Speaking: conversation
Intermediate to higher level English (B1-C2)

Having a conversation is unpredictable. Many things can happen that stop your saying what you want to say. Here are a few ways to help you return to your subject or story.

People will often interrupt you and then you have to get back to your topic. In this dialogue B keeps on interrupting and A tries to return to their subject.

A: A strange thing happened to me last week. I was walking down the street when I saw a man dressed as a clown ….
B: That reminds me of the time when I was on holiday in Italy.
A: Anyway the clown came up to me and said he knew me. I didn’t know what he was talking about so I carried on walking ….
B: Did I tell you about my experience in Rome?
A: No but to get back to the story, after I had walked on a few yards I felt someone tap me on the shoulder ….
B: It was in the Colosseum.
A: You can tell me about that in a minute. So, he tapped me on the shoulder, I turned round, he took off his red nose and I realised it was my uncle’s brother. I hadn’t seen him since I was about 10.

clown: funny person in a circus, usually with a red nose
interrupt (v): stop something that is happening eg someone speaking or a radio/TV programme
yard: 36 inches or 91cm
tap (v) hit or touch with fingers etc