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The verbs remember and remind may come in useful when you meet someone you know. Do you know the difference?
Remember
● If you remember people, events or things, you know them. You have an idea of them in your mind and are able to think about them.
I’m really sorry, but I can’trememberyour name.
● Remember is followed by the -ing form of the verb when you talk about things you did in the past.
Oh yes, Iremembertalking to you in Prague.
Remind
● If you remind someone about something, you make that person remember it.
Could youremindme again where we met?
● If you say that someone reminds you of another person or thing, you are saying that they are similar to them.
Youremindme of a colleague of mine.
Idiomatic language
For non-native speakers, idiomatic language can be difficult to understand. Listen out for idiomatic greetings and notice how people generally respond. At first, you may not feel confident enough to use such expressions, but you should expect to hear them and be able to react to them.
Scenario
Brian: Fancy meeting you here, Louise!
Louise: Brian! What a pleasant surprise! Long time no see! Gosh, how long has it been?
Brian: Too long! At least a year. What have you been up to?
Louise: Not a lot, really. What about you?
Brian: Oh, hanging in there, you know.
Tips: Reconnecting with people
If you have already been in contact with people, you need to reconnect with them when you meet face to face. Here are some tips.
Do’s
● Say your name – in case they don’t remember it.
● Shake the person’s hand. If you know the person reasonably well, double-cheek kisses are common between women. However, men should wait for a woman to signal that kisses are OK.
● Make the first move if you think you know someone. If you are right, you will make someone feel good. If not, you will make a new contact. You have nothing to lose!
Don’t’s
● Don’t worry if you have forgotten someone’s name. Instead, try to recall a few details about your last meeting; this will make your forgetting the name less impolite. And do ask them to remind you of their name. If you avoid using their name altogether, it might be obvious that you have forgotten it.
● Don’t forget to say how you know the person. If it is a surprise meeting, they may need a polite reminder.
● Don’t feel bad if someone doesn’t remember meeting you before. It happens.
Next steps
Have you ever thought about how you like to learn? Do you like to work with visuals such as pictures or videos? Do you learn better when you listen to new language? Or do you need to do something active to learn? It is a good idea to try out a variety of learning styles and find what works for you. Here are a few suggestions.
● When you write down the language you would like to learn, use pens of different colours to highlight difficult words or expressions.
● Draw pictures to help you to remember vocabulary. Or imagine a situation where you could use the vocabulary and visualize the scene. Where are you? What are people wearing? How are they standing?
● Listen to the audio recordings of key phrases and scenarios online. As you listen, pause the recording and repeat the phrases.
● Record yourself on your smartphone. Listen to yourself and think about how you speak. Are you too fast or too quiet? Do you sound enthusiastic or bored? Be honest!
● Write vocabulary and key phrases on cards and keep them on your desk. Use two cards for each key phrase. Write half a phrase on one card and the rest of the phrase on another card. Then play ‘Memory’ during your coffee break. Put all the cards face down on a desk. Turn over one card and then turn over a second card. Do they make a key phrase? If they do, keep them. If they don’t, turn them both over, shuffle the cards and start again.
● Learn vocabulary while you are travelling. Buy different coloured envelopes for your vocabulary cards. Put the cards with the vocabulary you don’t know in a red envelope, the vocabulary you aren’t sure of in a yellow one and the vocabulary you know well in a green one. Move the cards to different envelopes as you learn the vocabulary.
● Write key phrases on pieces of paper and stick them on the fridge in your kitchen.
Go to www.collinselt.com/businessresources (http://www.collinselt.com/businessresources) to listen to the real-life audio for this chapter.
3 Start networking
My goals
• Strike up conversations at conferences
• Respond to strangers who greet me
• Become more confident at making the first move
Study focus
Conferences, trade fairs and events are the perfect places to network. The people you meet there may be able to help you and your business in the future – and you may be able to help them too. But it can only happen if you strike up conversations with strangers. This can be scary at first, but this chapter provides you with the language you need to do this, together with helpful tips and advice.
Key phrases
In the exhibition hall
Is this the first time you’ve been to this conference/trade fair?
Are you giving a talk later? I think I recognize you from the programme.
Are you waiting to go into the workshop/presentation?
The venue/atmosphere is amazing/great/outstanding, isn’t it?
The weather here has been fantastic/terrible, hasn’t it?
After a presentation or workshop
(That was a) good/great/nice session. I got a lot out of it.
That was thought-provoking/entertaining/impressive.
The keynote speaker certainly gave me some food for thought.
He/She made some valid points, don’t you think?
He/She knows his/her stuff. I was impressed.
It’s been a long day.
In the break
Hi. Is this seat taken?
(Do you) mind if I join you?
Hi there. Is there room for one more at this table?
Responses
Absolutely. / Exactly.
I know what you mean. / I agree. / That’s so true. I know exactly how you feel. / I know the feeling.
No, it’s free. Please join us. / Not at all. Please do.
Of course/Sure. Take/Have a seat.
Giving your name
I’m Dana Dardari, by the way.
By the way, my name’s Peter. Peter Graham.
Go to www.collinselt.com/businessresources (http://www.collinselt.com/businessresources) to listen to the key phrases.
Scenarios
Nasir: Well, the keynote speaker certainly gave me some food for thought.
Breda: She was impressive – and she knows her numbers.
Nasir: Definitely. I loved her accent. She’s Irish, isn’t she?
Breda: Yes, she is. And so am I.
Nasir: I thought so. Are you giving a talk later? I think I recognize you from the programme.
Breda: Yes, I am. My session is at two.
Nasir: Oh! I’m going to it. I’m Nasir Mazhar, by the way.
Breda: Breda Houlihan. It’s nice to meet you, Nasir.
Lesia: Mind if I join you? The other tables are full.
Charlotte: Of course. I’ll just move my bag for you.
Lesia: Thanks. I’ve been on my feet all day!
Charlotte: I know the feeling. I left home at four this morning.
Lesia: That is early. So you’re not from Edinburgh.
Charlotte: No, no. I’m from Avignon.
Lesia: That’s such a beautiful place! I’m Lesia, by the way.
Frank: Hi there.Is there room for one more at this table?
Holger: Of course. Please join us.
Frank: I really need a coffee. I’m running out of energy.
Holger: I know what you mean. It’s been a long day. Just one more session.
Frank: I feel sorry for the presenters who have the last one.
Holger: Well, the organizers put the best speakers in the last session, so actually, I feel sorry for us.
Frank: That’s so true. By the way, I’m Frank.
Go to www.collinselt.com/businessresources (http://www.collinselt.com/businessresources) to listen to the scenarios.
Over to you
1 Match the questions with the correct polite responses.
2 Longer responses sound better. What can you add to make the responses in exercise 1 friendlier?
