This is an All Ears English podcast episode, how to be smooth in English and Black Friday.
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With your American hosts Aubrey Carter, the IELTS whiz, and former IELTS examiner Jessica Beck, coming to you from Arizona and Portland Oregon, USA.
Find out what the word smooth actually means and learn if it's good or not to be smooth in English.
Also, get invited to our Black Friday early insider list.
Hey, Aubrey, how's it going?
I'm great.
How are you?
I'm good.
Do you feel smooth when you socialize?
Hmm.
Interesting.
It's funny because I think of smooth more like my game, like if I can like flirt or whatever, like I thought about being smooth a lot like before I got married.
And now I'm like, I don't need to be smooth.
That is how we use it in English.
And the thing is guys, we are here to talk about that because I've heard a lot of students using this adjective to describe their English goals, like they want to be smooth in English.
But you know what, guys?
We don't use that word like that.
So today we are going to share with you how we use smooth, some definitions of smooth, and we're going to teach you some smooth ways to say hello, because we want to announce that our Black Friday deal is coming.
Yes, it's almost here, guys.
November 24th.
It's very exciting.
I love Black Friday.
Every year we try to do this where we give you, like an amazing deal, because that's what Black Friday is all about right,
You get the best deals on Black Friday.
It's so fun.
This is the third year that we're celebrating Black Friday here at All Ears English.
And I got to tell you, this is my favorite bundle we've ever had.
We can't tell you exactly what's in it because that's part of the fun of Black Friday.
It's like a Christmas present, you know.
You're going to open it, this bundle on Black Friday and find out exactly what's in it.
But what we can tell you is there are six courses in the bundle this year.
That's amazing.
And lifetime access to everything.
That's an exciting change.
But guys, it's only going to be available for 24 hours on November 24th.
So this it's a once a year offer and it's easy to miss.
So we want to make sure that you guys are ready so that you don't miss out.
Yeah.
So, before we get to the smooth part of today's episode, we want to tell you to sign up at allearsenglishcom.
Slash Friday.
That's where you get on that early invitation list guys, because I know like with time zones it's hard to remember.
When is it Black Friday in America?
Like what?
When does that happen?
So just sign up at allearsenglish.com slash Friday and we will tell you when it's happening, guys.
We will send you emails and tell you as soon as it's open.
So let's get to this idea of smooth, though.
How do we use smooth in English?
What's like the most common way we use that adjective?
It has a few different meanings, right?
Most common.
Common, I guess, is just talking about a surface, a smooth road that's not super bumpy, right?
Smooth floors.
And yeah, that's kind of the most common, I would say, is that adjective.
Yeah, exactly.
How something feels, right?
Like a tangible thing you can touch.
I guess we do use that idiomatically.
I guess we can to describe like Language without mistakes, I guess.
But that's reaching, guys.
I would never hear a native speaker use smooth to describe their language abilities in this way.
Exactly right.
I agree.
I have definitely heard language learners say that, but I've never heard.
And it sounds a little off to me.
Right.
So you guys, you might be hearing that out there and realizing that.
Now, okay, I need to change this up a little bit.
So that's one mistake to avoid.
Don't use smooth to describe how you speak English.
Exactly, exactly.
So the second most common way we use smooth is to describe an action or a process with zero problems.
We use this a lot to describe like traveling.
You know people are like oh, how did the conference go?
Or whatever.
And you could be like, the trip itself went smoothly, no problems getting there.
And you know, the rest of the conference was, was fine.
I don't know.
But we can also use it to describe conversations.
Conversations can go smoothly.
So, for example, if you needed to talk about a difficult thing with a coworker or whatever, and later on your manager is like Oh, how did that conversation go?
And you said, well, went surprisingly smoothly, you know?
Yes.
There are actually two courses in this Black Friday bundle that focus on making this happen and having conversations go smoothly at work or one-on-one in a group.
And we have some grammar info in these courses as well.
And this is one native grammar mistake that we'll see.
I hear this a lot where I live that people will say like trip went smooth, and they use an adjective instead of an adverb.
This is a very common mistake, so helping you guys realize those as well, just so you know not to make them.
Yeah totally, totally so.
Um, before we get to my favorite meaning of smooth um, i do want to give you a little hint about this bundle, guys.
It is called the black friday be social in english bundle and all six courses are focused on socializing.
And I think that's what students often mean when they say they want to be smooth, right?
They want to socialize well without hiccups, right?
You want the vocabulary.
They want to have smooth conversations.
Exactly.
Exactly.
And that's what all of these courses are about.
So, okay.
That was a drum roll, I guess.
Aubrey, what is our favorite meaning of smooth?
Yeah, this is definitely my favorite.
And what I was saying in the beginning will also say like if you've got game, if you are smooth means like you're charming, you're suave.
And we actually use it a lot sarcastically today, right?
Exactly.
Because if we say somebody oh, you're smooth, it's often like saying you're not being smooth right now.
Like, this is so cheesy.
This is ridiculous.
So it's often used in a joking way, you know?
Exactly.
Oh, that was smooth when it actually was not at all.
Maybe they tripped over their feet or they like used a bad pickup line.
You're like, wow, smooth.
Smooth.
Nice one.
Smooth.
So you guys, I'm sure you will notice that in podcasts, pop culture, now TV movies, because we do use that sarcastically a lot.
All right.
So we do want to give you some takeaways today, guys.
Here are two ways you can smoothly, not sarcastically, say hello.
And these two ways are from one of the courses that is included in this bundle.
So the first way, guys, just very informal.
This is someone you know, a friend, a coworker, someone you know and are informal with.
Don't say, hello, how was your day today?
No, nobody talks like that.
Say, hey, how's it going?
Exactly.
And that's really what's key is that even if you're in a pretty formal setting at work, we're still not going to be that stiff with our language.
We're still going to say like, hey, how's it going?
Yeah, exactly.
And here is a formal way.
If you are meeting someone for the first time, if this is a formal probably work situation, or even just a new friend that you've never met before.
Instead of saying nice to meet you or it is my pleasure to meet you, something sort of clunky like that.
We don't say that.
We just say pleasure to meet you.
Yes.
And that does sound really polished and impressive.
Like it leaves a really good impression and yeah, i love that this is a formal way to say it, but that really works in any situation.
It's just sort of giving that respect of meeting someone for the first time exactly, exactly.
So guys, make your black friday smooth, have no problems, don't miss this bundle.
Guys sign up for this early insider list and we will tell you when this biggest ever course bundle is available.
So get your name on that early invitation list, guys.
Remember you're going to get six courses.
This deal is incredible.
So go to allearsenglish.com slash Friday.
Yes, it comes with vocabulary, listening transcripts, video lessons, audio lessons.
Lots of opportunities to socialize practice speaking in our community open conversation clubs and fluency parties.
Oh, this is such a great chance to meet speaking partners.
Yeah, exactly.
And guys, I mean, these are courses.
You're going to get feedback on speaking and writing.
There's quizzes, there's completion certificates, there's everything.
So one last time, guys, don't forget to sign up right now.
Go to allearsenglish.com slash Friday.
Awesome.
We'll see you guys in there.
Awesome.
Bye.
Bye.
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