Travelling for work – small talk

Exercise 1

A Work in pairs. Read the comment below about small talk and discuss whether you agree or
disagree.
'Small talk' is an unimportant conversation about unimportant things, usually with people you don't
know very well.
B Discuss the questions.
1 In which situations and places can small talk take place? Make a list.

2 Why do people make small talk?

3 What do you usually talk about when you meet someone for the first time?

C In small groups, discuss where on the line you would put these small talk topics. Explain your
choice.

home personal the place the

family health music politics religion sports travel
town finances you are in weather

I definitely would talk about this                                        I definitely wouldn't talk about this.

Exercise 2

Watch the video as Jasmine arrives at The Gallagher Consultancy dinner and answer the questions.

1 What is Jasmine’s new job?

2 What does The Gallagher Consultancy (TGC) do?

3 Who are the people in the restaurant? Why are they meeting?

4 Why is Jasmine late?

Travelling for work – small talk

Exercise 3

A Watch Video A.
1 Which topics from do Orla and Azra talk about?
the
family home personal the place you
health music politics religion sports travel weather
town finances are in

2 Where is Azra from originally? Where does she live now?

3 What do we learn about:

a     Shaun's typical journey home?

b     Shaun's trips to Los Angeles and Bangkok?
B  In pairs, decide which sentence best describes how Shaun speaks.
a He asks Jasmine a number of questions and listens carefully to her answers.
b He doesn't really listen to Jasmine, but prefers to talk about himself. b

Exercise 4

A Watch Video B. What do you learn about:

1 Jasmine?

2 Thiago?

3 Azra?

4 Alex?

B Watch Video B again and choose the things the speakers do as they make small talk.

Ask a question: Thiago Jasmine Alex Azra

Answer the question: Thiago Jasmine Alex Azra
Add new information:           Thiago Jasmine Alex Azra
Show interest (lean forward, use
eye contact, smile): Thiago Jasmine Alex Azra

Exercise 5

Watch the Conclusions section of the video. What is the AAA model?
Think about how good you are at making small talk. In pairs, discuss how you could improve your
skills.

Travelling for work – small talk

Exercise 6

A Match the questions (1–8) with the answers (a–h).

a     
It's very nice. e      I'm starting a new job on Monday.
b
Not much. f A little. I went there on holiday about three years ago.
c
Yes, I met her at the interview.    g I'm from Turkey.
d
About an hour. h I love them both.
1 Where do you come from?  ……….
2 What do you think about this restaurant?  ……….
3 How long was your trip?  ……….
4 What do you know about working at TGC?       ……….
5 Do you know Turkey?  ……….
6 Which do you prefer, London or Istanbul?  ……….
7 Do you know Orla?  ……….
8      What are you doing in Dublin?  ……….

B Match the words below with the expressions to make more small talk questions. There may be
more than one possible answer.

Angelina's the the in Prague or the the

David fashion flight live
Pizzeria company food Boston Barcelona project town

1 Where do you live?
2 What do you think about _____ ?
3 How long was your _____ ?
4 What do you know about _____ ?
5 Do you know _____ ?
6 Which do you prefer, _____ ?
7 Do you know _____ ?
8 What are you doing _____ ?

C Write eight more small talk questions using your own ideas.
1 Where do you _____ ?
2 What do you think about _____ ?
3 How long was your _____ ?
4 What do you know about _____ ?
5 Do you know _____ ? 
6 Which do you prefer, _____ ?
7 Do you know _____ ?
8 What are you doing _____ ?

Travelling for work – small talk

Exercise 7

A Complete the extract from the video using the phrases below.
I'd like to that's right to university you from you know it
Thiago: Shaun says you're American. Where are 1 ………………...?
2 …………………………….. I'm from Boston. I went 3 …………………………… 
Jasmine:     
there. Do 4 ……………………... ?
Thiago: No, I've never been, but 5 …………………………..

B Look at Jasmine's response.

Jasmine:      That's right. I'm from Boston. I went to university there. Do you know it?

1 Does she use the AAA (answer, add, ask) model? Explain your answer.

2 Could Thiago also use the AAA model and continue the conversation? What could he say?

C Watch Video B again and find two more examples of the AAA model.

Exercise 8
Work in pairs. Use the AAA model and the question forms below to practise making small talk.
Where do you come from?
Answer:  Italy.           Add: I live in Trieste.           Ask: Do you know it?

1      Where do you come from?

2 What do you think about this restaurant?
3 How long was your trip?
4 What do you know about working at TGC?
5 Do you know Turkey?
6 Which do you prefer, London or Istanbul?
7 Do you know Orla?
8 What are you doing in Dublin?

Exercise 9
Think of a question for each answer.

1A:    _____ ?
B: I went there on holiday last year.

2A:    _____ ?
B: Yes, she's my new boss.

3A:    _____ ?

Travelling for work – small talk

B: It took about three hours.

4A:    _____ ?
B: I'm visiting the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.
5A:    _____ ?
B: Personally, I like Belfast, but Dublin is more exciting.

6A:    _____ ?
B: I think it's famous for the tango.

7A:    _____ ?
B: Hamburg, but I'm originally from Toronto.

8A:    _____ ?
B: It's too expensive.

Exercise 10
Work in pairs. Make small talk using the questions from Exercise 1. Use the AAA model below.

Where do you come from?

Answer:  Italy.           Add: I live in Trieste.           Ask: Do you know it?
1 Where do you work?

2 What are you doing in Dublin?

3 How long was your trip?

4 What do you think about the food here?

5 What do you know about Dublin?

Exercise 11
A Work in pairs. Choose one of the situations below to practise making small talk.

at the coffee machine on an aeroplane during a conference in the staff canteen at a train station

Travelling for work – small talk

B  Practise making small talk using the AAA model and the expressions from Exercise 7A  below to
discuss two or more of these topics. Remember to show interest as you speak.

food holidays home town music sports the weather

Where do you come from?

Answer:  Italy.           Add: I live in Trieste.           Ask: Do you know it?

1      Where do you come from? I'm from Turkey.

2 What do you think about this restaurant? It's very nice.
3 How long was your trip? About an hour.
What do you know about working at
4 Not much.
TGC?     
A little. I went there on holiday about three years
5 Do you know Turkey?
ago.
6 Which do you prefer, London or Istanbul? I love them both.
7 Do you know Orla? Yes, I met her at the interview.
8 What are you doing in Dublin? I'm starting a new job on Monday.

C Work with a partner. Choose a different situation and topics from the list below.
Situations:
• at the coffee machine
• on an aeroplane
• during a conference
• in the staff canteen
• at a train station
Topics:
• food
• holidays
• home town
• music
• sports
• the weather

Travelling for work – small talk