Starting and Ending Conversations- Simplest Responses

Starting and ending conversations simplest responses game

 

Warmer

Roleplay starting and ending a conversation. Before you start, decide how long the whole conversation will be and how long you will spend smoothly ending it, e.g. a five-minute conversation with the last minute smoothly ending. Roleplay that conversation, discuss if it went well or not and why, then try again with the same or different time limits.

 

Simplest responses card game

Without looking below, listen to your teacher read out phrases and hold up your “Starting” card or your “Ending” card depending on when you think each phrase is used (or type those words into the chat box if you are studying online).

Label the sections below with S for Starting or E for ending. Phrases in the same section always belong to the same category, so look at others in the same section if you are not sure about one phrase.  

Check your answers as a class.

Test each other in pairs or small groups with the same holding up cards game.

Ask about any phrases that you aren’t sure about.

First of all without looking at the phrases, complete the brainstorming stage.

Look below for ideas and brainstorm more. Then check your extra phrases as a class and/ or with lists of phrases.

Test each other on the phrases:

• Play the same holding up cards game
• Say the name of one section in the brainstorming, then say phrases with one word missing from each for your partner to complete
• Say the name of one section and help your partner make suitable phrases
• Say one phrase and see if your partner can reply
• Say a phrase, listen to the reply, respond to that, then roleplay the rest of the conversation together
• Roleplay whole conversations, from starting to ending

 

Starting and ending conversations phrases to classify

• Hi.
• Hello. 
• Good morning.

 

• Bye.
• Goodbye.

 

• See you at three o’clock.
• See you on Monday.
• See you next week.

 

• See you later.
• See you then.

 

• See you, then.
• See you soon.

 

• Have a good journey.
• Have a nice day.

 

• It’s very nice to meet you.
• Nice to meet you too, (name).

 

• It was really nice to meet you.
• Nice meeting you too.

 

• It was a pleasure to meet you.
• It’s been really interesting talking to you.
• It was lovely to see you again.

 

• How do you do?
• It’s a pleasure to meet you, William.
• Pleased to meet you too.

 

• I’m Alex.
• My name is Alex.

 

• I’m Alexander but please call me Alex.
• My name is Alex Case. I work for Language Linkage.

 

• I have an appointment with John Smith. Is that you?
• Are you John?
• Can I ask your name?

 

• I hope we have the chance to meet again soon.
• I look forward to meeting you again soon.

 

• Is this seat free?
• Is anyone sitting here?

 

• Can I introduce myself?
• May I introduce myself?

 

• I don’t think we’ve met, have we?
• I don’t think we’ve been introduced.

 

• How’s it going?
• How are you doing?
• How are you?

 

• Do you have any plans for this evening?
• Do you have any more meetings after this?
• What’s your schedule for (the rest of) today?

 

• Anyway, as I said I’ll check with my boss and…
• I’ll email you about…
• I’ll be in contact about…

 

• I’d love to hear more about that but…
• I have another meeting, so…

 

• I’m afraid I must go and…
• I’m sorry but I really have to…

 

Brainstorming stage

First with no help, write as many suitable phrases as you can in the categories below.

Starting conversations

Greetings at the beginning of the conversation

 

 

 

Introductions/ Talking about names

 

 

 

Polite things to say when you meet for the first time (like “Nice to meet you”)

 

 

 

Small talk questions at the beginning of the conversation

 

 

 

Ending conversations

Smoothly finishing conversations (giving reasons for ending the conversation, etc)

 

 

 

Polite and friendly things to say at the end of the conversation (like “Nice to meet you”, but at the end)

 

 

 

Small talk questions at the end of the conversation

 

 

 

Good wishes for something that the other person will do

 

 

 

Talking about future contact (next meeting, etc)

 

 

 

Greetings at the end of the conversation

 

 

 

Look above for suitable language, brainstorm more, then compare as a class or with lists.