Lily asks
Tell me about an interesting conversation you had recently.
How to build your answer
Tell a story: four moves, about a minute.
- 1Set the sceneWhen and where. “A few months ago, I…”
- 2What happenedTwo or three moments, in order.
- 3How it feltYour reaction. “I was mortified.”
- 4How it endedThe ending, or what you'd do now.
Lily's answer, three ways
The same story, from easy to advanced. Tap a highlighted phrase to learn it.
Easy
Lily's voice note
Last week I bumped into an old school friend at the supermarket. We hadn't seen each other for about ten years. We were both holding baskets, just staring at each other, like, is that you? We both screamed a bit, and a man nearly dropped his eggs. So we went for a coffee, and we ended up talking for nearly two hours. She told me she'd left her office job to become a baker, and she's never been happier. It made me think a lot about my own job, actually. Not that I'm going to quit or anything. But it was nice to hear someone who'd just gone for it. We've promised to meet up again next month. I really hope we do.
Phrases to borrow
bump into someone
/bʌmp ˈɪntə ˈsʌmwʌn/
meet someone by chance
I bumped into my old teacher at the station.
end up (doing something)
/ˈend ʌp (ˈduːɪŋ ˈsʌmθɪŋ)/
finally did something you didn't plan
We ended up talking until midnight.
/ˈɡəʊ fə ɪt/
tried something brave, without worrying
She wanted to open a café, so she went for it.
Natural
Lily's voice note
Last week I ran into an old school friend at the supermarket. We'd lost touch about ten years ago, so at first we just stood there with our baskets, staring at each other. Then we both screamed, and a poor man nearly dropped his eggs. We got chatting and went for a coffee, and two hours later we were still there. She told me she'd left her office job a few years ago to become a baker, and she's never been happier. It really made me think about my own job and what I want. I'm not quitting, don't worry! But it was really inspiring to hear. We're meeting up again next month, and I'm really looking forward to it.
Phrases to borrow
lose touch with someone
/luːz tʌtʃ wɪð ˈsʌmwʌn/
stop talking to or seeing someone over time
We lost touch after university, but I found her online last year.
get chatting
/ˈɡet ˈtʃætɪŋ/
start talking with someone, often by chance
We got chatting in the queue.
make you think
/meɪk jə ˈθɪŋk/
cause you to think seriously about something
That documentary really made me think about plastic.
Advanced
Lily's voice note
Last week, of all places, the supermarket. I turned into the bread aisle and there was a girl from my old school, someone I hadn't seen in about ten years. We just froze, clutching our baskets, and then both screamed so loudly that a man nearly dropped his eggs. It's a small world. We went for a coffee and somehow talked for two hours, as if no time had passed at all. She'd left her office job to become a baker, and she's never looked happier. She even showed me photos of her bread. That really stayed with me. I've no plans to quit my job, but it struck a chord, hearing about someone who'd just gone for it. We've promised to meet again next month.
Phrases to borrow
of all places
/əv ˈɔːl ˈpleɪsɪz/
said when a place is surprising or strange for something to happen
I met my best friend at a bus stop, of all places.
it's a small world
/ɪts ə ˈsmɔːl ˈwɜːld/
said when you meet someone you know in a surprising place
My new boss went to my school. It's a small world!
stay with someone
/steɪ wɪð ˈsʌmwʌn/
be remembered for a long time
That film stayed with me for days.
strike a chord
/straɪk ə ˈkɔːd/
make you feel something because it connects to your life
Her story really struck a chord with me.
Your turn: answer Lily
Tell me about an interesting conversation you had recently.
Answer out loud, in your own words. Try one phrase you just borrowed.
Memories & childhood
lose touch with someone
stop talking to or seeing someone over time
“We lost touch after university, but I found her online last year.”
heytardy