Every one of use some basic English phrases in our daily conversation. These phrases, if understood in totality, can provide a base to help beginners understand grammar and sentence structure. Once you are familiar with basic phrases and its meanings, you can move ahead to use the more sophisticated ones. Let us learn some most common phrases that we regularly use in our conversation.
Here are the several options that you can use instead for daily phrases.
1. How are you?
This is an innocent question, isn’t it? It’s such a common and overused question that it’s no longer a good question. You can ask the same in a different way. The easiest way is to make the question longer. The longer the question, the better. Here are a few alternatives you can ask instead:
How are you doing today?
How are you doing this morning?
How are you doing this afternoon?
How are you doing this evening?
And for friends you can try 'Hey', 'Hi' or 'Hey there'. You can frame questions in the following manner:
Hey, how’s it going?
Hi, how are you doing?
Hi, how are you doing lately?
There are lots of options out there for greeting someone.
There are more than enough options instead of, “Hello. How are you?"
2. I am fine
“How are you?” is the worst opening question, then “I’m fine” is the absolutely worst answer that anyone can give. It is referred to as the conversation killer. Instead, talk about anything else. Any latest happening in your life like you have bought a new car or going to watch the cricket game tonight. Say that! There is no limit to what you can say in response to “How are you?”
Here are few responses:
I just got a new car. It’s awesome.
I am doing pretty well. In fact, I’m going to watch a cricket game tonight.
I am better now.
Not so good.I think I’m getting sick.
When people ask “How are you?” don’t be afraid to bring up some recent good news and say anything besides a memorized response.
3. Did you eat lunch/dinner?
When you ask the above question you are more likely to get an answer either yes or no.
Here are a few other questions to ask instead:
Did you get a chance to eat yet?
Did you get some breakfast/lunch/dinner?
In formal situations, you can use the following questions:
Where did you go for lunch/dinner?
What did you eat?
How was breakfast this morning?
How was lunch today?
4. Are you from ____?
When you meet someone for the first time you tend to ask them about their culture. And most of the time, people feel at least a little insulted. Even if you’re right, the person could feel offended. So, there is never the right way to ask. Instead, you can ask one of these questions:
Where are you from?
Where did you grow up?
These questions are much better.
However, you must think before asking these questions. It’s always a safe choice to ask in a formal way to avoid any miscommunication.
Improving English speaking comes with practice. Join an online English course provider to develop a hold over the language and communicate effectively.
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