Here is a list I created of hundreds of ESL conversation / discussion questions that you can use in a conversation English class. I will update and expand the ESL conversation questions list on an ongoing basis. For a list of speech topics, please visit this page.
ESL Conversation Questions (EFL Discussion Questions)
- English Conversation Topics Teachers
- English Conversation Topics For Beginners
- English Conversation Topics For Kids
Jump to a conversation question category:
Animals / Beauty / Crime / Drugs / Education / Entertainment / Emergency / English / Environment / Family / Future / Food / Health / Holiday / Homosexuality / Housing / Internet / Money / Philosophy / Politics / Punishment / Relationships & Love / Science & Religion / Sports & Leisure / Travel / Technology / Work / Other
Animals ESL Conversation Questions
Could a chihuahua be a police dog?
If you had to be raised by animals in the wild, what animals would be the best parents?
If you could be an animal, what animal would you choose to be and why?
Beauty ESL Conversation Questions
If you could change one thing about your appearance, what would it be?
What do you find most attractive in people of the opposite sex?
What do you think of tattoos?
Can aging be prevented or slowed?
What’s your opinion of beauty pageants like Miss Universe?
How have our ideas about beauty changed historically? What does this tell us?
What are some common fashion faux-pas people make?
How important is it for your partner to be beautiful?
What message does the media send to young people about beauty?
What message is more important to send to overweight youth: ‘be happy with yourself’ or ‘lose weight’?
Some airlines and restaurants seem to only hire attractive people. Is this discrimination? Should it be legal?
Have you ever bought art? What kind of art interests you?
Crime ESL Conversation Questions
Have you ever witnessed a crime?
Do you trust the police to help you when you’re in need? Why or why not?
Have you ever had to use violence to protect yourself?
Should downloading music (without paying for it) be a criminal offense?
France has banned ‘psychological violence’. What do you think this means?
How would you define terrorism?
What were you doing when the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened?
Do you think there is terrorist activity happening in your area?
What is ‘racial profiling’?
Being a patriot: would you go to war to fight terrorism?
The most wanted: who are the most wanted criminals in your country?
Was the US-lead invasion of Iraq in 2003 an act of terrorism?
Personal rights: A month after 9/11, the Bush government signed a law named the US Patriot Act. This law allowed the government to closely monitor telephone calls, emails, and other personal data. Would you support such a law in an emergency?
Have you ever had to take the law into your own hands?
Does your country have jury duty? Have you ever done it?
Is it possible to get rid of corruption?
Would you commit a crime to save your family?
Robin Hood: is it okay to steal from the rich to help the poor?
Should people be able to carry weapons?
Does your country need more or fewer surveillance cameras?
Should hitchhiking be illegal? Have you done it?
Did you get caught stealing as a child?
What reputation do the police have in your country?
Have the police ever wounded or killed an innocent citizen?
What are some proactive ways to prevent crime before it happens?
What characteristics should a good police officer have? What characteristics do they often have?
What measures are in place to protect your safety right now? Are they sufficient?
What are the best strategies for self-defense? Is your country becoming more or less violent?
Who in society should be allowed to carry weapons? What kind of weapons?
Do video games, TV, and movies have a negative influence on youth?
Can criminals such as paedophiles and rapists truly be rehabilitated?
Do you know any unsolved mysteries from your town, city, or country?
Should miniskirts be banned?
Drugs ESL Conversation Questions
When you’re sick, do you use medicine?
Do you support the use of clinical marijuana?
Was drug use a problem in your high school?
Should the legal drinking age be changed?
Should patents held by pharmaceutical companies be bypassed in order to help those in need (e.g. people suffering from HIV in Africa?)
Education ESL Conversation Questions
Is it easy to get a job after graduation in your country?
How can educators and parents promote creativity in children?
How would you compare the quality of education in your country to other countries?
Do you prefer public or private schools?
Should evolution or creationism be taught at schools?
Who should be responsible for teaching sexual education to children and teenagers?
Is a university degree enough in your country to get a good job?
Is ‘the student life’ the best time in people’s lives?
Should researchers at universities also be required to teach classes?
How does your country’s education system rate globally?
Who was your favorite teacher from your school days? Describe him or her.
Should young children be required to learn English? If so, from what age?
What do you think of home schooling?
Language development: what’s the best way to raise a bilingual child?
Your son has just come home from school. He is crying because a bully at school beat him up. What do you tell your son?
What are your fondest (best) memories of high school?
What regrets do you have? What classifications of students existed in your high school (e.g. nerds, athletes, etc.)?Which were you part of?
How would you compare your high school generation to today’s generation of teenagers?
Should children be prohibited from reading certain books? Has reading made you a better person?
Do you have any tips for giving a successful speech or presentation?
Entertainment ESL Conversation Questions
Who is your favorite celebrity?
What genre of books or movies do you enjoy?
What is your favorite science fiction movie about the future?
Will TV exist in 20 years?
What do you think of rap music?
Why do many celebrities have drug and alcohol problems?
What do you think of the paparazzi? How can they be controlled?
What’s your opinion of video games? What are the pros and cons of letting children play video games?
Do video games make people, particularly children, violent?
Emergency ESL Conversation Questions
What is a natural disaster? What are some kinds of natural disasters?
Have their been any major disasters in your area?
What are some major disasters that you can remember?
If you had one minute to leave your home, what would you take with you?
If you lost everything, how would you rebuild your life?
What would you do if you lost all of your possessions?
Would you rather burn or freeze to death?
Could you live in an area that could have a natural disaster at any moment?
English ESL Conversation Questions
How long have you been studying English?
Why are you studying English?
In your experience, what studying methods are most effective for you?
Are English movies in your country shown with subtitles or are they dubbed?
If you could speak English perfectly, how would your life change?
Environment ESL Conversation Questions
Is global warming happening?
Is recycling too much of a hassle?
What happens to recyclable materials after they are picked up from your house?
Should developing countries be required to cut emissions as well?
What is your opinion of nuclear energy? Which kind of energy do you support?
Do you believe overpopulation is a major issue? If so, what can be done about it?
How will the world look in 100 years?
What is your opinion of nuclear energy? Which kind of energy do you support?
Are the rivers and beach areas in your city or town polluted? Would you swim there?
Concerning the production of energy, which is the most important consideration: human value or environmental risk?
Where do you draw the line between worrying about safety and living your life?
Could you live in an area that could have a natural disaster at any moment?
Family ESL Conversation Questions
What household chore do you despise the most? Should men and women share the responsibility for housework 50/50?
What are the advantages of raising a family in your country?
Would you adopt a child?
If you became elderly and alone, would you rather live in a senior citizen’s home or with your children?
Is it common in your country for people to live with their grandparents?
Is it good or bad to be a single child?
What do you think of squatting?
Why do many people dislike their parents-in-law?
Were you ever left alone or lost for a long time as a child? Or have you ever lost a child?
What does “alternative parenting” mean? What are some alternative parenting ideas?
If you could choose, would you rather have a daughter or a son?
Do you plan to spend your life savings before you die or leave it for your family?
It is often said that “what a man does in the privacy of his own home is his business.” Is this true?
Where did your ancestors come from originally? Were they immigrants?
Violence: Is it ever okay to hit a child? What is the custom or law in your country?
Due to population growth and environmental problems, should families have fewer kids?
Is it better for a child to have one parent or two homosexual parents? Is it tradition in your culture for women to adopt their husband’s last name? Is this fair?
In your country, are mother’s allowed maternity leave (from work)? What about paternity leave for fathers?
What is a mid-life crisis? How can one be avoided?
When are children old enough to move out of the house?
What is the best environment to raise a family in (e.g. apartment, village, etc)?
Is there anything funny or different about your family?
Does someone in your family maintain a family tree?
How important is it to you (or your parents) that you pass on your genes, i.e. have children?
What important advice you want to pass on to your children?
Food ESL Conversation Questions
Have you ever had food poisoning?
What do you think of custom of giving an 15-18% tip in North America?
What is the worst thing you’ve eaten?
What do you think of GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms)?
Does your country have any ‘strange’ food?
Is the tap water safe to drink in your country? Or do you prefer bottled water?
Do you eat junk food?
Should children be raised to eat everything on their plates?
Would you eat horse meat?
Future ESL Conversation Questions
When you were a child, what did you imagine the future would be like?
Imagine you could live twice as long. How would you use your time?
How do you think human civilization will ultimately end?
Health ESL Conversation Questions
Are you addicted to anything, such as coffee, tobacco?
What is the best cure for a hangover?
What is the ideal amount of sleep to get per night? Are you getting it?
Have you heard of the paleolithic diet? What is it?
What would you do if the doctor told you that you only had a month to live?
Do schools in your countries have cafeterias? Do they serve healthy food?
What’s the best way to lose weight?
How are the health services in your country?
Is evolution still happening?
If you found an elixir that, once drank, would allow you to live forever, would you drink it?
Do you worry about the safety of the food you eat? What won’t you buy?
Fasting: Some people go without food for a long time to improve their bodies or minds. Can not eating make your body and mind healthier and stronger?
Is it expensive to get medicine and treatment from a doctor in your country?
Are you a hypochondriac?
What methods are used in your country to prevent pregnancy?
What important factors should a couple consider before having a baby?
Do you believe today’s generation of teenagers are more sexually active than the generation of 30 years ago? If so, why?
What is something you are not spending enough time doing?
Would you consider being a sperm donor?
What do you think of your country’s health care system?
Do you think our culture is too dependent on medicine? Have you ever had a near-death experience?
Does everyone have a right to free basic health care?
What would you do if you found an unconscious person lying on the street and there were no telephones nearby?
Have you ever given or been given the Heimlich maneuver?
Do you believe people of the same blood-type have similar characters?
Have you ever donated blood? Do you think technology will help humans live longer and longer?
Should some vaccinations be mandatory? Without exemptions?
Would you rather be blind or deaf?
Would you rather be quite short or quite tall? Why?
In what ways, if any, are you superior to a caveman?
What’s your opinion of tanning, and tanning salons?
Holiday ESL Conversation Questions
What is your favorite holiday and why?
Does your country have any special holidays or festivals?
Is Christmas celebrated in your country? If so, how is it celebrated?
What are the best and worst gifts you have ever received? What is the meaning of Christmas?
Do you become a better person every year?
What food is associated with Christmas?
Do you have any funny Christmas stories?
Do you make a New Year’s resolution every year?
Homosexuality ESL Conversation Questions
Does your city have any gay pride events?
Are there any jobs homosexuals should be prohibited from doing?
Do you believe homosexuality comes from genetics or the environment?
Freud argued that most people have both heterosexual and homosexual tendencies. What do you think of this?
What would you do if you found out your son or daughter were gay?
Why are some people against gay marriage?
How would your parents react if you told them you were gay?
Housing ESL Conversation Questions
What things can make an apartment a great apartment?
Which do you prefer — living in the countryside or the city?
What do you know about your neighbors? Do you get along with them?
What is your neighborhood like? Is it becoming better or worse?
What types of disagreements often arise between neighbors?
Internet ESL Conversation Questions
Are the Internet and websites such as Facebook bringing people closer together or further apart?
Should young children be able to access the Internet freely?
Do you support Wikileaks?
Hacktivism: are hacker groups, like Anonymous, heroes? Do you support them?
Are you a pirate? Do you pay for music, movies, software, and textbooks?
What do you think of dating online? Have you ever done it?
What does it mean if someone is a ‘troll’ on an online message board?
Why is there so much hatred on online message boards?
Money ESL Conversation Questions
What’s the best way to invest in your future?
Do you think we will have cashless societies one day?
Do you have any customer service horror stories?
Have you ever found a large amount of money on the street? If not, what would you do if you did?
Can you explain “inflation”?
If you were rich, what would you change about your life?
Banking: Would banking services improve if banks were made public?
What bank do you bank with? Are you satisfied with its service?
Philosophy ESL Conversation Questions
Do you believe you make real choices in life? Or are all your choices determined by previous conditions?
Does morality come from education? Or is there something in humans that makes us view certain things as good and others as bad?
Do you believe there are things universal moral truths; i.e. things that are considered bad by all human beings everywhere?
Why should we care about others?
English Conversation Topics Teachers
Do you believe in fate or destiny?
If God exists, why are there so many problems in the world?
Does a person’s love for his/her partner differ from his/her love for a friend, child, or car? How so?
Do you believe in the idea of a soul, separate from the physical body?
Would your view on life change if you were severely handicapped?
“Everything is for sale.” What do you think of this statement?
Are there products you won’t buy for ethical reasons? If so, what are they?
What makes your happy?
Do you believe in karma?
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Which idea do you believe in: “Everything in moderation” or “Try everything once“?
Do you think it’s necessary to be a morally good person to succeed in society nowadays?
Political ESL Conversation Questions
Is Democracy the best political system?
If you had your own island to populate, what rules would you make for the people that live there?
What is NATO? What is the role of the organization?
Can democracy work in the Arab world?
Would you be for a one-child policy for overpopulated countries?
Were there any problems with most recent elections in your country?
What role should the international community have in Africa?
Do all countries have the right to have nuclear arms?
Should a country’s leader to limited in serving for only one or two terms?
Do you think countries should share the responsibility of accepting refugees?
Can democracy work in Africa?
Becoming a martyr: Are there any ideals that you would die for?
If you could rebuild your country, what would you change?
What conditions should be required for people who want to legally immigrate to your country?
What is your top complaint about your country’s government?
“History Repeats Itself” – do you believe this? If so, can you give examples?
Do the majority of adults vote in your country?
Do all countries have a right to possess nuclear weapons?
How can a government create jobs?
Punishment ESL Conversation Questions
What was the worst thing you did as a child? Did you get caught?
How did your parents punish you when you were a child?
What was the worst punishment you received as a child? Was it fair?
Should prisoners be required to work?
Can you think of any people who were punished for a crime they didn’t commit?
Is capital punishment (the death penalty) practiced in your country?
Should insane people be punishable by death?
Do you believe capital punishment makes the public not want to commit crimes?
What’s the difference, morally, between capital punishment and torture?
Would mandatory military service be a good idea for your country?
Relationship / Love ESL Conversation Questions
How long should a couple date before they move in together?
Why is the divorce rate so high in many countries?
Should people have fewer children, considering the world’s population and environmental problems?
What are your turn ons and turn offs?
Generally speaking, how do you think the men and women of you country are viewed by foreigners?
Do opposites attract? Or do similar people tend to fall in love?
Are caesarian sections becoming more common in your country?
Would you like to know the gender of your child before it is born?
What is a wedding ceremony like in your country?
How has the idea of marriage changed throughout history?
What do people commonly do on dates in your country?
Do fairy tales create unrealistic expectations for people?
What was the worst date you’ve ever had?
Have you ever tried to set up a friend with someone? Did it work out?
What is the ‘right age’ to get begin dating? Get married?
What do you think about meeting someone through a dating agency or dating website?
Jealousy: is it possible to control this emotion?
Is society becoming more promiscuous? If so, what factors have caused this?
Do you believe in “the one” (does everyone have a ‘perfect match’)?
What are the pros and cons of going out with an older woman (or man)?
Should the man pay on a date?
My Generation: How would you compare your generation to the current generation of youngsters? Would you rather have been born now than when you were?
Have you ever said something you wish you could take back?
Who do you go to when you need advice? What do you think of therapists?
Science & Religion ESL Conversation Questions
Is a scientific explanation of life depressing for you?
Have you ever witnessed a miracle or something supernatural?
“The Survival of the Fittest”: How important are survival skills in our society? Does the term “Survival of the Fittest” still apply?
Is artificial insemination against human nature and evolution?
Are there any strange religious groups in your country?
Nature vs. Nurture: Is intelligence rooted in genetics?
Survival of the Fittest: Do you think society would benefit if we let loose a handful of wild and dangerous animals (e.g. grizzly bears, hippos) into urban areas, e.g. the downtown of your city?
What would life be like if we succeeded in improving the gene pool by 30%?
Should people be allowed to know what their IQ is?
Thou Shalt Not Lie is the 9th Commandment. Do you agree with it?
Do you believe in the distinction between left-brained and right-brained people?
Have you ever witnessed or experienced inexplicable phenomenon? What is déjà vu? Do you occasionally experience it?
Do you believe in stories about out of body experiences?
Sports & Leisure ESL Conversation Questions
Which sports in the Olympics should be added or removed? Who is the most popular athlete from your country? What hobbies would you not let your children do?
What do you know of the history of the Olympics? What are your favorite memories of the Olympics?
Do you envy Olympic athletes? Which do you prefer: the winter or summer Olympics? Why?
Do you think your country should invest more into its athletic programs?
Would you country to be a suitable place to host the Olympics?
If you had to eliminate a sport or several sports from the Olympics, which would you choose?
What is your definition of “sport”? Are synchronized swimming, ballroom dancing, and darts sports?
Do you support investing more money into national athletic programs so your country achieves more Olympic medals?
What do you think of the salaries of professional athletes?
Do you think it’s good for colleges and universities to provide scholarships to athletes?
Technology ESL Conversation Questions
How has technology changed education methods?
Is there a difference between a machine, like a microwave, and a robot? How would you define “robot”?
Is it possible to give Artificial Intelligence (AI) to robots?
Will robots cause rising unemployment in the future?
How are people different from computers?
Are you scared of how much information Internet companies such as Google have about you?
Do you think humans will one day inhabit other planets?
Do you support investing large amounts of money into space exploration?
Has a computer virus ever caused problems for you? What steps do you take to protect your data and privacy?
What are some of the greatest achievements and inventions of mankind? Make a list with your classmates.
Travel ESL Conversation Questions
What’s the best way to find deals on travel?
If you had to immigrate to another country, where would you go? Why?
Do you prefer active or relaxing holidays?
Do you like packaged holiday tours?
What was your worst holiday?
“When in Rome, do as the Romans” — do you agree with this idea?
Does your country have many tourists? What do you think of them?
What are the best places to visit in your city or town?
If you could only pack five things for a trip to an unknown place, what would you take?
Who are the worst tourists?
What are some common travel scams? Have you been the victim of a travel scam?
English Conversation Topics For Beginners
Work ESL Conversation Questions
What is the worst job you have ever had?
What is your dream job?
Do you think human beings need to work to be happy?
What are the minimum things you need to do your work effectively? Do you have them?
What do you believe are the top predictors of job performance?
Do people commonly work from home in your company? What do you think of this?
Do you think 40 hours a week is too much for humans?
What do you see yourself doing in your retirement?
Do you have a pension or adequate savings for retirement?
What motivates you to work hard?
Other than increasing salaries, what can employers do to make their workers happy?
Do women often face discrimination in the workplace in your country?
Have you experienced sexual harassment in the workplace?
What is your best achievement?
Do you get any perks (or fringe benefits) from your employer?
What is the retirement age in your country?
Is it true that ‘no job is perfect’?
Have you ever had a manager or coworker that you couldn’t get along with?
What are some inappropriate questions to ask in job interviews?
What are some tough job interview questions? How would you answer them?
What would you do if you were fired from your job?
How is the economic recession affecting your field?
If you could go back in time, would you study something different?
Work Hours: Can countries that have a shorter workweek stay competitive?
Stereotyping: Do national stereotypes hold any truth? If so, how much?
Retirement: Should women who’ve had children be allowed to retire earlier?
Are jobs in the public sector sought after in your country? Why or why not?
Do you have any interesting job interview stories?
Should interviewers be prohibited from asking about age, marital status, residency, etc?
Do you know companies that have bad reputations? What for?
What companies do you feel overcharge or abuse their customers?
If you had your own company, what type of policies, dress code, workspace, etc would you have?
What are some things you should and should not do if you are organizing a business dinner?
What are some important factors to consider for starting a small business?
If you had your own business, what kind of business would it be and how would you run it?
Other ESL Conversation Questions
Which of your possessions could you not live without?
Do you have any regrets?
If you could travel in time, to what time would you go and why?
What are some things you would like to accomplish before death?
If you had the power to make a new law, what law would you enact?
Have you ever used Groupon? What do you think of it?
Why do people sing in the shower?
Have you ever had a near-death experience? (note: please avoid telling extremely sad stories) What are potentially deadly things that you encounter every day?
What makes you feel better when you’re angry or depressed?
If you could be a child again for a day, what would you do?
– Matthew Barton / Englishcurrent.com
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English Conversation Topics For Kids
A list of conversation topics suitable for advanced level learners of English.
♦Note:
It's a good idea to pre-teach essential vocabulary before beginning a discussion.
This will help students feel more comfortable and encourage them to participate.
- Fake news
Fake news (fabricated news) is the deliberate spread of misinformation. Sensationalist, dishonest or outright fabricated headlines are often used to increase readership. - Do you agree with the above definition?
- Where do we most often find fake news? (newspapers, social media ...)
- What sort of fake news can you think of? (politics, show business...)
- How can we tell if a news story is ‘fake’ or not? (checking sources, dates, photos…)
- What is the purpose of the misinformation?
- Is fake news used in election campaigns?
- Have any countries recently been accused of spreading fake news?
- Can you think of ways to prevent the circulation of fake news?
- Violence in the world today
- When you hear the word 'violence', what do you think of?
- Is the world more violent today?
- Are there different sorts of violence? (physical / mental /psychological/domestic …)
- What forms of violence have you noticed?
- Do people tend to be more violent when they group together? (gangs / mobs / crowds…)
- In what areas is there an increase in the level of violence? (football, politics, religion, environment …)
- What are the causes of violence? (jealousy, frustration, unemployment, poverty, conspiracy theories, fake news …)
- What violent conflicts are going on around the world?
- Does the repetition of violent images in TV news reports have a positive or negative effect?
- Does violence ever achieve anything?
- Is the increase in violence a worldwide phenomenon?
- What could be done to reduce violence?
- Annoying things
- Do people have habits that annoy you?
- Do you annoy people with some of your habits?
- What does 'pet peeve' mean?
- Do you have a pet peeve?
- What annoys you when you are driving a car?
- What are some things that car drivers do that annoy you?
- Does it annoy you if someone cuts in front of you when you are waiting in line?
- Does smoking bother you?
- Does something that your parents or friends do annoy you?
- Do some people in your office/company do annoying things?
- Can you think of any celebrities that are annoying? Why?
- What do people do on public transport or on the street that annoys you?
- Success-Failure
- How would you define success?
- Do you have the same idea of success as your parents?
- To what extent will your encourage your children to become successful?
- Do you think failures can contribute to a person's success?
- Can you think of any famous people who encountered failure before success?
- Social Networking
- What is social networking?
- Can social networking sites be dangerous?
- What precautions would you advise people to take?
- Should the use of social networking sites be banned at work?
- Are social networking sites changing our daily behaviour?
- Is it possible to become a social networking addict?
- Diseases
- What dangerous diseases are people scared of nowadays?
- Should we be better-informed about the dangers of these diseases?
- What is the best way to stop diseases from spreading?
- Do diseases have an effect on travel?
- Which disease is it urgent to find a cure for?
- Manners
- Are good manners important?
- Do people have better manners today than before?
- Can you give examples of what you think are good manners?
- What do you think are bad manners?
- Can good manners in one country be bad manners in another country?
- What about table manners? Can you give examples of some good table manners?
- How about bad table manners?
- Can manners affect your success in life? How?
- What's the best way to teach manners to children?
- What advice about manners would you give a foreigner visiting your country?
- News coverage in the media today.
- Do you think news coverage today correctly describes what is going on in the world?
- Do you trust everything you hear or see on the news?
- What improvements would you make?
- What is the most important current news story?
- Do certain types of events get too much/too little coverage?
- Do you trust the media? Are you sure the information given is always true?
- Is it important to keep up with current events?
- Job interviews
- Is it necessary to prepare for a job interview?
- How can a person make a good first impression?
- Is there a recommended dress code for an interview?
- Can you think of any difficult questions one should be prepared for?
- Is there anything a candidate should avoid mentioning?
- Is it ok to make negative comments about your present employer?
- Is it ok for interviewers to ask questions about age, marital status, etc.?
- What information should a candidate have about the company?
- Environment
- What are some of the most serious environmental problems today?
- Can you find ten things that each of us can do to help preserve our planet?
- What is your opinion on climate change?
- In what way will our children be affected by climate change?
- How can we make our homes more environmentally friendly?
- What can companies do to help preserve the environment?
- Which countries cause the most pollution?
- If we run out of oil, where will we get our energy from?
- Shopping on the internet
- Do you often do your shopping online?
- What do you buy online? :
- food
- clothes
- furniture
- services : airline tickets, theatre reservations, flowers, greeting cards ...
- other - Are the prices the same as in the shops/agencies or less expensive?
- Have you ever had any disappointments or bad surprises?
- What are the advantages of shopping online?
- What are the dangers?
- What advice would you give future online shoppers?
- Risk
- What is your definition of risk?
- Do you know any risk takers?
- In your opinion why do people take risks? (pleasure, work, challenge ...)
- What risks do you come across in your work/life?
- Are some people obliged to take risks in their jobs?
- When is a risk stupid or unnecessary?
- Politicians' personal lives.
- Does a politician's personal life have an effect on their ability to do their job?
- Do you think the media pays too much attention to politicians' personal lives?
- Why do certain types of media give excessive coverage to minor offences?
- Information concerning personal lives circulates quickly on social networks.
Is this good or bad?
- History for future generations.
- You are asked to select a number of objects to represent life at the beginning of the 21st century.
The idea is to help future generations better understand how we lived and what major events affected us.
What objects would your choose and why?
- You are asked to select a number of objects to represent life at the beginning of the 21st century.
- Technology
- What technology would it be difficult to live without today?
- Has technology changed our everyday lifestyle?
- What technology, if any, has made our homes more comfortable?
- Has technology changed education methods?
- Will online education one day replace the classroom?
- Travelling has become easier and cheaper. What has it changed in people's lives:
- speed, comfort, health, family relationships, etc.
- work/employment
- holiday habits
- way of life/standard of living in certain countries.
- Describe the best or worst trip you ever took:
- Where did you go?
- Did you travel alone or with a group?
- What did you do / what had you intended to do?
- What made it your best (or worst) trip?
- What advice would you give someone planning the same sort of trip?
- Work
- Do human beings need to work to be happy?
- What motivates people to work long hours?
- Can perks (or fringe benefits) compensate for a boring job?
- What are the advantages/disadvantages of working from home?
- How do people find a balance between work and personal life?
- What would make you leave your job?
- In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world?
- Is life today better than in the past? Think about the following:
- Education - employment - job satisfaction
- Health : prevention, treatment, new discoveries, social security, etc.
- Comfort : standard of living (housing/transport/leisure)
- Violence
- Social issues : single mothers, unmarried couples, homosexuality ...
- Inventions
- What invention has had the greatest impact on our lives?
- Are there some things that never should have been invented?
- Do some countries encourage inventors more than others?
- What are the 5 most important decisions in a person's life?
After making suggestions and defending their ideas, the group retains five of them and decides on the order of importance. - It is impossible to have a successful career and a happy family life.
You have to choose one or the other. Do you agree? - Careers today: how to advise young people
- How important is it to have a good (well-paid/secure) job?
- What advice would you give a young person today?
- Would you encourage your children to accept a job in another country?
- Would you be disappointed if your children
- left school early?
- chose a manual job?
- The internet is an essential communication tool in today's world.
- The first and most popular use is the email. What others can you think of?
- Has fraud increased since the arrival of the internet? How?
- Is the internet sometimes used for other dishonest purposes?
- What steps would you advise to protect data and privacy?
- What do you think the internet will be used for in the future?
- Recent physical achievements (crossing the Atlantic, mountain climbing, etc.).
- How many can you think of?
- Which achievement was the most impressive?
- Are the world's best athletes present at the Olympic Games?
- What do you think of 'extreme' sports (bungee jumping, tightrope walking...)?
- The effects of medical and scientific progress:
- health (prevention, treatment, organ transplants, rare diseases, etc.)
- beauty (plastic surgery, dental care, etc.)
- comfort in the home
- transport
see also:
Unfinished sentences - advanced
Conversation topics - intermediate
Conversation topics - business
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