things Aubrey today's Friday I was making a choice  of the movie I'm gonna see tonight I love to go to  

the movies what did you choose I can't remember  the name of it but it's about it's set in Africa  

and it has um what's the name oh she's such  a famous actor right now really well known I  

think she was like a thriller I saw a baby for  a thriller in Africa I think that's it I think  

that's it I'll report back I'll let our listeners  know so good it just elbows in it right yes yes he  

is I love him he's amazing he's so beautiful yeah  I'm excited for it I love going to the movies it's  

my one of my favorite things to do yes me too  well I asked you that because we had a listener  

question that relates to this because I also have  a ton to do every Friday I feel like I'm cramming  

in so much to do right but that being said I  might just end up taking a nap in spite of all  

the things I have to do and so this answer right  to say that being said I'm going to do this is  

related to this question but so good first we want  to share some names of Android users right Lindsay  

oh yeah yeah we can do that now sure totally so  I want to say thank you to our listeners guys we  

have an Android app and if you don't know you can  go deeper with what you learn on aller's English  

through this app you see transcripts you can tap  on Words save keywords to your list I want to say  

thank you to those who reviewed us we actually had  a lot of really good reviews Aubry in September  

awesome so thank you to Daniel Rodriguez Dominic  Andrew Samira mazeri Bashir azro ishki awami Yasin  

rajabi guys thank you and make sure you go and try  that app allardsenglish.com app we have IOS and  

Android and if I see your name as a reviewer we'll  try our best to say thank you to you on the show  

thank you guys for reading and reviewing we love  it so much we read those and it means a lot to us  

we appreciate the thanks we love the questions so  yes if you haven't yet go rate US leave a review  

and I'm super excited that we're getting into  what we're getting into today because I think  

our listeners hear this a lot right having said  that being said but maybe they're not quite sure  

yet how to use it right exactly right so I'll read  our question it's from xiaojin Zoo said dear hosts  

thank you a lot for another amazing episode I  have a question about these two phrases that  

being said and having said that people seem to use  those two phrases at the beginning of sentences  

is there any difference between these two phrases  when do you use them I would appreciate your help  

greatly I agree Lindsay I know you guys listening  have heard these and you might not be sure what  

exactly is the grammar or is there any difference  so we're going to dive into this oh this is really  

good stuff uh and I want to say thank you to  xiaozhunju Zhao junju has been a listener for  

a long time I recognize the student's name I think  we've answered some of their questions in the past  

so thank you to our long time listeners yes so  awesome all right so the meaning is the same  

here right and we also shorten it to that said  just those two words that said blah right these  

really spice up your language and add interest  we definitely recommend you use them natives  

use them all the time they're also useful for  business English right Lindsay all the time oh  

this is fantastic this is this is gonna bring our  listeners to that level of connection that we want  

yeah totally I want to also point out that they're  very useful for the IELTS exam if you're preparing  

for IELTS you have to have linking phrases in  order to get a seven or higher for both writing  

and speaking and sometimes it's hard in speaking  to know which ones you can use these are perfect  

but you also want to keep in mind that because it  says that being said you shouldn't include them  

in an essay so if you guys are preparing for IELTS  be sure to follow IELTS energy two episodes every  

week we share share everything you need to know  about IELTS I love it it's so good yeah it's so  

important to use linking words on IELTS we have  templates for that in our course right we have  

all sorts of time that we spend talking about  linking words because that's what brings your  

ideas together otherwise there's no coherence in  what you're saying it doesn't make any sense yes  

and that's a skill you're being tested on these  exams can you be coherent with your ideas can  

you link them like a native would yeah and then  once you pass your IELTS you're being tested in  

the real world right exactly it continues right  then you're speaking English and trying to sound  

native okay so let's we use these three different  ways right so we are going to teach all three to  

you guys today okay so let's get into it all  right number one so what is the same me like  

what does it mean here yeah so here it means the  same as the linking word nevertheless okay what  

is said next is likely going to be contrary or  justifying something might be opposing so will  

give you some examples yeah here's an example guys  write this one down because you really want to be  

able to use this I've never liked ice cream that  being said I definitely want to try the new ice  

cream parlor in town next right so you're almost  contradicting yourself a little bit right that  

being said I do want to try that new ice cream  place who would ever say that they don't like  

ice cream I actually don't it's not my favorite I  know I know Lindsay we've never had this I don't  

know if we can work together I don't know I would  choose like cookies or Michelle's the same way  

yeah okay but I don't hate it I don't like soft  serve at all it has to be like hard scooped and  

really solid and cold as soon as it gets a little  bit melty I'm like throw it away consistency some  

people have problems with consistency they really  get freaked out by different consistencies and it  

has to have lots of like nuts like crunchy stuff  in it if it's just smooth no no it's a pass for me  

that's why well I agree I kind of agree with that  I would never pass up any kind of soft serve hard  

serve but I prefer the hard serve Ben and Jerry's  right because it's got the big chunks like the  

brownies the cookies it's like if I'm gonna eat  ice cream I would much prefer a little pint of Ben  

and Jerry's as opposed to like a cone with soft  syrup yeah yeah yeah they actually were really  

revolutionary in the ice cream industry they were  the first ones that did that that put the big  

chunks of cookies and brownies in their ice cream  they they did a lot of it they almost sold me on  

ice cream because with all those things and stuff  I'm like okay now it's more like a cookie exactly  

exactly they get both markets right well Michelle  actually has the same preference so you're not  

alone she shared that with our listeners before  as well hilarious okay I have another example here  

this is great I should warn you that she's quite  blunt that being said I think you'll really like  

her yes I can see this right where we almost sort  of give a warning about someone they're about to  

meet someone okay I'm going to warn you but that  being said she's awesome you're going to like her  

yeah do you tend to do this if you maybe do you  have any friends who can be a little blunt maybe  

abrasive people say about me they'll be like she's  a little much she's kind of high energy but that  

being said she's very fun she's a little much  good topic for another day she's a little much  

good expression really good chunk so we could talk  about another time um guys hit follow on this show  

right here to get that episode okay so number two  the second meaning is now that I've said that what  

do we mean by this Aubry yes exactly right so  we're just sort of saying I said something and  

now that I've said that we sort of have a mutual  understanding a little bit right okay so here's  

an example that will clarify if I said I'm the  best at this game that being said I better not  

lose right it's like now that I've said that now  that I've bragged now that I've set my myself up  

like this I better not lose I know I know it's  or there's the whole beginner slock thing like  

when I for the first few times I went ax throwing  I had some beginner's luck and no one would think  

it because I'm so small and I'm I'm right next to  getting my target yeah I kept on doing it well and  

I was like oh she's good at this and then I I was  terrible after that and I kind of felt weird I set  

the standard thinking I was good but I didn't know  what I was doing that's funny I have never been  

x-rowing on purpose because I'm so bad at cornhole  sometimes I'll throw the bean bag and it'll just  

go straight up and like behind me and on a roof  I think I would kill someone if I try to go ax  

throwing I think it's just better to not I just  don't tempt feet of similarities between you and  

Michelle it's really funny because she shared with  us when she does Skee-Ball Skee-Ball that the ball  

usually goes on to the other yes that absolutely  happens to me I do feel like at least once I  

accidentally like threw it behind me okay so we  have to make sure we don't have an ollers English  

game night with physical ax throwing scary gosh  just stay away from you guys all right okay Aubrey  

what would be the third reason we would use this  all right we use it to mean now that we understand  

each other so this is more than just like oh  maybe I've made I've bragged I've said something  

and and you know now it's more like we have this  understanding so here's an example the deal with  

this client is extremely important having said  that I hope everyone can bring their a game today  

in the meeting right so I've made something clear  now that I have told you something and we all  

understand we're all on the same page that I would  say having said that this needs to happen yes I  

love it it's so natural it's so useful right  it's very useful again to transition between  

feelings the feeling of what you just said versus  what you're gonna say now so good so interesting  

and it is so useful in business English right you  might say like we don't have a lot of room in the  

budget that being said please plan the best event  you can if you're planning like a holiday party  

right right and another example I realize there  are a lot of agenda items but we need to get to  

all of them that being said let's get started okay  so we have both there right where one is more like  

okay now that we have this understanding we got a  lot to cover let's get started and the other one  

the first one is more like now that I've said that  I hope you see that even though we have this small  

budget we want a great party right so they're  similar for sure similar there are these three  

different ways that you can use these phrases and  do keep in mind we often will just shorten it to  

you know that said instead of that's why I've said  that right I would just be that said I better not  

lose yeah that said I hope you all listen yes I  love it I love it so natural guys if you use this  

well let's show our listeners how we do it in a  role play so here we are waiting in line at the  

grocery store yes can you believe how grocery  prices are going up these strawberries are so  

expensive so true that said the Strawberry  Shortcake you're making will be worth it  

good point it is going to be scrumptious  having said that I better not mess it up  

no pressure no pressure so you did in the role  play you see Lindsay does that where she shortens  

it she just says that said Strawberry Shortcake  you're making will be worth it yes exactly so  

that's the first place we used it here right that  said and then you said yeah having said that I  

better not mess it up so this is that now that  I've said that now that I have you know set the  

bar really high on your expectations then I would  say having said that I better do a good job right  

it would be delicious yeah for me Strawberry  Shortcake has nothing on a good chocolate ice  

cream as I said before it depends on the short  my mom makes a mean Strawberry Shortcake with  

fresh strawberries from their Garden it's so so  good yeah but I don't know if I've ever had it  

anywhere else I've never I would never order it at  a restaurant ever did she make the the cool way or  

that's not cool oh yeah the cream whipped cream  yeah she makes homemade whipped cream homemade  

cake yeah and then strawberries fresh out of the  garden that she yes I love it and I love that you  

said the word scrumptious that could be a good  bonus for our listeners today what does that mean  

just extremely delicious like decadent always we  use this mostly for desserts things that are sweet  

yes I would not say vegetables are scrumptious  even if I think they're delicious yeah exactly  

that's a little too I mean vegetables can be  really tasty but they're not scrumptious they're  

not scrumpy I think of cupcakes I think of cake  type stuff when I think of scrumptious okay bungee  

if we feel it's like that spongy feel of a cake or  a cupcake yeah exactly what's the takeaway for our  

listeners here this is a really useful phrase yes  it's so useful chatting with friends co-workers  

language exams like I was saying with IELTS  practice using these guys to spice up your speech  

it really adds interest I love it guys don't be  afraid to use that you've seen a few different  

ways you've probably heard it before you've  probably always wondered how to use it and now you  

know so now go out listen for it again and try it  try to use it that first time time and then you'll  

get that confidence that you're looking for so  good and the connection right Aubrey that's always  

the key connect your ideas connect with other  people help them to understand what is the next  

thing you're gonna say like what direction are you  going in with what you're saying now that's kind  

of what this does right right instead of using  just simple sentences we're creating ideas more  

complex sentences and linking them together in a  way you're right it builds connection it builds  

that bond with someone by connecting your speech  right right and it lets people kind of focus on  

the overall idea of the story you're telling  not just the disjointed pieces right so then