Starting a conversation with someone you don’t know.
The first line of dialogue that you use to start a conversation with someone that you don’t know is called an ‘icebreaker’.
An icebreaker can be as simple as “Do you need any help?”, or “Do you need a hand?” (both have the same meaning), or even “Isn’t it a beautiful day?” (a comment about the weather); but the best icebreakers are when you consider carefully what conditions and circumstances surround the situation you’re in.
Before you begin, consider the following:
What is the situation you are in? Are you…
• At a party?
• On a train?
• At a bus stop?
• In a shopping Centre?
What is the weather like?
What is the Gender of the other person?
• Male?
• Female?
What is the age of the other person?
Is there more than one person?
Here are some ‘icebreaker’ examples:
At a Party
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“It’s a great party isn’t it?”
“How do you know ____(the name of the host of the party)?”
“Are you enjoying the party?”
“I was trying to think of something clever to say, but then I remembered that I’m really not that clever. (smile; laugh)… My name is ____. What’s yours?”
“Mind if I join you?”
(Remember that an icebreaker can sometimes be considered to be a ‘pickup line’ when it tries to attract ‘special’ attention of someone of the opposite sex.)
On a Train
“Are you going to____ (the name of the destination) on vacation or on business?”
“Do you travel a lot?”
“It looks like a beautiful day outside.”
At a Bus Stop
“The bus seems to be a little late today”
(Regarding the weather) “It sure is warm today don’t you think?”
My student Anna asked me if the icebreaker “Who is your favourite Superstar?” was good or not. She said that she had used it on a train to good effect. I said that we should look at the circumstances that surrounded the occasion to determine its worth.
I asked these questions to her:
Q. Where was this person situated? A. Sitting next to me on the train.
Q. What gender was the person? A. Female
Q. What age was she? A. Same age as me.
Q. What was she doing at the time? A. Listening to her MP3 player.
I said that her icebreaker was perfect for the situation.
No wonder it worked well!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
So ,I also not sure about a subject .what if I say ”Your clothes look very beautiful ,it suit you very well !”Is it right to say so when I meet a forgeiner friend but we just know each other ?
Hi Nancy. Thanks for your comment. As we said, knowing how to ‘break the ice’ with a foreigner (or with anybody for that matter), depends on the ‘conditions and circumstances that surround the situation you’re in’.
Your ‘icebreaker’… “Your clothes look very beautiful (on you); (they) suit you very well!”… would work very well at a party, a ‘fashion show’ or meeting at dinner. It probably wouldn’t be right for meeting someone in the street (at a bus stop, ‘fast food restaurant’, or outside a shop).
Ok ,I see and thank you !
You’re welcome! The pleasure is ours.
Dear Mr.Cook
I know that talking to someone that I don’t know is a good way to improve my spoken English. In fact, talking to a stranger is not an easy thing. And I always fear that I might make mistakes. But, I want to thank you for giving us a chance to practise with our classmates in the class. It has helped me to open my mouth. Finally, I want to ask you how to pronounce the vowel sounds in “say”, “said” and “sad”. That’s all ,thank you!