The document provides phrases and questions to practice introductions and small talk in English. It includes exercises to unscramble phrases used for introductions, write introduction scenarios, match introductory questions to corresponding topics like jobs or hometowns, fill in blanks in sample conversations, and write missing verbs. The goal is to provide practice with common expressions and etiquette for meeting new people and making small talk in English.
1. TARGET TASK 1 – MEETING PEOPLE
A. Unscramble these phrases. They are all used in introductions.
a. Introduce let first, me myself.
b. Brother meet Carlos, my.
c. You how Mr. Clark do, do?
d. Too you, to meet nice.
e. Is my Ms. Bronte, this husband.
f. Class are you this in?
g. Name Elizabeth, is call Lisa my please but me.
h. Office sales I’m of head the London from the.
B. Write.
Introduce yourself in a conference. You’re one of the speakers.
Introduce your boss to your new assistant.
Introduce a friend to your girl/boyfriend.
1. Nice to meet you!
a. When we meet someone for the first time, we usually talk about…
the weather
sports and hobbies
one’s trip
one’s nationality
one’s job
the hometown
Now match these phrases to the corresponding topic.
a. What do you do exactly?
b. I usually go fishing on weekends.
c. It’s really hot in Buenos Aires.
d. Are you American?
e. What’s Lima like?
f. How was your flight?
2. b. Read the following conversations and fill in the blanks.
A: __________________________________________________________________?
B: It was OK. It wasn’t a long flight.
A: Good afternoon. I’m Robert Williams from the Miami office.
B: Oh, yes, Mr. Williams. Good afternoon. Mr. Brown __________________________.
Please go right in.
A: __________________________________________________________________?
B. Thank you. I’d like white coffee, please, with no sugar.
A: ______________________________, Mr. Rodriguez? It’s nice to meet you.
B: ______________________________, Ms. Tod? It’s _________________________.
A: __________________________________________________________________?
B: Last night. It took me five hours to get here.
A: __________________________________________________________ your visit.
B: Thank you. I’m sure I will.
A: __________________________________________________________________?
B: The hotel is really nice, and it’s across from a subway station.
c. Write the missing phrases to complete these conversations.
A: Great party, ____________________?
B: Yeah. It’s really good.
3. A: You don’t speak Spanish, ____________________?
B: No. I can only speak English and a little French.
A: You’re from California, ____________________?
B: Yes. I was born in San Francisco.
A: You aren’t coming to the party, ____________________?
B: No, I’m not. I have to work this evening.
A: You live in Boston, ____________________?
B: Yes. It’s a beautiful city.
Remember:
A tag question is a special construction in English. It is a statement followed by
a mini-question. The whole sentence is a "tag question", and the mini-question at
the end is called a "question tag".
We use tag questions at the end of statements to ask for confirmation. They
mean something like: "Am I right?" or "Do you agree?" They are very common in
English.
The basic structure is:
+
Positive
statement,
negative
tag?
Snow is white,
isn't it?
Negative
statement,
+
positive tag?
You don't like me,
do you?
4. 2. What´s your job? What do you do for a living?
a. Answer the questions in complete sentences.
b. Make questions for the answers below
......................................................................? She is a system engineer.
......................................................................? She works in IBM.
......................................................................? He likes playing golf.
......................................................................? He’s interested in classical music.
......................................................................? He’s an architect at J&C.
......................................................................? No, I’m not. I’m Canadian.
......................................................................? No, I live in Tokyo.
......................................................................? It’s Jessica, but please call me Jess.
c. Write the missing verbs. Use the verbs in the word bank.
HIRE / WORKS / TAKES / LIKE / SHARE / DESIGNS
5. a. My brother John ____________________ in a big company in Brazil.
b. Do you ____________________ your job, Ana?
c. A computer engineer ____________________ computer systems.
d. She ____________________ lovely pictures with her new camera.
e. He doesn’t ____________________ employees without experience.
f. We ____________________ our ideas in a meeting every day.
Remember:
Add –es (and not –s) to verbs go and do and to verbs ending in –ch, -ss, -sh and –x.
She teaches Spanish.
He goes to School at 9:00.
Ana finishes classes at 4:00
d. Match.
Follow
the construction company
Introduce
confidential material
Solve
directions
Make
problems
Supervise
in the design of products
Handle
myself
Be involved
a cardboard
6. e. Who does what? The Systems, the Industrial or the Electromechanical
Engineer?
A / An ………………………………………. is the person responsible for developing a system, such as a
computer system, for a client. He discusses the client's needs, plans a system, creates the system,
and troubleshoots it for any bugs.
A / An ………………………………………. analyzes and evaluates methods of production and points out
ways to improve them. He / She decides how a company should allocate its limited tangible
resources (equipment and labor) within the framework of existing physical constraints (physical
plant).
A / An ………………………………………. designs and builds everything from pop bottling machines to
high-tech satellite systems to delicate medical equipment.
A / An ………………………………………. designs solutions to improve the performance of complex
systems of people, technology, and information.
A / An ………………………………………. negotiates and guides other experts in systems design.
A / An ……………………………………….analyzes, designs, manufactures and maintains equipment and
products based on the combination of electrical/electronic circuits and mechanical systems.
3. Let´s keep a conversation going.
a. Use these situations to start a conversation.
7. b. Complete the conversation with your own information.
Add more questions.
A: Great party, isn’t it?
B: …………………........................................... By the way, I’m Nic.
A: .............................................................................................................................
B: So, where are you from?
A: .............................................................. . ...................................................you? B: I’m
from Los Angeles. What do you do?
A: ................................................................................................................................
B: Oh really? That sounds interesting.
A: …………………………………………………………………………………………….
B: …………………………………………………………………………………………….
Culture tip.
English has three types of register - formal, for people we do not know, or people we need
to be polite to (like the boss!), neutral/general for people we do not know well, and
informal, for friends and family.
For example
"Excuse me, but would you mind passing the sugar, please?" (very formal)
"Can you pass me the sugar please?" (neutral)
"Sugar!" (very informal!)
But when English people become very, very polite to you, this can mean that they are
angry about something.
c. Unscramble these conversations.
1. Hi. My name's David.
3. It's nice to meet you. OR
Yes, I am. Do you know her too?
5. Where are you from? OR
I think she's at home.
2. Hello. I'm Cristina. OR
Hi. I'm Cristina. Aren't you Norma's Mexican
friend?
4. Nice to meet you, too. OR
Yes, I do. But where is she today?
6. I'm from Rio de Janeiro. OR
8. 7. What's Rio like? OR
Yes, she's fine.
Her cousin is here from Spain.
9. Mario. OR
What do you do there?
11. Yes, he is. He goes to the
Technical University. OR
Really? Where do you go to school?
13. Do you like your classes? OR
He's eighteen. And he's very nice.
But she usually works on Mondays.
Is she O.K.?
8. Really? What's his name? OR
It's very beautiful. I love it.
10. Is he a student there? OR
I'm a student. My major's engineering.
12. At the State University. OR
How old is he?
14. Yes, I do. Very much. OR
I'm sure he is.
d. What´s wrong with this conversation? Improve it.
A: Wow! The convention was great, don´t you think?
B: Yes.
A: Are you from here?
B: No.
A: Where are you from?
B: Viena.
A: I´m an engineer. What about you?
B: Me too.
9. e. Complete this conversation.
The speakers are attending an international congress about software design in California.
A: _________________________________________________________
B: Yeah. It’s great. The last workshop was really good.
A: _________________________________________________________
B: Nice to meet you. I’m Daniel Jefferson.
A: _________________________________________________________
B: I’m from Boston, but I live in Miami. Are you from California?
A: _________________________________________________________
B: At Smart Soft Design. I’m a research assistant. Here’s my card.
A: _________________________________________________________
B: Wow! Microsoft! What do you do exactly?
A: _________________________________________________________
B: Sounds interesting. The next workshop starts in 30 minutes.
_________________________________________________________
A: Sure. I’d love to.
B: _________________________________________________________
A: No, thanks. I love black coffee.
B: So tell me more about Microsoft… ______________________________
A: In 2003. I graduated in March and I got this job in April. I was very lucky.
I also met my wife at Microsoft.
B: _________________________________________________________
...