Spoken English: How to Agree and Show Interest

In this lesson, you will learn how to respond to what people say. When we have conversations, we usually show interest in what has been said or we want to agree with the other person. 

Let's look at how you can do that in conversational English and how you can actually use very short responses to convey the information. 

ADJECTIVES 
You can make short sentences by using adjectives. 

Great 
It is used in spoken English to express pleasure or agreement. 

Examples: 

• 'Let's go to the movies then.' — 'Yeah, great, why not.'  (the movies = the cinema) 
• 'We can have dinner before the film'. — 'Great. I'll pick you up at six, then.' 

That's interesting. 

Examples: 

• I met my boyfriend in Spain.' — 'In Spain? That's interesting.' 
• 'I'm a doctor and I've been working for about eight years now.' — 'Oh, that's interesting.' 
• A: Where exactly are you from, Kim? 
  B: Well, I'm Vietnamese. I was born in Hanoi, but I've been working in Australia for the last couple of years. 
  A: That's interesting. And what are you doing in Berlin? 
  ​B: I'm here for a conference. 

Wow! That's amazing! | How amazing! 

Examples: 

• 'I got a new job.' — 'That's amazing!' 
• 'I'm going to study in the UK for one year.' — 'Wow! That's amazing!' 
• A: Do you work in a public or private hospital?
  B: Before I worked in a public hospital, because the best hospitals in China are the public ones. Recently I moved to another hospital because the work is really hard and the salary is not equal to my efforts. I got an offer from an international hospital in Shanghai. 
  A: Wow, that's a great opportunity. How amazing! 

Note: 'Wow!' is an exclamation. We use it to express that we are very surprise or impressed by something. 
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ADVERBS 
​When we want to show that we agree with someone or something, we use adverbs like absolutely, definitely and certainly. You can add 'Yes/Yeah, ...' if you wish. 

Absolutely 
In spoken English, we use 'absolutely' to show that we completely agree with someone. 

Examples: 

• 'Do you think she'll like the present?' — 'Absolutely.' 
• 'It's expensive, isn't it?' — 'Absolutely.' 
• 'Did you enjoy the workshop?' — 'Absolutely.' 

Definitely 
You can use it in informal conversations to emphasise that there is no doubt about something. 

Examples: 

• 'Was the party what you expected?' — 'Yes, definitely.' 
• 'Do you like living here?' — 'Yeah, definitely. Living here is great for many reasons. I like the fact that there are plenty of green spaces and outdoor activities. I never get bored.' 

Certainly 
In spoken English, we use 'certainly' to agree or to give permission to someone. 

Examples: 

• 'May I see your passport, please?' — 'Certainly.' 
• 'Could you lend me some money?' — 'Certainly.' 
• 'Can I come over at five o'clock?' — 'Certainly, see you then!' [come over (to...) - to come to a place, especially somebody’s house, to visit for a short time] 

Note: In everyday English, people usually say of course or sure rather than certainly when they agree or give permission. 

Example: 

• 'Can I call you later?' — 'Of course.' 

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QUESTIONS 
Using echo and reply questions is a good way of showing interest in conversations. We sometimes add oh and really. 

ECHO QUESTIONS 
In conversations people show interest and surprise by using echo questions. They repeat the surprising information in the statement with rising intonation. 

Examples: 

• A: I've heard she has a new boyfriend.
  B: A new boyfriend? 
  A: Yes. She met him in Spain. 
  B: In Spain? 
• A: I bought my suitcase for $100.  
  B: $100? Why so much? 
  A: I actually thought there was a discount. 

REPLY QUESTIONS 
Reply questions can also be used to express interest and surprise. They consist of auxiliary verbs and pronouns with rising intonation. 

Examples: 

• 'We had a terrible holiday.' — 'Did you?' [You need to ask a question with the same tense of the verb that is used in the statement. In this case it is Past Simple.] 
• ​'I've got a headache.' — 'Have you? I'll get you something for it.' 
• 'I try to keep fit, so I usually go to the gym three times a week.' — 'Do you?' 
• 'I don't like spicy food.' — 'Oh, don't you?' 
• 'I'm going to Italy in September.' — 'Are you?' 
• 'I can't swim.' — 'Can't you? Well, it's never too late to learn.' 

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Other lessons:
English Lesson: 5 Types of Lifestyle 
English Lesson: Describing a Friend 
Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English 

English conversation lessons: 
English Conversation: Travel opinions 
English Conversation: Travel experience 
English Conversation: Travelling in Europe and Asia 
English Conversation: Buying sunscreen products at a store 
English Conversation: Socialising with people and working in coffee shops 

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