BBC World Service | Learning English

Michael Parkinson interviewing Billy Connolly

How to show interest with someone in an informal conversation

In this programme you can find out how to show interest with someone in an informal way. After you have listened to the programme, get some more practice with the quiz below.

Listen - realmedia Listen - mp3 (1.7 MB) Script (pdf - 39 K)

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Sentence	Showing interest
I'm going see the new James Bond film next week.	Are you?
I try to go to the gym at least twice a week to keep fit.	Do you?
Last week I was in Thailand for a work conference.	Were you?
I went to see my grandmother in the country last weekend.	Did you?
My boss told me today she was giving me a big pay rise.	Wow!
Did you know that she's getting married next week?	Really?
I'm going to start working on that new project in India next month.	That's interesting.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT?

Vocabulary activity
Look at the sentences below which come from the programme. Some of the words are missing. Use the drop down menu to choose the correct word to complete each sentence. To find out if you are right or wrong click the 'Check answers' button.

1: I'm going to the theatre next week to see a play my brother recommended.

2: I really enjoy going to my dance class every week.

3: The party was great but I think I ate something that made me ill. I was in bed until yesterday.

4: I found out today that I'm going to win a prize for a short story I submitted to a competition in a national newspaper.

5: Did you hear that she got engaged, changed her job and moved house all in one week?

6: Did you know that if you sign up for a subscription for at least 12 months then you get a 25 percent discount?