How to learn Oral English effectively in a non native English environment

Study alone or with one (1) partner: Shadowing method from week 1 to 16

• Watch one English conversation short video (every day) 5 to 7 times (just listen without repeating).
Just listen carefully for the audio from the short video at least 5 times.
• Watch/listen the video again and read the subtitles at the same time with the video (5 times)
• Reduce the volume of the audio and play the video again and read the subtitles loud while recording
your voice on your mobile phone.
• Listen to your voice recording and compare it to the original audio and see if your pronunciation is
close enough to the original voice. If not, repeat the process from the beginning until you feel
comfortable with your quality of rendition and enunciation. As you are already know, “repetition
makes perfect” so the more you do it in the beginning the better results you will have. Since the
videos are 2 to 3 minutes long you will be able to do one video every day. Don’t try to do more than
one video per day, there is no need to rush your learning process, it’s much better to repeat the
lesson a few times until you feel you can say the whole conversation on your own without looking at
the subtitles and without making mistakes and with good pronunciation. This will seem hard, slow,
and boring in the beginning but it’s the best way to improve your Oral English skills.
Notes: The best time to practice your oral English skills is early morning when your brain is still fresh (you might think
you will be still sleepy, but studies have shown that early morning is the best time to study as you will remember more
what you study). We strongly suggest that you wake up 30 minutes earlier every morning and practice your Oral English)
if you are serious about improving it. You can also repeat the same in the afternoon or evening for each video. You will
start to notice results within 3 months, so don’t give up too early. Just keep trying every day, make a commitment to use
those videos at least 5 times a week.
It is highly recommended that you review all the videos you have watched once a week (at least
the last 5 videos during the weekend), and then review them again after 3 or 4 weeks.

1- Study with a team of 5 or 6 students method (in conjunction with daily practice above):
Stage one: (Weeks 1 & 2)
• Meet the students of your team two (2) times a week and make a commitment to speak only English
for at least 15 minutes. Choose a topic of your choice to talk about (you can choose from videos or
text conversations provided by teacher). You will need to communicate the topic to your team
leader (the previous week or session).
• Write down some template sentences that you can use for the conversation, read them a few times
before the meeting and practice saying them loud and record them if you like.
• The team leader will monitor the participation of all team members, and will report to the teacher if
all members spoke only in English throughout the 15 minute period.
• Those who don’t participate and who speak in Chinese will have to buy dinner for all the other team
members, or give 5 yuan to the team leader who will save it until the end of the semester. All the
money proceeds will be used to go out for dinner to celebrate at the end of the semester. Only the
two top teams of the class will be part of the dinner but we can still go for dinners anytime any of
the teams would like it. The team leaders will keep records of non participation and money proceeds.
• All teams will have to practice (demo) their oral English in front of the Class once a week.
Stage two: Weeks 3 & 4
• Meet the students of your team three (3) times a week and make a commitment to speak only
English for at least 20 minutes. Choose a topic of your choice to talk about. You will need to
communicate the topic to your team leader during the previous session.

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• Write down some template sentences that you can use for the conversation, read them a few times
before the meeting and practice saying them loud and record them if you like.
• The team leader will monitor the participation of all team members, and will report to the teacher if
all members spoke only in English throughout the 20 minute period.
• Those who don’t participate and who speak in Chinese will have to buy dinner for all the other team
members, or give 10 yuan to the team leaders who will save it until the end of the semester.
• Stage Three: Weeks 5 & 6
• Meet the students of your team three (3) times a week and make a commitment to speak only
English for at least 30 minutes. Choose a topic of your choice to talk about. You will need to
communicate the topic to your team leader the previous session.
• Write down some template sentences that you can use for the conversation, read them a few times
before the meeting and practice saying them loud and record them if you like.
• The team leader will monitor the participation of all team members, and will report to the teacher if
all members spoke only in English throughout the 30 minute period.
• Those who don’t participate and who speak in Chinese will have to buy dinner for all the other team
members, or give 15 yuan to the team leaders who will save it until the end of the semester.
• Stage Four: Weeks 7 & 8
• Meet the students of your team two (2) times a week and make a commitment to speak only English
for at least 45 minutes. Choose a topic of your choice to talk about. You will need to communicate
the topic to your team leader the previous session.
• Write down some template sentences that you can use for the conversation, read them a few times
before the meeting and practice saying them loud and record them if you like.
• The team leader will monitor the participation of all team members, and will report to the teacher if
all members spoke only in English throughout the 40 minute period.
• Those who don’t participate and who speak in Chinese will have to buy dinner for all the other team
members, or give 20 yuan to the team leaders who will save it until the end of the semester.
• Stage Five: Weeks 9 & 10
• Meet the students of your team two (2) times a week and make a commitment to speak only English
for at least 50 minutes. Choose a topic of your choice to talk about. You will need to communicate
the topic to your team leader the previous session.
• Write down some template sentences that you can use for the conversation, read them a few times
before the meeting and practice saying them loud and record them if you like.
• The team leader will monitor the participation of all team members, and will report to the teacher if
all members spoke only in English throughout the 30 minute period.
• Those who don’t participate and who speak in Chinese will have to buy dinner for all the other team
members, or give 20 yuan to the team leaders who will save it until the end of the semester.
• Stage Six: Weeks 10 to 18
• Meet the students of your team two (2) times a week and make a commitment to speak only English
for at least 60 minutes. Choose a topic of your choice to talk about. You will need to communicate
the topic to your team leader the previous session.
• Write down some template sentences that you can use for the conversation, read them a few times
before the meeting and practice saying them loud and record them if you like.
• The team leader will monitor the participation of all team members, and will report to the teacher if
all members spoke only in English throughout the 30 minute period.
• Those who don’t participate and who speak in Chinese will have to buy dinner for all the other team
members, or give 20 yuan to the team leaders who will save it until the end of the semester.
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A word of advice: From now on, whenever you are asked “How is your English speaking” you will
never say “It’s not good, or it’s poor”. Instead you should ALWAYS SAY: IT’S NOT GOOD
ENOUGH YET, BUT I AM WORKING ON IT”. Learning a new language is a work in progress and
takes a lot of time, efforts, practice and persistence so you will have to be patient and you will have
good results if you don’t give up too early. The more you say “it’s not good” you will end up believing
it, but when you add the “YET” you will add a positive note and your brain will believe it.
Making mistakes is part of learning anything new and learning a new language, so don’t worry
about making mistakes, as the more mistakes you make and you are corrected, the more you will
remember not to make the same mistake in the future.

Tips to improve your English speaking today

Speaking English doesn't have to be stressful! Here are some tips to help you increase your
confidence and speak more naturally.
Take it step by step
Learn a few important phrases at first, and learn how to pronounce them well. When you're
confident with these, you can choose a few more to practice. Start with simple phrases first, then go
on to more complicated ones.
For example, learn key phrases for saying hello and greeting someone:
"Hi! How are you?"
"Fine thanks. And you?"
Or a simple phrase to ask directions:
"Excuse me! I'm looking for … (London Road)"
Or a simple phrase to order food in a restaurant:
"I'd like the … (fish and chips) please."
Don't say too much
You don't need to speak a lot to express yourself. In many situations, such as travelling around,
shopping, phoning, etc, you don't have the time to have a long conversation. Concentrate on
communicating the essential part of your message until you start feeling more confident.
Practice makes perfect!
This is probably the most important tip. The more you practice, the better you get – and the more
confident you will become. When you practice important phrases, they become natural and easy for
you.
Keep It Simple and Short KISS principle
You don't need complicated grammar or sentence structure. If your sentences are short and
grammatically simple, you are less likely to make mistakes or confuse the person you're talking to.
Sentence structure tip!
Remember the SVOMPT word order rule:
Subject, Verb, Object, Manner (How), Place, Time
For example:
I (subject) like (verb) walking (object) fast (manner) in the forest (place) in winter (time).
Remember: not every sentence has all six components, and you can omit manner, place and time
and still have correct sentence structure.
Use every way you can to communicate: When you need to communicate a message, you will
find the way to do it! For example, you can use gestures to help you explain to another person. If you

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 are in a train and feel hot, you could say "Can I open the…" and gesture towards the window if you
can't remember the word for "window".
Listen and watch
A great way to improve your confidence is to watch other people speak English. What phrases do
they use? What gestures do they use? How do they respond to each other? Perhaps they use special
phrases or particular intonation. Observing how other people communicate is a great way to extend
your own "library" of useful phrases for different situations. If you don't live in an English-speaking
country, check out films and TV, or trailers on YouTube, for example.
Record yourself
Use your phone to record yourself speaking phrases or words. When you listen back to yourself, how
do you sound? Don't be too critical about your accent – it doesn't matter if you sound like a non-
native speaker. But it's important to speak clearly. Recording yourself helps you become more aware
of how you speak English, and you'll begin to understand which English sounds are most difficult for
you. Then, with a little practice, you can soon get better at saying these difficult sounds.
Don't speak too fast
If you're nervous or embarrassed, you might speak too fast – or too quietly. It's normal to feel
worried, especially in new situations. But concentrate on those few phrases and try to speak at
normal speed and volume. When you see the other person responding naturally to you, you'll know
that what you say is good English!
Don't give up
Some days it's easier to speak English than other days. Sometimes you can find the words and
phrases you need without any problems, but other times everything is really difficult. Some days you
never seem to make mistakes – and then the next day it's all wrong! But don't worry. This is
completely normal! The important thing is to understand that tomorrow is a different day. Keep
practicing and you will improve your speaking. Don't worry too much about making mistakes, either.
Accept help from other people
Native speakers will rarely correct your grammar, but they'll probably correct your vocabulary and
pronunciation. You can even ask, "Sorry, what do you call this in English?" and people are usually
very happy to help you.
I know it can be scary to start a conversation with someone, or to join a group conversation –
especially in your second language. You might be wondering “what do I say?” or “what if I say the
wrong thing?” or “what if people think I’m stupid?”
All languages – including English – are much more than just a list of words and grammar
rules. Language exists for communication. It’s about connecting with people. Speaking
conversational English is usually just about knowing the right thing to say in any given situation. With
that in mind, this article answers the question “What’s the right thing to say when you want to have
a conversation in English?” You’ll learn questions, phrases and expressions that you can use
to confidently start conversations with native English speakers. Think of this as your guide to starting
conversations with English speaking strangers in a natural way.

How to Get Over the Fear of Starting a

Conversation in English

Before we get into the thick of things, I’ll let you in on the
mindset you need to have when starting up a conversation.
1. The fear of speaking to strangers really comes from the fear
of seeming “weird” or looking foolish. You’re essentially
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 afraid of the other person’s reactions, like a strange look that says “I don’t want to talk to you”, or
even someone laughing at you. (Of course, this very rarely happens in real life!).
2. To be honest, I still experience moments of fear when I start conversations in a language I’m learning.
It sometimes takes me a few minutes to get into the flow. Just know that this feeling is totally
normal. Try to accept it as normal, and not to worry about it too much.
Step 1: Be Friendly!
The first key to feeling relaxed and getting over your fear is to have a good time and be friendly.
Smile and enjoy the experience of meeting someone new. If you can relax and enjoy getting to know
someone, then that will be felt by the other person and it will put them at ease.
Talk to people as you would talk to a friend, and they may just become one.
Step 2: Take the Pressure Off
A lot of fear around starting conversations comes from putting pressure on yourself to have a certain
result from the conversation.
So, stop having specific expectations about what will happen! Whatever happens happens. Don’t
expect anything from yourself or the other person other than getting to know them a little better.
Also, don’t force a topic or be aggressive in what you’re trying to say. That type of energy is a turn-
off to someone you’ve just met. Let the conversation flow naturally.
Step 3: Remember, the World Doesn’t Revolve Around You
Don’t make the conversation only about yourself. Try to ask questions about the other person’s life.
Only interject things about yourself when they are actually relevant to the topic.
What if they ask you a question about yourself? Answer it. But then ask them the same question.
Often people ask questions they secretly want to be asked themselves, so turn the question around
and see what your conversation partner has to say.
The most important thing is to not be forceful or seem desperate. Bring things up naturally and
casually. People should never feel pressured to talk with you, so help them feel comfortable.
Step 4: Be Honest
When asking questions or talking about something, don’t make something up just because you
memorized a particular phrase.
For example, don’t say “I love cats too!” if you actually hate cats. Or avoid saying “My uncle works in
a factory” when you don’t even have an uncle, let alone one that works in a factory.
Make sure you say things that are true, even if it means searching for the words you need.
Otherwise you could end up in a really awkward situation.
Step 5: Avoid Closed-Loop Questions
Questions that can only be answered with “yes” or “no” are what I call closed-loop questions,
because they close down conversation. Open loop questions work much better when your aim is to
keep a conversation going.
Let’s look at the difference between these through a couple of examples. Instead of asking the
closed question “Do you like apple juice?” ask the open question “What is your favorite type of
juice?”
Or, instead of asking “Do you like spaghetti?” you can ask “How often do you eat Italian food?”
Open-loop questions invite further discussion, whereas a “yes” or “no” question usually just invites
an end to the conversation.
Now that you have the right mindset, let’s get into what you can say to start up and maintain some
great conversations.

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20 Topics for Small Talk Conversation for all occasions
Small talk – a conversation or chit chat without any specific topic – is a necessity in any social or
professional life. In fact, making small talk is a perfect replacement for an awkward and drawn out
silence. But, what would you talk about, during small talk?
Well, be creative. Look around and comment on something. Or introduce yourself, or ask an ice-
breaking question…. you got the idea.
Here are some of the most common topics to start a conversation, or keep it going:
1. Hello/Hi: A simple hello is good way to start any small talk; a basic greeting of mutual
acknowledgement.
2. Introduction: If meeting for the first time, make sure to introduce yourself. It shows your interest in
the meeting, and put a name to the face.
3. Situation and surroundings: Talk about the surroundings or the venue: ‘Nice place, huh!’ or ‘I like this
cafe!’
4. Weather talk: This is all time classic, may be a bit too much used. However, a talk about weather
always gets the conversation started.
5. How was your day? : If the meeting is in the late day or in the evening, talk about how your day was,
there is always something to share: ‘how is your day going so far?’
6. So what are you up to today/tonight? : Ask about short term plans for the day, or the night or the
next day. This is always good way to keep the chit-chat alive.
7. Talk about traffic: ‘How was the traffic on your way over?’ or ‘how did you get here?’
8. Give compliments: "Nice dress" or "Nice car" or ‘"a nice house"…say something nice. It makes the
other side feel at ease and warms up the talk.
9. How is school/work: The school or work topics are always good; people love to complain about work
or school.
10, Sports: It is not only guys’ things anymore, women enjoy the sports equally. The trick is to find out -
‘So, what kind of sports do you watch/play?’
11. Current news: Talk about current topics in the news – sports, headlines or any other current topics
that your company may be interested in.
12. Family talk: If appropriate, e.g. among family friends, talk about your parents, kids, family vacation
etc. Family friends can always have tons to chit-chat about.
13. Mutual friends: Talk about mutual friends, or friends of friends. Be positive, saying bad stuff behind
someone’s back reflects poorly on you.
14. Drinks and Food: If you are invited over for a party, or if meeting someone over a drink or a meal,
you can always talk about the food or the menu or the drinks being served,
15. Music, TV, movies comments: ‘Have you watched any movie lately?’ Or "Did you watch the Late
Night Show last night?" and so on…
16. Discuss hobbies: Talk about your hobbies, find out what your company likes to do in the free time.
Exchange ideas on any common interests you share.
17. Talk about environment: It is the new fashion – a new trend, to be environment friendly. You can
always talk about new initiatives or ideas about saving environment.
18. Travel talk: Talk about travel or vacation or a trip. ‘Any plans to go out-of-town this year?’
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19. Share a funny anecdote or a joke: If appropriate for the occasion and if you feel comfortable, share
some funny story or a joke to lighten up the mood.
20. Tech Stuff or new Gadgets: Talk about new toys – new cell phones, iPods, iPhones, new computers,
new applications. All of us have some new gadgets or computer applications that we like and love to talk
about.

More Topics
Talking about happiness in English
Conversation Starters
Here's a happy topic to talk about – happiness! Start your English conversation with the basic questions
below. You can ask follow-up questions if they fit your partner's answer. If you don't have a
conversation partner, think about how you would answer each question with complete English
sentences.
1. Generally speaking, are you a happy person?
2. What things or events make you happiest?
3. Who is the happiest person you know? Do you know why they're so happy?
4. Were you happier as a child than as an adult? Why or why not?
5. Do you think we can control our own happiness?
Discussion Questions
Now try to have longer conversations about being happiness using the open-ended questions below. If
you do not have a conversation partner, think of your own answers in English, using complete sentences.
1. Why are some people unhappy? (Try to think of various reasons.)
2. Do you think that happiness is within us or does happiness depend more on other people and
external conditions?
3. People say that money can't buy happiness. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Talking about bad habits in English
Conversation Starters
We all have habits, good or bad. Think about your own habits and the habits of people you know, and
then use the following questions to start an English conversation on the topic of habits.
1. Do you have any bad habits?
2. Do you know anyone who bites his or her nails?
3. Do you know anyone who has a very annoying habit? What is it?
4. What are some good habits to have?
5. Do you have healthy eating habits? Explain.
6. Do you have good study habits? Give examples.
Discussion Questions
Now try to have longer conversations about being bad habits using the open-ended questions below. If
you do not have a conversation partner, think of your own answers in English, using complete sentences.
1. Is there anyone whose work or study habits you admire? Why?
2. How can people break bad habits? Try to give very practical (useful) advice.
3. How do we learn our habits? Can we help children develop better habits?
4. Describe a very unusual habit you have observed in someone? How did they develop such a strange
habit?
Talking about dieting in English
Conversation Starters
In today's world, with so much fast food available, many people's diets have become very unhealthy. (In

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English, "diet" can be used in two ways. First, "people's diets" can refer to the typical things that people
eat every day. Second, to go "on a diet" is concerned with a specific purpose, most often losing weight.
Both meanings of diet are used in these questions so read carefully!)
1. What is the usual diet in your country? Do people eat a lot of meat? Do they like sweet foods?
2. Have you ever been "on a diet"?
3. What are some reasons for going on a diet?
4. Do you think being on a diet can be dangerous?
5. Have you heard of any strange diets? What were they?
Discussion Questions
Now have deeper conversations using the open-ended questions below. Listen carefully to your
conversation partner's answers, and then ask appropriate follow-up questions to keep the conversation
going.
1. What do you think is a well-balanced diet? (What is included in a balanced diet?)
2. Many people lose weight on a diet very quickly, but then gain all of the weight back after the "go off"
of the diet. Why do you think this happens?
3. How important is protein in a balanced diet? Why?
4. What kind of diet could you recommend to a person over 40? How would it be different from a diet
for younger people?
Talking about dating in English
Conversation Starters
Here's a very interesting conversation topic – dating! Whether you have been on many dates or are still
waiting for your first one, you can have fun English conversations starting with the questions below.
1. At what age do young people start dating in your country?
2. At what age did you go on your first date?
3. What kind of person would you like to date? Describe appearance, personality and character.
4. Do young people in your country "go Dutch" (each person pays separately) or does the boy pay?
5. Do young people in your country go on "blind dates"? (When people on a date have never met before.)
6. Would you like to go on a blind date? Why or why not?
7. What was the most interesting or memorable date you've ever been on?
Discussion Questions
A lot of tough decisions go into dating – who to date, where to go, what to talk about, and more. Of
course, this leads to even more interesting English conversations! Use the questions below to get your
conversation partner to think more deeply about the topic of dating.
1. What do you think the perfect date would be like?
2. What are the best activities for a date, besides the obvious "dinner and a movie"?
3. Do you think people can know they are in love with someone after the first date?
4. Should dating be taken very seriously or can it be "just for fun"?
5. What can you do to make a boring date more fun?
6. What kind of person would it be the most fun to go on a date with?
7. What do people do differently on a date than at other times?
8. How long should it take (very generally!) for dating to turn into a relationship?
9. Do you think age difference is important when dating? Why or why not?
Talking about fashion in English
Conversation Starters
Being fashionable seems to be on the rise, with more and more people paying attention to their clothing,
to brand names, and to style in general. Discuss fashion here using the English questions below.
1. Do you ever wear a hat? Why or why not?
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2. How important is fashion to you? Do you always know the latest fashions?
3. Do you like to wear jewelry? If so, what kind? If not, why not?
4. How many pairs of gloves do you own?
5. Do you ever wear earrings?
6. What do you think of men who wear earrings?
7. Have you ever been to a second-hand clothing store? Would you ever consider wearing second-hand
clothes?
Discussion Questions
Here are some more "open-ended" questions to help you have deeper, more interesting English
conversations. Try to keep your conversation going for as long as possible. Good luck!
1. Why do some people choose to wear contact lenses instead of glasses?
2. Do you read fashion magazines?
3. Would you like to be a fashion model? Why or why not?
4. Why do some people dye their hair green or blue or red? (Think of various reasons.)
5. Why are clothing brands so popular? Do you think branding is a good thing or not? Please explain!
Talking about families in English
Conversation Starters
Talk about all kinds of family issues using these English conversation starters. If you think of any other
questions, don't hesitate to ask those, too. The main thing is to practice speaking English, so go to it!
1. Do you have a large family or a small family?
2. Do you have a big "extended family" (including aunts, uncles and cousins)?
3. Do you resemble (look like) one of your parents or grandparents?
4. What do your parents do?
5. How well do you get along with your brothers and sisters?
6. Does your family ever push you to do things or act in a certain way?
7. Who makes the big decisions in your family?
8. What are some activities that your family does together?
Discussion Questions
Now talk about more serious questions about families. As always, be sure to ask follow-up questions as
the conversation moves forward. If you don't have a conversation partner, think about how you might
answer using complete sentences.
1. Where do you think the best place to raise a family is? Why?
2. Are the roles of men and women in the family changing? How?
3. What are some common problems that families have? How can these problems be solved?
4. In very serious cases, would you consider going to a family counselor for help?
Talking about fears in English
Conversation Starters
There are many scary things in our world, but you don't have to be afraid to talk about fears. In fact, by
talking about fears in English, you might help to reduce some of your fears! Get started here with these
questions.
1. What things are many people afraid of?
2. What are you most afraid of?
3. What were you afraid of as a child?
4. Which of the following things are you afraid of – insects, the dark, death, being embarrassed, your
boyfriend or girlfriend or husband or wife saying good-bye, losing your job, getting sick, experiencing a
disaster, or having your English teacher get angry at you?
5. Many people are afraid of going to the dentist. Why?
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Discussion Questions
Here are some more "open-ended" questions to help you have deeper, more interesting English
conversations. Try to keep your conversation going for as long as possible. Good luck!
1. What is the most frightening (scary) experience you have ever had?
2. Have you ever overcome a big fear? How did you do it? If you haven't, how might someone overcome
a big fear?
3. Surveys have shown that more people are afraid of speaking in public than they are afraid of death.
Do you believe that? Why or why not?
4. Horror movies try to scare people. Why do people enjoy such movies?
5. Are there any parts of the city where you live which you are afraid to visit after dark? Why?
Talking about getting a job in English
Conversation Starters
It's not always easy to get a good job, but we have to make an effort to get the best job for us. Talk
about getting a job in English using the sentences below to get started.
1. How do fresh graduates start looking for a job? (What do they do first?)
2. What kind of work do you like to do?
3. What kind of people do you like to work with?
4. What is the typical work week in your country? (How many hours per week?)
5. Do you like to do overtime work (for extra pay, of course!) and other extra projects?
6. Is it easy right now to find a job? Why or why not?
7. What are the most "prestigious" (giving people respect) jobs in your country or in your opinion?
Discussion Questions
Now try to have longer English conversations using these "open-ended" questions about jobs and work.
If you do not have a conversation partner, try to think of your own answers using complete sentences.
1. What can we do to be more "employable"? (How can we be more attractive to employers?)
2. Do you think women should work after getting married? Why or why not?
3. What do you think of a job with lots of meetings? Are meetings useful or a waste of time? What
makes a "good" meeting?
4. How do you feel about working on evenings or weekends? Should this be against the law? Defend
your answer!
5. How important is it to have a good boss? What makes a good boss?
6. What would be your "ideal" job? (The very best job you could imagine.)
7. For you, what would be the worst job you could imagine?
Talking about globalization in English
Conversation Starters
Some people say the world is becoming a kind of "global village". Talk about this idea of globalization in
English, starting with the questions below.
1. What products do you use that were not made in your country?
2. What movies, songs or books do you enjoy that were not produced in your country?
3. Can you think of other ways that globalization has affected your life?
4. Generally speaking, do you think globalization has improved people's lives?
5. What has your country contributed to globalization?
Discussion Questions
Now try to have longer English conversations using these "open-ended" questions about globalization.
It's not an easy topic, but do your best! If you do not have a conversation partner, try to think of your
own answers using complete sentences.
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of globalization?
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2. What do you think globalization will look like fifty years from now?
3. Do you think globalization will make us all the same in the future? Why or why not?
4. Which countries might like or hate globalization the most?
5. How important is the Internet in influencing globalization?
Talking about good manners in English
Conversation Starters
Good manners help people live together without conflict. Start interesting English conversations about
manners and being polite, starting with the basic questions below.
1. What are some examples of good manners?
2. What are some examples of bad manners?
3. What are good table manners in your country?
4. What are some good manners related to using a cell phone?
5. What should you say after you sneeze? Or if you bump into somebody? Or if you are late?
Discussion Questions
Now try to have longer conversations about being polite using the open-ended questions below. If you
do not have a conversation partner, think of your own answers in English, using complete sentences.
1. Can you think of good manners that might be bad in another country?
2. Do you think manners are different for city people and country people? If so, explain how.
3. Do you think people need better manners when they drive? Why or why not?
4. In your opinion, do people have better manners now than they did 50 years ago? What about 100 or
200 years ago?
5. How can we successfully teach good manners to our children?
6. What advice about manners would you give to a foreigner visiting your country?
Talking about honesty in English
Conversation Starters
Nobody likes to be lied to, so honesty is always best, right? Let's discuss the topic of honesty in English.
Use the questions below to start your conversation.
1. Have you ever lied before?
2. Would you ever tell a "white lie"? (A lie told to make someone feel better.)
3. In your opinion, why is honesty important?
4. When have you been lied to? How did you feel then?
5. Is there anyone you know who is completely honest all of the time?
Discussion Questions
Now try to have longer conversations about honesty using the open-ended questions below. If you do
not have a conversation partner, think of your own answers in English, using complete sentences.
1. Is there any way we can know for sure when somebody is lying to us?
2. If honesty is so important, why is it sometimes difficult to be honest?
3. When is it all right to just tell a "half truth"?
4. Do you think a good worker should be fired if it is discovered he lied during his job interview? Why or
why not?
Talking about love and marriage in English
Conversation Starters
This is probably the most popular topic to talk about, so take your time. Start with the questions below
and then ask follow-up questions for great English conversations.
1. Do you believe in "love at first sight"?
2. At what age do you plan to get married? (Or at what age did you get married?)

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3. Do you want a spouse (husband or wife) who is exactly the same age as you, or a bit younger or older?
Why?
4. What qualities are important in a spouse?
5. Do you think it's possible to find love on the Internet?
6. What kind of wedding do you want? (Describe it in detail.)
7. Would you consider marrying someone from another country?
8. Do you know anyone who has gotten divorced? Do you know why they got divorced?
Discussion Questions
Here are more challenging English questions about the difficulties of love and marriage. Try to keep the
conversation going. If you don't have a conversation partner, think of your own answers using complete
English sentences.
1. In your opinion, how long should a couple know each other before they get married?
2. In your opinion, is it helpful for a couple to live together before they get married?
3. Can you give any advice on how to get along with your in-laws? (Your spouse's or boyfriend’s parents.)
4. What are some reasons that divorce has increased over the years? (Try to think of several reasons.)
5. Do you think marriage changes people? In what ways?
6. What do you think of men who have more than one wife?
7. If you had to marry either a poor man you really loved, or a rich man you did not love, which would
you choose?
8. If you had to live with someone who truly loves you but who you don't love, or to love someone who
doesn't love you, which would you choose?
9. Would you marry someone ten years older than you? How about ten years younger than you?
Talking about laughing in English
Conversation Starters
Laughing is a funny topic! Enjoy having English conversations starting with some of the sentences below.
1. How many times do you laugh in an ordinary day?
2. Do you usually laugh quietly or do you laugh out loud?
3. What kind of things make you laugh? People arguing loudly? Someone slipping on a banana peel and
falling? Plays on words (also called 'puns')? Cartoons? Funny movies?
4. Have you or anyone you know ever laughed out of control at something quite serious?
5. What kind of jokes do people in your country often laugh at?
Discussion Questions
Now try to have longer conversations about laughing and laughter learning using the open-ended
questions below. If you do not have a conversation partner, think of your own answers in English, using
complete sentences.
1. There's a saying in English that "laughter is the best medicine". Do you agree or disagree?
2. In English we say that people ‘roar’ or ‘howl' with laughter, or ‘burst into’ or ‘break into’ laughter.
What are the differences between these?
3. What do you think might be the deeper purpose of laughter? Explain.
Talking about languages in English
Conversation Starters
As a language learner, this topic will be very interesting! Talk about languages in English using the
questions below to get started.
1. How many languages are spoken in your country?
2. How many languages can you speak well?
3. Are there any words in your language that come from other languages?

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3. What languages do people speak in the following countries: Mexico, Australia, Austria, Canada, Brazil,
Switzerland, Netherland, Italy, Germany, France, Portugal, Colombia, Nigeria, Lebanon, Turkey, and
Greece?
Discussion Questions
Now try to have longer conversations about languages and language learning using the open-ended
questions below. If you do not have a conversation partner, think of your own answers in English, using
complete sentences.
1. Do you know anyone who is very good at learning languages? Why do you think he or she is good at it?
2. What are the reasons that English is the "international language" today?
3. What were some international languages in the past?
4. Do you think another language will replace English as the international language in the future? Why
or why not?
Talking about celebrities in English
Conversation Starters
Celebrities seem to lead a "charmed" life. They are rich, famous and so popular. Discuss celebrities in
English, starting with the questions below.
1. Have you ever seen or met a famous person? What did you do or say?
2. Who are some of the most famous people in the world right now?
3. Are there any famous people you would like to meet? Who?
4. What are the advantages (good points) and disadvantages (bad points) of being a celebrity?
5. Do you think people who are rich and famous are better than the average person?
Discussion Questions
Discuss your opinions about celebrities using the questions below or think of your own English questions.
1. If you could spend one whole day with a famous person, who would you spend the day with?
2. Do you think famous people are happy? Explain your answer.
3. Would you be happier or unhappy if you were famous?
4. How would your life change if you suddenly became famous?
Talking about charities in English
Conversation Starters
Poor people sometimes need help. One way to offer our help is through groups or organizations. Using
the English questions below, start an English discussion about ways to help poor people through
charitable groups.
1. Do you know any famous charities (groups that help other, less fortunate people)?
2. Have you ever given money to a charity such as the Red Cross, the World Wildlife Fund, or Green
Peace?
3. Do you know any other registered charities?
4. What problems do such charities deal with?
5. Is there a "homeless shelter" (a place for homeless people to sleep and get food) in your hometown?
Discussion Questions
Use the English questions below to discuss the bigger issue of giving money to beggars.
1. Do you give money to beggars or homeless people? Why or why not?
2. If you give money to beggars or homeless people, about how much do you give?
3. How do you know if a beggar is a real beggar?
4. Do you think it's acceptable for children to work late at night selling flowers and singing?
5. Who should pay to help the poor, individuals or government organizations?
6. Some people think charity encourages some people to be lazy. Do you agree or disagree?

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 Talking about annoyances
(things that bother us or annoy us)
Conversation Starters
In today's world there are so many things that might annoy us. There's so much traffic, so many people
in our cities, so much noise all around us. In addition, we are busy with our work and with our families.
Have a discussion in English using the questions below as a starting point. If you are studying by yourself,
think about how you would answer these questions, using full sentences as much as possible.
1. What are some things that can annoy you?
2. Are you annoyed more by noisy things or by inconvenient things?
3. Do people who are impolite bother you?
4. Does it annoy you when shop assistants try to sell you something that you don't need?
5. How do you feel when someone cuts in front of you in a line (a queue)?
6. Are you annoyed when someone interrupts you while you are speaking?
Discussion Questions
Here are more challenging questions on the topic of annoyances. Ask these questions to your friends
and be ready to continue the conversation by asking follow up questions.
1. Do you think we are so busy in today's world that small things annoy us more than in the past?
2. What can we do to deal with so many annoyances in today's world?
3. What is the most annoying thing you have to deal with at work? What can you do about it?
4. What annoys you most about learning English? Is it verb tenses, or articles, or something else?
5. Do you know anyone who is annoyed quite often? What advice could you give such a person?
Talking about adventure in English
Conversation Starters
Life can sometimes be rather boring. We need more adventure, whether real or in our imaginations!
Discuss adventures using the English questions below. You might need to use conditional verbs for
questions 4 or 5.
1. Do you like to watch adventure movies?
2. Do you consider yourself to be an adventurous person?
3. What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?
4. Would you say that learning English is a kind of adventure?
5. Could you say that life is a kind of adventure?
Discussion Questions
Use the questions below to have deeper conversations on the topic. Be sure to use conditional verb
tenses in English when you are talking about things that are not quite real!
1. If you had a great adventure, who would you like to have it with?
2. Do you think your idea of adventure is the same as your parents’ ideas and your grandparents’ ideas?
3. Which of these things should be part of an adventure - danger, romance, travel, discovery, or treasure?
Can you think of any other things?
Talking about advertising
Conversation Starters
Choose some questions below that interest you and ask your friends. If you are studying by yourself,
think about how you would answer these questions, using full sentences as much as possible.
1. Why are there so many advertisements on TV, radio, in magazines, etc.?
2. Do you ever enjoy watching advertisements on TV? (If yes, what do you enjoy about them?)
3. What kinds of advertisements attract your attention?
4. What is the most memorable advertisement you have ever seen?
5. What is one funny advertisement you have seen? (Describe it.)
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6. What products in your country use very serious TV advertisements?
7. What products in your country use funny TV advertisements?
8. Which celebrities have you seen in advertisements?
9. Do any advertisements in your country try to shock viewers?
10. How are radio ads, magazine ads and TV ads different from each other?
Discussion Questions
Ask these questions to your friends and be ready to continue the conversation by asking follow up
questions.
1. What makes an advertisement effective?
2. Have you ever bought a product because of advertising? (If so, why?)
3. What do you think of ads that are aimed at children?
4. Can famous celebrities in ads make people want to buy a product?
5. Do you think beer and cigarette companies should be allowed to advertise? Why or why not?
6. Why do some companies use celebrities in their ads?
Where would you like to go for an adventure – a jungle, a desert, a small island or a city?

Conversation Starters for Speaking One-on-One

1. A conversation has specific phases that it
goes through. These include starting the
conversation, elaborating on a topic,
inviting a longer conversation, changing
the topic, and closing the conversation.
2. When talking to someone one-on-one,
you’ll find it helpful to look at each phase
and figure out your approach for the
phase. Here’s a specific structure you can
follow:
Phase 1: Starting the Conversation
3. The best way to start up a conversation
with someone you don’t know is to ask a
question that’s not too personal. Here are some examples of polite questions you can ask to get
things going:
4. “Excuse me, do you have the time?” or “Do you know what time it is?”
5. “Hi. Is this seat taken?” if the answer is “no”, then you can follow up with “Do you mind if I sit here?”
6. “Pardon me. Do you know what time this place closes?” (Assuming you are in a place of business,
where “place” can be replaced with “restaurant” or “cafe” or “store”).
7. Even better, start a conversation by noticing something about the other person and commenting on
it in a nice way. Here are some examples:
8. Note: whatever you see in [brackets] can be substituted for something specific to your conversation.
9. “That is a really nice [hat]. Can I ask where you got it?”
10. “I really like your [shoes]. Did you get them near here?”
11. “That’s a cool looking [phone]. Is it easy to use?”
Phase 2: Elaborating on a Topic
12. Now that you’ve started talking, you will need to elaborate on the established topic and continue
talking.

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13. If they answered your question, you can ask one or two follow up questions to get more details, such
as:
“Is that store near here?”
“Was it good value?” (Try to avoid asking for specific monetary amounts of items like “How much did
it cost?” as that can be considered rude)
“Do they have other colors available?”
Next, provide some context to why you asked them the question in the first place. Here are some
examples:
“The reason I asked is because I’ve been thinking about replacing my phone.”
“I’ve been looking for a hat like that to give to my friend.”
“Yeah, the shoes I have are getting worn out. It’s time to get a new pair.”
And, as always, if someone is being helpful, don’t forget to thank them!
“Thanks for the suggestion.”
“I appreciate the information.”
“Thank you. That was really helpful.”
Phase 3: Extending the Conversation with More Questions
You can usually tell when a person is losing interest in a conversation. If you reach that point, then
excuse yourself and be on your way.
However, if you feel like the person may be receptive to a longer conversation, then why not talk a
bit more and get to know them better? Here are some more general questions you can ask to keep
the conversation going.
“Are you from this area?”
“So, what do you do for a living?”
“What brings you here today?”
“Do you come here a lot?”
Each of these questions can be used to extend the conversation and learn more about the other
person. The idea here is to find common points of interest. When they mention something that
relates to you and your life, this gives you an opportunity to explore that topic more fully.
Phase 4: Exploring a Topic Further
When your conversation arrives at a topic that you’re comfortable speaking about in English, then
this is your chance to discuss it in more depth.
As an example, let’s say that you discovered your conversation partner has a cat. You have a cat too.
Time to show some photos of your cat on your Smartphone!
Or, if the person mentions they are a vegetarian and you happen to be vegetarian, now you have
something in common. Why not ask about their favorite vegetarian recipes?
Here are some sentences and phrases that may come in handy to dive in deeper with a topic:
“Really? I’m a [vegetarian] too! What made you decide to [stop eating meat]?”
“I love [cats]! In fact I [have two]. What type of [cats] do you have?”
“[Football] is my favorite sport! What team do you support?”
“You’re kidding! I [drive a motorcycle] as well. What type of [bike] do you have?”
The idea here is to let them know you share a common interest, and then ask them to share more
details. Remember to talk about the other person more than yourself. For example, instead of going
off on a long tangent about your favorite recipes, ask them for theirs. It shows that you are truly
interested in getting to know them and they will be more open to continuing the conversation.
Phase 5: Asking for Opinions
Everyone has an opinion on something, and many people like to share them with others. Here are
some questions you can ask to get the other person’s view on a situation or topic:
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“I don’t know. What do you think?”
“Has that been your experience too?”
“Has that ever happened to you?”
“Why do you think that is (the case)?”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
Once people start sharing their opinions, you open up the door for a whole new area of conversation.
Just be careful not to probe too far into sensitive topics such as politics or religion.
Phase 6: Changing the Topic
Sometimes a conversation can start to fade and you find things are winding down. If you sense your
conversation partner is losing interest in talking about your impressive collection of snow globes, it’s
probably time to change the topic!
Here are some ways you can switch to other topics:
“That reminds me …”
“Oh hey. Did you hear that …?”
“Speaking of [horses], I found out that …”
Or, if you want to make a more abrupt change, you can just say it directly with:
“Okay, I’m totally changing the topic now, but I was wondering …”
“Not to go off topic, but I recently heard that …”
Phase 7: Inviting Your Conversation Partner to Talk Longer
After about 10 or 15 minutes, it’s worth checking that your conversation partner wants to continue
talking. Get confirmation that they want to be in the conversation so you can be sure they aren’t just
being polite.
Here are some questions you can ask to see if it’s possible to maintain a longer talk.
“I’m not keeping you from something, am I?”
“Sorry for taking up so much of your time. Do you need to take off?”
“I just realized you’re probably in the middle of something. Do you have time to chat?”
“Let me know if you need to get going. I don’t want to take up all your time.”
These sorts of expressions show that you are being considerate of your conversation partner’s needs.
Phase 8: Closing the Conversation
Part of being a good conversationalist is knowing when to stop talking. When the conversation ends,
find a way for them to get in touch with you in the future. If you feel like they might want to chat
again, you can give them an opportunity with some of these phrases:
“Well, if you ever want to chat again, I’m usually here [every Monday afternoon].”
“Let me give you my email address. If you’re ever in the area again it’d be great to meet up.”
“Feel free to call me if you want to hang out. Here, I’ll give you my number.”
And remember to make them feel appreciated too!
“I really enjoyed our chat. Thanks so much.”
“It was really nice meeting you.”
“I had a great time talking with you. Hope to see you again soon.”

Joining and Talking in a Group Conversation

Not all your conversations are going to be a one-on-one encounter. Sometimes you will be joining a
group where others are talking.
The most important skill in group situations is listening. Pay attention to the conversation and
interject only when it is relevant. Many of the phrases you’ve learned so far in this article can work
in group situations. You can also add to a group conversation with other types of phrases, such as

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sharing your experiences or thoughts, asking questions to the group, or making connections
between two people.

Here are some phrases you can use:

Sharing Experiences or Ideas

If you have something to add to the

conversation, here are a few examples of how
you can do it:
“Actually, that happened to me once. It was
really [annoying].”
“I totally agree. The same thing happened to
me too.”
“That’s pretty common. I heard that a lot of
people had the same experience.”
You don’t need to share too much, but let the group know that you have more information to add. If
they want to know more, they can ask for details.
Asking Questions to the Group
If you notice that some people in a group aren’t participating as much in a conversation you can ask
questions for the whole group. Here are some questions to stimulate more dialogue:
“Has anyone ever … ?”
“How many of you think that …?”
“Do a lot of you … ?”
“Which one of you … ?”
Or, you can direct it to an individual. Just be sure not to single them out in an uncomfortable way.
Here are some examples:
“What do you think [Diana]? Has that ever happened to you?”
“Hey [John]. Didn’t you also … ?”
Making Connections Between Two People
You may realize that two of the people in the group have something in common. You can make
people feel included and connected by sharing these observations with the group. Here are some
ways to do it:
“Actually, [Alice], didn’t you go there last year too?”
“You should ask [Sam] about that. He had the same thing happen to him.”
“[Andrew] has the same phone! Where’d you get yours [Andrew]?”
This can help people feel like a part of the group. Of course, don’t let out anyone’s secrets!

Closing the Conversation or Leaving the Group

If you have to get going and want to excuse yourself from the group, here are some quick and easy
ways to do so:
“Hey, I better get going. I have a long day tomorrow.”
“Hey Guys. Sorry, but I have to run. It was great chatting with you all.”
“Oh man, it’s getting late. I better head out.”
“Alright guys. Time for me to go. Have a good one.”

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 Just remember these main points:
1. Be friendly! — Even if the other person doesn’t have time to talk, at least they’ll appreciate your
pleasant demeanor.
2. Take the pressure off — When you come in with expectations you may become easily disappointed.
Just have fun and let whatever happens, happen!
3. Talk about them — They don’t want to hear your life story (At least not yet). Ask them questions
that show you want to get to know them better, and they’ll probably reciprocate with the same.
4. Be honest — No need to make up an impressive story to get someone’s attention. Just be yourself
and tell the truth.
5. Ask open loop questions — A “yes” or “no” can be a conversational dead end. Ask questions that
spur on further discussion.
6. Getting a conversation started is the biggest hurdle. It is the one action that will have the most
significant impact on your language learning (and friend making) success. Be open to whatever
happens from that point forward and you will multiply your chances of improving your English.

11 Excellent ESL Conversation Questions for Adults

When you’re having a conversation with a fellow student, it can sometimes be challenging to get
started.
The next time you’re stuck coming up with a good conversation starter while practicing your English,
try picking something from this list of ESL conversation questions for adults. You can even print the
questions out so you can easily reference them. Each one is designed to spark a discussion between
you and your speaking partner that will go well beyond a simple “yes” or “no” answer.

Check out the conversation questions below:

Daily life questions
1. What’s one thing in your home you couldn’t live
without? Why?
2. If you had $10,000 that you had to spend today,
how would you use it? (You can always raise or
lower the dollar amount in the question.)
3. How do you cope with stress? (Or “How do you
relax after a busy week?”)
4. What is the most challenging part of your studies?
What is the most rewarding part?
5. If you could live anywhere in the world for one year, where would you live and why?
6. Can you think of a time when a failure actually worked out well? Tell me about it.
Opinion questions
A note on opinion questions: Asking your conversation partner how they feel about certain current
events may be a good way to start a lively discussion, but make sure you are respecting one
another’s ideas and not attacking each other’s ways of thinking, even if you disagree.

7. Do you think marriage as an institution is outdated? Why or why not?

8. How do you think technology, such as smart phones and social media, has changed the way we
interact with people?

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9. Do you think US colleges are effective (or even necessary) in preparing students for professional
careers? (If your conversation partner did not go to school in the US, ask them what they think about
their home country’s education system.)
10. Do you think it’s possible to have a happy family and a successful career at the same time? (Your
conversation partner may be able to talk about their personal experiences.)
11. What is your opinion about violence in TV, movies, and video games?

12 Controversial discussion Statements

Here are some great controversial statements to get the conversation going. Use them in various
ways. Give one or a few to students for pair/group discussion. Or casually toss one of these
statements yourself into the conversation at an appropriate moment. Or organize a debate.
1. A woman's place is in the home.
2. Boys and girls should not have equal education.
3. A man should have a wife for the family and a mistress for pleasure.
4. Murderers should be executed.
5. Beauty is only a matter of taste.
6. Riches are for spending.
7. We are all basically selfish.
8. Punishment never has any good effect.
9. You will be happier if you stay unmarried.
10. People work better if they are paid more.
11. Committing suicide should be made legal.
12. Royalty and democracy are incompatible.

Notes:

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