1.

2 CONVERSATIONAL SKILLS

Exercise 1.
Write down suitable dialogues to match the situations provided below

Example:
Your friend invites you to her house. Accept the invitation.
Yatie, I would love to come to your house next weekend.

1. Your tutor has misplaced his mobile phone. Offer your help to find it.
___________________________________________________________________
2. You want to go to the nearest bank. Ask someone for directions.
___________________________________________________________________
3. You did not complete your assignment on the due date. Apologize to your lecturer.
___________________________________________________________________
4. Your friend is very good in cooking. Express your admiration to her.
___________________________________________________________________
5. Your friend has invited you to his birthday party. Accept his invitation.
___________________________________________________________________
6. Your roommate always skips English classes. Advise him / her.
___________________________________________________________________
7. Your sister has helped you with your assignment. Express your appreciation.
___________________________________________________________________
8. Your roommate always smokes in the room. Threaten to report him to the warden.
___________________________________________________________________
9. A classmate plans to have the class annual dinner at a hotel. You prefer to have a
barbeque because it is cheaper. Disagree with his suggestion.
___________________________________________________________________
10. Your neighbour is going for his vacation. Bid farewell to him.
___________________________________________________________________
11. Your sister has lost your favourite book. She apologizes. Forgive her.
___________________________________________________________________
12. Your younger brother who is only fourteen years old wants to borrow your motorcycle.
Refuse to lend him.
___________________________________________________________________

TE 2091-01-AS WIM / TE2091 /22014/ S02 6

13. Your tutor looks so handsome wearing his new shirt. Compliment him.
___________________________________________________________________
14. Your examination results are not so good. Promise your lecturer that you will study
harder.
___________________________________________________________________
15. Your cousin has come to visit you over the holidays. Introduce him / her to your
friends.
___________________________________________________________________
(15 marks)

Exercise 2.

2.1 Chose the most suitable functions of the underlined statements.

Functions :

To suggest To compliment To express doubt To express disbelief

To express appreciation To affirm To enquire

Yati : Idayu, you look beautiful in your new dress !(1)

Idayu : Do I ?(2) I thought I looked horrible.

Yati : Yes, you look gorgeous ! (3)

How much did it cost you ? (4)

Idayu : A hundred ringgit.

Yati : What ? A hundred ringgit ?(5) It is a price that would scare away most people.

1. ____________________________________ ( 2marks)

2. _____________________________________ ( 2marks)

3. _____________________________________ ( 2marks)

4. _____________________________________ ( 2marks)

5. _____________________________________ ( 2marks)

TE 2091-01-AS WIM / TE2091 /22014/ S02 7

2.2 Choose the most suitable statements for the function given. The statements are given
below.

Statements: It is of a very low standard and is full of mistake

He was tall, dark and had a thick moustache.

My fault ? I don’t think so.

6. Inspector : Can you recognise the thief that broke into your house last night ?

Ravi : Yes.

Inspector : Tell me what he looked like.

Ravi : ( To explain ).

7. Teacher : Look at your essay. ( To criticize)

Pupil : I’ll try to improve it next time.

8. Motorist A : Look here! You have smashed my rear lamp! It is your fault.

Motorist B : (To deny )

6. ______________________________________________ ( 2 marks)

7. ______________________________________________ ( 2 marks)

8. ______________________________________________ ( 2 marks)

TE 2091-01-AS WIM / TE2091 /22014/ S02 8

Exercise 3

Complete the conversation below according to the underlined functions. Where there are words
given in brackets, you are required to make use of the words in your answers, without changing
the form givens

You are looking around to buy a tennis racket.

You : Do you sell tennis racket?

1. To confirm Shopkeeper : __________________________________

The rackets are over there.

2. To enquire You : __________________________________

(price…….. this racket)

3. To enquire Shopkeeper : The list price of this racket is RM80.00

__________________________________

(a discount of 5%)

4. To bargain You : But it is still expensive

__________________________________
(reduce)

5. To compromise Shopkeeper : All right, __________________________

(a discount of 8%)

You : I’ ll take one them

TE 2091-01-AS WIM / TE2091 /22014/ S02 9

Exercise 4

Match the types of functions in the boxes with the forms below.

to express surprise to compliment to deny

to express regret to congratulate to greet
to ask for directions to remind to confess
to suggest to take leave to complain
to invite to forgive to apologize

1. You have brought me the wrong drink! _______________________

2. I’m sorry. _______________________
3. Can you tell me how to get there? _______________________
4. You should use glasses or contact lenses. _______________________
5. Really? _______________________
6. Please come to my house. _______________________
7. That’s a nice hat. _______________________
8. Congratulations on your success. _______________________
9. Don’t forget that you promised to help. _______________________
10. I have to go now. _______________________
11. That’s okay. _______________________
12. That’s not true. _______________________
13. Good morning, Pak Mat. _______________________
14. I did it. _______________________
15. I wish I had not done that. _______________________

TE 2091-01-AS WIM / TE2091 /22014/ S02 10

 MEETING

Question 8

Find the terms that mean the same as the followings. Write your answers in the
spaces provided.

with apology second Chairperson confirm Secretary

adjourn
unanimously matters arising other matters motion agenda

venue attendance call the meeting to order propose

NO MEANING TERMS

1 To pass

2 Proposal

3 To suggest

4 To support

5 Everyone agrees

6 Place of meeting

7 To begin the meeting

8 With acceptable reason

9 The meeting comes to an end

10 Issues raised from the last meeting

11 Other issues to mention or discuss

12 The lay out/guideline of the meeting

13 The person who conducts the meeting

14 The person who writes down the minutes of meeting

15 To notify the members who are present and those who are
absent

TE 2091-02-AS WIM / TE2091 /22014/ S02 18

Question 9

Below is a mixed list of strengths and weaknesses of meetings. Study it carefully and see if
you can distinguish them.

Place a (S) in the brackets if it is a strength and a (W) if it is weakness.

a) Minutes of the last meeting is not circulated the participants. ( )

b) Too many items are on the agenda. ( )

c) Purpose and desired results of meeting are clear. ( )

d) Meetings are held at the later part of the day-afternoons and evenings. ( )

e) Actions to be taken are summarized at the end of meeting ( )

f) Having a large number of participants. ( )

g) Decisions are reached for each item discussed. ( )

h) Advance notification of meeting is not given. ( )

i) A tense and censuring atmosphere prevails. ( )

j) Outcomes of meeting are monitored and evaluated. ( )

k) The chairperson or someone is monopolizing the meeting. ( )

l) Participants are not well prepared for the meeting. ( )

m) Rules are specified at the onset of the meeting. ( )

n) The meeting does not start on time. ( )

TE 2091-02-AS WIM / TE2091 /22014/ S02 19

Question 10

Match each weakness with its appropriate solution

Weakness Solution

Minutes of the last

meeting are not circulated
A Meetings should be hour
to the under one
participants.
Minutes circulated immediately after meeting
Too many items on the
B and again just before the next one.
agenda.

Meetings are held at the

later part of the day
C distributed to afternoons An agenda should be the participants starting
and evenings. The time,
place and objectives.

Having a large number of Create a relaxed and conducive at quieter

D
participants atmosphere by encouraging the members.

Advance notification of Have meetings in the morning when people are

E
meeting is not given more alert.

A tense and censuring Participants should be informed as to what is

F
atmosphere prevails expected of them.

The chairperson or Punctuality is crucial. A meeting the meeting

G
someone is monopolizing which starts on time has a positive take off.

Participants are not well Limit the number of participants to between 6

H
prepared for the meeting and 10.

The meeting does not start No one, especially the chairperson, should talk
I
on time for more than 50 per cent of the time.

TE 2091-02-AS WIM / TE2091 /22014/ S02 20

QUESTION 4

Circle TRUE or FALSE in preparing a resume

1. Send a resume without a cover letter (True / False)

2. Do not sound desperate but interested. (True / False)

3. Do not make claims that are not truthful. (True / False)

4. Give unnecessary personal information (True / False)

5. Focused on the employer’s needs NOT yours. (True / False)

6. Be specific about details. Do not use vague expressions (True / False)

7. Be short and concise. Leave details for the curriculum vitae. (True / False)

8. Use friendly and NOT familiar tone without sounding boastful (True / False)

9. Include anything that you will not be able to explain during the

interview. (True / False)

10. Lists key achievements, skills, traits and experience relevant to

the position for which you are applying. (True / False)

TE 2091-03-AS WIM / TE2091 /22014/ S02 26