10 Best Ways to Start a Conversation in English

Today, we will discuss the ten best ways to start a conversation in English smoothly. Are you learning English as a second language and afraid of practising English conversation? Don’t worry; you can also converse successfully in English. It doesn’t matter what your English knowledge is.

You will be surprised to hear that, in fact, many people worldwide who are non-native speakers and have a few bits of knowledge in English can speak English well and join several conversations in English without any hesitation.  So what are you thinking about? However, we need to practice English conversation regularly.

We have to come forward from the ancient tradition as far as opening English conversation practice is concerned. We have a problem in that we want to remain under the four walls of our educational curriculum, and it’s a big mistake we committed.

We should follow our curriculum activities, no doubt, but we have to focus on extra-curricular activities. For example, we can participate in several activities such as sports, debates, cultural programs, etc.

We can start conversations about the above topics, which will help us improve our knowledge and speaking skills. Let us discuss how to practice English conversation.

10 Best Ways to Start a Conversation in English

Let us see the ten best ways to start a conversation in English very smoothly:

1. Improve Basic spoken Skills

If you want to perform well in a conversation in English, you need to improve your basic spoken skills. Now the question is how to develop speaking skills in English. Well, it’s not a hugely difficult task to be resolved. But it would help if you focused on some strategies:

• Stay confident.
• Try to memorize unknown vocabulary as much as possible.
• Take the mistake as a normal phenomenon.
• Let’s begin a conversation to produce new sentences every day.
• Focus on fluency rather than accuracy.
• Don’t follow English grammar blindly.
• Make a routine to read word meanings, group or phrasal verbs, and idioms with examples.
• Talk to yourself in front of a mirror.

However, you need some time to improve your basic spoken skills if you start. Don’t be frustrated, and stay confident in yourself. A few months later, you will improve your spoken English quite comfortably.

2. Start the first Conversation with Informal Greetings

It’s an easy way to open the first conversation with informal greetings. Naturally, we feel shy when we start a conversation in English if we are not used to it. However, you can make a conversation with your friend with informal greetings such as:

• Hey, John, what’s up?
• I’m fine. What about you, friend?
• I’m also fine and thank you.
• Welcome.

These are the most common words used in almost every informal meeting. You don’t need more preparation to use those words or phrases.

Using those words or phrases, you can comfortably participate in any unofficial English conversation. So let’s begin such a dialogue with your friends. I hope you will be able to remove your shyness.

3. Start a Conversation About a Single Topic

Try to make a conversation about a single topic and discuss it elaborately. Remember one thing you have enough ideas and knowledge about this topic.

Otherwise, it won’t be easy to continue this dialogue. A slight mistake may not be created any problems, but you should care about it as much as possible.  Here are some examples:

• Did you go to your college yesterday?
• Yes, I was.
• How many students were presented in your classroom?
• It was almost 50 to 60.
• Did you enjoy your classes?
• Absolutely, it was really amazing.
• Nice to meet you.
• Nice to meet you too.

This demo conversation is about only a single topic. You don’t need much knowledge to join such dialogues, and it’s effortless. You can try this, and I hope you will benefit from it.

4. Ask More Questions and Find the Solutions

When you start a conversation in English, try to ask more questions continuously to your partner. Afterward, ask for detailed explanations of your questions, and it will help you gain more knowledge and generate new ideas.

Don’t be confused when asking him all the questions. Instead, try to stay normal and simple. Here are some examples:

• Please introduce yourself.
• I’m Nigel, I have completed my graduation last year successfully.
• What’s your hobby?
• I like fishing and travel.
• Anything else?
• Yes, sometimes I play cricket.
• What is your future plan?
• I want to be a good teacher by profession.
• Don’t have any more plans?
• Yes, I want to be an entrepreneur too.
• Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
• Welcome and goodbye.

The answers either be the same or not; it doesn’t matter, but you can ask for clarification if you have any doubts or curiosity about the questions. Asking those or such questions will help you will generate more knowledge and new ideas.

5. Generate More Vocabulary with Synonyms and Antonyms

It is almost transparent that you must ask your partner questions when you join a conversation or dialogue. So it isn’t very easy to ask questions without knowing enough vocabulary. Further, you have to memorize synonyms and antonyms also.

However, let’s start memorizing more vocabulary with synonyms and antonyms. Try to focus on those words we use every day in our life. For example:

Every word has more synonyms and antonyms. You have to read as much as you remember them, and you can make a routine and memorize at least 3 or 5 words a day. Afterward, it would be best to revise all those words every weekend.

6. Join in Social Media

Social media can play a significant role in improving your English conversation skills. You can join any social media platform like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter and choose some friends you want to make conversation with.

Try to make a good relationship with them and begin English conversations. Feel free to share your thoughts with them. Let’s follow this trick regularly. You will be able to remove your frustration and improve your spoken skills.

7. Use Virtual Spoken Platforms

You have an opportunity to participate in several virtual spoken platforms. If you have a smartphone, you can install helpful English learning and spoken apps like speaklar, busuu, memrise, etc.

You may use those apps without any hesitation. A considerable number of people worldwide use those English learning and spoken apps, and they cover a lot of lessons and features for their viewers. Go to your play store and apps store, search for which app you want to use, and install it.

8. Keep Patience

No one can succeed overnight. It would help if you kept patience and calm. Don’t be more frustrated whenever you get in trouble. Every problem has some solution unless it is more complicated.

You can consult your friends or teachers if you cannot resolve your problem. Try to find out those persons who have enough knowledge about the topic. It might be a perfect way to resolve your problem efficiently.

9. Improve Your Fluency

It would help improve your fluency before starting a conversation in English. Now the question is ‘How to improve fluency in English’? You need to follow some guidelines or methods, and improving your fluency is not too challenging. Just follow the below instructions:

•  Find a native speaker and talk to him regularly.
• Join an ESL community on the internet.
• Talk to yourself.
• Listen and repeat.
• Watch English movies and news channels.
• Listen to English music.

10. Practice and Practice

We all know the universal proverb, Practice makes a man perfect. So you don’t have any option without practice. If you want to be more skilled in English conversation, you need to practice English conversation more and more.

Try to take English as a fundamental part of your life. Expand your thinking level in English. Practice your previous lessons carefully.

To sum up, we may say that all the above methods will help us improve our English conversation skills. We need to practice English conversation properly. And this is how you will be able to make a conversation in English very quickly and quite comfortably.

Azizul Hakim

Azizul Hakim is the founder & CEO of englishfinders.com. He is a passionate writer, English instructor, and content creator. He has completed his graduation and post-graduation in English language and literature.