Do the preparation exercise first. Then watch the video and do the exercises to check your understanding and practise the language.
Transcript
Ana: Hi! I'm Ana. Welcome to What to Say!
Do you know what to say when you discuss advantages and disadvantages? Listen out for useful language for discussing advantages and disadvantages. Then, we'll practise saying the new phrases – after this.
Noelia: So, table tennis, bean bags, board games, video games! Hey, how about a trampoline?
Yuna: Stop right there. I love your ideas, Noelia, but a trampoline? Really?
Noelia: Absolutely. When do you have your best ideas?
Yuna: I don't know. Usually when I'm cooking, I suppose.
Noelia: Exactly. We often have our best ideas when we are away from our desks. The other day I was on a trampoline and the vision for the creativity room came to me.
Yuna: Why were you on a trampo…? Never mind. Look, on the one hand it's a lovely idea and it fits with our brand, but on the other hand it could be noisy and chaotic and maybe too much fun!
Noelia: But having fun helps you be creative, and being creative is vital to our business!
Yuna: I see what you mean, but I'm just not sure if a trampoline is necessary. Also, there could be an issue with the clients arriving at the office and seeing us all jumping around.
Noelia: I see where you're coming from, but I think our clients will love it! And there are lots of advantages to trampolining. It's good for the body and the mind.
Yuna: Maybe, but I can also see the disadvantages. What if someone hurts themselves?
Noelia: But we're all adults. And we can get extra insurance. Come on! It's a great idea!
Yuna: OK, I'll think about it.
Noelia: Perfect. I'll email you some links!
Yuna: I haven't said yes! Oh, Noelia!
Ana: Hello again! A trampoline in the office? Well, there's an idea! So, did you notice the useful phrases used for discussing advantages and disadvantages? Listen to me and then repeat.
On the one hand …, but on the other hand …
I see what you mean, but I'm just not sure.
There could be an issue with that.
I see where you're coming from, but I think they'll love it.
There are lots of advantages.
Maybe, but I can also see the disadvantages.
Ana: Try and use some of these phrases the next time you discuss advantages and disadvantages in English. Bye for now!
I usually come up with good ideas in the early morning, when it's quite and I haven't strating thinking a bout daily problems yet
I think it may be a place when I am alone, especially a place where it is serene, fresh, well-lighted and cool. These places help me to think critically and logically. Whatever the situation is, I am very satisfied with relaxing techniques such as breathing, meditation and calming. Actually, you can also tell me that I am a kind introverted person and also have ADHD so I can vaguely concentrate on a single staff. So, I need to be alone to focus what I am doing. Or not, I can easily be distracted by even a tiny thing. To put on a nutshell, speaking personally, when I am being alone in a quiet place, doing meditation, keeps me to generate my mind to come out the best ideas to cope with the predicaments and get on well with these. Feedback and rate me according to CEFR level.
Hello JayChi,
Thanks for sharing your text here, and I can say I'm similar to you in that I reflect on things best when alone in a quiet place.
I'm afraid we don't offer feedback or provide levelling for our users' texts.
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
Hello
I would say that I have my best ideas when I am in my room. I think that the room is the best place to ideate new thoughts. When you are in a place where you are comfortable the ideas flow better because in that space you are in control. Certainly to produce ideas is difficult but for this reason to have a chill space could help you. For example, when I am working I don't have time to ideate anything but while I am in my room I can think freely. In other words I will always say that to have a safe place will be the best option.
My best ideas come to me when I've slept good ☺️
Hi there,
I used had a good ideas when I was in the middle of the mountain. When I'm there, I felt free from thoughts, so my mind produce some ideas, such as new products and designs.
I usually have my best ideas when I'm in the gym or walking, in this moment i can only think in the importatn thinks and think crative solutions for the problem
Ideas come to me when I am about to sleep ,my brain become more creative and sharp to details. I remembered once I was solving a physics exercise and I had been struglling with a question all the night, when I am about to sleep a spark ignited inside my brain ,all my neurons respond and quickly figure out the method of the solution ,then I felt satisfied ,glad.
I noticed that this phenomenon is repeated when you enter the flow mode, when you are super concentrated on a task and tried your best to solve it
I'm perfectly aware of the various moments during the day when I perceive to have found new solutions to a specific issue or at least I have my best ideas... It's when I first wake up in the morning but not yet ready to get up, when I'm driving to work (so commute is a known one) and when I'm having a shower!
To be honest, I don’t know if ideas come to me when I realise a specific activity.
I think ideas get when you aren’t too concentrated on the problem; our brain needs its own time to views the issue and after to elaborate a solution. It’s an automatic process which goes on even without our aware.