Small talk

Small talk helps us build rapport with our classmates, make new friends, and generally feel more positive about our interactions with other people.

Rapport means building a connection, creating harmony, and feeling comfortable with one another.

Small talk plays an incredibly important role in English conversation. At its core, it is about comfort. It helps both you and the person you are talking to feel at ease. The main goal is to discover common interests—something you can share and relate to together.

Think of yourself as a detective. You are looking for clues and information that will help you connect with someone, find common ground, and build shared interests.

A useful way to approach small talk is to focus on a few broad and familiar topics, such as games, studies, everyday life, food, travel, and the weather.

Breaking the Ice

• Do you like talking to new people?

• Is it easy or difficult for you? Why?

…

Small talk is a short and informal conversation.

We use small talk to feel comfortable and to connect with people.

When we use small talk, we build rapport.

Rapport means feeling comfortable and connected to someone.

Small Talk Topics

✔ Games / Hobbies✔ Studies / Work✔ Daily life✔ Food✔ Travel✔ Weather

Model Questions

• What do you do in your free time?

• Are you studying or working?

• Do you like this weather?

• What kind of food do you like?

• Have you traveled recently?

  
  

 B2 Activity: Small Talk Audit

• When was the last time you had small talk in English?

• In which situations is small talk expected but often ignored?

Useful Language

Opening

• “So, how do you know everyone here?”

• “Have you been working/studying here long?”

Showing Interest

• “That sounds interesting.”

• “Really? How did that happen?”

Redirecting

• “Speaking of that…”

• “That reminds me of…”

Closing Politely

• “It was great talking to you.”

• “I should get going, but let’s talk again.”

Activity: Upgrade the Answer

Example:

Basic:

“I like traveling.”

Upgraded (B2):

“I really enjoy traveling, especially to places with a strong local culture. Last year, I visited…”

Goals:

• Spoken interaction

• Pragmatic competence

• Discourse management

• Social language use