TESOL/Changing the subject

If I could just say something...

Key sentences

Person talking Person changing the subject
I saw a great basketball game on TV last night. Speaking of (topic,) ...
Person talking Person changing the subject
To get back to (topic,) ... Yes, you were saying...

Drills

Say these sentences without looking.

Speaking of (topic,) ...
topic, sentence
sports, Speaking of sports, ...
basketball, Speaking of basketball, ...
last night, Speaking of last night, ...
TV, Speaking of TV, ...
To get back to (topic,) ...
topic, sentence
what I was saying, To get back to what I was saying, ...
the basketball game, To get back to the basketball game, ...
the game I was talking about, To get back to the game I was talking about, ...
what I was talking about, To get back to what I was talking about, ...

Example

Practice this conversation.

Person talking Person changing the subject
I saw a great basketball game on TV last night. Speaking of (sports,) ...
Person talking Person changing the subject
To get back to (what I was saying,) ... Yes, you were saying...


Change partners. Use your imagination and change the sentences.

Exercise

Use your imagination. Make your own conversation.

Person talking Person changing the subject

I saw a great basketball game on TV last night.

Speaking of ... ...

Person talking Person changing the subject
To get back to ... ... Yes, you were saying...


Change partners. Use your imagination and make another conversation.

Practice

Person talking Person changing the subject
Choose a topic. Try to keep the conversation about your topic. Choose a different topic. Try to keep the conversation about your topic instead.

Further study


  Resource type: this resource is a lesson in English as a second language.