The nuances that grammar can't capture, why your English might sound rude

Background and Career

(UK) King's College London Master's in English Language Teaching, Department of Applied Linguistics

Sookmyung Women's University Bachelor's Degree

SMU TESOL Certificate (International English Teacher Certification)

Grammar Chat (2nd Edition) Reviewer

Current Gangnam Pagoda Language Institute Lecture

Former IIETTP (Intensive In-service English Teacher Training Program) intern work

Former Sookmyung Women's University Graduate School of Special Education online English course tutor

Just because you've made an English sentence grammatically perfect doesn't mean it will sound like the 'appropriate tone' in actual conversation.
Even with the same meaning, which words you choose, how you add intonation, and what kind of distance you maintain can completely change the impression of what you're saying.

This course is designed for adult learners who have learned English without nuances up until now.
It addresses 'the strength of obligation, the urgency of requests, the sharpness of agreement and disagreement, and the certainty of the future' that cannot be resolved through grammar or pronunciation alone, breaking them down through various situations.

• Making Polite Requests: What do locals use most often besides "can I / can you"?

• Speaking about obligations politely: Instead of have to, should, must --> What are the request expressions that are actually used a lot?

• Certainty Nuances in Future Tense: If you only knew "~할 거야" as "will"!

• Sensible Recommendations/Non-recommendations: If you only knew about recommend!

• Non-pointed opinion expression: Gentle self-expression through natural hedging

• Tone Making That Doesn't Hurt Others' Feelings: Adjusting the Boundaries of Politeness, Casualness, and Softness

• Practical situation-focused (coffee orders, work requests, schedule changes, recommendations/non-recommendations, duty guidance, etc.)

• Korean adult learners focus intensively on only the most challenging 'tone control points'

• Practice for 'just the right middle tone' that's neither exaggeratedly polite nor too casual

• Not just simple formulas, but structured to absorb the sense of distance and nuance in speech through listening and speaking

Even if your English skills are good, without nuance, even good words can sound rude.
This course goes beyond speaking English 'correctly' to train you in 'speaking with sense and courtesy.'
Reading the details of relationships, situations, and tone—nuances that grammar cannot capture.

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