100 Small Talk Questions and Answers - Real English Conversation

- Hello lovely students

and welcome back to English with Lucy.

So many of my students

want to improve their conversation skills,

but sometimes it can be really hard

to think of the right question to say,

and it's even harder to think of a good response

to keep conversation going.

If you want to keep a conversation going,

it's really important that you ask open-ended questions.

This is a key part of small talk.

I really want to help you practise.

So today I have got 100 open-ended small talk questions.

Open-ended questions are questions that people cannot reply

yes or no to.

They have to say more than that.

I am going to be asked these 100 questions

and I am going to give you genuine answers

so you can learn from me.

And to help you even further,

I have created an e-book for this lesson

that you can download for free.

It contains all 100 questions.

It contains the full transcript of my answers

with key vocabulary and a quiz.

It is the ultimate small talk conversation e-book.

If you would like to download

my free small talk conversation e-book,

all you've got to do is click on the link

in the description box.

You enter your name and your email address,

you sign up to my mailing list,

and the e-book will arrive directly in your email inbox.

After that, you will automatically receive

all of my free PDFs and lessons

along with my news updates and offers.

Right, let's get started with the small talk questions.

I'm already nervous.

- [Will] First topic, general small talk questions.

Question one, how was your day today?

- It's been pretty busy,

but I've had a good day.

Thanks.

- [Will] Two, what did you do last weekend?

- Last weekend I visited my family in Bedfordshire

and we celebrated my brother's birthday.

- [Will] Three, what hobbies or interests

do you have outside of work?

- I really like running, and I've just bought a treadmill,

so I'm enjoying using that.

- [Will] Four, have you watched any interesting movies

or TV shows recently?

- I've really been enjoying watching "The White Lotus."

It's quite relaxing

because it's set in a holiday destination.

- [Will] Five, what type of music

do you enjoy listening to?

- I honestly don't listen to a lot of music,

but I do really like Taylor Swift.

She always makes me smile.

- [Will] Six, do you have any pets

and what's unique about them?

- Ooh, good question.

I have a dog and a cat.

And what's unique about them is they have Spanish names

because I love Spain.

Diego, the dog, and Alfonso, the cat.

- [Will] Seven, what's your favourite thing

about the current season?

- Ooh, we're coming into spring,

and I love seeing all of the bulbs that I've planted

in my garden start to peek up and show their petals.

- [Will] Eight, what's the most recent book you've read

that you've enjoyed?

- "L'amica geniale," "My Brilliant Friend"

by Elena Ferrante, an Italian author.

I read it in English,

but my goal is to read it in Italian.

- [Will] Nine, what's your favourite type of cuisine

to eat, and why?

- Ooh, that's hard.

I love so many different types of cuisine.

I love Lebanese food.

Anything that involves fresh fruits and vegetables.

- [Will] 10, do you prefer living in a city

or a rural area, and why?

- I absolutely prefer to live in a rural area

because I find nature so relaxing,

although I do miss the conveniences of living in a city.

- [Will] Second topic,

work and career small talk questions.

Question 11, what do you do for work

and what's one thing you enjoy about it?

- I run an education company.

So when I'm not on YouTube,

I'm making my English courses,

my online English courses.

And my favourite part of the job is receiving feedback

from my students who have taken the courses.

- [Will] 12, how did you get started

in your line of work?

- It all started with this YouTube channel here in 2019,

and then slowly it grew into something a little bit bigger.

- [Will] 13, what project are you currently working on?

- We are currently working on a huge project,

which is our C1 level course, our advanced English course.

It's going to be amazing.

It's going to come out in May.

So if you're watching this in the future,

check the description box.

I will leave a link.

And if you are interested,

I have left the waiting list so you'll be the first to know.

- [Will] 14, what do you think

the future of your industry looks like?

- I think it has a lot more

artificial intelligence involved.

- [Will] 15, what's one thing you've learned recently

that's helped you in your job?

- I have learned to listen carefully to criticism,

but to not take it all to heart.

- [Will] 16, what's the best professional advice

you've ever received?

- Well, it's not the most impressive,

amazing, mind-blowing piece of advice ever,

but when my YouTube channel was starting to take off,

I was starting to make a little bit of income,

I asked my dad if I should do it

or if I should continue with my planned career path.

And he said, "Give it a go."

"Do it for two years."

"If it doesn't work, you'll only be 23."

"All you've lost is a little bit of time."

It ended up being the best piece of advice

I've ever followed.

- [Will] 17, what do you think sets

successful people apart in your field?

- I think they are excited about what they do

and what they create.

- [Will] 18, what's one challenge you've faced at work

and how did you overcome it?

- One thing I found really difficult

is managing a team of people.

That's not ever something I thought I was going to be doing.

And I've been trying to overcome it.

I'm still learning.

Recently, I have opened my calendar

so that at the beginning of every month,

everyone who works for me can check in for a 20-minute chat.

We start this next week,

so I hope that we'll help me be more in touch

with my employees.

- [Will] 19, do you have any career goals

you're working towards?

- I would say more of a lifestyle goal.

I would like to not have to work all the time

whilst my children are young.

I am not expecting children at the moment,

but I would like to have them in the future.

- [Will] 20, have you ever had

an interesting work experience or job?

- I worked in a juice bar for a number of years

and I learned a lot about fruit.

And I love fruits.

That was great for me.

- [Will] Third topic, travel small talk questions.

Question 21, have you travelled anywhere recently

and where did you go?

- Most recently, we visited Thailand,

and we went to Phuket and Koh Yao Noi, and it was beautiful.

- [Will] 22, what's your favourite place

you've ever visited and why?

- That would have to be Seville.

I totally fell in love with the city

and its culture and its people.

- [Will] 23, where would you like to go

on your next trip?

- We really would like to go to Vietnam.

I am desperate to try pho, I think it's called.

The bone broth soup and with noodles, pho,

and I just really am desperate to see that country.

- [Will] 24, do you prefer relaxing vacations

or adventure trips and why?

- I like to have a good balance.

I do need to get the relaxation out of my system.

I need to read a book,

I need to lie in the shade,

I need to swim,

but I go a bit stale if I stay relaxing for too long.

I need to do things and see things.

- [Will] 25, what's one unique

or exotic food you've tried while travelling?

- Most recently, mangosteen.

That fruit blew my mind.

It was so delicious.

I wish I could eat it everyday.

- [Will] 26, what's the craziest

or most memorable thing you've done on vacation?

- I would say climbing to the top of Lion's Head

in Cape Town at sunrise.

That was absolutely beautiful.

- [Will] 27, what's your favourite way to travel?

- In style.

- [Will] 28, do you prefer travelling alone

or with others?

- Always with my husband.

Well, my husband was a farmer and now he works with me.

And before, I used to travel a lot alone

and I used to think,

"Damn it, he would love to see this."

I always used to feel so sad that he couldn't come with me.

So now it's such a pleasure to travel together.

- [Will] 29, have you ever had

a negative travel experience and how did you handle it?

- Yes, I once turned up at a supposedly five star hotel

that was nothing like the photos,

and I very calmly explained

that I was going to move to another hotel

and I'd like a refund.

And luckily, they did comply.

- [Will] 30, what's one cultural experience

you've had while travelling that you'll never forget?

- La Feria de Abril in Sevilla,

the feria in Seville.

It's just this incredible party

with striped marquees everywhere.

Everyone wears flamingo dresses.

(gasps) I can't wait to go back.

- [Will] Fourth topic, hobbies and interests

small talk questions.

Question 31, what's one hobby or interest

you are passionate about?

- Exercise.

It just makes me feel so good.

- [Will] 32, what's the most recent hobby

or interest you've taken up?

- I would say learning Italian with my tutor Aliche,

who is amazing.

I found her on Languator,

which is a platform that I'm a part of.

You can find your own tutor

for the language you are learning.

There's a link down below.

- [Will] 33, do you have any hidden talents

that people might not know about?

- I can play the violin, and I'm also really flexible.

- [Will] 34, what's one thing you've learned recently

that relates to your hobby or interest?

(Lucy speaking in foreign language)

- I've learned to speak Italian a little bit.

- [Will] 35, have you ever taken a class

or workshop related to your hobby or interest?

- Ooh, well, a workshop I took recently

was a jewellery making workshop

where I learned to make a silver bangle,

and that was great fun.

- [Will] 36, what's the most adventurous

or daring thing you've done

related to your hobby or interest?

- Well, to do with language learning,

I think going to Spain at the age of 16, 17

and spending a week there.

Immersing myself in the language was quite daring.

I spent ages saving up for the language course myself

and it was fantastic

and the start of my language teaching career basically.

- [Will] 37, what's one thing you like to learn

or accomplish related to your hobby or interest?

- Well, if we're going to talk about language learning,

I always like to learn how to make people laugh

in the language I'm learning.

That gives me a lot of satisfaction.

- [Will] 38, do you prefer indoor

or outdoor activities, and why?

- Well, it's hard to say.

If the weather's good, outdoor 100%.

But I'm English, I live in England,

so I've just bought a treadmill to run indoors.

- [Will] 39, what's one activity or interest

you'd like to try in the future?

- What do I wanna do?

I don't know.

- Golf? - No.

(Will laughing)

Oh, I don't know why, but I really want to try archery.

- [Will] 40,

what's the most interesting thing you've learned

unrelated to work or school?

- How to run a business.

It is such an amazing experience,

and I learned absolutely nothing about it at school.

- [Will] Fifth topic,

food and drink small talk questions.

Question 41, what's your favourite type of food, and why?

- Fruit, because it's so refreshing,

it tastes amazing, and it makes me feel good.

- [Will] 42, do you enjoy cooking

and what's your favourite dish to prepare?

- I love cooking,

and my go-to dish is actually normally a risotto.

I can whip up a good risotto

with very few ingredients in my fridge.

- [Will] 43, what's one unique

or exotic food you've tried and enjoyed?

- Well, in Thailand we actually went on a cookery course

and we learned to make pad thai

and mango sticky rice and green Thai curry,

and that was amazing.

- [Will] 44, do you have any dietary restrictions

and how do you manage them?

- I don't.

I'm very, very lucky to have no dietary restrictions,

so I don't need to manage them.

- [Will] 45, what's your favourite restaurant or cafe

and what do you like about it?

- I love a good local pub.

We've got some great ones around us.

And for me, the best part is on a sunny day,

an unexpectedly sunny day in England,

sitting outside in a pub garden.

- [Will] 46, what's one dish or cuisine

you've been wanting to try but haven't yet?

- Vietnamese food.

I need to try pho.

- [Will] 47, what's your favourite type of alcohol

or non-alcoholic beverage?

- I really like wine and gin for alcohol.

Non-alcoholic, I love fresh fruit juice.

Fresh fruit and vegetable juice.

- [Will] 48, do you prefer sweet

or savoury foods, and why?

- Definitely savoury.

Sometimes sweet foods can be overpowering.

And also, because we eat them at the end of the meal,

I often don't have room.

I'm not very good at managing my appetite.

- [Will] 49, what's one food or drink you've tried

that you didn't like?

- For me, it's anything that is really, really spicy.

I can handle spice but not obnoxious levels of spies.

Not the level that hurts your tongue.

- [Will] 50, have you ever tried cooking a new dish,

and how did it turn out?

- I tried cooking pierogi, I think they're called.

Potato dumplings that you often find

in Ukrainian and Polish cuisines.

And they went okay.

I found them delicious,

but when I showed my polish friend,

she said I'd done them wrong.

- [Will] Sixth topic,

family and relationships small talk questions.

Question 51, do you have any siblings

and what's your relationship with them like?

- I do.

I have a younger brother called George.

He's four and a half years younger than me,

and we have a fantastic relationship.

I consider him a good friend.

- [Will] 52, what's your family like

and what do you enjoy most about spending time with them?

- My family is small.

My mom, my dad, my brother, my husband and me.

And what I love about spending time with them

is that we just do not stop laughing.

- [Will] 53, do you have any nieces or nephews

and what do you enjoy doing with them?

- Ah.

- [Will] Such a hard question.

- I have got a niece or nephew

that is due to be born in April,

so I'm hopefully gonna be an aunt.

I'm so excited.

Haven't met them yet,

but if they are watching this in the future,

I'm so excited to meet you.

- [Will] 54, are you in a relationship or married

and how did you meet your partner?

- Yes, I am married to my husband, Will,

who is doing a very good job

of reading out these questions to me.

- [Will] Hi, everyone.

- And we met at Young Farmers' Clubs,

which is a very British rural teenager social club,

which is just as cool as it sounds.

But if you get a husband out of it,

it's totally worth going to.

- [Will] 55, do you have any children

and what do you enjoy most about being a parent?

- I don't have any children

so I can't really answer that question,

but I hope to have them at some point one day.

- [Will] 56, what's one challenge you faced

in a past relationship and how did you overcome it?

- Being unsuitable for each other and leaving.

- [Will] 57, what's one piece of relationship advice

you'd give to someone in a new relationship?

- Infatuation is very different to long lasting love,

but you can enjoy both stages with each other

in different ways.

- [Will] 58, have you ever been on a memorable

or interesting date and what happened?

- Once I went on a date with a guy

and he asked me what I wanted to drink and I said,

"Please, can I have a gin and tonic?"

And the barman said, "normal or slimline?"

And the guy looked me up and down and said, "slimline."

And it wasn't a joke.

He was weird.

- [Will] 59, do you have a best friend

and what's one thing you love about them?

- I have two best friends and I love them in different ways.

I've got my friend, Ellie.

I have loads of history with her.

We've known each other since we were born basically.

And my friend Felicity is someone I see sporadically.

But when we get together,

it's like no time has passed at all.

- [Will] 60, what's one memorable family holiday

or trip you've taken together?

- So growing up,

my grandparents had a little apartment

in the south of Portugal.

They used to hibernate there in the winter and play golf.

And we went there every summer as a family.

And I hadn't been back there for seven years,

and I went back last year with my husband and my parents,

and it was amazing to be in my childhood holiday location

and to have my husband.

I felt like a child and an adult all at once.

It was a crazy, crazy experience.

- [Will] Seventh topic, current events small talk questions.

Question 61, have you been following

any interesting news stories lately,

and what are your thoughts on them?

- One big news story in the UK recently

was about a woman that went missing called Nicola Bulley,

and I found that really, really scary

and fascinating to watch at the same time.

- [Will] 62, what's your opinion

on the current political climate or social issues?

- Oh, well that's a big question.

Dire.

- [Will] 63, have you tried any new technology

or gadgets recently and what's your review of them?

- I have been playing around with ChatGPT,

and it has been scary and useful all at the same time.

- [Will] 64, what's one recent scientific discovery

or breakthrough that caught your attention?

- Definitely the development of artificial intelligence.

I feel that we are at a turning point.

- [Will] 65, have you been following any sports news,

and what teams or athletes do you support?

- Not really.

I mean, the Six Nations is going on

and my husband talks a lot about it,

but I can't say that sport really interests me too much.

- [Will] 66, what's your opinion

on the latest celebrity gossip or news?

- I used to follow a lot of celebrity gossip and news.

I just don't find it as interesting anymore.

But I do really like seeing beautiful dresses

on the red carpet.

- [Will] 67, what's your take

on the current state of the economy or job market?

- I'm really worried about the economy at the moment.

We have huge inflation.

Food is really expensive.

Fuel is really expensive.

It costs a lot to heat your home.

In the job market, I've heard rumours that people are taking

a little bit more control

and not accepting as low pay,

and I'm really for that.

- [Will] 68, have you discovered any interesting books,

podcasts, or other media lately

and what did you like about them?

- There are two podcasts that I've been enjoying recently,

and they are by two British newspapers

that are leaning to the left and the right,

so I get both sides of the same story really.

One is Stories of our times by The Sunday Times.

The other is Today in Focus by The Guardian.

And it's really interesting to hear them both cover

the same story but in slightly different ways.

- [Will] 69, what's your opinion on climate change

and what actions do you think we can take to combat it?

- I feel frustrated by climate change

because there are these huge corporations

making so much of a negative impact

that sometimes as one human I feel quite insignificant.

But I'm really, really making an effort

to take more control over what I can do

to improve climate change.

- [Will] 70, have you been following

any recent cultural trends or movements,

and what's your take on them?

- I have been interested in the Anti-Work

or Anti-Work Movement.

I like using Reddit,

and I've seen some things on that Reddit sub-forum

and I find them really interesting

that people are suddenly sticking it to the man.

- [Will] Eighth topic, personal small talk questions.

Question 71, where did you grow up, and what was it like?

- I grew up in a tiny village in Bedfordshire,

and it was a very happy childhood.

Very rural, in the countryside,

lots of playing in the garden.

- [Will] 72, what's one childhood memory

that stands out to you, and why?

- I remember waking up,

it must have been my seventh birthday I think,

and my parents had put a trampoline in the garden.

And I kid you not,

I spent every waking hour on that trampoline.

I absolutely loved it.

- [Will] 73, what was your relationship like

with your sibling when you were both growing up?

- Well, it was funny

because I was five years older than George.

That's a big gap when one is two and one is six

or when one is 10 and one is 14.

So we weren't so close as children.

It's only now we are adults that we are really close.

- [Will] 74, what's the best thing

that's ever happened to you and how did it make you feel?

- Getting married.

I just felt high on life.

I was so unbelievably happy.

I got to marry the man of my dreams

and be surrounded by everyone I loved.

And it was just after COVID,

so it was the first time I'd seen so many people

in over two years.

- [Will] 75, what's one challenge

or obstacle you faced in your life

and how did you overcome it?

- I was really ill as a teenager.

From the age of 14 to 16,

I had glandular fever

and then a weird post-viral chronic fatigue thing,

and it wiped me out,

and it was a rubbish time and I was very depressed.

It's such a blur that I don't even know how I overcame it.

I just know that I had a lot of support from my family.

- [Will] 76, do you have any personal goals

or aspirations that you're working towards?

- Oh, a big goal is to have a happy family

with a couple of children.

- [Will] 77, what's one thing you're proud of

or accomplished recently outside of work?

- I've made some pretty big charity donations this year

that I am personally very proud of, I think.

- [Will] 78, who's one person that's influenced

or inspired you and how have they impacted your life?

- My dad because he's so supportive,

so kind, so encouraging,

and that's how I hope to be.

- [Will] 79, what's one thing you've done

for someone else recently and how did it make you feel?

- I helped someone very close with me

achieve something they've wanted to do for a long time,

and it made me feel really good.

And that's all I can say.

- [Will] 80, what's one thing you've learned in life

that's helped you grow or become a better person?

- Not everyone is going to like you, and that is okay.

- [Will] Ninth topic, technology small talk questions.

Question 81, what's one technology or gadget

you can't live without, and why?

- Oh, it has to be my phone.

So much of what I do is done on my phone.

- [Will] 82, have you tried any new apps,

software, or devices recently

and what's your review of them?

- I've started wearing an Apple Watch,

and I've found it really good,

although the battery life is terrible.

- [Will] 83, do you prefer Apple

or Android products, and why?

- I prefer Apple products.

I think they are really user-friendly, and unfortunately,

I love the way they all connect with each other.

- [Will] 84, have you ever built or customised

a computer or device and how did it turn out?

- No, I've never done that.

I would be interested in learning though.

- [Will] 85, what's one recent technological advancement

or development that you find interesting?

- AI, definitely artificial intelligence.

I feel like we're on the cusp of something amazing.

This is the worst it's ever going to be.

It's only going to get better,

and I feel you have to keep up or get left behind.

- [Will] 86, have you tried virtual reality

or augmented reality, and what's your experience like?

- I have, very briefly at an event,

and I thought it was amazing.

I'd love to explore it more.

- [Will] 87, what's one useful app or tool you use regularly

and how does it help you?

- I use an app to track my menstrual cycle,

and it helps me understand

why I'm feeling rubbish some days.

- [Will] 88, do you think technology has more positive

or negative effects on our lives, and why?

- I would say in the grand scheme of things, positive.

There are lots of negative parts,

but definitely for medical advancements, positive.

- [Will] 89, what's one technological issue

or challenge that you wish could be solved?

- My internet connection, please.

I can't believe it's 2023,

and in rural parts of the UK,

you still can't get solid, reliable internet.

- [Will] 90, do you have any tips or recommendations

for staying safe and secure online?

- Don't trust anyone.

There are so many scammers.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

- [Will] 10th topic, lifestyle small talk questions.

Question 91, what's your typical daily routine

and how do you make the most of your time?

- We normally wake up at around 6:30.

I nearly always have porridge for breakfast,

lunch between midday and one,

and dinner between six and eight.

That's a bit random.

And I make the most of my time

by trying to get as much done in the morning as possible.

- [Will] 92, do you prefer to stay in or go out,

and what do you enjoy doing during your free time?

- Oh, I like a balance of both.

I end up getting really stale if I stay in too much.

I love going out of the weekends

and staying in during the week.

- [Will] 93, what's one activity or hobby

you find most relaxing or stress relieving?

- I don't know if it's a hobby, it's an activity,

but taking a bath, and especially a bath with a view.

I have a bath near a window,

and sometimes there are sheep in the field,

and it's just lovely.

- [Will] 94, do you have any daily rituals or habits

that you swear by?

- I have a coffee in bed every morning, and I love that.

I love that little 20-minute period of waking up,

having a coffee.

I know lots of people say

you shouldn't have it first thing in the morning,

but it works for me, and it makes me feel good.

- [Will] 95, what do you typically have for lunch?

- I normally have soup in the winter

or a salad in the summer.

- [Will] 96, what's one way

you like to stay active or healthy,

and how has it benefited you?

- Well, we love walking our dog,

so we walk in for at least an hour every day.

I also have a stationary bike and a treadmill,

which is great for winter

because I don't have to go outside when it's cold.

- [Will] 97, do you have any guilty pleasures

and what do you enjoy about them?

- I love a glass of wine.

I love a Lindor Truffle every now and again.

- [Will] 98, what's one way you like to spend a lazy day

or relax after a long week?

- I love collapsing on the sofa with my husband,

my dog, and my cat, and watching a predictable movie.

- [Will] 99, what's one activity or practise you do

to de-stress or unwind?

- I like to listen to audiobooks,

so I might put one on whilst I'm in the bath.

- [Will] 100, what's one thing that brings you joy

or fulfilment in life and why?

- There is so many things.

Teaching is one of them.

My husband is another.

My family.

Yeah, that's an impossible question to end on.

Did you see how even when it was a closed question,

we'd add something onto the end to make it open?

I couldn't just say yes or no.

If you really want to improve your English,

download the e-book that goes with this lesson.

The link is in the description box.

Don't forget to connect with me on all of my social media.

I've got my Instagram, my Facebook,

and my website where I have my free pronunciation tool

where you can click on phonemes

and hear me pronounce those phonemes

and the words that contain those phonemes.

You can also check out all of my courses.

I've got lots of different challenges

and also my B1 course, my B2 course,

and my C1 course is coming out very soon in May.

I will see you soon for another lesson, mwah!