1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,799 Speaker 1: Let's go to the beach. Yeah, sounds like a plan. 2 00:00:04,719 --> 00:00:07,200 Did you ever notice that when someone makes a suggestion 3 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:12,039 in English, native speakers often answer with a very short phrase, 4 00:00:12,519 --> 00:00:18,640 things like sounds good or that works. These responses are 5 00:00:18,839 --> 00:00:22,719 everywhere and spoken English at work, with friends, and even 6 00:00:22,719 --> 00:00:26,239 in text messages. Today, let's look at some very common 7 00:00:26,359 --> 00:00:31,320 response phrases native speakers use to respond to ideas, plans, 8 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:36,200 and requests, and how each one sounds just a little different. 9 00:00:39,039 --> 00:00:42,759 Speaker 2: Welcome to another Happy English podcast, coming to you from 10 00:00:42,759 --> 00:00:46,560 New York City. And here's your English teacher, Michael. 11 00:00:47,399 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: All right, thank you John, and thanks everyone. It's Michael 12 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,840 here from Happy English and I help people speak English better. 13 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:01,399 And this is Happy English Podcast, Episode nine seventy seven. 14 00:01:01,679 --> 00:01:08,000 Conversational response phrases in English. Today, we'll look at four 15 00:01:08,239 --> 00:01:13,239 very natural response phrases that help you sound relax, cooperative, 16 00:01:13,359 --> 00:01:19,519 and fluent in everyday conversation. And let's start with sounds good. 17 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:24,480 Sounds good is probably the most common response phrase, and 18 00:01:24,599 --> 00:01:29,359 spoken English, sounds good means I agree, and we use 19 00:01:29,799 --> 00:01:33,439 sounds good when we agree with a suggestion and feel 20 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,640 positive about it, like if your friend says, let's meet 21 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:42,000 at the cafe at ten, you can simply say sounds good. 22 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:46,319 Or at work, your coworker says, yeah, i'll send you 23 00:01:46,359 --> 00:01:50,760 the file this afternoon, you can reply sounds good. Thanks. 24 00:01:51,519 --> 00:01:56,159 Sounds good, is friendly, easy, and it works in almost 25 00:01:56,159 --> 00:02:02,159 any situation. Next, let's look at that works or that 26 00:02:02,239 --> 00:02:07,400 works for me. That works is very similar to sounds good, 27 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,680 but it often focuses on schedules or conditions. Like if 28 00:02:12,719 --> 00:02:16,240 someone says, hey, can we move the meeting to Friday morning? 29 00:02:16,599 --> 00:02:20,840 You might respond yeah, that works for me? Or a 30 00:02:20,879 --> 00:02:26,120 friend asks is seven okay for dinner? You can reply yeah, 31 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:31,400 that works. This phrase means that fits my schedule or 32 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:38,240 that's acceptable for me. It sounds practical and natural. Now 33 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:43,960 let's talk about no problem. No problem is commonly used 34 00:02:44,159 --> 00:02:48,000 when someone makes a request, especially when you're happy to help. 35 00:02:48,719 --> 00:02:53,639 For example, your coworker says, can you cover my shift tomorrow? 36 00:02:54,199 --> 00:02:58,879 You might say sure, no problem. Or if a friend says, hey, 37 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,639 thanks for picking me up at the train station, you 38 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:07,639 can reply, ah, no problem. No problem sounds relaxed and friendly. 39 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,240 It tells the other person this is easy for me 40 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:16,199 to do. And finally, let's look at sounds like a 41 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:20,759 plan sounds like A plan is used when people agree 42 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,599 on something or the next step in a process. Like 43 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,840 if you've been working on something all day, your coworker 44 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:33,080 might say, ah, let's stop for the day and continue tomorrow. 45 00:03:33,719 --> 00:03:37,719 You can respond sounds like a plan. Or if your 46 00:03:37,719 --> 00:03:40,879 friend says I'll call you when I get home and 47 00:03:40,919 --> 00:03:45,240 then we'll decide what to do tonight, you can say, yeah, 48 00:03:45,479 --> 00:03:50,080 sounds like a plan. This phrase often feels a little 49 00:03:50,159 --> 00:03:54,199 more complete than sounds good, like the plan is settled, 50 00:03:55,280 --> 00:04:00,319 and here's a conversation tip. These phrases often stand alone. 51 00:04:00,439 --> 00:04:04,639 You don't need a full sentence. Instead of saying yes, 52 00:04:04,759 --> 00:04:10,159 that is acceptable for me, Native speakers usually say that works. 53 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:15,639 Short answers like this make your English sound much more natural. 54 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:22,519 Sounds good, that works, no problem, sounds like a plan. 55 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:27,279 All of them are short, natural responses. Native speakers use 56 00:04:27,319 --> 00:04:31,920 them constantly, and now you can too. And keep in mind, 57 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,319 the best way to remember English like this and any 58 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,199 other word or phrase in English, is to take that 59 00:04:38,319 --> 00:04:42,120 word or phrase, write it in a sentence that's true 60 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,279 for you or true in your world, and then memorize 61 00:04:45,319 --> 00:04:50,040 your sentences. Sounds good, right, Hey, Thanks for listening, and 62 00:04:50,079 --> 00:04:54,759 remember learning another language is not easy and it's not impossible, 63 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,199 but I'm here to help you on your journey. 64 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 2: This podcast was brought to you by Happy English. Please 65 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:08,120 visit Myhappy english dot com. Show your support for Happy 66 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,879 English by leaving us a review. Get English, Get happy, 67 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:25,399 Happy English.