Speaking practice
English conversation practice: ten everyday dialogues to say out loud
The short answer
A simple way to practise English conversation is to say a short dialogue out loud, both parts, until you can do it without reading. Here are ten from everyday life: the bank, the doctor, a phone call, small talk at work, ordering food and more. Say each one three times, then change the details to your own.
By the Chappie team · Updated
How do you practise English conversation by yourself?
- 1
Read it once in your head
Just to understand what’s going on.
- 2
Say both parts out loud
Yes, both. You need to understand the other person’s lines as much as your own.
- 3
Cover your lines and answer from memory
The words can change. The meaning should stay.
- 4
Make it yours
Swap in your own name, bank, doctor or order.
Everyday English conversations
You: Good morning. I’d like to open a savings account, please. Officer: Certainly. Do you have your national identity card with you? You: Yes, here it is. Do I need anything else? Officer: A bill that shows your address. You: I’ve got an electricity bill on my phone. Is a photo all right? Officer: A printed copy would be better. There’s a shop next door that prints. You: I’ll do that and come back. Thank you.
Doctor: What seems to be the problem? You: I’ve had a cough for about a week, and since yesterday I’ve had a fever as well. Doctor: Any pain in your chest? You: Only when I cough. It’s worse at night. Doctor: Are you taking anything for it? You: Just paracetamol. I’m allergic to penicillin, by the way. Doctor: Good that you told me. I’ll give you something else.
Waiter: Are you ready to order? You: Could I have the chicken fried rice, please? Not too spicy. Waiter: Sure. Anything to drink? You: A lime juice without sugar. And could we get some water for the table? Waiter: Of course. You: Thanks. How long will the food take? We’re in a bit of a hurry.
You: Excuse me, is this the right way to the railway station? Stranger: It is. Go straight down this road and turn left at the clock tower. You: Left at the clock tower. Is it far? Stranger: About ten minutes on foot. You: That’s fine. Thank you very much.
Agent: Good afternoon, how can I help you? You: Hello. I’m calling about my internet connection. It’s been down since this morning. Agent: I’m sorry to hear that. Can I have your account number? You: It’s four, seven, double two, nine, one. The name is Nuwan Silva. Agent: Thank you. I can see a fault in your area. It should be fixed by six this evening. You: All right. Could you send me a message when it’s working again?
English conversations at work
Colleague: Morning! How was your weekend? You: Good, thanks. We went to my parents’ place in Matara. How about yours? Colleague: Quiet. I mostly slept. You: Sounds perfect. Did you watch the match? Colleague: I did. Shall we not talk about it? You: Fair enough. Coffee?
Manager: Where are we with the client report? You: The first draft is done. I’m waiting for the sales figures from finance. Manager: When will you get them? You: They said tomorrow morning, so I can send you the full report by Thursday. Manager: Thursday works. You: I’ll tell you straight away if anything changes.
You: Sorry to bother you. Have you got two minutes? Colleague: Sure, what’s up? You: I can’t work out how to save this file as a PDF. Colleague: Click File, then Save As, and choose PDF from the list. You: Ah, I was looking under Print. Thanks, that saved me an hour.
Conversations with new people
You: Hi, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Sanduni. Rajiv: Nice to meet you. I’m Rajiv. Do you work here? You: Yes, I’m in the design team on the second floor. And you? Rajiv: I started in accounts last week. You: Welcome! How are you finding it so far? Rajiv: Busy, but everyone’s been friendly.
Caller: So we’ll need it by the fifteenth, all right? You: Sorry, I missed that. Could you say it again, please? Caller: We need the signed form by the fifteenth. You: The signed form, by the fifteenth. Got it. Should I email it or bring it in? Caller: Email is fine.
Keep that last one ready. Asking someone to repeat is ordinary in any language, and it beats nodding and guessing.
What makes a conversation sound natural?
Short answers with something added, so the other person has somewhere to go: “Good, thanks. We went to Matara.” A question back: “How about yours?” Small sounds that show you’re listening, such as “right”, “I see” and “oh, really?” And repeating the key detail to check it, the way the speaker in the last dialogue repeats the date.
Where can you practise with someone who answers back?
A friend or a colleague is ideal, if you have one who’ll play along. An AI chatbot in voice mode will take the other part if you paste the dialogue in and ask it to. Chappie, our app, does this kind of practice with feedback: you choose a situation such as a hospital appointment, a phone call with a customer or small talk with colleagues, speak your side out loud, and see what to fix. It’s free to download with a free trial, then a subscription.
For more phrases at work, see meetings and phone calls. For more ways to practise, see English speaking practice.
Practise it
Pick one dialogue above and try that situation in Chappie. It plays the other person.
Questions people ask
How can I practise English conversation alone?
Say short dialogues out loud, playing both parts, then cover your lines and answer from memory. Recording yourself, or using an app or a chatbot that replies, adds the back-and-forth.
What are good topics for English conversation practice?
The situations you actually meet: the bank, the doctor, phone calls, ordering food, small talk at work, and meeting new people.
How do I start a conversation in English?
With something simple and true: “Hi, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m…” or “How was your weekend?” Then ask a question back.
What do I say when I don’t understand someone?
“Sorry, I missed that. Could you say it again, please?” Then repeat the key detail to check you’ve got it.
Is there an app for English conversation practice?
Yes. Conversation apps let you speak and get a reply. Chappie is one, built for learners in Sri Lanka, with feedback explained in Sinhala, Tamil or Hindi.