We don’t really speak in single words. We speak in chunks — little ready-made phrases that come out in one piece. Learn a chunk and you get a whole useful sentence, without stopping to build it word by word. Here are five to start using today.
- “Would you mind…?” — a polite way to ask for anything. Would you mind opening the window?
- “I was wondering if…” — softens a question or request. I was wondering if you could help me.
- “To be honest…” — buys you a second and sounds natural. To be honest, I’m not sure.
- “It depends on…” — perfect when there’s no simple answer. It depends on the weather.
- “Let me get back to you.” — when you need a little time. I’ll check and let you get back to you.
Pick one chunk and use it three times today — out loud if you can. Tomorrow, add another. That’s hopscotch: one small jump at a time, and the phrases start to feel like your own.
Want to practise chunks like these in a real conversation? Have a look at my lessons.
