Saying Hello and Goodbye: Working in English

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Your English training

Working in English

Saying hello and goodbye

Contents

Part 1: Formal situations


Part 2: Informal situations
Part 3: Good manners

Objective
Saying hello and goodbye in formal and
informal situations

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© 2024 All rights reserved
Your English training
Working in English

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© 2024 All rights reserved
Your English training
Working in English

Part 1 : Formal situations

1. There are lots of ways to say hello and goodbye in English. Choosing the right expression for the situation can be
important for good communication.

For each expression, say if it is an example of a way to say "hello" or "goodbye".


Then, say if it is used in an informal or formal situation.

- Informal = someone you know, like a friend or a close colleague


- Formal = someone you don't know, or don't know well, like a director or visitor

Hello or goodbye? Informal or formal?


Bye for now!
I'm pleased to meet you.
Good afternoon, Mrs. Gold.
Enjoy your holiday!
Hi Jake, how are things?
Have a safe journey, Mr. Peters.
It's lovely to see you again!
How do you do?
See you tomorrow.
How are you doing today?
It's nice to see you.

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© 2024 All rights reserved
Your English training
Working in English

2. Fill in the blanks.

John Stewart: _______________ Jane. ____________ today?

Jane Baker: ___________ thanks, and you?

John: I'm ___________, thank you. ___________ Sarah Miller, my new assistant. Sarah, this is Jane Baker.

Sarah Miller: _________________________.

Jane: _____________________________. (They shake hands) Welcome to Digiweb.

Sarah: Thank you.

Jane: Are you American, Sarah?

Sarah: No, I'm Canadian. I'm from Toronto. And you, Mrs Baker? ___________________?

Jane: I'm originally from Ireland.

Sarah: Ireland's a lovely country.

Jane Baker: Yes, it is.

John Stewart: Well, Jane, ________________.

Jane Baker: Thanks. ___________!

Can you think of other expressions to fill in the blanks?

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© 2024 All rights reserved
Your English training
Working in English

Part 2 : Informal situations

1. Read the conversation. Choose a similar expression for the expressions in bold.

Harry: Hi Mia, how are things?


Mia: Great Harry, and you?

Harry: Fine, thanks. How's work?


Mia: It's exciting, but it's hard work. I'm a project leader now.

Harry: That sounds interesting!


Mia: Yes, it is. What about you? You're in sales, aren't you?

Harry: Yes, I'm a sales manager for Digiweb, an American company. I'm off to LA next week.
Mia: Well, enjoy it and have a nice trip.

Harry: Thanks a lot. Bye for now.

2. Question tags with 'to be'.

1. You're from Digiweb, ___________?

2. ___________ a nice country, isn't it?

3. She's not Portuguese, ___________?

4. Karen and Ludo aren't in the meeting room, ___________?

5. ______________________ at work today, is he?

6. We're on time for the meeting, ___________?

7. He's ready for his presentation, ___________?

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Your English training
Working in English

3. In my country

Do you know that in Spanish there are different ways to say 'welcome'? It depends on if you greet a man, a woman, men,
women or a mixed group of men and women.

Maybe you want to make some Japanese friends by showing them that you know greetings from their native language. Like
most languages, Japanese has a lot of different ways to greet someone. A common one is Konnichiwa (Kon-ee-chee-wa)
which can mean 'hello' or 'good afternoon'.

In India, ‘namaste’ is difficult to translate directly. It generally means: ‘What is holy in me greets what is holy in you’, or simply
‘Salutations’.

What are the typical ways of saying hello and goodbye in your country or region?
Do you know another country and its greetings and farewells?
How do you greet your colleagues, manager, and visitors at TotalEnergies?

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Your English training
Working in English

Part 3 : Good manners

What are good manners? Well, it depends on the country, but in general it's acting in a way that is considered polite and
courteous. It's about respecting other people and yourself. When we are young, the rules are simple. We need to say
'please', 'thank you', and 'excuse me' when we want to get past someone. We offer to help, and ask nicely when we want
something.

As we get older, these golden rules stay the same, but our interactions with other people become more complex. Also, what is
considered acceptable in one country may be offensive in another.

Here are a few examples of what could be considered polite or rude in some countries:

- In the US, it's common to give someone a quick smile if you make eye contact, even with a stranger. Don't be surprised if
someone touches you lightly on the arm when they talk to you.

- In Mexico, people are polite and formal with people they don't know well, and will address you with 'señor' or 'señora'. It is
customary to shake hands when you meet a person for the first time.

- Italians are proud of their culture and cuisine, so don't hesitate to compliment the place and the food. Keep in mind that it's a
mistake to mention the mafia, even as a joke.

- When you're in the UK, be sure to wait your turn in the queue. But, if someone does push in, most British people won't say
anything, even if they're annoyed.

What about your country? What are some things that people consider to be polite or rude?
What are some examples of bad manners that you dislike?

Do you think people are more polite or less polite now than in the past?
What is something that isn’t considered rude but should be?

When someone is rude in a public place, do you say something or try to ignore the person?

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