Conversation Grease – Never Run Out of Things to Say
Ever found yourself mid-conversation and suddenly out of things to say? You’re not alone! Here are five powerful techniques that can help you keep the conversation flowing, avoid awkward silences, and actually enjoy social interactions.
1. The “Reminds Me Of” Technique Think of your surroundings as cues for conversation.
2. Ask Open-Ended Questions Closed questions stop conversations. Open-ended ones expand them.
3. Revival Questions When a conversation starts to fizzle, inject it with a revival question.
4. Complimentary Cold Read Pay attention and make observational compliments.
5. Embrace Comfortable Silence Not every moment needs to be filled. Silence can be powerful.
Great conversation isn’t about being endlessly entertaining—it’s about creating connection. Be curious. Be genuine. And most importantly, be comfortable with the natural flow of human interaction.
Useful Vocabulary
To run out of things to say /rə ˈrʌn aʊt əv ˌθɪŋz tə ˈseɪ/ (verb phrase) – to no longer have topics or ideas to continue a conversation.
“I hate awkward silences when we run out of things to say on a date.”
To hum along /tə ˌhʌm əˈlɒŋ/ (verb phrase) – to make a wordless tune in time with music that is playing.
“She was cleaning the kitchen and humming along to the radio.”
Out of the blue /aʊt əv ðə bluː/ (phrase) – completely unexpectedly or without warning.
“He called me out of the blue after five years of no contact.”
My mind has gone blank /maɪ ˈmaɪnd həz ˌɡɒn ˈblæŋk/ (phrase) – to suddenly be unable to think or remember something.
“I was about to give my presentation when my mind went completely blank.”
That sucks /ðæt sʌks/ (phrase, informal) – used to express sympathy or disappointment about an unfortunate situation.
“You missed your flight? That sucks, mate.”
Open up conversational threads /ˌəʊpən ʌp ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃənl θrɛdz/ (verb phrase) – to introduce new topics or ideas in conversation to keep it flowing.
“Asking about hobbies is a great way to open up conversational threads.”
One-upping /ˌwʌn ˈʌpɪŋ/ (noun) – the act of trying to outdo someone by immediately following their story or achievement with a better one.
“Every time I tell a story, he starts one-upping me with something more impressive.”
Non-sequitur /ˌnɒn ˈsɛkwɪtə/ (noun) – a comment or statement that does not logically follow from the previous conversation.
“She was talking about her dog, and he suddenly mentioned outer space—it was a total non-sequitur.”
Pleasantries /ˈplɛzəntriz/ (plural noun) – polite social remarks typically exchanged at the start of a conversation.
“They exchanged a few pleasantries before getting down to business.”
Flip the script /flɪp ðə skrɪpt/ (phrase) – to reverse or change a usual or expected situation dramatically.
“He really flipped the script by quitting his job and moving abroad.”
Points for Discussion
1) Do you enjoy talking with new people? Why or why not?
2) Have you ever had an awkward silence in a conversation? What did you do?
3) What makes someone a good conversationalist?
4) Have you ever used any of the techniques from the video to keep a conversation going? Were they effective? Why/why not?
5) Which of the techniques from the video do you think would work the best? Why?
6) Is it common to exchange pleasantries at the beginning of conversations in your country? How do you feel when people do this?
7) Can you think of a time when someone tried one-upping you in a conversation? How did it feel?
8) How do you usually respond when someone says something completely out of the blue?
9) Do you have any personal tricks to avoid running out of things to say when meeting someone new?
