The best ESL conversation topics give learners something they want to say and enough language to say it. A beginner might describe a favourite meal. An advanced learner might weigh up whether food delivery apps help a neighbourhood. The theme can stay the same while the speaking task changes.
This resource brings together 30 topics, 90 ESL conversation questions and 30 follow-up activities, organised from A1 to C2. Use them for adult classes, older teens, online teaching or one-to-one lessons. Choose a level below, pick one topic and use its three questions to start a conversation.
You will also find vocabulary support, ways to adapt mixed-level discussions and a 45-minute ESL lesson plan. These are teaching suggestions, so adjust the wording, timing and topic to the people in front of you.
For full student material, teacher notes and checked answers, explore our three complete ESL lesson plans. They cover café ordering, past-tense storytelling and a workplace meeting.
Choose ESL conversation topics for your learners
A useful topic connects to learners’ interests, goals or everyday decisions. Before class, ask learners to choose between two options: food or travel, work or technology, local life or entertainment. A small choice gives them a reason to contribute.
Match the task to the level, not just the topic. The Council of Europe’s CEFR level descriptions organise proficiency from A1 to C2 using descriptions of what a learner can do. The groupings here are suggested starting points, not official CEFR-approved questions or a placement test.
| Level | Starting topics | Speaking goal | Helpful support |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1: beginner | Food, routines, home, free time | Exchange short pieces of familiar information | Pictures, model answers and a small word bank |
| A2: elementary | Weekends, shopping, journeys, celebrations | Describe events and make simple arrangements | Question prompts and short preparation time |
| B1: intermediate | Work, travel problems, habits, media | Explain experiences and give reasons | Sequencing phrases and follow-up prompts |
| B2: upper intermediate | Technology, tourism, education, working life | Compare options and support an opinion | Examples, counterarguments and decision tasks |
| C1: advanced | Public space, culture, leadership, innovation | Qualify claims and negotiate different perspectives | Stakeholder roles and precise vocabulary |
| C2: proficient | Ambiguity, persuasion, fairness, interpretation | Express subtle distinctions and respond flexibly | Changes of audience, register and constraints |
Keep personal disclosure optional. Learners can answer as an invented character, describe a picture or choose a different question. A conversation about homes should not require anyone to reveal their address, income or family circumstances.
For more ways to combine discussion with input and practice, explore Ohemi’s ESL activity types.
A1 conversation topics: familiar people and places
Teaching focus: short exchanges about familiar things, with a model to copy. Allow pointing, pictures and pauses. Start with one sentence, then help learners add a detail or ask the same question back.
1. Food you enjoy
- What food do you like?
- What do you eat for breakfast?
- Do you like cooking?
Follow-up activity — build a menu, 6 minutes: Give pairs six food pictures. They choose breakfast and lunch for an imaginary café, then introduce their menu using “We have…” and “I like…”.
2. A typical day
- What time do you get up?
- How do you go to work or school?
- What do you do in the evening?
Follow-up activity — find a match, 5 minutes: Learners draw three simple pictures of their routine. Partners ask about each picture and find one thing they both do. Model “Me too” before they begin.
3. Your home or an imaginary home
- Do you live in a house or a flat?
- What is in your favourite room?
- Is there a park near your home?
Follow-up activity — picture partners, 7 minutes: Each learner draws an imaginary room without showing it. They describe three things while their partner draws. Partners compare pictures and practise “There is…” or “There are…”.
4. Free time
- What do you do on Saturdays?
- Do you like music or films?
- Who do you spend your free time with?
Follow-up activity — choose together, 5 minutes: Offer three picture cards: a film, a walk and a game. Pairs choose one activity for Saturday using “I like…” and “Let’s…”. Accept a short exchange with a clear decision.
5. People you know
- Who is a good friend of yours?
- What does your friend like?
- What do you do together?
Follow-up activity — introduce a character, 6 minutes: Learners invent a friend with a name, a hobby and a favourite food. They introduce the character to a partner, who asks one question from a prompt card.
Useful language: “I like…”, “I usually…”, “My favourite… is…”, “What about you?” Pre-teach only the words needed for the chosen topic, rather than a long list for the whole lesson.
A2 conversation topics: experiences and everyday plans
Teaching focus: simple descriptions, short stories and practical arrangements. Let learners jot down key words first. Encourage a second question so that the exchange continues beyond a single answer.
6. Last weekend
- What did you do last weekend?
- What was the best part?
- What would you like to do next weekend?
Follow-up activity — three-picture story, 7 minutes: Learners draw or choose three pictures representing a real or invented weekend. They tell the story with “First…”, “Then…” and “Finally…”. Partners ask for one extra detail.
7. Getting around town
- How do you usually travel around your town?
- Which place do you visit most often?
- How can a visitor get there from the station?
Follow-up activity — map gap, 8 minutes: Give partners simple maps with different places missing. They ask for directions and label their maps. Put “Turn left”, “Go straight” and “It’s next to…” on the board.
8. Shopping choices
- Where do you usually buy food?
- Do you prefer small shops or big supermarkets?
- What did you buy recently?
Follow-up activity — shopping on a budget, 7 minutes: Give pairs a price list and a budget of 100 imaginary coins. They agree on five items for a picnic. The buyer asks prices; the shopkeeper answers and suggests alternatives.
9. A celebration
- What celebration do you enjoy?
- What do people usually eat or do?
- How did you celebrate it last time?
Follow-up activity — plan a class event, 8 minutes: Small groups choose a date, food and two activities for an imaginary celebration. Each learner presents one part of the plan. Include a non-religious event as an option.
10. Learning something new
- What new skill would you like to learn?
- Where can you learn it?
- Who can help you practise?
Follow-up activity — make an appointment, 6 minutes: Partners role-play a learner and a course organiser. They agree on a class day, a time and one item to bring. Swap roles and choose a new skill.
Useful language: “Last week I…”, “I’d like to…”, “How much is…?”, “Can we meet at…?” Give a short example exchange before asking pairs to improvise.
B1 conversation topics: stories, choices and reasons
Teaching focus: connected explanations and familiar problems. Ask learners to support an answer with a reason or example, then listen for a detail they can ask their partner about.
11. A journey that changed
- Can you describe a journey that did not go to plan?
- What did you do when the plan changed?
- What advice would you give someone in that situation?
Follow-up activity — travel help desk, 8 minutes: Give pairs a fictional delayed train and two alternative routes. One learner explains the problem; the other suggests a solution. They must agree on a route and explain their choice.
12. A job worth doing
- What makes a job interesting?
- Which skills are useful in many different jobs?
- Would you prefer to work alone or with a team? Why?
Follow-up activity — choose a candidate, 9 minutes: Give groups two invented candidate profiles and a job description. They choose a candidate using evidence from the profiles, then explain one strength and one training need.
13. Habits and small changes
- Which everyday habit saves you time?
- What habit would you like to change?
- What could make that change easier?
Follow-up activity — a seven-day experiment, 7 minutes: Partners design a small, realistic experiment for an imaginary learner, such as preparing a bag the night before. They predict a problem and suggest a way around it.
14. Films, books and recommendations
- What film, series or book would you recommend?
- What makes its story interesting?
- Who would enjoy it, and who might not?
Follow-up activity — recommendation exchange, 6 minutes: Learners give a one-minute recommendation without revealing the ending. Partners ask a follow-up question, then recommend something different for a different audience.
15. Your local area
- What do you like about your town or neighbourhood?
- What would you show a visitor in one afternoon?
- What is one thing you would improve?
Follow-up activity — visitor itinerary, 8 minutes: Pairs create a three-stop afternoon plan with a budget and a time limit. Another pair acts as visitors and requests one change. The planners revise their itinerary.
Useful language: “The main reason is…”, “For example…”, “At first…”, “If that happened, I would…”. The goal is a connected exchange, rather than a speech delivered while the partner waits.
B2 discussion topics: opinions and trade-offs
Teaching focus: explaining a position, considering alternatives and reaching a decision. Give learners a reason to listen: they may need to summarise a partner’s view before responding.
16. Technology and attention
- Which digital tool is most useful in your daily life?
- When does convenience become a distraction?
- Should workplaces limit messages outside working hours?
Follow-up activity — write a team agreement, 10 minutes: Groups draft three rules for a fictional team’s messaging app. Each rule must balance convenience with focused working time. Another group identifies an exception the rules should cover.
17. Travel and tourism
- What can tourism bring to a local community?
- What problems might a popular destination face?
- How could visitors and residents share the same spaces fairly?
Follow-up activity — town meeting, 10 minutes: Assign resident, café owner and visitor roles. The group chooses two measures for a fictional busy town, then explains the likely benefit and drawback of each.
18. How people learn
- When is learning online more useful than learning in person?
- How much choice should learners have over their studies?
- What would make a short course worth paying for?
Follow-up activity — course design pitch, 9 minutes: Pairs design a four-week course for busy adults. They justify the format, schedule and final task. Other pairs ask questions as potential students before choosing a course.
19. Flexible working
- Which tasks are easier to do with other people nearby?
- What could a four-day working week change?
- How should a manager judge whether flexible working is successful?
Follow-up activity — negotiate a trial, 10 minutes: A fictional manager and employee agree on a one-month flexible-working trial. They negotiate availability, responsibilities and two measures of success, then report the agreement.
20. Buying less, choosing better
- What makes a product good value beyond its price?
- When would you repair something rather than replace it?
- Who should make sustainable choices easier: businesses, governments or consumers?
Follow-up activity — product panel, 9 minutes: Groups compare two invented products with different prices, lifespans and repair options. They recommend one for a particular customer and acknowledge a reason to choose the other.
Useful language: “One advantage is…”, “That depends on…”, “I see your point, but…”, “A possible drawback would be…”. Ask for examples without expecting specialist knowledge.
C1 conversation topics: perspectives and negotiation
Teaching focus: qualifying claims, recognising assumptions and responding to another speaker’s priorities. A successful discussion can end with a clearer disagreement rather than complete agreement.
21. Who gets to shape public space?
- Whose needs are easiest to overlook when a city changes?
- How should planners balance access, safety and local character?
- What would meaningful consultation look like?
Follow-up activity — stakeholder briefing, 12 minutes: Give groups a fictional proposal to redesign a square. Learners represent different users, negotiate a revision and explain which competing needs remain unresolved.
22. Culture and belonging
- Can a tradition change and still feel authentic?
- How do people decide which customs to keep?
- When might cultural exchange become an unequal exchange?
Follow-up activity — festival committee, 10 minutes: Groups design an imaginary cultural festival. They agree on how to involve contributors, present different perspectives and respond to a concern about representation.
23. Leadership and trust
- What makes an explanation from a leader credible?
- When should a leader admit uncertainty?
- How can an organisation rebuild trust after a mistake?
Follow-up activity — two-audience briefing, 10 minutes: Pairs prepare a response to a fictional service failure. They deliver one version to staff and another to customers, then explain how the tone and emphasis changed.
24. Innovation and responsibility
- When is an experimental technology ready for public use?
- Who should bear the cost if a useful innovation causes harm?
- How can a team distinguish responsible caution from resistance to change?
Follow-up activity — review board, 12 minutes: Groups assess a fictional smart transport service. They recommend a limited trial, changes or a delay, with conditions for reviewing the decision. Require a response to the strongest objection.
25. What counts as success?
- Which measures of success are useful but incomplete?
- How can public recognition change someone’s priorities?
- When do individual and community definitions of success conflict?
Follow-up activity — choose the criteria, 9 minutes: Learners design three criteria for an imaginary community award. They test the criteria against two contrasting candidates and revise anything that produces an unfair result.
Useful language: “That argument assumes…”, “To some extent…”, “A distinction worth making is…”, “That would hold true provided that…”. Encourage precise wording rather than longer answers alone.
C2 discussion topics: nuance, framing and interpretation
Teaching focus: subtle meaning, flexible register and skilful handling of ambiguity. C2 practice does not require obscure subjects. A familiar disagreement can become demanding when the audience, purpose or constraints change.
26. What makes a decision fair?
- When might equal treatment produce an unfair outcome?
- Can a fair process justify an unpopular result?
- Which exceptions would undermine your preferred definition of fairness?
Follow-up activity — defend, then revise, 12 minutes: Learners propose a rule for allocating a fictional community fund. A partner introduces an edge case. The speaker revises the rule while identifying the principle they want to preserve.
27. Persuasion without distortion
- Where is the boundary between persuasive framing and misleading emphasis?
- Can an accurate statement still create a false impression?
- What responsibility does a speaker have for likely interpretations?
Follow-up activity — message audit, 10 minutes: Pairs write two short pitches for the same imaginary proposal. They compare what each version foregrounds, omits or implies, then produce a persuasive version they can defend as fair.
28. Humour and context
- Why can a joke work in one setting and fail in another?
- How do timing and understatement affect meaning?
- When does explaining humour change its effect?
Follow-up activity — change the audience, 10 minutes: Give learners a harmless fictional misunderstanding. They retell it as an informal anecdote and a formal incident summary, then explain which effects were lost or gained.
29. Expertise and uncertainty
- How should an expert communicate a conclusion that might change?
- When does confident language become a barrier to understanding?
- How can an interviewer challenge uncertainty without demanding false certainty?
Follow-up activity — interview under pressure, 12 minutes: One learner plays an expert discussing an invented, incomplete study. Another interviews them. Observers note where each speaker accurately distinguishes evidence, interpretation and speculation.
30. A compromise worth keeping
- What distinguishes a principled compromise from an inconsistent position?
- Which concessions can strengthen a long-term agreement?
- How should negotiators describe what remains unresolved?
Follow-up activity — negotiate and brief, 12 minutes: Partners negotiate a shared workspace agreement with conflicting priorities. They give a joint summary, then separate briefings to their own teams. Compare how each account frames the same agreement.
Useful language: “The implication appears to be…”, “That is defensible insofar as…”, “I would qualify that by…”, “We may be using the same term differently.” Treat these as options, not a checklist of phrases learners must perform.
ESL speaking activities that keep a conversation going
A list of questions becomes more useful when students have a task. These formats work with several topics above, so you can reuse the structure and change the language goal.
Use a question, a detail and a return question
Model a short exchange before pair work. One learner asks, the other answers with a detail, then asks a related question back. At A1, “I like rice. What about you?” is enough. At B2, ask for a reason, an example or an exception.
| Conversation purpose | A1–A2 support | B1–B2 extension | C1–C2 extension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask for more | And you? | What happened next? | What led you to that interpretation? |
| Clarify meaning | What does that mean? | Do you mean that…? | Are you distinguishing between…? |
| Explain a view | I like it because… | One reason I think that is… | That depends on how we define… |
| Respond politely | I think… | I see your point, although… | I agree with the principle, but would qualify… |
Add a decision or a missing piece
Ask pairs to choose a menu, route, candidate or policy. Alternatively, give each partner different information. A shared outcome gives learners something to accomplish beyond finishing the question list.
For opinion-based work, the British Council’s discussion wheels activity offers a structured way to prepare views and compare them with a partner. Use the idea with statements your learners can understand and discuss comfortably.
Build vocabulary activities into the discussion
Choose four to six useful words or chunks. Check their meaning with a picture, example or short matching task. Let learners use them in the first conversation, then revisit two phrases in a second round with a new partner or new constraint.
For instance, a B1 travel discussion might use “miss a connection”, “ask for a refund” and “find another route”. These chunks give learners something practical to reuse. Ohemi’s lesson-building features bring vocabulary, practice and speaking tasks into the same lesson workflow.
Give feedback, then let learners try again
During fluency work, note useful language and a small number of recurring problems. Pause for a brief class review, then repeat the task with a different partner. Keep immediate correction for moments when meaning breaks down or the lesson focus requires it.
For optional independent practice, Cambridge English’s speaking activities can be filtered by broad level bands and activity duration. Choose a task that connects to the language your class has just used.
A 45-minute ESL conversation lesson plan
Here is a B1 example using a journey that changed. The aim is for learners to describe a travel problem, ask a follow-up question and agree on a solution. Prepare two route cards, a short model dialogue and a small phrase bank.
| Stage | Teacher preparation and learner task | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | Show a station picture. Pairs name possible travel problems. | 5 min |
| Vocabulary | Match four travel phrases to simple situations. Check meaning together. | 6 min |
| Model exchange | Read a short help-desk dialogue. Identify the problem, suggestion and decision. | 5 min |
| First conversation | Use topic 11’s questions. Partners tell a story and ask for one detail. | 8 min |
| Problem-solving role-play | Use different route cards. Agree on an alternative and explain why it works. | 10 min |
| Feedback and retry | Review two useful phrases and two language points. Repeat a short exchange. | 7 min |
| Exit task | Each learner states a solution and one phrase they want to remember. | 4 min |
| Total | One topic, with input, practice and a clear speaking outcome. | 45 min |
For homework, learners can write six lines of dialogue or record a short invented travel story. Offer a written alternative where recording is impractical. Begin the next lesson by reusing two of the travel phrases in a new situation.
The same shape works with shopping, recommendations or workplace decisions. See how Ohemi builds a lesson from a topic, text, link or file if you want to turn a starting idea into a fuller sequence.
Adapt the topics for mixed levels and online lessons
Keep the situation shared and vary the demand. In a B1–B2 class discussing flexible working, give everyone the same fictional company. Provide one group with sentence starters and ask another to anticipate objections or negotiate exceptions.
| Teaching situation | A practical adjustment |
|---|---|
| A learner needs more support | Offer a picture, three key phrases and time to rehearse one answer. |
| A learner needs more challenge | Add a constraint, an alternative viewpoint or a request to justify a trade-off. |
| An online group is quiet | Share the questions first. Use pairs with a clear output to bring back. |
| A one-to-one learner gives short answers | Take turns as interviewer and interviewee, then swap roles or change the scenario. |
| A discussion is dominated by one speaker | Assign a facilitator and ask everyone to contribute before the group decides. |
In online ESL lessons, paste the task and useful language into the chat before opening breakout rooms. State the time limit and the output: one recommendation, two agreed rules or a summary of different views. Check that learners can access the prompts on their device.
For one-to-one teaching, avoid asking the learner to answer every question in order. Follow an interesting detail, then change roles so they practise asking. Revisit the same topic later with a different purpose, such as turning a recommendation into a short comparison.
Ohemi is designed for online teachers, private tutors and mixed-level classrooms. Its planned workflow lets teachers set a level, edit activities and share a lesson; review the language and tasks before using a draft with students.
Questions teachers ask about conversation lessons
What are good ESL conversation topics for adults?
Food, daily routines, local life, travel, work, entertainment and learning are flexible starting points. Let adults choose a topic and connect it to a practical task. An everyday theme can support complex language when the task involves negotiation, justification or a change of perspective.
How many conversation questions should I use in one lesson?
Start with three questions on one theme. Add preparation, follow-up questions and an outcome rather than rushing through a long list. For a short warm-up, one question may be enough; a full lesson needs supporting language, a speaking task and feedback.
How do I help shy learners speak?
Give thinking time, offer sentence starters and begin in pairs. Let learners invent an answer or speak about a picture instead of sharing personal information. Model a manageable response and avoid turning every first attempt into a public performance.
Can I use these questions as ESL worksheets?
Yes. Copy a topic’s three original questions into a classroom handout, add a small word bank and leave space for notes about a partner’s answers. Include the follow-up task so the worksheet leads to interaction. These open-ended questions do not have a single answer key.
Should advanced learners always discuss controversial subjects?
No. Advanced speaking can involve careful qualification, register, implication and disagreement about familiar situations. Change the audience or add conflicting priorities. Choose sensitive subjects only when they suit the class, and always offer an alternative.
How can I turn a conversation topic into an Ohemi lesson?
Use the topic as a starting point, select your learners and level, then choose activities that prepare students for the final discussion. Ohemi v2 is opening through a waitlist. Join the Ohemi waitlist to hear when you can build, edit and share your own lessons.
Start your next class with one topic, three questions and a clear task. Give learners useful language, listen to what they do with it and let the follow-up activity take the conversation somewhere new.
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