BE 640: Should You Say Method or Manner?

This is the Business English Podcast, Episode 640, Should You Say Method or Manner? Welcome to the Business English Podcast from All Ears English. Get the English skills you need to achieve your dreams in global business. For a presentation, a meeting, or your office party, this is Real Business English with your favorite American hosts, Lindsay and Aubrey, coming to you from Arizona and Colorado, USA.

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That's allearsenglish.com slash business. Hello, Lindsay. How are you today? Doing great, Aubrey. How are you? How's it going? Excellent. I have a question for you.

Have you figured out any good methods for limiting your screen time? Yeah, I mean, two things. So I now leave my phone in my office when I go to bed. So I don't even have the option to go on the phone, you know, so now I just read.

And also when I'm feeding my baby, right? Like I think about, I could go on my phone right now, but he's looking for my eye contact, right? So like the pull to want to connect with is greater than the pull to want to scroll the news or Instagram, you know?

So do you not even have your phone like within reach? It's within reach. It's definitely like by my side. I try not. I just, yeah, I just kind of don't want, I kind of don't want to as much.

Yeah. It's interesting. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. The times when I feel the most guilty is if I'm on screen and realize that one of my kids has been like, mom, mom, mom, like multiple times.

I can imagine. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Missing moments of life, right? So when you think about what you're missing, it gets really real. And it's like, I mean, it doesn't mean that we're perfect, right?

But we think about it in the grand scheme of how many moments you have with your kids and stuff. Right. But for those of you listening at home, you know, the struggle, especially if you work from home, where you feel like you're never totally off, like you don't, you can't just leave the office to feel like now I'm, now I'm no longer working, right? So you have to create those limits and the methods for that.

So we got actually a great question about the difference between the words method and manner on YouTube. So we're going to dive into this. I can see how that would be really confusing. Yeah.

Interesting question. I love getting very specific questions like this from our listeners. So guys, send them on in to support at allersenglish.com or leave them in your review. If you review our show, we'd love to see your review and you can ask your question right there.

But this one, Aubrey, comes from YouTube. I'm going to go ahead and read the question. All right. It comes from KKWWTTZW. Okay. Yeah. Yes. Very clear question.

Yes. I love this. I'm excited to dive into the difference. But first, we want to share a Spotify poll that got a lot of responses. We're excited to whenever you guys respond on these Spotify's polls, it's really the best way to share your opinion with us.

We want to know what this is like for you. So that's the best way to share your opinion. Yeah, it's fun because a lot of these, I mean, we live all over the world. We're all, all over the globe, but we experienced these things in the same way, right?

We have things to fix around the house and that's what the poll was. Do you like to fix things around the house? This is for Business English 608. And Aubrey, what were the results?

What do you think? Yeah, so mostly yes, or at least the majority, 67% yes, 33% no. So I love that. We've got a lot of like fixer uppers in our listeners.

Fixer uppers. Handy men, handy women. Yes, I love that. It's such a good skill, right? There's so many people who can't... I remember someone asking me to come over to help them put together IKEA furniture once.

And I know this is not easy to do, but there's a lot of things like that where if we're unable to do it without help, we're going to be in trouble. Yeah, it's true. It's true. We did a lot of this when we first, you know, we're getting our baby's room ready.

When the baby was coming, it was like constantly putting stuff together. It can be really satisfying when you fix something or put it together, but also frustrating when you finish and realize you missed a step. Happens to the best of us. Yep.

So sometimes we need a method, right? We need a technique, a system for putting things together. Maybe you take out all the screws of one kind, put them in one pile. You know, there are methods we can use, right?

To do this properly. The manner in which you do it is important. Oh my gosh. Okay. Let's break it down, Aubrey. What is method? What does the word method mean?

Let's start there. So this usually refers to a system, a technique, a procedure used to achieve a result. Exactly. So for example, we need to find a more efficient method of processing customer orders.

Yeah, this happens a lot at work when you can tell there's an inefficiency somewhere. It's like, what should be tweaked about the methods in order to fix that?

Yes. And what's another example, Aubrey? Maybe our current method for tracking expenses is too time-consuming. Love that. Love that. Or the company has developed a new method for training employees, right?

Yeah. So wherever you work, there are methods for everything, right? This is all about how something is done, the technique or the system used to do it. And it's always interesting when you switch companies, when you go somewhere new to see the different methods, be like, hmm, at the last company I worked for, we did it this way.

And then often you have to adjust your methods. Right. You have to learn the methods, the standard operating procedures, things like that. So do we have a pro tip?

Maybe, yeah. What would be a little shortcut here? Something we can remember. Yeah. You can usually replace this word method with way. And often at work, we would use method instead, but way would have the same meaning.

So for example, in these, right, we need to find a more efficient way of processing customer orders means the same thing. Mm-hmm. Yeah. For example, what's your method of learning vocabulary?

What's your way of learning vocabulary? How do you do it? Yeah, but it is similar because could you also use the word way for manner, Aubrey? What do you think?

Yeah, that's what's tricky, right? It sort of depends on the sentence, but it's nice that this is more a straight across synonym, like method. If you can think about it being a system, a technique, it's the way we do something. Okay.

Then what does manner mean? All right. So manner is more about how a person behaves or performs an action, especially when we're talking about their style or their particular attitude or behaviors.

Okay. For example, we need to consider the manner in which this information is presented to clients. Yeah. So it's interesting because way is used similarly, right?

But manner is different than method and it's more like the specifics about how something is done, the manner in which a method is carried out. Interesting. Okay. Or the manner in which she handled the negotiation impressed the entire team, you might say.

Right. Or I liked how the first meeting went. Let's run this one in a similar manner. Manner is interesting. It's a little less common. I think we are more likely to rephrase this or say way, even at work.

We know what it means. We'll hear it sometimes, but I feel like it's a little less common than method. Wouldn't you say, Lindsay? Yeah. I would say, yeah, I would say so.

It's interesting. I'm thinking about our courses like Three Keys IELTS, right? There's a Three Keys IELTS method, meaning in every part of the test, we teach you a special three-step system for each part of the test, right? Plan, write, check, right, Aubrey?

But the manner in which our students in Three Keys IELTS consume or learn the course could be video lessons, could be activities, quizzes, feedback, that kind of thing. So that's an example. Right. Maybe part of the reason that it's a little less common is it is a longer chunk, right?

We almost always need the manner in which for all of these sentences, we couldn't just say, we need to consider the manner this information is presented, or that would sound strange to us. It's a longer chunk. So maybe that's why it's a little more rare. Yeah.

So again, just to summarize the rule here, when you're using the word method, you're thinking technique, procedure, or system maybe, right? I like the word system. Yes. For men, I think about style, behavior, how you're doing it, okay?

Yes. I'll see you next time. Every student also gets Open Conversation Club up to twice a week, plus our very first live course kickoff with Aubrey and me next week. This week only, you can save up to $100 on Business English with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

It ends Sunday at midnight New York time. Go to allearsenglish.com slash business. That's allearsenglish.com slash B-U-S-I-N-E-S-S. Okay, Aubrey, role play time.

What are we doing here? All right. So you and I have both been tasked with making customer order processing more efficient. So we're meeting about that here.

I think our best bet is to totally overhaul our processing method. Okay. I'm on board. What do you suggest? Well, we could automate some of the steps that would definitely streamline the process.

I agree. I think we also need to talk to the sales team about some of their methods. Okay. True. Some of them are scheduling appointments in a really informal manner, which has led to a lot of no-shows.

Right. If we figure out a way for communication to be handled in a more professional manner, that could make a huge difference. Yeah. Or maybe they don't even have a method, right?

Some of their methods, maybe they don't have a system, right? Or a procedure for scheduling those calls. And that's why it's a very informal manner. Exactly.

Right. If they're just kind of trying something new every time, seeing what works, there is no method really, no structure. So method is definitely more about organization, right? Proceded ways you'd go about something.

Step one, step two, step three. Exactly. And then the manner of which you do that, right, is like, what would I actually do? What would be my specific style to carry out that method?

Yeah. Like maybe the method is the template and then you insert obviously the content and then also your own personality style if you're doing a customer service call or scheduling appointments or something. Right. And there's definitely specific chunks with manner, right?

We'll say like in one of those examples, in a similar manner, in a professional manner, right? We're sort of clarifying what type of manner, what type of style.

Yeah, maybe we could do a part two or something of this episode. Those would be good ones to go into because sometimes we just need to know chunks. So then we don't have to sit and think, oh, which do I say, method or manner? We know the chunk.

Yes. Hit follow. I agree. Let's do a part two with some of those more common chunks that we use manner with because this, it's either, you know, the manner in which we do something or we'll have a chunk with that adjective.

So that would be great. So hit follow. Let's go back through the role play real quick, Aubrey. So we started by saying, I think our best bet is to totally overhaul our processing method.

Now, why, why did we say that instead of manner here? Yeah, because this is a system, right? We have this system in place at work of how this is done. And we've been tasked with making it more efficient.

So we're like, you know what, we might need to overhaul the entire method. Exactly. And then we're still on method here. And as you said, I agree. I think we also need to talk to the sales team about some of their methods, right?

This is using method a little bit more broadly, right? Because we don't know that they necessarily have a clear method. But interesting. Yeah. Oh, that's a good point.

It's interesting how sometimes we'll say methods and we're sort of referring to like hypothetically there should be a method. But in this case, it's possible there isn't a method and we need to make sure there is. Exactly. And then we use manner.

How do we use that? Yeah. So you said some of them are scheduling appointments in a really informal manner, which you might be implying like there is no method. They might just be calling, texting, not tracking things.

So that's another, you know, we have professional manner, informal manner. And you said that a manner could be interchanged with way, right? Isn't that what we said? Or did we say method?

Yeah. So a method, I guess they both really could be interchanged with way. So that's tricky. Yeah. Cause here I could say a really informal way that would make total sense too, honestly.

Right. If we figure out, then you said, if we figure out a way for communication to be handled in a more professional manner, Yeah. So if I, it wouldn't make sense to say in a more professional method, we could have said as managers, we're going to create a more professional method.

That's more prescriptive. That's more specific. That's saying you have step one, step two, step three, every call happens this way. And because we're saying manner here, it means a professional style, more professional way.

Right. Yes. Interesting. And those chunks, I think, are going to really help if you have, you're like, okay, I want to say a really informal, and then you have the chunk, an informal manner, a professional manner.

So then you know, those will start sounding right. You'll know when to use manner. Yeah. Yeah, guys. So check out, look out for part two. We'll get back to you on that and we'll give you some more chunks that will hopefully help you to know because it is tricky.

I mean, these two are pretty close when you look at it, when you really look at it closely. That's really the confusion is these both mean way. Like you could replace way really with either of these. They really do.

It's more about like, are we referring to a system? Yeah. Or are we referring to an individual? Style. Style. Yeah, style. Right. Mm-hmm. All right. So we have a Spotify poll.

Aubrey, what is our poll for our listeners? Guys, you do have to be over on Spotify to participate. So listen over there. What's our question? Yes. Answer on Spotify.

How confident are you in your method for learning English? Right. Extremely, moderately, not at all. This is interesting, you know, especially when you are learning to be successful at work.

Confidence is key. Yes, 100%. So let us know. We'll announce the results soon. And guys, go over, check out Business English 639. Invest some time with us today.

Aubrey, any final takeaway? Yeah, this is really interesting. I love this question and how specific it was. If there are words like this that you're seeing that they could be pretty interchangeable, like why, how do I know to use one or the other, send them in, send in comments because this really pushes you to that next level of being confident in your English when you know these little nuances of language.

Yes, 100%. Really good stuff today, Aubrey. I'll see you back on this show very soon. All right. Awesome. Have a good day. See you next time. All right.

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