Conversation Phrases

Conversation Phrases is a video-lesson-based course that is designed to improve speaking and pronunciation skills with a focus on reduced pronunciation.

Course Objective

The objective of the Conversation Phrases course is for students to become familiar with some common phrases that they can use to greet people, make plans, make small talk, talk about likes and dislikes, and end a conversation. They will also learn how to use reduced pronunciation to help them speak more fluently. By the end of this course, students should feel a lot more confident that they can speak to and understand people they encounter in social settings.

Course Format & Length

The Conversation Phrases course contains a video introduction, 5 video-based lessons, 2 assessments, and an optional speaking assessment (note that the speaking assessment must be graded by a teacher).

The video lessons begin by introducing 12 to 15 common, colloquial phrases that are divided into 4 sets of questions and responses. The reduced pronunciation of each expression is also taught. Next, the video lessons contain a listening review and oral practice of all the reduced pronunciation phrases that were learned. Finally, the video lessons end with a guided conversation practice where students will role-play both parts. Note that the final video (How to Talk about Likes & Dislikes) teaches students how to agree and disagree with someone in place of the reduced pronunciation focus. That video also includes two guided conversations instead of one.

Each video lesson will take roughly 10 minutes to complete, but students should be encouraged to repeat the practice tasks as many times as they wish. You can extend the video lessons by having students role-play conversations of their own in pairs or groups. The mid-course and final assessments will take approximately 15 minutes each.

Course Content

1. Introduction to the Conversation Course

This short video outlines what students can expect from this course and acts like a table of contents. It is particularly useful for students who are using this course for self-study. 

2. How to Start a Conversation

The first video lesson in this course introduces students to 12 common phrases that they can use to greet someone and respond to greetings. The phrases are also taught with reduced pronunciation before students practice using both sides of a guided conversation.

3. How to End a Conversation

The second video lesson in this course introduces students to 12 phrases they can use to wrap up a conversation and respond to someone's closing statement. Reduced pronunciation is the secondary focus for this lesson as well, which they can try out in another guided conversation.

4. Mid-Course Assessment

This assessment can be used after completing the first two video lessons in the course materials list. The assessment includes three listening tasks—one where students must select the natural response to a question, one where they choose a natural next line in a conversation, and one to assess their comprehension of reduced pronunciation.

5. How to Make Plans

The third video lesson in this course teaches students how to make plans with someone. They will also practice all 12 phrases with reduced pronunciation before having a guided conversation.

6. How to Make Small Talk

The fourth video lesson contains 15 small talk phrases that students can use in social settings. Students can continue to improve their fluency by practicing the phrases with reduced pronunciation. Then they will revisit the phrases in the conversation activity.

7. How to Talk about Likes & Dislikes

In the final video lesson, students learn six phrases they can use to talk about their likes and dislikes. Reduced pronunciation is not a focus in this lesson. Instead, students will learn six ways to agree and six ways to disagree with someone's preferences. Then they can review the 18 phrases they've learned in two guided conversations.

8. Final Assessment

This final assessment can be used after completing the final three video lessons of the course. The final assessment includes four listening tasks—one where students must select the natural response to a question, one where they choose a natural next line in a conversation, one to assess their comprehension of reduced pronunciation, and one to assess their comprehension of statements used to agree and disagree with someone's preferences.

9. Speaking Assessment (Optional)

There is also an optional short speaking assessment where students can record themselves saying phrases with reduced pronunciation. Note that scoring for speaking tasks is not automatic. The teacher must listen to their students' recorded responses in order to give a score. The teacher can skip this assessment if they wish.