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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, I don't, but I am not far away in a car.
I want to live near the see, but this is too far from here. This remains only a dream.
until 2 years ago i was living near the sea and that was wonderfull. i miss there:/
I haven't live near the sea but my grandmother and grandfather live near the sea it is so cool in summer my family come there and we go to the sea i very like this season
No, I don't live near the sea. But I love the sea, I am always dreaming to go to sea. I have been there for many times but I love to go again there. I love seeing the sea through the hotel room. And I also love to walk without slipper on the beach. I love going there any weather. It is rain or hot or snowy , I would like to go there.
Yes, I live near the sea. All my life have been living in Cartagena-Colombia, located on the Caribbean coast. We have got some amazing beaches here.
I don't live near the sea but I'm from Egypt and we are overlooking two seas, the white one and the red one. I prefer the white sea as its water aren't so calm as the red sea.
No, I didn't live around the sea
I used to live near the sea but right now I move.
Not as near as I wish. It's a 20-minute drive to get to the nearest beach although on the weekends it might take slightly longer.