What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to recognise and use the features that make spoken English sound natural.
When do I use it?
Conversational English is relaxed, personal and full of features that formal English avoids:
- Contractions: I'm, don't, it's, we'll, gonna, wanna.
- Phrasal verbs: pick up, hang out, get along, work out, turn up.
- Question tags: "It's cold, isn't it?" "You're coming, right?"
- Fillers and responses: well, you know, kind of, really? no way!
- Informal vocabulary: kids, guys, a lot of, stuff, things.
Use it with friends and family, in chats, and when speaking casually.
How do I form it?
contractions + phrasal verbs + tags + informal words
- "I'm gonna hang out with the guys later."
- "The test was hard, wasn't it?"
- "We kind of worked it out in the end."
- "That's really cool, you know?"
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
Contractions are essential in speech — "I do not know" sounds stiff and robotic. Use "I don't know". But do NOT use conversational English in formal writing or exams: "gonna" and "wanna" in an essay look careless. Also, learn phrasal verbs as chunks rather than translating verbs: "recoger" is "pick up", not "pick". Question tags need the matching auxiliary: "you're coming, aren't you?" — not "no?" from Spanish.
Speech: contract, use phrasal verbs and tags. Writing: keep it fuller. Match the tag to the auxiliary.
Practice
Multiple Choice
C1Which sentence sounds naturally conversational?
Fill in the Blank
C1You're coming to the party, you?
Hint: The question tag repeats the auxiliary: 'you're... aren't you'.
Find the Error
C1Multiple Choice
C1Which is a phrasal verb?
Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: C1