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Useful phrases for english communication

The ability to use the appropriate phrase in your conversation in English - whether it is on the level of everyday communication, or during the professional contacts with your English-speaking partners or colleagues – can help you get the conversation flow. Some of the situations with which we deal in our everyday life, are: greetings, saying good bye, making suggestions and offers, invitations, asking for advice and directions, requests (asking someone to do something to you) permissions (asking someone to let you do something), apologizing for doing or being wrong, saying thank you, agreeing, disagreeing, talking on the phone etc.

Here are some of the useful phrases on these situations for both formal and informal communication.

1. Greetings

• 1. Saying hello to friends or people you already know:

Hello Hi Morning (at the start of the day)

• Saying hello when you have been introduced to someone

Nice to meet you /Pleased to meet you

• Saying hello in a formal or business situation

Hello Good morning Good afternoon Good evening

• When you are introducing someone else

This is ... Have you met ...? Do you know ... ? I’d like you to

meet ... (in formal situations or when talking to a much older person)

• When you are introducing yourself

Hello, I’m ... Hello, my name’s ...

Conversation

Ann: Hi, Mary.

Mary: Hello, Ann.

Ann: Have you met cousin Jane from Canada?

Mary: No, I haven’t.

Jane: Hello.

Mary: Hello. Pleased to meet you.

2. Saying good bye

• to a friend you will see soon

See you See you later/soon/tomorrow/next week

• to a friend you may not see very soon

See you sometime See you around Take care

• at the end of the evening or when going to bed

Good night Night (more informal)

• when you think it’s time to leave, you can say these before saying good-bye. (You usually give a reason when you tell someone that you have to leave).

• when you want to be formal or very polite

Conversations

A: - I must go.

B: - Oh, no.

A: - I really must go, or I’ll be late for my English class.

or: - Well, I’d be off, I’ve got work in the evening/

- I’m afraid I have to leave now. My train leaves at seven/

- I’d better be going. Mother will wonder where I am.

3. Suggestions

• making a suggestion

Let’s ... We/you could... Why don’t we/you ... ? What about...?/How about ...? Shall I/we ... ? (Br) Should I/we ... ? (Amer.)

• replying to a suggestion

YES

Yes/Yeah OK/Right/All right Good idea That sounds good/great Sure! (Amer.)

NO (when you say no to a suggestion, it is polite to give a reason or suggest something else instead)

Sorry, I can’t. How about ... instead? I’d rather (do sth) I’d prefer to (do sth)

Conversation

Pete: Let’s go to a movie on Sunday.

Ann: Sorry, I can’t. I have to write a composition in English. Why don’t

we go next week instead?

Pete: OK. What about next Tuesday?

Ann: That sounds good. Shall we meet at the cinema?

Pete: I have a better idea. How about getting something to eat before we

go to the movie?

Ann: Great! What time (shall we meet)? About 7 o’clock?’

Pete: Right. See you then.

4. OFFERS

• offering to do something to someone

Would you like me to...? (use this when you want to be polite)

• offering someone a drink, something to eat etc.

Do you want me to ...? (use with friends and the people you know well)

Shall I ...? (Br.) Should I (Amer.)

• saying yes or no to an offer

YES

Yes, please Thanks That’s very kind of you

NO

No, thanks No, I’m fine, thanks

That’s very kind of you, but (formal)

Conversations

1. - Do you want a piece of cake?

- Yes, please.

2. - Would you like a drink?

- That’s very kind of you, but I’m afraid I can’t stay very long.