Episode 340
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Hi! I’m Georgiana, and I’m back with a new episode of the Speak English Now podcast—the podcast that helps you speak English fluently, with no grammar and no textbooks.
Today, we are continuing our Assertiveness Series.
We’re going to talk about something very important:
Standing Your Ground – Saying What You Mean Clearly.
Great! Let's start!
What Does It Mean to Stand Your Ground?
To stand your ground means to stick to your decision or opinion firmly and confidently, even if other people disagree.
It’s about expressing your thoughts and feelings without fear.
You don’t let others change your mind easily if you believe you are right.
When you stand your ground, you:
Express your opinion clearly.
Don’t change your mind just because others disagree.
Stay calm and polite, even if others are not.
For example:
Imagine you are at work, and your boss asks you to work extra hours.
You have a personal commitment, so you say:
"I’m sorry, I can’t stay late today. I have other commitments."
If your boss insists, you stay calm and repeat:
"I understand it’s important, but I won’t be able to stay today."
This is standing your ground. You are clear, polite, and firm.
💡 Why Is It Important to Stand Your Ground?
Standing your ground is important because it:
Builds self-respect – You feel proud when you are honest and firm.
Earns respect from others – People respect you more when you are confident.
Prevents misunderstandings – People know exactly what you mean.
🔄 How to Stand Your Ground Without Being Rude?
Some people worry that standing their ground will seem rude.
But it’s possible to be firm and polite at the same time.
Here’s how:
1. Use Clear and Positive Language:
Instead of saying, "I don’t want to do that,"
You can say, "I prefer to do it this way."
This shows you are confident, but not aggressive.
2. Acknowledge the Other Person’s View:
Sometimes, people feel upset if you disagree.
You can say, "I understand your point, but I see it differently."
This way, you are respectful, but you still stand your ground.
3. Stay Calm and Control Your Emotions:
If you get angry, it’s hard to communicate clearly.
Take a deep breath and stay calm.
If someone raises their voice, keep yours steady.
This shows that you are confident and in control.
4. Repeat if Necessary:
If the other person insists, don’t give up right away.
Politely repeat your answer.
"As I mentioned before, I can’t do that right now."
Repeating calmly shows that your decision is final.
🌟 Practical Situations to Practice Standing Your Ground
Here are some real-life situations where you can practice:
At Work:
Someone asks you to do more work, but you are already busy.
You can say: "I’m sorry, but I can’t take on more tasks right now."
With Friends:
A friend wants you to go out, but you need to study.
You can say: "I’d love to, but I have to study tonight."
With Family:
Your family expects you to do something you don’t want to do.
You can say: "I understand you want me to do this, but I’ve already made other plans."
Now you know how to stand your ground with confidence and respect.
Next time you feel pressured, remember to be clear, calm, and polite.
🎉 Final Thoughts
Assertiveness is important for speaking English fluently.
When you stand your ground, you feel stronger, and people understand you better.
Now, let’s practice.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
GRAMMAR MADE EASY
POV Story: Grammar in Context
Read the same story in two different points of view and notice how the grammar changes naturally.
Past Tense - Third Person
Daniel was very quiet at work. He never asked questions, even when he didn’t understand something. One day, his boss gave him a new project. Daniel looked at the instructions, but he didn’t understand them. He tried to figure it out by himself, but he got confused. He spent hours trying to understand, but it didn’t work.
The next day, Daniel decided to be assertive. He went to his boss and said, "Excuse me, I want to make sure I understand the project correctly. Could you explain it again, please?" His boss smiled and explained everything. Daniel understood perfectly and felt proud of himself.
From that day on, Daniel asked questions when he needed help. He felt more confident and did a better job at work. His boss noticed the change and praised him for his good work. His coworkers started to ask him for help because they saw he understood the projects very well.
Present Tense - Third Person
Daniel is very quiet at work. He never asks questions, even when he doesn’t understand something. One day, his boss gives him a new project. Daniel looks at the instructions, but he doesn’t understand them. He tries to figure it out by himself, but he gets confused. He spends hours trying to understand, but it doesn’t work.
The next day, Daniel decides to be assertive. He goes to his boss and says, "Excuse me, I want to make sure I understand the project correctly. Could you explain it again, please?" His boss smiles and explains everything. Daniel understands perfectly and feels proud of himself.
From that day on, Daniel asks questions when he needs help. He feels more confident and does a better job at work. His boss notices the change and praises him for his good work. His coworkers start to ask him for help because they see he understands the projects very well.
Future Tense - Third Person
Daniel will be very quiet at work. He will not ask questions, even when he doesn’t understand something. One day, his boss will give him a new project. Daniel will look at the instructions, but he won’t understand them. He will try to figure it out by himself, but he will get confused. He will spend hours trying to understand, but it won’t work.
The next day, Daniel will decide to be assertive. He will go to his boss and will say, "Excuse me, I want to make sure I understand the project correctly. Could you explain it again, please?" His boss will smile and will explain everything. Daniel will understand perfectly and will feel proud of himself.
From that day on, Daniel will ask questions when he needs help. He will feel more confident and will do a better job at work. His boss will notice the change and will praise him for his good work. His coworkers will start to ask him for help because they will see he understands the projects very well.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
stand your ground
keep your position or opinion despite pressure.
mean what you say
speak honestly and clearly about your true intention.
clarify
make an idea easier to understand.
figure out
understand or solve something.
instructions
information explaining how to do a task.
assertive request
a clear and respectful request for what you need.
praise
express approval of someone’s work or behavior.
confidence
belief in your ability to handle a situation.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
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