EC Montreal encourages open conversations as part of its active learning plan. It is sometimes difficult to break the ice with people and get the conversation going. The Business Insider has come up with some tips on how you can have a conversation with just about anyone! If you follow these suggestions, you will become a natural conversationalist. The more conversations you have, the more practice you will bet with the language. Eventually, you will be completely bilingual and be able to converse without any difficulty or apprehension. Here are 7 of the tips from the article entitled Start a Conversation with Absolutely Anyone: 1. Ask for their opinion. Everyone has one! For someone you don’t know well, start with light subjects like the food, the music, the atmosphere, etc. “Do you like your Margaritas with salt or without? Do you watch horror movies? Do you like this song?” 2. Ask for their advice or recommendations. This works very well when commenting on someone’s outfit or accessories, as in “What a great t-shirt! Where did you get it?” or if you are at restaurant looking at a menu “Everything looks great, what are you having?” 3. Ask them a question that is easy to answer. This is great when you know or find out that a person has expertise in a particular field. Avoid asking anyone to explain something super complex or involved; if that’s where the conversation leads, great, but asking a really complicated question up front can feel demanding. 4. Comment on the environment. No matter where you are, there are things to comment on: the music, the food, the lights or the guests, for example. 5. Ask for an update. If you know someone a little or know them by reputation, ask for an update on something … Read more