- English Conversation Practice Pdf
- Advanced English Conversation Stories For Kids
- Everyday English Conversation Practice Pdf
Nobody wants to feel awkward when having a conversation.
Speaking English well. Being able to communicate with ease. Understanding native speakers.
Sounds really good, doesn’t it?
As a student of English, you will work on developing many skills.
Studying grammar, learning new words and phrases, practicing pronunciation—these are all important English skills, right?
Yes!
Studying is a skill.
Learning is a skill.
Practicing is a skill.
And they are the most important skills you can have, because they allow you to improve your English conversation skills.
What Does It Mean to Be an Advanced English Speaker?
If becoming an advanced English speaker is not your goal yet, it should be! To understand and to be understood in English is why we all study English, after all.
As an advanced speaker of English, you will be able to:
- use and understand lots of specific vocabulary related to different topics
![Advanced English Conversation Pdf Advanced English Conversation Pdf](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123761149/248129510.png)
- use and understand both formal and casual English
- easily follow conversations with native English speakers in a variety of situations outside of your classroom
- switch from your native language to English without a lot of preparation or thinking
To be able to master advanced conversations in English, you will need to be able to:
- have conversations with many different people, with different vocabularies and accents
- have conversations without thinking or worrying about grammar and vocabulary—it will all feel natural
These are all very big achievements!
Speaking naturally in a new language, without worrying about the details of the language, is hard to do.
Plus, being able to have conversations is one of the most important English skills you can have. So, it is important to focus on improving your speaking skills early. The more you practice, the quicker you will progress.
The above conversational abilities are what you will need to have in order to call yourself an advanced English speaker and have advanced English conversations. They are not like basic dialogues that you may have with your English teacher in class.
When another person speaks to you in English like they normally would, without changing their speed of talking or their choice of vocabulary to discuss complex topics, it means they see you as an equal—a fellow advanced speaker of English. You are expected to understand them, be actively involved in the discussion and use rich language to share your ideas and thoughts.
This is far from easy!
So, as you can see, listening skills, vocabulary skills and being aware of different types of conversation all lead to you becoming an advanced English speaker.
But where do you begin?
There are many ways! This post will share four easy steps that you can take to reach your goal of speaking like an English native.
1. Before You Speak: Building Up Your Vocabulary
A conversation is a two-way street. People are talking to each other, sharing ideas, asking questions. To do so well, they need to be able to express themselves clearly. It is simply not possible to have a conversation if you do not know the words to say what you want to say.
Knowing how to say something is important! Try to remember the last conversation you had in English. Were there times when you really wanted to ask or say something, but you did not know the right words? Maybe you forgot what something was called. Maybe you did not know a particular verb or expression.
This is why the first step towards becoming an advanced English speaker is working on your vocabulary!
There are several ways to do this.
One way is to identify (find) topics or word groups you have trouble with.
Here is what you do:
1. Make a list of the last 10 conversations you had in English. (Ten is a big number, especially if you only speak English in class, but do your best.) It could be anything: discussing global news with your fellow students, giving directions to a tourist on the street or even having a job interview in English.
2. Imagine 5 more conversations you could have in English, if you knew the right vocabulary. For example, interviewing your favorite celebrity in English, giving a lecture on your area of study or talking about a business proposal. Let your imagination do the work!
3. Now, with these 15 conversations in mind, create different vocabulary groups that could be useful in each of them. For example: global news, politics, science, sales, business, film and pop culture.
4. With these vocabulary groups, make lists of words and phrases that you find useful but have not mastered yet. At this point, reading materials on these topics will help you find unfamiliar vocabulary to work with.
5. Study, study, study!
If the plan above sounds too academic for you, here is another good approach to learning more vocabulary.
1. Listen to advanced English being spoken. Write down the words you do not understand. Your goal is to find unfamiliar words, so it is okay if you don’t fully understand what is being said. Good sources for practicing this are online lectures, online courses on any subject of your interest and especially documentary films.
2. Make a vocabulary list for each lecture, film or tutorial you watch.
3. Study each list!
It is a good idea to work on your vocabulary regularly. Over time, your lists will become more and more advanced!
2. Understanding Is Key: Improving Your Listening Skills
With your vocabulary growing, you will notice you know how to say more things. You will almost always know how to say what you want to say.
But what about understanding other people?
This is the other very important part of having a conversation. It is not always easy to understand when people are speaking English. Your conversation partner could be speaking too fast or with an unfamiliar accent. You need to be prepared!
So how do you improve your listening skills?
By listening to a lot of native English speakers!
You are probably thinking that this is not surprising. But it is true! This is the only way to train your ears to pick up and understand what is being said, so you can show off your excellent vocabulary skills.
Here are some ideas on where to get more listening practice.
1. Watch a lot of films and TV shows in English. This may be the most common advice you hear, but English-speaking films are very easy to find and watch online (free and legally), so you can practice as much as you want. This is also a very entertaining way to build up your listening skills.
2. Turn off the subtitles! This is all about understanding with your ears, not your eyes.
3. Once you are comfortable with watching English movies, it is time for another challenge. You are most likely used to a certain English accent—maybe it is British, maybe it is American. So, find films that are made in other English-speaking countries to learn to understand different accents. Seek out Australian, Irish, Scottish, South African movies and more—there are lots of great ones out there!
4. If you are feeling brave, jump right in! Find local events in your city or town where you can listen to native English speakers talk. You don’t have to participate yet. A lecture or a discussion panel is an ideal choice, because you just have to listen.
Keep listening, and soon you will find that you are following along with ease!
3. Textbooks Aren’t Always Right: Focusing on Real English
Here is something you probably already know after honing (improving) your listening skills: Spoken English isn’t always like textbook English, especially in informal conversations.
“Textbook English” is the proper, grammatically-correct use of English that is required in writing and in any formal communication, both written and oral. You need to use formal English for business and academics.
Informal conversational English is often simpler. It is often okay to skip certain sentence components (including verbs), use filler words and change your intonation to ask questions when you are conversing informally.
Example 1
Textbook English: Are you coming to the party tonight?
Conversational English: Coming to the party tonight? (The verb and the pronoun are dropped)
Example 2
Textbook English: When my friend refused to help me with my homework, I felt upset and didn’t speak to him for several days.
Conversational English: My friend refused to help me with homework, so I was, like, upset and giving him the cold shoulder for a few days. (Some words are dropped, the verb “felt” is replaced with a filler word (“like”) and an idiom (“giving the cold shoulder”) is used.)
That’s right: sometimes you may hear grammatically incorrect spoken English. It is more common among native speakers than you think! Conversational English is often simplified—to communicate information quickly, to show that you are at ease, or simply because you are lazy.
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As you become more advanced, you will begin to skip verbs and use fillers too. And it is okay to be casual—sometimes! Just know the difference between a formal and an informal conversation. Don’t fall into the trap of always being lazy when you speak English.
You don’t have to sound like a textbook to be understood. Here are a few simple rules to follow when you talk:
- pronounce everything as clearly as you can (enunciate)
- try not to talk too fast, even if you are nervous
- stop worrying about your accent—it is okay to have one!
- use full, grammatically-correct sentences and questions, this is always a good practice
- if you are unsure of the meaning of some words, don’t use them—play it safe and add these words to your vocabulary lists to study later
It’s also really smart to listen to authentic, casual English speech whenever you can. FluentU is the perfect tool for this because it brings native English speech within reach.
That’s because FluentU provides real-world English videos—like movie trailers, TV commercials, hilarious YouTube clips and more—that come with built-in language learning tools.
For example, every video comes with interactive subtitles. Click any word for an instant, in-context definition. You’ll also see grammar info and example sentences.
Tap on the word “brought,” and you see this:
After you watch a video, FluentU will give you flashcards, fun quizzes and useful questions. That way you can be sure you’ll remember everything you learned.
It’s the perfect way to learn English the way native speakers really use it. The videos are conveniently organized by format and level (beginner through advanced) so it’s super easy to find the ones that work for you.
Best of all, you can practice conversational English on FluentU anytime, anywhere on your computer or with the mobile apps for iOS and Android.
4. Study topics you’re interested in.
Conversational English is not just about learning the words, it’s about being able to “hold a conversation.” That means you need to keep a conversation going. We’ve talked about using filler words and writing scripts to help you get started. Another way you can build confidence is by building knowledge.
Learn more about topics that you’re interested in, and you’ll have more to contribute to (add to) the conversation. Reading news and informative articles about the subject you’re interested in is just the beginning.
You can practice your conversational English by reading personal blogs written by regular people, following the social media accounts of people involved in your subject, and looking in the comments sections for how people are responding to the topic. Don’t be afraid to leave your own comment!
5. Putting It All Together: Practicing with Natives
So now you have great vocabulary, excellent listening skills and a polished understanding of formal and informal English. It is time to put all of your skills to good use and start conversing with native English speakers!
There are many, many ways to practice speaking English with other people. But since your goal is to develop advanced language skills, you should make it challenging for yourself. Discuss topics from your vocabulary lists. Stay away from “small talk.” Don’t talk about weather, hobbies or any other subjects that are easy for you. Ask a lot of questions and contribute to the conversation as much as you can to practice your grammar and vocabulary.
Where can you practice? Here are a few ideas:
1. Online. You may search for free online discussions, since a lot of native speakers hang out (spend time) online to help ESL students. You may also find a paid tutor or instructor to practice spoken English with over Skype or a similar chat client.
2. With friends. Depending on where you live, you may have friends who are native English speakers! Ask them for help. Agree with them that you will only be speaking English from now on. If they do agree, you will practice English every time you hang out together.
3. By attending events. If you live in a big city, this shouldn’t be a problem—there are many social events that cater (are made for) to connecting English students and native speakers. Just like with other aspects of your learning, try challenging yourself. Go to lectures that are followed by discussions and make an effort to participate. Attend networking events for professionals looking for new jobs or business connections. Go on visitor tours around your city. There are so many possibilities!
This post is meant as just a starting point on your exciting journey towards becoming an advanced English speaker. It may never be as easy to speak English as your native language, but the effort is worth it. The more you learn, the more opportunities will become available to you. The more you learn, the easier it will get!
So keep practicing and keep talking!
If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn English with real-world videos.
On your way to becoming a global businessperson?
English is the most essential language for business success at the moment.
In big business China, more people are currently studying English than in any other country.
Recent studies have shown that larger international hubs (centers) use English to communicate, while less populated areas (places with fewer people) are less likely to do so.
If you are planning to travel for work, you will probably find yourself in some major urban (big city) centers. English will be the universal (common) language in the office, so to get ahead in business it’s good to know some of the language you will be using every day.
Ways to Improve Speaking for Business English
There are tons of ways to improve your English speaking skills for business matters. The key is to always keep practicing—and to find the perfect resources for your business purposes!
- Get some podcasts.This series of podcasts from the British Council will help you to improve your English in your workplace. They are suitable (appropriate) if you are at an intermediate or advanced level.
- Listen to others. Pay attention to every native speaker you encounter. When answering a question they ask you, listen carefully to their choice of words and try to use those same words in your answer.
- Practice with real business English videos on FluentU. FluentU provides real-world English videos for industries like sales, engineering, oil and gas, hospitality and many others. It’s got a huge collection of authentic English videos that people in the English-speaking world actually watch on the regular.
The videos are personalized based on your language level and learning needs. You’ll learn words that matter to your work, while hearing business English the way native speakers use it. It’s an effective but fun language tool that you can carry in your pocket with the iOS or Android mobile app.
You find a variety of business English videos that include “Introducing Business Colleagues,” “Business Buzzwords,” “Control Your Inbox!” and “What Warren Buffet Thinks About Cash.”
An added bonus is that if you want to work on other topics later, simply use the same, familiar FluentU platform to learn with videos from other categories, such as “Science and Tech,” “Politics and Society” or mix it up with “Arts and Entertainment” or “Health and Lifestyle.”
Every spoken word is subtitled, complete with an in-context definition, image and multiple example sentences.
All you have to do is tap or click on one of the words in those subtitles to get more information. For example, if you tap on the word “brought,” you will see this:
Plus, these great videos are all accompanied by interactive features and active learning tools, like multimedia flashcards and fun games like “fill in the blank.”
If you are interested in watching fun, relevant videos and practicing language actively in the process, be sure to create a FluentU account and try out this one-of-a-kind language learning program!
- Read, read, read! Uptick from Forbes is for more advanced business English learners. The articles are written for and by native speakers, so the language is very current and focused on business. Business Wire is a Canadian online magazine that operates as a business news and press release network. They cover an incredible range of business sectors (areas) so the language varies a great deal. The English Learning Blog is a wonderful list that includes free e-books you can download.
Business English Phrases for Speaking in 3 Conference Call Situations
Skype. Face Time. Tinychat. Google Talk. Or WebEx. The list goes on and on. If you are in business, it is almost certain that you’ll use one or more of these tools. These programs are used in business for person-to-person calls, interviews, conference calls, instant messaging or recording audio files.
Before discussing phrases you can use during conference calls, let’s talk a little bit more about what you should expect.
First, it is always a good idea to learn the software you will be using beforehand. Your conference call will go a lot smoother with just a little preparation before you start. Get on the software and learn where all the key features are. Try a test call to see how things go.
Talk with a friend at work and look at the agenda together (there should be one—if there is not, ask for one). The agenda is a document that will list the topics of the upcoming meeting. You will be able to ask your work friend about the words you don’t understand and practice talking about them.
Use the mute button if you are not speaking while on an audio conference call. It is more polite and business-like, and can give you time to really listen and think about what people are saying.
If you are on a video conference call, look interested and nod your head when appropriate. It can be a bit strange at first but try to be as engaged (involved) as possible. Try to be as natural and friendly as you normally are. (I’m sure you are!)
The British Council has some fabulous resources for practicing your conference call skills.
Some native speakers may use complicated idioms during conference calls. If you feel confident enough “dive in,” join in and give it a try too. However, in business English on a conference call, a plain spoken approach with fewer idioms will get your point across more clearly and reduce your stress levels.
Here are some scenarios you may come across when on a conference call, and some phrases to help you through them.
1. Beginning a Conference Call
You will either hear these phrases or need to use them yourself while talking to people on a conference call.
- “Are we all on?”
- “Can I ask that we all state our names, please?”
- “I’m here. It’s [your name] in [your city].”
These are useful phrases to check if everyone is present and has joined the conversation. When asked, just respond, “yes” and give your name and position, or job at the company.
• “Can everybody hear me?”
The chairperson or person in charge of the meeting usually says this. It’s useful to make sure everyone is present for the start.
2. Clarifying Things on a Phone Call
![Conversation Conversation](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123761149/961761741.jpg)
When talking on a conference call, there is a chance that your Internet connection will be poor, or that the quality of the call will be poor. In these cases, you might miss out on something that someone said.
• “Could you speak more slowly, please?”
• “Could you repeat that, please?”
• “Would you mind spelling that for me, please?”
• “Could you explain that in another way, please?”
• “I’m afraid I didn’t get that.”
3. Taking a Break from the Conversation
Conference calls can be stressful. It is perfectly fine to excuse yourself, but make sure you are polite and clear when you do it. Try these phrases if you need a break.
- “[Your name] speaking. I need to leave for ten minutes. Is that okay with everyone?”
When you return, let everybody know you are back by saying:
- “[Your name] here. I’m back on the line again.”
- “[Your name] just coming back in here, thanks everyone.”
4. Starting a Great Presentation
At some point you may be called on to give a presentation. Even native English speakers should keep these simple and not get too complicated. Business presentations can and do have a reputation for being dull. Not a lot of people enjoy sitting through tons of PowerPoint slides…do you?
Keep it moving quickly and people will still be interested. Try these helpful phrases for a presentation:
Introduce yourself and keep it loose and breezy (informal and light)—it will put everyone at ease.
- “Welcome everybody, my name is [your name] and I am the designer for GPLZ Video.”
- “Hi, I’m [your name] and I’m the designer for GPLZ Video.”
- “Good morning/afternoon/evening ladies and gentlemen, I’m [your name].”
- “Hi everyone, I’m [your name]. I’m going to keep this brief, as I know you’re all busy people. I’m going to make this quick for you…”
Note: remember to use the contraction “I’m” instead of “I am” to sound more friendly and less formal.
5. Introducing the Topic of Your Presentation
After you’ve introduced yourself, it is time to introduce your topic of presentation.
- “Today I’m here to talk to you about…”
- “I’m delighted to be here today to tell you about…”
- “Today I would like to outline our plans for…”
This gives your audience a map, or an idea of what you will be talking about. Here are some phrases that will provide structure for your presentation, making your message neater and more organized.
- “Firstly I’ll talk about…” or “I’ll start with some general information on…”
- “Then I will look at…” or “then we’ll go over…”
- “And finally we’ll look at…” or “ To conclude we’ll touch on…”
- “I will be glad to answer any questions that you may have at the end of this presentation.”
Try to look up from your notes as often as possible so you can engage and interest your audience and relax. Try to have fun. People are generally forgiving if you make a few mistakes.
6. Ending Your Presentation
This is a very simple part. Once you have given your presentation and are ready to finish, use these phrases.
- “Well, that brings me to the end of my presentation, thanks so much for listening.”
- “It was a real pleasure being here today. Goodbye and thank you.”
- “Well that’s it from me. Thanks a lot.”
7. Being an Active Participant in Meetings
You will, at some point, be asked to take part in a meeting at your workplace. It is a good idea in business meetings to speak as clearly as possible and to be firm (strong). Remember though, “firm” does not mean “rude” or “pushy.”
It can be easy to seem pushy if you don’t add the all-important “please” and “thank you” to your phrases. These polite terms go a long way in business English. Meetings are all about listening and letting people know you understand what is being talked about. Try these phrases when you are in a business meeting or participating in a conference call.
First, you can use these phrases if you accidentally speak over somebody or stop them from saying something.
- “Sorry, I interrupted you. You were saying…?”
- “Please go on…”
- “After you…”
If you are not sure what somebody said, use these phrases to clarify:
- “I’m sorry, but could you speak up a little?”
- “I didn’t quite hear that, sorry, can you say that again?”
- “I didn’t catch that last bit. Can you say it again please?”
Signal phrases for when you have a question.
• “Am I to understand that…”
• “Sorry, but just to clarify…”
• “So, what we’re saying is…”
Agreeing with people.
• “That’s an excellent point [person’s name], I totally agree with you on that.”
• “Okay, I think we are all on the same page here…”
• “Yes, I get what you’re saying…”
Disagreeing with people.
Hopefully you won’t need these too often! Remember to be polite but firm.
• “I’m sorry but I think you may have that slightly wrong…”
• “From our perspective, it’s a little different. Let me explain.”
• “Well, yes and no—can I tell you how we see it?”
8. Negotiating Successfully
When you are taking part in a negotiation, you might get what you want, but sometimes you may not. Here are some phrases that will work for each situation. Remember, be polite, but be firm. Professional businesspeople never lose control of their emotions.
Sometimes in a negotiation you know you are not going to win. When you go into a negotiation, you should know your “deal breaker” is. A deal break is absolutely not negotiable, or a condition that you will not accept no matter what. For example, the lowest price you are willing to accept for a product is $100 per piece. You will walk away if somebody demands a lower price.
Perhaps you are protecting your “bottom line.” The bottom line is the financial situation beyond which you cannot operate. Try these phrases to get the negotiation “back on track” if it seems you are “not on the same page.” Meaning: Get the negotiation going in your favor if you are not in agreement.
• “I understand that we can’t do that, but can we discuss some other alternatives?”
• “I hear what you’re saying, but our bottom line is very clear on this one.”
• “This is the deal breaker for us, we can’t budge.” (Budge means move, change or give up.)
9. Planning for Future Meetings
Everybody has a phone now, and in business it is really important to know how to greet people and leave them with a positive impression of yourself and the company you work for. Many customers’ and clients’ first interactions with you (and the company you work for) will be on the phone. Make sure you leave them with a great first impression with these phrases when you want to meet with them again:
• “I’d like to set up a meeting with you at your earliest convenience. When are you free?”
• “Are you free to talk again next week?”
• “When can we talk about this again?”
• “How does 2:30 p.m. Thursday sound?”
• “Does Thursday at 2:30 p.m. suit you?”
After the person has agreed to the time, it is customary to confirm one last time just to make sure the other person has really heard. If you are working in a place like an airport where there could be confusion as to the time, add the “a.m.” or “p.m.” just to be sure you have been understood:
• “Thursday at 2:30 p.m. then, that would be fine.”
• “Okay, I look forward to seeing you then.”
• “Thursday at 2.30 p.m. Looking forward to it, see you then.”
• “Thursday at 2.30 p.m., bye for now.”
English Conversation Practice Pdf
If you are already in business and your English is pretty good, learning new phrases and language to climb the corporate ladder (get a promotion) is always going to get you farther.
English is the universal language of business all over the world. The better your English gets, the more in demand you will be as an employee. Keep listening and keep talking!
If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn English with real-world videos.
Speaking skills include the ability to listen, and that means asking meaningful questions. In class, teachers often take over the task of asking probing questions, but sometimes the students don't quite enough practice in this essential task in any conversation. This lesson plan focuses on helping students improve their question-asking skills to move beyond just basic questions.
Students — even higher level students — often run into problems when asking questions. This is due to a number of causes: i.e., teachers are the ones that usually ask questions, the inversion of the auxiliary verb and subject can be especially tricky for many students. This simple lesson focuses on helping higher (intermediate to upper intermediate) level students focus on some of the more difficult question forms.
Aim
Improving speaking confidence when using question difficult question forms
Activity
Intensive review of advanced question forms followed by student gap question exercises.
Level
Intermediate to upper intermediate
Outline
Advanced English Conversation Stories For Kids
- Focus on auxiliary verb usage by making a number of statements in tenses the students are familiar with. Ask students to identify the auxiliary verb in each case.
- Ask a student or students to explain the underlying scheme of the object question form (i.e., ? word Auxiliary Subject Verb). Have students give a number of examples in different tenses.
- Review the question forms of some of the more difficult tenses and constructions such as: conditionals, used to, present perfect continuous, past perfect, etc.
- Split students up into pairs. Distribute worksheet and ask students to ask an appropriate question for the given answer taking turns.
- Follow-up check of questions either by circulating through the student pairs or as a group.
- Ask students to each take the second exercise (one for Student A the other for Student B) and complete the gaps by asking their partner for the missing information.
- Solidify question forms by quickly playing a verb inversion game using the various tenses (i.e., Teacher: I live in the city. Student: Where do you live? etc.)
Exercise 1: Ask an Appropriate Question for the Response
![Dialogues Dialogues](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123761149/155438282.jpg)
- It was really rather wet and windy with temperatures well below normal.
- Since eight o'clock this morning.
- I was cleaning up.
- I'd buy a new house.
- She can't be at home, I tried to call her a few minutes ago.
- Why don't you go shopping?
- For about 2 years.
Exercise 2: Ask Questions to Fill the Gaps With the Missing Information
Student A
The last few weeks have been very difficult for my friend ______. He discovered that he hadn't insured his car after his car was stolen __________. He immediately went to his insurance agent, but she told him that he had only bought ____________, and not against theft. He became really angry and ________________, but, of course, he didn't do that in the end. So, he hasn't been driving for the past two weeks, but ___________ to get to work. He works at a company about 15 miles from his home in __________. It used to take him only twenty minutes to get to work. Now, he has to get up at ___________ in order to catch the seven o'clock bus. If he had more money, he would ___________. Unfortunately, he had just spent most of his savings on an _____________ before his car was stolen. He had a wonderful time in Hawaii, but he now says that if he hadn't gone to Hawaii, he wouldn't be having all these problems now. Poor guy.
Student B
The last few weeks have been very difficult for my friend Jason. He discovered that _______________ after his car was stolen three weeks ago. He immediately went to his ___________, but she told him that he had only bought a policy against accidents, and not ________. He became really angry and threatened to sue the company, but, of course, he didn't do that in the end. So, he hasn't been ___________ for the past two weeks, but has been taking the bus to get to work. He works at a company about __________ from his home in Davonford. It used to take him ____________ to get to work. Now, he has to get up at six o'clock __________________________. If he had more money, he would buy a new car. Unfortunately, he had just __________________ on an exotic vacation to Hawaii before his car was stolen. He had a wonderful time in Hawaii, but he now says that if _______________, he wouldn't be having all these problems now. Poor guy.
The main aim of these Talking Point conversation worksheets is to promote English fluency by presenting students with stimulating discussion questions. All Talking Point conversation worksheets are designed for use with students who have reached Pre-Intermediate level, though they are also very successful with Intermediate and more advanced students. Each Talking Point worksheet is accompanied by Teacher's Notes with answers.
You can use these worksheets in conjunction with the EnglishClub Talking Point Discussion and Homework forums, which your students can find via the Talking Point icons on the EnglishClub home page.
CONVERSATION TOPICS - Advanced level
A list of conversation topics suitable for advanced level learners of English.
Everyday English Conversation Practice Pdf
♦Note:
It's a good idea to pre-teach essential vocabulary before beginning a discussion.
This will help students feel more comfortable and encourage them to participate.
CONVERSATION TOPICS - ADVANCED LEVELIt's a good idea to pre-teach essential vocabulary before beginning a discussion.
This will help students feel more comfortable and encourage them to participate.
- Fake news
Fake news (fabricated news) is the deliberate spread of misinformation. Sensationalist, dishonest or outright fabricated headlines are often used to increase readership. - Do you agree with the above definition?
- Where do we most often find fake news? (newspapers, social media ..)
- What sort of fake news can you think of? (politics, show business..)
- How can we tell if a news story is ‘fake’ or not? (checking sources, dates, photos…)
- What is the purpose of the misinformation?
- Is fake news used in election campaigns?
- Have any countries recently been accused of spreading fake news?
- Can you think of ways to prevent the circulation of fake news?
- Violence in the world today
- When you hear the word 'violence', what do you think of?
- Is the world more violent today?
- Are there different sorts of violence? (physical / mental /psychological/domestic …)
- What forms of violence have you noticed?
- Do people tend to be more violent when they group together? (gangs / mobs / crowds…)
- In what areas is there an increase in the level of violence? (football, politics, religion, environment …)
- What are the causes of violence? (jealousy, frustration, unemployment, poverty, conspiracy theories, fake news …)
- What violent conflicts are going on around the world?
- Does the repetition of violent images in TV news reports have a positive or negative effect?
- Does violence ever achieve anything?
- Is the increase in violence a worldwide phenomenon?
- What could be done to reduce violence?
- Annoying things
- Do people have habits that annoy you?
- Do you annoy people with some of your habits?
- What does 'pet peeve' mean?
- Do you have a pet peeve?
- What annoys you when you are driving a car?
- What are some things that car drivers do that annoy you?
- Does it annoy you if someone cuts in front of you when you are waiting in line?
- Does smoking bother you?
- Does something that your parents or friends do annoy you?
- Do some people in your office/company do annoying things?
- Can you think of any celebrities that are annoying? Why?
- What do people do on public transport or on the street that annoys you?
- Success-Failure
- How would you define success?
- Do you have the same idea of success as your parents?
- To what extent will your encourage your children to become successful?
- Do you think failures can contribute to a person's success?
- Can you think of any famous people who encountered failure before success?
- Social Networking
- What is social networking?
- Can social networking sites be dangerous?
- What precautions would you advise people to take?
- Should the use of social networking sites be banned at work?
- Are social networking sites changing our daily behaviour?
- Is it possible to become a social networking addict?
- Diseases
- What dangerous diseases are people scared of nowadays?
- Should we be better-informed about the dangers of these diseases?
- What is the best way to stop diseases from spreading?
- Do diseases have an effect on travel?
- Which disease is it urgent to find a cure for?
- Manners
- Are good manners important?
- Do people have better manners today than before?
- Can you give examples of what you think are good manners?
- What do you think are bad manners?
- Can good manners in one country be bad manners in another country?
- What about table manners? Can you give examples of some good table manners?
- How about bad table manners?
- Can manners affect your success in life? How?
- What's the best way to teach manners to children?
- What advice about manners would you give a foreigner visiting your country?
- News coverage in the media today.
- Do you think news coverage today correctly describes what is going on in the world?
- Do you trust everything you hear or see on the news?
- What improvements would you make?
- What is the most important current news story?
- Do certain types of events get too much/too little coverage?
- Do you trust the media? Are you sure the information given is always true?
- Is it important to keep up with current events?
- Job interviews
- Is it necessary to prepare for a job interview?
- How can a person make a good first impression?
- Is there a recommended dress code for an interview?
- Can you think of any difficult questions one should be prepared for?
- Is there anything a candidate should avoid mentioning?
- Is it ok to make negative comments about your present employer?
- Is it ok for interviewers to ask questions about age, marital status, etc.?
- What information should a candidate have about the company?
- Environment
- What are some of the most serious environmental problems today?
- Can you find ten things that each of us can do to help preserve our planet?
- What is your opinion on climate change?
- In what way will our children be affected by climate change?
- How can we make our homes more environmentally friendly?
- What can companies do to help preserve the environment?
- Which countries cause the most pollution?
- If we run out of oil, where will we get our energy from?
- Shopping on the internet
- Do you often do your shopping online?
- What do you buy online? :
- food
- clothes
- furniture
- services : airline tickets, theatre reservations, flowers, greeting cards ..
- other - Are the prices the same as in the shops/agencies or less expensive?
- Have you ever had any disappointments or bad surprises?
- What are the advantages of shopping online?
- What are the dangers?
- What advice would you give future online shoppers?
- Risk
- What is your definition of risk?
- Do you know any risk takers?
- In your opinion why do people take risks? (pleasure, work, challenge ..)
- What risks do you come across in your work/life?
- Are some people obliged to take risks in their jobs?
- When is a risk stupid or unnecessary?
- Politicians' personal lives.
- Does a politician's personal life have an effect on their ability to do their job?
- Do you think the media pays too much attention to politicians' personal lives?
- Why do certain types of media give excessive coverage to minor offences?
- Information concerning personal lives circulates quickly on social networks.
Is this good or bad?
- History for future generations.
- You are asked to select a number of objects to represent life at the beginning of the 21st century.
The idea is to help future generations better understand how we lived and what major events affected us.
What objects would your choose and why?
- You are asked to select a number of objects to represent life at the beginning of the 21st century.
- Technology
- What technology would it be difficult to live without today?
- Has technology changed our everyday lifestyle?
- What technology, if any, has made our homes more comfortable?
- Has technology changed education methods?
- Will online education one day replace the classroom?
- Travelling has become easier and cheaper. What has it changed in people's lives:
- speed, comfort, health, family relationships, etc.
- work/employment
- holiday habits
- way of life/standard of living in certain countries.
- Describe the best or worst trip you ever took:
- Where did you go?
- Did you travel alone or with a group?
- What did you do / what had you intended to do?
- What made it your best (or worst) trip?
- What advice would you give someone planning the same sort of trip?
- Work
- Do human beings need to work to be happy?
- What motivates people to work long hours?
- Can perks (or fringe benefits) compensate for a boring job?
- What are the advantages/disadvantages of working from home?
- How do people find a balance between work and personal life?
- What would make you leave your job?
- In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world?
- Is life today better than in the past? Think about the following:
- Education - employment - job satisfaction
- Health : prevention, treatment, new discoveries, social security, etc.
- Comfort : standard of living (housing/transport/leisure)
- Violence
- Social issues : single mothers, unmarried couples, homosexuality ..
- Inventions
- What invention has had the greatest impact on our lives?
- Are there some things that never should have been invented?
- Do some countries encourage inventors more than others?
- What are the 5 most important decisions in a person's life?
After making suggestions and defending their ideas, the group retains five of them and decides on the order of importance. - It is impossible to have a successful career and a happy family life.
You have to choose one or the other. Do you agree? - Careers today: how to advise young people
- How important is it to have a good (well-paid/secure) job?
- What advice would you give a young person today?
- Would you encourage your children to accept a job in another country?
- Would you be disappointed if your children
- left school early?
- chose a manual job?
- The internet is an essential communication tool in today's world.
- The first and most popular use is the email. What others can you think of?
- Has fraud increased since the arrival of the internet? How?
- Is the internet sometimes used for other dishonest purposes?
- What steps would you advise to protect data and privacy?
- What do you think the internet will be used for in the future?
- Recent physical achievements (crossing the Atlantic, mountain climbing, etc.).
- How many can you think of?
- Which achievement was the most impressive?
- Are the world's best athletes present at the Olympic Games?
- What do you think of 'extreme' sports (bungee jumping, tightrope walking..)?
- The effects of medical and scientific progress:
- health (prevention, treatment, organ transplants, rare diseases, etc.)
- beauty (plastic surgery, dental care, etc.)
- comfort in the home
- transport
see also:
Unfinished sentences - advanced
Conversation topics - intermediate
Conversation topics - business
back to Resources for Teachers
Unfinished sentences - advanced
Conversation topics - intermediate
Conversation topics - business
back to Resources for Teachers
Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.