English Language

English is a complex language. You may do your work more easily when you know more about English. You may want to learn more about your coworkers so you can work with them better. You can talk to people you work with in different ways to get to know people better. You may have to work hard to do this if you are just learning English. Ask for help if you do not understand what someone says.

Explore Lessons

Organize Information
Understand General Work-Related Vocabulary
Use English at Work

Practice

People are very social in many workplaces in the United States. You may want to have conversations with your coworkers and get to know them. You will want to understand small talk to be able to do this. Small talk is the talking that people do when they do not have anything specific to talk about. It can make these times seem more comfortable. You may feel more nervous if you do not feel comfortable with small talk. 

Watch this video with a partner. Then choose a topic from the list below. Practice small talk about the topic with your partner. Use the tips from the video.

How to make small talk


Small talk topics

  • The weather
  • Plans for this weekend
  • A local sports team 
  • A popular movie 

Explore for more

You can use small talk to help you know more about your coworkers. You may also need to use small talk to help you do your job. For example, sales representatives work to sell products and services. They need to be able to make small talk with people so they will want to buy the product or service. You can learn more about sales representative jobs here.