How Was Your Day?
This is the second lesson of the Small Talk series. Today, we are going to look at how we can answer the question: ‘How was your day?’ in a thorough and more descriptive way.
Someone will often ask you this question after school or work. Your answers might look like the examples below:
- I had a great day.
- Not so bad.
- It was boring.
- It was tiring.
- I didn’t do much.
- Fantastic!
How you answer this question depends, of course, on how your day really was.
A day without laughter is a day wasted.
~Charlie Chaplin
Sample Dilaogue
You are on your way back home from high school. You meet a former classmate. He just speaks English because he is a foreigner. It has been a long time since you saw him. You are very happy.
You: Hi Steve! What’s up!
Steve: Nothing much Antonio! How was your day?
You: Great! How about you?
Steve: Not bad. It could have been better.
You: That’s life, isn’t it?
Steve: Yes, that’s life.
You: Man, I’m so happy to see you. It’s been such a long time.
Steve: I’m really happy too. We had a fantastic time in that school.
You: You couldn’t say it any better.
Your Turn: Can you imagine a similar dialogue? Be as creative as possible.
STAY POSITIVE
The only difference between a good day and a bad day is your attitude.
~Dennis S. Brown
Sample Dialogue
You are a tourist. It is your first time in a big city. You have had a bad time because you kept on getting lost. You are exhausted and in a very bad mood. You go back to the hotel where you are staying.
Receptionist: Good evening Mr. Dupont. Welcome.
You: Good evening Madam. Thank you.
Receptionist: Here are your keys. Oh, you look exhausted. How was your day?
You: I thought it was never going to end. It was that bad.
Receptionist: Sir, I’m sure that you are just exaggerating. Was it that bad, really?
You: It was and I’m telling you the truth. This city is not very well organised. I kept on getting lost because the directions are not well indicated.
Receptionist: I agree with you on that point. Our city officials could do better. You can have this map. It’s the most recent one and it will help you out if you want to be adventurous again tomorrow.
You: Thank you so much. You are very kind but I think tomorrow I will just stay inside the hotel and enjoy the swimming pool and sauna. I want to have relaxing holidays and the last thing I want to do is sweat in a disorganised city.
Receptionist: Don’t worry, everything will be alright tomorrow.
You: I hope so.
Receptionist: Take a good breakfast in our restaurant and enjoy the city. There are so many things to see.
You: Yes, there are. It’s just a pity that everything is so disorganised.
Receptionist: I understand.
Your Turn: Can you create a similar dialogue. Make sure to vary your vocabulary. Good luck!
Everyday may not be good, but there is something good in every day.
~Unknown
Sample Dialogue
You are an au pair. You want to learn English while looking after your host family’s children. You really like doing what you are doing but sometimes things can get rough and hectic. You talk about your day with the mother of the kids after she comes back from work.
Mrs. Baker: Hello Leila. How are you?
You: Hello Mrs. Baker. I’m fine thank you, what about you?
Mrs. Baker: I’ m fine. How was your day?
You: So-so. How about yours?
Mrs. Baker: It was business as usual in the office today. Nothing to write home about. Did the kids behave themselves?
You: Yes, on average, they did. Keith threw a huge tantrum though because he didn’t want to leave the park.
Mrs. Baker: Oh, I’m sorry. I will talk to him and make sure that that never happens again. He’s just a kid, you know.
You: I was kind of upset because I didn’t know what to do.
Mrs. Baker: Don’t worry, he won’t do that again tomorrow.
You: I know. Mary was sweet on the contrary. She has been playing with her dolls since we came back. She even helped me with little Dylan. Keith has been good too since we came back home. He has been entertaining his little brother with his magic tricks.
Mrs. Baker: Oh, that’s nice. Mary can be a sweet girl. Keith is quite the entertainer too. How are your English lessons?
You: They are alright. They could be worse. I’m learning quite a lot from this family and from school. I’m sure my English teachers will be impressed with my level of English when I go back home. I wish we could have more hours though
Mrs Baker: Yes, your progress is quite impressive. Keep it up. You can always practise with us if you want more hours. You can also make new friends in the neighbourhood.
You: Thank you, Madam, for your advice. I will take that into consideration.
Your Turn: Can you write a dialogue like this one? Pay attention to grammar and punctuation.
Further Exploration:
Download PDF Files
- English Vocabulary (Small Talk): How Was Your Day (Positive Answers), Learn English With Africa, June 2019
- English Vocabulary (Small Talk): How Was Your Day (Negative Answers), Learn English With Africa, June 2019
- English Vocabulary (Small Talk): How Was Your Day (Neutral Answers), Learn English With Africa, June 2019
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