Lecture Notes - Responding to "How are you?" in English

Instructor: Teacher Tiffany

Summary

In today's lecture, we explored alternative and more natural responses to the common question "How are you?" in English. Rather than using the robotic "I'm fine, thank you. And you?", which may often be taught in textbooks, we delved into ways that native English speakers typically respond. This method involves incorporating either a basic or a connection question into your response for a more engaging conversation.

Detailed Notes

Two Ways to Properly Respond to "How are you?"

1. Response with a Basic Question

   • Example Responses:
     • Happy Answer: "I'm doing great, thanks! How about you?"
     • Normal Response: "I'm pretty good, thanks! What's new with you?"
     • Busy Answer: "I've been a bit busy, but okay. How have things been with you?"
     • Stressed Answer: "Things have been a bit rough lately, but they're getting better. How have you been?"
     • Satisfied Answer: "Never been better! What about you?"

2. Response with a Connection Question

   • Example Responses:
     • Happy Answer Connection: "I'm doing great, thanks! I heard you got a new job, how's that going?"
     • Normal Answer Connection: "I'm pretty good, thanks! I saw your Facebook post about your business, what's the update?"
     • Busy Answer Connection: "I've been a bit busy, but okay. I remember you said you were also working on some things, any update?"
     • Stressed Answer Connection: "Things have been a bit rough lately, but they're getting better. I know your mom had some good news recently, how is she?"
     • Satisfied Answer Connection: "I've never been better. You are also looking quite happy, any special reason?"

Key Learnings

• Adapting Response Based on Emotion/State: Your answer should reflect your current state (happy, busy, stressed) but also stays engaging.
• Language Nuances: Small changes like using "a bit" or "quite" before adjectives can modify the intensity of your statement.
• Engage by Connecting: Make the conversation engaging by connecting the query to something personal known about the respondent, showing attentiveness and consideration.

Application

• These responses not only make you sound like a native speaker but also show your attentiveness in the conversation, providing a way to foster better interpersonal relationships through dialogue.

Additional Resources

• Instructor Tiffany mentions that all the materials including example patterns can be downloaded via a free PDF linked in the lecture description for further practice and reference.

Fun Fact Shared by Instructor Tiffany

At the end of the lecture, Tiffany shared a personal anecdote from her university days about how she would talk in her sleep, which came as a surprise to her after her friends told her about their late-night phone conversations with her.

Conclusion

Today's lesson is essential for anyone looking to improve their English conversation skills, making their responses sound more natural and engaging. Joining the "Speak English with Tiffany Academy" and downloading the provided materials can further enhance learning and application of these skills.