Blog/10 min read
30 Conversation Topics: Practical Questions with the Conversation Compass
Use the Conversation Compass with 30 everyday topics. Find natural follow-up questions, share something yourself and keep a conversation going.
Your colleague tells you she spent the weekend by the sea. You ask whether it was nice. “Yes, lovely,” she says. For a moment, you can't think of what to say next.
You might already be searching for a completely new topic. But you could also stay with what she just told you: how she decided to go, where she likes walking, or which moment she remembers most.
The Conversation Compass helps you find that next step. Below, we apply it to thirty familiar topics, from weekends and cooking to work and holidays. Each topic has four example questions. Use them for ideas and adapt them to what the person actually says.
How does the Conversation Compass work?
The four directions each give you a different way to continue:
- North: forward. Ask about what's coming next, such as a plan or something they're looking forward to.
- South: back. Ask how something began or what happened before it.
- East: sideways. Move to a related topic. From a walk to a good place for coffee, for example.
- West: zoom in. Pick one small moment or detail from what they told you.
Choose a direction that fits their answer. The other person doesn't need to know you're using a tool.
The compass is also covered in Module 4 of Talking with People, alongside follow-up questions and keeping a conversation going.
Choose a direction for your next question. Separately, decide how personal to make it.
Choose a direction, not a list of questions
Four example questions per topic do not mean you should ask all four in a row. If someone is enjoying telling you about a dish, stay with it. A small contribution of your own helps too: “I've never made that. I usually don't get much further than pasta.”
Notice what the other person gives you to work with. A specific detail is often a good place to start. If their answer is brief, you can share something yourself, change the subject, or leave a pause.
Ten everyday conversation topics
| Topic | North: forward | South: back | East: sideways | West: zoom in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The weekend | Have you got anything planned for next weekend? | How did you decide to do that? | Who do you usually go out with? | What was the best part of that afternoon? |
| 2. Holidays | Where would you like to go next? | How did you choose that destination? | Do you enjoy trying local food on holiday? | You said you got lost. Where did you end up? |
| 3. The weather | Will you get outside while the weather is this good? | Did you get caught in that downpour yesterday too? | Is there a nice place nearby to sit outside? | You said you arrived soaked. Did you still have a whole day at work ahead of you? |
| 4. The neighbourhood | Is anything new opening here that you're looking forward to? | How did you end up living here? | Where do you get good coffee around here? | You mentioned the market. Which stall do you like? |
| 5. Homes and moving | What would you like to do first in the new house? | What made you want to move? | How are you finding the new neighbourhood? | You said you love the kitchen. What do you like about it? |
| 6. Food and cooking | What would you like to learn to cook? | Who taught you that recipe? | Do you enjoy eating out too? | What do you put in it that makes it so good? |
| 7. Restaurants and cafés | Is there somewhere you'd like to try soon? | How did you discover this restaurant? | Do you cook this sort of food at home too? | Which dish would you order here again? |
| 8. Films and TV | What's next on your watchlist? | What made you start watching that series? | Do you read books in that genre too? | Which scene stayed with you? |
| 9. Books | What would you like to read next? | What made you pick up that book? | Do you listen to podcasts about that subject too? | You said one passage really struck you. What was it about? |
| 10. Music | Is there a gig you'd like to go to? | When did you start listening to that artist? | Do you play an instrument yourself? | Which song have you been playing a lot lately? |
Ten topics about free time and people you know
| Topic | North: forward | South: back | East: sideways | West: zoom in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11. Sport | Are you training towards anything? | How did you get into that sport? | Do you do it on your own or with a club? | What went well in your last training session? |
| 12. Walking and cycling | Is there a route you'd like to try? | How did you find that route? | Do you like stopping for coffee along the way? | Where did you get the best view? |
| 13. Hobbies | What would you like to make or try next? | How did you get started? | Do you know other people who do it too? | What are you most pleased with in your latest project? |
| 14. Pets | Will you take your dog on holiday? | How did he come to live with you? | Do you often meet the same people on your walks? | You said he's stubborn. What does he do? |
| 15. Gardening and plants | What would you like to plant this season? | Have you always enjoyed gardening? | Do you ever cook with things you've grown? | Which plant is doing surprisingly well? |
| 16. Family | Will you see each other again soon? | Did you get together this often when you were younger? | What do you enjoy doing together? | You said you had a lovely time. What were you laughing about? |
| 17. Children | What is your daughter looking forward to at the moment? | How did she get into that hobby? | Are there places you enjoy visiting together? | You said she came home looking proud. What had happened? |
| 18. Friends | Have you arranged your next get-together? | How did you meet? | What do you usually do together? | What made that evening so enjoyable? |
| 19. Parties and birthdays | Have you got anything to celebrate soon? | How do you know the person whose birthday it is? | Do you see this group outside birthday parties too? | You said you played a game. What happened? |
| 20. Days out | Would you go back there? | How did you decide to go there? | Do you often take trips like that? | What did you most enjoy seeing there? |
A detail in someone's story often gives you enough to ask a follow-up question.
With family and children, follow what the person brings up themselves. Ask about a daughter if they've just mentioned her. You don't need to ask whether someone has children to get a conversation going.
Ten topics about work, learning and plans
| Topic | North: forward | South: back | East: sideways | West: zoom in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21. Work | What will you be working on next? | How did you get into this line of work? | Do you mostly work on your own or with others? | You said you had a good day at work. What went well? |
| 22. A new job | What are you looking forward to in the new job? | What appealed to you when you saw the vacancy? | What's your commute like now? | What stood out on your first day? |
| 23. A project | What's the next step? | How did the project begin? | Who are you working with on it? | You mentioned a breakthrough. What finally worked? |
| 24. Working from home | Will you be going into the office more often soon? | How did you find working from home when you first started? | What do you usually do on your lunch break? | What do you like about your workspace at home? |
| 25. Studying or taking a course | How would you like to use what you've learned? | Why did you choose that course? | Have you met anyone you get on with in the group? | What did you learn this week that you could use straight away? |
| 26. Learning something new | What would you like to try next? | What gave you the push to start? | Do you prefer learning with others or at your own pace? | What did you manage without help for the first time? |
| 27. Getting around | Will you be heading that way again soon? | Did you always travel by train? | What do you like listening to on the journey? | You said you saw something funny. What happened? |
| 28. Technology and useful apps | Is there anything new you'd like to try? | How did you discover that app? | Do you use your phone for your hobby too? | What does that app do that makes it so useful? |
| 29. Volunteering | Have you got an event coming up? | How did you get involved? | What sort of people do you meet there? | When did you last come home feeling pleased with how it went? |
| 30. Plans and hopes | What might be a first step? | How long have you been thinking about it? | Do you know anyone who's done something similar? | You said you're excited about it. Which part are you looking forward to? |
An example: a weekend by the sea
Your colleague says: “We went to the coast last weekend.” You could choose any of these directions:
- North: “Would you like to go back in the summer?”
- South: “How did you decide to go there?”
- East: “Do you often take day trips?”
- West: “You said you found a lovely beach café. What did you like about it?”
Suppose she tells you about having coffee with a view of the sea. You could add something of your own first:
“I like that too, just sitting for a bit without having to be anywhere. Was it quiet there?”
Now she has something about you to respond to as well. In the course, we practise alternating a small contribution of your own with a question. It helps keep the conversation from feeling like an interview.
How personal should the question be?
The direction tells you where the conversation is going. The depth gauge helps you choose how personal to make it. With holidays, it could look like this:
- Facts: “How long were you there?”
- Choices: “Why did you choose Portugal?”
- Experience: “What did you enjoy most about that holiday?”
Zooming in doesn't have to be personal. You can ask about a dish, a route, or a funny moment. And a question about someone's experience can still be light.
You don't have to keep going deeper. If someone doesn't say much, you can leave it there. Especially with health, family problems, or tension at work, let them decide what they want to share.
An exercise for your next conversation
Choose three topics from the list that often come up in your conversations. Read the example questions and think about how you'd phrase them yourself.
In your next conversation, try one direction you use less often. Do you usually ask about plans? Try asking how something began. Do you jump quickly to a new topic? Stay with one detail for a moment.
Listen to the answer before moving on. Afterwards, consider whether you heard something you wanted to respond to. That's more useful than simply counting how many questions you asked.
Keep practising with Talking with People
Talking with People gives you practice with opening lines, follow-up questions, sharing something about yourself, and handling silences. The Conversation Compass in Module 4 helps once a conversation has started. You can try the first module for free.
Keep this list as a reference if you find it useful. In a conversation, you can put the example questions aside: what the other person says will usually give you the best place to go next.