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Universal sentences to throw into an ongoing conversation to make it appear as if you were listening :)

Yesterday at lunch some colleagues started discussing about some political events, especially with reference to the current situation in Pakistan. They were all telling each other what was said in a certain TV program although all of them had seen the same TV program and knew very well what was said in it. L and I found this very funny. Then they started expressing their anger and strong opinions about ‘what I would have done, had I been present at that political function’ etc. After a point, this discussion too started sounding funny and it was going in circles. So L and I started throwing in some universal or generic reaction phrases into the conversation. Actually neither had we listened to the conversation well nor were we aware of that political situation in detail. Yet the phrases were making perfect sense. R caught the drift and she too joined in. Then P also found out what we were doing and started adding to the generic comments. For the longest time ever we kept up this game and continued laughing and giggling and the ones who were conducting the conversation seriously really believed that we were a part of it too :)

So I thought I might share with you these universal sentences to throw into an ongoing conversation to make it appear as if you were listening :)

Here they are:

“Yes ! I know !”

“This is too much ya !”

“Really ? I didn’t know that !” - Here you are also actually speaking the truth ;)

“How can anybody behave in this manner !!” - Say it in different tones – with indignation, wonder, amazement, despair etc. etc.

“Absolutely !”

“Exactly !”

“You know how it is…” - Again it is possible to say it in different tones - in a resigned tone or with a mischievous glint in your eyes or in anger etc. etc.

“No wonder !”

“No, but…” - and then trail off with a puzzled look and somebody will enthusiastically assume some doubt you might have and give some explanation

“Well, it takes all sorts to make the world !”

There are many more that could be turned into phrases that really make sense in any given conversation even when you don’t mean a thing by uttering them :)

Do you know any ? ;)

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