Explanation + Practice
Short Answers and Long Answers in Conversations
When you’re learning English, you might feel nervous and want to give very short answers. But be careful! To native speakers, short answers can feel like you’re saying, “I don’t want to talk to you. Please go away.” It sounds unfriendly, even if you don’t mean it that way.
If you want to have friendly conversations and keep talking, it’s important to give longer answers. This shows that you are interested in the conversation and want to continue it.
Examples of Short vs. Long Answers:
1. Question: “How are you?”
- Short answer (ends the conversation):
- “Fine.”
- “Good.”
- “Okay.”
- Long answer (keeps the conversation going):
- “I’m doing well, thanks! How about you?”
- “I’m good! I just finished a big project at work, so I’m feeling relieved. How about you?”
2. Question: “What did you do this weekend?”
- Short answer (ends the conversation):
- “Nothing.”
- “Stayed home.”
- “Not much.”
- Long answer (keeps the conversation going):
- “I didn’t do much, just relaxed at home. I watched a new movie on Netflix—have you seen anything good lately?”
- “I stayed home, but I did some cooking! I tried a new recipe for pasta. What about you, did you do anything fun?”
3. Question: “Do you like the food?”
- Short answer (ends the conversation):
- “Yes.”
- “It’s okay.”
- “No.”
- Long answer (keeps the conversation going):
- “Yeah, it’s really tasty! I especially love the sauce. Do you like this kind of food?”
- “It’s okay, but I prefer something spicier. What’s your favorite dish?”
Why Long Answers Matter
- They show you care: By giving more information and asking questions, you show that you are interested in the conversation and the person you’re talking to.
- They keep the conversation going: Long answers invite the other person to ask more or share more, so the conversation doesn’t end too quickly.
- They sound friendly: Native speakers think long answers are warm and welcoming, while short answers can feel cold or rude, even if you don’t mean it that way.
Remember:
If you want to have good conversations in English, try to avoid very short answers. Instead, give more details and ask questions in return!
Activities
How to make long answers
Here are some activities that students can do on their own to practice giving longer answers and keeping conversations going. These activities will help them add details, ask follow-up questions, and make their answers more interesting.
Activity 1: Answer Expansion
Instructions:
- Take short answers and practice turning them into longer, more detailed answers.
- Below are some short answers. Write longer answers that would keep the conversation going.
Example Short Answers:
- “How was your weekend?”
- Short answer: “Good.”
- Expanded answer: “It was really good! I went hiking with my friends, and we found a beautiful spot to have lunch. How about you, what did you do?”
- “What did you have for dinner?”
- Short answer: “Pizza.”
- Expanded answer: “I had pizza for dinner. It was a pepperoni pizza, my favorite. I got it from a new restaurant in town. Have you ever tried it?”
- “Do you like reading?”
- Short answer: “Yes.”
- Expanded answer: “Yes, I love reading! Right now, I’m reading a mystery novel. What kind of books do you like to read?”
Your turn: Expand the following short answers into longer ones.
- “What’s your favorite movie?”
- Short answer: “Inception.”
- Expanded answer: ___________________________________
- “Do you like sports?”
- Short answer: “No.”
- Expanded answer: ___________________________________
- “How’s the weather today?”
- Short answer: “Sunny.”
- Expanded answer: ___________________________________
Activity 2: Add a Follow-Up Question
Instructions:
- Read each question and answer. Then, write a follow-up question at the end to keep the conversation going.
Examples:
- “How was your trip?”
- Answer: “It was amazing! I went to Italy and visited Rome, Venice, and Florence. The food was incredible!”
- Follow-up question: “Have you ever been to Italy?”
- “What did you do after school today?”
- Answer: “I went to the gym to work out for an hour, and then I met a friend for coffee.”
- Follow-up question: “Do you like going to the gym?”
Your turn: Add a follow-up question to these answers.
- “What’s your favorite hobby?”
- Answer: “I really enjoy painting. I’ve been painting landscapes for a couple of years now.”
- Follow-up question: ___________________________________
- “How do you usually spend your weekends?”
- Answer: “I like to relax, watch movies, and sometimes go for a walk in the park.”
- Follow-up question: ___________________________________
- “What kind of music do you like?”
- Answer: “I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, but I love pop the most.”
- Follow-up question: ___________________________________
Activity 3: Daily Answer Challenge
Instructions:
- Each day, think about these common conversation questions. Write out your answers, but make sure to give at least 3 extra details and ask a follow-up question.
- Do this daily to get comfortable giving longer, more interesting answers.
Questions to practice with:
- “How was your day?”
- Answer: _____________________________________________
- “What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?”
- Answer: _____________________________________________
- “Do you have any plans for the weekend?”
- Answer: _____________________________________________
- “What’s your favorite food?”
- Answer: _____________________________________________
- “What did you do last night?”
- Answer: _____________________________________________
Activity 4: Role-Playing with Yourself
Instructions:
- Pretend you’re having a conversation with a friend. You’ll ask yourself a question and then give both a short answer and a longer answer. Practice out loud to make it feel more natural.
Example:
- Question: “Did you enjoy the movie last night?”
- Short answer: “Yeah, it was good.”
- Long answer: “Yeah, I really enjoyed it! The story was interesting, and the acting was great. I especially liked the special effects. Have you seen any good movies lately?”
Your turn:
- Question: “How do you like your job?”
- Short answer: ___________________________________
- Long answer: ___________________________________
- Question: “What did you do on your last vacation?”
- Short answer: ___________________________________
- Long answer: ___________________________________
- Question: “Do you like to cook?”
- Short answer: ___________________________________
- Long answer: ___________________________________