Transcript of my podcast episode (26)

Hi there! Here is ENGSPRESSO episode no. 26.

Podcasts, the audio delight,
A world of content within sight,
From true crime to pop culture news,
Podcasts offer views that amuse.

We tune in with a simple tap,
A host’s voice on a podcast map,
On walks, at work, or on the bus,
Podcasts entertain all of us.

Guests and experts, interviews,
Podcasts share diverse views,
A medium that’s fresh and new,
Podcasts, the audio breakthrough.

So tune in and join the crowd,
Podcasts, the audio playground!

Quite a pleasant poem, isn’t it? And do you know why I recited it for you? Because you absolutely need to know its author! The poem has been written by ChatGPT, which is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI. It was launched on 22nd November 2022, so some of you may already know it, but it’s still rather a new tool, and I’m sure you will all use it at some point. It can do so much stuff for you – it’s a real game changer!

Anyway, let me tell you what it can actually do for English learners like you. ChatGPT can explain grammar rules to you and provide you with examples of usage. It can also provide definitions and synonyms for words. It can engage in text-based conversations with you and offer writing support (e.g. correct or paraphrase your text). Last but not least, it gives you tips on educational resources that you can use to improve your English skills and information about culture-related aspects such as customs and traditions of English-speaking countries. However, watch out because sometimes the chatbot might unintentionally lie to you as it doesn’t always have all the necessary information, or the information is simply not up-to-date. Despite that, I think knowing this tool is a must nowadays! Not only can it help you with your English or any other language that you learn, but it can also help you at work, for example, when you run out of creativity and need some content for your social media or an article you’re writing. So if you haven’t checked out the tool yet, make sure you do – you won’t regret it! And you can thank me for this amazing tip later.

And now let me teach you another two expressions!

The first one is IN TERMS OF SOMETHING. This phrase means 'in relation to something’.

For instance: In terms of your products and services, high quality is essential. Now, repeat after me.
The translation is: Biorąc pod uwagę twoje produkty i usługi, wysoka jakość jest niezbędna.

Another example: In terms of salary, the new job offer is much better than the one I got last week.
Biorąc pod uwagę wynagrodzenie, ta nowa oferta pracy jest dużo lepsza niż ta, którą dostałam w zeszłym tygodniu.

The second expression is (NOT) AT ALL. You can use it when someone thanks you for something. It simply means 'no problem’. For example, when someone says: 'Thank you for coming!’, you can say: 'Not at all!’. But you can also use this expression to emphasize the word 'no’ / 'not’. And this is the meaning that we’re going to look at in our examples.

For instance: I don’t know his family at all – I haven’t even met his parents yet!
W ogóle nie znam jego rodziny – nie poznałam jeszcze nawet jego rodziców!

Another example: You look a bit pale. Have you eaten anything at all today?
Wyglądasz trochę blado. Jadłaś dziś coś w ogóle?

And now it’s time for your ENGSPRESSO to go!

Our context for the phrases is:

In terms of productivity, their team hasn’t made progress at all.
Biorąc pod uwagę produktywność, ich zespół w ogóle nie zrobił postępów.

Well done! Thank you for listening to this episode. I hope that you find this podcast useful, and that I help you to practise your speaking skills, too. Let me know if you like the format of my ENGSPRESSO episodes. You can write to me on Instagram or simply send me an email. If you want to have a look at the transcript of this episode, go to my website angielskidokawy.pl or click the link found in the description of the episode. And if you’re interested in my ebooks or courses online, visit my virtual shop.

Thanks for tuning in and talk to you soon!