Listening transcript · Episode 85

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B1–B2Everyday EnglishAbout 8 min + dynamic ads5 PDF versions available

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Hello, everyone… and welcome back to Your English Toolbox.

I am Martin… and it feels so good to be back with you.

- It really does.

Hello, everyone — I am Julia.

- Martin…

I have to say it.

You are incredibly tanned.

Where on earth have you been?

Is it that obvious?

Let's just say there was a lot of sun… and a lot of doing absolutely nothing.

- The best kind of holiday.

- Honestly…

I missed this.

I missed talking to all of you.

So did I.

And we have come back with an episode that I am genuinely excited about.

So… let me ask you something.

Imagine you are a brilliant swimmer.

You know every technique.

You have studied every movement.

But the moment you stand at the edge of the water… you freeze.

You cannot jump in.

- And that… is exactly what happens with English.

- You understand everything.

Films, conversations, your colleagues at work.

- And yet… when it is your turn to speak… nothing comes out.

Now…

I know what some of you are thinking.

"I have heard this topic before."

- You probably have.

On a hundred different podcasts.

- "Why can't I speak when I understand everything?" It is everywhere.

But here is our promise to you today.

We are not going to tell you what you have already heard a hundred times.

No "just practice more." No "stop being shy."

- Our approach is completely different.

- So please… stay with us until the end.

It will be worth it.

We promise.

So let's start with the most important thing.

If you understand English but cannot speak it yet… it is not your fault.

- Let me say that again, because people need to hear it.

- It is not a failure.

It is not a flaw.

It is a completely normal stage of the brain.

Think about a small child.

A baby understands its parents for months… long before it says a single word.

- The understanding always comes first.

- Always.

The speaking follows later.

So if you can understand but not yet speak… your brain is not broken.

It is working exactly as it should.

But here is where it gets interesting.

- Most people believe that understanding and speaking are the same skill.

- As if… the better you understand, the better you will automatically speak.

And that… is simply not true.

Understanding and speaking are two different muscles.

- Two completely different muscles.

- You have trained one of them for years — listening, reading, watching.

That muscle is strong.

That is why you understand so much.

- But the speaking muscle… you have almost never used it.

It is like watching a thousand tennis matches… and being surprised that you cannot play.

- Exactly!

You know the rules.

You know the strategy.

- But your arm has never held the racket.

And now… we need to talk about something that very few language podcasts mention.

- Something we feel is deeply important.

There is a moment… a tiny moment… that causes most of the pain.

In your own language, you answer in one second.

But in English… by the time you have built the perfect sentence in your head… the conversation has already moved on.

- And in that small gap… something happens in your body.

- Your heart beats faster.

Your hands feel warm.

Your mind goes blank.

That… is not shyness.

That is not laziness.

That is anxiety.

A real, physical response.

- And almost nobody in the language world is brave enough to name it.

- Because it is easier to say "speak with confidence"… than to admit your body is having a genuine reaction.

Language anxiety is so important… and so ignored… that it does not fit into one episode.

So we are going to give it the time it deserves… very soon.

- Do not miss it.

So… what do we actually do about all this?

How do we cross that gap?

- And this is where our approach becomes different.

- Imagine someone who has hurt their leg.

They cannot walk yet.

But they want to move.

They want to live.

- So what do we give them?

- A crutch.

Not forever.

Just… to start walking again.

A crutch is not cheating.

It is support, while the muscle gets stronger.

- And in English… your crutch… is a ready-made sentence.

- A phrase you already have… sitting in your mouth… before the conversation even begins.

Because when the sentence is already there… you skip the gap.

You do not build it in real time.

You already have it.

Let me give you a picture of how this works.

Imagine a person who understands everything.

Films.

Meetings.

Their boss.

- But when it is their turn to answer… they freeze.

Every time.

One day… before an important situation… they do something simple.

They prepare three sentences in advance.

Just three.

- A way to start.

A way to ask.

A way to respond.

- And at first… they use them almost mechanically.

But then… something beautiful happens.

Once the first sentences are out… the conversation continues on its own.

- The crutch got them into the water.

- And it turned out… they could swim all along.

And this… this is exactly why we admire the work Robert and Miranda are doing.

- The Basic Survival Kit series.

Every single episode gives you those exact crutches.

For the supermarket.

For the doctor.

For your neighbour.

- Ready-made sentences for the real moments of your life.

- They are doing something genuinely special.

So if that series is helping you… go and leave them a comment.

Tell them.

- They deserve to hear it.

So… let's bring it all together.

If you understand but cannot speak yet… it is not your fault.

It is a normal stage.

- Understanding and speaking are two different muscles.

You have only trained one.

The gap between them creates a real anxiety — and we will talk about that very soon.

- And until your speaking muscle is strong… use the crutch.

Prepare your sentences.

You are not bad at speaking English.

You are simply standing at the edge of the water… ready to jump.

- And the moment you do… you will discover you knew how to swim all along.

If you made it this far, you are truly committed to your English.

Please head over to YouTube, search for "Your English Toolbox", and subscribe.

- Your support there means the world to us… and it keeps this podcast growing.

It is so good to be back.

- We have missed you.

Truly.

I am Martin.

- And I am Julia.

And we will see you… in the next one.

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