General Topics
General Topics
Person A: "I'm pretty busy at work these days, but otherwise, everything is great."
Person A: "Andy, it's been a long time, how are you man?"
Person B: "What a surprise. I haven't seen you in a long time. How have you been?"
Person A: "Do you come to this restaurant often?"
Person B: "I've been here a couple of times, but I don't come on a regular basis."
Greeting - Interactive Practice
Apasa pe "Asculta toate" si urmeaza instructiunile.Dupa ce deveniti comfortabil cu intreaga
conversatie, jucati rolul persoanei A apasand pe butonul "Persoana A".Veti auzi numai
persoana B de-a lungul conversatiei. Va fi liniste pentru dvs sa repetati propoztiile persoanei
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hi, how are you doing?"
B: "I'm doing great. How about you?"
A: "Not too bad."
B: "Do you come to this restaurant often?"
A: "I've been here a couple of times, but I don't come on a regular basis. What have you been
up to?"
B: "I'm pretty busy at work these days, but otherwise, everything is great."
A: "Well, have a good evening."
B: "You too."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "It's nice to meet you. My name is Jack."
B: "I'm Steve. It's a pleasure to meet you."
A: "What was your name again?"
B: "Steve."
A: "So Steve, What do you do for a living?"
B: "I work at the public library. How about you?"
A: "I'm a University student."
B: "That's great. It was nice meeting you."
A: "Yeah. It was a pleasure meeting you."
3
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey there. What have you been up to?"
B: "Nothing really."
A: "How about your work?"
B: "It's so boring there. I really wish I had a different job."
A: "Is it really that bad?"
B: "Yeah. Most of the time, I have nothing to do. But whenever I have something to do, it's
boring work because it is the same old thing."
A: "Why don't you find a different job then?"
B: "Maybe I should."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hi Steve, what's your plan for tonight?"
B: "I don't have any plans. Are you doing anything special?"
A: "Well, if you're bored, let's plan on meeting up tonight."
B: "That sounds like a good idea. Should we invite Bob?"
A: "He's a little boring."
B: "What do you mean?"
A: "Well, he doesn't drink, play video games, pool, or really anything. The only thing he talks
about is history."
B: "You do have a point. We'll leave him out tonight."
A: "Aright. Let's meet at 8:30 in front of the university bookstore."
B: "Perfect. I'll see you later tonight."
3
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hello"
B: "Hi Jane"
A: "Oh, hi Jill."
B: "What are you doing?"
A: "I'm doing the laundry."
B: "I'm so bored. I have nothing to do."
A: "Why don't you come over and help me with the laundry?"
B: "I'd rather do my own house chores. Hey, you wanna take a break from your house work
As you can see, each sentence is starting with, 'I am' instead of 'I will be' or 'I was.' We
will discuss past tense and future tense in the next sessions.
More descriptive answers you can give are the following:
"I'm pretty busy right now. I'm doing my homework because I have an exam
tomorrow."
"My project deadline is coming up, so I'm currently in the process of finishing my
tasks."
"I'm taking the day off from work today because I have so many errands. I'm going to
the post office to send some packages to my friends."
"I'm looking for a job. The job market does not look that great, but I can't give up."
"I'm applying for a job at a consulting firm in Taiwan."
"I'm listening to music while thinking about my situation."
How is your day - Example Conversation
The present tense is more common in writing. As you can see by all the explanations I am
giving, they are all written in the present tense. That is because it is instructional.
Instructional writing is more commonly written in present tense. However, stories in novels
are written in past tense.
The reason past and future tense is used more commonly than present tense when speaking is
because usually you are telling someone what you have done or what you plan on doing.
Speaking in the present tense is used primarily to tell someone what you are currently doing.
As in previous lessons in 'Bored and Greeting' it is very common to have a conversation using
the present tense when you run into somebody or when you make or receive a phone call.
Let's use this time now to incorporate what we have learned so far.
Person A: "Hi Jack. What are you doing?"
Person B: "Hi Mary. I'm filling out a job application."
Person A: "Are you finished with school already?"
Person B: "No. I have one more semester, but it would be great to have a job lined up."
Person A: "How is your day going?"
Person B: "Quite busy. I'm preparing for my presentation tomorrow on our marketing
strategy. I'm not even half done yet."
Person A: "You must feel stressed out now."
Person B: "That's an understatement.
Person A: "What are you doing now?"
Person B: "I'm playing pool with my friends at a pool hall."
Person A: "I didn't know you play pool. Are you having fun?"
Person B: "I'm having a great time. How about you? What are you doing?"
Person A: "I'm taking a break from my homework. There seems to be no end to the amount
of work I have to do."
Person B: "I'm glad I'm not in your shoes."
How is your day - Interactive Practice
Apasa pe "Asculta toate" si urmeaza instructiunile.Dupa ce deveniti comfortabil cu intreaga
conversatie, jucati rolul persoanei A apasand pe butonul "Persoana A".Veti auzi numai
persoana B de-a lungul conversatiei. Va fi liniste pentru dvs sa repetati propoztiile persoanei
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "What are you doing now?"
B: "I'm watching TV."
A: "What are you watching?"
B: "I'm watching Friends. What are you doing?"
A: "I'm doing my homework, but I really need to take a break."
B: "You want to do something?"
A: "Yes. But I shouldn't. I got to finish my assignment now."
B: "Alright. Call me later then."
A: "OK. Bye."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Where are you going now?"
B: "I'm going to the bank."
A: "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"
B: "I'm working now. I'm making a deposit for our company."
A: "Where do you work?"
B: "I work for a restaurant as a controller."
A: "Wow. That's great."
B: "Great seeing you. I have to go now. I'll talk to you later."
3
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hi Steve. What are you doing here?"
"The security is pretty tight so I should get there early. I plan on arriving there 2 hours
before my flight leaves."
"What should we do tonight?"
"After dinner, let's go grab a couple of beers. Then we can go shopping for a couple of
hours, and afterwards, we can rent a video and watch it at my place."
"I'm pretty busy tonight. I have to do the laundry, vacuum, and then make dinner, so I
won't be able to meet you tonight."
Tomorrow's Plan - Example Conversation
Let's use this time to incorporate what we have learned so far.
Person A: "Bob is in the hospital, did you get a chance to visit him?"
Person B: "I'm going to see Bob tomorrow"
Person A: "I thought you had to meet John tomorrow?"
Person B: "I'm going to meet John at the airport at 6 O'clock tonight"
Person A: "I'm going home now, do you want to head out together?"
Person B: "No Thanks. I'm going to go home in about an hour"
Person A: "Didn't you need to buy a present for you brother's birthday?"
Person B: "I'm going to do that tomorrow"
Person A: "I'm going to go to the bus stop right after class, so I won't have time to meet you"
Person B: "That's OK. We can always get together tomorrow."
Person A: "Why do you look so stressed?"
Person B: "I'm going to be dead if I don't finish this project by tomorrow"
Person A: "I thought you had 2 weeks to finish this project"
Person B: "I don't have time to explain now. I'll talk to you later."
Person A: "Since we are done with school, when are you going back home?"
Person B: "I'm going to go home next week"
Person A: "Me too. Do you want to meet at the train station on Sunday?"
Person B: "Sure. I'll meet you there at five"
Practice asking questions:
"What are you going to do tonight?"
"What are you doing next week?"
"When do you plan on doing your homework?"
"When are you going to eat dinner?"
"What time do we have to leave for the airport?"
"What should we do tonight?"
In daily conversation, talking about the past is done very frequently. Whenever you meet a
friend, you always tell each other what you have been doing recently. Friends are always
interested in each other so they want to know how you have been spending your time in the
past.
Today's lesson is going to target past tense communication. This goes hand in hand with the
last two lessons and changing a few words around can make a future or present tense sentence
into a past tense sentence.
To begin, here are a couple of sentences that are common to say:
"I went to the airport yesterday."
"I met Bob last week."
"I was an hour late for my meeting."
"I went to the bus stop, but I was 30 seconds late. A person on the street told me the bus just
went by."
"I completed that task this morning."
Speaking in the past requires past tense words. Let's take a closer examination for the
sentences above.
Past Tense
Present Tense
Future Tense
Went
Go
Going to go
Met
Meet
Will meet
Was
Am
Going to be
Completed
Complete
Will complete
As you can see by some of the examples in the chart, some words change when speaking in
the past tense.
Besides some words that change, many times a word with the letter 'd' or 'ed' at the end
changes the word to past tense. Here are some examples:
"I was being polite so I opened the door for him."
"I stapled the papers together to keep them organized."
"The paper ripped on the bottom, so I taped them together."
"I switched the presents around because I found out Jane doesn't like red lipstick."
"I was very interested in the topic so I paid close attention."
The tricky part is to know when to add a 'd' to the end of a word to make it past tense. There
are exceptions that can cause confusion, for example
Person B: "Yeah. I ordered the special, but the server screwed up my order."
Person A: "That sucks. So what ended up happening?"
Person B: "They finally got my steak out, but it was overcooked. It was a terrible
experience."
Person A: "What did you do last weekend?"
Person B: "I went on a date with Sammy."
Person A: "Really? How was it?"
Person B: "I couldn't ask for a better night. We talked all throughout our two hour dinner,
and then we sat by the river and cuddled in the night."
Person A: "Didn't you finish finals week?"
Person B: "Don't remind me. I think I failed most of the exams."
Person A: "Why did you do so terrible?"
Person B: "My mind just went blank. I think I overloaded my brain. I just couldn't
concentrate during the exams."
on the plane."
A: "How about the movies they play on international flights?"
B: "I saw both movies they played. I was just unlucky?"
A: "Did you take a book with you?"
B: "I accidentally packed it with my luggage that I checked in."
3
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "What did you do last weekend?"
B: "I went to a party."
A: "How was the party?"
B: "It was way too crowded and the food was gone before I got there."
A: "What time did you get home?"
B: "It was pretty boring so I left at ten and got home before eleven."
Fahrenheit
Celsius
100
37.8
90
32.2
85
28.4
80
26.7
75
23.9
70
21.1
65
18.3
60
15.6
50
10
40
4.4
32
20
-6.7
10
-12.2
-17.8
You don't need to remember everything. But if you know a couple of numbers you can just
change the other number slightly. For example, if you know that 80 degrees is about 27
degrees Celsius, then if the temperature is 77 degrees, you can figure that it will be about 25
degrees Celsius. Also, you don't have to be very accurate. In conversation, many people just
want general numbers and being off by a half a degree will not do any harm.
Finally, during the winter months, it gets so cold that the temperature goes below 0 degrees
Celsius. Let's practice a few sentences using negative numbers.
"How cold does it usually get in Korea?"
"Usually around minus 5 degrees Celsius, but sometimes it gets as cold as minus 12 degrees."
"How cold does it get in Alaska?"
"Depending on the area, but it's common for the temperature to be below 0."
"Is that in Fahrenheit or Celsius?"
"Fahrenheit."
"That means it's 20 below zero!"
Remember, although numbers below zero are negative numbers, it's not common to say,
'Negative 2 degrees.' It's not wrong to say it and everyone will understand, however, when
speaking to many people, almost everyone says 'minus 2 degrees.' Another common way to
say it is below zero is to say, '2 below' as in the example above.
Weather - Questions and Answers
In this session, we are primarily going to practice speaking key sentences that will help you
carry a conversation about the weather.
Asking about the weather:
"Do you know what the weather will be like tomorrow?"
"Do you know if it's going to rain tomorrow?"
"Did you see the weather forecast?"
"What is the weather like in Korea/Seattle/Los Angeles?"
"How is the climate in Korea?"
"Does it rain much in Denver?"
"How different is the weather between Pusan and Seoul?"
"What is your favorite season of the year?"
Answering questions about the weather:
"The weather is supposed to be sunny and warm tomorrow."
"It's supposed to rain for the next several days."
"I didn't see the news yesterday so I don't know what the weather is going to be like."
"Weather in Los Angeles is usually hot in the summer and mild in the winter. It never really
gets that cold."
"The weather in Pusan is very similar to Seoul. The main difference is that Seoul gets a little
more snow in the winter and a little hotter in the summer. This is primarily because Pusan is
right next to the water."
"My favorite season of the year is Spring. It's not too cold and the anticipation of a good
summer puts me in a good mood."
Statements about the weather:
"I heard Seattle is a very gloomy city with so many clouds."
"The weather is beautiful this time of year."
"I hate the rain. It makes me feel depressed."
"Autumn is a great season."
"The summer months are so humid in Korea."
"I can't stand the cold winter months."
"It's a beautiful day today, isn't it?"
"I wish the weather was like this everyday."
"It's been raining for 5 days straight. I wonder when it will stop raining."
"I hate the snow. The roads are dangerous to drive in, and when it melts, the streets are very
dirty."
"I love snowboarding so I always look forward to the winter."
"The winter months are tolerable because I don't mind the cold."
"Korea has four distinct seasons."
Weather - Long Description
Being able to speak specific sentences is good, however, it is more important to be able to say
a whole paragraph when talking about topics such as the weather. I'll have a specific lesson
about putting sentences together in a future lesson. But I'll give one advice now. Basically,
make about 10 sentences. After you know your ten sentences about this question, you can say
all of them one after the other so it is a long answer. The ten sentences should be in a list
format.
We will learn how to speak longer in a future lesson, but if you want to give it a try now, here
are two examples.
Question: "What is the weather like in Korea?"
Answer: "Well, the weather in Korea is unique with four distinct seasons. In the winter, the
temperature is about zero degrees Celsius. But, because it doesn't rain much in the winter,
there isn't much snow and the air is very dry. In spring, the days warm up significantly but
the night gets a little chilly. The summer has two characteristics. It is very hot and humid
most of the time, and for about 3 weeks or so, we have a rainy season called monsoon. It gets
very rainy and windy during that time period. But we all look forward to autumn. It is a
beautiful time of year and the temperature is very pleasant. If you plan on visiting Korea, I
highly recommend visiting during autumn."
Question: "Which season do you like the most?"
Answer: "I like summer the most, but at the same time, I hate it. I like summer because it's
warm. I don't mind the heat and I like the longer days. So, I can do more activities like
swimming, bicycling, rollerblading, and many other outdoor activities. I usually take a short
vacation during the summer so I always look forward to that. However, the part about
summer I hate the most is during the monsoon season. I can tolerate the humidity, but when it
gets hot and humid along with the rain and the wind, then it gets terrible."
Weather - Interactive Practice
Apasa pe "Asculta toate" si urmeaza instructiunile.Dupa ce deveniti comfortabil cu intreaga
conversatie, jucati rolul persoanei A apasand pe butonul "Persoana A".Veti auzi numai
persoana B de-a lungul conversatiei. Va fi liniste pentru dvs sa repetati propoztiile persoanei
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey John, it's beautiful out today, isn't it?"
B: "Yeah. I wish it would be like this everyday."
A: "Did you see the weather forecast?"
B: "Unfortunately, it's supposed to start raining tomorrow night."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Do you know what the weather is going to be like tomorrow?"
B: "It's supposed to be the same as today. I don't think the weather will change much for the
next week or so."
A: "That's great."
B: "Why are you so happy? Do you have anything planned?"
A: "Yeah, I'm going to Everland with my family this weekend so I was hoping for good
weather."
3
Listen All | Person A | Person B
Small Talk
Many people believe small talk is very boring and not personable. Although that is true, there
are many places where small talk is very important. In the western culture, strangers talk to
other strangers frequently. On the other hand, small talk is not so common in the eastern
culture. Because strangers are friendly to one another in the western culture, small talk is
very important to master in regards to learning English. One other place small talk is
important is in an interview. That is why this session will be important to learn.
The best way to learn small talk is to provide many examples. So this lesson will be taught
using an example format.
Small talk involves many different topics. We will have several sessions on small talk once
we have covered other subjects such as sports, jobs, school, etc. But for now, we will go
through the basics of small talk conversation. To initiate small talk, we can use what we have
learned from our previous several sessions:
One: "Hi Bill, how are you doing?"
Two: "I'm doing great. How are you doing?"
One: "I'm doing well myself."
Wasn't that simple? If you studied the material in prior sessions, this should be real easy for
you. Now that we have initiated the small talk, it's your responsibility to keep the
conversation going. In order to do so, you can talk about anything that is not too personal.
Let's first ask what the other person has been doing lately.
One: "What have you been up to lately?"
Two: "Well, I just started to work at the bank so I'm pretty busy learning everything."
You can elaborate on what you have learned to keep the conversation alive. In this example,
you are going to ask more questions about school and work.
One: "Does that mean you already finished school? I thought you had 1 more semester left."
Two: "I took summer courses, so I finished one semester early."
One: "It's great that you got a job. I'm really happy for you."
Two: "Thanks."
As you can now tell, the conversation is getting old. You have a choice of ending the
conversation, or changing the topic. Let's practice ending the conversation.
"Drama movies are great because they are the most realistic."
"The sad drama movies that make me cry."
Science Fiction: Futuristic movies like star wars, star trek, theme of time travel, superhuman
powers, etc.
"Many science fiction movies are about the future."
"The success of a science fiction movie is usually dependent on how much they spend on
special effects."
"After watching a science fiction movie such as star wars, I always wish I lived in the future."
"Gene Rodenberry and George Lucas are two great people in the Science Fiction world."
Suspense (Thriller): A movie that intentionally keeps you in a heightened state.
"I am always on the edge of my seat when I watch suspenseful movies."
"I can't stand to watch suspenseful movies because my stomach always gets upset."
"The suspense just kills me."
"It's so exciting to watch a suspense movie."
Western: Old time cowboy movies
"Western movies are not so popular anymore."
"Client Eastwood was a popular western actor."
"Western movies show a little bit about the United States during the early years."
"After watching The Last Samurai, I always hoped an Asian country will make a movie called
The Last Cowboy."
Commentary / Non-Fiction: Educational and true.
"Commentaries and non-fiction films are usually educational."
"Non-profit organizations usually create commentaries supported by the government."
"Popular non-fiction films are about chimpanzees and gorillas"
"Sometimes non-fiction films are sad because of the hidden truth that is revealed."
Some movies are known to be 'based on a true story.' These types of movies are very
interesting because they actually happened. The only reason they are not considered to be a
non-fiction movie is because the director or writer will add some scenes that didn't happen, or
change some facts around so the movie is more appealing to the masses.
A conversation can start from movies such as Schindler's List. When coming out of a theatre,
I heard a couple talk briefly about this.
"What did you think about the movie?"
"I thought it was great. It was very powerful."
"How much of it do you think was true?"
"I learned about Germany and World War II in one of my classes, and this movie showed
everything I learned from class."
"Wow. It's amazing that these things have happened in our history."
Movie Discussion - Example Dialog
As of this writing, the latest movie I saw was The Last Samurai. After the movie, I had a
meal with a couple of people. We had a good discussion due to this movie. It is difficult to
specifically teach what you will need to know about movie conversations because every
movie will require different words and sentences. The only thing I can do here is to give
ideas and couple of examples about movie conversations. So this is not really going to be a
practice section, but a chance to hear a real conversation from a movie. You can click on each
individual sentence, or you can click on the link provided below to hear a real life
conversation.
Listen to the conversation
A: "Did you like the movie?"
B: "It was better than I thought."
C: "I liked it."
A: "The movie didn't have many cheesy or stupid scenes."
B: "Yeah. I'm glad that they didn't have any love scenes. Sometimes a love scene destroys a
good movie."
C: "I thought the scene where the girl was washing her hair and Tom Cruise came to say good
bye was stupid. Why did they have that there? It didn't make sense."
B: "I agree. They didn't need that scene."
A: "I don't see the harm in that scene. They didn't do anything or show anything. What's the
big deal?"
C: "When you are talking about good movies versus great movies, each and every scene
counts."
A: "That's true."
B: "But besides those one or two scenes, the movie was great."
A: "I liked everything about it. I really liked the samurai that was beating up Cruise in the
beginning of the movie. The guy second in command. He was cool too."
B: "Every movie has a guy like him. They try to make him awesome even though they don't
say much."
C: "I don't understand why Tom Cruise went back to that village. If he was the only survivor,
wouldn't that make everyone suspicious about where his loyalty lies?"
A: "It was clear in the movie that he loved the place and the samurais. Clearly everyone
knows that he isn't a traitor. I would have done the same thing in his position."
B: "I think so too."
C: "But isn't it suspicious that he is the only survivor."
A: "Well, all the samurais were looking for a death in battle. Cruise wasn't."
C: "But only the boss received the satisfaction of being killed with the sword. Nobody else
did."
A: "True."
B: "What are we going to order?"
C: "I am going to have a chicken burger because of the Mad Cow disease."
A: "Me too."
B: "I'm just having a soup and salad."
Are you following me? It's very easy. Just change the word at the end and you can make
dozens of sentences.
"What is your favorite show?"
"What is your favorite movie?"
"What is your favorite dessert?"
"What is your favorite program?"
"What is your favorite class?"
"What is your favorite game?"
"What was the title of your favorite song?"
"What was the name of your favorite sit-com?"
We used 'who' and 'what' in our sentences. It's possible to use 'where', 'how', and 'when', but
the most common is 'what' and 'who'.
I'll provide a couple of sentences for the other words.
"Where is your favorite vacation spot?"
"When is your favorite time of day?"
"How is your favorite noodles cooked?"
It's not common, because even though it is grammatically incorrect, you can ask the same
question with 'what'
"What is your favorite vacation spot?"
"What is your favorite time of day?"
Nobody is really going to notice and it's not a big deal. After this lesson is over, I suggest
practicing with 'what' and 'who', but don't bother with the others. It's not as important.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "What are you doing tomorrow?"
B: "I'm going to stay home and watch the video."
A: "What are you going to watch?"
B: "I rented Last of the Mohican. Have you seen it?"
A: "That was one of my favorite movies. You will not be disappointed."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "What's your favorite food?"
B: "I like Chinese food the most."
A: "Have you been to the Chinese restaurant on 44th street."
B: "No I haven't. Is it any good?"
A: "It's my favorite Chinese restaurant. I believe you will like it."
B: "That sounds great. Let's go."
3
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey Jack. How were your classes this semester?"
B: "They were not too bad. I really dig/liked my poli-science class."
A: "Would you consider it your favorite class?"
B: "I don't know if I would call it my favorite, but it ranks up there."
A: "What class was your favorite then?"
B: "I took a business communication class last year and it was terrific."
A: "I never took that yet. If that was your favorite, I think I will check it out."
But if it's not for these purposes, then I guess it can be a hobby. That's just my opinion
though."
"What do you do in your spare time?"
"I do a lot of writing, so I write every chance I get."
Like many topics in English, a conversation will go towards the content of the conversation.
So let's review with longer dialogs in practice.
Exercise - Questions
There are various types of exercise. Some people might think walking is exercise, and some
other people will think weight lifting is exercise. In the next couple of lessons, we will take a
closer look at various types of exercise.
Exercising can be done in many different ways. Here is a small list to get us started:
Walking
Jogging
Running
Sports
Aerobics
Rowing (boat)
Commuting to work
Etc.
Here are some questions.
"Do you exercise at all?"
"Do you work out?"
"What type of exercising do you do?"
"Where is a good place to exercise?"
"Why don't you exercise?"
"Where do you usually jog?"
"How long do you take a walk for?"
"How often do you jog?"
"Where do you do aerobics?"
"How long do you usually run for everyday?"
Walking:
"Every morning right when I get up, I like to take a thirty minute walk."
"I like to take walks with my dog."
"Golf is a healthy sport because of all the walking it requires."
"I heard from some doctors that walking is the healthiest form of exercise."
"There's a trail by my house that is a perfect 20 minute walk."
"We usually go to a nearby lake and walk around it."
Jogging:
"Every night, I go to an elementary school across from my house and jog a few laps around
the playground."
"I go jogging in the morning when the air is still fresh."
"Some people find jogging stressful, but I find it as a way to relieve some of my stress."
"It feels so good after jogging for half an hour."
"I usually jog on a treadmill because it's convenient."
Sports: We will have another more comprehensive lesson on sports in a different lesson.
"I usually play a lot of basketball"
"I get enough exercise from soccer."
"I like to play sports because it is a good form of exercise and allows me to have fun all at the
same time."
"Although bowling is a sport, I don't consider it a form of exercise."
"I play volleyball a couple hours a day."
"I practice baseball with my school team everyday."
"I'm in my high school's track and field team. I'm a long distance runner."
"I don't play soccer because it requires too much running."
"Running constantly is a hard thing to do."
Others:
"Aerobics is an excellent form of exercise."
"I use a video at home to do my aerobic sessions."
"I like to do aerobics because it targets specific areas."
"I get my exercise from rowing. I'm on the junior varsity crew team."
"I ride my bicycle to work every day."
"I take the stairs because it gives me a little bit of a work out."
"I go to the local park and ride my rollerblades."
lifting weights, or using machines such as treadmills, bicycle machines, step machines, etc.
It's common for guys to get together and talk about lifting weights. Likewise, girls get
together and discuss the best methods to lose weight. In this lesson, we are going to lay the
ground work on talking about exercising in the gym.
Lifting weights
Professional weight lifters are called body builders. But since the number of body builders
are not significant, we are going to concentrate more on regular weight lifting.
I don't lift weights, but when I see a friend who is noticeably bigger due to lifting weights,
these are the types of things I say.
"Have you been lifting?"
You do not need to say lifting weights. When you say lifting, it's understood that you are
talking about weights.
"You got big man."
"How long have you been lifting?"
Other terminologies for lifting weights are:
Pumping Iron
Pressing Iron
Pressing Weights
Working Out
Weight Training
Hitting the Gym
Exercise Gym - Questions and Answers
Here are some questions you can ask.
"Where do you work out?"
"What club do you work out at?"
"When do you usually work out?"
"How often do you work out?"
"How many hours do you work out in a day?"
To ask how they work out or what their routine is, you can ask:
"When you bench, how many reps and sets do you do?"
Reps are repetition. In weight lifting terminology, this means how many times they lift in one
set.
"Do you do low reps with heavy weights, or many reps with light weight."
"How many sets do you do when you work out your arms?"
If you are the person being asked these questions, here are ways you can answer:
"I work out at 24 Hour Fitness"
"I work out at Bally's"
"I work out at Samsung Health Club"
"I started lifting weights about 2 years ago."
"I have been lifting weights for about 2 years now."
"I just started 9 months ago."
"I usually work out 2 hours a day 4 times a week."
"I work out everyday for an hour."
"I go to the gym 3 times a week."
"I go in every other day."
"I can bench press 220 pounds."
"I squat 400 pounds."
"I curl 90 pounds."
"I'm trying to gain bulk so I'm doing low reps with heavy weights."
"I'm trying to get ripped, so I'm doing a lot of repetitions."
Ripped means to get lines to show up in the muscles. It's called ripped because when you rip
a piece of paper, you see a line in the paper where the tear is. So a person is ripped when you
can see lines on his body due to muscles.
"I usually use the treadmill, but I try to work on the nautilus machines at least twice a week."
"My wife exercises four times a week."
"My husband can't last 10 minutes on the step machine."
B: "I like to play computer games, read books, go shopping, and play pool."
A: "Out of those what is your favorite?"
B: "My favorite is to play computer games."
A: "What is your favorite computer game?"
B: "My favorite is Diablo. It used to be Star Craft, but it is getting a little old."
A: "If you like to play so much, when do you ever exercise?"
B: "Although I hate to exercise, I go jogging at least twice a week."
A: "That's pretty good. By the way, what are you doing next Saturday?"
B: "I am going to go to the bookstore."
A: "I am having a party Saturday night at my house. If you have time, you should come."
B: "That sounds like fun."
A: "Great. I'll see you on Saturday."
B: "Ok. See you later."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hello?"
B: "Hi Steve. This is Mike. What are you doing?"
A: "Oh, hi. I was just watching TV."
B: "There's nothing to watch right now."
A: "I know. I was watching a re-run. I have nothing to do and I was bored."
B: "Me too. Let's get together and do something."
A: "I'd like to, but I have to meet my parents in an hour for dinner. How about tomorrow?"
B: "Yeah. Let's plan something tomorrow."
A: "Did you hear the weather forecast for tomorrow?"
B: "I think it is going to be the same as today. Clear and sunny."
A: "That's great. We can do something outdoors then."
B: "Are there any special events going on tomorrow?"
A: "Yeah. I think there's a live outdoor concert by the river tomorrow."
B: "Oh yeah. I heard about that too. Let's go check it out."
A: "Do you know what time it starts?"
B: "It starts at one PM."
A: "Let's meet for lunch at eleven thirty and afterwards, we can head over there."
B: "Perfect. I'll see you in front of the apartment at eleven thirty."
3
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Steve. Is that you?"
accepted, you have a major. If you get turned down, you have to find a different major, or
spend another semester or year trying to get in. That's why you see so many people not
graduate after 4 years. The problem is that they do not know what to major in.
"How many credits are you taking?"
"I'm taking eighteen credits this quarter."
"I'm only taking 10 credits this semester."
"I'm taking 20 credits this semester."
"What classes are you taking?"
"I'm taking chemistry 135, math 231, and English 101."
"This quarter I'm taking Intro to Sociology, Basics of Music Composition, and Spanish 101."
"What year are you?"
"I'm a junior."
"I'm a freshman."
"I'm a fourth year junior."
"I'm a fifth year senior."
If you wonder how you can be a fourth year junior or a fifth year senior, you must understand
that the number of credits you have completed represents what level you are. So a fourth year
junior is someone who has been in school for four years, but has the same credits as a junior.
A: "Have fun while it lasts. The excitement wears off real quick. Especially after you see how
much homework you get. Where are you from?"
B: "I'm from Korea. My parents wanted me to go to an American university, so I came here."
A: "I have never been to Korea. I've been to Japan before, but never Korea."
B: "Why were you in Japan?"
A: "My father thought it would be a good experience to take a vacation to a different country.
He's so into learning about different cultures."
B: "That's pretty cool."
A: "I thought it would have been more fun if I went without my parents."
B: "Well, if you ever want to visit Korea, I would be happy to show you around."
A: "Thanks for the offer. I'll keep that in mind. Oh, the professor is coming. We'll talk more
after class."
B: "Ok."
University Classes
In this lesson, we are going to learn about the terminologies you need to
know when you talk about classes with your peers.
There are several sections I will break this up into:
Registering for classes
Grades in class
Professors and different curriculum
Dropping out/Withdrawal
First, let's talk about registering for classes.
Questions
"Did you register yet?"
"When do you register for classes?"
"When does registration start for next semester?"
"How do you register for classes?"
"Where is the registration office?"
"What classes are you registering for?"
"What classes are you going to take?"
"What classes do you want to take?"
Grades in Classes
Talking about grades is all dependent on if you open up about these things or not. I know
some people are very secretive about their grades, and others like me freely talk about grades.
So make sure you are close friends with the person you are talking to about grades.
Grades are different depending on school. Some schools give letter grades that translates into
number grade. Other schools strictly give number grades only. The difference is in letter
grades, you cannot get a 3.5. You either get a B+, which is a 3.3, or an A- which is a 3.7.
However, in number grades, the instructor can give a 3.4, 3.5, or 3.6.
"What did you get in English?" If you are talking about the subject, you do not need to say
grade. But if not, you can ask, "What grade did you get in English?"
"I can't believe I got a 3.1 in biology. What did you get?"
"How was your GPA this semester?" GPA stands for Grade Point Average.
"How were your grades this quarter?"
"Did you do well this semester?"
"Did you screw up your grades this semester?"
"What was the lowest grade you ever got?"
"What is your overall GPA?"
"How are your grades?"
"What's your accum?" This is short for accumulated. This is asking what your overall GPA
is.
I'll give examples for both specific and general answers.
"In English, I got a B+."
"I got a 2.9 in English."
"I did similar to you."
"I got a 3.4 this semester."
"If I didn't get the C+ in Biology, my GPA would have been awesome this semester."
"My grades were ok."
"I did average this quarter."
"My accum is 3.6 right now. I really want to get over 3.75."
"My overall GPA is 2.94. I need to get a 3.4 next semester to bring my GPA above 3.0."
"My GPA sucks."
"I did pretty good this semester." Although grammatically this is incorrect, spoken English
allows such errors. If you want to be grammatically perfect, you will need to say, "I did pretty
well this semester."
But this is dependent on each school policy. So learn the withdrawal format of your school.
I was using the dates mentioned above only as an example. Let's learn some sentences to say
these kinds of things.
"I dropped out of my chemistry class."
"I withdrew from my biology class."
"I had too many classes as it is, so I dropped out of my statistics class."
"I couldn't keep up with the schedule, so I dropped out of that class."
"I couldn't understand the material, so I withdrew."
"I hated the professor, so I just withdrew."
If you need to ask questions about withdrawal, these may help:
"When is the last day to withdraw?"
"If I withdraw now, will it show up on my transcript?"
"Does a withdrawal look bad on the transcript?"
"How do I drop out of a class that I don't want to take anymore?"
"What is the procedure to withdraw from class?"
"How do I withdraw from a certain class?"
Other things you might want to say when discussing this topic...
"Are you sure you want to drop out of that class. You only have 4 more weeks. At least you
can get the credit."
"If I stay in that class, I'm going to screw up my GPA."
"The best I can do is a C in this class. I don't want a C on my transcript. I'm going to
withdraw from the class."
"If you get a bad grade, can't you just re-take the course?"
"Even if I retake the course, both grades are used. This school has a different system where
re-taking the course doesn't really help."
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey John, did you register for classes yet?"
B: "I register this Friday."
A: "What classes do you plan on taking?"
B: "I really want to take the communication class, but I don't know if it will be available."
A: "Is that class really that popular?"
B: "Yeah. I tried to get in last semester, but it was full by the time I registered."
A: "What other classes are you going to take?"
B: "I still need to take English 201, but I really don't like writing."
A: "I took that class already. There is a lot of writing, but it's not that bad."
B: "Oh really? Who was the instructor? There are like 4 different instructors to choose from."
A: "I had Professor Mahoney."
B: "Is he an easy grader?"
A: "I'm not sure if he is or not, but I thought he was definitely fair."
B: "Do you mind if I ask you what you got?"
A: "Not at all. I got a 3.8."
B: "Well, what did you get in English 101 last year?"
A: "I got a 4.0 in that class."
B: "Well, I can't compare to you. I got a 3.1 in English 101. That means if you got a lower
grade in English 201, it must be harder."
A: "It's not what it appears. I actually tried harder in the 101 class. If I put as much effort into
the 201 class, I would have received the same grade."
B: "Oh. That helps. Thanks."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey Mike. I forgot about registration. I'm a day late, so all the classes are mostly full.
What do you think I should do?"
B: "You're screwed. You can't do anything about that. You have to hope that you get some
classes that will be useful."
A: "Do you think going to the registration building will help at all."
B: "No. They will tell you the same thing in a worse way."
A: "Did you register yet?"
B: "Of course. Registering for classes is not something you want to miss."
A: "What classes do you think are still open?"
B: "Well, I know psychology 101 is a big class, so there will always be seats in that class. You
B: "He's a terrible instructor and demands a lot, but fortunately, he's an easy grader."
A: "What did you end up getting?"
B: "I got an A-. Sounds good, but none of my test scores were that high, so I don't know how
I got a decent grade."
A: "That's probably because he grades on a curve."
B: "Are you enjoying the class so far?"
A: "I hate it and I was about to withdrawal. But after hearing your experience, I think I will
tough it out."
B: "Yes. Definitely stay in the class. You will get a better grade than your test scores. He does
that deliberately to make all the students study a lot."
A: "Thanks for letting me know. I feel relieved now."
5
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hi Mark."
B: "Oh, hi Stacy."
A: "How was your summer vacation?"
B: "I worked over the summer at a restaurant. Have to make tuition money right? What did
you do?"
A: "I took summer school. I withdrew from two of my classes last year so I wanted to make
them up."
B: "So are you officially a junior now?"
A: "Yeah. And I have 5 credits to spare. I only needed to take 10 credits over the summer, but
I took 15 because the price was the same."
B: "That makes sense. So where is Nicole?"
A: "She dropped out of school completely."
B: "Really? Why?"
A: "She worked at a startup company as an intern and since the business did well, they asked
her if she wanted to work full time."
B: "Wow. She's so lucky. She doesn't have a degree and she already has a job."
A: "It sounds good now, but I'm traditional. I want the degree, so I wouldn't have accepted the
offer."
B: "Do you know how much they are paying her?"
A: "I don't know. But I bet it must have been a good offer, or she wouldn't have accepted it."
Examinations
What is a school without examinations? They all have it. So, we will have to spend a session
talking about exams.
There are many types of tests and different terminologies. You can be taking an in-class test,
or it could be a take-home final. It could be a multiple choice exam or an essay type format.
In either case, we will cover it here. First, let's learn the different terminologies associated
with testing.
Examination
Mid-term
Finals
Test
Quiz
Pop-quiz
Exam
Take-home final
Research paper
Final paper
Report
Essay
Presentation
Open-book test/final
Common questions you can ask about exam format:
"How many tests did you have to take in your Math class?"
"What was the mid-term like?"
"How much percentage is the mid-term towards the final grade?"
"Do you have to write any papers in that class?"
"How many pages did you have to write for your essays?"
"Was the open-book exam hard?"
"How difficult was the take-home final?"
"Was the final exam short answer questions, or was it multiple choice?"
"Did you have any pop-quizzes in your geology class?"
"How much time did you get to write your research paper?"
"How often did you have a quiz?"
"What day did you take your final?"
"When did you take your final?"
"Are you done with your mid-terms?"
B: "Mostly on the civil war. You should also study the impact Martin Luther King Jr. had on
American society."
A: "How about Abraham Lincoln? Did you get any questions about him?"
B: "I only had 1 question about him. But you might get more. I don't know if he will have the
same exam or not."
A: "Hopefully he will use the same exam, cause I'm going to spend most of my time studying
the civil war. It is a huge section and that is what he lectured the most on in class."
B: "If you can't study everything, then that is probably the best way to go."
A: "Aright. Thanks for the info. I gotta go to the library now."
B: "Good luck."
A: "Thanks. See ya."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey Jack. You look tired. What's going on?"
B: "It's finals week and I have been up all night studying."
A: "How many exams do you have left?"
B: "Three more to go?"
A: "Have you been keeping up, or are you cramming everything?"
B: "If I was keeping up, I wouldn't need to stay up all night."
A: "Ha ha ha. Looks like you are in for a tough week."
B: "Tell me about it. How about you? What have you been up to?"
A: "I finished my last final this morning."
B: "So you're completely done?"
A: "No. I have one more report that is due this Friday. I haven't started it yet, but it shouldn't
be too tough."
B: "How many pages do you have to write?"
A: "It's a 10 page paper on habitual behavior for psychology 211."
B: "You wanna take one of my exams for me?"
A: "I would if I could, but you know that's not possible."
B: "Yeah, I know."
A: "If you need help with your chemistry class, I can help you over the weekend."
B: "That would be great."
A: "Let's get together Saturday around lunch time."
B: "You don't know how much this means to me. Thanks."
A: "Don't mention it. I'll see you on Saturday."
Roommate - Dormitory
While in school it is common to have a roommate when you are in the dormitory. In the
States, it's also common to share an apartment with a roommate. This lesson will cover the
English you will need to talk to your roommate. Of course you can talk about many tings, but
I will specifically target this lesson towards roommate stuff.
Dormitory Roommate
When you first go into a dormitory, you will either be greeted by the person already there, or
you will have to greet someone that is coming later than you. Most dormitories have one
room for two people. After the dormitory section, I will cover living in an apartment with a
roommate.
When you arrive to the dormitory, you can usually engage in small talk first. Most of the
time, you have to get to know one another. Talk is initiated by both parties simultaneously.
You can ask questions like where they came from, what year they are in, or what they like to
do. But besides that, you have to find out the living habits of each other. After you engage in
small talk, you can ask these questions:
It's important to know the sleeping habits of your roommate, so ask if they are a night person
or a morning person.
"So, are you a night owl or a morning bird?"
A night person is referred to as an owl. That is because owls are more active at night. Birds
on the other hand wake up early. So they associate morning people to birds.
If you don't want to use this expression, you can ask,
"Are you a night person or a morning person?"
"What time do you usually go to sleep?"
"What time do you usually wake up?"
"If you didn't have anything to do the next day, what time would you sleep till?"
It's common courtesy to respect each other. If you are asleep, the roommate should be quiet.
This goes for you too.
When you get sleepy, you can either go to sleep, or tell your roommate that you are going to
sleep.
"I'm a little tired. I'm going to sleep now. Have a good night."
"I'm sleepy. Time to go to bed. See you in the morning."
If you like listening to music, you can ask your roommate,
Roommate - Apartment
When people live in an apartment, it is usually among friends. So there's no need to worry
about being too polite. As long as you have common courtesy, you will have no problem. On
the other hand, if you are looking for a roommate, then there are some things you should learn
how to say. The list of questions below are examples of questions you should ask when
looking to join existing people in an apartment.
Questions
"What is the rent here?"
"How many people live in the apartment?"
"How many bedrooms does the apartment have?"
"How much is utilities?"
"Does the rent cover the utility bills?"
"Do you have any rules for living here?"
"Does it get loud in here?"
"What time do people usually go to sleep?"
"Do you hold any parties here?"
"How many people share the bathroom?"
"Do you have cable?"
"Do you have high speed Internet?"
Common answers
"The rent is $1200, so you would only pay $400."
"This is a three bedroom unit, so you would be the third person."
A: "Everything sounds good. Can we schedule a time to meet so I can look at the place?"
B: "I'm available anytime today or tomorrow."
A: "How about if I come over now?"
B: "That works with me. But what is your name?"
A: "Oh, my name is Brad."
B: "Ok. I'm Randy. So I'll see you in a bit?"
A: "Should only take about 15 minutes to get there."
B: "Sounds good."
College Related Topics II
1. Fraternity and Sorority - Explanation
2. Fraternity and Sorority - General
3. Fraternity and Sorority - Joining
4. Fraternity and Sorority - Interview Questions
5. Fraternity and Sorority - Interactive Practice
6. College Partying
7. College Partying - Questions
8. College Partying - Interactive Practice
9. Smoking
10. Smoking - Non Smoking Areas
11. Smoking - Quitting and General Statements
12. Smoking - Asking for Light and Hate Smoking
13. Smoking - Interactive Practice
14. Drinking - Terminologies
15. Drinking - Ordering Drinks
16. Drinking - Ordering at a Table
17. Drinking - General Things
18. Drinking - Interactive Practice
19. College Related Topics Review
20. College Related Topics Review - Interactive Practice
Fraternity and Sorority - Explanation
A big part of university life in America is the fraternity and sorority. Since many people do
not know what they are, let me explain a little so you understand what I'm talking about in
this session.
Fraternity and sorority is a group of people that get together and live in a big building. They
are in a special group that is defined by their own rules. Most of the students live in either
apartments or dormitories, but an alternative is to live in a fraternity or a sorority. I don't
know the short name for sorority, but the short name for a fraternity is a frat. It all depends on
the sentence whether you should call it a fraternity or a frat. Also, fraternity and sorority have
names and they are already established. The names are always Greek and so they named the
area where these buildings are located, Greek Row.
Fraternity is the terminology used for guys, and sorority is what they use for the ladies. So if
you are a guy, you will be looking at fraternities, and if you are a lady, you will be joining a
sorority.
The price to live in a fraternity or a sorority is similar to the price of dormitories. There are
many sizes, but as an example, a fraternity house might have 50 rooms. All rooms either hold
2 or sometimes 3 people. There is a kitchen and food is served at specific times.
If you want to get into a fraternity or sorority, you usually have to apply and interview with
existing members. Popular ones are very picky and will not let some types of people in.
Others are desperate to fill their rooms so they will accept anyone.
Almost everyone who has been in a fraternity or a sorority never regrets it. There are more
people who regret not having lived in a fraternity than having lived in one. So if you plan on
attending a university in the states and will be there for more than 2 years, you should
definitely consider the frat or sorority life.
Here are some examples of fraternity and sorority names. I do not know these fraternities or
sororities. I am using this as an example so you understand the naming scheme.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
Kappa Sigma Fraternity
Delta Tau Delta Fraternity
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority
thinks these types of parties are boring. For the people who do not like to talk to strangers, it
can really be boring. They will end up in a corner by themselves and have a beer or two and
then go home. It basically depends on what type of atmosphere you like.
If you like this type of partying, the first thing you need to do is find the party.
"Where is everyone hanging out this weekend?"
"Are there any good fraternity parties this weekend?"
"Where does everyone go to party?"
"Are there any parties to crash this weekend?"
An easier way to find a party is to have a friend who is in the loop.
"There's a party this weekend at the Kappa Sorority house. I think we can sneak in. Wanna
go?"
"There's a bunch of us going to the Last Supper Club in downtown. If you're not doing
anything, you should join us."
"A friend of mine is having a party at a huge house. It's going to be a blast. Let's go man."
"There's going to be a kegger at my fraternity. You're welcome to come."
say, so no use learning new sentences. I will have several practice sessions so you can hear
what the conversation should sound like.
Smoking
There are several facts to smoking. First, smoking is bad for you. Second, everyone knows
it's bad for you, but many people still smoke. I will cover two aspects of smoking. First, we
will learn about asking for a cigarette. And second, we will learn about what people say
about smokers and the conversations that take place between non-smokers and smokers.
First, let's talk about smokers.
There is not much you need to know except how to ask for a cigarette. What else are you
going to say?
"Do you have an extra cigarette?"
example of a state that implemented this rule. But there are still places where smoking is
permitted.
Here are some questions you might find useful.
"Is this a non-smoking establishment?"
"Do you have a smoking section here?"
"Is smoking allowed?"
"Where is the smoking section?"
"Is there a designated smoking area?"
At a bar or a smoking place, if you need an ashtray, you can say,
"Can I have an ashtray?"
If you have one and you need another one, simply say, "Can I have another ashtray?"
If you are smoking in an area that is a non-smoking area, you might hear people say the
following... if you are a non-smoker, then you can learn this to say to others that are smoking
in a non-smoking area.
"This is a non-smoking area."
"There's no smoking in this area."
"This is a non smoking establishment."
"There's no smoking in the airport."
"Smoking is only allowed in the bar area."
"You cannot smoke here. Can you please go to the bar or outside to smoke?"
Responding to these can be done with a simple,
"I'm terribly sorry. I'll take this to the smoking area."
"Sorry. I didn't know I was in a no smoking area. I'll move right away."
The easiest way is just to apologize and leave immediately with a, 'sorry.'
types of questions.
"How long have you been smoking?"
"Have you been smoking long?"
"Have you ever tried to quit smoking?"
Comments you can say while smoking with someone
"Smoking is so bad, but it feels so good."
"I've been smoking for 10 years."
"I tried to quit a couple of times. It's really hard."
I heard some comments from some people justifying cigarette smoking
"There was a 90 year old man who smokes one pack a day and drinks one bottle of Soju a day
and he is very healthy. He's been doing it for over 60 years."
"I only smoke when I'm with friends."
"I only smoke when I'm drinking."
"I can quit anytime I want. There is just no need to right now."
"The best way to quit is cold turkey." Cold turkey is a terminology used to completely stop
without any help with things such as nicotine gum or nicotine patches.
"There are a lot of aids to help you stop smoking. I heard hypnosis is pretty good."
"I quit for 3 months last year. I used the patch to help stop the cravings."
B: "Oh. You're new to smoking still. I've been smoking for 7 years."
A: "You ever tired to quit?"
B: "Many times. I'm really addicted. It's harder to stop than you think."
A: "Yeah. I tried to quit last month, and I thought it was going to be easy, but it turns out that
I'm still smoking."
B: "I highly recommend you quit soon. The longer you smoke, the harder it becomes to quit."
A: "I think you're right. Aright. Gotta go to class. Thanks for the cigarette. I'll talk to you
later."
B: "No problem. I'll talk to you later."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey Jane. How are you doing?"
B: "Hi Jack. I'm doing great."
A: "I hope you haven't been waiting too long."
B: "No. I just got here a few minutes ago."
A: "Do you know if smoking is allowed here?"
B: "I think this is a no-smoking place. Do you want to go somewhere else?"
A: "That's alright. I don't need to smoke."
B: "Why don't you quit?"
A: "I never thought about it. All my friends smoke, and we hang out a lot."
B: "So do you smoke by yourself?"
A: "When I started I didn't, but after a few months I started smoking at home. Usually when
I'm bored."
B: "Do you smoke cause your're bored?"
A: "Yeah. It helps to kill the time. I also think it's out of habit. I'm so used to having a
cigarette every now and then."
B: "How much do you smoke in a day?"
A: "I smoke about a half pack a day."
B: "Well, I think you should quit. You know it's bad for you?"
A: "I always knew it was bad, but I never thought about it."
B: "You better start thinking about it now. You might not feel the difference now, but after 10
years of smoking, you might feel it and then it will be too late."
A: "That's a good point. I'll try to quit."
B: "Good. And if you need any support, I'll always be here for you."
A: "Thanks."
Drinking - Terminologies
Many countries have drinking rules such as using two hands to receive drinks, never allowing
your drinking friend to pour their own drinks, never leaving a glass empty too long, and so on.
But in America, there isn't that many rules you need to know. I'll cover as much as I can and
soon enough, you shouldn't have any problems talking while drinking in America. (I do not
know the drinking etiquettes of other English speaking countries such as England, so learn
about drinking rules before going there)
In a Bar
There are a few terminologies you have to learn.
Tap - Beer in a glass that is from a large container
Well - Same as Tap. Different wording
Pint - This is 16 fluid ounces. This roughly translates to 500cc.
Bottles - Bottles of beer
Pitchers - Same as Tap, but put in a pitcher
Mixed Drinks - Special Drinks like a mixture of Vodka and Orange Juice. They have names
for these such as Fuzzy Navel, Rum and Coke, Buttery Nipple, Gin and tonic, and so on.
Wine - Red or white. Bottle or glass
Shots - Hard alcohol in small shot glass
On the Rocks - Hard alcohol in a bigger glass with ice
Straight Up - Used when ordering a hard alcohol. Specifying that you do not want ice
Double - Two shots in a bigger glass
Round - Used in groups when ordering together.
Bottoms up - One shot. Drink everything in your glass
Cheers - Word used before hitting glasses together before drinking
Champagne - Carbonated wine used in special occasions such as weddings.
Toast - A person usually makes a speech at a special occasion with glasses raised before all
taking a drink together. Usually with champagne
you go to the counter, you order what you want by saying the drink name and the quantity.
"I'll take 4 bottles of Corona."
"I'll take a pitcher of Red Hook."
"Give me 3 shots of Crowne."
"I'll have one Jack and Coke."
After you get the drink, the bartender will usually say,
"That will be $12.50."
If you pay with cash, then you should receive change. Make sure to tip once in a while.
However, if you pay with a card, they will usually ask if you want to leave it open. Leaving
it open means to keep the credit card open so if you order more drinks, you will get one bill
instead of having to use the credit card multiple times. You will hear something like this.
"Do you want to keep it open?"
If you want to keep the credit card open before they ask you, you can say this.
"Can you keep it open?"
If you have a credit card open, then any more drinks you order will go on your credit card.
When you are done for the night, you can simply tell them that you are ready for your bill.
"Can I get my bill?"
If the bartender has your credit card, then you can go up to the counter and say the same
thing, or say, "I would like to close my tab."
"All our margaritas are $2.50, and well drinks are $2.00."
"Every Monday we have pitchers for $5.00."
If you are having pints or shots or some other drink, and you want to get one more for
everyone, you can say to the server that you want one more round.
"Can we get one more round?"
They will respond by saying, 'Same thing?' or 'Four Coronas again?'
When you are sitting with your friends to drink, mostly you just talk and drink. But if
somebody is getting low on a drink, you can offer to buy another one. Another situation is if
someone buys you a drink, you want to say that you will buy the next round. Here are some
examples.
"I'm going to get another drink. Do you want one?"
"Let me buy you a drink."
"Thanks. I'll get the next round."
A: "Yeah. The best place is over by the water. They have a lot of clubs and bars."
B: "I drove by that area before. I didn't know it was a college hang-out."
A: "It gets pretty wild over there sometimes. You should go."
B: "Sounds like a good idea. Do you know what you are majoring in yet?"
A: "Not yet. I'm leaning towards business, but that's only if I can't get into computer science.
How about you?"
B: "I want to go to med school, so I'll probably end up majoring in biology."
A: "That's cool."
B: "Is the weather this bad all the time in the fall?"
A: "Yap. This is a typical autumn. It gets worse though. At least it's not raining that much."
B: "That sucks."
A: "You'll get used to it. In the meantime, you'll have to watch a lot of movies. Seems like the
only thing to do with the bad weather."
B: "Too expensive. Can you believe how much movies cost these days?"
A: "Yeah. It's crazy. It's like 9 bucks a movie. I remember when it was half that."
B: "Unless it's a date, I'm not going to pay that much to watch a movie."
A: "That makes sense."
B: "Oh. The professor is coming. I'll talk to you later."
A: "Aright."
Health - Dating - Marriage
1. Health
2. Health - Family
3. Health - Interactive Practice
4. Body Parts
5. Body Parts - Leg and Head Area
6. Body Parts - Body Area
7. Body Parts - Interactive Practice
8. Dieting
9. Dieting - Questions
10. Dieting - Specific Areas
11. Dieting - Interactive Practice
12. Dating
13. Dating - Follow Up and Flirting
14. Dating Part - Asking for a Date
Health
Health is an important part of life so it is useful to know how to speak about this topic. We
will cover eating, and general health statements you will need to know.
Eating
"What type of food is healthy to eat?"
"Are hamburgers healthy for you?"
"Is drinking coke bad for you?"
"Do vitamins really work?"
"If you eat better, you will be healthier."
"If you want to be healthy, you should eat better."
"Eating ramen and drinking beer everyday is not healthy for you."
"Eating vegetables is good for you."
"Eating a variety of food is good for you."
"I take vitamins everyday."
"Even though eating cereal in the morning is boring, it's quite healthy."
"If you want to be healthy, you should eat better and start exercising."
General statements
"I need to start thinking about my health."
"I get sick very often these days. I think I need to start worrying about my health."
"It is very important to take care of your health while you are young."
"Trying to regain your health when you are old is more difficult than people think. That is
why it is important to take preventive measures early."
"Smoking and drinking is bad for your health."
"You're ruining your health."
"Now that I am thirty years old, I should really start thinking about my health."
"You need to take care of yourself more."
Questions regarding health
"What made you decide to start working out?"
"I want to get healthier."
"You never used to eat spinach. Did you acquire a taste for them?"
"No. I just heard it's healthy for you."
"You run so often. Do you like jogging?"
"I hate jogging, but I do it because it's very healthy."
Health - Family
If you are young and pretty healthy, then you do not need to say many different things. What
we have covered so far is a good starting point in health discussions. For the next section, I
am going to go into good and bad health of older people such as parents or grandparents.
If a person is very old and does not have any sickness, then the usual comment is to mention
how healthy that person is.
"My grandfather can't move that much because of leg pains. But besides that, he is very
healthy."
"She's quite healthy for her age."
"My mother always complains about some pain, but the doctor can never find any wrong with
her."
"My grandmother is in a nursing home. She's pretty healthy but can't walk that well."
Often times we ask about the health of a new born baby. Here are some sentences you can
say.
"I just had my baby."
"Oh really? Is the baby healthy?"
"He's a healthy little boy."
"I'm so blessed with healthy children."
"I'm so happy that my children are all healthy."
"I wish I was rich, but I can't complain. I have a job, my children are healthy, and most of all,
we are all happy."
Although it is fortunate to have healthy relatives, we are sometimes in a situation where
Body Parts
I'm not going to talk about every body part in this lesson. For information concerning
detailed body parts, I would suggest a book that is solely covering body parts. Instead, we are
going to cover various types of conversations and sentences most commonly used in standard
English communication.
Let's first list the different body parts I will cover in this lesson:
Arm, Forearm, Elbow, Wrist, Hand, Finger, Knuckles
Leg, Calf, Thigh, Knee, Ankle, Toes
Head, Ear, Mouth, Nose, Eyes
Neck, Chest, Stomach, Back, Groin, Butt, Shoulder
sneezing."
"He has a big Adam's apple."
Adam's apple is the bump in the neck most common among guys.
"I've been getting chest pain recently."
"When I get asthma, it feels like someone is pressing on my chest and
squeezing my lungs."
Asthma is a respiratory disease that makes it difficult to breath
"He bumped me on my shoulder as he was walking by."
"I feel like a big load has been taken off my shoulder."
"He has broad shoulders."
"Many girls like guys with broad shoulders."
"I want to get rid of the fat on my stomach."
"I have a beer belly."
Beer belly is a terminology used to describe a stomach that sticks out from
excessive beer drinking.
"I get a stomach ache if I eat spicy food."
"I have an upset stomach."
"My stomach hurts."
"You must be hungry. I can hear your stomach rumble."
"I want a six pack."
Six pack is a terminology used to describe a flat stomach with six or eight
lines showing the muscle lines. You can also use washboard, "His stomach
is like a washboard."
"He hit me in the groin."
Groin is the area between the legs. It can also mean the crotch area, but
crotch is more specific to the personal area, where groin can mean the
general vicinity.
Vicinity means area
"I pulled my groin when I was doing sprints."
Sprint is running as fast as you can.
"She has such a big butt."
"Her butt is so flat though."
"If you go snowboarding, your butt will hurt the next day."
Remember that it is ok to talk about dieting with friends, but if you are among people you do
not know too well, make sure there isn't somebody who is overweight already. You don't
want to talk about dieting in front of these people because they might be self conscious about
their weight.
Dieting - Questions
Now that we have covered some basic sentences, let's work on sentences that will help in a
discussion. First let's cover some questions about dieting.
"How long have you been on a diet?"
"What type of diet are you on?"
"Have you lost a lot of weight?"
"How much weight have you lost so far?"
"How many pounds do you want to lose?"
Remember that most countries use the kilogram system, but the United States uses the pound
system. Don't ask me why, it's just the way it is.
Here are some ways to answer these types of questions.
"I've been on a diet for 2 months now."
"I'm just watching my calorie intake and doing a little bit of exercise."
"I lost 6 pounds so far."
"My goal is to lose 10 pounds."
"I want to be 105 pounds."
Currently, the Atkins diet is very popular.
Atkins diet is a low carbohydrate diet that causes the body to burn fat. Don't quote me on this
though. If you want to learn more about Atkins diet, you can find a lot of information over
the Internet. For now, I'll share with you some sentences that you might hear Americans say
about Atkins.
"I'm on the Atkins diet."
"After three days on the Atkins diet, all I think about is bread and rice."
"I lost 15 pounds in 4 weeks due to the Atkins diet."
"I could never go on the Atkins diet. I love carbs too much."
Carbs is the short form of carbohydrate. You might hear people say, low carb diet in the place
of Atkins.
B: "That's because you don't exercise. If you were more active, you wouldn't have a dieting
problem."
A: "What do you know? You are over weight too."
B: "I'm not on a diet though."
A: "I know. But I don't have someone to diet with. If we help each other and motivate each
other, then I think we can lose some weight."
B: "I like ice cream too much though."
A: "C'mon. You'll feel better and look better and as a reward you can eat a little bit of ice
cream here and there."
B: "It does sound appealing."
A: "It's a great idea. I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier. Going on a diet with a friend
to back you up is a great way to succeed."
B: "Okay. I'm in. Let's do it."
A: "Great. I'll get our plan started right away."
B: "Can we start tomorrow though?"
Dating
There are several aspects of dating that are important so we will dedicate
a couple of lessons on dating. There are two sections of dating. It
comprises of the time period of trying to get a date, and then the time
during the date. It is also important to point out the differences from the
male and female perspectives. In this first lesson on dating, we will cover
getting a date from both gender perspectives.
In the United States, both genders can ask each other for a date. Just like
in any culture, it isn't normal to ask a complete stranger for a date.
Usually, you have to start a conversation and get to know each other a
little bit before asking for a date. In the beginning, it's normal to engage
in small talk. During small talk, you should then find something that you
have in common. The longer you talk, the greater the chance that you will
get a date. It is all up to how you feel if you want to ask or not. In this
lesson, I will cover some sentences you should know so you can succeed
in getting a date.
Before we continue though, I would like to mention that blind dates are
Compliments to a guy
"Do you work out at all? You have a nice build."
"What kind of cologne is that? I like the smell of it."
"I like the sound of your voice. It's soothing listening to it."
Compliments to a girl
"Your eyes stand out a lot. Do you get many compliments on them?"
"Does it take you long to style your hair? It looks very good."
"I bet you get hit on a lot."
The term 'hit on' means to be approached by the opposite sex. So
somebody who gets hit on a lot means to have many people approaching
them.
Compliments to either gender
"It's very comfortable talking to you."
"I feel like I can be myself when I'm talking to you."
"You seem so intelligent. I like that."
As you can see, these types of compliments are not too aggressive. They
are implying good things, but are not a burden to hear. For example,
imagine you are talking to a stranger. If they say, "You're so beautiful." It
will more likely scare you away. You will probably think that person is a
little crazy. But if someone is talking to you and says a small compliment,
then it is very welcomed. So keep that in mind when throwing out
compliments.
In the previous section, we covered talking to someone before getting a date. In the next
section we are going to work on some sentences you need to say during the date.
As I said previously, there isn't really another dating language. Most of it is regular
conversation such as small talk, movies, hobbies, school, and work topics.
Let's start where we left off. By now, you should have a phone number. It is your
responsibility to call and get a date. Even though you got a phone number doesn't guarantee a
date. You have to convince the person to actually show up. Here is what you should say.
On the phone
Them: "Hello"
You: "Hi. Is Janet there?"
Them: "This is Janet."
You: "Hi Janet. This is Mike. I met you at the party last Saturday night."
Them: "Oh. Hi Mike."
You: "Did you enjoy the party?"
Them: "I had a great time. How about you?"
You: "The next morning was tough, but it was real fun, especially meeting you."
Them: "It was great meeting you too."
You: "Can I take you out to dinner followed by a movie or some other thing?"
Them: "Well, I am a little busy with school and all."
You: "A couple hours shouldn't hurt too much. I'll make sure you have a good time. If you
want, we can talk about your school. Maybe I can help you on some topics you are unsure
about."
Them: "Ok. Sounds good. I'm free this Friday after 6:00. How does that sound to you?"
You: "That sounds good. Do you want to meet somewhere or would you like for me to pick
you up?"
Them: "If you don't mind Italian, I'll meet you at Olive Garden at 6:30 on Friday."
You: "Sounds great. I'll see you then."
Let's analyze this small conversation real quick. First, Mike didn't assume that Janet
remembered him. He reminded Janet where and when they met. It isn't a good idea to put
someone on the spot right.
Next, Mike asked if Janet had a good time. This is a small talk question to break the ice.
Afterwards, Mike gave a small compliment by saying, '... it was real fun, especially meeting
you.'
So Mike is giving an indication that he is interested in Janet.
Mike can be a coward and say, 'Ok. Well, if you decide to change your mind, give me a
call.'
3.
The number 1 choice doesn't work because putting pressure on someone is not good. She
might not come, or start with a bad impression. Number 2 choice will result in Janet never
calling back.
The answer Mike gave is a great answer. He is promising that she will have a good time, and
also understanding her school interest and promising to talk about her school.
From Janet's perspective, Mike has good manners not pressuring too much, and understanding
her interest by talking about her schooling.
After you find out more information on her interest, then you can say more things about it.
"When I was in college, I had a hard time with my writing assignments. I guess my high
school didn't prepare me enough. So I went to the writing center located next to the library,
and they helped me tremendously."
"I found psychology to be pretty easy, but I always made stupid mistakes with the multiple
choice questions. So I got a study guide for it and it helped me to get the minor details out of
the way."
"I really like history too. I enjoy learning about what happened and how we got to the state
we are in now."
"You don't like calculus? I was a math major. If you would like, I can help you out with your
homework. I'm sure after a couple of lessons, you will think it is easy."
So helping out with homework is another way to get another date. Although it will be more
geared towards school work, you can take the opportunity to impress the other person.
Sometimes a date will end right after dinner. Other times you can go to another place such as
a bar, or go bowling, or see a movie. It is your responsibility to find out what the other person
likes to do and then suggest it. If the date was strictly for dinner, then it will be difficult, but
in this case, Mike suggested a dinner and a movie, or another thing. That means Janet should
have left the night open.
"Have you seen Master and Commander yet? I heard it was a good movie."
"No, I haven't."
"There is an 8:30 showing down the street. Would you like to go see it?"
Mike made sure to look up movie times and locations before the movie. Then when he
suggests a movie, he has all the information.
"What do you like to do when you are not studying?"
"I like to hang out with friends and drink a little and I also like to go bowling sometimes."
"Do you want to go bowling after dinner? We can have a few drinks while we play. It will be
fun."
In this scenario, Mike is using both her interests here. In the States, they serve alcohol so
drinking and bowling together is a great option.
"Make sure to drive safely. If you have any problems, feel free to give me a call."
"I hope you had a good time. Drive home safely and have a good night."
Engagement
Engagement is the time period spent before getting married. In this lesson, we will learn
about English when asking someone to marry and the terminologies when becoming engaged.
When a friend has been together with a boyfriend or girlfriend a long time, they usually ask
when they are going to get married, or when they are going to get engaged.
"When are you going to get married?"
"When are you going to tie the knot?"
"When are you going to settle down?"
"When are you going to propose to her?"
"When are you going to ask her to marry you?"
"When do you think he is going to propose?"
After the big question is asked, then the two people are engaged.
"We got engaged last week."
"I got engaged about a month ago."
"We're going to have a short engagement."
"Our engagement is for about 6 months."
"We had an engagement party at a restaurant with both families."
"We really didn't have a formal engagement dinner."
You can get creative in the ways to ask your significant other to marry you, but the most
general way is to simply say,
"Will you marry me?"
These four words cannot be replaced really. Mostly, it is how you ask it and in what situation.
When two people are engaged, then they are not boyfriend and girlfriend, instead, they refer
to each other as fianc.
"This is my fiance."
"She is my fiance."
"He is my fianc."
"Where is your fianc?"
"I want to meet your fianc."
Engagement - Proposing
Other common type of questions regarding pre-marriage is how a person proposes. Here are
some examples:
"How are you going to propose to her?"
"How do you think he will propose to you?"
I'll list a few answers I heard from other people.
"I'm going to take her to dinner and I'm going to put the ring on top of the dessert. So when
the cake comes out, she will see the ring."
"I'm going to take her to our favorite restaurant and ask her there."
"I'm going all out. First, I'm going to send her to a massage. Then, I'm going to have her
relax at a coffee shop where I'll send her some flowers. After that, I'm going to have her
picked up in a limo to a restaurant where I'll be waiting in the entrance on my knees."
"When my husband asked me to marry, he put a ring inside a fortune cookie with a message
asking, will you marry me in the cookie."
Some other types of questions that you might hear:
"Are you nervous about proposing to her?"
"Are you sure she is going to say yes?"
"Are you sure about this?"
"How long have you been engaged?"
"What are you thinking?"
"You're too young to get married."
"What did you do for your engagement party?"
"Did you guys have an engagement party?"
A friend might ask you questions regarding your relationship when the marriage topic comes
up.
"How long have you been with her?"
"What made you decide to get married?"
"Are you sure she is the right one?"
"When did you know he was the right one?"
"Did you see a sign or how did you know?"
Engagement - Best man and Maid of honor
Preparing for marriage is a time consuming thing with so much to do. I'll explain most of it in
the next lesson, but I wanted to explain one difference in this lesson. In the western culture,
they have friends standing next to the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony. At a
minimum, it is one person. That person is called the best man. For the lady side, that person
is called maid of honor. But if you have more than one, you usually have one best man, and
multiple grooms men. For the ladies, they are called brides maid.
Best man - Best friend or relative of groom usually holding the ring
Grooms men - Other friends or siblings standing next to the best man
Maid of honor - Best friend or relative of the bride usually holding the ring
Brides maid - Other friends or relative standing next to the Maid of honor.
The best man and maid of honor have responsibilities such as taking care of the bride and
groom, planning for parties and taking care of the presents, and many other things. We'll
discuss more about this in the next session. Let's move on to practicing the material in this
lesson.
B: "I know. But I wanted to ask you if you would be one of my bride's maid."
A: "Really? I'd love to."
The men need to get a tuxedo. Usually you find a tux shop and they take care of the rest.
Only instructions you need to give to the best man and grooms men is the location of the
place.
"Make sure you go into the Black Tie tuxedo shop next week and get your size measured."
"Go to the tux shop and pick up your tuxedo on the 14th."
I don't know the rule for who pays for the tux or the dress. I've seen it both ways. In some
weddings, the people wearing the dress or tux pays for it, and in other weddings, I've seen the
wedding couple pay for everything.
say to each other before and during the busy wedding process.
"Planning for a wedding is so time consuming. I don't know if I can finish everything on
time."
"I'm getting so stressed out. It feels like there are a hundred different things to do."
"I think I'm almost done with my wedding plans. Although I'm relieved, I now feel anxious
about the wedding."
"Did you help your fianc plan for the wedding?"
"You made her do all the work?"
"My boyfriend was so helpful. He literally did most of the planning."
"Are you going to have the reception at the church or did you reserve another place?"
"How much did your wedding cost?"
"How much was the reception?"
A wedding is much larger and requires much more planning than I described here. I primarily
covered the larger items in a broad way. This is to give you an idea and a starting point. If
you have additional questions or specific requests, feel free to ask.
Honeymoon
Honeymoon is a small vacation two married people go to right after the wedding. It doesn't
have to be right after the wedding though. I know some people who hold off the honeymoon
until the summer, or if they are in school, until school is complete.
Discussing with your partner where to go for the honeymoon
"Where should we go for our honeymoon?"
"Where do you want to go for our honeymoon?"
"Did you have a place in mind for our honeymoon?"
"How many days should we go for our honeymoon?"
"Do you think a week is good enough for our honeymoon?"
"How much should we plan on using for our honeymoon?"
Answering
"I want to go somewhere to relax."
"I was thinking about Hawaii or the Bahamas. What do you think?"
"I wouldn't mind going to Europe."
"What do you think about New York? I have never been there and there is a lot to do."
Honeymoon - Planning
Planning on what to do
"Let's plan on what we are going to do when we get there."
"What should we do everyday?"
"We should make a daily plan so we have things to do everyday."
"Why don't you make a list of things you want to do and I'll do the same. We'll try to do all of
them while we are there."
"I'm pretty much open to anything, but I want to at least go jet skiing, scuba diving, and
golfing."
"I don't care if we do anything. I just want to relax and have good dinners with you."
"Let's just lock ourselves in the room for 5 days."
"I want to go to some of the local restaurants."
"I want to try horseback riding while we are there. I wouldn't mind taking a couple of surfing
lessons also."
"I want to take a lot of pictures while we are there. So don't forget to bring the camera."
To learn about booking a flight and making hotel reservations, please refer to the traveler's
guide. I cover everything you need to know about getting airline tickets and hotel rooms.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey honey, where do you think we should go for our honeymoon?"
B: "I always wanted to go to Mexico. Cancun is supposed to be a great place."
A: "That sounds pretty good. But how about the Caribbean?"
B: "That doesn't sound too bad either. Do you know how much it would cost for airfare and
hotel?"
A: "If we go for 5 nights, then the total for airfare and hotel would be about one thousand
seven hundred dollars. How much would it be to go to Cancun?"
B: "I found a deal for only twelve hundred dollars."
A: "That's a lot cheaper. Let's go to Cancun then."
B: "Really? That sounds great. I picked up a lot of brochures. Let's take a look at all the
things we can do."
A: "That reminds me. I better make sure my passport is not expired."
B: "You better make sure. If it's expired, you have to hurry and renew it."
A: "We still have a couple of months. No rush."
B: "What do you want to do in Cancun?"
A: "I want to golf at least one day. And I also want to try surfing. Do they have instructors on
the beach?"
B: "Yeah. This brochure shows lesson and equipment rentals and everything. That shouldn't
be a problem. I want to try snorkeling."
A: "Do we need to buy snorkeling gear?"
B: "No. We can just rent it there."
A: "Sounds like we're going to have fun."
B: "I know. I can't wait. It's going to be so fun."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Where are you guys going for your honeymoon?"
B: "We decided on Cancun, Mexico."
A: "I've been there before. It's a great place."
B: "What did you do there?"
A: "There is so much to do. It's a big tourist place so there is access to everything."
B: "That's good. I'm looking forward to our honeymoon. Especially after all the wedding
plans I had to do."
A: "How long are you going for?"
B: "We decided on 6 days. We are leaving on Sunday and returning on Saturday."
A: "That should give you plenty of time. Do you have all your travel plans in order?"
B: "We just booked our flight and got our room. Everything is set."
A: "You're going to have so much fun. I'm so jealous."
B: "When you get married, you'll have your chance."
A: "I need to find a guy first."
B: "Where do you want to go for your honeymoon?"
A: "Since I've been to Mexico and Hawaii before, I want to go to Australia."
B: "That sounds great. It's a little out of our budget so we didn't even consider Australia."
A: "For the price, Cancun is one of the best so don't have any regrets. It is a great place. So do
you have a ride to the airport?"
B: "My brother is going to drop us off."
A: "Looks like everything is set. Just make sure to take a camera. I know many people who
forgot to take a camera on their honeymoon."
B: "Will do. Thanks."
Married Life
When we talk about married life, we talk about the good and the bad. In this lesson, I will
teach you the English you need to know to communicate how you feel about your married
life. If you are not married, then at least you can learn this lesson to speak about your
opinions on your friends married life.
We will not go into detail about conversation between married couple. Mostly, couples talk
about the same thing in a routine. But when you talk to friends, it's very different.
Girl talking to friends
"How is married life?"
"How is your husband doing?"
"What do you guys do for fun?"
Some responses I've heard
"I love my married life. My husband and I get a long so well."
"He is so helpful. He does the dishes for me and helps me around the house a lot."
"It was fun in the beginning, but now we are in a regular routine."
"Everything is great, but he's a little lazy. One time he was watching TV and he called me
when I was in the kitchen and asked me to get the remote control for him that was 6 feet
away."
"All he does is watch TV. I don't understand how a person can watch so much television."
"Since we're both working, we don't have much time for each other. But we get to spend the
weekend together and that is always good."
"Since I'm working also, we go out to eat a lot because I don't have time to cook."
"My husband is working at a consulting firm. He is always at work. I get bored a lot so I'm
trying to find some hobbies."
"My husband works at Microsoft. He gets home late and when he comes home, he's too tired
to do anything. I'm thinking about starting a career because I have so much extra time."
"My husband is in school right now. He's finishing his PHD."
Married Life - Talking to Friends
Guys talking to friends
"So who's the man of the house?"
"How are you enjoying married life?"
"Why don't you ever come out any more?"
"What advice would you give to someone who is getting married?"
Answers
"There are a lot of great things I am enjoying about my married life. She does the cooking,
the laundry, and the cleaning. What else can I ask for?"
"I wish she would cook more often. I'm sick of eating out so much."
"She's always busy with work. It's not a bad thing. But sometimes I get bored."
"I get a lot of free time because my wife is working."
"Since we don't have kids, and my wife is staying at home, she always complains about being
bored."
"The only problem is that I can't go out that often anymore."
"I miss hanging out with the guys."
"She doesn't let me in the kitchen. She does all the cooking and the dishes. She's so good to
me."
"It took some time to adjust in the beginning, but after getting used to it, I'm really enjoying
my marriage."
Where ever there is a marriage, the topic of kids always comes up.
"When are you going to have kids?"
"Are you guys planning on having a kid anytime soon?"
Accusing
"Where were you last night?"
"Why does your shirt smell like perfume?"
"Who is the person that keeps calling you at night?"
"You've been acting strange lately? Are you having an affair?"
"Are you seeing someone?"
"Are you cheating on me?"
"Who was the girl I saw you with at Starbucks?"
"How long have you been seeing her?"
"How long have you been sleeping with her?"
"I can't believe you would do this to me!"
"I don't understand why you would throw away our marriage like that."
"Why did you do it?"
"What did I do to deserve this?"
Talking about a married couple with cheating problems
"I think they are going to get divorced. Josh caught his wife cheating with another guy from
work."
"He should have been more careful."
"I think she is having an affair with her boss. Her husband has no idea what is going on."
"It's so obvious that she's sleeping with the boss. They go out together so often."
"If she wasn't sleeping with him, I think she would get fired. She is incompetent at what she
does."
"You know that girl from the strip club? Zack is sleeping with her and his wife doesn't even
have a clue."
A: "Why? You're not working so don't you have a lot of time on your hands?"
B: "I have so much house work to do. I have to take care of the kids, cook, clean, laundry,
and the cycle never ends."
A: "How about your husband. Does he help much?"
B: "Not at all. He comes home and complains about his hard day at work. He expects me to
do everything. He even wants me to feed him sometimes. Can you believe that?"
A: "That sucks."
B: "If he wasn't so lazy, I think I wouldn't have any complaints. He mows the lawn, but can
you believe he tried to convince me to do it?"
A: "That's crossing the line."
B: "Oh well. I'll have to live with it. What else can I do?"
B: "I have a membership at Bally's. It's not too expensive and I like all the equipment they
have."
A: "I've been thinking about joining a gym. Are they having any specials right now?"
B: "Yeah, they do. They have free enrollment and first month free. You should come by. I'll
show you around. I can take in a guest so you can try it out before signing up."
A: "That sounds good. Let's go this Saturday."
B: "Cool. I'll call you in the morning."
3
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey John. Who was that girl I saw you with last Friday night?"
B: "Oh. That was Jessica. She's a girl I met the other week."
A: "I thought you were seeing Patty?"
B: "No. We broke up a couple weeks ago."
A: "Are you getting pretty serious with this new girl?"
B: "She's not long term. Just someone to chill with."
A: "Ah... so you are boning her."
B: "Damn right. But we don't have much in common. Oh well. At least we are compatible in
bed."
A: "She had a nice figure. You sure it's not going to work out?"
B: "It works out well in bed, but if you try to have a conversation with her, it just dies out
fast."
A: "At least she is good for one thing. Ha ha ha."
B: "How about you. You've been seeing Heidi for a long time now. When are you going to tie
the knot?"
A: "I don't know. She's been bugging me about marriage, but I don't see the need to rush it."
B: "You guys have been seeing each other for like 3 years haven't you?"
A: "Actually, it's been more than 4 years already."
B: "Wow. That's a long time. Any problems with having a girlfriend for that long?"
A: "Not really. It gets a little boring at times, but we grew to be great friends. I can totally be
myself around her."
B: "I think that is the best type of relationships. Good for you."
A: "But sometimes I wonder if I am missing out. You know... like banging all these chicks,
like you."
B: "Trust me. I would trade in all of it for a stable relationship. It's a lot more headaches. The
breakups, the girl crying all the time, the broken promises, and on and on. I am so sick of it."
A: "Well, if you put it that way."
B: "I would love to be in your situation. You have a beautiful girl that you are in love with,
and you are perfect for each other. What else do you want?"
A: "Maybe a little more excitement."
B: "So would you give up your girlfriend for what I have? A little excitement here and there?
You can't have both you know. Unless you're a cheating dog."
A: "I don't think I can go behind her back. We have a trusting relationship I don't want to
risk."
B: "Now you're making some sense."
A: "It's always good talking to you man. You make me feel better."
B: "Likewise. That's what friends are for right?"
A: "So you coming out to play basketball this Saturday?"
B: "Yeah. I'll be there."
A: "Aright. I'll catch you then."
B: "Aright man. Later."
4
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey Stephanie. Guess what?"
B: "What?"
A: "Robert asked me to marry him. We're getting married."
B: "Congratulations. I'm so happy for you. So when is the big day?"
A: "We haven't set the date exactly, but it looks like it will be sometime in July."
B: "How did he propose to you?"
A: "On valentines day, he got me a present. I thought it was an ordinary valentines day
present, but when I opened it, it was this big diamond ring. Right then, he got on his knees
and proposed."
B: "That's so neat. So you really got surprised?"
A: "We talked about marriage a little, but I never knew he was serious."
B: "You are going to be busy with wedding plans. But you have several months to prepare for
it."
A: "It's going to be pretty hectic for me. So I'm going to need some help. First of all, I was
wondering if you would like to be my Maid of Honor."
B: "I would be honored."
A: "So you're going to help me with the planning right?"
B: "Of course. How many brides maids are you going to have?"
A: "Three. So we will have a total of four."
B: "Let me guess. Susan, Tina, and Cindy."
A: "Close. I'm going to have Cindy as the candle lighter. The third brides maid is going to be
Lydia. She is a good friend from church."
B: "I know her. She's sweet. I'll make sure we have the best wedding for you."
A: "I hope so. I appreciate your help."
Guys - Girls - and Sports
1. Talking About Girls - Types You Like or Dislike
2. Talking About Girls - In Love and Body Parts you like
3. Talking About Girls - Interactive Practice
4. Sports in General
5. Sports in General - Volleyball
6. Sports in General - Soccer
7. Sports in General - Swimming
8. Sports in General - Softball
9. Sports in General - Tennis
10. Baseball
11. Baseball - Topics
12. Baseball - Baseball Cards
13. Baseball - Equipment
14. Baseball - Amateur League
15. Baseball - Interactive Practice
16. Basketball
17. Basketball - Terminologies
18. Basketball - Talking with Friends
19. Basketball - Watching Basketball
20. Basketball - Talking about Kids
21. Basketball - Interactive Practice
22. Football
23. Football - General Statements
24. Football - Topics
25. Football - Interactive Practice
In this session, we are going to cover talking about girls. We will primarily cover
commenting on traits you like or dislike. Don't worry ladies, we will have a session about
guys later on.
Describing what types of girls you like
"I like a girl with a lot of curves."
"I like all girls with a great body."
"I like skinny girls."
"I like a girl with smooth skin."
"Since I'm pretty tall, I want a tall skinny girl."
"I like a girl who likes to have fun."
"I like girls who are smart. I can't stand airheads."
"I like all pretty girls."
"I like obedient girls."
"The most important trait for me is wisdom. I want a girl who is wise."
"It's important that the girl is smart and intelligent."
"A good and fun personality is the most important trait I look for in a girl."
"I want a girl who is going to take care of me."
"I want a working girl so I can stay at home all day."
"I want to meet a rich girl so I don't have to worry about money."
"I like athletic girls because I like to play sports."
Describing types you don't like
"I can't stand girls with attitude."
"I hate stuck up girls."
"The worst kind of girls are high maintenance girls."
"Stay away from nagging girls. You'll want to kill yourself after a month with them."
"It bothers me when a girl is not independent."
"I don't like weak girls who can't take care of themselves."
"You might think rich girls are a blessing, but they constantly nag at you to make more
money."
"Rich girls are usually spoiled and soon you will be broke trying to keep up with her."
"I don't like fat girls. They don't turn me on."
"I don't like skinny girls who are like toothpicks. It's just gross."
B: "Ok. I agree with you there. Let's change the scenario a little. If you were stuck on an
island, who would you choose to be with?"
A: "I'd take Britney Spears. I have this thing about her."
B: "No way man. How about Catherine Zeta Jones? She is absolutely beautiful."
Sports in General
Sports is a common topic mostly among the guys. In America, the three biggest sports are
baseball, basketball, and American football. Due to the popularity of these sports, I will have
individual lessons for them, but I will not have individual lessons for other sports such as
soccer, volleyball, etc. For this lesson however, I will briefly talk about most sports and the
most common language used among each one.
First, let's practice general sports sentences:
"What do you like to do in your free time?"
"What are your hobbies?"
"What sports do you like to play?"
"I like to play sports. It's good for my health and I think it's very fun."
"I like competitive sports because winning feels good."
"I like to play tennis and I like to swim."
"Jeff is pretty athletic so he picks up on sports real quick."
"If you need a girl to play, you should get Jessica. She's very athletic."
In English, you can mostly use the word play for a sport, but there are some sports where play
doesn't work. Here are some examples:
"I like to play basketball."
"Let's go play basketball."
"Do you like to play basketball?"
This would also work for football, baseball, tennis, volleyball, soccer, and softball.
However, sports such as swimming, bowling, and golf do not use the word play. Here is how
you would say it.
"I like to swim."
"I like swimming."
"Let's go swimming."
"Do you like swimming?"
As you may have noticed, each of the sports that do not use play is the ones with an 'ing' at
the end. So if the sport is primarily used with an 'ing' at the end, then do not use play with
that sport name.
Tennis
"Tennis is my favorite sport."
"I play tennis just for fun."
"I started playing tennis when I was in high school."
"I made the varsity team in high school when I have been only playing for 3 months."
"I used to have a girlfriend who left me to be with a tennis coach."
"I can't hit a back hand."
"I have a two handed back hand."
"One handed back hands are more effective for attacks."
"You can generate more power by using one hand for your backhand."
"How do you topspin a ball?"
"Every time I try to lob a ball, it always goes out."
"My serves need a lot of help."
"My second serve is too easy to hit."
"I can't believe how fast professional tennis players serve."
"A guy once died from getting hit with a tennis ball in the crotch at a professional tournament.
He was an old guy and got a stroke from the shock or pain."
"My favorite tennis player is Agassi."
"Martina Hingis is the cutest tennis player."
"I hate playing against a serve and volley type of player."
"I'm a baseline player."
Baseball
Baseball is one the biggest sports in America. It's also popular in many other countries as
well. Because of the large popularity, I will dedicate one lesson on baseball so you can be
equipped to talk to English speaking people about this sport.
Playing baseball
"I like to play baseball. It is my favorite sport."
"I used to play baseball when I was younger."
"Baseball is a great sport."
"What position do you play?"
"I play second base."
"I play shortstop."
Many people like to play baseball even after growing up. But they are not good enough to
play in a professional league, so they have amateur leagues for fun. Most major cities will
have recreational league and if you are looking for one, you will need to call up the city. Do a
search in the Internet for Parks and Community Services for your city name, or Parks and
Recreation. Here is an example on a small city of Lynnwood. In the search engine, I type,
'Lynnwood Parks and Recreation'. You should see some links and they should have phone
numbers. Call that number and ask how you can join a baseball team.
"Hi, I wanted to join an adult baseball league. Do you have these events?"
"When are signups?"
"What process do I need to take to join a team?"
"When does the season start?"
"How much does it cost?"
"What days and times do teams usually play?"
For most adults, we like to watch baseball, so you might not have to go through the above
process. However, when you get a kid, your son might want to play.
"I'm looking for a baseball league for my 10 year old son. Where can I find information on
little league?"
"Where can I sign up my 8 year old son to play baseball?"
Most of the time, your son might have friends and they will sign up with your permission.
But if you have to find it, you can use the sentences we have learned right above to find a
team for your son.
Basketball
Basketball is a great sport to play even after growing up. This is because you don't need so
many people to play. Even 4 people is enough to play 2 on 2. We'll cover both playing and
watching basketball in this session.
Here are basic ways to say you want to play basketball.
"I want to play basketball. We should round up the guys and play."
"We haven't played basketball in a long time. Let's get something going."
"When are you guys going to play basketball again?"
"Anybody up for a game of basketball?"
"Let's go down the street and play some basketball."
"I've been itching to play basketball for a while."
Shooting hoops is a terminology a lot of people use when referring to basketball.
"Let's go shoot some hoops."
"Do you wanna go shoot some hoops?"
"I'm going to shoot some hoops with the guys. You wanna come?"
Common expressions about basketball.
"Basketball is my favorite sport."
"I like to play basketball."
"I get a good workout playing basketball."
"At the gym, I play basketball with a lot of guys."
"I'm out of shape to play basketball."
"Running up and down the court is too tiring for me."
"I need to get in shape to play basketball."
"I'm going to play basketball this weekend."
"I have a 36 inch vertical."
"Where do you guys go to play basketball?"
"Are there any basketball courts around here?"
Basketball - Terminologies
Dribbling - Bouncing the ball up and down.
Double dribble - When you dribble the ball. Stop dribbling, and then start dribbling again.
This is illegal.
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Do you know when basketball season starts?"
B: "It starts in October. How come?"
A: "I like to keep up with the Lakers."
B: "You keep up with baseball at all?"
A: "Just a little. Not as much as basketball."
B: "Who is your favorite player?"
A: "Probably Kobe Bryant, but he has too many issues right now."
B: "He's a great player, but his recent problem is really affecting his play."
A: "Hope everything turns out ok. Do you play/like basketball much?"
B: "I usually get into it during the playoffs. I'd rather play than watch."
A: "I like to watch as much as I like to play. Do you play often?"
B: "Every now and then with some friends."
A: "I usually play twice a week at the health club. It's easy to round up 10 guys during the
evening time."
B: "That sounds pretty fun. But I'm too out of shape to play full court."
A: "I get tired too, but I figure it's good for my health. And I'm having fun at the same time."
B: "So you think the Lakers will do good this year?"
A: "They better. They got a lot of good players now. If Malone can stay healthy, then I don't
see how they can be beat."
B: "I don't know... I think Sacramento has a strong team this year."
A: "True, but I'm pulling for the Lakers all the way. It's going to be a great season."
Football
Football is referred to as soccer in most countries, but in America, football is different than
soccer. That is why I sometimes refer to football as American football. American football is
not popular worldwide yet, but it's very popular in America. The Superbowl is the most
watched sports event. To buy commercial time during the Superbowl is the most expensive.
In this lesson, I'll give you some pointers on having a football conversation, and I will also
explain some rules. Let's start with the rules first because not everyone will know them. I
will not be too specific because this isn't a lesson on football rules. Rather, I will give a brief
description so you have an understanding of the game before we move on to the conversation
aspect.
There are eleven players on the field for each side. That means you need 22 people to play an
official football game. The point of the game is to reach the other side, which is called the
end zone, with the ball. A player can run with the ball, or they can throw the ball to another
person.
Touchdown is worth 6 points.
If you are close enough but not quite in the end zone, you can kick the ball. That is called a
field goal.
Field goals are worth 3 points.
After you make a touchdown, you can either kick a ball, similar to a field goal for 1 point or
you can run or pass it for 2 points. This is called a two point conversion.
Quarterback always starts with the ball. He either passes it to a wide receiver, hands off to a
running back, or runs the ball himself.
Offense positions:
Center - The person hiking the ball to the quarterback each play.
Quarterback - The main person starting with the ball each play. Either passes, hands off, or
runs.
Running back - The person who runs with the ball. Running backs can catch passes as well.
Wide Receivers - The people who run out and catch balls from the quarterback.
Tight End - Similar to a wide receiver but blocks a lot as well.
Full back - Like a running back who runs with the ball, but mostly blocks for the main
running back.
Offensive Guard - blocks for the quarterback positioned right next to the Center on each side
Offensive Tackle - same as the guard and standing right next to the guard
Defense positions:
Nose Tackle - Person in the middle facing the center
Defensive Guard and Tackle - Opposite the offensive guard and tackle
Linebacker - People right behind the front line.
Cornerbacks - People on the sides of linebackers. Primarily covers the wide receivers and
outside running plays.
Saftey - People behind the cornerbacks who covers wide receiver and passing plays
The object for the offense is to get in the endzone. The goal of the defense is to prevent the
offense from getting in the endzone. A defensive person is always trying to tackle the person
who has the ball. If the person goes down to the ground with the ball, then that play is over.
There are four downs. After four downs, your team no longer has possession of the ball. If
you gain 10 yards before the four downs are used, then you start with four downs again.
Usually on first down, they call it first and ten. That means it is the first down, and I need ten
yards to regain first down. If on the first play I only get one yard, then the next down is called
second and nine. It is the second play and I need 9 yards more. On the second down, I get 5
yards, then it is third and 4. And on third down if I get 5 more yards, I have succeeded in
getting 10 yards, and it is first and 10 once again. You continue to do this until you either get
a touch down or get a field goal or fail to reach 10 yards in four plays.
On the fourth down, your team can punt the ball. Punting the ball is used because you do not
think you can get first down and punting the ball would move the other team further away
from their end zone, making it harder for them. To punt the ball, a punter grabs the football
and kicks it as high and as far as possible.
There are many other rules, but I think this much explanation will be sufficient to understand
a little about American football. Let's move on to speaking about this topic now.
Football - General Statements
"Do you like football?"
"What do you think about football?"
"Do you keep up with the NFL?"
"Do you keep up with football?"
"Who is your favorite team?"
"Did you play football when you were young?"
"Which player do you like the most?"
"Who is your favorite player?"
"Football is a brutal sport. It seems so dangerous."
"Most of the people in football are so big."
"There are too many injuries in football."
"Football is so fun to watch."
"I just started watching football on TV. I kind of get it, but I'm still learning all the rules."
"In my country we don't have football so I really don't know how to play."
"We don't have football in my country so I never learned the game."
"I only watch the Superbowl."
"I'm from Seattle, and because the Seahawks suck so bad, I don't really keep up with them."
"I love the Miami Dolphins."
"Joe Montana was my favorite player. I don't have a current one right now."
"My favorite player is Priest Holmes. He is such a great running back."
Football - Topics
Talking about people you see
"I saw a guy in a restaurant. He was huge man. Towering over everyone. I got the nerve to
ask him if he played football, and he ended up being a professional football player for the
Seahawks."
"I saw a professional football player last week at a night club. All the girls were around him."
"College football is very popular in America. It's almost as popular as the NFL."
"My brother had class with a football player in college named Cortez Kennedy. He's now
playing for the Raiders."
"Even though a lot of football players are huge, most of them are really nice."
Steroids
"I heard that about ninety percent of football players have used steroids before."
"Steroids is a big problem in the NFL."
"I think the problem with the NFL is the steroid abuse."
"I heard people say that you have to use steroids to be competitive. That's primarily because
everyone else is using it, so if you don't, then it's your disadvantage."
Football - Interactive Practice
Apasa pe "Asculta toate" si urmeaza instructiunile.Dupa ce deveniti comfortabil cu intreaga
conversatie, jucati rolul persoanei A apasand pe butonul "Persoana A".Veti auzi numai
persoana B de-a lungul conversatiei. Va fi liniste pentru dvs sa repetati propoztiile persoanei
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "What are you watching?"
B: "A football game. Packers are playing the Chiefs."
A: "I never understood this game."
B: "It's not that hard. If you watch a couple of games, you'll start to understand it."
A: "Do you watch a lot of football?"
B: "I like the Packers, so I watch all their games."
Driver - The club used to hit the ball the farthest off the Tee
Putter - The club used to putt the ball in the cup
Tee box - The place where you hit your first shot
Fairway - The short grass area in the middle
Rough - Taller grass next to the fairway that is not in the middle
Green - The area where the hole is and where you putt the ball.
Par 3 - Short holes where it should take 3 shots to get in the cup
Par 4 - Middle length holes where it should take 4 shots
Par 5 - Long holes where it should take 5 shots
Hole in one - When the ball goes in the cup on the first hit. Usually only on par 3's.
Double Eagle - Ball goes in the cup after hitting the ball twice on a par 5. 3 under par
Eagle - Ball goes in the cup after hitting the ball 3 times on a par 5 or 2 times on a par 4. 2
under par
Birdie - Reaching the hole at one under par. So on a par 3, you reached the cup in 2, par 4,
you reached in 3, and par 5, you reached in 4.
Par - When you put the ball in the cup in the number specified by the par. Par 3, in three, par
4 in four shots, and par 5 in five shots
Bogey - Using one extra shot to reach the cup. For example, on a par 4, you used 5 shots to
get in the cup.
Double bogey - 2 over par
Triple bogey - 3 over par
Quadruple bogey - 4 over par
Etc.
Golf - Talking on the Course
On the course, here are some common sentences you can use when playing with other people.
"Do you play this course often?"
"Have you been here before?"
"Great shot."
"Great putt."
"That was a nice shot."
"You're doing great."
"The ball hooked to the left."
"Your ball sliced to the right."
"I think your ball is out of bounds."
Poker - Terminologies
Poker is a fun activity among your friends. Poker is also something a person can do in a
casino without friends. I will cover all the things you need to say to be effective with your
English at the poker table.
There are many different poker games. I will not cover the different types of poker games,
but feel free to learn about them through poker books or other poker web sites. For this
lesson, I will use Texas Hold 'em as the example game because of its popularity.
First, let's look at some terminologies:
No Pair - A hand without anything.
One Pair - Having two of the same card
"I can't believe I lost with a straight. The damn flush showed up on the river."
"I had two aces and he had two kings. The last card was a king so he won."
"Would you go all in with a pair of fours before the flop?"
"Would you rather have a pair of fives or an Ace King suited."
"You're so easy to read. You give your hand away every time."
Poker - Interactive Practice
Apasa pe "Asculta toate" si urmeaza instructiunile.Dupa ce deveniti comfortabil cu intreaga
conversatie, jucati rolul persoanei A apasand pe butonul "Persoana A".Veti auzi numai
persoana B de-a lungul conversatiei. Va fi liniste pentru dvs sa repetati propoztiile persoanei
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey Jack. What did you do last weekend?"
B: "Josh had a bunch of guys over at his house and we played poker."
A: "Why didn't you guys call me?"
B: "We did. But you weren't home. If you had a cell phone, maybe you wouldn't be left out."
A: "Yeah. I need to get a cell phone. So, what games did you play?"
B: "We only play Texas Hold em."
A: "That's all good. What was the bid amount?"
B: "We started playing no limit. It's so much fun."
A: "That sounds awesome. Let me join you next time."
B: "No problem. Just get a cell phone so we can contact you."
A: "Aright. Who won though?"
B: "John. He always wins. He's damn good."
A: "You only played one game?"
B: "We played 2 games and he won both of them."
A: "What is the buy in?"
B: "Only 10 bucks."
A: "That sounds fun. Ten bucks isn't that much money to have fun while chilling with your
friends."
B: "Exactly."
A: "But what happens if you get out in the first ten minutes?"
B: "I don't know for sure, but he drives a nice car and I heard he has a house."
A: "How is his personality?"
B: "He's very smart and a great person to talk to. In the beginning, we talked for about 30
minutes a day in the coffee shop before he asked me out. Besides that, he's very sweet and
romantic."
A: "How old is he?"
B: "That's the problem. He is 2 years younger than me. What do you think about that?"
A: "What's the big deal? I don't see anything wrong with that. If you were 23, then I might be
worried he was immature, but you're almost 30 now. 2 years is no big deal."
B: "Yeah. That's what I think."
A: "When do I get to meet him?"
B: "How about a double date. The four of us can go out to dinner and a drink or something."
A: "That sounds great. How about next Saturday?"
B: "I think Saturday will be good. Let's double check with the guys and get back to each
other."
A: "Great. I'll call you later then."
B: "Ok. Talk to you later."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Jane. Did you see that guy standing by the dance floor?"
B: "Yeah. He's kinda cute."
A: "Wait. Isn't that Beth's boyfriend?"
B: "I'm not sure. I haven't met him before."
A: "Look. He's dancing with another girl."
B: "Are you sure that's him?"
A: "No. It just looks like him."
B: "I heard he was a nice guy. He wouldn't be cheating on Beth."
A: "Yeah. You're right. How do you know about him if you never met him?"
B: "I hear all this stuff from Beth. She is always going off on how nice and sweet he is."
A: "I heard the same thing. What type of guy are you looking for?"
B: "Someone who is understanding, responsible, sensitive, smart, and with a lot of money."
A: "Don't we all. Get real. All those guys are probably already taken."
B: "It doesn't hurt to have expectations. What type of guy do you want to find?"
A: "All I want is someone who is going to treat me well."
B: "You know Alex don't you? He likes you. I bet he'll take good care of you."
A: "He's a dork. At least someone who is not an idiot ok?"
B: "Got it."
Shopping - Clothes
A few guys like to shop. As for the girls, most of them enjoy shopping. Shopping can consist
of grocery shopping, clothes shopping, or present shopping. I'm sure there are other types as
well, but I will limit this lesson to these three types of shopping.
Shopping for clothes
'Window Shopping' is a terminology used when you do not plan on buying anything.
Basically, you are only looking. The term 'window shopping' was created because a lot of
stores have mannequins on display in the window with clothes on them. So walking by the
store and looking at the clothing through the window is a way to see what they have. This is
called 'window shopping.'
Mannequins are the fake life size figures that are used to put and display clothes. Most
department stores show clothing with the mannequins.
Here are some common statements and questions most commonly used in a clothing store.
"Where is the dressing room?"
"I can't find my size here. Can you check if you have this in a size 4?"
"Do you have this in different colors?"
"Where are your jeans located?"
"Where is the red sweater on display in the window?"
"How much is this skirt?"
"Are you going to have a sale soon?"
"Where is the matching shirt for this skirt?"
"When are you going to get more sizes?"
"I'm looking for a belt that will go with these pants."
"Do you provide alteration here?"
"How much will it cost to get alternation done on these pants?"
"These pants are too long for me. Where can I get them altered?"
"How long does it take?"
"When do you start selling summer clothing?"
Shopping - Grocery
Grocery shopping is a common thing that is done at least on a weekly basis. I'll cover some
general sentences that are commonly used.
Before shopping
"I'm going to the grocery store. Do you need anything?"
"I'm going to QFC. Do you want to go?"
"Did you create a grocery list?"
"I'm going to Safeway tonight. Let me know if you need anything by 5:30."
"Let's go to the grocery store together."
Many large grocery stores have coupons they distribute through the newspaper. You cut them
out and save money on items that are shown in the coupon.
"I have a bunch of coupons I got from the newspaper."
"There were a lot of coupons, but I didn't need any of them."
"There are no coupons for anything I ever buy."
During grocery shopping
"Where is your bread section?"
"Where can I find milk?"
"Where are your beers?"
"Do you sell alcohol here?"
"I'm looking for pickles. Can you help me find them?"
"Do you have a bakery section?"
"I'm looking for cough medicine. Where is your medicine area?"
Shopping - Presents
Shopping for presents
Almost everyone needs to buy a present. Let's look at some sentences that you will need.
It's common to ask a birthday person what they want.
"What do you want for your birthday?"
"Do you need anything?"
Or, you can ask a friend of a birthday person.
"What do you think John wants for his birthday?"
"What do you think I should get for John?"
"What are you getting John for his birthday?"
Buying something for a girlfriend or boyfriend is a little different. If you don't have any
ideas, then you can ask a sales person. Let's say you want to buy your girlfriend a piece of
jewelry.
"I want to buy my girlfriend a birthday present. Do you have any suggestions?"
Or if you want to buy a boyfriend a tie or a shirt, you can go to a place like Banana Republic
and ask them.
"I'm shopping for my boyfriend's birthday. Can you help me pick out something?"
Shopping - Interactive Practice
Apasa pe "Asculta toate" si urmeaza instructiunile.Dupa ce deveniti comfortabil cu intreaga
conversatie, jucati rolul persoanei A apasand pe butonul "Persoana A".Veti auzi numai
persoana B de-a lungul conversatiei. Va fi liniste pentru dvs sa repetati propoztiile persoanei
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Welcome. Can I help you with anything?"
B: "Hi. I'm shopping for my boyfriend's birthday. Do you have any suggestions?"
A: "Let's see. How about a nice shirt and tie? You can't go wrong there."
B: "Well. He doesn't wear ties that often."
A: "We have some nice pants. You can also get him a belt with it."
Jewelry
There are many types of jewelry, but the ones I will focus on are the ring, necklace, earring,
bracelet, and watch. Although watch can be in a category by itself, we will include it in this
section until a separate section is created.
Conversation is usually started with a person complimenting a piece of jewelry. Here are
some examples.
"That's a beautiful necklace."
"What a magnificent ring."
"I like the design of your ring."
"Your bracelet is very nice."
"I love your watch."
"What a beautiful pair of earrings."
"Where did you get your necklace from?"
"What is the carat on your diamond ring?"
"Is that your wedding ring?"
"What type of diamond is that?"
"What is the make of your watch?"
"Is that white gold, silver, or platinum?"
"Is your gold ring 14 carats or 18 carats?"
Carat is a unit of measurement for gold or diamond. 24 carat is pure gold and 50 percent of
pure gold is 12 carats. Diamonds use carat to determine size. One carat is considered to be
pretty big. While getting past 3 carats will be uncommon for the general people because of
the large size.
Answering a compliment is very easy. All you need to say is, 'Thank you.' But if you want to
elaborate, you can say the following things.
"Thank you. My husband got it for me for our anniversary."
"Thank you. It was a present from my boyfriend."
"Do you like it? My grandmother gave it to me."
"This is a Rolex. My husband and I got a matching pair for our wedding."
"This is a Cartier. I bought it last summer."
Jewelry - Jewelry Stores
Asking about jewelry stores
"Where is the best place to buy jewelry?"
"Where would you go to buy jewelry?"
"Are all jewelry stores the same?"
"What do you think about Tiffany's?"
"Does the Shane Co. have good quality jewelry?"
"Do they have high quality rings?"
"What jewelry store do you recommend?"
"It all depends on how much you want to spend."
"The best place to buy jewelry is Tiffany's. Their service is great and the quality of all their
stuff is amazing."
"Jared's is a pretty good place for the price."
"I like Costco because they are much cheaper than any other place."
"If you want to buy an engagement ring, EE Robins is a great jewelry store."
In a jewelry store
Most or all jewelry items are behind a glass on display. You will need to work with a
salesperson to view items directly.
"I'm looking for a bracelet."
"Can I see this one?"
"Can I see that one?"
"Can I try it on?"
"How much does this bracelet cost?"
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey Jason. What are you doing this Friday?"
B: "I'm going to go to the driving range cause I'm playing golf on Saturday."
A: "You're golfing without me? What's up with that?"
B: "Sorry man, but we already have a foursome. I'm going with a couple of guys from work."
A: "Where are you playing?"
B: "Washington National. Have you been there yet?"
A: "I've been there a couple of times. It's a great course. You know the Huskies play there
right?"
B: "I didn't know that. Is it a hard course?"
A: "It's pretty challenging. But it all depends on which tee you play from."
B: "What are you shooting these days?"
A: "I'm still hovering around a bogey game."
B: "Still better than me. I'm still trying to hit a bogey game. Do you want to hit the driving
range with me?"
A: "I can't this Friday. I'm playing basketball with the guys that night."
B: "At night?"
A: "Yeah. We're playing indoors at a school gymnasium."
B: "What's the occasion?"
A: "Just a small league I play on. Nothing special."
B: "I'm too short to play basketball."
A: "You're not that short. Plus, we have a couple of guys who are the same height as you.
They're awesome players."
B: "I never got into basketball. It's fun and all, but maybe I'm just not good at it."
A: "It's still great exercise. I get a better workout from basketball than I do from the
treadmill."
B: "That's true."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "What do you think about Matt's new girlfriend?"
B: "Samantha? She's pretty hot. I can't believe she fell for Matt."
A: "I don't seem to have much luck with girls."
A: "Only when the group of people I'm with is watching it. I just never had interest in TV that
much."
B: "Well, I like following the Mariners. They're pretty good."
A: "I like to go watch them play. It's fun when you are actually there."
B: "A bunch of us are going to watch them play this June. Do you want to join us?"
A: "Yeah. I'll go. I like the new stadium. It's pretty cool."
B: "Ok. I'll make sure to get you a ticket as well."
4
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "What did Mike get you for your birthday Pam?"
B: "He got me a watch. See."
A: "That's beautiful. He must have spent a fortune on it."
B: "He's so great. I think he might propose pretty soon."
A: "How do you know? Did he give you any clues?"
B: "He took me to a jewelry store and asked me what type of rings I like. It was a little
obvious, but at least I got to pick the one I wanted."
A: "That's not so romantic?"
B: "He was never romantic. Silly and cute, but not romantic. I like all his quirkiness. He
always makes me laugh."
A: "I guess you can't ask for much more than that."
B: "How is it going with you and Brad?"
A: "We broke up a week ago."
B: "I'm sorry to hear that. What happened?"
A: "I think we both just started to grow apart. I wasn't surprised."
B: "Are you doing ok?"
A: "Actually, I'm feeling great. I guess I needed some freedom."
B: "Have you started seeing other guys yet?"
A: "Not yet, but I when I meet a decent guy, I wouldn't mind dating again."
B: "What kind of guy are you looking for?"
A: "Although my relationship with Brad wasn't that bad, I want a guy who likes to go out
more. Brad always spent all his time studying and researching for school. It was quite
boring."
B: "You definitely need a guy who likes to have fun."
A: "I wouldn't mind dating a romantic guy. Maybe I'm dreaming, but a nice walk down the
beach, or dancing in the moonlight would be something I would love to do."
B: "Hey. There are guys like that. All you have to do is find the right one."
A: "But that's the hard part. I always fall for the guy who is smart. And then after a couple of
months, I get bored."
B: "Doesn't a tall, good looking guy turn you on?"
A: "Not really. What should I do?"
B: "We should go to a club this Saturday and find a smart romantic guy. How does that
sound?"
A: "That sounds like a plan. Let's do it."
B: "Great. I'll see you at nine then."
A: "Ok. See you later."
Feelings and Emotions
1. Happy and Feeling Good
2. Happy and Feeling Good - Questions
3. Happy and Feeling Good - Other Sentences
4. Happy and Feeling Good - Interactive Practice
5. Anger
6. Anger - Understanding
7. Anger - Confronting
8. Anger - Other
9. Anger - Interactive Practice
10. Excited - General Sentences
11. Excited - Other Expressions
12. Excited - Interactive Practice
13. Being Worried
14. Worry - Serious Situation
15. Being Worried - Talking to a Worried Person
16. Worry - Worried about Family
17. Worry - Interactive Practice
18. Stress - School
19. Stress - Work
20. Stress - Questions and Answers
21. Stress - General
22. Stress - Interactive Practice
It's common to talk to friends and family when you are happy. Most of the time, you want to
express why you are happy and share with close people how you feel. In this lesson, let's take
a look at many different ways you can express yourself when you are happy.
General statements are usually short. Here are a few examples.
"I'm very happy right now."
"I'm happy."
"I haven't been this happy in a long time."
"I don't think I can be any happier right now."
"He is very happy."
"She is so happy right now."
"My wife is pretty happy."
"My husband is happy."
These sentences are very basic. Most of the time, you will be explaining why you are happy.
Let's incorporate the reason into the sentence.
"I'm so happy I got a job offer."
"I was happy when I received an A for my final report."
"I'll be happy when that happens."
"This semester is such a headache. I'll be so happy when it's over."
"My brother was happy after passing the examination."
"I think my mother was happier than I was when I got into the University."
"If you find a job you are happy with, then that is the perfect job for you."
"It's more important to be happy with your job than what other people think."
"I don't think she will be happy if you do that."
"My parents won't be happy if I drop out of school."
"I think my professor was happy with my essay.
"My grandmother is always happy when I come visit her."
"My grandfather is always happy to see me."
"I'm so happy for you. That's wonderful news."
"Congratulations on your engagement, I'm so happy for you."
"I want to find a gift that she will be happy with."
"He never likes his presents, but he is happy with the fact that we tried."
"Happiness is probably the most important thing in life."
"My goal in life is to make other people happy."
Happy and Feeling Good - Questions
Anger
Different people react in different ways when they are angry. In this lesson, we will look at a
variety of sentences people use when they are angry. When someone is angry in the real
world, they use a lot of profanity or curse words. Because of this fact, this lesson will contain
bad words.
There are many ways a person can get angry. Let's first look at the situation where it involved
a different person.
"I'm so pissed. Roger just stabbed me in the back."
"What was he thinking! I thought we were friends too."
"I don't know what I'm going to do when I see him. I found out that he's been sleeping with
my girlfriend."
"Matt is dating my ex-girlfriend. I'm pretty upset about that. He knows I still have feelings
for her."
"Whenever I think about him, I get pissed. He treats his friends like crap."
"I can't believe he was talking behind my back. Whenever he talks to me, he acts like we're
close friends."
"Matt borrowed my car and put a dent in it. He claims he didn't do it. I'm never trusting him
again."
"I told Scott a secret and made sure he never tells anyone. The next week, I heard it from
three different people. I was so pissed."
Anger - Understanding
There are only a few things you need to say when someone is talking to you about anger. The
best thing to do is understand their feeling.
Anger - Confronting
When you are talking to the person that made you angry, it is common to lose control and say
a lot of things. Here are some common sentences.
"I thought you were a friend. I had so much trust in you. I can't believe you did this to me."
"What were you thinking when you stabbed me in the back. Did it feel good?"
"Why'd you do it?"
"You know I still have feelings for Mandy. You didn't even consider my feelings. What? Am
I not a friend or something?"
"You're not the only one hurting for money. You owe me five hundred dollars. I need it
now."
"You didn't have to tell my parents that I owed you money. I said I would pay you back when
I got my paycheck. I can't believe you would do this."
Sentences you can ask or say if you feel a friend is angry with you
"Are you mad at me?"
"Are you angry?"
"You're not disappointed are you?"
"Don't be angry with me. I really didn't mean it."
"I didn't know you were involved. I hope you're not mad at me."
"I really didn't know it was going to make you upset."
Anger - Other
If you make good friends, you can avoid these types of scenarios. However, there are times
when the situation was out of your control. For example, a friend of mine had to landscape
his back yard for his house, so he called a company to delivery a lot of top soil. As the driver
was driving back to the house, he hit my friends house and damaged a pipeline. The driver
claimed it wasn't his fault and said he wouldn't pay for the damages. When things like this
happen, we use the court system to get payment. But my friend was so angry because they
were not accepting fault. Here are some of the things I heard.
"I was so pissed for a couple of weeks. During that time, I thought of twenty different ways I
could hurt his business."
"I'm going to screw with him so much."
In the end, everything worked out. They went to court and my friend won.
There are a couple of other emotions that are similar to being angry. I'll cover some of them
here.
"I'm so frustrated."
"It's so frustrating working with him."
"I was so frustrated, I stopped caring about the outcome."
"He gets frustrated pretty easily."
"It's easy to get frustrated when things are not fair."
"I'm not really mad, just a little disappointed."
"That really hurt me. I'm so disappointed."
"I'm really disappointed in you. I didn't know you could stoop to that level."
In boxing, a low blow is a hit below the belt that is considered unfair. The term low blow
became widely used when someone did something unfair. Here are some sentences to give
you an idea.
"That was low."
"I can't believe Jackie would do something so low."
Now that we know what low means, stooping to that level means to do something that is low.
You are basically lowering yourself to perform a bad or unfair task.
Anger - Interactive Practice
Apasa pe "Asculta toate" si urmeaza instructiunile.Dupa ce deveniti comfortabil cu intreaga
conversatie, jucati rolul persoanei A apasand pe butonul "Persoana A".Veti auzi numai
persoana B de-a lungul conversatiei. Va fi liniste pentru dvs sa repetati propoztiile persoanei
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
"We're leaving for our camping trip tomorrow. I'm getting really excited."
"Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day."
"We're finally moving into our first house. It's a very exciting time for us."
"I have an interview tomorrow. Although I am scared, it's an exciting opportunity."
Regular sentences
"I'm excited to be here."
"Your sister must be really excited about starting law school."
"It's really exciting thinking about the benefits people will gain from our project."
"It's exciting starting a small business."
"I get excited thinking about how many people I will help."
"Don't get too excited. It's not guaranteed yet."
"I wouldn't get excited yet. You still have one more match to play."
"You didn't get the job yet, so don't get too excited about it."
Questions
"I'm pretty fired up about tomorrow. Aren't you excited too?"
"Are you feeling excited or scared about your interview tomorrow?"
"Do you get excited every time you get a phone number from a girl?"
"Is your brother excited about starting work?"
"Are you excited about your date tomorrow?"
Excited - Other Expressions
Sometimes, being too excited can be negative. Here are some examples.
"I don't know what's wrong with him. He's always excited for no reason."
"He's too hyper. I don't know why he's excited about every little thing."
Hyper is usually used when someone has too much energy.
"If you feel too excited, you won't be able to sleep. Then you won't perform that well
tomorrow."
"Calm down. You're over reacting."
"My friend can never go to sleep the day before we go skiing. He always gets too excited."
"My dog gets excited whenever the doorbell rings."
"People with heart problems shouldn't get excited too often."
"You should feel excited about this opportunity."
"I don't understand why you're unhappy with your situation. I'd feel excited to have your
opportunity."
"Going to a concert is very exciting. There are many people there with so much energy and
it's very fun."
"It's exciting to see a great singer perform so powerfully."
"I'm excited about my trip to Europe. It's going to be so fun."
Being pumped up is another way you can say you are excited.
"I'm pretty pumped up about my trip to Australia. I'm really looking forward to it."
"I'm pumped up about working out. I joined a health club and set a good schedule to follow."
Being thrilled about something is another way to say you are excited.
"It's so thrilling skiing down the mountain real fast."
"I'm thrilled thinking about buying a new car."
When you are referring to an exciting person, the word most commonly used is enthusiastic.
"He's a very enthusiastic person."
"I wish I had as much enthusiasm as he does."
"It's always fun to be around an enthusiastic person."
Being Worried
Some people might say worrying is useless, but it is an emotion that everyone has. Worrying
doesn't help the situation, but we can't help to feel worried when something happens. Let's
look at some sentences that are commonly used.
"My mother got into a car accident. She's in critical condition. I don't know what's going to
happen."
"So many people are counting on me. What if I let them down?"
Being Worried - Talking to a Worried Person
When someone is worried, here are some sentences you might need to say.
"Stop worrying. It's only making you feel worse."
"You should try to think positive. Worrying is not going to help you."
"Don't worry about the planning. I'll take care of it."
"Don't worry about the money. I already took care of it."
"I'm sure you passed the test. Don't worry about it."
"You had a high GPA and you did well on your test. Don't worry about getting into school.
I'm sure all of them will accept you."
"You're over reacting. The situation is not that bad. I don't think you should be worried at
all."
"Worrying is not going to help your situation. Let's think of a step by step plan that will help
your financial problem."
"The hardest part of your situation is that you can't do anything about it. I hope everything
works out."
"Everything happens for a reason. I'm sure something good will come out of all this."
Worry - Worried about Family
Parents worry a lot about their kids. And if you have a mom or dad that worries about you,
then you can say these types of sentences.
"Don't worry about me."
"Stop worrying about me. I'm doing great."
"My mom is always worried about me."
"I wish my mom would stop worrying about me."
"My dad is always worried about my future."
"I wish my mom would stop saying how much she worries about me. It doesn't really help
my situation."
"Why do parents always tell us that they are worried about us."
"If you weren't such a screw up, then your parents wouldn't have to worry about you."
B: "Yeah. I think my mom is the most worried. I'm basically worried about how she is
doing."
A: "Where is she right now?"
B: "She's in the hospital with my dad. I have to go back tonight."
A: "Hey, I'll go with you."
B: "You don't have to."
A: "It's really no problem."
B: "Ok. Let's go right after dinner."
Stress - School
Unfortunately, stress is a common emotion that we all experience. Most of the time, stress is
caused by pressure placed on us. We experience stress trying to live up to someone else's
expectations. This is the same for school and work. We are given work to do and if there is
so much, we experience stress.
School
"I'm stressing out. I have a mid term tomorrow and I haven't studied yet."
"I have a paper due tomorrow and I didn't even read the book. I'm so stressed."
"I always get stressed out during finals week. Even if I study a lot, there are always
unexpected questions I don't know about."
"My parents give me so much stress. They expect me to get straight A's all the time."
"I would enjoy school a lot more if my parents didn't put so much pressure on me."
"My dad gave me a beating when I brought home a C on my report card."
"I'm so stressed. I'm taking the CPA exam next week and I'm not confident."
"I've been stressed like this for two weeks now. I'll be happy when this semester is over."
"I took too many classes this semester. I shouldn't have tried to do so much. Now I'm
stressing like crazy."
"My English professor is stressing me out. He wants me to help him write his article."
"I'm having a lot of trouble in my political science class. It's stressing me out."
Stress - Work
"I get a lot of stress from work."
"I'm sick of all the stress I have to deal with."
"The project I'm working on is giving me a lot of stress."
"I have a lot of stress because of my manager. He wants me to finish my project in four
days."
"The most stressful thing about work is always making sure my manager is happy."
"If I don't butt kiss, I might get fired. It's so stressful living like this."
"Work is so stressful."
"There's this guy at work. He's the biggest butt kisser. It's stressful competing against this
guy."
"I get a lot of stress from my coworkers. They're all way too competitive."
"I volunteered for another project and it's stressful to say the least. I'm working 14 hours a
day."
"My company is over working me. They expect way too much from everybody."
"If the work doesn't kill me, the stress will."
Stress - Questions and Answers
"What do you do when you feel a lot of stress?"
"What do you do when you feel stressed out?"
"How do you relieve your stress?"
"After work, I usually go out with some friends and have a few drinks."
"We usually complain about our jobs over a bottle of Soju."
"Drinking is the way we deal with stress."
"On the weekend, my friends and I go out and drink a lot. It's the only way to stop thinking
about work."
Although drinking to relieve stress is a normal practice. It is a bad interview question. When
you are talking to friends, it is normal to say that you drink to take care of the stress, but if
you talk to someone important, make sure you give a simple answer.
"I usually go to the river and relax by the water."
"I like to rent a movie and relax on the sofa. This really helps me deal with my stress."
"What stresses you out the most?"
"What makes you stressed the most?"
"Where do you get the most stress from?"
"My company gives me the most stress."
"My girlfriend gives me the most stress."
"I get a lot of stress from my parents."
"School is the most stressful for me."
Sad or Depressed
It's unfortunate that there seems to be more negative emotion than positive ones. Being sad
and depressed is a common emotion that we must deal with. While dealing with these
negative emotions, it is good to talk about how you feel. Let's get started so you can say how
bad you feel in English.
I'm not going to cover feeling sad or depressed due to a broken heart in this lesson. Having a
broken heart is a large topic so I will dedicate a whole lesson to the broken heart.
There are several ways to express you are sad by using different words. Here is a small list of
different words you might hear.
Sad
Down
Gloomy
Feeling Blue
Depressed
Let's use these words in sentences.
"He's a little sad that Mark didn't invite him to his birthday party."
"She's sad that she wasn't selected as the representative."
"I always cry during sad movies."
"I'm feeling a little down."
"I got a bad grade in my final. I'm just a little down."
"Jack is feeling pretty down. Let's take him out for a night of fun."
"I feel so gloomy all the time."
"I wish I was happy. I'm sick of feeling gloomy."
"Let's go to a bar. I'm feeling a bit gloomy."
"I'm feeling a little blue right now."
"Jack hasn't come out in a long time. He's feeling a little blue. Let's try to cheer him up."
"I didn't get my promotion from work. It's depressing me."
"Let's go get drunk tonight. I'm feeling depressed."
"Sometimes I feel depressed for no reason."
Sad or Depressed - Reactions
Crying is one reaction to being sad. When someone is crying, you know it is because they are
sad for some reason. Here are some questions you can ask.
"Why are you crying?"
"What's wrong?"
"Why are you sad?"
"What's bothering you?"
"Why do you feel so bad?"
"Why are you depressed?"
"What's making you feel like this?"
Because there are so many things in the world that can make us sad, it is hard to cover
everything. I can only cover the tip of the iceberg on this subject. But feel free to ask any
specific questions and we will let you know the proper sentence for your situation.
"Our team lost the final match. We were second place."
"My mother is very sick right now. I'm worried and sad."
"My grandmother is in the hospital. I don't think she's going to make it."
"My uncle was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors don't expect him to make it."
"My cousin was killed in a car accident. It was the saddest thing in my life."
"I trained so hard, but I didn't make the wrestling team. I'm a little down."
"I didn't get into that University. I'm so depressed and my parents are going to be so
disappointed."
"My grandfather just passed away. I was so close to him."
Sometimes sadness can turn into anger. For example, when the US gets away with gold
medals at the cost of Koreans or other countries, it's sad to see. After the initial feeling, it
turns into anger.
"Korea lost the gold medal to the US. It was so depressing watching the US get away with
another gold medal."
"I'm getting sick of watching Korea get screwed by the Americans. It's really discouraging."
Sad or Depressed - Situational Depression
Depression is classified as a disease. Many people suffer from depression and it is good to
know how to say some sentences whether it is you or someone else.
Situational depression
When someone first comes to the United States, it is common to be depressed. This is usually
due to loneliness, boredom, or feeling sad because you miss your friends and family.
"I think I'm depressed because I have nothing to do here."
"I'm depressed because I don't have anything here."
"I'm so lonely here. I left all my friends to come here."
Usually time heals these types of problems. Sometimes, whatever you say doesn't really help.
They know the problem, but they can't control how they feel. Regardless, saying that you
understand can show them that you care.
"It must be really tough leaving your friends and family behind."
"I have never experienced that, but I imagine it must be really hard."
"Starting a new life someplace different is really hard. It's normal to feel this way. I think
you'll get better with time."
"If you surround yourself with people, you might find new friends."
"Why don't you go to church. You can find peace there and even find great friends."
Sad or Depressed - Doctor and Friend
B: "Sounds good."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Sarah. You look terrible. What's wrong?"
B: "My grandmother just passed away."
A: "I'm so sorry to hear that. When did this happen?"
B: "A couple of days ago. I just got back from the funeral."
A: "Is there anything I can do?"
B: "No... not really. The sad thing is that I wasn't there when she died. I really wanted to be
there one last time."
A: "I'm sure she knew you loved her. Did she pass away in the hospital?"
B: "Yeah. She died in her sleep."
A: "I'm sorry she's gone."
B: "At least she didn't suffer."
A: "I think your grandmother would want you to think of all the good times you spent
together."
B: "I know. But I miss her."
A: "When my grandmother passed away, I frequently visited her in the cemetery. I always
talked to her. Even though she wasn't there, I somehow knew she heard what I said."
B: "Yeah? That's what I was thinking too. Thanks."
A: "It looks like you haven't eaten anything all day. We should get you something to eat."
B: "You're right... I should eat something. Let's go."
Love - Family
There are several types of love. There is the love you have for your parents or children, the
love you have for your wife or husband, the love you feel for a new girlfriend or a boyfriend,
and the love you have for a friend. These are the primary things I will cover here. If you are
curious about other types, feel free to ask specific questions and we will tell you the English
equivalent. For now, let's talk about love.
Family love
I heard that the most unselfish love is the love from the mother to her child. It must be
powerful and if you are a mother, you will probably understand. It's not common to talk to
your mother or father about how much they love you. It is more common to talk to friends
about this. Here are some sentences for this conversation.
Other ways to express your love without saying 'I love you.'
"I don't know if I could go on with you."
"You need to take care of yourself better. I don't want to lose you early."
"You mean more to me than anything in the world."
"I wouldn't be able to live if something happened to you."
Love - Infatuation or Love
Between a new boyfriend or girlfriend
Many people mistake infatuation for love. When you first meet someone and you feel you are
in love with that person, it's not really love. Love takes time to grow. Your infatuation and
lust can turn into love after you get to know one another. But if you feel this bubbly sensation
inside and can't think about anything except the other person, then it's merely infatuation.
However, this infatuation is so powerful that it drives people crazy. The next section will
provide many different example sentences. Let's take a look at this powerful feeling.
Things initially said
"My days are empty without you by my side."
"I can't say I love you because what I feel inside is more than love."
"I don't think it's possible to feel more love than I have for you."
"My feelings are so strong that even when we are apart, I think you can feel my love for you."
"In the cold lonely night, the sound of your name comforts me."
"My eyes are fixed on your picture when we are apart."
"I take you everywhere with me. In my heart you are there."
"I love you more than I love life. You mean more to me than you can understand."
"I want you so much. I need you so much. I love you so much."
"I think I'm in love. Whenever I'm not with her, I feel so weak."
"I can't think of anything besides her."
"She is the first thing on my mind, and the last thing before I sleep. Even in my sleep, I am
with her."
"I find myself banging a wall controlled by a strong desire to be with her."
"I fell in love for the first time in high school. We only dated for 3 months, but I had the
strongest feeling for her."
"My first love was in college. We were together for 2 years. I loved him a lot, but it's over
now."
"My first love was in college. We ended up getting married."
"What was your first love like?"
"My first love experience was so powerful. It drove me crazy. I don't know if I could handle
it again, but it was definitely an amazing experience."
"My first love can be described like a romantic fairy tale. I would speak poems into her ear
and kiss passionately in the night."
General Statements
"I think I'm in love with her."
"I met this girl last week. We've been talking on the phone every night. I think I'm falling in
love."
"I'm crazy about her. What do you think I should do?"
There are many more things to say about this subject. I encourage you to write down what
you feel. If you are uncertain if it is grammatically correct, feel free to ask us. We will
answer all your questions. For now, let's move on to practice.
Love - Interactive Practice
Apasa pe "Asculta toate" si urmeaza instructiunile.Dupa ce deveniti comfortabil cu intreaga
conversatie, jucati rolul persoanei A apasand pe butonul "Persoana A".Veti auzi numai
persoana B de-a lungul conversatiei. Va fi liniste pentru dvs sa repetati propoztiile persoanei
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey Jack. How's it going?"
B: "I'm falling in love."
A: "What! With who?"
B: "That girl in my econ class. She is so hot."
A: "Did you guys go on a date already?"
B: "No. I didn't even talk to her yet. But I think I'm in love."
A: "Does she have a boyfriend?"
B: "I don't think so. I've been following her around campus and I haven't seen another guy."
A: "Dude, you're a stalker man. Just ask her on a date."
B: "I plan on running into her in the cafeteria when she's alone. I think I'll ask her then."
A: "So why do you think you're in love?"
B: "She's the only thing I can think of all day long."
A: "That's called blind love. Well, I gotta run. Tell me how it goes next week."
B: "Aright. I'll talk to you later."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Happy anniversary honey."
B: "Happy anniversary baby."
A: "It's been one year since we got married. It was so fast."
B: "Yeah. And I love you so much."
A: "Really? What do you love about me?"
B: "Well, you're beautiful, smart, with a wonderful personality."
A: "What else?"
B: "I also think you're sexy."
A: "You're embarrassing me."
B: "You asked."
A: "I love you so much. I'm so happy and I think we have a wonderful marriage."
B: "Me too. Let's make every year better and better."
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Hey Mike. I heard about your break up. You must be devastated."
B: "It's more than I can bear. I don't think I can go on."
A: "Come on Mike. It's not the end of the world."
B: "It's the end of my world. She was everything to me. I loved her so much."
A: "I remember my first break up. I remember it was the hardest thing I ever went through.
So I know it must be really tough right now."
B: "Every night, I cry myself to sleep. Can you believe that I actually cry everyday?"
A: "It's normal to cry. You shouldn't feel bad about it. It's the only way to let it out."
B: "How long will I feel like this? How long is the pain going to last?"
A: "It's different for everyone, but it took me four months to get over Jessica."
B: "Four months... I have to live in hell for four months..."
A: "But I'm ok now. I moved on and I'm dating other great people. I know you will be better."
B: "Why do you think she left me?"
A: "I really don't know. Some people change and they want to go in different directions."
B: "But I loved her so much. I loved her more than anything in this world. She was my
world."
A: "I know you love her."
B: "I don't think I'll be able to love anyone again."
A: "I thought that too. I thought Jessica was the only person I would ever love. But it
changes. It really does. You'll get better and become a stronger person."
B: "I hope so."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "Why are you so quiet?"
B: "My girlfriend just broke up with me."
A: "You must feel terrible now."
B: "Yeah."
A: "I remember my first break up. It was the worst feeling in the world. I was crying
everyday for three months. And slowly, it got better. I know you'll feel better too."
B: "You've been through this too?"
A: "Yeah. I remember it very clearly. The pain makes it easy to remember. I know you're
really hurting right now, but you know many people experience break ups."
B: "But it hurts too much."
A: "I know it's painful, but it's only temporary. After the pain goes away, you'll find other
girls."
B: "What if I don't want to find another girl?"
A: "You'll change your mind. Look at everyone in the world. They all break up and move on.
The faster you understand this, the quicker you will recover."
B: "You're right."
A: "I also know you must still have strong feelings for her, but try to think of all the bad
things. You know she didn't treat you that well. Is that the person you want to spend the rest
of your life with?"
B: "Yeah. Thanks for the talk."
A: "I'll give you a call later. We should hang out. It's good to be around people."
B: "Ok. I'll talk to you later."
Afraid or Scared
Some people really don't get scared that much. Others get scared all the time. Usually ladies
will get more scared than the guys. But even if you don't get scared that much, it is still good
to learn this lesson because you might be talking to someone who gets scared easily. Let's
begin.
There are several synonyms for scared that are commonly used.
Frightened
Freaked out
Terrified
Afraid
Fear
"I'm scared."
"I get scared when I'm alone at night."
"I get scared pretty easily."
"I get scared watching a horror movie."
"It's frightening walking home at night."
"I didn't know the mirror was there so I was frightened when I saw my reflection."
"My little daughter gets frightened easily, so we keep the light on for her until she goes to
sleep."
Freaked out is more of a slang term used among the guys. My friends think it is a little girlish
to say they are scared. So instead, they use the word freaked out.
"When I was at a public bath room, three guys surrounded my stall waiting for me to leave. I
was so freaked out."
"I got freaked out when I saw the bat fly across the room."
"It's freaky walking through a dark park at night."
"She was so terrified that she turned blue for a second."
"It was a terrifying experience. We were both freaking out."
"I was terrified watching that movie."
"If you're afraid, then you don't have to do it."
"My wife is afraid of the dark."
"When I was little, I was afraid of everything."
"I'm not afraid of death."
"I fear that we'll lose the war."
"I fear that he'll get away."
"You shouldn't let fear control you."
"He fears that you will be mad."
Afraid or Scared - General Sentences
Questions
"Do you get scared easily?"
"Do you get scared watching horror movies?"
"Are you afraid of the dark?"
"What was the most terrifying experience you ever had?"
"Do you get scared when you are at home by yourself?"
"What do you do when you feel scared?"
"Are you afraid of death?"
"Hey Theresa, I just watched a movie and I'm scared. Do you want to get together?"
"If you're not busy, do you want to come over? I just watched a movie and I'm afraid to be
alone."
General Sentences
"My dog gets scared during fourth of July."
"My dog gets scared when he hears a loud noise."
"Jill was anxious to start classes on Monday. She really likes school."
"Jack is anxious to play. Let's have him go first."
Other Emotions - Interactive Practice
Apasa pe "Asculta toate" si urmeaza instructiunile.Dupa ce deveniti comfortabil cu intreaga
conversatie, jucati rolul persoanei A apasand pe butonul "Persoana A".Veti auzi numai
persoana B de-a lungul conversatiei. Va fi liniste pentru dvs sa repetati propoztiile persoanei
A. Faceti la fel pentru persoana B. Viteza conversatiei este cea originala. In cazul in care
conversatia este prea rapida, folositi butonul "Pauza" ca sa opriti conversatia intre propozitii.
Dupa ce ati practicat de cateva ori, veti putea vorbi repede ca un vorbitor de engleza original.
1
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "How are you feeling these days?"
B: "I don't know. A little bored and restless I guess."
A: "Why is that?"
B: "I have so much time on my hands and I have nothing to do."
A: "Why don't you go out and have fun?"
B: "I would like to, but I have to save some money so I can't go out all the time."
A: "That sucks."
B: "After awhile, I start to feel anxious."
A: "Try relaxing and reading a good book. That's always a good way to kill time."
B: "That's true. How about you? How are you these days?"
A: "I'm doing pretty good these days. My kid just finished kindergarten. I'm so proud of
him."
B: "That's great to hear. He must be big now. It's been a year since I saw your son."
A: "Yeah. He grew a lot in the last year."
B: "I bet you're very proud of your son."
A: "Yes I am. Thanks."
2
Listen All | Person A | Person B
A: "What happened to that girl you were seeing?"
B: "Oh Jackie? We broke up last week."
A: "That was a short relationship. You only started dating 2 months ago."
B: "It was actually a long two months. She was a psycho."
A: "What do you mean?"
B: "She would be laughing one moment, and if I said something insensitive, she would start
Eating Together
Preparing a meal and eating together is a wonderful way to spend time with family and
friends. While doing this activity not only can you share foods you love but it is also a good
opportunity to talk and learn about one another. In this lesson, we will be covering everything
you need to know from coming up with a meal to prepare, cooking it together, and sharing a
conversation.
Invitation and Planning
First you must choose a meal to share. Breakfast is eaten in the morning, lunch in the
afternoon and dinner in the evening. The steps for planning a menu are relatively the same
for all three. When planning a meal it is also important to try and come up with something
you all will enjoy.
Here are some questions commonly used when asking someone to cook a meal and have
dinner.
"Would you like to come over to my house and have dinner with me?"
"Maybe we could cook dinner together?"
"What time should we plan on getting together?"
"Do you have any suggestions on what we could make?"
"We should probably make a grocery list."
"Do you want to go to the grocery store together?"
"What grocery store do you prefer?"
"If we could go together do you want me to drive?"
"Should we pick up any wine or beer to drink at dinner?"
"Maybe we can split the grocery bill?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"Sure, I would love to come over for dinner. I really love to cook and it might give us some
time to catch up with one another."
"That sounds great. I am free tonight so I can definitely make it."
"Cooking dinner together sounds fun."
"I think that is a good idea, maybe we can share recipes."
"How does 5 o'clock sound?"
"I get off work at 5. I can go straight home to grab a few things and meet you around 6."
"I have this new recipe I have been dying to try. Do you like Italian food?"
"I am not too picky. I have some steak and chicken we can use."
"Yes we probably should make a list. I don't want to forget anything."
"I am pretty sure I will remember everything we need, but if you want to jot a few things
down that is ok with me."
"Sure, we can go to the grocery store together."
"Let's see what we both have at home to cook and maybe we can skip the grocery."
"I usually shop at Albertsons."
"I don't have a preference where we go."
"If it's ok I can just meet you there."
"Sure, you can drive if you don't mind."
"I do not drink alcohol but maybe we could grab some soda."
"Sure, wine sounds good with dinner. I prefer white wine."
"I think splitting the bill is a good idea."
"No big deal. I can buy the groceries this time and if we do this again you can treat."
Cooking Together
Cooking the meal together is a fun time to talk, share recipes and work together.
Here are some questions commonly used when cooking a meal together.
"You have a preference on which job to do?"
"Do you mind heating up some water on the stove?"
"Do you have any different ways to prepare this meal?"
"Would you like something to drink while we are cooking?"
"Do you mind setting up the table for us?"
"Can you turn the oven on to 360 degrees?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"No, I really don't have a preference."
"Yes, I would really like to prepare the salad."
"No problem, I will heat the water up now."
"Sure I can heat it up. Do you mind it boiling?"
"I have a way to prepare this that my mom taught me."
"I don't really have any other ways. Let's just do what the recipe says."
"Sure, can I have a glass of water?"
Grocery Shopping
Grocery shopping is something commonly done when replacing or refilling things needed
around the house. The steps involved include figuring out what you need and making a list,
making a decision on when and where to go, and then the actual process of shopping at the
grocery store. Below we will look at each section and the questions/answers associated with
each.
Preparation
Preparation is the time for decision making. You will need to decide on making a list of what
to buy, where to take coupons and the possibility of planning meals just to name a few.
Here are some questions commonly used when preparing to grocery shop.
"Should we make a list first before we go?"
"Should we check the newspaper for coupons?"
"Should we plan out our meals for the week?"
"Should we check in the fridge for anything that has expired?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"Yes, I think making a list would save us time once we are there."
"I have been making a list this week as I noticed we needed things. Take a look and see if
anything needs to be added."
"I will get Sunday's newspaper to look for coupons."
"That's ok. They usually have coupons at the store we can use."
"I think planning our meals would be smart. That way we know exactly what we need."
"I don't think we need to plan our meals. Let's just make a list of things we need and we can
cook whatever we have."
"Yes we should check the dates on what we have. That way if anything is expired we can
replace it."
"I think most of what we have is ok. We don't need to check the expiration dates."
Planning
Some of the important decisions in the planning process are where to go, when would be a
good time to go, and who is going to go.
"Should we go to Costco for some of the bigger items we need?"
"Should we go at a certain time so it's not so crowded?"
"Should we go to the fresh market or to our regular supermarket?"
"Should we both go and take the kids or one of us stay home with them?"
"Should we take our own grocery bags?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"Let's go to Costco some other day, it will take too long."
"Sure, I think we can find most of what we need there."
"I like to go to the grocery at night. There always seems to be less people."
"I prefer to go in the morning so I can get it over with."
"I think we should go to both. We can get the vegetables and fruits we need at the fresh
market."
"Let's just go to the regular grocery. We do not have time for both."
"If we go to Fred Meyer the kids can go into the kids play area. That way we can shop
without any distractions."
"It might be too much to take the whole family. I can just go if you do not mind staying home
with the kids?"
"I think we should take our own recyclable bags. It's good for the earth!"
"We can just use what they have there."
At The Grocery
While at the grocery you could be asked by workers a variety of questions.
"Do you need any help finding anything?"
Pet Care
Choosing a Pet
Choosing the right pet is one of the most important steps in becoming a pet owner. There are
a lot needs to be considered when taking into account the time, money and effort a pet can
require. Where you live, are you active, are you gone a lot, any medical issues and do you
have a family? All of these questions and more should be discussed when thinking of buying
a new pet. When looking for a pet you may also consider visiting a shelter. Many animals at a
shelter need a good home and most likely will already have their vaccines and be spayed or
neutered. A shelter is a good place where stray or homeless animals are taken in order to try
and find them suitable homes.
Here are some questions commonly used when discussing what kind of pet to consider.
"Do you like cats or dogs?"
"Do we have time for training?"
"Do you have a house or an apartment?"
"Is this going to be a family pet?"
"Would you consider getting a pet from a shelter?"
"Is there any other animals you are considering?"
"Are you active?"
"Are you comfortable grooming a cat or dog?"
"What kind of food should you feed it?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"We like cats and dogs but are looking more for a dog."
"My wife is allergic to cats, so we prefer a dog."
"We both work full time so finding time for training may be tough."
"I really want to be committed so I will take my dog to training classes."
"We live in a small apartment so maybe a cat or very small dog would be best."
"We have a house with a yard so we have lots of room for any size dog."
"Yes, we have children so we need a pet that can get along with small kids."
"This is just me, so my house is pretty quiet."
"We are not sure about cats or dogs but we really are interested in a fish."
"My kids really want a hamster, but my husband and I are not too sure yet."
"I run everyday so having a dog that could run with me would be great."
"We go on walks occasionally but are not really active."
"I am not too comfortable grooming animals so I would probably take it somewhere for nail
trims and baths."
"Yes, I am familiar with brushing and nail cutting but we would have to take it somewhere to
get it bathed."
Here are some questions commonly used asking about pet care.
"How often should we walk it?"
"Should we brush its teeth?"
"How much should we feed it?"
"How often do we need to clean the cage?"
"How often do we need to change the water?"
"How often should we brush it?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"I have never done a nail trim."
"Yes, I used to trim our dogs nails when I was growing up."
"We should walk her every day. The Vet said it is healthy for her."
"I think we should walk her as much as we can. It's good exercise for us too."
"I will ask the Vet if we should brush its teeth."
"Yes, I read it's good to keep their teeth clean."
"The breeder said to feed her 1 cup two times a day."
"I am not sure how much to feed her. Let's look on the food package."
"We need to clean the cage once a week."
"We should just change it once it starts to smell."
"We need to change the water once a week."
"We will just clean it once in a while."
"We should brush her daily."
"We only need to brush her once in a while."
Child Care
Whether you're a single parent or a family in which both the mother and father work, child
care can be an important issue when deciding what to do with your children while away.
Being knowledgeable and being able to ask the right questions can help provide you with
what you need to make the best decision.
Finding Child Care
If you live near family you may be fortunate enough to have one of them take care of your
child while at work. But what if you have no family near you and need to look into other
means of child care? Other options may include in home day care and daycare centers.
Asking friends, co workers, or neighbors can be a good way to get recommendations when
beginning your searching process. Call and make appointments to see the facilities and meet
the staff. You can learn a lot by seeing and talking to people in person. Below we will look at
the different types of child care as well as questions you might be asked as well as important
questions you may want information on.
In Home Child Care
In home child care can include someone coming to your house and watching your child or
you dropping your child off at someone else's house. This could be a family member or
someone with a licensed in home daycare. Since having a family member watch your child
can be easier to set up, we will look more at having a non family member come over or taking
your child to an in house daycare.
Here are some questions you can use when looking into an in house daycare.
"How long have you been running a daycare?"
"Are you licensed?"
"What hours are you available?"
"What if I am late picking up or dropping off?"
"How much do you charge?"
"Do you have some references?"
"Are you certified in child CPR?"
"What is the ratio of children to teacher?"
"How do you discipline a child?"
"Do you have the children nap?"
"How many and what are the ages of the children you're currently looking after?"
"Are the children separated by age group?"
"What is your curriculum?"
By asking these and other questions that may pertain to your individual circumstances you
will learn a lot about whether or not this daycare will work for you.
Below are some questions that you might be asked when looking into an in house daycare.
"Has your child ever been to a daycare before?"
"Does your child have any allergies?"
"Does your child have any special needs?"
"What is your child's feeding schedule?"
"What is your child's nap schedule?"
"How do you discipline at home?"
If you are asked any of these questions just answer them to the best of your knowledge.
Providing good information about your child can help with the transition.
Day Care Centers
Day Care Centers are much like a school that a wide variety of children can attend. From
babies to older children, daycares can vary in their prices, age ranges and curriculum. When
making a decision on which Day Care Centers to use it is important to research them and
what they have to offer. The questions listed for In-Home daycare are virtually the same for
Day Care Centers as are the questions you might be asked. Just be prepared and make choices
that you feel comfortable with.
"I have some valuables that I do not feel comfortable having at my home so yes, I will need a
safe deposit box."
"Of course free checking is important. I do not want to be charged for writing checks."
"Free checking is not really important, I really do not write checks."
"Free withdrawals are very important. I use the ATM machines all the time."
"I prefer not to use the ATM card so it's not that important to me."
"The banks reputation is important to me. I want to feel comfortable with where my money
is."
"I thought all banks were the same. It does not matter to me."
Managing Your Money
Managing your money is an important factor in building a savings and making sure that your
money is accounted for and spent wisely.
"How often should I check my savings/checking balance?"
"When I withdrawal money should I write it down?"
"Should I come up with a budget?"
"Should I pay bills online or send payments in the mail?"
"Should I have a direct deposit from my work?"
"What if I notice anything unusual on my bank statements?"
These questions may be asked individually and may vary depending on your circumstances
and needs.
Investing
Investing is to commit money or capital in order to gain a financial return. There are many
ways to invest and spend your money. Since there are risks involved with investing, become
knowledgeable yourself and possibly seeking out advice from a professional.
Here are some possible questions to ask when talking about investments.
"Can you tell me about bonds?"
"Can you give me more info on stocks and the stock market?"
"Can you give me information on mutual funds?"
"How long has this company been in business?"
"What am I investing in?"
"How risky is the investment?"
Mail
Mail basically is comprised of three components, the preparation, sending and receiving of
mail. Sending mail can be as simple as putting addressed/stamped envelopes in your own
mail box for your postman to pick up, to mailing packages or letters at the local post office or
using one of the many delivery companies. Receiving mail/packages can also include
delivery from your local postman as well as one of the many delivery companies.
The Preparation
Preparing mail/packages to be sent involves labeling with the recipient's name and address as
well as the senders. Also making sure packages are sealed and wrapped to postal standards is
a good idea. Make sure you are aware of postal laws regarding the types of materials that can
be sent in the United States as well as other countries before mailing.
Here are some questions commonly used when discussing the preparation of letters and
packages to send
"Where do I put my name and address on the letter I am sending?"
"How do I know if I need to put more than one stamp on the card I am sending?"
"What should I put with the item I am shipping to make sure it does not break?"
"How heavy can the objects be that I am sending?"
Here are some possible answers to the question above regarding the preparation of
letters/packages.
"You always put your name or the senders name and address in the top left corner of the
package/letter. This is in case it cannot be delivered and needs to be returned to you. It will
be returned to the address you have provided."
"I would either take the letter to the post office and ask them or look on the postal website to
look at weight regulations when sending out letters."
"You can use newspaper or purchase packing material from the store to place in with what
you are sending. You may also want to write on the outside of the package that what is inside
is FRAGILE. This will inform whoever is handling it to be careful and handle gently."
"You can send objects of various weights but you will be charged upon how much it weighs
when shipping it. Meaning the more it weighs the more it will cost you to ship."
Sending Mail
After preparing the items(s) needed to be mailed/shipped one must now decide in which
manner to send it.
Here are some questions commonly used when discussing sending a package or letter.
"Can I just put this card in my own mailbox for the mailman to pick up?"
"If I am sending something breakable should I inform the post office?"
"How fast will my letter/package get to the person I am sending it to?"
"Why should I want to send a package through another company other than the post office?"
"How much will it cost to send this?"
"How do I know if I need more than one stamp on this letter?"
"Is there a way I can be notified once my package is delivered?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"Yes, if your letter is stamped and addressed you can just put it in your mailbox and the
postman will take it to the post office."
"Our mailbox has a different place to put outgoing mail. You may want to look at yours to see
if you have one."
"Yes, I would inform the post office. They usually ask if what you are sending is fragile or
breakable but you can also write on the outside of the box FRAGILE."
"I would definitely let them know so they do not break anything."
"There are lots of options when sending something. The price may vary depending on the
weight of the package and how you want it sent. I would just check with the post office."
"You can choose anything from next-day delivery to regular delivery which could take days.
Checking with your post office or looking online is always a good way to get information."
"Using a company like FedEx or UPS you can usually guarantee a faster delivery but they are
a bit more expensive."
"The post office can weigh the package for you and let you know how much it will cost to
ship your item."
"I have a scale at home I use to weigh packages. Then I look online to see how much it will
cost."
"I think it depends on the weight, take it to the post office."
"Just send it with one stamp. If it is too heavy they will send it back to you."
"Yes, the post office can email you a confirmation of delivery."
"They can give you a tracking number so you can look online to check on the delivery of what
you are sending."
Receiving Mail
Here are some questions commonly used when receiving mail.
"What happens if I am not home and something is delivered to me?"
"Do I need to sign for a package when it comes?"
"If I am out of town can I put a hold on my mail?"
"Can a neighbor accept a package for me?"
"What if I receive a package that is not addressed to me?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"If you are not home the postman will leave you a note. They may try and deliver it another
day or you might have to go to your post office to pick it up."
"Sometimes they will just leave the package on your front doorstep. If you live in an
apartment they might just leave it at the rental office."
"Not all packages need to be signed for."
"If you need to sign for a package and are not home they will not leave it."
"Yes, you can put your mail on hold either by filling out a form at your post office."
"Yes, you can actually do it online. Just check the post office web site."
"I am not sure. Maybe you should call the post office."
"I think they can but you have to inform the post office before hand that you will allow it."
"I would take a package not addressed to me to the post office and let them know."
"If it was addressed to a neighbor, I would just take it to their house."
House Care
Owning a home involves care both inside and out. Outside care can include yard work,
window cleaning, insect and animal issues. Inside house care involves cleaning, washing,
painting and upkeep. Below we can look at some of the questions and possible answers one
might come across when dealing with house care.
House Care-Inside
Here are some questions commonly used when talking about taking care of your house from
the inside.
"How often should I change the batteries in the smoke detectors?"
Phone
Technology is constantly changing and cell phones for one are more remarkable than ever.
From adding applications and ring tones to texting and internet access, the options seem
endless. With the constant advancement in technology comes a lot of decision making when
one considers buying a new phone. Though cell phones add convenience and on the go
communication, home phones too have advanced throughout the years making it possible to
video chat, forward calls, and conference call.
Cell Phones
The use of cell phones has increased dramatically over the years adding a new dimension to
the on-the-go, fast paced life styles of today's world. Below we will take a look at some
questions involving the decision making process when looking at and ultimately choosing a
cell phone.
Here are some questions commonly used when talking about cell phones.
"With all the cell companies out there how do I decide who to go with?"
"Should I ever consider a pre paid cell phone?"
"I have never text before. Would you recommend getting a phone I can text with?"
"How important are all the applications you can get for your phone?"
"Should I purchase a phone that is blue tooth compatible?"
"What kind of plans are there to buy?"
"Should I buy a warranty?"
"Should I consider a family plan and purchase phones for them?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"I would go do some research and compare companies, that way you can try and get the best
deal."
"I would go off of recommendations from friends. See who they are with and who they like."
"I would maybe consider getting a pre paid phone if you were buying one for of your kids.
You can put a certain amount of money on it that they can't go over. So that way you can
keep them from charging up the bill."
"I have never used a pre paid phone. I don't see why you just don't get a regular one."
"Yes, texting is great and it's a fun way to talk and keep in touch."
"Most phones you can text with. I would look for one with a bigger keypad so it's easier to
use."
"Applications are fun. Some phones have free ones and others you can buy."
"I use applications on my phone all the time. I have one for music, one for games, and one I
use as a GPS."
"Blue tooth is a wireless earpiece used for hands free talking. I would highly recommend
getting one."
"Yes I would make sure it is blue tooth compatible. In some states it is illegal to talk while
driving but if you're using a blue tooth it's ok."
"Every company has different plans. I would just ask when I go there to look at phones."
"I would get a plan with free long distance and free texting."
"I always buy a warranty. That way if you break your phone they will replace it."
"I think warrantees are a waste of money. If my phone breaks I just buy a new one."
"I would first look into the prices for family plans if you're interested."
"Family plans are great. Your whole family can get their own phones and it's a good way to
keep in touch with busy teenagers."
Home Phones
With the popularity of cell phones, home phones seem to be getting less attention. But there
have been many new upgrades with the home phone which allow families to enjoy lots of fun
and exciting new experiences.
Here are some questions commonly used when talking about home phones.
"What company should I use for my home phone?"
"Should I get wireless phones for my home?"
"Is there a way to check my messages while I am away?"
"Can I forward a call coming to my home phone to my cell phone?"
Computers
Computers are used everywhere from work, education and for entertainment. With a vast
variety of styles, sizes and types of computers the options seem limitless. Make sure that you
learn as much as you can before purchasing a computer to assure you are buying the best one
to fit your needs.
Here are some questions commonly used when talking about computers.
"I am interested in buying a computer. Do you have any recommendations?"
"Should memory of the computer be an important factor when making my choice?"
"I am unfamiliar with computers. Can I get help setting it up?"
"Should I get a laptop or a PC?"
"What do you plan on using the computer for?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"It depends on what you're going to need it for. I would do a little research to learn more
about them."
"I would go to the store and tell them your needs and interests and they can help you with
which computer would be best for you."
"If you're going to be saving a lot of information or media I would get a computer with a lot
of memory."
"Memory is always important. I would get a computer with more now so you don't have to
upgrade later."
"Most places that sell computers offer help with setting it up and other troubleshooting areas."
"They are pretty simple to set up. I would just use the directions it comes with."
"Laptops are more mobile so if you're on the go a lot I would recommend a laptop."
"I would go with a home PC for now. It will be accessible for your whole family to use."
"I am using the computer mostly for storing all my photos and music."
"I have a home business so I will be using it for a variety of things."
Internet
The internet is a place accessed through your computer which contains large quantities of
information. People use the internet in their daily lives for research, work and pleasure.
Almost anything you can think of can be accessed or found through the internet.
Here are some questions commonly used when talking about the internet.
"Should I get some sort of virus protection for my computer?"
"How do I get virus protection for my computer?"
"Can I download music over the internet?"
"Is it safe to shop over the internet?"
"Why is my internet is running slow?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"I would definitely get some sort of virus protection. You do not want your computer to
crash."
"Yeah I would. My computer got a virus one time and it cost me $100 to get it fixed."
"There are a few good ones out there. I will come over and help you download them."
"I know of a few online. They cost money but are worth it."
"You can. There are a few sites to use for downloading music."
"Downloading music is great! You can find just about anything but you do have to pay for
them."
"Make sure you are shopping on a reputable site otherwise I would be careful."
"I don't feel comfortable using my credit card over the computer."
"You can check with your provider to see if there are any problems."
"Maybe you need a faster connection for what you are doing."
Email
Email is a very useful tool to send and receive information as well as communicate with
friends and family. It is basically a way to send letters and other information directly to a
person through their computer.
Here are some questions commonly used when talking about email.
"How do I set up an email account?"
"How do I send people emails?"
"How will I know when I get one?"
"Can I send photos through email?"
"How do I know if they get my email?"
"Can I attach a file to an email?"
"Can I send an email to more than one person?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"After you decide which email system to use just follow the instructions they provide."
"Check with your provider to see if they provide an email account."
"First you need to get their email address. Just type it in and then write them a message."
"I can come over and help you. It is easier for me to show you in person."
"You can set your email up to prompt you when you get an email."
"I just check my email often to find out."
"Yes you can send photos through email."
"Read your manual, I am sure it will tell you how to do it."
"You can set your email up so you get the notification when they receive an email you sent."
"I usually just talk to them or see if they send something back to me."
"Same as sending photos, I would check your manual to see how to do it."
"Yes you can attach files. Just look for the attach files button."
Driving a Car
Knowing the rules of the road and how to operate a car properly are all important factors in
staying safe while driving, both for your safety and others.
Getting a License
Getting your license is the first step in becoming a driver. Most states have certain
regulations on how to go about getting one. Most require some sort of written test as well as
an actual driving test. You can usually pick up study booklets with the information you will
need to know to pass the test.
Here are some questions commonly used when preparing to get your license.
"Where do I get my study material?"
"Where is a good place to practice my driving?"
"Should I learn on an automatic or a stick shift?"
"Does someone need to be with me when I am practicing?"
"Is the driving test difficult?"
"Will my driver's license be good in other states?"
"What happens if I fail my test?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"You will need to call your local DMV to set up an appointment to take your test." DMV
stands for Department of Motor Vehicles.
"Call a DMV to set up a date."
"You can get your study material at the DMV."
"You may want to call the DMV and see if they offer the study material online."
"Practice in a safe place with no one around."
"Maybe an empty parking lot would be a good place."
"I would recommend learning on a stick shift. That way driving an automatic will be easy."
"I prefer learning on an automatic, it's just easier."
"Yes, you need to have a licensed driver with you while practicing."
"You first need to get a learners permit before practicing to drive."
"If you study for the driving test you should be ok."
"I did ok on the written test but had a bit of trouble on the driving part."
"You can drive from state to state with a legal driver's license from where you live."
"Yes it is good if driving to other states but if you move to another state, the laws may be
different and you will need to get a license for that state."
"If you fail the test you can take it again at another time."
"Stay positive! You're going to do just fine."
Driving
Once you have obtained a legal drivers license in your state, you are now able to drive. You
should be knowledgeable on the laws and regulations regarding where you live.
"Do I need to have car insurance?"
"Can I talk on my phone when diving?"
"What if I get caught speeding."
"What are the carpool lanes for?"
"What if I have car trouble?"
"What if I get into a wreck?"
"If I have my license in one state can I drive in another state?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"Some states require car insurance. Make sure you find out before driving."
"If you do not have car insurance and hit someone you are responsible to pay for the
damages."
"In some states talking on the phone while driving is illegal, check you laws first."
"Always use a blue tooth device so you can concentrate on the road."
"If you get caught speeding just calmly do what the police officer asks you."
"You will most likely get a ticket and have to pay a fine."
"Carpool lanes are for cars with two people or more inside."
"Carpool lanes are for motorcycles and cars with a lot of people."
"If you have car trouble you can use a cell phone to call for help."
Some people use a service called AAA. It stands for American Automotive Association. You
can become a member by joining and paying a yearly fee.
"You can wave down someone to help you or just wait for help."
"You should wait for the police to come and help handle things"
"You should get each others insurance and personal information."
"Yes, you can drive from state to state with your license."
"If you move permanently to another state you will need to get a driver's license for THAT
state."
Other options besides driving
There are other options for transportation besides driving your car. You could ride the bus to
work. You could ride a bike or use the public subway system if they have one. You may also
choose to carpool. Carpooling is when you share a ride with friend(s) to cut down on the
amount of traffic on the roads.
Car
The purchasing of a new car can be a fun experience as long as you do some research
beforehand. You might want to consider price, condition the car is in, your needs and the
practicality of the vehicle. All are important factors in deciding which car is best for you.
Purchasing a Car
Purchasing a car can be both exciting and intimidating. Knowing what you want, how much
the car is worth and how much you can afford are all important factors. Sometimes dealing
with car salesman you will want to know these points beforehand. If you an uncomfortable
bargaining with a salesman just have an idea of what you can afford and stick with it.
Here are some questions commonly used when purchasing a car.
"How can I check what a car is worth?"
"Can I check if the car has been in any major wrecks in the past?"
"Should I consider financing?"
"Does the car have a warranty?"
"Can I negotiate price?"
"Should I buy used or new?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"There are different ways to check. A common place is called the Kelley Blue Book."
The Kelley Blue Book is a trusted prices, values and reviews of cars.
"You might be able to look up prices on the internet."
"You can ask for a 'history' on the car from the salesman to check if there are any past
accidents."
"There are websites where you can look up the history of a car. Just search for them."
"Almost all car companies offer financing."
"I would try and pay cash but if you can't afford the entire car you may need to finance."
"All cars have some sort of warranty. Check with the car dealership."
Car Maintenance
Proper maintenance on your car can help assure it will run smoothly and last you a long time.
Here are some questions commonly used when talking about the maintenance of your car.
"How often should I change the oil in my car?"
"Should I rotate the tires?"
"What type of gas should I put into it?"
"Should I get tune ups?"
"Should I keep it outside or in my garage?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"Normally you should change your oil every 3000 miles."
"Yes change your oil when it gets low."
"Rotating your tires will make them last longer."
"Rotating your tires will keep them in good condition and keep you safe."
"Most cars use unleaded gas."
"I would check your car manual. You don't want to put the wrong gas in your car, it can ruin
it."
"Tune ups keep your car running smoothly."
"Tune ups are good and you may find something that needs replaced that you would normally
not know about."
"If you have a garage I would use it. It will keep your car safe from the weather."
"If you don't have a garage just keep it in your driveway."
Selling a Car
There comes a time when you will need to sell your car. You may need a bigger one, or
smaller one. You may want one less expensive or one that is better on gas. Make sure you
research how much your car is worth as well as viable ways of advertising it before you
attempt to sell.
Here are some questions commonly used when selling a car.
"How should I advertise my car to sell?"
"Should I fix any issues with my car before selling it?"
"Should I research how much it is worth before selling it?"
"Will I get more if I trade it in?"
"Should I be firm on the price I am asking?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"There are many ways to advertise. You can use the newspaper, the internet, or even put a
sign in it that says For Sale."
"I would advertise in a local car selling/buying magazine. A lot of people will see it there."
"You can fix any issues if you want. It might up the value of the car when you sell it."
"I would just be honest and inform people it has something wrong with it."
"Definitely research how much it is worth. That way you can be sure to sell for the right
price."
"I would just sell it for what you owe on it. If you already own it then I might look up how
much it is worth."
"I would try and trade it in if you are buying a new car."
"I would try and sell it, you will probably get more money for it."
"Once you find out how much it is worth, some people price cars at a higher price to try and
make money."
"I would ask for more than it's worth, then you can lower the price and still get what you
want."
Family - Children - Friends II
1. Dental Care
2. Dentist Check Ups
3. Problems with your teeth
4. Pediatric Care
5. Appointment
6. School - Kids
7. After School
8. Birthday
9. Set Up
Dental Care
Picking a Dentist
Going to the dentist is an important part of your health. With some of the anxieties that
sometimes come with visiting the dentist, choosing the right one can be beneficial.
Sometimes using recommendations from friends or family is a good way to find a dentist you
will like.
Here are some questions commonly used when picking a dentist.
"I am nervous about going to the dentist, do you have any recommendations for one?"
"Should I go to a dentist that I saw an advertisement for?"
"Are there any dentist just for children?"
"How do I make an appointment if I have never been to this dentist before?"
"Do I need to have dental insurance?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"My dentist is really nice. I think it would be a good experience for you."
"My dentist will let you come in and just talk at first. That way you can get comfortable with
each other."
"Ask all the questions you want. They will try and help you."
"Check ups help keep your mouth clean and healthy."
"Check ups are a good way to find any problems before they begin to hurt."
"If you have any cavities then you will have to get a filling."
"Fillings are not normally part of a check up."
Problems with your teeth
If you are having any pain or problems with your teeth you should go see a dentist, as soon as
possible. If you wait, you may make things worse. Below are some things you can tell the
dentist you are experiencing.
"I have a really bad tooth ache."
"My teeth are really sensitive when I eat or drink things that are hot or cold."
"My gums bleed when I brush my teeth."
"My tooth is loose."
"I think I might have cracked my tooth."
"It hurts when I bite down."
The answers to all of these depend on you and your dentist. Just make sure you call and make
an appointment if any of these occur.
Pediatric Care
A doctor that specializes in pediatrics is a children's doctor. Choosing the right one can make
you feel more comfortable as well as make it a good experience for your child.
Choosing a Doctor
When choosing a doctor for your child you can ask your friends or family for
recommendations, try one out simply by finding them on the internet, or using one supplied
by the hospital where your child was born.
Here are some questions commonly used when choosing a doctor.
"Do you have a recommendation for a Pediatric doctor?"
"Can the hospital my child was born at recommend any?"
"Can I visit the doctor's office before going there?"
"Are there reviews on Pediatric doctors?"
"Do I just call to make an appointment?"
Appointment
Depending on the age of your child and the reason for the appointment things may vary on
what happens during the appointment.
Most appointments will include taking the height and weight of the child. Checking ears and
eyes, listening to hearts and lungs, and taking blood pressure. Depending on the age of your
child, vaccines might be also done. This is also a good time to talk with your doctor about
any concerns or issues and simply a good time to ask questions.
Here are some questions commonly asked when making an appointment.
"How is your child doing?"
"Do you have any concerns?"
"Is he/she eating ok?"
"Is he/she sleeping ok?"
"Is he/she responding to noise or their name?"
"How are the child's bowl movements?"
"Is he/she saying any words?"
If you are asked any of these questions just answer to your best knowledge and be honest.
They are all important information for the doctor to know and see how your child is doing.
School - Kids
Picking a school
Depending on where you live you will most likely have a school assigned to you. The
schools assigned to your area are public schools which offer grades kindergarten all the way
up through high school. Public schools are free and are offered to all. A few other options
available are private schools or even home schooling. Private schools usually require a
tuition fee and vary in price and distance from where you live. Home schooling is where the
parent(s) are the teachers at home educating and teaching their children. Children that are
home schooled and decide to change to public or private schools usually will need to test into
their appropriate grade.
Here are some questions commonly used when picking a school.
"Are the public schools in this area good?"
"Do the public schools in our area have full day kindergarten?"
Getting to School
When talking about getting to school you are simply talking about the act of 'how' your child
will get to the school they are attending.
Here are some questions commonly used when talking about ways to get to school.
"Is there a bus stop near our house?"
"Can I drive my kids to school?"
"Can my kids walk to school?"
"What if we miss the bus in the morning?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond or answers you
might hear
"There is a bus stop right around the corner from our neighborhood."
"There are no bus stops close to our neighborhood. We need to drive to the bus stop."
"Yes, you can drive your kids to school."
"Not sure, you may want to check with the school."
"Kids can walk to school if they live within a close distance from the school."
"Children walking to school need to be accompanied by an adult."
"If you miss the bus it is your responsibility to drive your child to school."
"If you miss the bus maybe you can catch a ride from a neighbor or a friend."
After School
What happens after school can include a lot of decisions and planning as well. After school
care, transportation, playtime with friends, sports and homework are all possible factors when
making decisions about what happens after school.
Here are some questions commonly used when talking about what happens after school.
"Does your child need after school care?"
"Will your child be riding the bus home?"
"Do you want to have play dates after school with our children?"
"Do you want to enroll your child in sports?"
"Will your child have to finish homework before playing?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"Yes, both my wife and I work so we need help after school."
"I am a stay at home mom so I do not need any afterschool care."
"Yes my child will be riding the bus home."
"No, I will be picking up my child after school."
"Sure, a play date would be fun for the kids."
"Play dates are great! Let's plan some."
"She does not get much homework in this grade."
"Yes, we usually have our kids finish their homework before playing."
Birthday
Birthdays usually include a party or gathering to celebrate the life of the person whose
birthday it is. Although having a party is not a necessity for birthdays, we will be going over
the steps involved when deciding to have one.
Planning and Invites
The first thing you will want to do is plan a date to have the party. It does not need to be
exactly on the date of the actual birth of the person the party is for. If the person's birthday
falls on a Tuesday you can very well have the party on Saturday if it's more convenient. A
birthday party can be a surprise, it can be at a special place, or it can happen simply at home.
Coming up with a guest list and sending out invitations would be the next step. Below we
will look at possible questions involved with the planning of a birthday party.
"My birthday this year is on a Monday. Should I have the party on a Saturday instead?"
"Should we have a surprise birthday party?"
"Who do I invite?"
"What's the best way to send out invitations?"
"Should we have people RSVP? RSVP means 'Please respond.' You are asking people to let
you know if they are attending beforehand so you can plan ahead."
"Should we reserve a room for the party?"
"Where should we get a cake?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"I would have the party on Saturday then more people might be able to come."
"It does not really matter, have it whenever you like."
"He does not like surprises so I would just do a regular party."
"A surprise party would be fun, just make sure he does not find out."
"I would just invite family since it's a small party."
"You could invite friends and family. Make it a big party this year."
"You could just pass out invites when you see the people."
"I would mail them since it is a surprise party."
"I would have people RSVP so you will know how many people are coming."
"Having people RSVP lets you plan the party easier."
"I would reserve a room so no one else is using it."
"They require a reservation so they can plan ahead for your party."
"We should get a cake at the bakery."
"We should get an ice cream cake from the ice cream store."
Set Up
Setting up for a party can be time consuming and sometimes expensive. Make sure you plan
ahead and set up early if you can. How much you decorate depends on how much you want
to spend. If you decide to reserve a party room they typically will decorate and even cater the
party, which will add to the cost.
Here are some questions commonly used when setting up for a party.
"Should we reserve a room?"
"Should we get there early to decorate?"
The Party
After all of the hard work planning for the party it's time to enjoy yourselves. Make sure the
guest of honor is having a good time and remember this party is about THEM.
Here are some questions commonly used when setting up for a party.
"When is he going to open presents?"
"When are we going to have cake?"
"How did you find the caterers?"
"Should we yell SURPRISE when he walks in?"
"Are we going to play any games?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"He will open presents after we eat."
"I think he will open presents after we eat some cake."
"We will have some cake later on."
"I am not sure. Did they get a cake?"
"I found the caterers on the internet."
"My neighbor recommended the caterer."
"Yes, we should all hide. Then when he walks in we jump out and yell SURPRISE!"
"Don't yell too loud, you might scare grandpa."
"I think we are going to do some karaoke."
"They have some games scheduled for later on."
Vacations
If you have a job, vacations are a time spent away from it, or a vacation may just be time
spent relaxing and taking a break from your daily responsibilities. Vacations can be as simple
as staying home and relaxing with family to going on a trip somewhere to get away.
Planning a Vacation
Planning a vacation properly can make all the difference between having a fun, relaxing time
to being stressed and not knowing what to do. If you decide to just stay home for a vacation
then relaxing with family or friends might work just fine but if traveling, you may want to
put in some research into what to do and when to do it. If visiting family or friends make
sure they are able to take time away from their own jobs to spend quality time with you. If
you are going to another state or country, checking travel requirements, weather, and
accommodation will help make it a better experience. If you are employed it is a good idea
to ask for the time off before scheduling anything. That way you can be sure of dates and
times you will be gone.
Here are some questions commonly used when planning a vacation.
"How far in advance should I ask for vacation time?"
"How do I find out if I need a passport?"
"How do I get a passport?"
"How do I find out about fun places to visit?"
"How far in advance should I book a place to stay?"
"Should I use a travel agency?"
"Should I contact family or friends to make sure we can visit?"
"Should we go to an all-inclusive resort?"
All-inclusive means you pay ahead of time for your rooms, food and beverages. Sometimes
it helps to cut down on costs.
"What if we do not speak the language of the place we are going to?"
"What if we need to rent a car?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"I would ask for vacation time months in advance if you can."
"The earlier you ask the better chance you have of getting the time off."
"Once you decide where you are going I would call the airport and ask them."
"If you travel outside of the United States you will need a passport."
"You can apply for a passport at a local Government Agency."
"Check online for information."
"You could go to the book store and look at travel books or brochures."
"I would get online and do some research on places you are interested."
"It depends on where you are going. I would call and ask them how far in advance they take
reservations."
"I would call them as soon as you decide on where to go."
"You can sometimes get good deals and information from a travel agency."
"I would just do it yourself. You can find out all the information online."
"Yes I would contact them to make sure they are available when you visit."
"If you can visit when they have time off you will be able to do more together."
"An all-inclusive resort would be nice so everything is already paid for."
"I would rather just stay at a hotel and pay for things as we do them."
"You can buy a book to bring a along to help translate."
"You could study a bit before you go to learn a few new words."
"I would call ahead of time and reserve a car from a car rental agency."
"I would check with the place you are staying to see if they have car rentals."
Getting There
Once you have scheduled a vacation and have decided to travel, you must now consider some
sort of transportation. A lot depends on how far you are going, where you are going, and
how fast you need to get there. Options might include traveling by airplane, car or even
train. Checking prices, requirements for travel, and whether or not the mode of
transportation goes to the destination are all the things to consider. If traveling by plane or
train, make sure you book your seats months in advance if possible to assure a spot. A lot of
times the price of traveling will change depending on your choice of seats and the time of
year. So make sure you consider all when making reservations.
On Vacation
While on vacation you can simply hang out and relax at the beach, enjoy time with friends
and family, or go sightseeing. It all depends on what you want and a lot of times what you
can afford.
Here are some questions commonly used when on a vacation.
"Should we do any sightseeing on vacation?"
"What places should we visit?"
"What if we do not speak the language of the country we are in?"
"How do we know good places to eat?"
"How do we book any excursions?"
If you are asked any of these questions, here are ways that you could respond.
"It is always fun to visit historical places while on vacation."
"Depends on what you like to do. Sightseeing can be a fun way to discover new places."
"You can always ask the hotel for recommendations on what to see."
"You can read in a historical travel book and fun things to see and do."
"Try and find someone to help answer your questions at your hotel."
"Bring along a language book to look up words so you can communicate better."
"A good idea is to ask the locals where to eat. They can give you good advice on places you
might not normally go."
"I would ask the concierge at the hotel."
"Sometimes you can book excursions with the concierge at the hotel."
"You can book them beforehand through the travel agency."
Neighbors
Neighbors are people who live in your neighborhood. You may live in a large neighborhood
with lots of homes or a small cul de sac with just a few homes. Neighbors can even include
people who live upstairs or downstairs from you in an apartment complex.
Introductions
Here are a few statements you can use when meeting a neighbor:
"Hello, my name is Jack."
"This is my wife, Suzie."
"I live next door to you."
"I live downstairs from you."
These statements are all good ways of letting someone know something simple about you.
Here are some questions you can ask when speaking to a neighbor.
"What is your name?"
"How long have you lived in the neighborhood?"
"What do you do for work?"
Here are some questions commonly used when using a daily planner.
"How do I know what to use as a daily planner?"
"If I use an electronic planner should I set reminders?"
"What if I have more things to do than the time to do it?"
"What if I need to cancel something?"
"What if I need to make an appointment?"
"If I have someone at work who plans for me should I still keep a planner?"
Monthly Planner/Yearly Planner
A monthly or yearly planner is essentially the same as a daily planner except the fact that they
allow you to plan far in advance. Just as daily planners can be as simple as writing things
down on a calendar or using an electronic device to keep track, the same methods can be
applied on a monthly or yearly planner. Managing your time, making and keeping
appointments, and keeping notified of special events are all functions of a planner.
Health
Our health is an important subject for all of us. How much we eat, how much we exercise
and how much we sleep are all topics of discussion when mentioning health. The United
States in particular is surrounded by conversations of obesity, but on the flip side one of the
greatest consumers of health care products. As popular of a subject health is it can also be an
uncomfortable one. People who are overweight might not be as comfortable talking about
health, so try and be aware of the person you are talking to's feelings.
Here are some questions and statements commonly used when talking about health.
"How do I find a good gym?"
"What vitamin supplements do you use?"
"How often do you go to the doctors to get a regular check up?"
"Now that I am getting older, I wonder what I have to do to stay healthy."
"I need to find a good way to exercise without putting too much pressure on my knees."
You may also find yourself asking some of these questions:
"Have you ever been on a successful diet?"
"Have you ever tried yoga?"
"Have you ever used a personal trainer?"
"Do you belong to a gym?"
"How do I find information on diet?"
"What is some healthy food?"
"Should I use a weight loss system/company?"
this problem.
"You can't watch that show because you'll have a bad dream."
"You know you'll get nightmares if you watch something scary."
"Are you sure you want to watch that show? It might be a little scary."
"My son kept me up all night because he couldn't fall asleep after watching a movie. I
shouldn't let him see anything like that anymore."
"The daycare had a movie day and although it was a children's movie, my kid had
nightmares."
"Even babies have dreams. One day my 1 year old daughter woke up screaming pointing to
the bed."
Books and magazines contain a wealth of information. Learning new things, finding
information needed to help with projects or simply a way to escape from the everyday world
are some of the many reasons why people read books and magazines. Reading books is also a
great way to spend time with your children for fun, or to share what you have learned with
family and friends.
Here are some questions you might ask while at a bookstore.
"What are some of the bestsellers?"
"What are some new releases?"
"Where can I find books by a particular author?"
"Where is the children's section?"
"Do you have books on animals?"
"Do you offer a membership for customers?"
"Does this magazine have monthly or yearly subscription?"
"Can I get a subscription sent to my business?"
"Can I reserve a book?"
You can also make many statements about books to your friends.
"I just finished reading a book on money management. It was very informative."
"I love reading. If I am not out, I am usually in my room reading a book."
"My favorite types of books are autobiographies."
"The new fiction bestseller was fun. You have to read it."
"Buying books as a present is not appreciated by the kid, but the parents usually love them."
"I really like getting books as a gift."