Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Do you work in an English-speaking workplace? Follow my tips to feel more confident and comfortable using English at work — especially in meetings. Meetings in English can be stressful it’s not your first language. In this class, I’ll teach you key English vocabulary for meetings and give you strategies to understand more and feel confident at work. engvid.com/english-for-work-meetings-vocabulary-tips-you-need
All EngVid business English lessons: engvid.com/topic/business-english
Keep improving your workplace English with these lessons!
youtu.be/8KMZeaPnj84
youtu.be/VcQ62U0GyGE
In this lesson:
0:00 English in the Workplace: My top tips
1:22 Problem: I don't understand during meetings
4:11 Learn key meeting words
4:43 housekeeping
6:12 takeaways & take-homes
6:59 action items
7:51 Review the minutes
9:48 Find a meeting buddy
10:28 Confirm what you heard
11:41 Problem: I'm in the hot seat!
12:37 Stay calm!
13:23 Buying time
14:06 Offer a follow-up
14:56 Toastmasters
16:27 Problem: Too many new words!
17:04 Words can have specialized meanings
19:35 Learn frequently repeated words
20:06 Watch workplace shows
21:37 Watch EngVid Business English lessons
TRANSCRIPT:
Hello.
My name is Emma, and today we are going to talk about English in the workplace.
So many of you might work in an English environment.
Maybe you have a job where everybody speaks English.
So in today's video, I'm going to talk about how to improve your listening and your speaking
if you're working in a place that is an English environment.
We're going to, first of all, talk about some of the common problems English language
learners have when they work in an English workplace.
And then I'm going to give you some tips and strategies to solve these problems, or to
make you more confident and comfortable during meetings, when making small talk with co-workers,
or when doing other activities that involve listening and speaking.
I also, before we begin, wanted to thank my colleagues, Tatiana, Fabiola, Hanada, as well
as Gabriela.
My colleagues really helped me to come up with these lesson ideas because they are all
people who are using English in a workplace environment when it's not their first language,
so thank you so much for your help with this video.
So one of the biggest problems people who are learning English have when they work in
an English environment is they have a difficult time understanding and listening during meetings.
So I want to first talk about this problem, and then give some tips on how to deal with
this problem.
So, the reason it's difficult when you're in a meeting and English is not your first
language is there are usually a lot of people talking during meetings.
You have to listen to different accents, different people have different words they might use,
so this can be very challenging.
Another issue is there can be a lot of other information in meetings, so you're concentrating
on the English, but you're also trying to understand, you know, what the meeting's about,
maybe things about the company, so your brain is concentrating and working very hard during
meetings.
So what can you do to help yourself understand better during meetings?
Well, my first tip is that if you can, you should prepare for the meeting in advance.
One way to do this is by using the agenda.
So an agenda is when you're sent the plan for the meeting.
The agenda is the plan for the meeting.
It will tell you what will be discussed.
What is the point of the meeting?
Who is going to say things at the meeting?
That sort of information is in the agenda.
So if somebody emails you an agenda, look at the agenda.
Think about the agenda and think about what might be discussed.
By thinking about these things in advance, you're preparing your brain to accept the
information during the meeting.
Another thing you can do is sometimes you might have readings or slides sent in advance
of a meeting.
It's always good to read whatever is sent to you about a meeting to prepare for it.
Again, this is really important if English is not your first language because it gives
you more time to think about the information.
So that is one key strategy, prepare for the meeting in advance.
And if you don't know what's going to be talked about, if there's no agenda, no slides, you
can also try to predict what might be discussed.
So think about why are they calling this meeting, what might be discussed.
Even by just thinking about it, you're starting to prepare your brain for the meeting in advance.
[…]
Do you work in an English-speaking workplace? Follow my tips to feel more confident and comfortable using English at work — especially in meetings. Meetings in English can be stressful it’s not your first language. In this class, I’ll teach you key English vocabulary for meetings and give you strategies to understand more and feel confident at work. engvid.com/english-for-work-meetings-vocabulary-tips-you-need
All EngVid business English lessons: engvid.com/topic/business-english
Keep improving your workplace English with these lessons!
youtu.be/8KMZeaPnj84
youtu.be/VcQ62U0GyGE
In this lesson:
0:00 English in the Workplace: My top tips
1:22 Problem: I don't understand during meetings
4:11 Learn key meeting words
4:43 housekeeping
6:12 takeaways & take-homes
6:59 action items
7:51 Review the minutes
9:48 Find a meeting buddy
10:28 Confirm what you heard
11:41 Problem: I'm in the hot seat!
12:37 Stay calm!
13:23 Buying time
14:06 Offer a follow-up
14:56 Toastmasters
16:27 Problem: Too many new words!
17:04 Words can have specialized meanings
19:35 Learn frequently repeated words
20:06 Watch workplace shows
21:37 Watch EngVid Business English lessons
TRANSCRIPT:
Hello.
My name is Emma, and today we are going to talk about English in the workplace.
So many of you might work in an English environment.
Maybe you have a job where everybody speaks English.
So in today's video, I'm going to talk about how to improve your listening and your speaking
if you're working in a place that is an English environment.
We're going to, first of all, talk about some of the common problems English language
learners have when they work in an English workplace.
And then I'm going to give you some tips and strategies to solve these problems, or to
make you more confident and comfortable during meetings, when making small talk with co-workers,
or when doing other activities that involve listening and speaking.
I also, before we begin, wanted to thank my colleagues, Tatiana, Fabiola, Hanada, as well
as Gabriela.
My colleagues really helped me to come up with these lesson ideas because they are all
people who are using English in a workplace environment when it's not their first language,
so thank you so much for your help with this video.
So one of the biggest problems people who are learning English have when they work in
an English environment is they have a difficult time understanding and listening during meetings.
So I want to first talk about this problem, and then give some tips on how to deal with
this problem.
So, the reason it's difficult when you're in a meeting and English is not your first
language is there are usually a lot of people talking during meetings.
You have to listen to different accents, different people have different words they might use,
so this can be very challenging.
Another issue is there can be a lot of other information in meetings, so you're concentrating
on the English, but you're also trying to understand, you know, what the meeting's about,
maybe things about the company, so your brain is concentrating and working very hard during
meetings.
So what can you do to help yourself understand better during meetings?
Well, my first tip is that if you can, you should prepare for the meeting in advance.
One way to do this is by using the agenda.
So an agenda is when you're sent the plan for the meeting.
The agenda is the plan for the meeting.
It will tell you what will be discussed.
What is the point of the meeting?
Who is going to say things at the meeting?
That sort of information is in the agenda.
So if somebody emails you an agenda, look at the agenda.
Think about the agenda and think about what might be discussed.
By thinking about these things in advance, you're preparing your brain to accept the
information during the meeting.
Another thing you can do is sometimes you might have readings or slides sent in advance
of a meeting.
It's always good to read whatever is sent to you about a meeting to prepare for it.
Again, this is really important if English is not your first language because it gives
you more time to think about the information.
So that is one key strategy, prepare for the meeting in advance.
And if you don't know what's going to be talked about, if there's no agenda, no slides, you
can also try to predict what might be discussed.
So think about why are they calling this meeting, what might be discussed.
Even by just thinking about it, you're starting to prepare your brain for the meeting in advance.
[…]
![Find a NEW JOB in North America: Cover Letter & Resume Advice
Looking for a job? You will need to create a resume and a cover letter. But the rules on what to include and what NOT to include are different from country to country. To get you started, Ive put together this lesson on writing cover letters and resumes, where I will give you all of my key tips. I will also talk about the reasons why we write cover letters and resumes and give you some important points on formatting. Watch my other job skill videos to learn about job interviews and for specific vocabulary you should use on your resume.
Take the quiz: https://www.engvid.com/north-america-jobs-cover-letter-resume-advice/
Download a sample resume here: https://www.engvid.com/english-resource/resume-sample-tips/
TRANSCRIPT
Hello. My name is Emma, and in todays video I am going to talk to you about cover letters and resumes. So, if you are going to be looking for a job soon... Maybe youre new to Canada, or England, or the USA, or new to an English-speaking country and youre looking for a job or you will be looking for a job soon, this video can really help you with that. Cover letters and resumes really are different in different parts of the world. Okay? So theres a lot of different cultural parts that you need to know when youre writing a cover letter or resume, and in this video Im going to talk about the cultural aspects of both. So, this video youre going to learn more of an overview about cover letters and resumes, what their purpose is, and the type of information we include on them. Okay, so lets get started.
Okay, so a cover letter and a resume are two different documents that have very different formats. They look very differently from one another. A cover letter is a letter format, whereas a resume has its own special format, but there are certain things that are common or the same for both. One of the things thats common for both a cover letter and a resume is their purpose. The purpose of a cover letter and resume is to help you get an interview for a job, or help you get the job. Okay? So, when you think about a cover letter or a resume, imagine a company is asking you: Why should we hire you? What makes you special? What makes you right for this job? Your cover letter and your resume are the answer to this. They tell employers about your amazing skills. Okay? Maybe you know CPR, maybe youre great when it comes to computers, maybe you speak four languages. Okay? So they tell your employer... Your future employers this. They talk about your abilities, they talk about your experience, your education experience, your work experience, you know, maybe some other organizations youre a part of and the experiences you had there, and they also talk about your accomplishments, your successes. Okay? Maybe at this company you increased sales, maybe you won a customer service award because youre so great when it comes to talking to customers. Okay? So your resume and cover letter show all these great things about you, and they answer the question: Why should we hire you? Okay?
So, a lot of people want to know: Do I need both a cover letter and a resume? Can I just give my resume or just my cover letter? For most jobs you will need at the very least a resume. Okay? This is one of the most important things you give when youre applying for a job, and then for a lot of jobs they also will want a cover letter. So, how do you know if you need both? Well, when you apply to the job, look at the job advertisement. Usually in the advertisement they say if they want just a resume, or if they want a cover letter and a resume. If you dont know and you cant find the information, its a good idea to send both.
A lot of people want to know: Can I reuse my resume and cover letter for each job I apply for? Writing cover letters and resumes are a lot of work, so can I just give the same cover letter and resume to everybody, and every job I apply for? In general, thats not a good idea, and the reason is usually companies can tell that theyre getting the same resume and cover letter as other companies, because youre not saying specific things about how your skills match this companys skills or this companys... What this company wants. So as a result, its always the best idea to write a different cover letter for each job you apply for. Okay? I know thats a lot of work, but you will be more likely... Youre more likely to get the job if you do a good job on your cover letter instead of just sending everyone the same ones, and its the same with resumes. You know, different jobs you might want to highlight or talk about different things on your resume. If youre applying to this company, maybe youll talk about a certain work experience, whereas this company maybe youll talk about a different work experience. Okay? So very important to write your cover letter and your resume for each job. […] Find a NEW JOB in North America: Cover Letter & Resume Advice](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vDMJVrVY3ME/mqdefault.jpg)
![EASY ENGLISH CONVERSATION: Learn to Talk About GIFTS & PRESENTS
Learn all the English vocabulary you need about gifts – giving and receiving! What should you say when you receive a present? What should you say when you give one? What’s the difference between a present and a gift? You will also learn to properly use verbs like wrap, regift, give, get, and exchange. And of course, we will also look at the culture of gift giving, and popular occasions for exchanging gifts – birthdays, holidays, weddings, housewarmings, Christmas, baby showers, and more. Watch, learn, and get ready for your next gift-giving moment! https://www.engvid.com/easy-english-conversation-gifts-presents/
More EASY ENGLISH CONVERSATION lessons:
Talk about food https://youtu.be/EjYp7oDMM6s
11 common social expressions https://youtu.be/VgG0J2-OxfM
In this lesson:
0:00 Easy English: Gifts & Presents
1:14 special occasions
2:50 gift verbs in English
4:45 What to say when you give a gift
5:20 What to say when you receive a gift
5:53 Common gifts in North America
9:03 Should I open the gift?
9:36 common gift expressions
Transcript:
Hello. My name is Emma, and today we are going to be talking about presents and gifts and the English we use to talk about presents and gifts. So, this is a vocabulary lesson. Its also a cultural lesson. We will talk about what are some common gifts people give each other in North America, and were going to talk about some things we say when we give a gift or receive a gift.
So, lets get started with the word gift and present. So, this or this, we can call these gif, we can also call them presents. These two words have the same meaning. So, if one is easier to pronounce, you can use that one. Gift might be a little bit difficult to pronounce; present might be a little easier. They have the same meaning. So, a present is something you give or you get on a special occasion.
So, what are some examples of special occasions? Well, you might get a present for your birthday, maybe for an anniversary, like a wedding anniversary or a special anniversary. Weddings are places we often give presents. Same with holidays. So, depending on your religion or your culture, you might give a present, for example, at Christmastime or on a different holiday. Baby showers, this might be a new word. A baby shower is when someone is having a baby, so we celebrate by giving them presents because they will have a baby so they have a party. We call the party a baby shower. Another time you might give a present is for a housewarming party. A housewarming party is when someone moves to a new apartment or a new house. Its the first party in the new house, you might give somebody a present and say, Congratulations on your new house. So, these are just some special occasions when you might give a present, especially in North America. There are other occasions as well, but these are some of the most common.
So, I want to talk a little bit about verbs. What verbs do we use when it comes to presents and gifts? We can use the verb buy. Buy is in the present tense. Many people forget the past tense of buy, which is bought. I bought a gift for my mom., I bought a gift for my teacher., I bought a gift for my boss. So, we often use the verb in the past tense, buy, and the past tense is bought. Same with give. You can use the word give. We often talk about presents in the past, so we might use the past tense. I gave a present to my sister., I gave a present to my friend for her birthday. So, you can also say, I gave my friend a present. So, thats another verb we commonly use with present or gift. And then finally get. Get is a little informal, but we use it a lot with presents. So, I got my brother a great present., I got my friend a good present., I dont know what to get for my boss for Christmas this year. These are some examples of how to use get. And again, the past tense of get is got. Today, I got a present.
So, now were going to look at what do we say when we give a present, and what do we say when we receive a present? What is the polite English we can use? Okay, so we often say the same thing when we give a gift. Here are some things we might say. This is for you., This is for you., I hope you like it. We might also say, Its just a little something. If we dont want the person to feel bad that we got them something big, we might say, Oh, you know, its just a little something for you., I got you something small. So, these are common things we say when we give a present. This is for you.
When we receive a present, so when someone gives us a present, we often say, Thank you so much. or Thank you. We might also say, You shouldnt have. So, this is a very polite thing to say when someone gives you a present. Oh, thank you. You shouldnt have. It means that you really appreciate what theyve done, that theyve given you a present. Thank you, but you shouldnt have., Thank you. […] EASY ENGLISH CONVERSATION: Learn to Talk About GIFTS & PRESENTS](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vJFv4xji68A/mqdefault.jpg)





![English for Beginners: Learn How to Make YES/NO QUESTIONS
Learn the 3 types of yes/no questions in English. I’ll explain each type and show you how to form each of them correctly. You’ll also learn about common mistakes that English learners often make with this type of question, and how to avoid them! At the end of the class, take my quick quiz to test your understanding! Perfect for beginners or anyone who wants to review the basics. Let’s get started! https://www.engvid.com/english-for-beginners-yes-no-questions/
More of my beginner grammar lessons:
Negative Words in English: No, Not, Dont, Didnt https://youtu.be/Jjnl4jGSY_4
Confusing English Grammar: BY or WITH? https://youtu.be/gix9O_sjEzo
In this lesson:
0:00 YES/NO Questions in English
2:27 3 Types of YES/NO Questions
3:12 YES/NO Questions with be
6:26 YES/NO Questions with helping verbs
10:21 YES/NO Questions with main verbs
Transcript:
Hello. My name is Emma, and today, we are going to look at yes/no questions. So, there are six different types of questions in English. Today, we will look at a common type of question, which is the yes/no question. Yes/no questions are answered with yes or no. Many students make mistakes with yes/no questions because they can be a little bit confusing, and Ill show you why. Lets look at some examples.
So, here is a sentence. She is a teacher. Is is the verb. Now, if I turn this into a yes/no question, it becomes, Is she a teacher? So, youll notice the is and the she switched. Is she a teacher? Yes, she is a teacher. Or, No, she is not a teacher. Both of those are possible answers.
Now, if you look at the next sentence, You like pizza. If we make this into a question, it becomes, Do you like pizza? So, wait a second. Do you like pizza, but is she a teacher? These are different. Theyre both yes/no questions, but here we have do, and in this one, there is no do. So, today, I will explain why for some yes/no questions we need do or does, and for other yes/no questions, we just do that switch.
Lets look at another example. They can swim. If we want this to be a yes/no question, it becomes, Can they swim? So, in this case, can and they switch to make a yes/no question, and you will notice we have a question mark, question mark, question mark, so we know its a question. So, lets find out when do we switch, and when do we use do, does, and did.
So, yes/no questions can be confusing because people dont know if they should use do or does or if they should just switch the verb with the subject. Im going to teach you about three different types of yes/no questions to help you understand this better. So, we have type 1, where were going to talk about the be verb; type 2, where were going to talk about helping verbs; and type 3, where were going to talk about main verbs, and Ill explain each of these to you. Understanding the different types will help you create correct yes/no questions.
So, I have here a statement. She is happy. The first thing you should do when youre creating a yes/no question is you can create a statement, so this is not a question, its like a sentence, and what Im going to do is Im going to think about the verb. The verb in this case is is. Is is a be verb, so be verbs include am, like I am, are, you are, she is, he is, it is, they are, or we are. So, if you see are or is, youre dealing with the be verb. So, this all has to do with the be verb. Anytime you have a statement with is or are like this, and theres no other verb, so as I said, the verb type is the be verb, what you do is you switch the position of the subject with the be verb. That sounds complicated, but watch. Its very easy. She is happy. We switch. Is she happy? So, we can call this invert, we can call it switch. All you do is you take the is and you put it in front. She is happy becomes Is she happy? So, be verbs, you invert. You switch the position.
Lets look at some other examples. So, we have here Are you tired? So, if we wanted the statement, we could say, You are tired. Okay? So, are is a be verb, so the verb type is a be verb, so that means its type 1. And so, that means for type 1 verbs, we do the switch. You are tired becomes Are you tired? And then, of course, the question mark. Okay. So, very easy, you just switch for the be verb. Heres another example. Are kids fun? So, the statement would be Kids are fun. Are is a be verb. You switch them. Are kids fun? Or imagine I want to know about your friend. Your friend is a doctor? When we switch, it turns to the question, Is your friend a doctor? Be verbs are the easiest because you just switch the subject with the verb, so the switch is easy. […] English for Beginners: Learn How to Make YES/NO QUESTIONS](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wHgCXSOlWlo/mqdefault.jpg)

![TOP 10 MYTHS about Learning English
Do you want to learn a language BETTER and FASTER? In this video, we talk about 10 common language-learning myths that many students believe. These ideas can make learning harder—but they are NOT true! I will tell you what these myths are, and then what the reality is, based on studies and my own, first-hand experience teaching thousands of language learners. You will find out: why adults can learn English well, how you can become fluent without living in an English-speaking country, why making mistakes is normal, why you don’t need a “perfect” accent, and more. This video will help you understand how language learning really works, so you can study smarter and feel better about your progress. https://www.engvid.com/top-10-myths-about-learning-english/
More of my lessons about language learning:
https://youtu.be/bLksi7Wt0yE
https://youtu.be/X1Pl5QV8EHo
In this lesson:
0:00 10 MYTHS about Learning a Language
0:39 Do you have to be young to learn a language?
2:03 Do you have to live in an English-speaking country?
3:10 If you make mistakes, youre not good at English
4:13 You need to memorize a lot of grammar rules
6:05 Do you have to speak with a native accent to be fluent?
8:01 You must study English for many hours daily
9:43 You must learn fast
11:45 Can you learn a language in your sleep?
12:42 Can you learn with one app, like Duolingo?
14:18 Can you become fluent in 3 months?
Transcript:
Hello, my name is Emma. I am an English teacher. I also have a masters degree in learning languages. Today, I wanted to talk about 10 common myths people have about learning languages. So, first of all, what is a myth? A myth is something people believe might be real or true, but in fact, its not true. So, were going to look at 10 common myths about learning languages people have.
The first myth is you have to be young to learn a language successfully. Many people think only children can truly learn a language. Now, Ive been an English teacher for many, many years. I have had students who were 60 years old, 70 years old, 80 years old, and even one person who was 90 years old. And what I can tell you is that it is possible for adults to successfully learn a language. Children learn languages more easily. So, for example, accents. Its easier for children to hear sounds in a language. They can pick up an accent easier than an adult can in general. But adults can learn a language well with consistent practice. Practice makes perfect. I think the hardest thing for many adults is finding the time to learn a language. If they practice enough and they have a good method for learning a language, adults can learn languages successfully.
So, now lets look at the second myth many people have when it comes to learning languages. If you are learning a language, you must live abroad to learn that language. So, you must live in an English-speaking country in order to learn English. And to become fluent. So, this is not true. Its a myth. You can learn a language in your own country as well. You might need to be more creative to find opportunities to practice, but its possible to learn a language in your own country. Im right now doing that with Mandarin. Im learning how to read and write Mandarin in my own country, Canada, and Ive learned a lot. The nice thing about nowadays is that there are so many online resources. There are so many materials. There are things you can read, watch, practice on. So, because of the internet, it has become a lot easier to learn a language without traveling. So, this is a myth.
The third myth is if youre making a lot of mistakes in a language, youre not good at it. So, for people learning English, they make lots of mistakes, they feel very bad, and they say, Oh, my English is so terrible. This is a myth. Mistakes are how we learn. Its very important in the learning process that you make mistakes. Its also good to remember native speakers of a language make mistakes all the time. They make grammar mistakes, pronunciation mistakes, vocabulary mistakes. So, mistakes are common. The key is when you make a mistake, you learn from it. As long as you are looking for the mistakes you make, and then you figure out the correct way of doing things, and you learn from it, then youre doing the right thing. So, this is a myth. Its important to make mistakes when youre learning a language. Its a part of the process.
The next myth is that you need to memorize a lot of grammar rules first. So, your first step to learning a language is learn the grammar. So, this is a myth. Grammar is important, but communication comes first. So, what I noticed is a long time ago, learning a language was mainly about learning grammar. Students would go to class and spend the whole time practicing grammar. And a lot of these students, they learned the grammar rules, but they could not talk or communicate. To me, I believe that communication is the most important thing. […] TOP 10 MYTHS about Learning English](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xBabA7yATLg/mqdefault.jpg)
