English Vocabulary (Lesson 5): Write a Dialogue With Small Talk

Dialogue With Small Talk

There is nothing more satisfying than putting one’s knowledge into practice. This week, you have been learning how to make small talk in different types of situations.

Today, you will add another string to your bow by learning how to write a dialogue effectively.

On Monday, we started with informal and formal greetings. On Tuesday, you learnt how you could answer the question: ‘How was your day?’ in a detailed and interesting way. On Wednesday, we focused on trips. Thursday saw you talking about studies and jobs.

You are now properly equipped to do today’s lesson which is about writing a dialogue with small talk. Are you ready?

” I barely managed to do the small talk —the what-do-you-do, the where-are-you-from, the what-neighborhood, the what-college, the despair of trying to explain oneself.” ― Catherine Lacey, The Answers

You can first study the following points to make your task easier:

Characters

Who are they?

I think that this is the most important part of your dialogue. When choosing the people that are going to be talking, imagine their age, gender, job, occupation, social status, opinions, beliefs, etc. This will help you create believable and engaging characters.

Setting

Where are your characters?

This is also a crucial point. The conversation can take place in a specific country, city, town, village, continent, company, public area, etc. You can give the name of the area or you can provide clues so that the readers can make a guess.

Subject

What are your characters talking about?

The topic that you choose will determine the quality of your dialogue. People can talk about the weather, health, trips, jobs, studies, places, a specific person, families, etc.

Remember that this is small talk so they will not necessarily dig deep into those subjects.

How to Write a Dialogue With Small Talk, Tips for Writing a Dialogue_Learn English With Africa, June 2019

Reason

Why are your characters talking about that particular subject?

Knowing the purpose of the small talk that your characters will engage in will also help you write the dialogue. They can talk about the weather because they do not know what else to talk about. They can ask questions about each other’s families in a genuine quest to know each other. They can talk about a person that they both know because he or she helps them establish a common ground.

Manner

How are your characters talking about that subject?

This part can be revealing. The conversation can be short or long. The people involved can dwell on a specific point or they can tackle different subjects. They can be decriptive or subtle. They can finish their sentences or they can go on and on. The topics can be interesting or boring.

“I hate having to do small talk. I’d rather talk about deep subjects. I’d rather talk about meditation, or the world, or the trees or animals, than small inane, you know, banter.” ― Ellen DeGeneres, TV Presenter and Comedian

Time

When are your characters talking?

This can also be of the utmost importance. Your characters can meet in the morning, afternoon or evening. They can see each other before boarding a plane, after work, during a party or at noon.

Tone

How are your characters’ emotions being conveyed?

You need to think carefully about this part because it will help you build relatable characters. The tone can be animated, confident, courteous, arrogant, assertive, hostile, curt, dismissive, boring, bitter, critical, diplomatic, gentle, patronising, sceptical, sarcastic or sceptical, etc.

Very short sentences by someone will mean that the person doesn’t really want to talk. Exclamation marks may show anger, excitement, joy, enthusiasm or aggressivity. Many question marks may mean that one of the characters is overly curious. Long sentences by one person may portray him or her as someone who loves to talk too much but doesn’t listen. The choice of certain words will also have a huge impact on the tone of the conversation.

“I dreamt we walked together along the shore. We made satisfying small talk and laughed. This morning I found sand in my shoe and a seashell in my pocket. Was I only dreaming?” ― Maya Angelou, Author

Write a Dialogue With Small Talk: Possible Situations

Situation 1:

You are a new student in a famous university. You meet one of your future lecturers. He wants to know more about you and the country where you come from.

Situation 2:

You work for a successful company. Your Regional Manager has organised a party for all employees. You meet people that you have never seen before. One of them is Jane. Talk to her.

Situation 3:

You are a tourist in a hot country. You are walking on a dusty road. You meet a fellow traveller. What are you going to talk about?

Situation 4:

You are at the cinema. The movie has not started yet. You have a few minutes to talk to the person who is sitting next to you. What will you say?

Situation 5:

You are in a shop. There is a long queue. The person who is behind you starts a conversation. What is it about?

Situation 6:

You have just come back from a trip to Tanzania. You talk about your experience with someone you have just met on the bus.