Conversational reactions in small talk review

Conversational reactions in small talk review

 

Conversational reactions answer me

Choose one of the lines below that you want your partner to say and write that, but don’t tell them which one and don’t show them what you have written. Say something that you think will cause that reaction, listen to what your partner says, then show them what you have written. 

• Congratulations!
• Good for you.
• Great. 
• How amazing!
• How disappointing.
• I hope you have better luck next time.
• I’m sorry (to hear that).
• Lucky you!
• Oh no!
• Really?
• That sounds alright.
• That sounds awful.
• That’s bad luck.
• That’s bad news.
• That’s excellent news!
• That’s fantastic.
• That’s great.
• That’s surprising.
• That’s terrible.
• Well done!
• Wow!

Ask about any responses above that you are not sure when to say.

Do the same, but in response to a small talk question from your partner like “How…?”

First lines to practise conversational reactions

Take turns starting conversations with lines from below, also asking other small talk questions and reacting naturally to what the other person says each time.

Hi, (name). Long time no see!

Hi, (name). How was your weekend?

Hi, (name). How has your week been?

Hi, (name). Great to see you again. How have you been (since we last met)?

Hi, (name). How’s work?

Hi, (name). How’s business?

(Good) morning, (name). How was your evening?

Hello again. How was your lunch?

Hi, (name). (Welcome back). How was your trip?

Hi, (name). How was your interview?

Hi, (name). How’s it going?/ How are you doing?

Hello. You must be (name). Welcome to (place). How was your journey?/ How was your flight?/ Did you have any trouble getting here?

Ask about any questions which you couldn’t answer, etc.

Make the questions in the right tenses 

1. Hi, (name). How/ work?

2. Hi, (name). How/ business?

3. Hi, (name). How/ it/ go?/ How/ you/ do?

4. (Good) morning, (name). How/ your evening?

5. You must be (name). Welcome to (place). How/ your journey?

6. Hi, (name). (Welcome back). How/ your trip?

7. Hi, (name). How/ your weekend?

8. Hi, (name). How/ your week?

9. Hi, (name). Great to see you again. How/ you (since we last met)?

Why is that tense used in the last two questions? How is it different from the questions before (numbers 7, 6, etc)?

Conversational reactions roleplays

Take turns choosing situations from below to roleplay.

• Meet someone for the first time.
• Meet someone for the second time.
• Meet someone who is coming to your office for the first time.
• See a colleague again at 2 p.m.
• See a colleague at Wednesday lunchtime.
• See a colleague on Friday morning.
• See a colleague on Monday morning.
• See a colleague who is looking for a new job.
• See someone again after a long time.
• Share some bad news.
• Share some good news.