Read the text. Choose a title for each section of the text from the list. Write the letter of the chosen title next to the number of the section. An example (0) has been given. Note that there are more titles than needed. Use each title only once.
SOUND SMARTER – STOP SAYING ‘LIKE’
Like it or not, how you talk can lead people to make a lot of assumptions about who you are, where you’re from, and how educated (or not so educated) you might be. One of the most overused words in recent years has been the word ‘like’ in both casual and professional conversations.
If you’re a habitual ‘like’ user, you’re not alone. Even the President is known to use a few ‘likes’ in his everyday speech. Yet refining your speech patterns can be a big benefit when you’re looking for work, giving presentations, or even just dating. Here are some methods, tips and tricks.
0. M If you simply can’t seem to break your bad habit of ‘like’ overuse, then it may be time to stop using it altogether. Replace the word with any other word that means about the same thing. Listeners will get your point and you’ll avoid backtracking in your progress.
1.
Often, saying ‘like’ is a way to buy yourself some time while you think of what to say, but sometimes not saying anything at all can be a better move. Each time you can feel yourself saying ‘like’, give yourself a minute to think.
2.
There are a couple of pretty common ways that you’ll hear ‘like’ being thrown around in everyday speech, and knowing what these are can help you be more conscious of times when you might be at risk of using the word yourself.3.
Whenever you catch yourself using ‘like’ to put words in someone’s mouth, replace it with a verb that more specifically describes how the person spoke: yelled, whispered, answered, exclaimed, insisted etc. This keeps the interest of your listeners and gives life to your recollections. Compare “She was like, ‘Mind your own business!’” to “She snarled, ‘Mind your own business!’”
4.
One way to motivate yourself to get rid of those ‘likes’ is to give yourself a goal to meet. See how long you can go without saying the word, track your progress each day, or make a game out of kicking the habit to the curb. It might sound silly, but it can be a bigger motivator than you realize.
Titles | |
A | Record yourself |
B | Acquire new words |
C | Learn how to use ‘like’ correctly |
D | Know the most common ways ‘like’ is misused |
E | Make approximations |
F | Pause when you would say ‘like’ |
G | First think then speak |
H | Stop using ‘like’ before a quote |
I | Make your speaking shorter |
J | Make your vocabulary ‘disliked’ |
K | Challenge yourself |
L | Ask others to help you |
M | Use other words instead of ‘like’ |
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