A first conversation in English becomes easier when you can choose a line for a real situation. This guide uses short expressions from the course to practise asking, answering and recovering when you do not understand. Work on one small exchange at a time. Your target is to recognise what a line does and retrieve it when you need it.
Ask a question and recognise its reply
| Situation | English expression |
|---|---|
| Ask someone’s name | What is your name? |
| Respond after an introduction | Nice to meet you |
| Ask how someone is | How are you? |
| Give the course’s reply | I'm good, thanks |
| Return the question | And you? |
“What is your name?” asks for a name; “How are you?” asks how someone is. Both are questions, but they call for different replies. Put a situation on the front of a card and the complete question on the back. Mix the cards so that you are choosing by meaning, rather than following the order of a dialogue.
“I’m good, thanks” is the course’s short, conversational reply to “How are you?” The apostrophe in “I’m” marks the shortened form of “I am”. Copy it with the apostrophe. “And you?” can return the question when the context is already clear; on its own it does not tell a listener what you are asking about.
Prepare a recovery phrase
| Situation | English expression |
|---|---|
| Say that the meaning is unclear | I don't understand |
| Ask about the intended meaning | What do you mean? |
| Say that you do not have the answer | I don't know |
| Ask for help | Can you help me? |
“I don’t understand” and “I don’t know” solve different problems. The first tells the other person that something is unclear to you. The second says you do not have the information. Practise choosing between them after a cue, rather than treating them as interchangeable responses. In both, “don’t” is the shortened form of “do not”.
“Can you help me?” asks the other person for help. Compare the order of “you” and “me” with the separate course expression “Can I help you?” In that second question, the speaker is offering help. Those small words change who would provide the help; keep the complete questions intact while learning them.
Try a short role-play
You meet a person and want to learn their name. Which course question fits?
Reveal the answer
What is your name?
Someone says something whose meaning is unclear. Choose a recovery line.
Reveal the answer
I don't understand or What do you mean?. The first reports the difficulty; the second asks about the meaning.
Read one question aloud, leave a pause, and then answer it. A partner can read the cues, or you can make a short recording for yourself. On the next round, change the order. Keep your practice exchange short enough that you understand every line you say.
For a later review, cover the expressions and work from the situations alone. Mark the lines that took time to retrieve, then review those first. As the set becomes familiar, add one phrase from the full lesson. This gives you a notebook organised around things you want to do in a conversation.