strong advice or
10:46 soft instruction,
10:48 you should double check your data before submitting these
10:53 modal verbs help you express importance without sounding rude.
10:58 So let's pause here for a moment. I wanna take a moment to practice.
11:02 I want you to think back to a situation or a time when
11:07 you needed your message to be clear, but it didn't land.
11:12 No one took action, no one knew what to do.
11:15 When you think back on that situation,
11:18 what could you say differently using what you've learned here today?
11:22 Could you use one of these structures to be more direct and effective?
11:28 As always, doing more than just thinking about it is important.
11:32 I want you to write it down,
11:33 say it aloud or even share it with me in the comments. Now,
11:37 there's one more thing we need to discuss when it comes to direct language in
11:41 English. As you know, the grammar structures that we've just practiced,
11:45 those imperatives statements and modal verbs help you to be clear.
11:51 But how you say those.
11:52 Words is just as important as the words themselves.
11:57 So here I wanna take a moment to focus on your delivery.
12:01 Things like your tone of voice, your body language,
12:05 and any other words that you choose to soften or support your message.
12:10 These small shifts can make a difference between sounding rude or
12:15 overly critical and sounding confident, professional, and clear.
12:20 So tip number one, use a calm, steady voice.
12:25 That means no raised voice, no nervous energy,
12:28 or trying to go too fast and no up speak.
12:33 I wanna talk about that last one for a moment because it might be a new word.
12:37 Up speak is when your voice rises at the end of a sentence like you're asking
12:42 a question, not making a statement. For example,
12:46 if I say, you need to send the report by five, listen to that again,
12:52 you need to send the report by five.
12:54 The words I've just said are ordered in a way that is a statement,
12:59 not a question. However,
13:01 the rising intonation in my voice at the end makes it sound like
13:07 a question or makes it sound like I'm unsure, or perhaps this is an option.
13:12 I'm gonna say it one more time. Without rising intonation,
13:15 you need to send the report by five.
13:18 Do you hear that little rising intonation at the end by five? Again,
13:22 that little tiny rise in my intonation is sending a signal of
13:27 uncertainty, feeling unsure or questioning.
13:31 So the opposite is to have falling intonation,
13:35 you need to send the report by five without falling intonation.
13:40 I'm indicating certainty, closure,
13:43 and I sound confident in what I'm saying. Now,
13:46 if this is something that you struggle with, this use of intonation,
13:51 especially in high pressure moments, you are absolutely not alone.
13:55 Intonation can completely change how your message is received in English.
14:00 And this is exactly why. Inside my Fluency School program,
14:04 we spend time practicing American intonation patterns in real life
14:09 conversations.
14:10 And it's something that we also work on regularly inside my Confident Women
14:14 community as well,
14:15 because it makes a big difference in how confidently you
14:20 come across when speaking. Now, if you want more on this,
14:23 I do have a lesson I'm gonna share with you as well.
14:25 I'll share it in the episode notes below.
14:28 The second tip I want you to think about is to watch your body language and your
14:33 facial expressions. Even if your words are polite,
14:37 crossed arms and a tense face.
14:40 And no eye contact can create the wrong impression. So instead,
14:45 you wanna keep an open posture, make comfortable eye contact and.
14:50 Keep your expression neutral or supportive.
14:54 This shows professionalism and respect even while you're being
14:59 firm. And finally, tip number three, use softeners when appropriate.
15:04 But I say this with caution. Again,
15:06 we're working on direct clear language,
15:10 but even direct language can benefit from a
15:15 small polite phrase. These are all very simple. You could add,
15:19 please make sure to remember to and thank you for
15:24 or thank you in advance for getting me that report by 5:00 PM
15:29 this afternoon. Again,
15:31 these simple add-ons help your message to land with a little bit
15:36 more warmth while still being very clear.
15:39 And now let's bring all of this together in a quick practice.
15:43 I want you to think about a situation where you should have used
15:47 more direct language,
15:49 but at that time you softened your message too much or you weren't
15:54 clear enough. Now that you know how to use imperatives,
15:59 simple statements and modal verbs, how would you say it differently today?
16:05 Again,
16:05 I want you to write it down and even say it aloud so you get more comfortable
16:10 with these phrases. As always,
16:12 you can share your example with me in the comments below.
16:15 I would love to see it. With that, thank you so much for joining me today.
16:20 As always, if you found this lesson helpful,
16:23 I would love for you to follow or subscribe wherever you're watching or
16:27 listening from today,
16:28 and make sure you share it with someone else who might need it. Thank you again,
16:33 and I look forward to seeing you next time.
