How to...Lesson 1

​How to start a conversation
How to make a good impression
How to be polite

Warm-up:

 “Figure me out” game

Do you think it's awkward to start a conversation with someone you don't know? Why/Why not?


How would you start a conversation with a stranger?

I Became Friends With 100 Strangers In A Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXTOyBINUW4&t=1s&ab_channel=BuzzFeedVideo

Draw

Match the conversation starters to the reactions

How to make a good fist impression

https://godel.mygo1.com/play/18918368?origin=https%3A%2F%2Fgodel.mygo1.com%2Fr%2Fapp%2Fexplore%2Fall%3Fq%3Dhow%2520to%2520make%2520a%2520good%2520first%2520impression%26sort%3Drelevant%26searchId%3D4d2b9874-4d08-496a-8257-754374fe5144&bottomDrawer=collapsed

Open Ended

List three things that leave a good impression at a new workplace.

1.

2.

3.

​How to be polite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQN4-l5AXE0&ab_channel=BBCLearningEnglish

• What are some ways to make requests softer?

• How can you make your opinions less direct?

• What verbs can you use to introduce problems and soften them?

• How can you refuse an invitation in a less direct way?

Requests, suggestions and questions:
We soften requests, and suggestions and questions by using past forms, continuous forms or both.
Direct: ‘Pick me up on your way to the party this evening!’
More polite: ‘I was wondering if you could give me a lift later.’ 
We can also make requests softer by using a negative question with a question tag. 
‘You couldn’t give me a lift later, could you?’ or ‘I don’t suppose you could pick me up tonight, could you?’

Giving Opinions:
We use verbs like reckon, guess, feel to make your opinions less direct. You can also use vague expressions like ‘sort of’, ‘kind of’, ‘a little bit’.
Direct: 'You're too young to get married!'
More polite: 'I reckon you're a little young to be getting married!
It also helps if you make it into a question: 
‘Aren’t you kind of young to be getting married?’

Discussing Problems:
We introduce problems with verbs like seem and appear to soften them. 
Direct: ‘You've made a mistake in this report!’
More polite: ‘You seem to have made a mistake here.’
You can also use these to introduce your own problems. 
‘I seem to have lost those reports you wanted’.

Saying No!
We find it really hard to say no! So instead we use tentative language to soften it.
Direct: ‘No, I'm not coming to your party this evening.’
More polite: ‘I’m not sure I'll be able to make it to your party this evening…’

 

Let's practice

Say the following sentences in a more diplomatic way:

1.      Can you leave him a message?

2.     I won't be able to finish the report today. I'm busy.

3.     The price is too high for us.

4.     I'm going to be late.

5.     Mr. Johnson is at lunch. Call back later.

6.     You don't understand my idea.

7.     If we implement this idea, we will have a problem.

8.     Can I speak to the manager, please? It's urgent.

9.     Speak louder. I can't hear you.

10.   We should close down our old factory.

Make sentences with the opening phrases

Why are you studying English?

1.   Can you tell me why you are studying English?

2.   How do you feel about your current workload

3.   What skills or knowledge do you hope to develop in the future?

4.   Do you have any questions for me?

5.   Are there any expectations or assumptions about deadlines that I should be aware of?

6.   Is your current workload manageable?

​Think of a way to start a conversation in the situations below.


a) You are on a plane. Talk to the person next to you.
b) You are waiting for the first lesson of an English course. Talk to a person who also looks like a student.
c) You are in the park with your children. Talk to someone who also came to the park with their children. d) You are waiting in a queue in a shop. Talk to the person in front of you.
e) You are at a café waiting for a barista to make you a take-away coffee. Talk to the barista.
f) You are at a party. Talk to the person who is sitting alone.
g) You are in a city you don’t know very well and you think you’re lost. You see a group of people talking to each other. Talk to them.

Draw

Who are you after the lesson?