Etiquette

The lessons at a glance

1. Why etiquette matters

Etiquette is not about being stiff or snobbish. It is a shared set of signals that tell people you respect them, you are paying attention and you can be trusted in any room. The people who do it best make everyone else feel comfortable.

• Etiquette = respect + consideration + honesty.
• Follow the host's lead.
• Never correct others' manners in public.

2. Greetings, handshakes and introductions

First impressions form in seconds. A clear greeting, the right handshake and a smooth introduction show confidence and warmth.

• Stand, look, firm grip, 2 to 3 seconds.
• Name the honoured person first.
• Give people a hook to start talking.
• It's fine to ask for a name again.

3. Titles and forms of address

Using the right title shows respect and preparation. Getting it wrong is rarely a disaster, but getting it right is noticed.

• Title + surname until invited otherwise.
• Never 'Professor Firstname'.
• When unsure, be more formal and ask.

4. The art of conversation

Good conversationalists are not the people who talk most. They are the people who make others feel interesting.

• Open with shared surroundings.
• Ask, listen, follow up.
• Avoid politics, religion, money and gossip with new people.
• Exit with a task or a warm wind-down.

5. Standing and walking with presence

How you stand and walk is the first thing people notice, before you say a word. Good posture also protects your back.

• TIGER for standing.
• Eyes ahead, shoulders back.
• Stop to use your phone.
• Bag on both shoulders.

6. Sitting gracefully

Sitting well is about poise, comfort and respect for those around you. It matters in interviews, at dinners, in a majlis and on stage.

• Calves touch the chair, then lower slowly.
• Hands in lap, never folded arms.
• Ankles crossed or feet together; soles out of sight.
• Break every 20 minutes at screens.

7. Reading a place setting and using a napkin

A formal table can look like a puzzle. Once you know its logic, you will never hesitate again.

• Solids left, liquids right.
• Outside in.
• Napkin on lap; dab, don't wipe.
• Finished: loosely folded, left of plate.

8. Holding cutlery: Continental and American styles

There are two accepted ways to use a knife and fork. Knowing both, and the silent signals your cutlery sends to waiters, marks you out as someone at ease anywhere.

• Index finger along the handle; never a fist.
• Continental: fork stays left, tines down.
• Used cutlery never touches the table again.
• Together and parallel = finished.

9. Eating well at the table

Beyond the cutlery, table manners are about pace, sharing and attention to the people around you.

• Wait for the host.
• Pass right; salt and pepper travel together.
• Break bread piece by piece.
• Soup spoon away from you.
• Phone away.

10. Tricky foods made easy

Pasta, fish bones, olive pits, sushi and lobster catch many people out. Here is how to handle each one gracefully.

• Twirl pasta, don't cut it.
• Find bones before they reach your mouth.
• Stones go to the plate, never the napkin.
• Chopsticks never upright, never passing food.

11. Restaurant etiquette

From booking to paying, restaurants test patience, kindness and organisation. Treat staff the way you would want to be treated.

• Book, confirm, cancel if needed.
• Never snap or whistle.
• Complain quietly and only for real faults.
• Agree the split early.
• Check the bill before tipping.

12. Car etiquette: in, out and on the road

Cars are where many small courtesies happen: being picked up, sharing a ride, being driven to an event. They are also about safety.

• Sit first, swing legs together.
• Front seat when a friend drives.
• Seatbelt in every seat.
• Check the plate before you get in.

13. Public spaces: lifts, escalators, doors and transport

Shared spaces work when everyone thinks one step ahead. These small habits make you a pleasure to be around in public.

• Out before in.
• Stand one side, walk the other.
• Offer your seat.
• Bags off seats.

14. Dress codes decoded

An invitation's dress code protects you from turning up under or overdressed. Learn the language once and you will never panic in front of the wardrobe again.

• Over beats under.
• Ask if unsure.
• Black tie = tuxedo or evening dress.
• Smart casual is not jeans.
• Dress modestly in UAE public places.

15. Grooming and personal presence

Grooming is not about vanity. It is a quiet way of showing respect to the people you spend time with.

• Shower daily, clean clothes.
• Fragrance: pulse points, less is more.
• Read care labels.
• Private grooming stays private.

16. Being a gracious guest and host

Invitations come with unwritten rules. Knowing them makes you the guest everyone wants back, and the host everyone remembers.

• RSVP fast and keep your word.
• Never arrive early.
• Small gift, big thanks.
• Thank-you note within two days.

17. Phones, chats and social media

Your phone is part of how people experience you. Digital manners now matter as much as table manners.

• Text before calling.
• No speakerphone in public.
• Voice notes short, never late.
• Ask before posting people.

18. Emails and letters that impress

University applications, internships and scholarships often begin with an email. A clear, polite email opens doors; a careless one closes them.

• Specific subject line.
• 'Dear' + title + surname.
• One sentence about who you are.
• Proofread; never send angry.

19. University and interview etiquette

Interviews and your first weeks at university are full of first impressions. Preparation and courtesy set you apart.

• Early: 10 to 15 minutes in person, 5 online.
• Be kind to everyone, including reception.
• Camera at eye level, light in front.
• Thank-you within 24 hours.

20. Apologies, saying no and awkward moments

Everyone makes mistakes and faces awkward moments. Grace is about how you recover.

• Name the wrong, no 'if', no excuses.
• No: pause, thank, reason, stay firm.
• Forgot a name? Introduce a friend.
• Specific thanks beats generic thanks.

21. Travel etiquette

Travelling well means being comfortable yourself without making anyone else uncomfortable, and respecting the places you visit.

• Warn before reclining.
• Middle seat gets the armrests.
• Research local customs before you go.
• Ask before photographing people.

Talk about it, then try it

The real-life practice tasks from each lesson. Pick one or two a week and agree when you will check in.

1. Why etiquette matters
   • This week, notice three moments where someone made you feel comfortable. Write down exactly what they did.
   • Pick one habit from this module you want to master first and tell a family member, so they can remind you.
2. Greetings, handshakes and introductions
   • Practise your handshake with three adults this week. Ask for honest feedback on grip and eye contact.
   • At your next family gathering, introduce a friend or cousin to an older relative using the 'honour first' rule and a conversation hook.
   • Learn the names of three people you see often but never greet (a security guard, a librarian, a neighbour) and use them.
3. Titles and forms of address
   • Look up the correct title and spelling of one teacher, one university admissions officer and one family friend you might write to this year.
   • Draft an email opening line to a professor whose name you found on a university website.
4. The art of conversation
   • At your next gathering, have three open questions ready and use them.
   • Have one full conversation where you ask at least three follow-up questions before talking about yourself.
   • Practise accepting a compliment with just 'Thank you' this week.
5. Standing and walking with presence
   • Stand in front of a mirror and go through TIGER. Take a photo before and after.
   • Walk to a point 50 metres away looking ahead, not at your phone. Notice how it feels.
   • Weigh your school or university bag. Is it under 10% of your body weight?
6. Sitting gracefully
   • Film yourself sitting down and standing up from a dining chair. Practise until it is one smooth movement.
   • Try both leg positions (ankles crossed, legs slanted) for five minutes each and choose your default.
   • Set up your study desk to the NHS checklist.
7. Reading a place setting and using a napkin
   • Lay a full formal place setting at home for one family dinner: bread plate, two forks, knife, soup spoon, dessert spoon and fork, water glass.
   • Draw a place setting from memory, then check it against this lesson.
8. Holding cutlery: Continental and American styles
   • Eat one meal this week Continental style, start to finish, fork tines down.
   • At a restaurant, use the 'finished' position and see whether the waiter clears your plate without asking.
9. Eating well at the table
   • Host a family dinner where everyone's phone goes in a basket. Notice the difference in conversation.
   • Practise the bread rule and the soup spoon direction at your next meal.
   • Give a short, warm toast at a family occasion (with juice or another soft drink).
10. Tricky foods made easy
    • Order (or cook) spaghetti and practise twirling without a spoon.
    • Try sushi with chopsticks and practise the 'fish side down' dip.
    • Eat a bowl of olives with stones, using the cupped-hand method.
11. Restaurant etiquette
    • Book a table for your family by phone, confirm it the day before, and handle the bill split.
    • Next time you eat out, thank every staff member who serves you and notice how they respond.
12. Car etiquette: in, out and on the road
    • Practise getting in and out of a car gracefully in your most formal outfit.
    • On your next ride-hail trip with a parent, do the full safety check together: plate, model, photo, 'Who are you here for?', share trip.
    • Next time a friend's parent drives you, thank them by name when you get out.
13. Public spaces: lifts, escalators, doors and transport
    • On your next mall trip, practise lift and escalator etiquette and count how many people do the same.
    • Offer your seat to someone on public transport this week.
14. Dress codes decoded
    • Build a 'dress code wardrobe' list: what you already own for smart casual, business and black tie, and what is missing.
    • Learn to tie a bow tie or style a formal scarf or shayla neatly before you need it.
15. Grooming and personal presence
    • Read the care labels on five items in your wardrobe and wash or press one of them correctly yourself.
    • Iron one shirt using the Debrett's order.
    • Ask a trusted family member whether your fragrance is too strong. Adjust if needed.
16. Being a gracious guest and host
    • Write and post (or hand-deliver) a handwritten thank-you note this week.
    • Host a small gathering for three friends: plan the invitation, the welcome, the introductions and the goodbye.
17. Phones, chats and social media
    • Have a 'phone-free' evening with family and note what you talked about.
    • Review your last 10 social posts. Would you be happy for an admissions officer to see them?
    • Ask two friends how they feel about being tagged in photos, and agree a group rule.
18. Emails and letters that impress
    • Set up a professional email address (first.last@) if you don't already have one.
    • Draft an email to a university admissions office with one real question about a course you are interested in. Ask a parent or teacher to review it.
    • Rewrite one of your recent casual emails to a teacher in the formal style from this lesson.
19. University and interview etiquette
    • Do a mock video interview with a family member: test lighting, camera height and background.
    • Write a short thank-you email (about 100 words is plenty) after any interview, real or practice.
20. Apologies, saying no and awkward moments
    • Write a gratitude letter to a teacher, coach or relative and deliver it.
    • Practise saying no to one request this week using the four steps.
    • Think of an apology you owe. Make it specific, with no excuses.
21. Travel etiquette
    • Before your next trip, write a one-page 'customs card' for the destination: greetings, tipping, dress, three phrases.
    • On your next flight, practise all four plane habits.

Quiz

Name: ______________________ Date: ____________ Circle one answer for each question.

Answer key

1. D: Correcting someone's manners, even kindly, can embarrass them. Good etiquette puts people at ease.
2. C: The host sets the customs of their home. Watching them is the most respectful guide.
3. B: The Emily Post Institute advises standing to shake hands.
4. C: Emily Post: about 2 to 3 seconds, one or two shakes.
5. C: Use title plus surname. Warwick's guidance says it is not usual to use 'Doctor' without a surname.
6. B: Warwick's guidance: a first-name sign-off usually means they're happy for you to use it.
7. A: Debrett's suggests shared observations, like how you know the host.
8. B: Lizzie Post of the Emily Post Institute advises receiving a compliment well rather than brushing it off.
9. B: Equal weight on both feet looks steady and confident.
10. B: Debrett's suggests looking about 20 feet ahead.
11. C: Debrett's: folded arms look wary and defensive.
12. D: It keeps soles hidden, and the UAE government portal says crossing your legs in front of an important guest is rude.
13. A: Bread plates sit top left: solids to the left.
14. B: Liquids to the right.
15. C: Continental: fork stays in the left hand, tines down.
16. C: Crossed, fork over knife, signals a pause; together and parallel signals finished.
17. B: Wait for everyone to be served and the host to start or invite you.
18. D: Salt and pepper travel together.
19. B: Vermont Public's Awesome Etiquette and Debrett's: discreetly onto the edge of your plate.
20. A: It echoes passing cremated bones at funerals.
21. D: Never snap or whistle; eye contact or a raised hand works.
22. B: Debrett's: thank your host warmly rather than half-hearted attempts to pay.
23. D: Sitting in front when a friend or parent drives is considerate.
24. D: Uber's Check Your Ride advice: make them say your name, not you.
25. B: Out before in: letting people leave first clears space for everyone.
26. D: Debrett's: stand right, walk left in London.
27. B: Debrett's: black dinner jacket, white dress shirt, black bow tie.
28. B: Debrett's: it's preferable to look over- rather than under-dressed.
29. C: Emily Post: if your scent lingers after you leave, it's too much.
30. B: Square = drying; tub = washing; iron = ironing; triangle = bleach; circle = dry cleaning.
31. C: Emily Post: 'Regrets only' means reply only if you can't attend.
32. B: Emily Post Institute: at the stated time or up to 15 minutes after, never early.
33. C: Debrett's: text before you call.
34. C: Debrett's: keep them under 2 minutes.
35. C: University of Cincinnati: a specific subject line helps the professor.
36. A: University of Cincinnati and University of Warwick: use their title (Professor or Dr) and surname; never 'Hey'.
37. C: University of Georgia Career Center: 10 to 15 minutes early.
38. A: Bucknell's careers guide: look into the camera often.
39. C: Debrett's: name the specific wrong; avoid 'if' and excuses.
40. B: Emily Post: thank them, give a reason, stay firm.
41. A: Etiquette experts quoted by Reader's Digest: the middle seat gets both.
42. C: The Points Guy: avoid reclining during meal service (Debrett's agrees) and on flights of three hours or less.

General information only, written from the sources listed in each online lesson. Laws, numbers and services change, so check official sources. Life-Ready Society, https://lifereadysociety.com/etiquette/