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CONVERSATION TOPICS IN ENGLISH – QUESTIONS, ANSWERS + EXAMPLES

Practising conversation topics is a great way to learn how to speak real English
in a natural way. Looking at questions and suggested answers for topics also
helps you learn to speak in real conversations with English speakers.

This guide contains 7 real life English conversation topics, questions and
answer examples to improve your speaking skills.

For each topic, you’ll find:

 * Common questions + examples of possible answers
 * Extra conversation practice topics + questions
 * Real English conversation example

Here are the topics:

Contents

Toggle
 * 1. Homes and houses
 * 2. Food
 * 3. Hometown
 * 4. Neighbourhood
 * 5. Hobbies
 * 6. Jobs and work
 * 7. Holidays and trips


1. HOMES AND HOUSES

House and home is a common topic of conversation in many English speaking
countries.

Your “home” is the place where you live – it could be a flat, a house, a room –
or even a caravan!

To prepare for real English conversations about your home, think about what kind
of home you live in and things that you like or dislike about it. It’s also a
good idea to need to learn some key vocabulary for homes.


CONVERSATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Here are some typical questions and possible answers that you can use when
talking about the topic of home in conversations with English speakers:

 * What kind of place do you live in?
   * Say what kind of building you live in – (a flat, cottage, semi-detached
     house, terrace, etc)
 * What’s your place like?
   * Give some basic details about your home – (useful adjectives: nice, a bit
     too small, cosy, spacious, etc) “It’s really nice, because.. / but..”
 * What do you like about your home?
   * Say how your home makes you happy – (talk about the size, style, decor,
     convenient features or favourite rooms)
 * How long have you been living there? or: When did you move in?
   * Give the time period: (“I’ve been living there for four years”)
   * Say the year or month you moved in: (“I’ve been living there since 2021”)
   * Or give the month or year you started living there: (“I moved in four years
     ago”)


CONVERSATION PRACTICE TOPICS

These related conversation topics will help you practise talking about your home
in English on your own or with your teacher:

 * Homes you’ve lived in before (“What kind of house did you live in before?”)
   * compare where you live now to where you lived before – positives and
     negatives!
 * Moving house (“How did your last move go?”)
   * say when you last moved house, how long it took, why you moved and where
     you moved to
 * Things and features inside your home (“Tell me about where things are in your
   house.”)
   * describe where objects and furniture are in your home / how you get around
     in your home
 * House prices, mortgages, rental costs and household bills (“How much rent do
   you pay?”)
   * talk about how much you pay in rent, bills or loans you’ve taken out to buy
     your home
 * Things you don’t like about your home (“Is there anything you don’t like
   about your home?”)
   * mention a few things that you are not happy with. How could improve them?
 * Home improvement and DIY (“Have you made any improvements to your home?”)
   * say what changes you have made to improve your home – e.g. painting or
     repairs
 * Things you like to do at home (“What kinds of things do you often do in your
   home?”)
   * talk about activities that you often like to do in your home (e.g. watching
     TV in bed!)
 * Comparing homes in your country with homes in UK/US, etc (“How do homes in
   your country compare with homes in ………?”)
   * say what’s different, similar or the same about homes in different
     countries


ENGLISH CONVERSATION EXAMPLE

Here’s a natural English conversation between two friends, who are talking about
home. Jenny has just moved into a new place, and Jake wants to find out about
it.

Notice how we often use shorter questions and answers in real English
conversations:

 * Jake: Hey, Jenny, How did the move go? What kind of place are you living in
   now?
 * Jenny: Oh, great thanks Jake. It’s just a little flat actually, right next to
   the park. The area’s nice and quiet, too, so, yeah – all good so far!
 * Jake: Great! What’s it like inside?
 * Jenny: So, it’s a bit small, you know, but it’s cosy. And the décor’s quite
   modern, too, so that makes it feel a bit more spacious. I really love the
   kitchen, ‘cos it’s got loads of natural light.
 * Jake: Ok! Anything you’re not so happy about?
 * Jenny: Well, I’d be a lot happier if there was somewhere to hang coats, ‘cos
   there’s nothing right now. And also, the parking outside’s a real nightmare,
   too. But apart from that, I’m really chuffed with it.


2. FOOD

Everyone loves talking about food! In all English speaking countries, food
(eating and cooking) is one of the most common conversation topics of all.

To prepare for talking about food, think about which foods you love (and hate!)
and how to describe those foods. You should also be ready to talk about a few
typical foods from your own country or culture.


CONVERSATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Here are a few common questions and answers to help you talk about food and
drink in English conversations:

 * What’s your favourite sweet / savoury food?
   * Say which: (“My favourite food is definitely / has got to be.. ” pizza,
     sushi, curry, etc)
   * Say why you like that food: (“I like it because ..” – it’s easy to eat / it
     always tastes good / it reminds me of home)
   * Describe flavour or smell: (“It tastes/smells ..” – salty / sweet / spicy /
     herby)
 * Is there a food that you absolutely hate eating?
   * Say which: (“One food that I really can’t stand is blue cheese.”)
   * Say why: (“To me it smells disgusting, and it tastes even worse. I can’t
     even look at it!”)
   * You could also say: when you last tried it / how it made you feel / what
     happened next?
 * What foods do people generally eat in your country?
   * Name types of food: (“People tend to prefer spicy / plain food in my
     country”)
   * Give examples: (“Curries, kebabs and spicy soups are what people generally
     like to eat”)


CONVERSATION PRACTICE TOPICS

Use these sub-topic examples to practise talking about food:

 * Most expensive meal you have ever had (“What’s the most expensive meal you’ve
   ever had?”)
 * An unusual food you have tried (“What’s the strangest food you ever eaten?”)
 * Going out for meals (“Do you often eat out or do you prefer to have meals at
   home? Why?”)
 * A recipe you know (“Do you know any good recipes? Can you tell me how to make
   ……. ?”)
 * Table manners and eating customs (“How are people expected to behave during
   mealtimes in your country?”)
 * Things you can’t eat (“Do you have any food allergies or intolerances?”)
 * Mealtimes in your country (“When do people usually have breakfast / lunch /
   dinner in your country?”)
 * Healthy eating (Do you try to be careful about what you eat? / Do you
   generally try to watch what you eat?”)


ENGLISH CONVERSATION EXAMPLE

Here’s a short, natural English conversation between two friends about food.
Andy and Ali are talking about eating an strange kind of food for the first
time:

 * Andy: Hey Ali, when was the last time you ate something really weird?
 * Ali: Erm, well, last week, actually, I got to try some fried cockroaches at a
   food festival.
 * Andy: What? Cockroaches? Are you joking? What were they like?
 * Ali: Believe it or not, they were actually pretty tasty. You know, crunchy
   with a bit of a nutty flavour. They tasted kind of salty and sweet, too,
   which I really liked.
 * Andy: Ok, but was there anything you didn’t like about them?
 * Ali: Yeah, the legs were a bit disgusting, ‘cos, you know, they just looked
   like insect legs.
 * Andy: Yeah, I bet!


3. HOMETOWN

If someone asks you about your hometown, they’re asking about the town, city or
village you grew up in. Maybe you still live there – or maybe you’re living in a
different place now (e.g. London).

Hometown is a useful topic to know because it always “pops up” in conversations
with English speakers.

To prepare for conversations about hometown think about why you like/dislike it,
things to do there, and how it’s changed over the years.


CONVERSATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

These topic questions (and answer tips) can help you initiate English
conversations about hometowns with your teacher or on your own:

 * Whereabouts (in your country) is your hometown?
   * Use phrases: “It’s to the south of… / it’s quite near… / It’s quite close
     to …., etc”
 * How would you describe your hometown?
   * Phrases: “It’s quite a ……….. place”
   * Adjectives: agricultural / busy / cold / noisy / friendly
 * What things do you like / dislike about your hometown?
   * Positives: “I love the way it’s really easy to get around / It has some
     nice shops / It’s a great Place for shopping / It’s very well-connected”
   * Negatives: “It’s not such a great place for walking / I wish there were
     more restaurants


CONVERSATION PRACTICE TOPICS

Here are some related English conversation topics you can practice when
discussing about hometowns. Use the example questions or make your own:

 * Landmarks in your hometown (“Are there any important landmarks in your
   hometown?”
   * mention things like: statues / big trees / churches, mosques or temples /
     important stores or buildings / parks, etc – don’t forget to say something
     about these places, too!
 * Events and festivals in your town (“Are there any traditional events that
   take place in your hometown?”)
   * Talk about: fairs, circuses, music shows, theatre performances, art or
     trade exhibitions, etc
 * Missing things in your hometown (“What things do you miss about your
   hometown?”)
   * Think about sounds, smells, sights (e.g. seeing the sun going down over the
     town hall)
   * you could also mention: places you often visit with your family, like
     restaurants or stores
 * Transport and getting around – (“How do most people get around / get from A
   to B in your hometown?”)
   * example “Where I’m from, people tend to get around
 * Changes in your hometown (“How do you think your hometown has changed in the
   last 20 years?”)
   * Talk about new stores, streets, buildings, parks, etc
   * Talk about whether your town has become more or less attractive / richer or
     poorer, etc


ENGLISH CONVERSATION EXAMPLE

Here’s an example of a casual conversation between two friends discussing
hometowns. Ben’s living away from home as a student. Saul’s asking Ben what
things he misses about his hometown:

 * Saul: Hey Ben, what things do you miss about your hometown? You’re from a
   seaside town, aren’t you?
 * Ben: Yeah, that’s right, I am. I guess the thing I miss the most about my
   hometown is… the smell of the sea and… also the street by our house. There’s
   this little pub on the corner, where my dad and I always used to go. Oh, I
   miss that place so much!
 * Saul: Sounds lovely! I bet you miss the atmosphere, there too, don’t you? All
   those fishing boats and beaches and stuff?
 * Ben: Oh yeah, totally. It’s a different world down there. I really miss just
   walking along the beach and hearing the waves, you know, just listening to
   the seagulls and everything.
 * Saul: What about the food. I guess you get loads of nice seafood there, no?
 * Ben: Yeah, we do. That’s another thing I miss, actually – sitting on the
   beach and eating fried fish from a barbecue. You can’t beat it!


4. NEIGHBOURHOOD

When we say “neighbourhood”, we are talking about the area around our homes.

Neighbourhood can mean both things AND people in your local area. So, streets,
parks, facilities, events, neighbours, visitors, etc.

To prepare for an English conversation on the topic of neighbourhoods, think
about how safe, comfortable or convenient your local area is. You might also
want to complain about bad things, like litter, dog poo or noisy neighbours!


CONVERSATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Here are some great starter questions you can practise asking and answering in
English conversations on the topic of neighbourhoods.

 * What’s your neighbourhood like?
   * Say if you like / dislike your neighbourhood – and explain why
   * You could talk about how safe, clean, supportive or attractive your
     neighbourhood is
 * What amenities do you have in your neighbourhood?
   * You can talk about things like parks, transport, shops, childcare
     facilities, etc
 * What do you think is the best thing about your neighbourhood?
   * Answer by talking about how your neighbourhood looks or feels – or give
     details about how you enjoy using local facilities there


CONVERSATION PRACTICE TOPICS

Here are some useful conversation topics with suggested questions relating to
neighbourhoods:

 * Community feel – (“Does your neighbourhood have a strong sense of community?”
   = Do people support and help each other with problems?)
 * Local events in your neighbourhood (“Is there much going on where you live?”)
 * Safe and dangerous neighbourhoods (“How safe do you feel in your
   neighbourhood? / Do you live in a safe neighbourhood?”)
 * Problems in your neighbourhood (“Do you have any problems like crime or
   litter in your neighbourhood?”)
 * Your neighbours (“What are your neighbours like? / Do you have nice
   neighbours?”)


ENGLISH CONVERSATION EXAMPLE

Here’s an example of a natural conversation in English about someone’s
neighbourhood. Jackie’s asking Ginny about what it’s like living in her
neighbourhood:

 * Jackie: Hey, Ginny, what’s it like around where you live? Your neighbourhood,
   I mean.
 * Ginny: Erm, well, it’s quite lively, actually. You know, good community vibe,
   safe, lots of things going on. Yeah – pretty good, really.
 * Jackie: And what about shopping?
 * Ginny: Hmm. Shopping. Well, there aren’t that many big shops nearby. Though
   we do have a couple of nice boutiques on our street. And then there’s also
   this really old bookstore just around the corner from my house which is nice,
   too. Oh, and we’ve also got a farmers’ market. They do, you know, organic
   fruit and veg and stuff. I love it!
 * Jackie: Sounds like a great place to live! Any downsides?
 * Ginny: Hmm. Well, parking’s a right pain, to be honest. It’s supposed to be
   “permit only”, but everyone just parks wherever they like. So it’s always a
   nightmare to find a spot. There’s also quite a bit of traffic noise, and the
   air pollution’s not so great, either.
 * Jackie: But on the whole, you’re happy there, aren’t you?
 * Ginny: Oh yeah, definitely. I’d rather be there than anywhere else – it’s a
   great place to live.


5. HOBBIES

Do you have a hobby that you feel confident talking about? It could be a sport,
craft or something in between, like yoga, or gaming.

Hobbies and interests are fun topics to discuss in English conversations.
However, they can be complex and difficult to explain when your friends know
nothing about them.

To prepare for conversations on the topic of hobbies and interests, think about
what hobby you do, how you do it, and why you enjoy doing it. Then learn some
useful phrases and vocabulary to help you talk about your hobby.


CONVERSATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

These starter questions and suggested answers can be useful for starting
conversations about hobbies and interests:

 * Do you have any hobbies?
   * Say what your hobby is – explain brief details if necessary
   * Sat how you became interested in it
   * Explain how you find time to pursue your hobby or interest
 * How does your hobby make you feel?
   * Say if your hobby relaxes you / if it helps you unwind or forget about
     problems
 * Is there a hobby or activity that you’d like to try one day?
   * Think about hobbies that you’ve seen other people do that you think you
     could also try
 * Do you think it’s important for people to have hobbies?
   * Talk about the benefits (physical and psychological) / skills, patience and
     discipline that you learn while doing hobbies


CONVERSATION PRACTICE TOPICS

Here are several topics that you could follow to practice asking and answering
questions in conversations about hobbies and interests.

 * Equipment you need for hobbies (“Do you need any special equipment or tools
   for your hobby?”)
 * Difficult aspects of hobbies (“What aspects of your hobby do you find most
   challenging?”)
 * Skills you need for your hobby (“Are there any particular skills that you
   need to do your hobby?”)
 * Explain how your hobby works (“Can you explain exactly what you need to do
   when you’re skydiving?”)
 * New friends and opportunities from hobbies (“Have you made any new friends as
   a result of your hobby?”)
 * Hobby as a job (“Do you ever wish you could get paid to do your hobby? / How
   would you feel about doing your hobby as a job?” / Would you ever choose to
   do your hobby as a job?”)


ENGLISH CONVERSATION EXAMPLE

Here’s an example of a natural English conversation about hobbies. Tolga’s
asking Jim about his new hobby, which is breadmaking:

 * Tolga: So, Jim, I hear you’ve taken up a new hobby – breadmaking. Is that
   right?
 * Jim: You got it!
 * Tolga: How on Earth did you get into that? And why bread?
 * Jim: (laughs) Oh, you know – I’ve always felt at home in the kitchen – and
   anyway, who doesn’t like eating fresh bread? Don’t you?
 * Tolga: Of course I do! But anyway, I’ve heard breadmaking’s a really relaxing
   hobby. Is that true?
 * Jim: Er, yes and no. I’d say some aspects are definitely relaxing. Mixing the
   ingredients, waiting for the dough to rise. That really chills me out. But
   kneading bread dough’s actually quite tiring. In fact, it’s almost a workout!
 * Tolga: Wow! I had no idea. So, what else do you find difficult about
   breadmaking?
 * Jim: Getting the texture of the dough right can be really tricky. Sometimes
   the mixture’s too stiff, and sometimes, it goes soggy. You need to get it
   just right.
 * Tolga: But practice makes perfect, right?
 * Jim: Right!


6. JOBS AND WORK

Being able to ask and answer questions about work is a useful speaking skill.
And work is a very common topic of conversation among English speakers.

Even if you don’t have a job, you can always ask about someone else’s job. You
can even talk about a job that you’d like to do in the future.

You can prepare for conversations about jobs and work by thinking about
different kinds of jobs. Think also about what benefits people get from these
jobs – and what skills they need to do them.


CONVERSATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

You can use these questions and answer prompts to start off conversations about
jobs or work:

 * What you do for a living? or: What (job) do you do?
   * say what job you do
   * briefly explain your responsibilities
 * What do you enjoy about your job?
   * talk about satisfying aspects of your job, e.g “One thing I love about my
     job is being able to help people.”
 * How did you end up doing the job that you do?
   * Talk about job adverts, interviews, friends, etc
 * What’s a typical day like for you when you’re at work?
   * Describe what you do at different times during your working day e.g. “I get
     to work at 8am, and usually have a coffee before I do anything. Once I’ve
     done that, I check my emails.. ”
 * Is there anything you’d like to change about the job you do?
   * e.g. “I guess I’d like to have a little more responsibility in my
     department. I’d also prefer not to have to answer the phone all the
     time…..”


CONVERSATION PRACTICE TOPICS

Use these common subtopics based on jobs and work to practise speaking in
conversations:

 * Job satisfaction (“How important do you think it is for people to enjoy their
   jobs?/ Do you enjoy doing your job?”)
 * Challenging experiences at work (“What aspects of your work do you find most
   challenging / difficult?”)
 * The perfect job for you (“What do you think would be your perfect job?”)
 * Different jobs you’ve done (“What’s the worst/best/most interesting job
   you’ve ever done?”)
 * Your job in the future (“How do you imagine your job might change in the
   future?”)
 * Your work-life balance (“Do you find it difficult to balance work and play? /
   Why do some people say that it’s important to maintain a proper work-life
   balance?”)
 * Retirement (“At what age do you think people should retire from their jobs? /
   When do you hope to retire?”)


ENGLISH CONVERSATION EXAMPLE

This is a natural conversation between two English speakers who are talking
about jobs and work. Pete’s asking Millie about her new job:

 * Pete: Congrats on the new job! How did you manage to land it?
 * Millie: Thanks! A friend found an ad online and texted it to me, I applied
   and then got shortlisted for an interview. The rest was just good luck, I
   guess!
 * Pete: Amazing! So, when do you start?
 * Millie: Well, I started yesterday, actually. Still pretty nervous as there’s
   so much stuff to learn, but it’s exciting, you know?
 * Pete: Sure. So what does your work involve, then?
 * Millie: Ah, you know, mostly bookkeeping, checking what’s going in and out,
   that kind of thing. Same stuff as before. But it’s a new place – and the
   money’s way better too.
 * Pete: Fantastic. So what’s your gut feeling about the job, so far?
 * Millie: Pretty good. My new colleagues are really supportive – and they seem
   like a friendly bunch, too, which is great.
 * Pete: Glad to hear it. Good luck with everything, OK?


7. HOLIDAYS AND TRIPS

Many English speakers can talk for “hours on end” about holidays and trips.

Some people enjoy falling asleep on sunny beaches, while others prefer to
explore nature.

Trips are usually short visits away from home, for example, to a beach, a forest
or a museum. On the other hand, holidays are longer breaks – maybe to somewhere
abroad – or in your own country.

To prepare for conversations in English on this topic, consider different types
of trips and holidays. Think about where people go for trips and holidays, what
they do on holiday and why they go.


CONVERSATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Use these starter questions and possible responses to kick off conversations
about holidays and trips:

 * When did you last go away on holiday?
   * e.g. “Last July was the last time I went away on holiday. I went to Spain.
     It was lovely!”
 * What kinds of holidays do you most enjoy going on?
   * Talk about holidays for relaxing (beach holidays, cruises) vs holidays for
     other reasons (exploring nature or towns, learning about new cultures, etc)
 * Do you prefer long holidays or short trips?
   * e.g. “I generally prefer longer breaks because you get more time to really
     unwind…”
 * Do you usually go on holiday in your own country or abroad?
   * Think about benefits of holidaying in your own country (e.g. cheaper, no
     communication problems) vs going abroad (don’t like flying, waste time
     travelling, etc)


CONVERSATION PRACTICE TOPICS

Here are some specific conversation practice topics within the main topic of
holidays:

 * Planning trips (“What things do you usually plan or check before you go on
   holiday?”)
 * A place you’d like to visit (“Is there a holiday destination in your country
   or abroad that you’d like to visit one day”)
 * Staying safe on holiday (“What things do you tend to be careful about when
   you go away on holiday?”)
 * Bad holiday experiences (“What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you
   on holiday?”)
 * Learning new things when you travel (“Do you think it’s true that holidays
   can be educational?”)


ENGLISH CONVERSATION EXAMPLE

Here’s a short dialogue between two friends who are talking about holidays.
Kay’s trying to book a holiday to Scotland, but she’s having trouble finding
cheap flights:

 * Sean: Are you going away anywhere this summer, Kay?
 * Kay: Well, we’re planning to go up to Scotland for a few days.
 * Sean: Oh, lovely! Whereabouts?
 * Kay: Inverness. I’ve spent the last couple of days looking for accommodation
   and flights and stuff.
 * Sean: And..?
 * Kay: Well, it was a struggle, I have managed to find a place for us to stay.
 * Sean: Oh great! You mean a hotel?
 * Kay: No, we’re self-catering. It’s a little cottage near Loch Ness.
 * Sean: Nice! And what about the flights?
 * Kay: Well that’s the problem, actually. They’re just so pricey at the moment
   – I’m struggling to find any flights at all. I wish I hadn’t left it so late!
 * Sean: Yeah, I know. It’s always expensive when you book last-minute, isn’t
   it? Have you thought about taking the train instead?
 * Kay: Yeah, but we’ve got so much stuff, and I think we’ll struggle to carry
   it all.
 * Sean: Couldn’t you just drive up there?
 * Kay: Yeah, I guess so, but it’s just such a long way, you know? I’ll probably
   have another check for flights tonight, and if I can’t find anything, then,
   yeah, you’re right, we’ll just have to take the car, I guess.


MORE REAL ENGLISH STUDY TOPICS...

English for Conversations about HOBBIES – Questions, Answers, Vocabulary English
for Conversations about HOME – Questions, Answers, Vocab English for
Conversations about FOOD – Questions, Answers, Vocab English for Conversations
about TRADITIONS – Questions, Answers, Vocab Stop Using the Same Words when
Speaking English Is it Bad to Speak English with an Accent?



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