• Starting an Informal Conversation

• Listen (to this).

• Listen up.

• Get a load of this.

• Get this.

• Guess what?

• Guess what I just found out.

• Have you heard the latest?

• Did you hear the news?

• Starting a More Formal Conversation

• Can I talk to you?

• Do you have a minute?

• Let's sit down and talk.

• May I have a word with you? 

Examples:

Dialog 1:  (between 2 friends) 

• Ann:  Guess what?  

• Jim:  What?

• Ann:  I'm getting married next month.

• Jim:  Congratulations!  Who's the lucky guy?

Dialog 2:  (between 2 coworkers) 

• Ken:  Hey, did you hear the news?

• Joe:  No.  What news?

• Ken: Tom has got the sack.  (*to get the sack = to get fired)

Dialog 3:  (between a boss and his employee) 

• Boss:  Jim, do you have a minute?

• Jim:    Yes.

• Boss:  Let's sit down and talk.

• Jim:   Sure.

Dialog 4:  (between a boss and his employee) 

• Jim:    Mr. Tanaka.  Do you have a minute?

• Boss: Yes.

• Jim:   May I have a word with you?

• Boss: Sure.  Come in, sit down.

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