GREETINGS, FAREWELLS AND SPECIAL EXPRESSIONS ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE PRE INTERMEDIATE

 

ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE PRE INTERMEDIATE UNIT 69 GREETINGS, FAREWELLS AND SPECIAL EXPRESSIONS

 

A Greetings* When we are introduced to a stranger [told the name of someone we have never met] in a formal situation, we usually shake hands and say hello, or perhaps hello, nice to meet you. In an informal situation, we usually just say hello or hi. When we greet friends, there are no real rules in Britain. Men may kiss female friends [girls/ women] on one cheek [side of the face], on both cheeks, or not at all. Women may kiss male friends and female friends once, twice, or not at all. We usually say things like this: A: Hello. How are you? B: Fine, thanks. How about you? A: Hi. How’s it going? / How are things? (infml) B: Not (so) bad, thanks. And you? * saying hello B Farewells* To someone we have just met for the first time we can say Goodbye. Nice to meet you. With friends we can say bye, cheers (infml), take care (infml), or see you (soon/later/ tomorrow, etc.). When we say goodbye to a school or work friend on Friday afternoon we usually say: A: Have a nice weekend. B: Yeah, same to you. (NOT same for you) * saying goodbye C Expressions for special situations   Language help   We use Thank goodness when we are happy that something bad did not happen. A synonym is Thank God (infml), but there are some people who may not like the use of this expression. We can use Goodness on its own to express surprise, e.g. Goodness, is it ten o’clock already? EXERCISES 69.1 Find five more phrases. good take excuse bless luck you thank me goodness not care bad 69.2 Complete the dialogues. 1 A: How are you? B: Fine. How ______ about________ you? 2 A: How’s it ______________? B: Not ______________. And you? 3 A: Have a nice weekend. B: Yeah, ______________ you. 4 A: Nobody was hurt in the accident. B: Oh, ______________ for that. 5 A: I’ll see you tomorrow. B: Yeah, ______________ care. 6 A: I’ve just passed my exam. B: ______________! 7 A: I’m fine, thanks. B: Good. And ______________ Sarah? 69.3 What could you say in these situations? 1 A friend says, ‘Have a good weekend’. What do you reply? ____ Yeah, same to you. ________ 2 You met a new business client for the first time fifteen minutes ago, and now you are leaving. What do you say? ________________________________ 3 You are on a crowded bus. It is your stop and you want to get off. What do you say to other passengers as you move past them? ________________________________ 4 A friend tells you they have just won some money. What do you say? ________________________________ 5 A friend is going for a job interview this afternoon. What do you say? ________________________________ 6 You are having a drink with friends. What do you say when you hold up your glasses to drink? ________________________________ 7 Someone sneezes next to you. What do you say? ________________________________ 69.4 Complete the sentences. 1 When you meet someone for the first time in a formal ____ situation _____, what do you say? 2 When you are ____________ to someone in a formal situation, do you normally ____________ hands? 3 What do you do and say when you ____________ friends? 4 Do you usually kiss friends? If so, is it on one ____________ or both ____________? 5 When you say goodbye to friends, do you use informal expressions like Cheers, or Take ____________? If so, what are they? 69.5

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