Speaking - Hey how's it going?

Do you find that your students always greet you and each other in the same way? Something along the lines of, 'How are you?' 'Fine, and you?'

Well it's time to build up their repertoire and introduce them to the greetings people actually use in everyday English.

Below is a vocabulary list with some of the most common ones. See how many greetings and questions your students know first and then get them to match the answers to the right questions. Pronunciation is key here so keep an ear out. eg 'How have you been?' soon becomes 'Howya been?' in a normal conversation. [NB In subsequent lessons make sure you greet your students in a different way every time and encourage them to do the same.]

They can then practice having short conversations, using as many different openings as possible.

You could give them these short scenarios to help them along. Once they have perfected them they can say them in front of the class. The most creative and imaginative wins.

Conversation scenarios

1. Imagine you're two friends meeting each other in a bar. Say hi and have a quick chat about one or more of the following - last night's football match/ a programme on TV/ a film you saw/ a book you're reading/ a new band or song you love

2. Student A you have some big news to tell your friend - you're getting married!
Student B you need to offer your congratulations but you also want to make sure that your friend is making the right decision

3. Student A you have some gossip to tell your friend - you've seen two people in your office (who are both married) leaving work together a few times and last night you saw them in a pub together, laughing and joking and generally looking very intimate
Student B you work with Student A and you've noticed some flirting in the office but didn't want to say anything. But yesterday you 'accidentally' read an email between the couple that you can now tell your friend about

4. Student A - you've just returned from holiday. The weather was great but the holiday was a bit of a nightmare. It started when the flight was delayed and then it got steadily worse. Tell your friend what happened
Student B - ask the right questions and be sympathetic


Greetings

Hi
Hi there
Hiya
Hey
Hey there
Hello
Hello there
Alright (mate/ pal)
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Top of the morning to you
Put it there
Good/ great to meet you
Good/ great to see you again
Long time no see
It's been too long

Questions

(You) alright?
What's up?
What are you up to?
What you doing?
How are you?
How have you been?
How's it going?
How goes it?
How you going?
How you doing?
How's things?
How's everything?
What's new?
What news?
What's happening?
How do you do?
How's your day?
All good?
What's cookin? (good lookin)
What's going down?

Answers

Good, thanks
Fine, thanks
Not (too) bad (not bad)
Alright, thanks
I'm ok
Doing ok cheers
This and that
Not a lot
No good
Same old (same old)
Pretty good
Not great
Can't complain
Couldn't be better
Could be better
This and that
How do you do?
Same (old) shit (different day)
I feel on top of the world
Fighting fit


Goodbyes

(Good) bye
Catch you later
See you
See you later
See you soon
See you tomorrow
Cheers for now
Til the next time
Take it easy