Elisabeth / USA 
What is something you need to work on?
Hi, my name is Elizabeth. I'm from the United States, and my question is, what is something you need to work on?
Something that I personally need to work on is not interrupting when other people are speaking. So I have noticed many times when I am in a conversation with a family member or a friend, they'll be speaking, sharing a story, for example, and I will jump in with what I want to say and interrupt them, which is very rude. Something that I'm trying to work on is actively listening to what the other person is saying, waiting until they finished their thought or their story, and then saying what it is that I wanted to say.
This is difficult for me because I have many thoughts running through my head. I'm worried that I'll forget what it is that I was going to say, but again, interrupting is very rude. It's impolite to the other person. So I'm working on, again, actively listening and not interrupting the other person.
How to Practice Vocabulary
- Review the vocabulary.
- Complete the blanks below with correct words.
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jump in
Meaning: To quickly join a conversation, activity, or situation, often without being invited.
Examples:
- Please don’t jump in while I’m explaining the rules; wait for your turn to talk.
- She jumped in to help when she saw her friend struggling with the heavy box.
work on
Meaning: To put effort into improving something or completing a task.
Examples:
- I need to work on my pronunciation to sound more natural in English.
- He is working on a project about climate change for his science class.
interrupting
Meaning: Stopping someone from speaking by saying or doing something before they finish.
Examples:
- Interrupting someone while they are talking is considered rude.
- The teacher reminded the students to raise their hands instead of interrupting the lesson.
finish their thought
Meaning: To complete what someone wants to say before being interrupted or stopped.
Examples:
- Let her finish her thought before you ask your question.
- He paused for a moment but hadn’t finished his thought yet.
thoughts running through my head
Meaning: A situation where many ideas or worries are coming to your mind at the same time.
Examples:
- I couldn’t sleep last night because of all the thoughts running through my head.
- Before the big exam, I had so many thoughts running through my head about what I needed to study.
but again
Meaning: A phrase used to repeat or emphasize an idea that has already been mentioned.
Examples:
- I really like ice cream, but again, it’s not very healthy if I eat it every day.
- I’m sorry I’m late, but again, the traffic was terrible this morning.
Vocabulary Quiz
finish • running through • but again
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