Short, convenient, incredibly effective and natural when used properly, the phrases we’d like to teach you in this post are meant to elevate your English conversations to a new level. So, read on and converse more naturally than ever before.
As we all know, “How are you?” is one of the most common phrases in the English language, used as part of small talk, a conversation about things that are not important, often between people who do not know each other well. It’s typically used to ask about someone’s well-being or current state.
Example 1 (‘How are you?’ is used as part of the greeting):
Beth: Hi John, how are you?
John: Oh hi, Beth, I’m doing fine. Thanks!
Example 2 (‘How are you?’ is used to check on someone’s current state or mood):
Ann: I heard you weren’t feeling well yesterday. How are you today?
Jane: I’m feeling better, thank you.
Example 3 (‘How are you?’ is used as a casual conversation starter):
Mike: Hey Sarah, how are you doing these days?
Sarah: Hey Mike, well, I’m doing pretty well. In fact, I recently got a new job.
Let’s explore alternatives to ‘How are you?’ and how they can be naturally used in conversation.
A: Did you know that Alison has been promoted after just one month on the job?
B: Get out of here!
Have you heard anything unbelievable lately? Do you know how to respond to such news in ways other than “I can’t believe it”? Read on to learn handy colloquial and formal phrases to express your disbelief naturally and idiomatically.
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