Mingling and making small talk

Describe situations where you often catch yourself in the position of starting or
keeping a small-talk conversation in your daily life.
Places: bathroom, pantry, elevator
Strangers and known people

What do you talk about when you bump into a stranger in the lift and feel compelled
to begin a conversation? An in a dinner party?

Ninety percent of all small-talk conversations focus on these topics:

● Work
● Life
● Travel
● Food
● Weather
● News

Let’s now concentrate on questions that are likely useful in situations where we want
or need to keep a conversation with someone.

WORK
→ What do you do?

After getting the answer, then what? What other questions can you resort to in order
to develop the conversation?

Examples:
→ What motivated you to become a ______?
→ Did you always want to be a ______?
→ What was your first-ever job? Did you like it?
→ What does a typical workday look like?
→ What do you love about your job?
→ Is this your dream job? Are you working on some other goal?
→ If money wasn’t an issue, what job would you pick?

NEWS

→ Did you hear about _______?

LIFE

→ Have you got much planned for the weekend?

→ What do you like to do in your spare time? (make follow-up questions!)
→ Have you read any good books lately?
→ So, do you have any kids?
→ So, are you from here?
→ Where did you live before this?
→ Is this city quite different to that city?

TRAVEL

→ Are you taking time off over Christmas?

→ I’ve just got back from a trip to Japan. have you ever been?
→ You went to Peru last year, didn’t you? Do you have any recommendations?
→ What places are on your bucket list?

FOOD

→ Do you know any good restaurants around here?

→ Have you tried that new Thai restaurant on Church Street? I heard it’s amazing.
→ Do you like ___ food?

WEATHER

→ It’s such a beautiful day today, isn’t it?

→ Can you believe all the rain we’ve been having lately?
→ It’s pouring out there! It’s a shame I rode my bike today! How did you get to work?

CONVERSATIONAL REACTIONS

Categories
● responding to good news – A
● responding to bad news – B
● showing surprise/ disbelief – C
● showing agreement/ lack of surprise – D
● getting the speaker to say more/ not stop – E
● linking to your own story/ experience – F

That’s too bad.

That’s great./ That’s great news.
I’m sorry to hear that.
I’m glad to hear that.
Congratulations!
I’m happy to hear that.
(Oh no!) Really?
That sounds awful./ That sounds terrible.
That sounds great./ That sounds wonderful./ That sounds fantastic./ That sounds
amazing.
That’s a pity./ That’s a shame.
Sure./ Yeah (yeah) (yeah).
What a pity./ What a shame.
Lucky you!
I envy you!
That sounds stressful.
That sounds lovely.
Well done.
I’m really happy for you./ I’m so happy for you.
I don’t believe it! (Do you really mean…?)
That’s wonderful./ That’s wonderful news.
Are you?/ Is he?/ Is she?/ Are they?
Did you?/ Did he?/ Did she?/ Did they?
Do you?/ Does he?/ Does she?/ Do they?
Were you?/ Was he?/ Was she?/ Were they?
Good for you.
I’m delighted to hear that.
What a nice surprise!/ What a lovely surprise!
What a nightmare!
You must feel awful./ You must feel terrible.
You must be exhausted./ You must be really disappointed.
You don’t surprise me.
No kidding.
No way!
You’re joking?
Of course.
Oh yeah?
You’re kidding (,right)?
I’m delighted for you.
Yup (sure).
You didn’t!/ He didn’t!/ She didn’t!/ They didn’t!
Oh well. Better luck next time!
Makes sense.
I’m shocked!/ You surprise me!
I’m relieved to hear that.
That sounds like a nightmare.
What a coincidence! I also…
It’s funny you should say that, because…
I’m so pleased for you.
Oh! Bad luck!
That sounds unbearable!
You must be devastated.
You reckon?
What a ’mare!
What a bummer!
Tell me about it! (nem me fale…)
Oh well. You win some, you lose some.
Oh well. Look on the bright side. …
Never mind. There are plenty more fish in the sea.
Is that a fact?
I’m green with envy.
You lucky thing!
I feel for you./ You have my sympathy.
Good on ya (mate).
That sounds like a right ’mare.
Bummer!
Congrats!
Oh well. What can you do, eh? Chin up!
Oh! Rotten luck!