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Speaker 1: Hey there, it's Michael here and welcome back to English

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Tips in a Minute from Happy English. I'm here every

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week with a short, simple tip to help you speak

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English more naturally and confidently. Today, let's look at another

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really common conversational phrase, the thing is. We use the

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thing is to explain a situation or to give a reason,

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especially when there's a problem, a limitation, or something we

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need to clarify. The thing is has a similar meaning

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to here's the thing, but it's softer and more casual.

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Like if your friend asks, oh, hey, how come you

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didn't come to the party, you could say the thing is,

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I wasn't really feeling well, Or maybe you're explaining a

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situation the thing is I had other plans, or like

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if your coworker invites you to a concert but you

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don't like the music, you can say the thing is,

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I really don't like blues. We often use this phrase

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when we want to be honest with someone but polite.

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It helps soften what we're about to say. Try writing

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your example with the thing is in the comments, and

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remember to follow or subscribe so you won't miss the

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next Happy English podcast and next week's English Tips in

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a Minute Hey, thanks for listening, and until next time,

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keep learning and keep it cool.