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In our new Learning hub, you can put your language into practice. Take part in the activities and practise your English skills by writing comments, recording yourself speaking and sharing photos with descriptions.
Keeping a conversation going
Instructions
Do the preparation exercise first. Then watch the video and do the exercises to check your understanding and practise the language.
Transcript
Ana: Hi! I'm Ana. Welcome to What to Say!
Do you know what to say when you want to keep a conversation going? Listen out for useful language for keeping a conversation going. Then, we'll practise saying the new phrases – after this.
Noelia: Hi, Bob!
Bob: Oh, morning, Noelia.
Noelia: So, what's new?
Bob: New, hmm, let me think. Hmm … Nothing much. Oh, hang on. My dog Bertie had his 14th birthday on Monday!
Noelia: Oh, he's getting old then?
Bob: I guess so … but not as old as his owner.
Noelia: Haha … er, anyway …
Bob: How about you, Noelia? How's it going?
Noelia: Great, actually. Yeah … all good.
Bob: By the way, I wanted to ask you, where in Spain are you from?
Noelia: I'm from Santander.
Bob: Oh, lovely. Wonderful to grow up near the sea.
Noelia: Yeah, it was perfect. Ah, I miss the sea.
Bob: I know what you mean. I used to live in Spain and I absolutely loved it.
Noelia: Really? I didn't know that, Bob!
Bob: Yeah, I had a little bar on the Costa Brava.
Noelia: Wow! So do you speak Spanish then?
Bob: Oh, not much. Ah, those were the days! Excuse me. Perdona, Noelia. Tengo que irme. Me necesitan en el segundo piso. ¡Hasta pronto! [Excuse me, Noelia. I've got to go. They need me on the second floor. See you soon!]
Noelia: Wow!
Ana: Hello again! Wow! Bob is full of surprises. So, did you notice the useful phrases used for keeping a conversation going? Listen to me and then repeat.
So, what's new?
Let me think ...
Nothing much.
Anyway …
How about you, Noelia?
How's it going?
By the way, I wanted to ask you ...
I know what you mean.
Really? I didn't know that!
Ana: Try and use some of these phrases the next time you want to keep a conversation going in English. Bye for now!
Discussion
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no, unfortunally. i used to live near a river, actually, it was pretty amazing to me
I've never lived near the sea, but I would probably like to live that way. The sea, the beach, the sand, etc. - that's what I love.
Yes, I love the sea because when I was young my family had an apartment near the sea. All my vacations I went to apartment on the beach, it was perfect
I don't live near the sea, but I would like to. My dream is to live close to the sea, in contact with nature, in a beautiful house all decorated and sustainable (with solar energy, garbage recycling, vegetable garden and own energy generation).
when I was a kid I used to live near the sea, it were lovely days and I miss them too much.
No, I'm not
Well, I'm currently living in Myanmar, Yangon city. To be honest, I do not live near the sea because many apartments are taken place around the city in Yangon. So, a lot of people go to the countryside if they want t get the seaside view.
I live in the center region of Colombia, in a city called Villavicencio, we are far away from the coast but we've got a lot of rivers.
Yes i do , i love living there ,what a beautiful place especially in summer , new fresh air and quiet place
I know what you mean! I think summer is a different type of feeling, Feels like a new life.