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Focus: Speaking & Listening
Level:   Beginner
For a printable version of this lesson, check the Teacher Pages.

Part A:    Topic Categories

Part B:   Openers and Closers

Part C:    Conversation Strategies

Part D:    Summary

Part E:   Get Collocating!

Part F:    Listening Exercise

Part A: Topic Categories

Which of the following topics do you think are generally OK or not OK to discuss when you first meet someone in Canada? Put a check (P) in the category beside the topic below. If you think the topic is acceptable, what question would you ask?

	OK	Not OK
1.  Health
2.  Weather
3.  Sports
4.  Work
5.  Families
6.  Religion
7.  Food
8.  Travel
9.  Education
10.Sex
11.Cars
12.Clothes
13.Politics
14.Weight
15.Salary/Money

Check your answers!

Part B: Openers and Closers

Conversation openers and closures signal when a conversation is beginning and ending. Greetings establish contact and show a level of friendliness and formality. Pre-closings signal the end of the conversation. Closings end the conversation.

What do you think a common greeting is?

What do you think a common pre-closing is?

What do you think a common closing is?

 

The following is a list of useful openers, pre-closings and closings.

Greetings Responses

Good morning/afternoon/evening.........................	Good morning/afternoon/evening
Hello...................................................................	Hi
How are you?.....................................................	Fine, thanks/Great/OK
How are you doing?...........................................	Pretty good
How's it going?...................................................	Not bad
What's happening...............................................	Not much
What's up?.........................................................	Nothing much
Long time, no see ...............................................	Yeah, I haven't seen you for ages

 

Pre-Closings Responses

I'm afraid I have to be going............................	Take care
It's been a pleasure.........................................	Yes, I enjoyed taking with you
Well, it's getting late........................................	Maybe we can talk again some time
It was nice talking with you..............................	Yeah, I enjoyed it
Nice to see you (again)....................................	Nice to see you
Maybe we can get together sometime..............	Sounds good!
I've got to run..................................................	See you

 

Closings Responses

Good-bye.........................................................	Good-bye
Have a nice evening/weekend/life....................	You too
Talk to you later................................................	OK. Bye-bye
See you later.....................................................	OK. Take care.
See you..........................................................	So long.

(Adapted from: Ouziel/Butler/Moffatt)

Part C: Conversation Strategies

Many people in Canada are uncomfortable with an extended period of silence in a conversation. If a conversational partner does not speak or ask a question for a long period of time, the speaker may talk faster or repeat what (s)he has said. Use the phrases below to show that you are listening or to ask a question during a discussion.

Expressing Understanding	Expressing Misunderstanding	Expressing Agreement / Disagreement
I understand I see I got it Uh-huh	I don't understand I don't quite understand I don't/didn't get it Huh?	Me too I agree So do/did I	Me neither I disagree Neither do/did I

 

Asking Questions	Making Statements
Could you repeat that? Could you say that again? What do you mean by...? What was that?	I mean... What I mean is...

 

Bringing in Others Ideas & Sharing Opinions

 

Asking Questions	Sharing Opinions
What do you think (about ___)? How about you? What's your opinion? Do you agree?	I think that... For me... In my opinion...

 

Interrupting

We usually interrupt when there is a break in the conversation such as at the end of a sentence or a pause when someone is thinking.

Asking Questions

Uh, could I ask a question? Could I interrupt for a moment? Sorry, but...

(adapted from: Butler/Ouziel/Moffatt)

 

Part D: Summary of Conversation Strategies

Below is a list of conversational gambits. During your discussion, you must use as many of the gambits as possible. Be sure to use the gambits appropriately and check off the gambits that you use.

Conversation Strategies
Openers and Closers
Greetings:	Hello		Hi!
	How's it going?		Not bad.
	What's new?		Nothing much.
	What's happening?		Not much.
Pre-closures:	Well, it's getting late...		Yeah, maybe we can talk again some time.
	It was nice talking with you...		Yeah, I've enjoyed it.
	Let's get together sometime...		Sounds good.
	Well, I've got to run...		OK. See you.
Closing:	Bye.		Good-bye.
	Have a nice weekend.		You, too.
	Talk to you later.		OK. Bye-bye.
	See you.		Ok. So long.
Expressing Understanding / Misunderstanding
I see / I get it.			I don't see. / I don't get it.
OK.			Huh?
Uh huh.			Uh uh.
Interrupting
Excuse me...			Could I interrupt for a moment?
Sorry but...			Could I ask a question?
Clarifying and Repeating
What do you mean by...?			Could you repeat that?
What was that?			Could you say that again?
Bringing in others' ideas
For me...			What's your opinion?
In my opinion...			How about you?
I think...			Do you agree?

(adapted from: Ouziel/Butler)

 

Part E: Get Collocating!

GET +_____ in different situations

Get is a commonly used verb in English. In Conversation Strategies, we have seen that you can express understanding by saying I get it or express confusion by saying I don't get it. The examples below were taken from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.

UNDERSTAND

get it - (at the printer) Oh, the paper's supposed to go in this way. I get it.

not get it - He just didn't get it. (the joke)

Get + __ can be used to express more than just understanding. It can be used in a variety of situations. Look at the variations of get + __ below and put each in the category you think it would go best. Some expressions could go into more than 1 category.

get going get rich get fat get creamed get sick get an 'A'

get hurt get there get around get paid get on get away

Money	Travel	Health	Sports	Education	Weight
Have you heard any other combinations using get + for these topics?

Part F: Listening Exercise

Dave & Andy - Conversation Strategies

Listen to the tape of the conversation between Dave and Andy and try to answer the questions below.

Part 1 - Openers and Closers & Conversation Strategies

1. How do Dave and Andy greet each other?

2. What does Andy ask instead of How are you?

3. How does Dave reply?

4. What clarifying expressions are used in the conversation?

5. What interrupting expression is used in the conversation?

6. What expression is used to bring in other's ideas?

7. What feedback expressions are used (2)?

8. What pre-closure is used?

9. What kind of closure is used?

Part 2 - Situation

1. Where do you think the conversation is taking place?

2. What makes you think that?

3. Is their language formal or casual?

4. Is this the first time they met or have they met before?

5. Do you think that they will be meeting again?

 

Read the Tapescript here.

 

Answers

Part A

1 - OK
2 - OK
3 - OK
4 - OK
5 - OK
6 - not OK
7 - OK
8 - OK
9 - OK
10-not OK
11-OK
12-OK
13-not OK
14-not OK
15-not OK

 

Tapescript

Dave and Andy at the SUB

Dave and Andy are first year psychology students at UBC. They have just seen each other while waiting to get a cup of coffee at the SUB.

Dave: Hey, Andy, my man! Andy: Dave-ster, what's up? Dave: Nothing much. First week of classes blues… Andy: Uh-huh, I know that feeling! Dave: What's happening with you? Andy: Things are settling in. Dave: What do you mean "settling in"? Andy: Well, I've got my classes all organised. Dave: Yeah… Andy: Got a place to live…. Dave: Uh-huh… Andy: Got a girlfriend… Dave: Huh? Got a girlfriend?! Already? In your dreams, maybe… Andy (chuckling): Just wanted to see if you were paying attention, D-Man, 'cause your eyes were getting all… Dave: Sorry, but do you know if it's 9:00 yet? Andy: Yeah man, it's way past nine! It's almost 9:30! Dave: Yikes! I've got to run! See you later, OK? Andy: You bet. Hey, maybe later you can tell me what you thought of that CD I lent you, OK? Dave: Sure thing. Later. Andy: Bye

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