Speaking: Functional Language B1 - Lesson 2: Giving Advice & Warnings

Speaking: Functional Language B1

Giving Advice & Warnings

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use the correct phrases to give polite advice and effective warnings.

Conversation Scenario: A Tourist in Kampot 💬

Giving good advice is helpful. Giving a clear warning can keep someone safe. Let's see how a local person helps a tourist.

Tourist: Excuse me, I want to rent a motorbike to ride up Bokor Mountain this afternoon.

Local: That's a great trip! But you should check the weather first. The rain can come very suddenly.

Tourist: That's good advice, thank you. Is the road dangerous?

Local: The road is good, but be careful of the monkeys! Whatever you do, don't feed them. You'd better just keep your distance.

Tourist: Wow, I had no idea. Thanks so much for the warning!

Key Phrases for Advice & Warnings

Giving Advice 💡

Use these phrases to suggest a good idea.

• You should / shouldn't...
• If I were you, I would...
• You ought to... (more formal)

Giving Warnings ⚠️

Use these phrases to tell someone about a risk.

• Be careful of / when...
• Watch out! / Look out! (for immediate danger)
• You'd better / better not... (strong advice)

Tips for Sounding Natural

🗣️ Your Tone of Voice

The 'music' of your voice is very important here. It tells the listener how serious the situation is.

For Advice: Use a friendly, helpful, falling intonation. It's a suggestion, not a command.
Example: "You should try the seafood in Kep. ↘"

For a Warning: Use a stronger, more serious, and sharp falling intonation. This shows importance.
Example: "Be careful on that bridge. ↘"

Practice Your Skills 🎯

Activity: Advice or Warning?

Read the situations. Decide if you would give advice or a warning, and then say the phrase out loud.

1. Your friend has an important exam tomorrow but is planning to watch movies all night.

→ Function: Advice.
→ Phrase: "You shouldn't watch movies all night. If I were you, I would get some sleep."

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2. You see a tourist about to step on a very slippery, mossy stone near a waterfall.

→ Function: Warning.
→ Phrase: "Watch out! Be careful, that rock is slippery."

Vocabulary

• Advice (Noun) | ដំបូន្មាន
  An opinion you give someone about what they should do.
• Warning (Noun) | ការព្រមាន
  A statement telling someone about a possible danger or problem.
• You should... (Phrase) | អ្នកគួរតែ
  Used to say that something is the right or best thing to do.
• Be careful (Phrase) | ប្រយ័ត្ន
  A command telling someone to act safely and avoid danger.
• You'd better... (Phrase) | អ្នកគួរតែ
  A way to give strong advice to avoid a negative result.

Your Mission ⭐

This week, your mission is to use this functional language.

1. Give Advice: Find one real situation to give someone friendly advice. For example, if a classmate is confused, say, "You should ask the teacher for help."
2. Give a Warning: If you see a safe opportunity, give a small, helpful warning. For example, to a friend on a motorbike, "Be careful, the traffic is busy today."