1.

Success-Failure

 How would you define success?

 Do you have the same idea of success as your parents?
 To what extent will your encourage your children to become successful?
 Do you think failures can contribute to a person's success?
 Can you think of any famous people who encountered failure before
success?

2. Social Networking

 What is social networking?

 Can social networking sites be dangerous?
 What precautions would you advise people to take?
 Should the use of social networking sites be banned at work?
 Are social networking sites changing our daily behaviour?

3. Diseases

 What dangerous diseases are people scared of nowadays?

 Should we be better-informed about the dangers of these diseases?
 What is the best way to stop diseases from spreading?
 Which disease is it urgent to find a cure for?

4. News coverage in the media today.

 What improvements would you make?

 What is the most important current news story?
 Do certain types of events get too much/too little coverage?
 Is it important to keep up with current events?

5. Shopping on the internet

 Do you often do your shopping online?

 What do you buy online? :
- food
- clothes
- furniture
- services : airline tickets, theatre reservations, flowers, greeting cards ...
- other
 Are the prices the same as in the shops/agencies or less expensive?
 Have you ever had any disappointments or bad surprises?
 What are the advantages of shopping online?
 What are the dangers?
 What advice would you give future online shoppers?

6. Politicians' personal lives.

  Does a politician's personal life have an effect on their ability to do their
job?
 Do you think the media pays too much attention to politicians' personal
lives?
 Do certain types of media give too much coverage?
 Information concerning personal lives circulates quickly on social
networks.
Is this good or bad?

7. History for future generations.

 You are asked to select a number of objects to represent life at the

beginning of the 21st century.
The idea is to help future generations better understand how we lived and
what major events effected us.
What objects would your choose and why?

8. Technology

 What technology would it be difficult to live without today?

 Has technology changed our everyday lifestyle?
 What technology, if any, has made our homes more comfortable?
 Has technology changed education methods?
 Will online education one day replace the classroom?

9. Travelling has become easier and cheaper. What has it changed in people's
lives :

 speed, comfort, health, family relationships, etc.

 work/employment
 holiday habits
 way of life/standard of living in certain countries

10. Describe the best or worst trip you ever took :

 Where did you go?

 Did you travel alone or with a group?
 What did you do / what had you intended to do?
 What made it your best (or worst) trip?
 What advice would you give someone planning the same sort of trip?

11. Work

 Do human beings need to work to be happy?

 What motivates people to work long hours?
 Can perks (or fringe benefits) compensate for a boring job?
 What are the advantages/disadvantages of working from home?
  How do people find a balance between work and personal life?
 What would make you leave your job?
 In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world?

12. Is life today better than in the past? Think about the following :

 Education - employment - job satisfaction

 Health : prevention, treatment, new discoveries, social security, etc.
 Comfort : standard of living (housing/transport/leisure)
 Violence
 Social issues : single mothers, unmarried couples, homosexuality ...

13. Inventions

 What invention has had the greatest impact on our lives?

 Are there some things that never should have been invented?
 Do some countries encourage inventors more than others?

14. What are the 5 most important decisions in a person's life?

After making suggestions and defending their ideas, the group retains five and
decides on the order of importance.

15. It is impossible to have a successful career and a happy family life.

You have to choose one or the other. Do you agree?

16. Careers today : how to advise young people

 How important is it to have a good (well-paid/secure) job?

 What advice would you give a young person today?
 Would you encourage your children to accept a job in another country?
 Would you be disappointed if your children
 left school early?
 chose a manual job?

17. The internet is already an essential communication tool in today's world.

The first and most popular use is the email.

 What others can you think of?

 Has fraud increased since the arrival of the internet? How?
 What steps would you advise to protect data and privacy?
  What do you think the internet will be used for in the future?

18. Recent physical achievements (crossing the Atlantic, mountain climbing, etc.).

 How many can you think of?

 Which achievement was the most impressive?
 Are the world's best athletes present at the Olympic Games?
 What do you think of 'extreme' sports (bungee jumping, tightrope
walking...)?

19. Has violence increased in recent years?

 What are the causes (unemployment, poverty, minority issues, tv series,

poor parenting ...?
 What are the effects on young children?
 What could be done to reduce violence?
 Is the increase in violence a worldwide phenomenon?

20. The effects of medical and scientific progress :

 health (prevention, treatment, organ transplants, rare diseases, etc.)

 beauty (plastic surgery, dental care, etc.)
 comfort in the home
 transport
21. Beauty ESL Conversation Questions
22. If you could change one thing about your appearance, what would it be?
23. What do you find most attractive in people of the opposite sex?
24. Would you buy a Barbie Doll for your daughter?
25. What do you think of tattoos?
26. Should voluntary plastic surgery be banned?
27. Can aging be prevented or slowed?
28. Do you read beauty magazines?
29. What’s your opinion of beauty pageants like Miss Universe?
30. How have our ideas about beauty changed historically? What does this tell us?
31. Are people in your country fashionable?
32. What are some common fashion faux-pas people make?
33. “No Make-Up Day”: would this be a good idea?
34. How important is it for your partner to be beautiful?
35. What message does the media send to young people about beauty?
36. What message is more important to send to overweight youth: ‘be happy with
yourself’ or ‘lose weight’?
37. Some airlines and restaurants seem to only hire attractive people. Is this
discrimination? Should it be legal?
38. Have you ever bought art? What kind of art interests you?
39. Drugs ESL Conversation Questions
40. Should marijuana be legalized?
41. When you’re sick, do you use medicine?
42. What do you think of alternative medicine?
43.
44.
45. Do you support the use of clinical marijuana?
46. Is drug use a big problem in your country?
47. Was drug use a problem in your high school?
48. Is alcohol worse than many illegal drugs?
49. Should the legal drinking age be changed?
50. Should patents held by pharmaceutical companies be bypassed in order to help
those in need (e.g. people suffering from HIV in Africa?)
51. Education ESL Conversation Questions
52. Is it easy to get a job after graduation in your country?
53. Should university education should be free?
54. How can educators and parents promote creativity in children?
55. How would you compare the quality of education in your country to other
countries?
56. What makes a good teacher?
57. Do you prefer public or private schools?
58. Should evolution or creationism be taught at schools?
59. Do you have any funny school stories?
60. Who should be responsible for teaching sexual education to children and teenagers?
61. Is a university degree enough in your country to get a good job?
62. Is ‘the student life’ the best time in people’s lives?
63. Should researchers at universities also be required to teach classes?
64. What is the most important subject(s) in school?
65. How does your country’s education system rate globally?
66. Who was your favorite teacher from your school days? Describe him or her.
67. Should young children be required to learn English? If so, from what age?
68. How has technology changed teaching methods?
69. What do you think of home schooling?
70. Language development: what’s the best way to raise a bilingual child?
71. Have you ever had a problem with a bully?
72. Your son has just come home from school. He is crying because a bully at school
beat him up. What do you tell your son?
73. What are your fondest (best) memories of high school?
74. What regrets do you have? What classifications of students existed in your high
school (e.g. nerds, athletes, etc.)?Which were you part of?
75. How would you compare your high school generation to today’s generation of
teenagers?
76. Is there such thing as a dangerous book?
77. Should children be prohibited from reading certain books? Has reading made you a
better person?
78. Are girls smarter than boys?
79. Do you have any tips for giving a successful speech or presentation?
80. Health ESL Conversation Questions
81. Are you addicted to anything, such as coffee, tobacco?
82. Are you afraid of the dentist?
83. What is the best cure for a hangover?
84. What is the ideal amount of sleep to get per night? Are you getting it?
85. Is your country smoker-friendly?
86. Have you heard of the paleolithic diet? What is it?
87. Would you rather be anorexic or obese?
88. What would you do if the doctor told you that you only had a month to live?
89. Do schools in your countries have cafeterias? Do they serve healthy food?
90. Does anything run in your family?
91. What’s the best way to lose weight?
92. Is your country’s cuisine healthy?
93. How are the health services in your country?
94. Do you support the idea of universal health care?
95. Is evolution still happening?
96. If you found an elixir that, once drank, would allow you to live forever, would you
drink it?
97. Do you worry about the safety of the food you eat? What won’t you buy?
98. Fasting: Some people go without food for a long time to improve their bodies or
minds. Can not eating make your body and mind healthier and stronger?
99. Is it expensive to get medicine and treatment from a doctor in your country?
100. Would you like to be a doctor? Why or why not?
101. Are you a hypochondriac?
102. What methods are used in your country to prevent pregnancy?
103. What important factors should a couple consider before having a baby?
104. Is the “morning after pill” a form of abortion?
105. Do you believe today’s generation of teenagers are more sexually active than
the generation of 30 years ago? If so, why?
106. What is something you are not spending enough time doing?
107. What do you think of vegetarianism? Veganism?
108. Would you consider being a sperm donor?
109. What do you think of your country’s health care system?
110. Do you have any allergies?
111. Do you think our culture is too dependent on medicine? Have you ever had a near-
death experience?
112.Does everyone have a right to free basic health care?
113.What would you do if you found an unconscious person lying on the street and there
were no telephones nearby?
114.Do you know the steps of CPR?
115.Have you ever given or been given the Heimlich maneuver?
116.Do you believe people of the same blood-type have similar characters?
117.Have you ever donated blood? Do you think technology will help humans live longer
and longer?
118. What is the key to long life?
119.Should some vaccinations be mandatory? Without exemptions?
120. What’s your opinion of vaccinations?
121.Would you rather be blind or deaf?
122. Would you rather be quite short or quite tall? Why?
123. In what ways, if any, are you superior to a caveman?
124. What’s your opinion of tanning, and tanning salons?
125. Holiday ESL Conversation Questions
126. How is New Year’s celebrated in your culture?
127. What is your favorite holiday and why?
128. Does your country have any special holidays or festivals?
129. Is Christmas celebrated in your country? If so, how is it celebrated?
130. What are the best and worst gifts you have ever received? What is the
meaning of Christmas?
131.Being Good: Were you good this year?
132. Do you become a better person every year?
133. What is the best Christmas movie?
134. What food is associated with Christmas?
135. Real or Fake: What makes the best Christmas tree?
136. Do you have any funny Christmas stories?
137. Is it okay to give money as a gift? Carol , valci
138. Do you make a New Year’s resolution every year?
139. Homosexuality ESL Conversation Questions
140. Is your country gay-friendly?
141.Does your city have any gay pride events?
142. Are there any jobs homosexuals should be prohibited from doing?
143. Do you believe homosexuality comes from genetics or the environment?
144. Should gays be allowed to marry?
145. Freud argued that most people have both heterosexual and homosexual
tendencies. What do you think of this?
146. What would you do if you found out your son or daughter were gay?
147. Can homosexuality be ‘cured’?
148. Why are some people against gay marriage?
149. How would your parents react if you told them you were gay?
150. Housing ESL Conversation Questions
151.What things can make an apartment a great apartment?
152. Has your residence ever been broken into?
153. Which do you prefer — living in the countryside or the city?
154. What do you know about your neighbors? Do you get along with them?
155. What is your neighborhood like? Is it becoming better or worse?
156. What types of disagreements often arise between neighbors?
157. What do you think of IKEA and its products?
158.
159. Internet ESL Conversation Questions
160. Are you comfortable with shopping online?
161.Are the Internet and websites such as Facebook bringing people closer together or
further apart?
162. Should young children be able to access the Internet freely?
163. Which is worse for children: the Internet or TV?
164. Do you support Wikileaks?
165. Hacktivism: are hacker groups, like Anonymous, heroes? Do you support
them?
166. Are you a pirate? Do you pay for music, movies, software, and textbooks?
167. What do you think of dating online? Have you ever done it?
168. Has the Internet made us smarter or more stupid?
169. What does it mean if someone is a ‘troll’ on an online message board?
170. Why is there so much hatred on online message boards?
171. Money ESL Conversation Questions
172. Do you give money to beggars or homeless people?
173. What’s the best way to invest in your future?
174. Do you give to charity? Why or why not?
175. Do you think we will have cashless societies one day?
176. What qualities make a good salesman?
177.Do you have any customer service horror stories?
178. Have you worked in sales before?
179. Have you ever found a large amount of money on the street? If not, what
would you do if you did?
180. Why do we use money?
181. Can you explain “inflation”?
182. If you were rich, what would you change about your life?
183. Should the rich pay higher taxes?
184. Banking: Would banking services improve if banks were made public?
185. What bank do you bank with? Are you satisfied with its service?
186. Does everything have a price?
187. Philosophy ESL Conversation Questions
188. Do you believe you make real choices in life? Or are all your choices
determined by previous conditions?
189. Does morality come from education? Or is there something in humans that
makes us view certain things as good and others as bad?
190. Do you believe there are things universal moral truths; i.e. things that are
considered bad by all human beings everywhere?
191.Why care about the environment?
192. Why should we care about others?
193. Is truth just a matter of opinion?
194. Do you believe in fate or destiny?
195. If God exists, why are there so many problems in the world?
196. Does a person’s love for his/her partner differ from his/her love for a friend,
child, or car? How so?
197. Do you believe in the idea of a soul, separate from the physical body?
198. Would your view on life change if you were severely handicapped?
199. “Everything is for sale.” What do you think of this statement?
200. Are there products you won’t buy for ethical reasons? If so, what are they?
201. Is life absurd?
202. What makes your happy?
203. Are human beings naturally selfish?
204. Do you believe in karma?
205. How can a person make the most out of life?
206. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
207. “Everything in moderation.” <– Do you agree with this expression?
208. “Try everything once.” <– Do you agree with this philosophy?
209. Political ESL Conversation Questions
210. Have you ever been involved in a protest?
211.Is Democracy the best political system?
212. If you had your own island to populate, what rules would you make for the
people that live there?
213. What is NATO? What is the role of the organization?
214. Should the right to protest be a universal right?
215. Can democracy work in the Arab world?
216. What causes war?
217. Would you be for a one-child policy for overpopulated countries?
218. Were there any problems with most recent elections in your country?
219. Are there many refugees living in your country?
220. What role should the international community have in Africa?
221. Do all countries have the right to have nuclear arms?
222. Should a country’s leader to limited in serving for only one or two terms?
223. Do you think countries should share the responsibility of accepting
refugees?
224. What are the flaws of democracy?
225. Can democracy work in Africa?
226. Becoming a martyr: Are there any ideals that you would die for?
227. What is the best way to protest a government?
228. If you could rebuild your country, what would you change?
229. What conditions should be required for people who want to legally
immigrate to your country?
230. What is your top complaint about your country’s government?
231. Could anarchism work?
232. “History Repeats Itself” – do you believe this? If so, can you give examples?
233. What are the major parties in your country?
234. Do the majority of adults vote in your country?
235. Do all countries have a right to possess nuclear weapons?
236. What does your government owe you?
237. How can a government create jobs?
238. Punishment ESL Conversation Questions
239. What is the purpose of punishment?
240. What was the worst thing you did as a child? Did you get caught?
241. How did your parents punish you when you were a child?
242. How should teachers punish bad students?
243. What was the worst punishment you received as a child? Was it fair?
244. Would you rather be dead than spend life in jail?
245. Should prisoners be required to work?
246. Can you think of any people who were punished for a crime they didn’t
commit?
247. Is capital punishment (the death penalty) practiced in your country?
248. Who are some famous people who were executed?
249. Should insane people be punishable by death?
250. Is it ever okay to hit (or spank) your child?
251. Do you believe capital punishment makes the public not want to commit
crimes?
252. Should executions be done in public?
253. What’s the difference, morally, between capital punishment and torture?
254. Would mandatory military service be a good idea for your country?
255. Relationship / Love ESL Conversation Questions
256. What is the best age to begin dating?
257. How long should a couple date before they move in together?
258. Why is the divorce rate so high in many countries?
259. What is the best number of children to have?
260. Should people have fewer children, considering the world’s population and
environmental problems?
261. Have you ever been on a blind date?
262. What are your turn ons and turn offs?
263. Generally speaking, how do you think the men and women of you country
are viewed by foreigners?
264. What is chivalry? Is it dead?
265. Do opposites attract? Or do similar people tend to fall in love?
266. Are caesarian sections becoming more common in your country?
267. Would you like to know the gender of your child before it is born?
268. Do believe pheromones for humans exist?
269. What is a wedding ceremony like in your country?
270. How has the idea of marriage changed throughout history?
271. What is your experience with divorce?
272. What do people commonly do on dates in your country?
273. Do you watch romantic comedies?
274. Do fairy tales create unrealistic expectations for people?
275. Have you ever had a long distance relationship?
276. What was the worst date you’ve ever had?
277. Have you ever tried to set up a friend with someone? Did it work out?
278. What is the ‘right age’ to get begin dating? Get married?
279. What do you think about meeting someone through a dating agency or
dating website?
280. Do you think it is okay to date a co-worker?
281. Jealousy: is it possible to control this emotion?
282. Is society becoming more promiscuous? If so, what factors have caused this?
283. Do you believe in “the one” (does everyone have a ‘perfect match’)?
284. What are the pros and cons of going out with an older woman (or man)?
285. What do you think of polygamy?
286. Should the man pay on a date?
287. My Generation: How would you compare your generation to the current
generation of youngsters? Would you rather have been born now than when you
were?
288. Have you ever said something you wish you could take back?
289. Who do you go to when you need advice? What do you think of therapists?
290. Science & Religion ESL Conversation Questions
291. What are some limitations of science?
292. Is a scientific explanation of life depressing for you?
293. Have you ever witnessed a miracle or something supernatural?
294. Do you believe in evolution?
295. “The Survival of the Fittest”: How important are survival skills in our
society? Does the term “Survival of the Fittest” still apply?
296. Is Darwin’s “Natural Selection” still happening?
297. Is artificial insemination against human nature and evolution?
298. Do you believe in aliens?
299. Are there any strange religious groups in your country?
300. Do you think the end of the world is near?
301. Nature vs. Nurture: Is intelligence rooted in genetics?
302. Survival of the Fittest: Do you think society would benefit if we let loose a
handful of wild and dangerous animals (e.g. grizzly bears, hippos) into urban areas,
e.g. the downtown of your city?
303. What would life be like if we succeeded in improving the gene pool by 30%?
304. Should people be allowed to know what their IQ is?
305. Thou Shalt Not Lie is the 9th Commandment. Do you agree with it?
306. Do you believe in the distinction between left-brained and right-brained
people?
307. Do some people, or animals, have a sixth sense?
308. Have you ever witnessed or experienced inexplicable phenomenon? What is
déjà vu? Do you occasionally experience it?
309. Do you believe in stories about out of body experiences?
310.
311. Sports & Leisure ESL Conversation Questions
312. Which sports in the Olympics should be added or removed? Who is the most
popular athlete from your country? What hobbies would you not let your children
do?
313. What do you know of the history of the Olympics? What are your favorite
memories of the Olympics?
314. Do you envy Olympic athletes? Which do you prefer: the winter or summer
Olympics? Why?
315. Do the Olympics unite the world or divide it?
316. Do you think your country should invest more into its athletic programs?
317. Would you country to be a suitable place to host the Olympics?
318. If you had to eliminate a sport or several sports from the Olympics, which
would you choose?
319. What is your definition of “sport”? Are synchronized swimming, ballroom
dancing, and darts sports?
320. Do you support investing more money into national athletic programs so
your country achieves more Olympic medals?
321. What do you think of the salaries of professional athletes?
322. Do you think it’s good for colleges and universities to provide scholarships
to athletes?
323. Technology ESL Conversation Questions
324. What technology couldn’t you live without?
325. How has technology changed education methods?
326. Can technology fix global warming?
327. Is there a difference between a machine, like a microwave, and a robot? How
would you define “robot”?
328. How do we currently use robots?
329. Is it possible to give Artificial Intelligence (AI) to robots?
330. Will robots cause rising unemployment in the future?
331. Could a robot do your job?
332. How are people different from computers?
333. Are you scared of how much information Internet companies such as Google
have about you?
334. Do you think humans will one day inhabit other planets?
335. Do you support investing large amounts of money into space exploration?
336. Has a computer virus ever caused problems for you? What steps do you take
to protect your data and privacy?
337. What are some of the greatest achievements and inventions of mankind?
Make a list with your classmates.
338. Travel ESL Conversation Questions
339. Where would you like to go on your next holiday?
340. What’s the best way to find deals on travel?
341. If you had to immigrate to another country, where would you go? Why?
342. What is the stereotype of your nation’s citizens?
343. Do you prefer active or relaxing holidays?
344. If you had more money, where would you go?
345. Do you like packaged holiday tours?
346. What was your best holiday?
347. What was your worst holiday?
348. Do you have any horrible or funny travel stories?
349. “When in Rome, do as the Romans” — do you agree with this idea?
350. Does your country have many tourists? What do you think of them?
351. What are the best places to visit in your city or town?
352. If you could only pack five things for a trip to an unknown place, what would
you take?
353. Is there a place that you’d never visit again?
354. Who are the worst tourists?
355. What has been your worst experience at a hotel?
356. What are some common travel scams? Have you been the victim of a travel
scam?
357. Work ESL Conversation Questions
358. What was your first job?
359. What is the worst job you have ever had?
360. When you were a child, what did you want to be?
361. What is your dream job?
362. How long should women get for maternity leave?
363. Do you think human beings need to work to be happy?
364. What are the minimum things you need to do your work effectively? Do you
have them?
365. What do you believe are the top predictors of job performance?
366. Do people commonly work from home in your company? What do you think
of this?
367. Do you think 40 hours a week is too much for humans?
368. When do you plan to retire?
369. What do you see yourself doing in your retirement?
370. Do you have a pension or adequate savings for retirement?
371. What would make you quit your job?
372. What motivates you to work hard?
373. How do you balance work and your personal life?
374. Other than increasing salaries, what can employers do to make their
workers happy?
375. Do women often face discrimination in the workplace in your country?
376. Are you a supporter of labour unions?
377. Have you experienced sexual harassment in the workplace?
378. What industries are strong in your country?
379. What is your best achievement?
380. How would you define success?
381. Do you get any perks (or fringe benefits) from your employer?
382. Do you and your boss get along?
383. What is the retirement age in your country?
384. What is the worst job in the world?
385. Is it true that ‘no job is perfect’?
386. Have you ever had a manager or coworker that you couldn’t get along with?
387. What are some inappropriate questions to ask in job interviews?
388. What are some tough job interview questions? How would you answer
them?
389. How do you prepare for a job interview?
390. What would you do if you were fired from your job?
391. How is the economic recession affecting your field?
392. If you could go back in time, would you study something different?
393. Would you ever date a coworker? boss?
394. Work Hours: Can countries that have a shorter workweek stay competitive?
395. Stereotyping: Do national stereotypes hold any truth? If so, how much?
396. Retirement: Should women who’ve had children be allowed to retire earlier?
397. Are jobs in the public sector sought after in your country? Why or why not?
398. Do you have any interesting job interview stories?
399. Should interviewers be prohibited from asking about age, marital status,
residency, etc?
400. What companies/brands do you like? Why?
401. Do you know companies that have bad reputations? What for?
402. What CSR programs does your company have, if any?
403. What companies do you feel overcharge or abuse their customers?
404. What are the values of the company you work for?
405. If you had your own company, what type of policies, dress code, workspace,
etc would you have?
406. How can a person make a good first impression?
407. What are some things you should and should not do if you are organizing a
business dinner?
408. What are some important factors to consider for starting a small business?
409. If you had your own business, what kind of business would it be and how
would you run it?
410. Other ESL Conversation Questions
411.Do you have any embarrassing stories?
412. Which of your possessions could you not live without?
413. What is the stupidest thing you have ever done?
414. Do you have any regrets?
415. If you could travel in time, to what time would you go and why?
416. Who was your hero as a child?
417. What are some things you would like to accomplish before death?
418. What pisses you off?
419. If you had the power to make a new law, what law would you enact?
420. Have you ever used Groupon? What do you think of it?
421. What is the riskiest thing you have ever done?
422. Why do people sing in the shower?
423. Have you ever had a near-death experience? (note: please avoid telling
extremely sad stories) What are potentially deadly things that you encounter every
day?
424. What makes you feel better when you’re angry or depressed?
425. What can’t you live without?
426. If you could be a child again for a day, what would you do?
427. What motivates you to get up in the morning?