Talk at Home: Everyday English Conversation Starters

How to use this sheet

Pick one routine, such as breakfast or the drive to school, and choose one question from the matching box. Keep it to a few minutes. Reply to what your learner means before thinking about grammar.

At the dinner table

• What was the best part of your day? What made it good?
• Who did you sit next to today? What did you talk about?
• If you could cook dinner tomorrow, what would you make?
• What was something that surprised you today?

On the way to school or home

• What do you think we will see on the road today?
• Which class are you looking forward to? Why?
• If this car could fly, where would we go first?
• What is one thing you want to tell your teacher today?

With a photo or a picture book

• What is happening in this picture?
• What do you think happened just before this?
• Which person in the picture would you like to talk to? What would you ask?
• What would you change about this picture?

When your learner is the expert

• Can you teach me how to play your favourite game?
• What is a new word you learned this week? What does it mean?
• How do you draw your favourite animal? Tell me step by step.
• What should I know if I visit your classroom?

Keeping the conversation going

• Ask for a little more: “Oh really? Then what happened?”
• Repeat their idea back in English: “So the bus was late. What did you do?”
• Share your own answer: learners often say more after hearing yours.
• Accept mixed answers: if part of the answer comes in Bangla, reply in English and carry on.