Speaking: Interactive Communication A2 - Lesson 4
Function: Showing Interest (e.g., "Oh, really? Wow!")
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use reaction phrases and follow-up questions to show interest and keep a conversation going.
Keeping a Conversation Going
A good conversation is like a game of tennis; you must hit the ball back. When someone tells you something, you can't just be silent. You need to show you are listening and that you are interested. This is a key part of fluency.
A "Passive" Conversation (The conversation dies):
Rithy: I went to Phnom Penh last weekend.
Sophea: Oh, nice.
Rithy: ... (silence)
An "Active" Conversation (The conversation continues):
Rithy: I went to Phnom Penh last weekend.
Sophea: Oh, really?1 That sounds fun.3 What did you do there?
Rithy: I visited the Royal Palace. It was amazing!
Sophea: Wow!2 I want to go there someday.
Your Interaction Toolkit
Function: Reacting to News
- Really? (Adverb) | ពិតឬ? | Use this to show surprise or interest and to encourage the speaker to say more. ↩
- Wow! / Cool! (Exclamation) | អូហូ! / អែម! | Use to show you are very impressed or think something is great. ↩
- That sounds fun/interesting/great. (Phrase) | ស្តាប់ទៅសប្បាយ/គួរឱ្យចាប់អារម្មណ៍ | A great phrase to react to someone's plan or story. ↩
- Oh, no. / That's a shame. (Phrase) | A phrase to show sympathy for bad news.
Function: Asking a Follow-up Question
- Follow-up question (Noun) | សំណួរបន្ទាប់ | A question you ask that is related to what your partner just said. ↩
- What did you do next? (Question) | Use to ask about the next event in a story.
- Why? / Why not? (Question) | Use to ask for a reason.
- What was it like? (Question) | Use to ask for a description.
The Intonation of Interest
Your intonation is everything when you show interest. A flat, bored voice will make the speaker feel bad.
- "Really? ↗" - Your voice must go up strongly at the end. It should sound like a real question.
- "Wow! ↘" - Your voice should start high and fall down. It shows energy and surprise.
- "That sounds interesting. ↘" - A warm, friendly falling intonation shows that you are sincere.
The "React and Ask" Strategy
To be a great conversationalist, use this simple, three-step strategy.
Step 1: Listen to what your partner says.
Example: "I bought a new phone yesterday."
Step 2: React with a short phrase to show you heard them.
Example: "Oh, cool!"
Step 3: Ask a follow-up question5 to get more information.
Example: "What kind did you get?"
This simple pattern (React -> Ask) keeps the conversation moving forward naturally.
Practice Showing Interest
Activity 1: Choose a Good Follow-up Question
Read the statement and choose the best follow-up question.
- Statement: "I was sick last week."
Follow-up: a) What's your name? b) Oh no! Are you okay now? c) Do you like music?
(Correct answer is b) - Statement: "I'm going to cook dinner for my family tonight."
Follow-up: a) Wow, that's nice! What are you going to make? b) Where do you live? c) I see.
(Correct answer is a)
Activity 2: React and Ask
Work with a partner. Student A makes a true statement about their weekend. Student B must use the "React and Ask" strategy. Then switch roles.
Example:
A: "I went to a café with my friends on Sunday."
B: "Oh, that sounds fun. Which café did you go to?"
Your Communication Mission
This week in Siem Reap, your mission is to be a very active listener.
In your next English conversation, when your friend tells you something, use the React and Ask strategy. First, react with a word like "Really?" or "Cool!". Then, ask a follow-up question like "Why?" or "What was it like?".