Speaking english when checking at airport

SPEAKING ENGLISH AT THE AIRPORT

At the airport

Welcome to twominenglish.com. Teaching you English two minutes at a time.

In this lesson we will listen to conversations at the airport.

At the security gate

Security Agent : Hello. Can I see your ID and the ticket please?

Passenger : Sure. Here's my ID and m ticket.

Security Agent : Thank you. You may proceed to the check-in counter.

At the check in counter

Agent : Good evening. Welcome to A1 Airlines. Please give me your ticket and ID.

Passenger : Here they are.

Agent : Thank you. Do you have any check-in baggage?

Passenger : Yes, I have one suitcase.

Agent : Okay. Any hand-baggage?

Passenger : Yes, I am carrying my backpack into the cabin.

Agent : Here's a security tag for your cabin-baggage please attach the tag to your bag.

Passenger : Thank you.

Choosing the seat

Agent : Would you like the window seat or the aisle seat?

Passenger : I think I will go for the aisle seat this time.

Agent : Sure sir. I can give you the aisle seat.

Passenger : Thanks. That will be very nice.

Agent : You're welcome. Your seat number is 6D.

At the Baggage checking machine

Guard : Please take out your laptops and mobile phone and put it in this tray.

Passenger : Alright.

Guard : You can proceed to the security check. Please remember to collect your items after the check.

Passenger : Thank you, I will.

At the security check

Guard : Please empty your pockets and put the contents in the tray, and hand me your boarding pass.

Passenger : Sure.

Guard : Please raise your hands and keep them raised while I inspect you.

Passenger : No problems.

Guard : Okay, you're cleared to go. Here's your boarding pass.

Passenger : Thank you.

Greeting and introductions conversation that are between 2 people

GREETING AND INTRODUCTIONS CONVERSATION THAT ARE BETWEEN 2 PEOPLE

Below is some brief conversations between two people. The conversations are about , 2 friends meeting by chance, 2 people asking what they do for a living and the last one is about 2 friends meeting at the movies. 

If you have a friend or a class friend each take turns with each conversation and swop roles.

Conversation about a brief conversation between 2 old friends meeting by chance at a cafe

Sarah: Hello Jason, how are you, it's been a long time since we last met?
Jason: Oh, hi Sarah I'm have got a new job now and is going great. How about you?
Sarah: Not too bad.
Jason: How often do you eat at this cafe?
Sarah: This is my first time my friends kept telling me the food was great, so tonight I decided to try it. What have you been up to?
Jason: I have been so busy with my new job that I have not had the time to do much else, but otherwise, me and the family are all fine.
Sarah: Well, I hope you and your family have a lovely meal.
Jason: Yes you too.

Conversation about two people asking each other what they do for a living.

David: Hello, my name is David It's nice to meet you.
Jenny: Hi, I'm Jenny. It's my please to meet you.
David: Am sorry. what was your name again?
Jenny: Jenny.
David: So Jenny, What do you do for a living?
Jenny: I work at the local school teaching English. what do you for a living?
David: I'm also an English teacher, but am currently out of work.
Jenny: Sorry to hear that. It has been really nice talking to you.
David: Yes. It was a great pleasure meeting you.

Conversation about two friends meeting by chance at the movies.

Bob: Hi Jason, it's great to see you again.
Jason: Wow, it's great seeing you,  How long has it been? It most be more than 6 months. I'm doing good. How about you?
Bob: Not too bad.
Jason: What movie are you and the family going to see?
Bob: I came here to see the Simpsons movie. How about you?
Jason: I'm going to watch Terminator 4.

How to ask for things in English

How to ask for things in English

Asking for things in English doesn't need to be stressful. Just remember some key phrases, and you'll be able to deal with most situations smoothly and confidently!

Asking clerks or at help desks

(Hello.) Can / Could I have ….. please? (Falling intonation)

(Good morning.) Can / Could you give / get me ….. please?

(Good evening.) A table for two, please.

Interrupting people to ask them for something

Excuse me…

…. Do you know if…?
…. Do you have…?
…. Do you accept …. (credit cards)?
…. Is this the right way for…. (the Post Office)?
…. Could you tell me if …. (there's a Post Office near here)?

In more formal situations

Excuse me…

…. Would you mind …. (keeping an eye on my luggage?)
…. I wonder if you could …. (move your suitcase a little.)

Responding to questions

You ask for something, then the person you have asked needs more information. He or she asks you a question. If you haven't expected this, you can "play for time" – say something to give you time to think. Say something like "Oh", "Ah", "Um", or "Er" to give you a second or two to formulate an answer. Remember, complete silence makes the other person feel uneasy!

You: "Two tickets to Glasgow, please."
Clerk: "Single or return?"
You: "Um, return please. We're coming back tomorrow."

(You are at the bureau de change)
Clerk: How would you like your money?
You: Oh, er, three tens and a five, please.

You: "Hello. Can I have a leaflet about London museums, please."
Clerk: "Sure. Anything else?"
You: "Um, do you have any information about musicals?"

Tips

When you ask someone for something, or you ask them to do something for you, it is essential to be as polite as possible. Here are some ways that you can be polite.

Say hello

A "hello" and a smile go a long way! Say "hello" at the beginning of your request.

"Hello. (I'd like) a travel card, please."

In more formal situations, you can say "Good morning", "Good afternoon" or "Good evening". (Remember, we only say "Good night" if we're saying "Good bye" at the end of the day.)

"Good evening. We've booked a table for four."

Remember "please" and "thank you"

"Please" normally goes at the end of the sentence:

"Two tickets please."
"Can you give me directions to Oxford Street, please."

Say "thank you" after you have received something:

"Here's your change."
"Thank you."

You can use "Yes, please" or "No, thank you" in response to a question:

"Would you like salad with your pizza?"
"Yes, please" or "No, thank you."

Say "excuse me"

If you ask someone who is doing something else, remember to say "excuse me":

"Excuse me, do yo have this dress in a smaller size?" (In a shop)
"Excuse me, do you know where the nearest bank is?" (On the street)

Structure of an example conversation

1. Clerk greets you

(Good morning.) How can I help you?
What can I do for you?

2. You ask for something

Hello. I'd like some information about…
Can I have….
Three stamps for Europe, please.

3. Clerk asks you a question

Single or return?
Air-mail or surface mail?

4. You answer

Oh, er, single thanks.
Um, let me see. Air-mail please.

5. Clerk asks you if you need anything else

Will that be all?
(Is there) anything else?

6. You answer

Ah, actually I'd also like…
No, that's it thanks / thank you.

See also "Making requests" in the Speaking section.

Telling a story in English

Telling a story in English

A useful skill in English is to be able to tell a story or an anecdote. Anecdotes are short stories about something that happened to you or to someone you know. (See our page on Describing stories in English for more information on types of stories.)

How to start

Traditional stories often start with the phrase "Once upon a time". However, if you are going to tell your story after someone else has already spoken, you can say something like:

That reminds me!
Funny you should say that. Did I ever tell you about…
Hearing your story reminds me of when…
Something similar happened to me….

How to tell your story

First of all, your story should be quite short. Try to keep it grammatically simple as well, so that it is easy to follow.

Make it easy for the listener to understand by using sequencing and linking words:

Sequencing words
These words show the chronological sequence of events.

First of all, I (packed my suitcase)
Secondly, I …. (made sure I had all my documents)
Previously (before that) ….. I changed some money.
Then… I (called a taxi for the airport)
Later (on)… (when we were stuck in traffic, I realised…)
But before all that… (I had double checked my reservation)
Finally… (I arrived at the wrong check-in desk at the wrong airport for a flight that didn't go until the next day)

Linking words
Use these words to link your ideas for the listener. Linking words can be used to show reason, result, contrasting information, additional information, and to summarise.

I booked a flight because….
As a result, I was late…
Although I had a reservation, I hadn't checked the airport name.
I made sure I had an up-to-date passport and I also took along my driving licence.
In short, I had made a complete mess of the holiday.

Tenses

We can use a variety of tenses to tell stories and anecdotes. Jokes are often in the present tense:

A man walks into a bar and orders a beer.

We also use the present tense to give a dramatic narrative effect:

The year is 1066. In medieval England people are worried that the king, Harold, is not strong enough to fight off a Norman invasion.

However, we generally use past forms to talk about past events. If you tell your story in chronological order, you can use the past simple:

I double checked my reservation. I packed my suitcase, and then I called a taxi.

Use the past continuous to describe activities in progress at the time of your story, or to describe the background.

The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. We were driving along the motorway quite steadily until we suddenly saw in front of us the warning lights to slow down. We were heading towards a huge tailback.

Sometimes, you might want to avoid telling your story as one chronological event after the other. You can use thepast perfect (simple and continuous) to add more interest to your story by talking about events that happened before the events in your story:

I double checked my reservation, which I had made three days previously.

I wanted to visit some friends who had been living in France for the last five years.

Vocabulary

Try to use a wide range of words to make your story more interesting. Remember that you can "exaggerate" when you tell a story, so instead of using words like "nice" or "bad", experiment with more interesting words, such as "beautiful", "fabulous", "wonderful", "horrible", "awful" or "terrible".

Finally – remember that you are telling a story – not giving a lecture. Look at the people listening, and try to "involve" them in the story or anecdote. Keep eye contact, use the right intonation and try to make your face expressive. You might also want to try practising a few anecdotes in the mirror before "going live". Have fun!

How to Giving orders and instructions

Giving orders and instructions

How can you ask someone to do something for you in English without sounding rude? Here are some of the ways that you can give orders and instructions.

1. Use the imperative form

We use the imperative form to give orders, warnings and advice:

Be quiet!
Take care!
Listen to me carefully!

Because it can sound rude to give direct orders (especially if you are talking to an adult), we "soften" the imperative form with "let's" or "please":

Let's go now.
Please listen to what I'm saying.

2. Use a modal verb to turn the order into a request

We use modals to change the mood of a sentence. For example, "You should help her" is more polite than "Help her!"

Other modal verbs you can use to make requests are:

Could: Could you make me some tea?
Can: Can you come here please?
Will: Will you shut the door please?
Would: Would you wait here until the doctor is ready for you?

3. Use an introductory phrase to soften the order

Instead of using an imperative, you can use a phrase instead. Here are some common ways of phrasing an order, in order of the most indirect to the most direct:

Would you mind possibly… (+ ing) (Most indirect)
Would you mind possibly moving your car? It's parked right in front of mine.

I was hoping you could … (+ infinitive without to)
I was hoping you could spare me a few minutes this morning.

Do you think you could … (+ infinitive without to)
Do you think you could do this photocopying for me?

If you have a couple of minutes spare…
If you have a couple of minutes spare, the office needs tidying up.

I'd like you to…
I'd like you to file this correspondence for me.

I want you to…
I want you to finish this by tomorrow.

4. Use sequencing words

You can use sequencing words to make instructions clear.

Firstly, make sure the appliance is disconnected.
Secondly, open the back with a screwdriver.
Then, carefully pull out the two black cables….

conversation about the Holidays

Talking about the Holidays

Most people take a break around the Christmas period and spend time with their families. In English-speaking countries, we wish people we know a happy Christmas. Here are some useful phrases for this.

Before the holidays

If I don't see you before, have a lovely Christmas!
Have a great Christmas, won't you!
Have a good one!
Happy Christmas to you!

Asking people about their plans

What are you up to over Christmas?
Got any plans for Christmas and New Year?
Are you at home over Christmas, or are you going away?

Extra speaking practice!

Practise some of these phrases in context. Listen to the conversation in Holiday wishes, record the phrase, then play back to hear your recording and the original.

After the holidays

When people see each other after the New Year holidays, they often use a greeting such as "Happy New Year!" Some people also ask about New Year resolutions (the promises that you make to yourself to get fitter, lose weight, change job etc) or refer more generally to the whole of the Christmas / New Year holiday period.

Asking about the holidays

What did you do over Christmas?
What did you get up to?
Do anything exciting / special over the holidays?
Have you made any resolutions?

You could also ask about Christmas gifts (especially to children).

What did you get for Christmas?
Did Father Christmas bring you what you wanted for Christmas?

Giving a vague reply

Nothing much.
Nothing special.
Oh, the usual…
Same old (= nothing new)

Giving more information

(Did you have a good Christmas?)

It was great / fantastic / wonderful / lovely / thanks.
Really relaxing / Just what I needed.
We saw the in-laws / some of the family.
We got away for a couple of days.
We had a quiet one at home.

Asking the other person

To keep the conversation going, try returning the question.

What about you? (Did you have a) good Christmas?
And you? Did you see the New Year in? (to see the New Year in means to celebrate the New Year at midnight.)

Practise your speaking!

You can practise some of these conversations over on our sister site, englishspeakingonline. Listen to the conversation in Talking about your New Year holidays, record your part of the conversation, then compare the recording with your voice to help you with pronunciation and fluency.

English conversation tips

English conversation tips

Nothing helps your speaking more than practising with others. (If you don't live in an English-speaking country, our page on How to practise your English speaking gives you advice on ways to practise your English.)

In a controlled environment (i.e. a classroom) speaking English with others is relatively easy, as you're probably practising particular expressions or vocabulary.

But in the outside world, conversations can be a lot more unpredictable and things can go wrong in conversations. Maybe you don't understand the other person – or maybe they don't understand you. Maybe you're talking about a difficult subject with technical vocabulary, or maybe the other person uses a lot of slang or English idioms that you don't understand. Here are some tips and strategies for when there are communication problems.

You don't know the word

Sometimes we forget the right word, or we realise as we're speaking that we don't know the word we need. We can also forget the word if we are under pressure, such as in an exam. But the important thing is to keep going – don't let the conversation stop! If you don't know the word, try to say it in another way. Define it, give an example, or give a synonym.

For example, if you can't remember the word "mug" you can try these:

Definition
"It's something you can drink coffee from."
"You can use it to drink coffee from."
"It's used for coffee."

Examples, explanations and descriptions
"It's made of china. You use it for drinking coffee."
"It's bigger than a cup."

Synonym
"It's like a cup, but bigger."
"It's similar to… (a cup)."
"It's a kind of … (cup)."

The other person doesn't understand youYou'll probably guess that this has happened from the blank look on the other person's face.
Ask a question such as "Do you know what I mean?" or "Sorry, have I lost you?"
Or use a rephrasing phrase, such as "Let me say that again", or "Let me put that another way."

You run out of things to say

A conversation should be two-way. If you find that you are talking all the time, or if you don't have anything else left to say, get the other person to contribute by asking a question.
You can try a short question like in this example from our page on how to keep a conversation going:
"We tried out the new Chinese restaurant last night."
"Did you?"
Or you can ask a more direct question, such as "What do you think?" or "what's your opinion?"

You don't know how to end the conversation

Some conversations should be short. For example, asking someone for directions, giving directions, asking for information in a shop are all situations where the conversation comes to a natural end. In these situations, a simple "Thank you" (where the typical response is "You're welcome" or "Not at all") shows both people that the conversation is over.
But in other situations, you might just be chatting, with no particular purpose. End the conversation with a phrase like "I'd better get going" or "I think that's my bus / train" (if you're waiting for public transport, say) to end the conversation naturally.