Speaking: Interactive Communication B1 - Lesson 1
Keeping Conversations Going (Follow-up Questions, Comments)
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use follow-up questions and relevant comments to keep a conversation flowing naturally.
From 'Dead End' to 'Dialogue'
Have you ever had a conversation that just... stops? This often happens when one person doesn't know how to keep the conversation going1. At B1 level, your job is to be an active listener who can prevent these "dead ends".
A "Dead-End" Conversation:
Rithy: I went to a new café yesterday.
Sophea: Oh, nice.
Rithy: ...Yeah. (The conversation dies.)
An "Active" Conversation (with flow):
Rithy: I went to a new café yesterday.
Sophea: Oh, really? Which one? (Follow-up Question)
Rithy: The one near the university. It's called "The Daily Grind".
Sophea: Oh, I know that place! I've heard it's really good. (Relevant Comment)
Rithy: It is! The coffee was amazing.
Sophea: Amazing? (Echo Question4) What did you like about it?
Your Interaction Toolkit
- Keep a conversation going: To continue a conversation and stop it from ending: បន្តការសន្ទនា ↩
- Follow-up Question: A question that asks for more detail about what your partner just said: សំណួរបន្ទាប់ ↩
- Relevant Comment: A statement that connects your own experience or opinion to what your partner said: មតិដែលពាក់ព័ន្ធ ↩
- Echo Question: Repeating a keyword with rising intonation to show surprise and ask for more information: សំណួរសួរដដែល ↩
- That reminds me of...: A phrase to connect your partner's story to one of your own stories: នោះធ្វើឱ្យខ្ញុំនឹកឃើញ...
Intonation of Follow-up Questions
The intonation of your question depends on its type.
- Wh- Questions (What, Where, When, Why, Who, How) usually have a falling intonation because you are asking for information.
Example: "What did you do there? ↘" - Echo Questions (repeating a word) always have a strong rising intonation to show surprise and inquiry.
Example: "He paid for everyone? For everyone? ↗"
The "A-R-C" Method for Active Listening
To be an active listener and keep the conversation going, use this simple three-step method.
A - Acknowledge: Show you heard them with a simple reaction word.
"Oh, really?", "Wow!", "I see."
R - Relate: Make a relevant comment3 that connects to their story.
"That sounds fun.", "I feel the same way.", "That reminds me of..."
C - Continue: Ask a follow-up question2 to get more detail.
"What happened next?", "Why did you do that?", "What was it like?"
Practice Your Conversation Skills
Activity 1: Choose the Best Follow-up
Read the statement and choose the best response to keep the conversation going.
- Statement: "I'm so exhausted. I had to work 12 hours yesterday."
Response: a) I like my job. b) That's a long day. c) Oh no, that sounds awful! Why did you have to work so long?
(Correct answer is c. It uses the A-R-C method.) - Statement: "I've decided I want to learn Japanese."
Response: a) That's interesting! What made you decide on Japanese? b) Do you like Japan? c) I see.
(Correct answer is a. It's the most engaging response.)
Activity 2: Keep It Going!
Work with a partner. Student A makes a true statement about something they did last week. Student B must use the full A-R-C method to respond (Acknowledge, Relate, Continue). Then, switch roles.
Example:
A: "I tried a new restaurant for dinner on Saturday."
B: "Oh, really? (Acknowledge) I love trying new places. (Relate) What kind of food was it? (Continue)"
Your Communication Mission
This week in Battambang, your mission is to be a great listener and keep conversations going.
Have one conversation in English where your only goal is to make the other person talk as much as possible. Listen to everything they say and use the A-R-C method (Acknowledge, Relate, Continue) to respond. Try to ask at least three follow-up questions.