How to Meet People and Start a Chat

1 Section 1. 🎯 Purpose & What ‘Good’ Looks Like

The goal is to greet a new person, say your name, and ask about them. Good means you can start a chat and keep it friendly. The tone is informal and warm. You can use this at a party, a new workplace, or school.

Good examples:
“Hello, I am Emma. Nice to meet you.”
“How are you? I am fine, thank you.”

2 Section 2. 🧭 Move Map (Step-by-Step Strategy)

Move 1: Greet and say your name
Purpose: Start the meeting.
Starters: “Hello, I am [name].” or “Hi, my name is [name].”

Move 2: Ask the other person’s name
Purpose: Learn their name.
Starters: “What is your name?” or “And you?”

Move 3: Say ‘Nice to meet you’
Purpose: Be polite.
Starters: “Nice to meet you, [name].”

Move 4: Ask a simple question
Purpose: Continue the chat.
Starters: “Where are you from?” or “What do you do?”

Move 5: Answer and ask back
Purpose: Show interest.
Starters: “I am from [place]. And you?”

Move 6: End the chat
Purpose: Leave politely.
Starters: “Goodbye, see you later.”

3 Section 3. 💬 Phrasebank by Function (Grouped Starters)

Greetings
Neutral: “Hello.”
Informal: “Hi!” / “Hey!”

Introducing yourself
Neutral: “I am [name].”
Informal: “I’m [name].” (short for I am)

Asking for a name
Neutral: “What is your name?”
Informal: “What’s your name?”

Showing pleasure
Neutral: “Nice to meet you.”
Informal: “Good to meet you.”

Asking about origin
Neutral: “Where are you from?”
Informal: “Where do you come from?”

Asking about job
Neutral: “What do you do?”
Informal: “What is your job?”

Saying goodbye
Neutral: “Goodbye.”
Informal: “See you later.” / “Bye!”

4 Section 4. 📨 Micro-Templates (Email/Chat) — two concise models

Template 1: Chat message (informal)
Subject: (no subject)
Hi [name],
I am [your name]. Nice to meet you on this chat group. I work as a [job]. Where are you from?
Talk later!

Template 2: Email (simple, for a new colleague)
Subject: Hello from [your name]
Dear [name],
My name is [your name]. I am new in the [team/department]. I am from [place]. I look forward to meeting you.
Best wishes,
[Your name]

5 Section 5. 🎭 Micro-Dialogues in Action (2–3 short scenes)

Scene 1: At the office (informal)
Emma: “Hello, I am Emma.”
Liam: “Hi Emma, I’m Liam.”
Emma: “Nice to meet you, Liam. What do you do?”
Liam: “I am a designer. And you?”
Emma: “I work in sales.”
Liam: “Great! See you later.”

Scene 2: At a party (informal)
Mia: “Hi! I’m Mia.”
Tom: “Hey Mia, I’m Tom.”
Mia: “Where are you from?”
Tom: “I am from London.”
Mia: “Cool. I’m from Manchester.”
Tom: “Nice! Want a drink?”
Mia: “Yes, please.”

Scene 3: At university (neutral-informal)
Sara: “Hello. I am Sara.”
Jake: “Hi Sara. My name is Jake.”
Sara: “Nice to meet you. What do you study?”
Jake: “I study English. And you?”
Sara: “I study business.”
Jake: “Great. See you in class.”

6 Section 6. ⚠️ Pitfalls → Fixes → Best (contrast set)

Pitfall 1: Forgetting to say your name
Bad: “Hello, nice to meet you.” (No name)
Better: “Hello, I am Emma. Nice to meet you.”
Best: “Hi, I’m Emma. Nice to meet you.”

Pitfall 2: Asking only one question and then stopping
Bad: “Where are you from?” … (silence)
Better: “Where are you from? I am from Spain.”
Best: “Where are you from? I am from Spain. And you?”

Pitfall 3: Not saying goodbye
Bad: (just walk away)
Better: “Bye.”
Best: “Nice to meet you. See you later.”