English Communication Skills- Conversation Etiquette- How to Join a Group

How do you join in when people are gathered in groups, conversing ?

• Minimize the problem by arriving no more than fifteen minutes after the appointed time
• If you are an early arrival, people are likely to come over to you, especially if you smile and make eye contact
• If you have just walked into a gathering, first introduce yourself to the host or greeter. Gaze the room and look for the most animated group of three to five people.  More difficult are two people since they might be engaged in an intimate or important conversation. 
• To get into a group, stand on the outside with open, body language and sounds (“hmm, mmm”) nodding and smiling.  When someone invites you by words, facial expression or eye contact to step into the group, you introduce yourself and say something pleasant.
• Another strategy for entering a group is to ask a question or make a comment that relates to the discussion, such as these:
  • “What did you think of ….?”
  • “Have you heard…?”
  • “What is your opinion on …?”
  • “Yes, and …”
  • “As a thought on…”

Or enter a group with a compliment,or by agreeing with the speakers and link to your viewpoint.

Be sure to watch our English Speech Tips videos and Accent Reduction Tip videos  for more English pronunciation and accent reduction exercises.

English Communication- How to Keep a Conversation Going

For satisfying conversations, memorize these questions:

• “What do you think?”
• “How did you become interested in…?”
• “What made you choose your profession?”
• “My family celebrates Christmas. Does your family? We do little gifts, does your family or friends do gifting? What was one of your favorites?
• “I am considering taking up _____ (yoga, weight lifting, soccer/footbal, tennis, meditating, scuba diving).  Would you recommend a class or individual lessons?”
• “I want to join a group. Do you belong to any. like a book group, writing group, or team sports group?”

These questions focus on someone else’s expertise and experience.  Putting the shining the light on the other person is a way to feel more comfortable and make other people know they are valued and appreciated.

Want a free sample English speech assessment and lesson? To reserve a day and time, contact aljohnson@cleartalkmastery.com.

Be sure to watch our English Speech Tips videos and Accent Reduction Tip videos  for more English pronunciation and accent reduction exercises.

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How Do You Impact an Audience?

• How you look makes a difference to an audience–clothes, facial expression, stance, body movement, hands and eye movement.
• Suppose you are trying to motivate a group, and you tell them something is “a wonderful opportunity,” but you don’t look or sound enthusiastic.  Vision is the king of the senses; hearing is queen.  Facial and body movement are the window for emotions. Tone of voice communicates feelings People believe their eyes and ears first, then words.
• Hands in pockets tries to create a casual impression.  But with rigid arms, this can make you look anxious or disinterested.  Besides, it adds no plus value to your speech because your arms are stuck.  Who said casual was a good way to look in front of an audience?  You are much better off looking committed to what you are saying.

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English Communication- How to Start a Conversation

The best conversationalists know this: prepare several topics of conversation before you head out for a meeting, reception, social gathering phone call, or meal.

Adapt these to your situation:

• Sports (national, international, local)
• Weather (the good, the bad, the surprising)
• Local events
• Travel
• Music, film and art festivals, community theater
• Traffic//parking problems
• Latest movies or streaming shows (Academy Awards, Emmys, Golden Globes)
• Best-selling books
• Broadcast documentaries or current newsmakers
• News stories
• Hobbies (cooking, collecting anything, making anything)
• Holidays (New Years, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Halloween, Labor Day,)
• Schools attended (from grammar school on)
• The location you are in
• The event you are attending
• The host or hostess or mutual friends

Be sure to watch our English Speech Tips videos and Accent Reduction Tip videos  for more English pronunciation and accent reduction exercises.

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