Small Talk, Part 2
In Small Talk Explained, I discussed why people use small talk.
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Now, we’ll look at some examples of small talk related to lớn weekend plans.
Everyone loves weekends!
After a long week of studying or working, everyone is ready to lớn relax or spend time with friends and family.
Weekends are when we try to lớn tự all the things we don’t have time for during the week, including just doing nothing.
Whether we plan to lớn run rẩy errands or kick back (relax) in front of the TV, we all look forward to lớn the weekend.
For many, these pandemic years have been one long never-ending weekend. What day is it? has become a common refrain (repeated phrase).
Whatever your situation, I hope you have found ways to lớn fill your time and connect with loved ones. I hope 2022 brings you health and happiness.
What are you up to lớn (this weekend)?
Because people love weekends, asking about someone’s weekend is a very common khuông of small talk.
If you are talking with a friend, the same question could lead to lớn a longer discussion.
However, sometimes, it might just be a quick conversation lượt thích this one:
A: Do you have plans for the weekend?
B: Not yet. What about you?
A: I’m planning to lớn just take it easy. I might hốc out with some friends on Sunday.
B: Cool. Well, have fun whatever you end up doing/decide to lớn do.
A: Thanks, you too.
Because people look forward to lớn the weekend, they often start talking about it as early as Wednesday.
It is common to lớn ask about someone’s weekend plans with these two questions:
What are your plans for the weekend?
or
What are you doing this weekend?
A Note on Pronunciation
What are your sounds lượt thích Whaduhyer and What are you sounds lượt thích Whaddaya. These are very common reductions in spoken English.
Additionally, doing sounds lượt thích doin‘ with the strong –ing sound dropped. This sound pattern is very common with –ing words.
If you would lượt thích to lớn hear these questions spoken by a native speaker using relaxed speech, an audio tệp tin is available at my Ko-fi cửa hàng.
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A Common Mistake to lớn Avoid
When talking about weekend plans, it is not common to lớn ask “What will you tự this weekend?”
While everyone will understand you, will is not used to lớn talk about future plans or intentions.
To learn more about when to lớn use will and when to lớn use going to and other future tenses and ways to lớn talk about the future depending on the situation, kiểm tra out the không lấy phí 5-minute lesson Future Tenses In English.
More Ways to lớn Ask about Someone’s Weekend:
- Do you have plans for the weekend?
- Any plans for the weekend?”
- What are you going to lớn tự this weekend?
- What’s going on this weekend?
- Are you doing anything over the weekend?
- Are you doing anything special this weekend?
What’s going on this weekend? means What’s happening this weekend? When we ask this, we are usually asking if there is a special sự kiện, lượt thích a concert or tiệc nhỏ. If we are not attending an sự kiện, we would answer by saying, Not much, Nothing, or Nothing much. These responses are the same as the ones we use to lớn respond to lớn What greetings.
A Note about Grammar:
When talking about a future plan that was planned before the moment of speaking, using will is incorrect. Instead, we use be + planning to (or other present continuous verbs) or going to.
So, if you have a plan to lớn see a movie, you might say:
- I’m planning to lớn go to lớn a movie.
- I’m going to lớn a movie.
- I’m going to lớn go see a movie.
- I’m going to lớn see a movie.
- I’m going to lớn go to lớn a movie.
If you would lượt thích to lớn hear these spoken with relaxed speech, they are available as a downloadable audio tệp tin at my Ko-fi cửa hàng (both this and the audio tệp tin asking about weekends are combined in one product). Here is how the relaxed khuông might look when written:
- I’m plannin’ to lớn go-do-uh movie.
- I’m goin’ to lớn uh movie.
- I’m gonna go see uh movie.
- I’m gonna see uh movie.
- I’m gonna go-do-uh movie.
Related post with a quiz: The Future: Going To
Weekend plans and movie plans audio files
What Not to lớn Say
What if you don’t have any plans?
What if your plan is to lớn stay trang chủ all weekend and sleep? What if you plan to lớn get drunk? When asked about their weekend plans, my students often say “Sleep” and “Drink alcohol.”
However, unless you are talking to lớn a very close friend, you should avoid saying sleep and drink alcohol when someone asks you about your weekend. These are not natural answers in English. They tự not give people a good impression.
Instead of telling people that you plan to lớn sleep or drink on the weekend, you can say:
- I’m planning to lớn (just) take it easy.
- (I’ll) probably just relax. (note: will is okay here because it is not a definite plan)
- (I’ll) probably just stay trang chủ. (You can also add “I’m not sure.” before “probably” in all 3)
- (I’ll) probably just hốc out at trang chủ.
- I might grab a drink with some friends.
For more examples of small talk kiểm tra out Small Talk: How was your weekend?
Recommended Speaking Courses
I only recommend products that I trust and think have value for your learning.
For more natural conversations between native speakers, as well as lots of natural expressions, I recommend Espresso English’s speaking courses. Level 2 is for upper-intermediate and advanced students. You can check out a không lấy phí sample here.
If level 2 is too difficult, you might prefer Level 1, which includes English for daily life, practical English, social English, and more. You can check out a không lấy phí sample here.
Improve your English with a native teacher on italki today!
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