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Small Talk
smalltalkconversationb1

Small Talk

B1en35 min

What you'll learn

  • Talk about small talk with confidence.
  • Read and understand passages about small talk.

Tips for this lesson

  • Repeat new words out loud several times.
  • Try to use today's vocabulary in your own sentences.
  • Don't worry about mistakes — they help you learn!
Step 1 of 9
1Warm-up

Vocabulary

Learn the following words and repeat after your tutor.

  • routine
    routine
    /ruːˈtiːn/
    noun
  • schedule
    schedule
    /ˈʃedjuːl/
    noun
  • habit
    habit
    /ˈhæbɪt/
    noun
  • manage
    manage
    /ˈmænɪdʒ/
    verb
  • small
    small
    /small/
    noun
  • discuss
    discuss
    /dɪˈskʌs/
    verb
Step 2 of 9
2Vocabulary

Vocabulary in Context

Study each word and its example. Try to use it in your own sentence.

  • routine
    routine
    /ruːˈtiːn/
    noun
  • schedule
    schedule
    /ˈʃedjuːl/
    noun
  • habit
    habit
    /ˈhæbɪt/
    noun
  • manage
    manage
    /ˈmænɪdʒ/
    verb
  • small
    small
    /small/
    noun
  • discuss
    discuss
    /dɪˈskʌs/
    verb
Step 3 of 9
3Fill the blanks

Practice Conversation

Complete the dialogue with your own answers.

Teacher
Teacher
Let's talk about small talk. What do you think?
Student
Student
I think small talk is very interesting.
Teacher
Teacher
Can you tell me more? Give me an example.
Student
Student
For example, I often...
Teacher
Teacher
That's great! How about in your daily life?
Student
Student
In my daily life, I...
Step 4 of 9
4Read aloud

Read Aloud

Read your lines aloud with your tutor. Pay attention to pronunciation.

A conversation about small talk.
A conversation about small talk.
You: student · Tutor: tutor
Teacher
Teacher
Today we're discussing small talk. What's your experience with it?
Student
Student
Well, I've always been interested in small talk. I think it's quite relevant.
Teacher
Teacher
Can you elaborate on why you find it relevant?
Student
Student
Certainly. In my opinion, small talk affects our daily lives in many ways.
Teacher
Teacher
That's a good point. Would you say it's more positive or negative?
Student
Student
I'd say it has both positive and negative aspects. On one hand...
Step 5 of 9
5Q&A drill

Comprehension Questions

Match each question with the correct answer.

  • Q1What is small talk about?
    A____________
  • Q2Why is this topic useful?
    A____________
  • Q3How can you practise this at home?
    A____________
  • Q4What should you remember from this lesson?
    A____________
Step 6 of 9
6Fill the blanks

Extended Practice

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words or phrases.

Teacher
Teacher
Have you ever thought about small talk?
Student
Student
Yes, I have. I believe that ___
Teacher
Teacher
Interesting. What would you change about it?
Student
Student
I would change ___
Teacher
Teacher
And why is that important to you?
Student
Student
It's important because ___
Step 7 of 9
7Word order

Word Order

Put the words in the correct order to make a sentence.

Example
English.learningamII am learning English.
  1. Sentence 1
    Tap the words below to build the sentence.
  2. Sentence 2
    Tap the words below to build the sentence.
  3. Sentence 3
    Tap the words below to build the sentence.
Step 8 of 9
8Picture prompts

Picture Discussion

Look at the images and answer the questions.

Ex. What can you see in this picture?
  1. small talk scene
    #1

    Describe what you see in this picture about small talk.

  2. people engaged in small talk
    #2

    What is happening in this image?

  3. small talk context
    #3

    How does this picture relate to today's topic?

Step 9 of 9
9Speak freely

Discussion

Discuss these questions with your tutor. Try to give detailed answers.

  1. 1.What are the advantages and disadvantages of small talk?
  2. 2.How has small talk changed in recent years?
  3. 3.What advice would you give someone learning about small talk?
  4. 4.How is small talk different in your country compared to English-speaking countries?