Small Talk

© Voice One Oy 2009

Opening Discussion

What is Small Talk? Why do we do it personally? in business?

In what situations, do you use Small Talk? What do you find difficult and easy about Small
Talk?

How common is Small Talk in Finnish and Finnish culture? How often do you personally
use Small Talk in your own language?

Is Small Talk formal or informal? Why?

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Grammar Point Question Formation

1. Use of Question Words (Who, where, when, why, what, how)

Structure
Where are you going?
Which way*
Question Word Auxillary verb Noun/Subject Verb

*Note: In terms of structure, it is easiest to think of “How many, Which way, Whose car,
What kind of dog, etc.” as acting as a single question word.

2. Inversion of Verb

Structure
Is he leaving?
Auxillary Verb Noun/Subject Verb

The structure is the same as # 1, but without the Question Word. Remember: you must
always start the question with an AUXILLARY VERB: be, have, do, may, would, etc. !!!!

3. Intonation

Statement He went outside.

Note: the pitch is raised on the last syllable

Question He went outside?

Practice saying the following as questions:

John is leaving early. Rita was on the 8 o’clock news.

Mandy was late today. Sam jogs every morning.
No smoking. She ate the last donut.
Peter sold his car. His dog ran away.

© Voice One Oy 2009

4. Question Tag

It’s really cold outside, isn’t it?

You didn’t do your work, did you?

Note: These are closed questions usually used to get some agreement. There is
also usually a negative word (not, never, etc.) in these questions.

You won the lottery, did you?

Without a negative word, these question tag sentences are usually used in
situations of shock or surprise.
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Closed and Open Questions

What is the difference between an open and a closed question? Give an example of each.

Are both used in Small Talk? How?

Which is better for creating dialogue between people? Why?

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The Small Talk / Tennis Connection

Useful tennis vocabulary

volley: when players hit the ball back and forth
smash: to hit the ball very hard
serve: when a player first hits the ball to start
play
out of
bounds: the area where a ball cannot be hit
ace: a serve that cannot be returned

Why do you think Small Talk is often

compared to the game of tennis? How might
these two activities be similar and/or
different?

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Small Talk Topics

Brainstorm as many possible topics for Small Talk as possible.

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© Voice One Oy 2009

Which of these topics do you talk about with:

- someone you know well

- your boss
- a colleague
- a client
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Questions for Topics

Jobs
What do you do?
I’m a secretary / engineer / manager. (profession)
I’m an engineer at BIG Telecom. (profession / location)
I work for BIG Telecom. (employer)
I work for myself at the moment. (self-employed)
I free-lance for… / I am a free-lancer for… (free-lance)
I look after the children. / I’m a housewife/husband.
I’m between jobs at the moment.
What line of business are you in?
I’m in publishing. (industry)
I’m in accounting. (function)
Have you been with them long?
Do you like it? / Are they a good employer? / Is the job interesting? (more personal)
How’s business?

Family
Are you married?
What does your wife / husband do?
Do you have any children?
How old are they?
Are they in school / in college / working?
(Note: Brits say: at school/college)
Do they still live at home?

Spare time
What do you do in the evenings / on your weekends?
(Note: Brits say: at weekends)
Where do you spend your holidays?
What do you do in your spare time / free time?
Do you like skiing / walking / cooking / films?

Origins
Where do you come from?
Where were you brought up?
How old were you when you moved to …?
Which part of … were you born in?
Do you find it very different from here?
If you don’t mind me asking, what is your background/heritage?

Any Other Questions:

© Voice One Oy 2009

DIGRESSING

* There are two stages in digressing – interruption, followed by the change in topic.
* Try to interrupt when the other person takes a breath or there is a gap in the
conversation.
Interruption / Redirection Digression
Oh, by the way… …did I ever tell you about…
So… …what do you think of…(the city/office/conference)
Hey… …did you hear/see that…
Oh yeah,… …I just remembered something….
That reminds me… …has anyone ever (done)…
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THE FLUID, QUICK RETURN

And you?
And yourself?
What about you?
How about you?

These are easy NATURAL ways of returning the question back to your conversation
partner without having to ask the same whole question again. However, if you have been
talking a long time, it is polite to add the original question too. In case, they forget.

Example: And you? What do you do?

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Pair Work Activity

Practise “Small Talk” with a partner. Try to use all the questions, topics and techniques
that we have discussed.

Goals

1 Try to digress at least once in the conversation. Check if you partner does it.
2 Try to use the “Fluid Quick Return” twice.
3 At the end, mark down how well you think you and your partner did. Be honest, but fair.
Compare your scores. (5 - highest to 1 - lowest)

Criteria You Your Partner

Interaction 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1

Things to say 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1

Eye Contact 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1

Body Language 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1

Digression Yes No Yes No

Fluid Quick Return Yes No Yes No

© Voice One Oy 2009

Examples from Life
Think of two people in your life or work who you don’t know very well.

1_____________________ 2 _____________________

Discuss these questions in pairs.

1 What do you know about them?
2 Brainstorm questions you could ask them.
3 Try some of these the next time you meet them.

What did you say?

What is happening in this picture?

Who are these people?
What subjects do you think they are talking about?
What are they saying to each other?
What will happen next?
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Taboos

What is meant by a taboo?

What subjects are taboos in your country? Why do you think these subjects are taboo?

Do you think taboos can be different in other countries? If so, give some examples.

© Voice One Oy 2009

Openers

Talking about the • Beautiful day, isn't it?

weather • Can you believe all of this rain we've been having?
• It looks like it's going to snow.
• It sure would be nice to be in Hawaii right about now.
• I hear they're calling for thunderstorms all weekend.
• We couldn't ask for a nicer day, could we?
• How about this weather?
• Did you order this sunshine?

Talking about current • Did you catch the news today?

events • Did you hear about that fire on Fourth St?
• What do you think about this transit strike?
• I read in the paper today that the Sears Mall is closing.
• I heard on the radio today that they are finally going to start
building the new bridge.
• How about those Reds? Do you think they're going to win
tonight?

At the office • Looking forward to the weekend?

• Have you worked here long?
• I can't believe how busy/quiet we are today, can you?
• Has it been a long week?
• You look like you could use a cup of coffee.
• What do you think of the new computers?

At a social event • So, how do you know Justin?

• Have you tried the cabbage rolls that Sandy made?
• Are you enjoying yourself?
• It looks like you could use another drink.
• Pretty nice place, huh?
• I love your dress. Can I ask where you got it?

Out for a walk • How old's your baby?

• What's your puppy's name?
• The tulips are sure beautiful at this time of year, aren't
they.
• How do you like the new park?
• Nice day to be outside, isn't it?

Waiting somewhere • I didn't think it would be so busy today.

• You look like you've got your hands full (with children or
goods).
• The bus must be running late today.
• It looks like we are going to be here a while, huh?
• I'll have to remember not to come here on Mondays.
• How long have you been waiting?

© Voice One Oy 2009

EXTRAS QUESTIONS

Business Icebreakers

1. What do you do for a living?

2. Describe a typical day on the job.
3. How did you come up with this idea?
4. What got you started in this industry/area of practice?
5. What got you interested in marketing/research/teaching?
6. What do you enjoy most about your profession?
7. What separates you and your firm from your competition?
8. Why does your company _________?
9. Describe some of the challenges of your profession.
10. What do you see as the coming trends in your business?
11. What ways have you found to be the most effective for promoting your business?

Social Icebreakers

1. What do you think of the movie/restaurant/party?

2. Tell me about the best vacation you’ve ever taken.
3. What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
4. If you could replay any moment in your life, what would it be?
5. What one thing would you really like to own? Why?
6. Tell me about one of your favorite relatives?
7. What was it like in the town where you grew up?
8. What would you like to come back as in your next life?
9. Tell me about your kids.
10. What do you think is the perfect age? Why?

© Voice One Oy 2009