Conversations in Class A2_book1

Sounding Natural

16 - Continuing conversations after a "No" answer

Example 1: overly humble → unnatural $ 'o you play any instruPents" % Yes Ζ have been playinJ piano for about ten years. $ :ow You Pust be really JooG % 1o Ζ’P terrible at it. Example 2: honest about skills → natural (B is actually quite good at soccer) $ 'o you play any sports" % Yes Ζ play soccer every 6aturGay with Py club. $ 7hat’s Jreat. $re you JooG at it" % :ell Ζ’P not baG Ζ suppose. In the same way, don’t over-praise others. For example, if he or she speaks broken Japanese, don’t say “Your Japanese is very good.” In Japanese it is equivalent to “I appreciate the fact that you are trying to communicate in my language”, but in English it can sound like empty flattery.

You want to keep the conversation flowing after answering “No”.

You should: follow-up your "No" answer with a personal comment.

When you are asked a question like "Have you ever eaten at a Taiwanese restaurant?," chances are high you will answer "No." In this case, one smooth tech nique for keeping the conversation flowing is to fol low-up your "No" answer with a personal comment.

Examples:

• No, but I'd like to. • No, and I don't especially want to. • No, but I have eaten at a Vietnamese restaurant once.

17 - Making long answers

19 - Asking personal questions

You want to give longer and more interesting answers.

You want to signal that you don't understand, if your conversation partner uses a word or phrase you don’t know.

You should use simple conjunctions such as "and", "but", "because" and "so" to give depth to your answer.

You can say:

• &an Ζ ask you a personal Tuestion" • 0ay Ζ ask you a personal Tuestion" • 'o you PinG if Ζ ask you a personal Tuestion"

Examples:

• I like my job. ∆ • Ζ like Py Mob because it’s fun. ○ • Ζ like Py Mob but it’s tirinJ. ○ • Ζ like Py Mob. Ζt’s fun anG Ζ Gon’t have to work lonJ hours. ◎

Example: $ &an Ζ ask a personal Tuestion" % 6ure Jo aheaG. $ 'o you believe in *oG"

18 - Don’t over-praise, or be over-humble

In many Western countries, questions about a per son’s age, salary, religion and politics are generally considered taboo, and people who do not know each other well do not discuss these. However, if you feel comfortable enough to ask a question on any of these topics, it is polite to ask permission beforehand. If the question is too personal, your conversation partner can smile and answer “That’s a secret!”

You want to talk about your abilities or your conversation partner’s abilities in a natural way.

You should avoid over-praising others, or being over humble about yourself. In English, deprecating yourself doesn’t sound honest unless you are genuinely bad at something. If you have a certain ability, but want to be modest about it, use expressions such as “I’m not too bad,” or “I’m just beginning.”

Be careful! How much money one makes is a taboo

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