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I am from the Midwest (middle) of the United States. Small talk is extremely important. We take a long time saying hello and goodbye. It is considered polite to do this. We also smile and say hello to strangers. If we didn't do this, we might be perceived as rude. However, I know people from other parts of the United States who do not see this as important. I know some people from the East coast who do not even say "hello" when passing by.
Some ways to join in small talk: 1) Ask "How was your night (or weekend)?" 2) Ask "What's been going on lately?" 3) Talk about food, the traffic, or the weather 4) Be overdramatic ("Wow! That's awesome!") 5) Share something small that happened to you ("This guy got in front of me this morning, and he was going SO slow!") 6) Smile, nod your head, frown in sympathy, verbalize (What? Wow!)
Some people do go into detail, but usually it is not expected or wanted. We take a long time, not because one person is sharing too much, but because we don't walk away until we feel the person is ready to end the conversation. It is a lot like a dance. Personally, I don't like small talk, but I don't want to be rude, so I smile and pretend it's all very important to me.
0 votedFebruary 20, 20190- I think that can be a great way to practice listening. There are so many shows available that it would depend on exactly what you would like to practice. I think some of the older shows are a little slower paced and easier to follow. For example, the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" began (the first season) with Mary getting an apartment, finding a job, and making new friends. This would be the perfect show to watch as a high beginner or beyond. I would suggest putting the closed captioning on (in English) while watching. Especially listen to the intonation. This show had talented writers and won many awards. It is still funny today. I hope that helps!0 votedFebruary 3, 20190
- Your question is all about semantics, and that means it's a little complicated! Change means 'something is becoming something else': "There has been a complete change in the menu." Shift means 'moving direction' or 'moving to a new perspective (either slight or extreme)': "We are going to shift our attention to grammar." Sometimes, shift can be used in place of change, but it's all about 'moving' something: "We need to shift the date of our work party." You could also say, "We need to move or change the date of our party." This is when the two words are similar (mainly when dealing with time). Since it is about semantics (meanings of words), the rules are difficult to learn and sometimes change (or shift)!!0 votedJanuary 31, 20191
- It is absolutely grammatically correct! I think a native speaker would be more likely to say, "Sorry, I can't leave right now because I have a (guest/visitor/friend) here." You might also say, "I can't go (or come) right now." If you actually have a choice, you might say, "I really shouldn't leave right now." In my part of the United States, we want to let the person know we appreciate the offer, so we often apologize (I'm sorry!).0 votedJanuary 24, 20190
Alex,
You are right. A lot of idiom sites and worksheets are outdated. Still, older people will use them from time to time. I would focus on slang instead, as the younger generations repeat slang phrases and words over and over, and a lot of 30-year-olds and 40-year-olds do, too. Really, a lot of these are idioms, but you won't see that word "idiom" used in the general culture. You can search for "millennial slang" or something like that. Just be prepared, as there might be some inappropriate language mixed in with the normal words. That will give you the most up-to-date words.
I have worked with teenagers for over 15 years, and one of the most popular words last year was "extra." It may refer to people (he is "extra") or things (that car is "extra"). It can mean something is awesome and looking great. It can also mean it is too much (weird).
The following page has some idioms, slang, and text language, but it also has some links to other sites. If you only want idioms, it has some listed.
I hope that helps
http://internationalcenter.ucr.edu/living-here/isrc%20american%20idioms%20slang%20acronyms%20and%20textspeak%20worksheet.pdf
0 votedJanuary 23, 20190
