Giving compliments and replying to compliments

Compliments express approval, and their main purpose is to show that you like some aspect of the
other person’s appearance, belongings or work. This reassures the other person that his or her taste,
appearance, etc. is appreciated by other people. Some people use compliments to “butter up”
somebody, or to flatter in order to increase goodwill. Therefore, overuse of compliments might seem
insincere.

Usually, You compliment someone if you notice something new about the person’s appearance: new
eyeglasses, a new haircut, an article of clothing, or a piece of jewelry. You may also compliment a
person on his or her general appearance: “Gee, you really look good today”. It is customary to
compliment a person on a recently purchased item: “Hey, I really like your new car” or “That dress is
a gorgeous shade of blue”.

When you visit someone’s house for the first time, you can give a general compliment, such as
“What a beautiful house you have!”

In many countries it is considered inappropriate to compliment babies, but in the US it is common:

“What a cute baby!”