# Small talk practice drill: answer openers out loud

Read the opener, press start and reply out loud as if a stranger just said it to you, then press stop to see your words, pace, filler words and transcript. A reply that keeps small talk going answers the opener, adds one detail and hands a question back, in about 10 to 20 seconds.

By the Speaking Coach team at Sodhera Intelligence. Updated 2026-10-22. Source: https://www.orecci.com/speaking-coach/tools/small-talk-drill/

## How to use it

1. Read the opener in the box. Imagine where you are: a party, a coffee line, the seat next to someone at a conference.
2. Press **Start speaking** and reply out loud straight away. Hesitating is part of what you're practicing.
3. Press **Stop** and look at the word count and transcript.
4. Press **Another prompt** and keep going. Fifteen openers take about ten minutes.

## Answer, add, ask

Most small talk dies because the reply closes the door. "Good, thanks" is polite but leaves the other person to do all the work. A reply that keeps it going has three parts:

1. **Answer** the question honestly and briefly.
2. **Add** one specific detail they can pick up on.
3. **Ask** something back, ideally linked to your detail.

| Opener | Reply that closes it | Reply that keeps it going |
| --- | --- | --- |
| "How's your day going?" | "Fine, thanks." | "Better now. I spent the morning moving furniture, so sitting down feels great. What about you, have you come from work?" |
| "How do you know the host?" | "We work together." | "We sit next to each other at work. She talked me into coming, and she said the food would be good. How about you?" |
| "Busy week?" | "Yeah, pretty busy." | "Very. We launched something on Tuesday, so I'm running on coffee. Yours?" |
| "Are you from around here?" | "No." | "No, I moved here in spring from the coast. I'm still finding the good coffee places. Any tips?" |

These are examples of the pattern. Use your own real details; true ones are easier to say and to follow up on.

## What to look for in your results

- **Words.** A reply of roughly 25 to 50 words is about 10 to 20 seconds. Under 10 words usually means you closed the door. Over 80 usually means you've started a monologue.
- **Fillers at the start.** "Um, uh, yeah, so" before your answer is normal on the first try. On the second try, start with the answer itself.
- **A question at the end.** Check the transcript. If your reply has no question in it, the other person has to restart the conversation.
- **Pace.** Small talk is usually relaxed. A very fast reply can sound like you want it to be over.

## Tips for keeping it going

- **Give them a hook.** "Moving furniture" or "launched something" are easy things to ask about. "Fine" isn't.
- **Ask open questions.** "What brought you here?" goes further than "Is this your first time?"
- **Notice their details.** When they mention something specific, ask about that before you change topic.
- **Have a way out ready.** Knowing how you'll leave makes starting easier. See [how to end a conversation politely](/speaking-coach/small-talk/how-to-end-a-conversation/).

When someone keeps giving short answers, the problem may not be you. See [what to do with one-word answers](/speaking-coach/small-talk/one-word-answers/). For practice beyond the first reply, Speaking Coach's phone app has a stranger who says hi and keeps talking, so you practice the second and third turns too.

## Questions people ask

### What should I say when I don't know what to talk about?

Comment on what you share right now: the place, the event, the food, the weather, the line you're both standing in. Then ask a question about it.

### Is it rude to ask "What do you do?"

Not usually, but it can feel like an interview opener. "What keeps you busy these days?" invites work or anything else.

### How do I sound less awkward?

Practice the first few seconds out loud. Most of the awkward feeling comes from not knowing how to start your reply, and that improves with repetition.

### What if someone asks something too personal?

Give a short, friendly non-answer and turn it back to something general: "Oh, long story. How about you, have you been here before?"

### Does it record me?

No audio is saved. Your browser turns speech into text and the counting happens on your device.

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