Giving information

 English conversations: Giving information in English

Do you want to improve your spoken English? One great way is to listen to lots of conversations.

When people talk to each other informally, they often use basic language for easy communication. So, all the words and expressions they use are useful for you too!

In this lesson, we’re focusing on giving information. 

When someone asks you a question, you need to answer it. And when you do, you’ll need to use lots of basic verbs and words to help you speak. In these examples, you’ll watch people giving each other information. This will show you how you can do it too.

For a fun activity, simply watch the conversation clips and answer the questions. Good luck!

Level: Pre-Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate (A2-B2)

Questions

Here are the questions for you to answer. [answers below]

1. What has the actor been nominated for in the award ceremony?

2. Who has escaped from the cage on the left-hand side?

3. How many interviews has Suzanne (the woman on the far left) been to so far?

4. What do the two band members want more of for the next concert?

Watch & read!

After you’ve finished, watch the video and read the script at the same time. This is great for developing your listening skills as you can see the relationship between the spoken and written words.

Video script
Clip 1

Interviewer: Congratulations on your nomination for best actor in a supporting role for

your film, Red Mission.

Actor: Thank you so much.

I: Can I ask you a few questions?

A: Of course! Go ahead.

I: So, Brad, tell us a little bit about your character in the film.

A: OK, well my character is about a man who goes on an interstellar journey to

fight a galactic battle that’s happening all around the universe, and then also to find

peace within himself.

Clip 2

Employee (right): Hello?

Caged man (left): Ah, finally! Yeah, who is this?

E: Er, this is James, er, the new guy. First day on the job.

C: Ah, perfect, the new guy! Well, er, we have got a bit of a problem.

E: What’s the problem?

C: I’m trapped, and Gordon has escaped.

E: Who’s Gordon?

C: Gordon, the 600-pound gorilla from the Borneo exhibit. He’s escaped, and

he has got me locked in here, and I can’t get out.

E: Where are you locked? Are you locked in his cage?

C: Yeah, yeah, and he’s taken the keys. Er, he’s very clever.

E: Clever gorilla, huh?

C: Yes, well…

Clip 3

Woman in the middle: You’re going to be, you’re going to be “bad cop?”

Woman on the right: I’ll be “bad cop.”

M: OK, great. (You be “good cop”, I’ll be “bad cop”) OK, perfect. Oh, there she is,

yeah. Come on in. Hi! (Hey!) Hey, Suzanne, yes? (Yes, Yes.) Good to see you again.

Welcome back.

Suzanne: Hi, hi.

R: Hi, you can just stand right there, that’s perfect.

M: Alright, OK, totally fine. OK, so Suzanne, er, we have called you back obviously for

a second interview. Well, er, let’s just jump right in. Er, I want to know, er…

Clip 4

Manager: Great job tonight! Fantastic show! They loved it. Absolutely, they loved it. I

think it’s to the top now, from here on out. Great Job.

Guitarist: Yeah, not bad, mate, but we, we got a few things we wanted to talk about.

Drummer: Mmm, yeah, like, we have a few complaints.

M: What do you mean? What do you mean? Everything was wonderful!

G: No, it wasn’t wonderful, mate. Like, we got a list here of things we wanted to talk

about, like special effects. (Okay, Okay.) We want more…

M: Let me hear it, it’s a good time now. OK, tell me.

G: We want more, more stuff that’s like, BANG and lights, and like, BOOM, BANG,

BANG. Special Effects.

M: OK, well, we remember what happened last time, the fireworks, and the front row…

No eyebrows? The fire marshal has…

Answers

1. What has the actor been nominated for in the award ceremony? He’s been nominated for an award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

2. Who has escaped from the cage on the left-hand side? Gordon the gorilla has escaped.

3. How many interviews has Suzanne (the woman on the far left) been to so far? She’s been to one interview so far – this is her second interview.

4. What do the two band members want more of for the next concert? They want more special effects for the next concert.