Here are some questions and statements you can use to start and keep up a conversation:
- “Do you know where a [bakery] is around here?”
- “What street is this?”
- “Do you know what time [bus 37] comes by?”
- “Where can I buy a [bottle of water]?”
- “What is your favourite thing about [this park]?”
- “How crowded are the buses when they get to this stop?”
- What do you do?
- Are you married?
- Why are you studying English?
- Where/How did you learn English?
- What do you do in your free time?
- What's the weather like? / How's the weather?
- What time is it? / Do you have the time?
- Can I help you? / Do you need any help?
What are some good conversation questions?
Keep the Conversation Going
- What are you doing this weekend? ...
- What are your favorite restaurants around here? ...
- Keeping up with __sport / tv show / news__ recently? ...
- Can you recommend any unique cocktails / appetizers / desserts here? ...
- All the food looks so good… I’m not sure what to get! ...
- What a beautiful / cool / ugly / bizarre venue. ...
- Did you see that viral ____ YouTube video? ...
How to ask good questions in conversations?
Your Conversation Progress!
- The Secret Of Conversation Flow Complete!
- Invitation: The Art Of Good Questions Complete!
- Inspiration: The Heartbeat Of Good Conversations Up next ...
- Inspiration In Practice
- Invitation And Inspiration In Harmony
How to start a conversation with anyone in English?
- Start slow. Getting someone to open up to you is not about conversational tactics and all about being open and kind yourself. ...
- Be empathetic. As someone starts to open up, do your best to see the situation from their point of view and to express that empathy. ...
- Make talking to you a pleasure.
How to learn basic English conversation?
You will improve your English by:
- Learning beginner English conversation greetings
- Learning about numbers and how to express age, phone numbers, decimals, percentage, fractions
- Learning how to express height and weight
- Learning basic calendar expressions using days, dates, and months
- Learning basic time expressions
- Giving homework through PDF worksheets.
What are some good English questions?
One of the most important tasks in speaking any language is asking questions....Using Questions to Exchange Personal InformationWhat's your name?Where are you from?What's your surname/family name?What's your first name?Where do you live?What's your address?What's your telephone number?What's your email address?More items...•27-Jan-2019
What are simple questions?
Get to know someone by learning how they thinkWho would you want with you if you were stranded on a deserted island?If you could do anything you wanted right now, what would it be?If money was no object, what would you do all day?Where do you most want to travel, but have never been?What is your favorite memory?More items...
How can I practice speaking English conversation?
15 Unique Ways to Practice Speaking EnglishTalk to Yourself. ... Listen to Yourself. ... Watch Yourself Talk. ... Join a Language Exchange Program. ... Read Along with Subtitles. ... Imitate What You Hear on TV. ... Use Video Messaging to Practice Speaking. ... Speak in English to a Virtual Assistant.More items...•30-Apr-2018
How can I practice English conversation for free?
The 7 Best Free Ways to Practice English OnlineStudy Online English Materials for ESL Students. ... Practice English Anytime with Mobile Apps. ... Take a MOOC. ... Connect with Other English Learners. ... Speak with Native English Conversation Partners. ... Follow Educational Websites in English. ... Have Fun with Online TV, Music and Movies.
What are 10 questions to ask?
Break the ice and get to know people better by selecting several of these get-to-know-you questions.Who is your hero?If you could live anywhere, where would it be?What is your biggest fear?What is your favorite family vacation?What would you change about yourself if you could?What really makes you angry?More items...
What are 50 questions to ask?
“What's Your Favorite…” QuestionsWhat was your favorite food when you were a child?What's the #1 most played song on your iPod?What is one of your favorite quotes?What's your favorite indoor/outdoor activity?What chore do you absolutely hate doing?What is your favorite form of exercise?More items...
How can I speak English everyday?
8 Simple Ways to Speak English Every DayFollow the English News. ... Listen to Podcasts on Your Commute. ... Trick Yourself Into Learning on Your Phone. ... Get in the Habit of Writing in English. ... Focus on Speaking the Language. ... Bury Your Nose in a Great Book. ... Play English Games in Your Downtime. ... Crash in Front of the Television.31-Mar-2017
Which topic is best for English speaking?
English Speech Topics on Important Days & EventsIndependence Day.Labour Day.Mother's Day.World Population Day.World Health Day.Ambedkar Jayanti.Gandhi Jayanti.Human Rights Day.More items...•26-Aug-2021
How can I improve my English everyday?
Daily habits to improve your English skillsChange your phone and social media accounts to English. ... Learn one new vocabulary word (or phrasal verb, or idiom) each day. ... Listen to English songs or podcasts during your commute. ... Follow English news websites on Facebook and Twitter. ... Think English while you eat!More items...•26-Apr-2015
How can I improve speaking?
Here are ten top tips for improving your spoken English and having a great time while you do it!Speak, speak, speak! ... Use technology. ... Listen. ... Read out loud. ... Learn a new word every day. ... Watch films. ... Make friends. ... Do interesting activities in English.More items...
How can I improve speaking skills?
But like any other skill, you can improve your spoken English if you practise regularly and follow these simple techniques.Listen. The first step in improving your speaking skills is actually working on your listening. ... Imitate. ... Read. ... Reflect. ... Prepare. ... Speak. ... Practise.18-Oct-2021
How can I improve my English fluency?
6 Ways To Improve Your Speaking Fluency In English. Home. ... Let go of your ego. The first and most important thing you can do as a language learner is to let go of your ego. ... Practise, practise, practise. ... Prepare for conversations. ... Brush up on your conversational phrases. ... Attend a language exchange. ... Discipline.31-Oct-2019
This is such a good spread (regional)
Okay, this isn’t a question. But… it’s also a good idea to make short statements when at a party or event.
This is a great party!
Making statements about the party/wedding/event is also a great way to keep the conversation flowing. For example:
Asking questions about hobbies and interests
This can often be quite awkward to ask. I’m not sure why! But don’t let that put you off, here is how to ask about hobbies:
Would you like to grab a coffee sometime?
If you hit it off (connect) and you would like to meet up with this person again, you can ask:
General questions
General questions are a great way to get you started. These are the type of questions that people ask each other when they meet for the first time. If you’ve been learning English for a while then you should find these questions relatively easy but if you’re just getting started then don’t worry.
Family and home
Asking questions about family and home help you to get to know someone better. Even if someone has interests and hobbies, their family and home are the first things that have an influence on someone’s life. When people first start studying English this is one of the first things that they learn to talk about.
Hobbies and free time
Talking about hobbies and free time helps you to get to know a person. These are the first things that a person chooses to do by themselves. It can tell you a lot about their personality and a lot of people like to talk about the things they enjoy. You might even discover an interesting hobby that you want to try for yourself.
Food and drink
Food and drink is not only simple to talk about but it’s becoming more and more popular. As it become easier to cook food from different countries, more people are developing an interest in cooking.
Holidays
Everyone likes to talk about their holidays and the type of holiday that a person likes can tell you a lot about them. Use holidays as a way to get to know another person and to see what you have in common.
More topics to practise your English conversation skills
If you’ve found these questions too easy, or if you’re just ready to move onto the next level then check out some of these more difficult conversation topics. Try out different topics to stretch your English abilities and learn more about different people. We try to create interesting topics so you can have fun while you learn.
Speaking in English FAQ
Before you go make sure you take a look at some of the most commonly asked questions about speaking English.
Start talking in English
The next ten sections give questions that you can use to start a conversation or keep it going. However, you should remember to consider your relationship with the person before asking certain questions. For instance, questions related to money, romance, and family may be too informal for you to ask colleagues.
Download 80 conversation flashcards for free
Check out the flipbook below to review all these English conversation starters. You can download this PDF for free.
About the Author: Bruna Silva
Hi there! My name is Bruna, I'm 29 and I'm a journalist. I was born and raised in Brazil and I currently live in southern Brazil. I work as a content writer here at PrepEng and I have taught English as a Second Language for over 5 years. I love writing about English grammar and vocabulary. My hobbies are cooking and watching TV shows and movies.
Why are interview questions so common?
Interviews and work-related questions are a common topic because working takes up a big portion of everyone’s life. Below you’ll see a set of interview and job-related questions and answers.
Is "going well" correct grammar?
Technically, “going good” is incorrect grammar; you should use “going well”. The “proper” answer is Fine. or Just fine, thank you. The question is almost the same as how do you do which is a way of a greeting and doesn’t really want an honest answer, especially if things are not going well.
Why Every Teacher Needs a List of Starters
If you want to improve your student’s speaking ability you need to master the art of conversation. You need to know how to get your students speaking, move the conversation forward, provide feedback and make it all feel natural. You also need engaging topics and that is where this guide comes in.
Conversation Topics for Adults and Teens
Adults and teens usually know more about advanced topics than children (politics, religion, etc.) That being said, knowing more on these topics doesn’t necessarily translate to being able to speak about these things easily so don’t assume they can do everything.
Conversation Topics for Kids
In order to engage a child in conversation, you have to enter their world. What is fun for them? What do they like to do? Using words/phrases like “wow”, “That sounds tasty”, “Awesome” can show you are listening to them and make things more fun which will get them saying more!
Conversation Topics for Beginners
Keeping the topics simple for beginners is a must at the start. Talking about their hobbies and family can help as these are areas they may have already experience in talking about. If a student is really struggling then giving them phrases to use such as “I like …” can help get the ball rolling.
Weird and Funny Conversation Starters
Nobody wants to speak about the same mundane topics, especially if they’re an advanced student. Being able to mix it up is a great attribute to have as a teacher.
Controversial Conversations Topics
These are topics that you need to be careful with and use your judgement based on the student’s background. You need to wait until you know a student to find out what material is appropriate for them. That being said, If used correctly, then these can be really interesting and get the student thinking about “real issues”.
Additional Tips for Your Conversation Lessons
Here are some additional tips to make sure your students are getting the most out of their conversation lessons and will be excited about coming back for more. Some of these will take time to internalize and get right but be aware of them and experiment to get them just right.
General Questions
Family and Home
- Asking questions about family and home help you to get to know someone better. Even if someone has interests and hobbies, their family and home are the first things that have an influence on someone’s life. When people first start studying English this is one of the first things that they learn to talk about. 1. How many people are in your family? 2. Do you have any brother…
Hobbies and Free Time
- Talking about hobbies and free time helps you to get to know a person. These are the first things that a person chooses to do by themselves. It can tell you a lot about their personality and a lot of people like to talk about the things they enjoy. You might even discover an interesting hobby that you want to try for yourself. Or you might meet someone who has similar hobbies to you that yo…
Food and Drink
- Food and drink is not only simple to talk about but it’s becoming more and more popular. As it become easier to cook food from different countries, more people are developing an interest in cooking. 1. What is your favourite type of food? 2. What is your favourite type of drink? 3. Do you like to cook? 4. Do you think you’re a good cook? 5. what wa...
Holidays
- Everyone likes to talk about their holidays and the type of holiday that a person likes can tell you a lot about them. Use holidays as a way to get to know another person and to see what you have in common. 1. Where is the best place you’ve ever been on holiday? 2. Where was the last place you went on holiday? 3. Do you prefer beaches or mountains? 4. Do you like to travel alone or in a gr…
More Topics to Practise Your English Conversation Skills
- If you’ve found these questions too easy, or if you’re just ready to move onto the next level then check out some of these more difficult conversation topics. Try out different topics to stretch your English abilities and learn more about different people. We try to create interesting topics so you can have fun while you learn. 1. Science and technology 2. Interviews 3. Hopes and dreams 4. R…
Speaking in English FAQ
- Before you go make sure you take a look at some of the most commonly asked questions about speaking English.