How to encourage conversation and how to keep conversation going

1. Use "Uh, huh!", "All right!", "I see" regularly while nodding your head to show that you
are following the conversation.
2. Use "Really?" to show interest.
3. Repeat your partner's last word or key words to show interest:
eg. A"nd then I lost my passport". "Your passport?"
4. Ask follow-up questions:
eg. "And then... what happened?"
"And... what did you do next?"
"And?"
"So?"
5. When necessary, show surprise and concern. Use these expressions:
"Oh, my God!" "Oh, dear!"
"You must be joking/ You must be kidding!"
"You're kidding!"
"No way!"
"That's too bad."
"That's terrible!"
"Oh, poor you!"
PRACTICE
1. I lost my mobile phone yesterday.
2. I had a terrible argument with my best friend yesterday.
3. I bumped into a policeman's car this morning.
4. I fell down in the street this morning.
5. My computer froze yesterday and I couldn't save my homework. I lost everything.
6. My pet got really sick last weekend.
7. I had dinner in a fast food restaurant and I got food poisoning.
8. My car broke down in the middle of the road on Saturday evening.