Speaking practice
Daily use English sentences for speaking, and how to make them come out when you need them
The short answer
You need far fewer daily English sentences than the lists of 500 or 1,000 suggest. Learn the ones for moments you meet every week: greeting someone, asking for something, saying you didn’t understand, and ending a conversation. Say each one out loud, then change one word to make it yours.
By the Chappie team · Updated
How many daily use sentences do you need?
You’ve probably saved a list of a thousand sentences at some point and never opened it again. A long list feels like progress, but reading it doesn’t help when a colleague turns to you and asks how your weekend was.
This page has about seventy, sorted by the moment you’d use them. Pick the groups that match your week and leave the rest.
Greetings and small talk
“Good morning. How are you?”
Safe with anyone, at any level.
“I’m fine, thanks. And you?”
The reply. Always ask back.
“How was your weekend?”
Monday, with colleagues.
“It was good. We went to see my parents in Matara.”
One real detail keeps the conversation going.
“Have you had lunch?”
A friendly opener at work in Sri Lanka.
“It’s so hot today, isn’t it?”
Weather works with strangers too.
“Nice to meet you.”
The first time you meet someone.
“It’s good to see you again.”
When you’ve met before.
“How’s your family?”
With someone you know a little.
At work
“Could you help me with this?”
Asking a colleague.
“I’ll send it to you by three.”
Promising something with a time.
“Could you give me until tomorrow?”
You need more time.
“I’m still working on it.”
Someone asks where it is.
“Let me check and get back to you.”
You don’t know the answer yet.
“Are you free for five minutes?”
Before you start a longer question.
“I’m not feeling well. May I leave early today?”
To your manager.
“I’ll be on leave on Friday.”
Telling the team.
“Sorry I’m late. The traffic was bad.”
Short apology, short reason.
“Shall we start?”
Opening a meeting.
“Thanks for your help today.”
As you leave.
For meetings, there’s a longer set in phrases for speaking up in meetings.
Asking for things politely
“Could I have a glass of water, please?”
“Could I have…” works almost anywhere.
“Could you say that again, please?”
You missed it.
“Would you mind opening the window?”
A bigger favour, asked gently.
“Is it all right if I sit here?”
Asking permission.
“Could you tell me where the washroom is?”
In an office, hotel or restaurant.
“Can I pay by card?”
At a shop or a restaurant.
“Could you send me the details?”
When you want it in writing.
“What time does it open?”
Shops, offices, clinics.
When you didn’t understand
Practise these first. Once you can say them, a conversation going wrong stops being frightening.
“Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”
You heard it but missed the words.
“Could you speak a little slower, please?”
They’re speaking too fast.
“What does that word mean?”
One word is blocking you.
“Do you mean Monday this week or next week?”
Checking one detail.
“So you’d like me to send it today. Is that right?”
Repeating it back to be sure.
“How do you spell that?”
Names, emails, addresses.
“Let me think for a moment.”
You need a few seconds.
“Sorry, let me say that again.”
Your own sentence came out wrong.
On the phone
“Hello, this is Fathima from Lanka Traders.”
Start with your name and where you’re calling from.
“May I speak to Mr Perera, please?”
Asking for someone.
“Is this a good time to talk?”
Before you begin.
“The line isn’t clear. Can you hear me?”
Bad signal.
“Could you hold for a moment, please?”
You need to check something.
“I’ll call you back in ten minutes.”
You can’t talk now.
“Could I leave a message?”
They aren’t there.
“Thank you for calling. Goodbye.”
Ending the call.
There are more in phrases for phone calls with customers.
Shops, restaurants and getting around
“How much is this?”
Any shop.
“Do you have this in a bigger size?”
Clothes and shoes.
“I’m just looking, thank you.”
When a shop assistant offers help.
“A table for two, please.”
Arriving at a restaurant.
“Could we have the bill, please?”
When you’re ready to pay.
“Not too spicy, please.”
Ordering abroad, or for a guest.
“Does this bus go to Kandy?”
Change the place name.
“Could you drop me at the next junction?”
In a taxi or a three-wheeler.
“How long will it take?”
Journeys, repairs, deliveries.
Saying what you think and feel
“I think that’s a good idea.”
Agreeing.
“I’m not sure about that.”
Disagreeing gently.
“I’d prefer the second one.”
Choosing.
“I’m a bit tired today.”
“A bit” softens almost anything.
“I’m really happy about that.”
Good news.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Bad news from someone else.
“That sounds difficult.”
When someone tells you about a problem.
“Don’t worry, it’s fine.”
Someone apologises to you.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
A plan you’re pleased about.
Ending a conversation
“I’d better get back to work.”
A polite exit at the office.
“It was nice talking to you.”
With someone you’ve just met.
“See you tomorrow.”
Colleagues.
“Have a good evening.”
Leaving for the day.
“Take care.”
Warm, and fine with anyone.
“Let’s talk again soon.”
Friends and relatives abroad.
“Safe journey.”
When someone is travelling.
“Thanks, you too.”
The reply to most of these.
How do you make these sentences come out when you need them?
- 1
Pick one group
The one you’ll need this week.
- 2
Say each sentence out loud three times
Reading them silently won’t get them ready for speaking.
- 3
Change one word
“Could you send me the details?” becomes “Could you send me the invoice?” After that the sentence is yours.
- 4
Use one today
On a real person, even if the rest of the conversation is in Sinhala or Tamil.
- 5
Put them in a conversation
Single sentences are a start. They stick when someone answers and you have to reply.
For that last step you need someone to talk to. English conversation practice has ten short dialogues to read aloud, and how to practise speaking alone has ways to do it without a partner.
Chappie, our app, is one more way. You choose a situation, speak, and it answers the way the other person would, so these sentences get used instead of memorised. Afterwards it shows what to fix, and can explain it in Sinhala, Tamil or Hindi. It’s free to download. There’s a free trial first, and a subscription after that.
Practise it
Take five of these sentences into a conversation on Chappie today.
Questions people ask
What are the most useful daily use English sentences?
The ones for when you didn’t understand: “Sorry, I didn’t catch that”, “Could you speak a little slower, please?” and “Let me think for a moment.” They keep a conversation going when it starts to slip.
How many English sentences should I learn a day?
Five that you say out loud and use will do more for you than fifty that you read. Pick them from a moment you’ll meet this week.
Is there a PDF of these daily use sentences?
No. You can print this page or save it on your phone. A list helps only if you say the sentences aloud, so choose one group at a time.
How do I practise daily English sentences at home?
Say each one out loud three times, change one word to fit your own life, then use it in a short conversation with a family member, a friend or an app.
Do I need to learn the grammar behind each sentence?
Not to start. Learn the sentence whole, the way you learnt “How are you?”. The pattern becomes clear once you’ve changed a word in it a few times.