How to Keep a Conversation Going

Being able to converse confidently and comfortable is a skill that not all are bestowed with. However, the good news is that it does not need to be an inborn talent, but is one that can be developed. Most of us are able to hold a lengthy conversation with another when we have a plenty in common. However, there are only a handful of people who can talk to anyone, anywhere, for a given length of time. Let me clarify here that I'm not one of these people, but having been frequently thrown into social situations where I've had to converse with people much older than me, and with whom (usually) I have nothing in common, I've devised a few tricks of my own. When conversing with a complete stranger, there are two aspects you have to grapple with. The first is how to go about the ice breaker activity and the second is to keep the conversation going.

... Talk about Favorite Television Shows

The answer of how to start and keep a conversation going lies in using these four subjects: family, occupation, recreation and education. These subjects are universal and almost everyone can contribute to them. To take the first, even if a person does not have much to say about his family, you can always divert the conversation the importance of having a strong bond with your parents/children, etc. Talking about school is another way of keeping a conversation going. School is a universal subject, where they went, did they like it, their favorite subject, best memories of school, etc. when you talk about recreation, an interesting hobby is a great conversation subject, but even something simple like watching televisions allows you the chance to talk about favorite shows, television trends, celebrities, etc.

... Talking about Current Affairs Never Fails

Among the things to say to keep a conversation going, I've found that current affairs almost never fails. Keeping yourself abreast with the happenings of your country and the world at large has numerous benefits. Discussing the stories that have made headlines is especially useful in situations where you seem to have nothing in common with the person you are speaking to. Most people are aware of 'major' happenings, and even if they aren't they usually develop an opinion as they here more about the subject.

... Asking Questions Sometimes Help

When we come to technique, I believe in asking plenty of questions and getting the other person to talk. However, it doesn't always work, for there are those who will either respond with monosyllabic answers or single sentences that never exceed ten word. In situations like these, I presume that he/she would rather listen than talk, so I take over, supplying them with information about my work, interests, family, etc. However, never let this turn into 'verbal diarrhea', but pause frequently to let the other person contribute. You still need to keep asking question (even if you are only going to get one word answers) to make the person feel like he/she is part of the questions, and not just an audience to self absorbed speaker.

Always remember that the questions to keep a conversation going are open ended ones. Try not to ask a question that can be answered with a yes or a no. When talking to a woman, instead of saying "I like your dress", say "I like your dress, where did you get it from?". This can open up the subject, to which many questions can follow, such as, "do you usually shop there?", "Have you been to the new store at....?". You can also add with "I like the styles and fabrics at ....", "You can get an amazing bargain at...", etc. If the occasion involves a meal, there is plenty to talk about there. You can talk about the foods you like, interesting foods you may have experimented with, a healthier way of cooking, you culinary skills (or lack of them) and you can even throw in a restaurant disaster story.

I hope these tips will leave you comfortable in the knowledge of how to keep a conversation going. A few more tips: never contradict or flatly disagree with the other person and don't be forceful with your opinions.