SPEAK ENGLISH POWERFULLY: Just Add ONE Word! | Free English Course

0:00 Hi, and welcome to our series on Speaking English Powerfully.

0:05 Today, you'll learn how adding just one word can change how you sound instantly.

0:11 You'll see how this one word can make you sound more fluid,

0:16 more natural, and more confident in English.

0:19 Alright?

0:20 Are you ready to learn what those words are?

0:22 One word at a time, here we go.

0:26 Okay.

0:26 So, the words we're speaking about here are "do", "does", or "did".

0:35 Okay?

0:35 We only use one at a time.

0:37 Now, these are not new words for you.

0:39 These are words that you're familiar with.

0:42 You know "do" and "does" from the present tense,

0:45 but you know it in terms of asking a question or in a negative form,

0:50 or if you're just answering or giving a short answer, like "Yes, I do." Okay?

0:56 Like that.

0:57 But here, we're going to learn how to use these words in positive,

1:03 affirmative sentences.

1:05 Why?

1:07 Because they're going to add more emphasis and oomph to what we're saying.

1:13 The same with the word "did" in the past tense.

1:17 You're used to using the word "did" for questions,

1:21 for negatives, and for short answers,

1:23 but now you're going to see how to use this word "did" to emphasize something,

1:28 to put more focus on what you're saying.

1:31 And usually, we are using this technique to clarify something,

1:35 to make it more clear, or to correct something that someone said,

1:41 or to contrast it, to show the difference between what they

1:45 said and what you think and what you're trying to express.

1:49 Okay?

1:50 So, let me give you some examples so you understand exactly how it works,

1:54 and I'm sure you'll also hear the difference.

1:57 All right?

1:58 So, here we go.

1:59 Let's say someone gives you an idea, and they say...

2:03 And you say...

2:04 They say, "Okay, this is my idea", and you say,

2:08 "I like your idea." Or you could say, "I do like your idea." See the difference?

2:17 Which one is stronger?

2:19 "I do like your idea" versus "I like your idea"?

2:24 The first one sounded weak, even if it's true.

2:27 The second one makes it sound more true and more sincere.

2:32 It can also be that the person said, "Well, here's my idea,

2:35 but I don't know if you're going to like it,

2:38 you might not like it." And you say...

2:40 And if you say, "I do like your idea",

2:43 you're saying, "No, that's not true that I don't like it.

2:46 I do like it." You're emphasizing it; you're putting more focus on it.

2:50 Okay?

2:51 So it's stronger and very clear for the person to understand.

2:55 Then that person's going to be really happy.

2:57 "Yeah, really?

2:58 You like my idea?

2:59 Wow.

3:00 They're going to be thrilled." Okay?

3:02 All right.

3:03 Next.

3:04 So, this was, of course, in present, in the present tense.

3:08 The next one is also a present tense affirmative sentence.

3:13 So, let's say something happened,

3:15 and your friend had an argument with his girlfriend,

3:19 and he's feeling really sad, and then...

3:22 And you're trying to make your friend feel better, and you said, "No, come on.

3:26 Don't worry.

3:27 She cares about you." And he's feeling really bad

3:31 because he forgot her birthday or something, and he said...

3:35 And so you could say, "She does care about you.

3:37 It's not true she doesn't care about you.

3:39 She does care about you.

3:41 She just needs a little time to get

3:43 over the fact that you forgot her birthday." Okay?

3:46 Something like that.

3:47 But when we say, "She does care about you", you're emphasizing it.

3:51 Okay?

3:51 You're clarifying it.

3:53 And you're correcting, perhaps, what the other person thought,

3:56 and it's a little more powerful way to express yourself.

4:00 So you can see that you could use this in a business context,

4:03 can use this in a personal context.

4:06 Okay?

4:07 Now let's look at "did".

4:09 Okay?

4:09 "Did", that's now going to be in the past.

4:12 So somebody says, "Oh, you didn't send us the files." And you say,

4:18 "We sent the files." Nothing wrong with that, but it's just basic.

4:25 To make it stronger, what could you say?

4:27 "We did send the files.

4:30 Haven't you received them yet?

4:31 We did send them." You're emphasizing it.

4:34 Okay?

4:35 So, again, "do", "does",

4:36 and "did" are those magic words that you could add to positive

4:41 sentences to make them stronger and more intentional and with more energy.

4:48 Okay?

4:49 Now, let's look at some more examples of how

4:51 these simple words can make positive sentences sound even more powerful.

4:56 Okay?

4:58 So, the first three are from the professional world.

5:01 For example, "I do appreciate your feedback." Someone might have said,

5:07 "I hope you weren't upset or hurt by what I said." And you said,

5:12 "No, I do appreciate your feedback.

5:15 Thank you so much." Okay?

5:17 See how it sounds more serious, right?

5:20 Or "He does have a lot of experience." Yeah, I think we should hire him.

5:25 He does have a lot of experience.

5:29 Or, "We did review the contract." So, someone might have said,

5:34 "So, have you had a chance to review the contract?

5:37 I think you didn't." Right?

5:38 And you say, "No, no, we did review the contract." Okay?

5:42 Again, it sounds more serious in a professional context.

5:47 Next, in an academic environment, you could say,

5:50 "She did submit the assignment." Okay?

5:53 You're making it more certain.

5:56 Or, "We do understand the issue now." Or the topic now, or the theory now.

6:02 All right?

6:03 "We do understand." You're, again, creating more certainty.

6:09 And the last two, "I do value your opinion." Okay?

6:13 This could be in a personal context, in a social context.

6:17 "Thank you so much for your help.

6:19 I do value your opinion." This could be said to a friend,

6:25 to a relative, to a grandfather, to a child.

6:30 Okay?

6:31 "I do value your opinion." Next, "We didn't like the venue,

6:37 but we did enjoy the concert." What's a venue?

6:42 The location where an event takes place.

6:45 So, "We didn't like the venue, but we did enjoy the concert." Okay?

6:49 So, they're ending on that positive note.

6:51 So, these, again, make it sound more sincere.

6:54 When you're even in a personal or social context,

6:56 this makes whatever you're saying sound a little bit more sincere.

7:00 Now, even though I have explained that these words

7:03 will help you sound more powerful and confident,

7:06 we cannot use them, obviously, in every sentence;

7:10 otherwise, every sentence will sound too strong.

7:13 So, you want to make sure that you use them in the right

7:16 situations where you really do want to emphasize a particular point.

7:21 Okay?

7:22 Now, let's try some together, and this time,

7:24 you are going to create the answers with me.

7:27 Now, let's practice and apply what you've learned.

7:31 So, what we have on the board is we

7:34 have eight affirmative sentences that do not have any emphasis.

7:40 You are going to help me and add the emphasis.

7:42 If you like, you can pause the video, you can do them by yourself first,

7:48 and then check them with me, or we can do them together, and you can listen.

7:53 But I want you to really try to say it aloud so you feel the difference.

7:58 First, we're going to read the sentence, and then we'll read...

8:01 We will say the corrected sentence or the upgraded sentence.

8:05 Okay?

8:06 This is not...

8:07 These are not wrong; these are correct.

8:08 We're just upgrading them to sound more powerful.

8:12 So, the first one, "I sent the email." So now, what tense is that?

8:19 "I sent", it's the past tense.

8:22 So, down here, you see that I put the past tense.

8:26 Okay?

8:26 So, we have all of the pronouns, and we use the word "did" with that.

8:31 And over here, we have...

8:33 If you have any present tense sentences,

8:35 you can refer to this chart when you're trying

8:38 to figure it out if it doesn't come to you naturally.

8:41 Okay?

8:42 So, present tense, "I, you, we, they, do"; "he, she, it,

8:47 does"; and past tense, "I, you, we, they, he, she, it, did".

8:53 And since our first sentence was in the past tense,

8:56 "I sent the email", so how can we modify that to make it stronger?

9:03 We could say, "I did send the email." Say it after me.

9:09 "I did send the email." Good.

9:12 We're using the "did" from the past tense.

9:14 These first three are all in the past tense.

9:17 Okay?

9:17 I made it a little bit easier.

9:20 Number two, "They checked the accounts." Also in the past tense.

9:27 How can we make that stronger by adding "did"?

9:31 "They did check the accounts." Say it after me.

9:36 "They did check the accounts." I want you to feel it, okay?

9:40 Feel that difference.

9:42 Number three, "We had a lot of fun

9:45 in spite of the rain." How can we change that?

9:51 "We did have a lot of fun in spite of the rain." Say it after me.

9:57 "We did have a lot of fun in spite of the rain." Good.

10:02 Alright?

10:03 So, let's move now to some present tense sentences.

10:08 I understand.

10:11 What will you add there?

10:14 I do understand.

10:17 See how it sounds more sincere, more authentic?

10:20 It's a little bit more than just "I understand".

10:23 Say it with me.

10:24 I do understand.

10:27 Good.

10:28 Number five, "We need a new car." This could become what?

10:35 We- we do need a new car.

10:39 This car has got a lot of problems.

10:42 We do need a new car.

10:46 Number six, "She works very hard." Again, these sentences are not wrong.

10:52 We're just amplifying the message, making the message stronger when necessary.

10:59 So, "She works", "She", we will use what?

11:04 "Does".

11:04 She does work very hard.

11:07 It's true.

11:08 She does work very hard.

11:11 Next, these are mixed.

11:13 Could be past, could be present.

11:16 You decide.

11:17 Number seven, "I think this plan will work." What tense is that?

11:24 Present or past?

11:27 That is present right now, so it's going to be something from here,

11:31 so we're going to say, "I do think this plan will work." Let's say it together.

11:38 I do think this plan will work.

11:40 Good.

11:42 And number eight, "He helped me when I

11:46 needed it." He helped me when I needed it.

11:50 Helped is what tense?

11:52 Past tense, so we're going to add the "did".

11:54 He did help me when I needed it.

11:59 Let's say it together.

12:00 He did help me when I needed it.

12:02 Okay?

12:04 Great.

12:04 So, this one strategy is going to make you sound more natural because, yes,

12:09 English speakers do use this- do use this strategy

12:12 quite often when they're trying to emphasize something.

12:16 And you can as well.

12:17 You'll sound more natural, you'll sound more fluent,

12:20 and people will understand you more easily because you're

12:24 making these extra changes and improvements in your English speaking.

12:29 So, in this lesson, what did we do?

12:32 We added a word, right?

12:34 Do, does, or did.

12:36 In another lesson, in the same series, what did we do?

12:41 For those of you who've seen it, we removed a word.

12:44 If you haven't seen it, please go and watch it.

12:47 Each of these strategies will help you to speak English more powerfully.

12:51 Thanks very much for watching, and all the best with your English.