Dont Be Shy How to Start a Conversation in British English
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welcome to English class 101.com British
English in three minutes the fastest
easiest and most fun way to learn
English hi I’m Gina nice to meet you in
this series we’re going to learn some
easy ways to ask an answer common
questions in English it’s really useful
and it only takes three minutes in this
lesson you’re going to learn new more
common ways to ask and answer the
question how are you in English you’ve
probably learned how are you and I’m
fine in textbooks before but in the
United Kingdom people will usually ask
this question and answer it in a
different way
first let’s review if someone says how
are you you can say I’m fine thanks I’m
fine thanks here are some other ways to
answer I’m good thanks this means about
the same as I’m fine thanks I’m good
thanks we also have not too bad you can
use this if you are feeling just okay or
so-so
not too bad
let’s look at our question again how are
you this is the most well known way of
asking how someone is you could use it
when you want to be polite but now let’s
look at some different ways to ask how
someone is these ways are more casual
and much more common first hi how are
you doing hi how are you doing all hey
how’s it going hey how’s it going all in
an especially casual situation you could
say you’re right
you all right
what if you’re not doing alright
although it’s the British way to say
you’re doing fine even if you’re not if
you feel comfortable with the other
person you could also choose to tell
them when you’re not doing fine you
could say not so good not so good
not great not great all I’ve been better
I’ve been better
careful if you say one of these the
other person will usually ask why what’s
wrong then you will have to explain
however if you’re feeling particularly
well you could answer more
enthusiastically fantastic fan tastic
fabulous fab you loose or even and very
well indeed
I’m very well indeed
now it’s time for Gina’s tips because of
the popularity and influence of American
film and media some American phrases
have become common in the United Kingdom
as well how are you doing was originally
an American phrase but these days you
can hear it on either side of the pond
hey everyone
Gina here in this series we’re going to
learn some easy ways to ask and answer
common questions in English it’s really
useful and it only takes three minutes
in this lesson you’re going to learn how
to ask what someone’s hobbies are
without using the word hobbies you’ve
probably seen the question do you have
any hobbies or what are your hobbies
in an English textbook before however
native English speakers almost never use
the word hobbies when asking about them
a much more natural way to ask the same
question is what do you do for fun what
do you do for fun you can also ask what
do you do in your spare time what do you
do in your spare time so how would you
answer this question let’s look at how
native speakers would do it the easiest
way is to say I liked you or just I like
followed by what you like to do for
example if you like watching films you
could say I like to watch films or I
like watching films I like to watch
films or I like watching films and if
you like golf you could say
I like to play golf all I like playing
golf I like to play golf all I like
playing golf you can emphasize how much
you like your hobby by adding a word
like really in front of like for example
I really like watching films on the
other hand if you want to play down how
much you like something you can say kind
of for example I kind of like playing
tennis now it’s time for Gina’s tips if
you don’t have any special hobbies or
you don’t want to be specific
a good way to reply is I like spending
time with my friends and stuff like that
I like spending time with my friends and
stuff like that just use I like and add
spending time with my friends and then
add and stuff like that
hey everyone I’m Gina in this series
we’re going to learn some easy ways to
ask and answer common questions in
English it’s really useful and it only
takes three minutes in this lesson
you’re going to learn how to compliment
someone on what they’re wearing this is
a great way to break the ice and to come
across as friendly and kind when meeting
someone new if the conversation slows
down a little and you can’t think of
anything to ask a good way to get it
restarted is to compliment the other
person if you don’t know them well yet a
safe way to do this is to say something
nice about something they’re wearing or
something they have like a bag or phone
case the way to do this is to say I love
your bag or top or shoes etc
this can sound a little bit feminine so
if you’re a guy you could say I really
like your and then the item a normal
response to this is just Thanks
or if you want to be modest or really
thanks
a great way to follow this up and keep
the conversation going is to ask where
did you get it or where did you buy it
this gives the other person a chance to
talk about the shop country or situation
in which they bought it and from there
the conversation can develop naturally
if you’re complimented and then ask this
question of course the reverse is true
and you have a chance to tell the other
person more about the item and where you
got it the usual answer - where did you
get it or where did you buy it
is something like I got it at the shop
name in and then the town or city this
is appropriate if you bought the item in
the country you’re currently in so the
other person may know of the store if
you bought it in a different country
though its usual to say I got it in and
then the country name you don’t need to
say the name of the store unless it’s
world famous as the other person
probably won’t have heard of it anyway
now it’s time for Gina’s tips in some
cultures it’s considered totally fine
and even polite to ask how much
something costs but in most
english-speaking countries like the UK
Australia and America this is considered
very rude and there’s a question that
can only be asked by very close friends
and even then it’s risky remember not to
say something like it looks expensive or
how much was it when you’re
complimenting something that someone
else owns
a man is picking up his female friend’s
daughter
which one is the friend’s daughter and
sorry to trouble you but could you
please go and pick up my daughter okay
does she know me yes she’s seen you in
photos before so she should be able to
recognize you all right what does she
look like her hair is black and curly
and she’s slim and taller than average
girls okay anything else she says she’s
going to wear a hat that they bought her
it is a white hat with a black ribbon on
it that sounds easy to find okay I’ll go
and pick her up now thank you
which one is a friend’s daughter
a man is picking up his female friend’s
daughter
which one is a friend’s daughter
sorry to trouble you but could you
please go and pick up my daughter okay
does she know me yes she’s seen you in
photos before so she should be able to
recognize you all right what does she
look like her hair is black and curly
and she’s slim and taller than average
girls okay anything else she says she’s
going to wear a hat that I bought her
it is a white hat with a black ribbon on
it that sounds easy to find okay I’ll go
and pick her up now thank you
a man and a woman are talking while
looking at a picture
which one is the woman’s your other I
heard you had a twin brother I didn’t
know that yes but people say that we
don’t look alike see my brother is in
this picture but can you tell which one
he is well I don’t see anyone who looks
like you maybe this one with the cap no
not that one
he has black hair just like mine well
then this tall one no he’s not that tall
I still can’t find him you really don’t
look alike I know maybe glasses are
making it more difficult glasses than
this one
second from left you got it do I
resemble him no not really
which one is the woman Java
a man and a woman are talking while
looking at a picture
which one is the woman Java
I heard you had a twin brother I didn’t
know that yes but people say that we
don’t look alike see my brother is in
this picture but can you tell which one
he is well I don’t see anyone who looks
like you maybe this one with the cap no
not that one
he has black hair just like mine well
then this tall one no he’s not that tall
I still can’t find him you really don’t
look alike I know maybe glasses are
making it more difficult glasses then
this one second from left you got it do
I resemble him no not really
a husband and wife are shopping on the
Internet
when will the vacuum cleaner be
delivered hey what do you think about
this vacuum I think it looks nice are
you going to order it yeah I will it
will take three or four days to be
delivered
we should specify the date how about
next Saturday we’re going to play tennis
early Saturday morning oh that’s right
then sunday is better okay I’ll do that
hey don’t forget to come home early
Friday evening because we’ll leave home
early on Saturday I know
when will the vacuum cleaner be
delivered
a husband and wife are shopping on the
Internet
when will the vacuum cleaner be
delivered hey what do you think about
this vacuum I think it looks nice are
you going to order it yeah I will it
will take three or four days to be
delivered
we should specify the date how about
next Saturday we’re going to play tennis
early Saturday morning oh that’s right
then sunday is better okay I’ll do that
hey don’t forget to come home early
Friday evening because we’ll leave home
early on Saturday I know
a man and a woman are talking which
clock are they looking at and what time
is it
what time is it
oh I’m sorry I forgot my watch today
I see I’m worried that we might miss the
train
oh there’s a clock at the entrance to
the train station good Oh No the train
will be here in five minutes that’s ten
o’clock train right yeah so we’d better
hurry up
which clock are they looking at and what
time is it
a man and a woman are talking which
clock are they looking at and what time
is it
what time is it oh I’m sorry I forgot my
watch today
I see I’m worried that we might miss the
train
oh there’s a clock at the entrance to
the train station
good I know the train will be here in
five minutes
that’s ten o’clock train right yeah so
we’d better hurry up
a man and a woman are talking what is a
woman going to do during the summer
holidays have you already planned your
summer holiday not yet I think I’d like
to go to the sea or the mountains I’m
going to the sea with my friends we’re
going surfing that’s nice
why don’t you come with us that would be
fun yes I’ll go with you
what is a woman going to do during the
summer holidays
a man and a woman are talking
what is a woman going to do during the
summer holidays
have you already planned your summer
holiday not yet I think I’d like to go
to the sea or the mountains I’m going to
the sea with my friends we’re going
surfing that’s nice
why don’t you come with us that would be
fun yes I’ll go with you
a man and a woman are talking how old is
the man now your birthday is really soon
yes it’s the day after tomorrow how old
are you going to be I’ll be sixty years
old
congratulations we should celebrate
thank you very much I’m very grateful
how old is the man now
a man and a woman are talking
how old is the man now your birthday is
really soon yes it’s a day after
tomorrow how old are you going to be
I’ll be sixty years old
congratulations we should celebrate
thank you very much I’m very grateful
did you get it right I hope you learned
something from this quiz let us know if
you have any questions see you next time
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