Shadowing Practice: 925 English Lesson 21 - How to Make an Offer in English | Learn Business English with 925 English - Learn English Speaking with Video

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You're learning with 9 to 5 English - business English for the workplace.
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Hi Tim here with another nine-to-five English lesson. In today's lesson we're going to learn how to make an offer in English. There's give-and-take in every relationship and giving involves making an offer. It might be something simple like offering a cup of coffee or it might be something big like help with a project. In some situations - like offering a drink - we can make the offer very directly. One common way to do this is with the word "can." So you can ask a question like "can I help you with that" or you can make a statement like "I can get you a cup of coffee if you want" How about a bit of practice on making direct offers. Let's try some examples. Listen to each example then repeat it yourself.
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Ready? Let's get started!
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Can I get you anything?
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I can clean up when we're finished here if you want.
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How about I buy you some lunch?
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Need a hand with that report?
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As you heard you can also use the question "how about" to make a direct offer you just add what you want to do for the person after how about such as how about I get you some coffee. And you can also just ask if someone needs or wants something.
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Asking them like this means you're offering to give it to them.
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Now sometimes you don't want to be too direct.
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Instead you want to be polite and careful. This might be true with someone you don't know well or in a sensitive situation. So how can you make a careful offer? Well instead of can you can use could, for example you might say "could I give you some help?" Just a little change like this can make a big difference.
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You can also use other polite expressions such as "would you" and "shall." For example you might say "would you like some help with that?" or "shall I send you that document?" Let's try some examples of making careful offers in these ways.
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Remember to repeat the examples after you hear them.
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if you like I could give you some help with that would you like me to you the report for you could I offer you a glass of water while you wait shall I organize the files for you Great job! And maybe you noticed some if questions in both the direct and careful offers. To make an offer with an if question just say that you can or could do something "if you want" or "if you like" and you can change the order of the two parts. I mean you can say "I could help you if you like or "if you like I could help you" Besides making offers you also need to respond to offers whether you're accepting or rejecting an offer it's polite to make a complete sentence. Just saying yes or no is not enough to accept an offer you can use the word would again like that would be nice or I would like that and to reject an offer you can say no thank you and then add a bit more like that's okay or I'm alright let's try some more practice this time we'll be responding to offers here we go that would be great thank you sure I'd appreciate that no thank you I'm alright that's okay I should be able to do it I'd like to point out one important thing in those examples in the last one you heard that's okay this expression actually means no it can be confusing because okay means yes but that's okay means the opposite all right so we've practiced making and responding to offers but how does this sound in a conversation let's listen to a short dialogue between John and Kim John is offering to help Kim with some work would you like me to help you write the proposal Thanks that's okay I should be able to do it okay so how about I review it when you're finished sure I'd appreciate that as you heard Kim rejected John's offer to help write the proposal but accepted his help reviewing it now it's your turn to practice will repeat the dialogue but this time we're going to beep out the second speakers words you will have to say those parts yourself remember to reject the first offer then accept the second one would you like me to help you write the proposal okay so how about I review it when you're finished okay that just about does it for this lesson we've learned some great ways to make and respond to offers tune in next time to learn about making and responding to requests until then so long and happy learning

Context & Background

In the world of business English, the ability to make and respond to offers is crucial. In this lesson by 925 English, the speaker guides learners through the process of crafting offers effectively. Whether it's a casual offer like getting a coffee or a more formal proposal to assist with a work project, understanding the nuances of how to make these offers is essential for professional communication. This lesson emphasizes both direct and polite ways to make offers, preparing learners for various workplace scenarios.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

Here are some key phrases to help you enhance your conversational skills:

  • Can I get you anything? - A direct way to offer assistance.
  • Could I give you some help? - A more polite and careful offer.
  • Would you like some help with that? - A gentle way to inquire if assistance is needed.
  • How about I buy you some lunch? - A friendly and casual offer.
  • No thank you, I'm alright. - A polite way to decline an offer.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve your English pronunciation and fluency using this lesson, try the following shadowing techniques:

  1. Watch the video: Begin by watching the video carefully. Listen to the speakers and pay attention to their tone and pronunciation.
  2. Repeat after the speaker: Use the shadowspeak technique. Pause the video after specific phrases to repeat them aloud. This helps to cement the pronunciation and intonation in your memory.
  3. Use a shadowing app: Consider utilizing a shadowing app that allows you to practice making offers in real-time. These tools can provide you with instant feedback on your pronunciation.
  4. Engage with a partner: Practice these phrases with a friend or language partner. Try creating dialogues where you make and respond to offers, reinforcing what you learned.
  5. Reflect on your progress: After several practice sessions, reflect on how your confidence in making offers has improved. Adjust your technique as needed.

By utilizing these strategies, you will enhance your ability to communicate effectively in English, making offers that are both direct and polite. Start learning English with YouTube today and watch as your speaking skills flourish through the power of shadow speech.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.