👋 What's Up?
How do you start a conversation — and how do you move to a new topic without being rude? Learn general questions (What's up? · How was your weekend?), specific questions and statements to open a chat, and three magic expressions to change the topic: By the way · That reminds me · Anyway. Final task: talk about your weekend!
Monday At The School Gate
7:50 a.m. Karim sees his friend Rayen near the school gate.
🤔 How do you usually start a conversation with a friend?
👋 Opening A Conversation
There are several ways to begin a conversation after the greetings. Click a phrase to hear it.
General questions
When you don't have a special topic:
Specific questions
Ask people you know about their lives:
Statements
You have a topic? Just make a statement — your listener will comment on it:
… and the listener comments
Hey, there was a great movie on last night. — Really? What was it?
That was a great match last night! — Yeah, it was really exciting!
🗂️ The Opener Sorter
General question, specific question or statement? 8 rounds.
💬 Comment On It!
Your friend opens with a statement. Choose the best comment. 6 rounds.
🔀 Changing The Topic
Conversations move from one topic to another. These expressions help people signal that they are going to change the topic.
💡 By the way
a new topic · you just thought of itBy the way, I saw your cousin Aziz last night. He looked good.
— Really? I'm so glad!
🔗 That reminds me
you remember something elseThere was a great match on TV last night.
— Oh, that reminds me! I have two tickets to Saturday's match. Do you want to go?
🏁 Anyway
conclude a topic · start a new oneThat pizza place wasn't very good. The pizza was cold and the salad wasn't fresh!
— Anyway, we're not going there again. So, how's your sister?
Anyway is also useful when you are tired of listening to someone talk about something — but say it with a smile, and ask a friendly question right after: "Anyway… so, how's your new puppy?"
🔀 Topic Switch
Which expression fits the situation? 8 rounds.
🎤 Talking About Your Weekend
Now put everything together: open the conversation, talk about your weekend in the past, comment on your friend's news, and change the topic politely.
🏫 The Monday Morning Chat
You are Rayen. Chat with Karim before the bell rings! 7 steps.
Listen And Repeat!
Click 🔊 Listen to hear the phrase, 🐢 Slowly to hear it slower, then 🎙️ My turn and say it out loud into your microphone!
✍️ Practice Time!
Exercise 1 — True Or False?
Exercise 2 — Complete The Dialogue
Fill in the missing word in each line of the conversation.
🎭 Create & Record: Talking About Our Weekend
Write a conversation between you and a friend on Monday morning: open it (a general question, a specific question or a statement), tell your weekend with at least five past verbs, comment on your friend's news (Really? · That's great! · I'm so glad!), and use By the way, That reminds me and Anyway.
🎙️ Now, Record It!
Play both friends. Sound natural: a little pause before By the way… and Anyway…! Listen back.
🎯 Final Quiz — Conversation Skills
Answer 7 questions to test everything you learned in this lesson!