BOOKING SEATS & BUYING A TICKET

A. Conversation at the Cinema

• Give me two tickets for the balcony, please.
• Please give (sixty rupees).
• We need corner seats. Here is the money.
• It is the third row from the back. These are good seats.
• Thank you very much. Has the film started?
• No it hasn’t started yet. You are in time for the film.
• What about the electricity situation here? I hope it doesn’t go very often.
• You don’t have to worry on that account, sir. We have our own generator for electricity.

B. Specifying the performance

• What’s the programme on Sunday?
• What’s on Wednesday evening?
• I’m trying to get tickets for Space Wars.
• I want to see (Carmen) on Thursday
• Is Rigoletto on Friday evening?
• What time is the performance this evening?
• What time is the show?

C. Booking seats

• I’d like two seats.
• I’d like to book two seats.
• Can I have two seats for this evening?
• Have you got any seats left for this evening?
• I’d like a seat for the 8 o’clock show.
• I’d like two for the 7:30 performance.
• In the stalls.
• In the balcony.
• Upstairs/Downstairs.
• At the front/Near the back.
• In the first row.
• In one of the back five rows.
• At the side/In the middle.
• Is that a good seat? /Are those good seats?
• What are they like?
• Can you see/her all right from there?

D. Asking about the show

• When/What time should I/we be there?
• Will you hold the tickets for me till 7:30?
• How long does it/the performance last?
• What time does it end?
• When does the performance end?
• Is there an interval?
• How many intervals are there?

E. Finding the ticket office

• Where can I get a ticket?
• Where do I buy a ticket?
• Is there a ticket office near here?
• Where can I get a plane ticket to Kochi?
• Where’s the nearest travel agency?
• You can get your ticket on the corner.
• It’s on the left/right.
• You get the ticket from the man on board the bus.

F Buying a ticket

• What sort of ticket do I need/should I get?
• What do I need (to leave here today and return next Sunday)?
• Should I get a weekend return?
• One, please.
• Two singles to Mumbai.
• London return.
• A return ticket to Bangalore, please.
• I’d like one seat on the two o’clock
• Can I have a return ticket to Mumbai, please?
• How much is it?
• How much does it cost?
• How much does a weekend return cost?
• Is there a special price for students?
• Is it cheaper on Sundays?
• Can I pay by Card?
• Is this ticket all right for the airport?
• Is this valid for the return journey?
• Is this the right ticket for this train?
• Does this take me to Dover first class?
• Can I book a sleeper here?
• I’d like to send my luggage ahead
• I want a smoking seat.

Suggestions : Agreeing or Disagreeing.

A. Making a suggestion

• Shall we go now?
• How about buying a new car?
• Why don’t you let out that Apartment to John?
• Couldn’t we ask Mr. David?
• Let’s hold up the cleaning up tomorrow.
• You can look at them one by one, if you like.
• Let’s go by bus.
• How about a cup of Tea?
• Let’s go in the same Bus as Mary.
• Why don’t we look in the local directory?
• Why not go in a house boat?
• Get an electrician to come and fix it.
• I guess you’d better go right now.
• I think it’d be a good idea to ask him to come with us.
• Let’s take a break for a while.
• Shall we go out for a meal this evening?
• Let’s not fix the date now.
• We might try explaining it to him.
• Have you tried drinking a little warm milk before going to bed?
• You might have a look at this TV show.
• How about a jacket to go with these trousers?
• What about another day, then?
• We could stop now, if you like.
• I think you should go right away.
• Let’s go and have a look.
• I suggest we take up the matter with his superiors.
• We could try and explain it to them, if you like.

B. To show strong agreement with opinions

 

• That’s absolutely true.
• I completely agree.
• I couldn’t agree more.
• That’s great idea.
• That’s an excellent think to do.
• That seems a splendid idea.
• Yes, of course.
• Yes, all right. OK.
• Yeah, great!
• OK, that sounds fine.
• Why not?
• Sure!
• I’d go along with you there,
• I quite agree – you’re quite right.
• That’s good idea!
• That’s just what I wanted to say.
• Yes, that’d be very nice.
• I suppose you’re right.
• A good suggestion.
• I think we’ll give it a try.
• That’d be fine.
• What a good idea!
• It’s really no problem.
• I’d like that very much.

C. To Show strong disagreement with opinions.

 

• I completely/strongly disagree.
• I think that’s absolutely wrong.
• That’s rubbish.
• That’s non-sense.
• That’s a terrible idea.
• That’s a really bad suggestion.
• Certainly not.
• I’m not so sure.
• That’s easier said than done.
• I’m not very keen on that, really.
• I’m not sure that’d be wise.
• Your idea sounds good, but I don’t think it’ll really work.
• I’m not sure I’d go about it that way.
• I don’t think that’s such a good idea, you know.
• No, let’s try that one instead.
• That’s very well for you to say.
• No, don’t let put it off any longer.
• We can’t do any such thing, and that’s that.
• I’m not sure about that, actually.
• I doubt if that’d work.
• Your suggestion sounds fine in theory, but I don’t think it’d work in practice.

D. Asking for a suggestion

 

• Have you got any suggestions?
  Which of these do you think should I buy?
• Can you suggest a way out?
• What shall I do?
• How can I remove this ink-stain?
• Can anybody suggest what we might do?
• Where should we keep it?
• Who must I speak to about this – David or his deputy?
• What on earth should I do, then?
• How shall I pack your things?
• When shall we go to see them?
• When should I start, do you think?

Asking & Giving Explanations

A.

Sometimes, things happen that we would like explanation and we must demand explanations. For example, if you have just bought a new computer and there is a problem but the shop assistant says that the guaranty does not cover the problem. There are a number of formulas used when demanding explanations in English. Here are some of the most common:

Can you tell me why….?

Can you tell me why it has taken you so long to respond?

I don’t understand why…

I don’t understand why it has taken you so long to respond?

Can you explain why…?

Can you explain why it has taken you so long to respond?

Why is it that…

Why is it that it has taken you so long to respond?

How come…

How come it has taken you so long to respond?

Does this mean…

Does this mean that it has taken you so long to respond?

Do you really expect me to believe…?

Do you really expect me to believe that you weren’t able to finish on time?

B. Asking for explanations

 

• What does that mean?
• What’s the meaning of that word?
• Does that mean yes or no?
• I’m afraid I don’t understand.
• Could you explain the first part please?

• If it becomes clear, use:
• I see/ I understand.
• Thank you, I see now.

• If it’s still not clear, use:
• I still don’t see/understand.

• To be more formal, use:

• I’m afraid I still don’t understand/follow.

C. Giving explanations

 

• When people don’t understand you, use:
• I mean this
• I’m trying to say this
• In other words, on Thursday
• What I mean is this…

To check if people understand, use:

• Do you understand?
• Is that the right word?
• Am I making myself clear?

To rephrase something, use a different order:

• There’s something wrong with my car.
• I’ll be out on Friday.
• In other words, on Friday I won’t be here.

D. Actions and processes

To explain an action or process, use:

 

• We do it like this because it’s quicker.
• That was because we were late.
• It’s to prevent people from parking here.
• The reason for this is money.
• It’s caused by the hot weather.

To ask for explanations, use:

• Why?
• Why did he do that?
• What’s the reason for this?
• Can you explain this?

Describing People

A. Describing physically

 

• What does she look like?
• Is the grey-haired?
• What sort of clothes does she wear?
• She’s tall/slim.
• She’s the younger one/the one with brown hair.
• She’s got straight hair.
• She’s wearing a green coat.
• She usually wears a hat.
• She’s not good-looking/pretty.
• Is he heavily built?
• What does he wear?
• He’s medium height.
• He’s thin.
• He’s the older one.
• He’s the one with the fair hair.
• He’s got wavy hair.
• He hasn’t got much hair/He’s bald.
• He’s got a (brown) moustache/beard
• He’s wearing a brown jacket.
• He usually wears a hat.
• He’s (not) good-looking/handsome.

B. Describing by qualities

 

• What is he like?
• What sort of person is he?
• He’s friendly/pleasant.
• He’s usually rather quiet.
• He’s not easy to get on with.
• He’s good at listening to people.
• His main quality is his honesty.
• What sort of person is she?
• She’s sociable.
• She’s a calm person.
• She’s not easy to get on with.
• Her main quality is her friendliness.

C. Describing by position

 

• Is she married?
• Does she have any children?
• What’s her job?
• What does she do?
• She’s not married.
• She’s married to an engineer.
• She has two children.
• She doesn’t have any children.
• She works for the bank as (a cashier).
• She’s a (senior sales assistant).
• What does he do?
• He lives in our street.
• He’s married to a teacher.
• He works for the garage as a mechanic.
• He’s a senior sales assistant.
• He works under/over me.
• His job is something political.

D. Discussing feminism

 

• I think women are not oppressed.
• Women are well treated/badly treated.
• I agree/don’t agree with the feminists’ ideas.
• Women should/shouldn’t have more power.

E. Describing Children by age

 

• How old is he/she?
• It’s a baby.
• He’s/She’s about six?
• He’s a schoolboy/She’s a schoolgirl.
• They’re schoolchildren.
• They’re in their teens/They’re teenagers.
• The eldest is 20 and the youngest is 5.

F. Talking about school

 

• Where does he/she go to school?
• How are they getting on at school?
• He/She goes to school in the city.
• They (don’t) like/enjoy school very much.
• She gets on well at school.
• He’s good at mathematics.

G. Talking about hobbies

 

• Does he have a hobby?
• What does she like doing?
• He likes drawing.
• She’s very keen on modeling.
• She’s mad about football.
• She likes/loves pop music.

H. Talking about the future

 

• What’s she going to do/be?
• What’s he going to be when he grows up?
• Is he going to follow in his father’s footsteps?
• Are they going to university?
• He’ll leave school at 16.
• (I think) he’s going to be a chemist.
• She wants to be a vet.
• They’re hoping to go to university.
• She’s studying to be a teacher.