Fun Easy English - new american english standard conversation for beginners lesson 3 Formal Introductions discourse.

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Home - Conversation - Lesson 3

Conversation Lesson 3

Lesson 3 - Formal Introductions

Dialogs for everyday use. Short situational dialogs for students of English as a Foreign (EFL) or Second (ESL) Language.

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Formal Introductions

Margaret: Mr. Wilson, I’d like you to meet Dr. Edward Smith.

Mr. Wilson: How do you do, Dr. Smith.

Dr. Smith: How do you do.

Margaret: Dr. Smith is an economist. He’s just finished writing a book on international trade.

Mr. Wilson: Oh? That’s my field, too. I work for the United Nations.

Dr. Smith: In the Development Program, by any chance?

Mr. Wilson: Yes. How did you guess?

Dr. Smith: I’ve read your articles on technical assistance. They’re excellent.

Conversation Notes

Mr. Wilson
There is a rising intonation on the words Mr. Wilson. A falling intonation on a name used in direct address is unusual in American English and tends to sound brusque and impolite.
It is important to include the d in I’d in this expression in order to differentiate it from I like, which has a different meaning. (I’d like = I would like = I want.)
How do you do
Has the form of a question (and is sometimes followed by a question mark), but it is not a question in meaning. It is simply a polite formula used in formal introductions.
How do you do
The reply to How do you do is simply the same phrase uttered with the same intonation by the other speaker. In fact, lines 2 and 3 are not strictly statement and reply but rather statements uttered by the two speakers independently and, possibly, simultaneously.
He’s just finished writing
A useful pattern indicating an action recently completed. (Just is frequently used with the present perfect tense.)
Development Program
Since these two words constitute a compound noun, the principal stress falls on the first word.
by any chance
The meaning is possibly. Used in questions to confirm something you think might be true actually is.
I’ve read
It is important to include the /v/ in I’ve in this expression in order to differentiate it from I read, which has a different meaning.

Source: U.S. State Department

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