Conversation control · Talking

follow their lead

match their direction

Let another person decide the subject, mood or pace of a conversation.

B2 common speech & writing

expression

follow their lead

This vs that

let them guide the conversation

I followed their lead.

guided the conversation myself

I took the lead.

Hear it in real life

Should I ask him about the problem?

I'd follow his lead and wait for him to mention it.

Play the conversation

I wasn't sure whether she wanted to discuss it, so I followed her lead.

Which sounds natural?

Psst — which one would you actually say?

The mistake everyone makes

Not: I followed his ~~leading~~ in the conversation.

Say: I followed his lead in the conversation.

Use the noun 'lead', not 'leading', in this expression.

Build it

How it fits in a sentence.

follow their lead; follow someone's lead

More for talking about conversation control.

Speaking of which

Speaking of which, have you seen Lisa today?

That reminds me

That reminds me, I need to email the dentist.

Talking · Conversation control: the words around “follow their lead”.

More connectionsSame word, different world · More conversation control words9

Your turn: say it out loud

I just followed their lead.

Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.

follow their lead

match their direction

“I wasn't sure whether she wanted to discuss it, so I followed her lead.”

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