How to ...

Discover and practise phrases and expressions which you can use in all
kinds of different situations, whether it's to order a drink in a
restaurant or have an argument with someone!

Each unit has audio and texts you can download. There are also quizzes and exercises to help you practise what you have learnt.

Discussions >>

• Making suggestions
  
• Making a point
  
• Disagreeing
  
• Expressing uncertainty
  

Conversations >>

• Closing topics
  
• Showing interest
  
• Expressing likes (Elementary level)
  
• Expressing dislikes (Elementary level)
  
• Expressing no strong emotions (Elementary level)
  
• Responding to compliments
  
• Telling someone about a funny incident
  
• Gossiping
  

Instructions, explanations & advice >>

• Directions
  
• Showing understanding
  

Requests, offers & invitations >>

• Permission
  
• Informal invitations
  
• Polite invitations
  
• Making an appointment
  
• Declining invitations (Elementary level)
  
• Asking someone to change their behaviour
  

Good news, bad news >>

• Responding to someone's good news
  
• Responding to someone's bad news
  
• Giving good news
  
• Giving bad news
  

Complaints, apologies and excuses >>

• Complaining
  
• Saying sorry
  
• Accepting an apology
  
• Pointing out the positive side of a situation
  
• Complaining (informal)
  
• Expressing annoyance
  

Hello and goodbye>>

• Greetings I
  
• Greetings II
  
• Introductions
  
• Greetings
  and small talk
  

How to get back on topic

If you are like me then quite often you might find yourself talking
about something then getting sidetracked. This means that you start
talking about a different topic, maybe because you've been interrupted
or maybe just because you've lost your train of thought.

When you want the conversation to get back on topic, back to the
subject you were talking about originally, there are a number of useful
words and expressions you can use naturally to make this change. In
this programme we hear a few of these different phrases.

When you've listened to the programme, don't forget to practise what you've
learned with the quiz below!
Listen - realmedia

Download - mp3 (1.8 MB)

Script (pdf - 37 K)

How to get back on topic

.... So .... .... Anyway .... .... As I was saying .... .... Where was I? Oh yes .... .... Getting back to my story ... .... Getting back to what I was saying ... You can also combine these expressions, for example: So anyway, where was I, oh yes, as I was saying .....