Ever been in the middle of a conversation that seemed to be moving along perfectly well, when all of a sudden a pause sneaks up on you and your partner, and you can't think up something to say? It feels the both of you hit a brick wall at the same time. I've gone through plenty of times until I started using a few interesting questions consistently.
With the following questions you can ask to keep a conversation going, anyone can learn this simple method for moving past the conversational roadblocks that haunt all of us from time to time. These are broad, generic questions that can be tailored to your specific situation and conversation partner.
#1 - What do you think about this [restaurant, bar, office, conference, etc.]?
This is any question that grounds a conversation to the immediate environment and helps cement a common bond between you and your partner.
#2 - Do you recommend any good [restaurants, bars, clubs, parks, etc.]?
This question is a great way to find new places to frequent. You may grab yourself a new date or friend.
#3 - What do you think of [someone you and your partner both know]?
Be careful with this question, though, as it may lead the conversation into contentious waters.
#4 - What are some of the things you enjoy doing in your spare time?
This is an excellent question to use to learn about the other person. What makes this question interesting is the person can be a stay at home mother, not have to talk about work, and direct the conversation to something fun. It can also be a great way to gauge their enthusiasm level for the conversation. A short, clipped response means they aren't into it.
#5 - What are your plans for the weekend?
It keeps the conversation moving forward, and may lead to a weekend date between the two of you.
#6 - What do you like to do this time of the year?
This is a good question to onclick=pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href="" keep the conversation going if you are running out of things to say, but be careful of making general statements.
#7 - Have you traveled abroad? Where?
This is the perfect question to ask if you are interested in finding out about your partner's history and forging a deeper connection with them. Don't focus on facts, but move the conversation into a discussion on emotional experiences like why they visited Africa, for example.
#8 - What are your plans for later today?
Consider this as a question to continue the conversation, and be prepared to ask follow-ups to their response.
#9 - What do you think about [major current event that's in the headlines]?
Current events are always a great thing to discuss, because everybody usually has an opinion.
#10 - What is your favorite style of cuisine?
Again, a good question to ask if you want to learn more about your conversation partner and you want to keep the discussion rolling, because everyone has a favorite style of food.
Notice that all of these questions are open-ended, designed to elicit an in-depth response from your conversation partner. These questions are designed as a template to give you ideas on how to keep a conversation going in various situations, locations, and while discussing various topics.
If these questions fail to keep the conversation going, you must reveal information about yourself first. It seems asking about someone's favorite food is simple and obvious, but talk about your favorite food first, when you like to have it, and the satisfaction it gives you, then ask. Your conversational partner will answer comprehensively and the conversation will flow.
