Star Notes

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Bonus Lesson
PAGE 1
G.TAYLOR STAR PRONUNCIATION
Small Talk and Being Polite
Date: / /
Lesson Outcome: To become more familiar with small talk and being polite in
an English speaking country.
v al ue
www.starpronunciation.com
Small Talk
The ability to conduct small talk is a social skill. In an English speaking country using
small talk is very important for developing good relationships with clients and colleagues.
Small talk isnt a replacement for deeper relationshipsits the rst step toward building
them. We start by talking about what is right there in front of us; the weather, your
colleagues new car, your neighbors garden, the picture in the managers o"ce.
Small talk indicates:
! awareness
! friendliness
! a desire to interact
Not responding or giving one word answers makes people feel like you do not want to be
involved in conversation.
Listen to the way that the people around you use small talk. It may seem unimportant but
remember it is an essential step to buildings relationships with the people around you.
Practise small talk. Choose a few of the sentences below and use them. Once asked,
most English speakers will engage easily in conversation.
As a general rule, when you are asked a small talk question you should:
1] give some information (not serious - just something light)
2] ask a question in return (eg. and how about you?)
A quick note on intonation (tone).
Many of the sentences in this bonus lesson are questions.
Usually the tone of the voice goes up at the end of a yes / no question.

...
eg. Are you working tomorrow?
Usually the tone of the voice goes down at the end of a wh question.
(wh questions are questions with where why when what how).

eg. Where are you working tomorrow?
You will hear many variations of this because intonation varies widely from country to
country and speaker to speaker. English speakers often use a small rise of tone at the
end of their sentence to sound polite or friendly. They key to learning intonation is to
listen carefully to how the people around you use the tone of their voice. It might be
di"cult to hear at rst but after a while you will be able to hear and copy it.
Star Notes
Your step by step path to clear English
Bonus Lesson
PAGE 2
G.TAYLOR STAR PRONUNCIATION
Small Talk and Being Polite
v al ue
www.starpronunciation.com
Good small talk topics:
The weather, weekend, restaurants, food, holidays, travel, where we live, shopping, mov-
ies, books, sport, concerts, family. Events like moving house, buying a house, having a
baby, getting married etc.
Saying hello
Hi / Hello
Good morning/afternoon/evening
Hey (casual)
Gday (Australian casual- short for good day)
Hiya (British casual)
Asking how are you?
How are you?
Hows it going? (casual)
Howya going? (very casual)
Responses
Good thanks n you?
Good thanks, yourself?
Fine thanks. How about you?
Not bad, n you?
Not too bad thanks, yourself?
Im really well and you? .... How are you going?
Small talk starters - more information.
So whats happening? (casual)
Whats been happening (with you)? (casual)
So, whats been going on? (casual)
Whats news (with you)? (casual)
So, howre things (with you)? (casual)
Responses
Oh nothing special really. Ive just been (insert details). How about you?
Just the usual really and how about you?
Me... just working really. Works been really busy. Everythings going well.
Star Notes
Your step by step path to clear English
Bonus Lesson
PAGE 3
G.TAYLOR STAR PRONUNCIATION
Small Talk and Being Polite
v al ue
www.starpronunciation.com
Work related small talk starters
Hows work going?
How was your day?
Are you busy these days?
So hows business?
Have you worked here long?
Everyones at out today! (at out means very busy)
So, what do you think of the new (computers / o"ce / system)?
So, hows your week been?
So, has it been a long week?
Im going to the movies tonight, Im not sure what to see. Has anyone (have you)
seen anything good lately?
Ive just nished my book. Has anyone (have you) read any good books lately?
I need to buy a present for (my mum, sister, brother), any ideas?
Small Talk starters when you havent seen someone for a while
I havent seen you for a while.
I havent seen you for ages.
Howve you been?
What have you been up to?
Small Talk starters on Fridays
Are you looking forward to the weekend?
Do you have any plans for the weekend?
So, any plans for the weekend?
Are you glad its Friday?

Small Talk starters on Mondays
How was your weekend?
What did you get up to on the weekend?
Did you have a good weekend?
Star Notes
Your step by step path to clear English
Bonus Lesson
PAGE 4
G.TAYLOR STAR PRONUNCIATION
Small Talk and Being Polite
v al ue
www.starpronunciation.com
Introducing yourself
Hi, my names Kate.
Hi, Im Kate. Im a friend/colleague of Johns.
Hi, I dont think weve met, Im Kate.
Hello, Id like to introduce myself. Im Kate, I work with John.
Small Talk starters at a social event
So, how do you know (John / Kate)?
Great food isnt it!
So, do you live near here?
So, are you originally from (insert city)?
So, what do you do with yourself? (this means what work do you do)
So, are you working or studying here?
Introducing someone else
Kate, meet John. John and I work together.
Kate, this is John Walters from SKT Consulting.
Kate, Id like you to meet John.
Response: Nice to meet you John.
Hello, nice to meet you.
Kate, have you met John?
Response: No, I don't think weve met. Hi John.
Yes, we've met before. How are you John?
Hi John, I think weve met before.

Small Talk starters before a holiday.
Are you going away for Easter / Christmas / your holiday / the long weekend?
So, do you have any plans for Easter / Christmas / your holiday / the long weekend?
Star Notes
Your step by step path to clear English
Bonus Lesson
PAGE 5
G.TAYLOR STAR PRONUNCIATION
Small Talk and Being Polite
v al ue
www.starpronunciation.com
Small Talk starters for when someone has returned from holiday.
So where did you go for your holiday?
What did you do there?
So what did you do on your holiday?
Did you have a relaxing break?
Would you go back again?
Would you recommend it?
Would it be good for families?
How was the food?
Did you nd any good restaurants?
Did you have a good Easter / Christmas / holiday/ long weekend?
What did you do for Easter / Christmas / your holiday /long weekend?
How was your Easter / Christmas / your holiday /long weekend?
At the end of a conversation.
Nice to talk to you
Response in Australia + UK: Yes, you too.
Nice to meet you.
Response in Australia + UK: Yeah, you too.
Anyway, it was good to see you again
Anyway, Im sure Ill see you around.
Anyway, Id better get going, Ill see you later.
Anyway, Id better run. Im running late for a meeting. See you later.
OK, Ill call you next week to follow up (follow up for work related topics).
OK, Ill email you in the next few days.
Great. Ill give you a call soon. It would be great to catch up properly.
Saying goodbye
Bye / Goodbye
See you later
See you soon
Take Care
Catch you later (casual)
Take it easy (casual)
Bye for now (casual)
Star Notes
Your step by step path to clear English
Bonus Lesson
PAGE 6
G.TAYLOR STAR PRONUNCIATION
Small Talk and Being Polite
v al ue
www.starpronunciation.com
Being Polite
Non-native speakers can mistakenly be thought of as impolite, abrupt and rude because of
the way they use English. It is often because they dont use please and thank you as
much as native speakers, dont use small talk and use direct questions. This is not their
fault, nor is it the fault of their listeners as its often the result of language and cultural
di#erences.
It is something to be aware of. Working to improve the way you use please, thank you
and small talk will impact your employability and your relationships with others.

Take notice of how often the native speakers around you use please, thank you,
pleasure and ta. Pay attention to the way they use indirect questions when they are
talking face-to-face and in emails. Using polite language is just as, if not more important
when writing emails as it is in everyday conversation.
Thank you
Thanks / thank you / thanks a lot / thank you very much
Thanks, thats much appreciated
Thanks, I really appreciate that
Thanks, I appreciate it
Thanks for your time
Ta (casual)
Cheers (casual)
Responding to Thank you
My pleasure its a pleasure or pleasure
No problem
Not at all (a shortened version of No problem at all)
No worries
Please
Using the term please can be very important when asking someone to do something for
you. Whether the question is direct or indirect, using please will always sound more po-
lite. It is not essential to include please in every single question, however using it indi-
cates good manners.
eg. Could you please tell me the time?
Could you tell me the time please?
Star Notes
Your step by step path to clear English
Bonus Lesson
PAGE 7
G.TAYLOR STAR PRONUNCIATION
Small Talk and Being Polite
v al ue
www.starpronunciation.com
Excuse me
If you approach a stranger to ask them something, for example asking for directions, a
polite way of starting your sentence is with Excuse me.
Sometimes we say Im sorry.. or Sorry.
eg Excuse me, could you please tell me where the post o"ce is?
Im sorry, could you please tell me where the post o"ce is?
Sorry, could you please tell me where the post o"ce is?
Indirect Questions
There are two main ways of asking questions directly and indirectly.
Both types of questioning have the same meaning but we use indirect questions when we
want to be more polite, more formal or less confrontational.
We can ask a direct question
eg. Where is post o"ce?
Or to be more formal or polite, we can ask an indirect question
eg. Excuse me, could you tell me where post o"ce is?
Some common phrases used for asking indirect questions.
I was wondering .
Could you please tell me ?
Could you let me know?
Do you know ?
Can you please tell me ?
Do you happen to know ...?
I'd like to know ...
Would it be possible ..?
Would you mind?
Star Notes
Your step by step path to clear English
Bonus Lesson
PAGE 8
G.TAYLOR STAR PRONUNCIATION
Small Talk and Being Polite
v al ue
www.starpronunciation.com
Word order
When we make an indirect question, the question (What ...... ?) becomes part of a longer
sentence or question (Do you know?).
For example:
Direct question: What time does it start?
Indirect: Do you know what time it starts?
Direct: Why cant he go to the meeting?
Indirect: Do you happen to know why he cant go to the meeting?
Direct: What street is this?
Indirect: Would you mind telling me what street this is?

Using 'if' or 'whether':
If there is no question word (a question word is: who, what, when, why, how) in a direct
question, we need to use if or whether in the indirect question.
For example:
Direct: Did they nish it in time?
Indirect: Can you tell me if they nished it on time?
or Can you tell me whether she made it on time?
Direct: Is this the right form?
Indirect: Do you have any idea if this is the right form?
Direct: Is she Italian?
Indirect: Do you know if she is Italian?
or Do you know whether she is Italian or not?
Star Notes
Your step by step path to clear English
Bonus Lesson
PAGE 9
G.TAYLOR STAR PRONUNCIATION
Small Talk and Being Polite
v al ue
www.starpronunciation.com
Other things to keep in mind for being polite in an English speaking country:
Close your mouth when you eat
Dont talk with food in your mouth
Eat quietly
Cover your mouth when you yawn, cough or sneeze.
Dont sni# repeatedly. Blow your nose with a tissue if you need to. In many cultures it
is rude to blow your nose but in the UK, Australia or America it is not. You will send
your colleagues crazy if you sni# at your desk all day long.
It is not good manners to speak loudly on a mobile phone in public places.
If you are in a meeting or appointment you should remember to turn your phone o#
or to silent.
Hear Australian speakers and nd out about Australian Culture here:
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/australia/now/default.htm
http://australianetwork.com/myaustralia/s1_episodes.htm
http://australianetwork.com/myaustralia/s2_episodes.htm
Hear British speakers and nd out about UK Culture here:
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/uk-culture
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/tae_whoonearth_archive.sht
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