Greeting and Leave-Talking

Formal Greeting:

• Good morning (until about lunch time or before 12 am).

• Good afternoon (12-6 pm).

• Good evening (until about 9 pm).

• Good morning, Sir.

Informal Greeting:

• Hi, Lizzy!

• Morning, Jim!

• Hello.

Responding to initial greetings:

• Very well, thank you and how are you?

• I’m good/okay/alright.

• Very well, thank you.

• Oh, pretty good.

• Not to bad, thanks.

• Fine, thanks.

• Excellent.

Initial Greetings:

• How are you?

• How’s it going?

• How are you doing?

• How’s Life?

Pre-closing:

• Ok then….

• I’ve got to go now.

• So, I’ll see you next week.

• I think I’d better be going now.

• Well, it’s time for me to leave.

• I think it’s already late at night.

• I must be going home.

Closing/leave-talking:

• Good bye (formal/informal).

• Bye-bye; Bye; Bye now; See you. Take care.

• See you later… fine.

• See you soon… ok

• See you tonight…. all right

• Good night (after 8 pm or retiring to bed)

Expressing feelings

Expressing happiness: Formal

• Oh, I’m so happy

• I can’t say how pleased I am

• I had a splendid time there

• What a marvelous place I’ve ever seen

• It’s an outstanding adventure

• It’s an interesting experience

• It’s a sensational trip

Expressing boredom: Formal

* I think it was a boring holiday

* It sounds boring

* It’s totally/awfully boring

* I’m rather bored

* How boring!!

* I don’t think the trip was very interesting

* I’m fed up with it

Expressing disappointment: Formal

* That’s very disappointing

* I must say I’m really disappointed

* It’s a great disappointment

* That’s too bad

Expressing disappointment: Informal

* Oh, no!!

* That’s too bad

* That’s a real shame/pity

* It’s a real shame

* Bad luck!!

Expressing boredom: Informal

* It’s totally boring

* The film was awfully boring

* How boring!!

* How unexciting

* I’m fed up with all you gambling!!

* Not interesting

* Dull

Expressing happiness:

* Great!!

* Exciting!!

* Fantastic!!

* Super!!

* Terrific!!

* Smashing!! (British English)

* Hey, that’s terrific/great

Asking if someone remembers or not

Formal expressions:

* I wonder if you remember….

* You remember…. don’t you?

* You haven’t forgotten…. have you?

* Don’t you remember?

* Do you happen to remembers is now?

Ways to respond:

* Let me think, yes, I remember

* I remember especially the scenery

* I’ll never forget that

* I’ll always remember

* I can remember it clearly

Informal expression:

* Remember the old house we used to live in?

* Remember that?

* I’m sorry I don’t remember

Response if you forget:

* Sorry, I’ve completely forgotten

* I’m afraid I forget

* I really can’t remember

* I’m afraid I have no memory of him

* Err, let me think. it’s gone

* Sorry, it slipped off my mind

Ways to respond:

* Hold no. yes, got it!!

* I know…

* It’s coming back to me now

Asking for and showing attention (formal):

Asking for attention (formal):

* Excuse me, I wonder if I could trouble you…..

* May I have your attention, please?

* Excuse me…

* Sorry to trouble you

* Sorry to bother you

Asking for attention (informal):

* Look at me

* Look what I’ve got here

* Look here

* Look!!

* Hey!!

* Attention please!!

* Excuse me!!

Showing attention:

* I see

* Oh, yes

* Mm…

* Aha…

* How interesting!!

* I know what you mean

* Oh, oh!!

* Well, well, well

* Tell me more about it

* Really?

* Oh my god!! What happens next?

* And then what?

* What’s next?

* Is that all?

* Indeed

* Oh, no!!

Inviting someone

Offering on invitation:

* I’d like you to come to dinner

* I’d like to ask you to comes swimming

* Would you like to go to the theater with me on Saturday night….

* How about going to the football match with me tomorrow afternoon?

Declining an invitation:

* I’m so sorry. I’ll be very busy tomorrow night

* I’m afraid that’s not too good for me, what about after lunch?

Accepting an invitation:

* Thank you, I’d be glad to go

* Yes, thank you. I’d be happy to go

* Thank you so much for inviting me

* Let’s meet at the school canteen

* Yes, I’d love to

* Sure

* Great

* All right

Expressing sympathy

Offering condolences:

* I’m sorry

* I’m sorry to hear about your father

* I’m sorry to hear that your little Twettie died

* Let me offer my condolences

* Let me tell you how sorry I am to hear about your grandmother

* I know how you much feel

* You must feel terrible about losing your brother like that

Responding to condolences:

* Thank you

* That’s very kind of you

* There’s nothing that can be done about it

* It’s God’s will, I suppose

* God gives and God takes away

* That’s life

Offering

Offering to older people:

* Would you like a cup of coffee, Mr. Green?

* Should I get you a bottle of water?

* Could I offer you a glass of lemonade, Mrs. Lina?

* Would you care for some salad?

Offering to friends:

* Want some?

* Have some

* Chocolate?

* Glass of lemonade?

* Grab some for yourself

Less formal expressions:

* Would you like to have a pancake?

* Why don’t you have some lemonade?

* What can I get for you?

* What will you have?

Declining an offer:

* No, thank

* No, I really won’t, thank you

* Not for me thanks

* No, thanks. I’m not hungry

Accepting an offer:

* Thank you

* Yes, please

* I’d like it very much

* Thank you, I would

* That’s would be very nice

Expressing thanks

Expressing gratitude:

* Thank you

* Thanks

* Thank you very much

* Many thanks

* Thanks a lot

* I thank you

* I’m very much obliged to you

* Thank you for your kindness

* Thank for everything

* Thank for (your help)

Showing gratitude when refusing:

* Thank anyway

* No, thank you

* No, thanks

Expressing compliments

Expressing compliments:

* That’s a lovely cake

* That was a nice lunch

* You look good in that dress

* What a lovely garden

* You’re really a good cook

* You’ve done a great job

* You did it very well

* Well done

* You’re doing just fine

* You’re doing great

Responding to compliments:

* Thank you

* I’m glad you enjoy it

* Thanks. Do you really think so?

* Thank you very much. It’s nice of you to say so

* I’m glad you like it

* Thank a lot

Asking for information:

* I’d like to know. . . .

* I’m interested in. . . .

* Could you tell me . . .?

* Do you know . . .?

* Could you find out . . . ?

* Could I ask . . .?

* Do you happen to know . . .?

Guessing:

* I’d say. . .

* Could it be. . .

* Perhaps it’s. . .

* I think it’s. . .

* It looks like. . . .

* It’s difficult to say, but I’d guess. . . .

Right or wrong:

Correct:

* That’s

* right.

* Right.

* OK.

* Yes.

* Exactly!

Wrong:

* No, I’m afraid not

* Are you joking?

* Oh?

* Where? Show me.

* I can’t see that

* Goodness!

* What?

Useful phrases to express location:

* To face (is facing, faces)

* To be opposite (is opposite, are opposite)

* On, at, in.

* Under, beneath.

* Over, on the top of

* At the top of, on the site of, at the bottom of

* Inside

* Outside

* Beside, next to, near, between

* In back of, in the middle of, in front of

* (to)(on) the left (of), (to)(on) the right (of)

* Across from

* (at)(on) the corner of

* At the end of

* To be located (is located)

* To be situated (is situated)

* To lie (lies, lie)

Expression congratulations:

Expression of congratulation:

*           Congratulation!

*           Congratulation on your promotion

*           May I congratulate you on winning the contest?

*           I must congratulate you on your success

*           Please accept my warmest congratulations on your wedding day

*           I congratulate you on your being admitted in one of the favorite senior high school in our district

*           Please accept my heartiest congratulations

Responses to congratulations:

* Thank!

* Thank you

* thank you very much

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Expressions used in an interview

Opening the interview:

* Good afternoon

* Excuse me, I didn’t quite catch your name

* Have a good time

* Thank for your. . . .

* It is a big surprise

* I congratulate you on. . .

Asking for information:

* Could I ask?

* Where was it?

* I’m calling to find out. . .

* Do you realize that. . . . .

* Actually. . .

* And?

* Well, let me see. . .

* First/then/after that/at the end

The expression used to say believe or not believe are:

Asking if you believe it or not:

* Do you believe it?

* Wouldn’t you believe it?

* Can you imagine that?

* You don’t believe it, do you?

* Don’t you think it’s odd that . . . .?

Responding to believe it or not:

* No, I don’t believe it

* Are you serious?

* Are you joking?

* Are you kidding?

* You must be joking/kidding!

* Oh, no! That not true!

* You don’t say!

* Seeing is believing.

Expressing being surprised

Telling surprising news:

* Guess what!

* Surprise!

* I’ve got news, for you

* Do you know what?

* You won’t believe it

Responding to believe or not:

* Oh, no that’s not true.

* You don’t say

* Really? That sounds interesting

* Really? It’s surprising that. . .

* Seeing is believing

* Good heavens

* My goodness!

* This is really a surprise!