Use Back and Next. You can also use left and right arrow keys. On big screens the Back and Next buttons sit outside the slide. On small screens they sit below the slide, never on top of your text. Keys: | pause, CAPS stress, ↗ continue, ↘ finish.
B2 . WORKPLACE PRONUNCIATION
Sound clear at work
Say long work sentences so people catch them first time.
Music: pause |, stress CAPS, rise ↗, fall ↘.
Say each slide aloud. Check the answer key after you try. Ready.
Answer key: how to use this deck
There is no score here. Try first, speak aloud, then open the key. Good work sounds calm, chunked, with key words loud and small words quick.
START
Goals and key
By the end you can:
- Pause after front clauses and around extra who info.
- Stress key work words, soften small words.
- Rise to continue, fall to finish.
Answer key
Say the example in two chunks. Small rise after Thursday, clear fall after Monday. Loud on FIN, TEST, THURS, LAUNCH, MON.
ACTIVITY 1 OF 15
Your voice at work
Rate you now. 1 is unclear, 5 is very clear.
- I pause in long sentences.
- I stress key words.
- My voice goes up and down.
Answer key
Open. Example: 2, 3, 2. Hard in standups. I speak fast. Goal for today: say three long work sentences so your teacher catches them first time.
ACTIVITY 2 OF 15 . NOTICE
Notice the music
Ask your teacher to read, or press play and listen to the model voice. Mark | where you hear a pause.
Model voice: clear British English, slow and expressive. Listen twice.
- If we finish testing by Thursday we can launch on Monday.
- Our manager who joined in March approved the new rota.
- What I need from you is a short summary by five.
Answer key
1. If we finish testing by Thursday, | we can launch on Monday.
2. Our manager, | who joined in March, | approved the new rota.
3. What I need from you | is a short summary by five.
ACTIVITY 3 OF 15 . RULE
Discover the rule
A. If we finish testing by Thursday, | we can launch.
B. Our manager, | who joined in March, | approved.
C. What I need | is a short summary.
Rules: 1 Extra who info, pause around it. 2 Front condition, pause after it. 3 What subject, pause before is.
Answer key
A-2, B-1, C-3. C is: What I need | is a short summary. Front clause pauses and rises. Extra who pauses like brackets. What subject pauses before the verb, then falls.
ACTIVITY 4 OF 15 . LISTEN
Same or different
Your teacher says two versions, or press play. Are they the same.
Model voice: hear flat versus chunked, and how pauses change meaning.
Answer key
Pair 1: Different. Chunked is clearer. Pair 2: Different. Meaning changes. The colleagues who finished early can leave (only some) vs The colleagues, who finished early, can leave (all did). Pair 3: Different. Natural stress wins. What I NEED is a SUMmary, not WHAT I need.
ACTIVITY 5 OF 15 . STRESS
Stress detective
Model voice: listen for the loud, long key words.
Answer key
B. Full music: we MOVED the DEADline to FRIday ↘. She exPLAINED that the SERver was DOWN all MORning ↘. The rePORT that you SENT yesterday was really CLEAR ↘. Stress new and key words.
ACTIVITY 6 OF 15 . TUNE
Rise or fall
Listen. Does the voice go up to continue, or down to finish.
Model voice: rise holds your turn, fall closes it.
Answer key
1 rise ↗, 2 fall ↘, 3 rise ↗, 4 fall ↘. Rise holds your turn. Fall closes the thought. Hand up for rise, hand down for fall.
ACTIVITY 7 OF 15 . PAUSE
Chunk and read
Add |, then read aloud, slow then natural.
Model voice: copy these chunks and pauses.
- Although the budget was tight we hired two designers.
- The colleague who handles invoices is on leave.
- Can you confirm whether the meeting is still at ten.
Answer key
1. Although the budget was tight, | we hired two designers.
2. Defining, no pause needed. As extra news: The colleague, | who handles invoices, | is on leave.
3. Can you confirm | whether the meeting is still at ten.
ACTIVITY 8 OF 15 . WEAK FORMS
Stress and weaken
Loud on CAPS. Quick and soft on small words.
Model voice: loud key words, quick tuh, wuhz, thut.
- We moved it TO Friday. Say TO as tuh.
- The server WAS down. Say WAS as wuhz.
- She said THAT it can wait. Say THAT as thut.
Read all 3 aloud now.
Answer key
we MOVED it tuh FRIday ↘. the SERver wuhz DOWN all MORning ↘. she SAID thut it can WAIT ↘. Short vowel, quiet voice for tuh, wuhz, thut.
ACTIVITY 9 OF 15 . ECHO
Echo the manager
Copy the music. Link the sounds: moved_on, testing_by, server_was, down_all.
Model voice: pause and echo after each line, same music.
- We moved on Friday.
- If we finish testing by Thursday, we can launch.
- The server was down all morning.
Your teacher reads. You echo with the same pauses and stress.
Answer key
we MOVED_on FRIday ↘. If we FINish TESTing_by THURSday, ↗ | we can LAUNCH on MONday ↘. the SERver_was DOWN_all MORning ↘. Smooth, not fast.
ACTIVITY 10 OF 15 . FIX IT
Fix the flat email
Hi all although testing is late we can still launch on Monday. The checklist that I shared yesterday shows the last tasks. What I suggest is a quick call at ten.
Model voice: warm and clear email, not flat. Copy this music.
Answer key
Sample: Hi ALL, ↗ | although TESTing is LATE, ↗ | we can still LAUNCH on MONday ↘ | The CHECKlist that I SHARED yesterday ↘ | shows the LAST TASKS ↘ | What I sugGEST ↘ | is a QUICK CALL at TEN ↘. Warm voice, clear chunks.
ACTIVITY 11 OF 15 . MEETINGS
Meeting lines
Choose the best line for each, then say it well.
Model voice: full and polite meeting lines.
- Late delivery: A) Because the parts arrived late, we need two more days. B) Parts late. Need days.
- New teammate: A) Priya who knows the client will join us. B) Priya, who knows the client, will join us.
- Ask for help: A) Help me. B) What I need is your eyes on slide two.
Answer key
1A, 2B, 3B. 2B: PRIya, | who KNOWS the CLIent, ↗ | will JOIN us ↘. 3B: What I NEED ↘ | is your EYES on SLIDE TWO ↘. Full and polite wins at work.
ACTIVITY 12 OF 15 . CHECKING
Polite checking
Finish with a noun clause. Calm fall at the end.
Model voice: calm and confident checks.
- What I mean is...
- Could you confirm whether...
- She explained that...
Answer key
Samples: What I MEAN is ↘ | we NEED ONE more TEST ↘. Could you conFIRM ↘ | whether the MEETing is still at TEN ↘. She exPLAINED ↘ | that the SERver was DOWN till NOON ↘. Statement order after that and whether.
ACTIVITY 13 OF 15 . TALK
Status update, 1 minute
Use all 3. Plan 1 minute, then speak.
- Adverbial: Although, If, Because...
- Who: ...who...
- Noun: What I... / She explained that...
Start: Quick update on the launch...
Model voice: one minute update with all three clause types.
Answer key, model
Quick update on the launch. Although testing was late, ↗ | we are back on track ↘. Sam, | who handles QA, ↗ | cleared the last bugs ↘. What I need now ↘ | is one hour for a final check ↘.
ACTIVITY 14 OF 15 . ROLE PLAY
The delay
You tell your manager the parts are late.
- Explain: use Because...
- Describe help: use ...who...
- Clarify: use What I need is...
Your teacher asks 2 questions. Stay calm. Pause. Stress key words.
Model voice: calm delay explanation to copy.
Answer key, model
Because the parts arrived late, ↗ | we need two more days ↘. Leo, | who knows the supplier, ↗ | called them this morning ↘. What I need from you ↘ | is a short note to the client ↘.
ACTIVITY 15 OF 15 . PLAN
Plan and record
Rate again 1 to 5, same 3 lines as the start. Then choose ONE:
A. Pause after front clauses. B. Stress key words. C. Rise to continue, fall to finish.
Answer key
Open. Example: 4, 4, 4 + A. I pause now after If and Because. Homework: re record your 1 minute update, mark | and CAPS on two real work emails.
FINISH
Takeaway
If we FINish TESTing by THURSday, ↗ | we can LAUNCH on MONday ↘
Well done. Send your 30 second voice note update to your teacher.
Answer key, self check
Can you say all three types first time clear. 1 If / Because / Although + pause. 2 who + pauses for extra info. 3 What / that / whether + calm fall. If yes, goal met.