Here are some useful Small talk examples below, to help those people that find it difficult to chat about topics outside of real business.
In fact, when I teach Business English, ‘improving Small Talk’ is one of the most common requests from students.
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE
If you can’t enlarge the image correctly, the Small talk questions and answers are written out in full below…
Business Small Talk: Travel
- How’s your hotel?
- Great location & a comfortable bed – that’s all you need, isn’t it?
- Is this your first visit here?
- No, I’ve been here before on business. It’s a great city.
- Will you have time for some sightseeing?
- No, I’m afraid not. I’ve got to run to the airport right after the meeting.
- What do you think of the food here?
- Not too bad. There’s a great little restaurant near my hotel.
Business English Small Talk: Free-time / Sport
- Do you do any sport in your free time?
- Yes, I go to the gym and I do a bit of jogging, but only to keep fit. How about you?
- Do you think that a team from (country) will win the Champion’s League this year?
- To be honest, I’m not much of a football fan. I play tennis.
- What’s the biggest sport in (country) apart from football?
- Well, lots of people are into cycling and basketball is really popular, too.
Business Small Talk Examples: The Weather
- How was the weather in (city) when you left?
- A bit sunnier/colder than here, I’m afraid. 🙂
- It’s a bit warm/cold for this time of year, isn’t it?
- Yes, it’s fantastic/terrible.
- Is it true that it always rains in the UK?
- Well, not exactly, but maybe there’s a little bit of truth in that.
Small Talk in Business English: Social / Political issues
- Is unemployment a big problem in (country)?
- Well, it is an issue, but it’s not as bad as a few years ago.
- Is your government doing anything to encourage business?
- It tries to help small businesses with tax breaks, but it could do a lot more. What’s the situation here?
- Alcohol causes a lot of problems here. Is it the same in (country)?
- Yes, it’s getting worse. But I think it’s a problem in most places, isn’t it?
Questions for Comments Section
1. Do you find business small talk easy or difficult?
2. Can you think of any other appropriate responses for any of the questions above?
Business English Courses in London
Improve your business performance (and small talk) with a Business English course at SGI in London: Standard course / Intensive Study / Private One-to-One Tutor / Executive Course.
This month our English Lessons Competition is all about questions and answers in the area of Business English. You can enter the competition in the form below. Good luck!
(Congratulations to Patricia Puertas from Uruguay who won our September Free English Lessons Competition.)
Competition Terms and Conditions: The boring official bit
- The competition ends at midnight on Tuesday, 5th November, 2013 ; The draw for the winner will be made in the following week of November, 2013.
- Only entries with name, email address and country of residence will be considered;
- The winner will be notified by email by SGI within 14 days of the closing date;
- The winner’s name will feature on the website on the corresponding competition page;
- The winning prize must be taken and completed by 1st September, 2014 at SGI London. The course is not transferable to another date or another individual;
- Entrants must be at least 16 years of age and proof of age will be required before the prize is dispatched;
- There is no cash alternative to the prize;
- No responsibility can be accepted for entries which are not properly received due to communication systems beyond our control;
- The winning prize is “A week of Free English Lessons”. This covers the cost of a one-week intensive Standard, general English group course at SGI London. The prize does not include flights, accommodation, airport transfers or any other expenses.
