Greeting

19.23

Pare - Oxford ILA

greeting (noun): saying hello; a polite word of welcome
greet (verb): to say hello; to welcome somebody
(The opposite of greeting is farewell - saying goodbye.)

There are many ways to say hello in English. Sometimes you say a quick hello as you are passing somebody. At other times a greeting leads to a conversation. Friends and family members greet each other in a casual way. Business greetings are more formal.

On the following pages you can listen to and practise greeting people in a variety of situations.

In this lesson you will find:

Tips: language and gestures that native speakers use

Useful phrases: words and expressions that native speakers use

Pair practice: sample conversations with audio (practise with a learning partner)

Word Part of speech	Meaning	Example Sentence
airconditioner/airconditioning noun	an appliance that cools down the air in a home or building	The airconditioner keeps the office nice and comfortable even when it's very hot outside.
avalanche noun	a dangerous slide of snow down a mountain	The skiers were warned about a possibleavalanche.
below freezing preposition/adjective	temperature less than 0 degrees Celsius/(32F)	It's supposed to go below freezing before the weekend.
blizzard noun	a storm with lots of snow and wind	The airplane couldn't take-off because of theblizzard.
boiling hot adjective + noun	common expression for describing a very hot day	It was boiling hot, so we all jumped into the lake.
breeze noun	light wind	Don't bother with a hat. There is always a breezenear the ocean.
Celsius noun	measurement of temperature (0 degrees is freezing/100 is boiling)	In the summer, the average temperature here is 20 degrees Celsius.
chilly adjective	cold	It's a bit chilly today, so I think you should wear a coat.
clear adjective	when the sky is blue because no clouds are blocking the sun	On a clear night you can see a lot of stars.
cloud/cloudy noun/adjective	water in the sky that appears as a white or grey mass	It may look cloudy in the morning, but the sun always comes out by afternoon.
cold spell adjective + noun	a period of colder than average weather	They're calling for a cold spell, so we put off our camping trip.
cool adjective	temperature in between warm and cold	The days were boiling hot, but the nights were cooland comfortable for sleeping.
degrees noun	measurement for temperature	I don't feel the heat until it's about forty degreesCelsius outside.
drizzling continuous verb	raining slightly	I think I'll take the dog for a walk. It's only drizzlingnow.
drought noun	a long period with no rainfall	Forest fires are a serious danger during a drought.
Fahrenheit noun	measurement of temperature (32 degrees is freezing/212 is boiling)	It was 100 degreesFahrenheit when we got to San Francisco.
flood noun	overflow of rain water	The flood was so bad, our basement was full of water.
flurries noun	very light snowfall	There are a few flurriesbut the snow isn't sticking to the roads.
fog/foggy noun/adjective	thick water vapor that blocks one's vision	We couldn't see the bridge because there was too much fog.
forecast noun/verb	the expected weather for the future	According to the 5 dayforecast, it's going to rain on our wedding day.
freezing cold adjective + noun	common expression used to describe a very cold day	It was a freezing coldday for the Santa Claus parade.
frost noun	ice crystals on a frozen surface	Some flowers are so strong they can withstandfrost.
frostbite noun	a skin condition caused by over exposure to the cold (typically reddish skin with white spots)	I lost my hat while I was skiing, and I ended up withfrostbite on my ears.
hail noun	small pieces of ice that fall during a storm	There was so much hailthat some of the trailer homes were destroyed.
heat stroke noun	a flu-like condition one can acquire after spending too long in the sun	Bring lots of water and wear a hat to avoid heat stroke in this weather.
heat-wave noun	extremely hot weather that is much higher than average--usually lasts a short time	During the heat-wave we cooled our beds down with ice packs.
humid/humidity adjective/noun	moisture in the air	It feels a lot hotter than it actually is because of thehumidity.
hurricane noun	a tropical storm with very strong wind and rain (from Atlantic Ocean); from Pacific Ocean it is called a "typhoon"; from Indian Ocean it is called a "cyclone"	Half of the buildings on the island were flattened by the hurricane.
icy adjective	slippery because of ice	The roads are icy so please avoid driving down any hills.
lightning noun	electric flash caused by two clouds hitting	The outdoor pool always closes when the lifeguards suspect lightning.
mild adjective	temperature that is warmer than average(in a cold season)	It's quite mild out so I didn't bother with a hat or mittens.
meteorologist noun	a person who studies weather patterns	The meteorologistpredicted that the cold spell would be over by now.
minus/negative adjective	indicates that a temperature is below zero	It was minus twenty degrees at the top of the skil hill.
overcast adjective	no sun is visible	The sky is overcast this morning, but the sun is supposed to come out by late afternoon.
partly cloudy adverb + adjective	term often used in a weather forecast to indicate that the skies are sunny and cloudy at the same time	Tomorrow's forecast ispartly cloudy with clear skies by nightfall.
precipitation noun	rain or snow that falls on an area	There is very littleprecipitation in the desert.
puddle noun	collection of rain water	Children love to splash inpuddles when they are wearing rubber boots.
rain/raining/rainy noun/continuous verb/adjective	water that falls to earth	My hair is all wet and messy from the rain.
raindrop noun	a single measurement of rain	I love catching raindropson my tongue.
rainbow noun	a band of colours found in the sky after a rainfall	According to legend you can find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
raining cats and dogs idiom	raining heavily	They cancelled the football game because it wasraining cats and dogs.
scorching/a scorcher adjective/noun	extremely hot temperature/a very hot day	It was a scorcher, so the whole family slept in the cool basement.
season noun	time of year characterized by certain weather Winter,Spring,Summer,Fall (or Autumn)	My favorite season is Fall, because I love to watch the leaves changing colours.
shower noun	quick/light rainstorm	They've been calling forshowers all week, but so far it's been dry.
sleet(similar to hail) noun	rain that freezes as it falls	All-weather-tires are best if you have to drive insleet.
slush/slushy noun/adjective	snow on the ground that has been rained on	The snow turned to slushas soon as it started to rain.
smog noun	heavy,dark cloud cover caused by pollution	You really notice thesmog downtown in this type of humidity.
snow/snowy/snowing noun/adjective/ continuous verb	frozen water that warms slightly as it falls to earth	It is already snowing up in the mountains, so the ski season should be great this year.
snowstorm noun	large amounts of wind and snow	All of the schools were closed because of thesnowstorm.
sun/sunshine/sunny noun/noun/adjective	the gassy star that warms the earth	We hope to havesunshine on the day of the beach picnic.
sunburn noun	painful red/pink skin caused by being in the sun too long	The bald man got asunburn on his head.
sunglasses/shades noun	dark eyewear that protects you from the sun	I forgot my shades and I was driving right into the sun.
suntan/tanned noun(also verb)/adjective(also verb)	brown/golden skin caused by long periods of sun exposure	I got a suntan on the cruise, but it has already faded away.
sunscreen/suntan lotion noun	cream that protects your skin from sun damage	Don't forget to reapply your sunscreen when you get out of the lake.
temperature noun	how warm or cold the air is	Can you check thetemperature before we get dressed for our walk?
thermometer noun	instrument for measuring the temperature of the air	When I checked the temperature this morning, the thermometer said it was already thirty degrees Celsius.
thunder/thunderstorm noun	the crashing of clouds (often followed by a strike of lightning and heavy rain)	Let's close all of the windows. It looks like athunderstorm is coming.
tornado noun	violently spinning windstorm	The tornado picked up everything in its path, including animals and cars.
umbrella noun	held over one's head and body for rain protection	I always keep anumbrella in my car in case of rain.
UV (ultra violet) rays noun	the damaging rays from the sun	Ultra violet rays can cause skin cancer if you don't wear sunscreen.
wind/windy noun/adjective	blowing air outside	It's too windy to play golf today.
wind chill factor noun	when the wind makes the air feel colder than the actual temperature	It's minus two, but with the wind chill factor it's minus fifteen.

What's it like out?	It's miserable out.
How's the weather?	It's ten below. (-10 degrees)
Do you have rain?	We haven't had a drop of rain for weeks.
What's the temperature there?	It's 22 degrees Celsius.
It's snowing here, what's it doing there?	It's pouring outside. (raining heavily)
Beautiful day, huh?	We couldn't ask for a better day than this.
What's the weather forecast?	They're calling for blue skies all week.

Modal Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = Future	You can also use:
would conditional	1. If I were president, I would cut the cost of education. 2. If I had been president, I would have cut the cost of education. 3. If I were elected president next year, I would cut the cost of education.	1. If I were president, I would not raise taxes. 2. If I had been president, I would not have raised taxes. 3. If I were president, I would not sign the tax increase next week.
would past of "will"	I said I would help you. He told me he would be here before 8:00.	I said I wouldn't help you. He told me he would not be here before 8:00.
would repetition in past	When I was a kid, I would always go to the beach. When he was young, he would always do his homework.	When I was a kid, I wouldn't go into the water by myself. When he got older, he would never do his homework.	used to

Modal Use	Positive Forms	Negative Forms	You can also use:
will future action, prediction	The marketing director will be replaced by someone from the New York office. Fred will be there by 8:00.	The marketing director will not be replaced after all. Fred will not be there. He has a previous obligation.	shall
will volunteering, promising	I will take care of everything for you. I will make the travel arrangements. There's no need to worry.	I will never forget you. I will never give up the fight for freedom.	shall

Modal Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = Future	You can also use:
should recommendation, advisability	1. People with high cholesterol should eat low-fat foods. 2. Frank should have eaten low-fat foods. That might have prevented his heart attack. 3. You really should start eating better.	1. Sarah shouldn't smoke so much. It's not good for her health. 2. Sarah shouldn't have smoked so much. That's what caused her health problems. 3. Sarah shouldn't smoke when she visits Martha next week. Martha hates when people smoke in her house.	ought to
should obligation	I should be at work before 9:00. We should return the video before the video rental store closes. "Should" can also express something between recommendation and obligation. "Be supposed to" expresses a similar idea and can easily be used in the past or in negative forms.	NO NEGATIVE FORMS	be supposed to
should expectation	1. Susan should be in New York by now. 2. Susan should have arrived in New York last week. Let's call her and see what she is up to. 3. Susan should be in New York by next week. Her new job starts on Monday.	1. Susan shouldn't be in New York yet. 2. Susan shouldn't have arrived in New York until yesterday. 3. Susan shouldn't arrive in New York until next week.	ought to, be supposed to

Modal Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = Future	You can also use:
must certainty	1. That must be Jerry. They said he was tall with bright red hair. 2. That must have been the right restaurant. There are no other restaurants on this street. 3. NO FUTURE FORM	1. That must not be Jerry. He is supposed to have red hair. 2. That must not have been the right restaurant. I guess there is another one around here somewhere. 3. NO FUTURE FORM	have to
must not prohibition		You must not swim in that river. It's full of crocodiles. You must not forget to take your malaria medication while your are in the tropics. Prohibition usually refer to the near future.
must strong recommendation (Americans prefer the form "should.")	1. You must take some time off and get some rest. 2. SHIFT TO "SHOULD" You should have taken some time off last week to get some rest. 3. SHIFT TO "SHOULD" You should take some time off next week to get some rest.	1. You mustn't drink so much. It's not good for your health. 2. SHIFT TO "SHOULD" You shouldn't have drunk so much. That caused the accident. 3. SHIFT TO "SHOULD" You shouldn't drink at the party. You are going to be the designated driver.	should
must necessity (Americans prefer the form "have to.")	1. You must have a permit to enter the national park. 2. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" We had to have a permit to enter the park. 3. We must get a permit to enter the park next week.	1. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" We don't have to get a permit to enter the national park. 2. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" We didn't have to get a permit to enter the national park. 3. SHIFT TO "HAVE TO" We won't have to get a permit to enter the national park.	have to

Modal Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = Future	You can also use:
might possibility	1. She might be on the bus. I think her car is having problems. 2. She might have taken the bus. I'm not sure how she got to work. 3. She might take the bus to get home. I don't think Bill will be able to give her a ride.	1. She might not be on the bus. She might be walking home. 2. She might not have taken the bus. She might have walked home. 3. She might not take the bus. She might get a ride from Bill.	could, may
might conditional of may	1. If I entered the contest, I might actually win. 2. If I had entered the contest, I might actually have won. 3. If I entered the contest tomorrow, I might actually win. Unfortunately, I can't enter it.	1. Even if I entered the contest, I might not win. 2. Even if I had entered the contest, I might not have won. 3. Even if I entered the contest tomorrow, I might not win.
might suggestion	1. NO PRESENT FORM 2. You might have tried the cheese cake. 3. You might try the cheesecake.	1. NO PRESENT FORM 2. PAST FORM UNCOMMON 3. You might not want to eat the cheese cake. It's very calorific.	could
might request (British form)	Might I have something to drink? Might I borrow the stapler? Requests usually refer to the near future.	NEGATIVE FORMS UNCOMMON	could, may, can

Modal Use	Positive Forms 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = Future	Negative Forms 1. = Present 2. = Past 3. = Future	You can also use:
could possibility	1. John could be the one who stole the money. 2. John could have been the one who stole the money. 3. John could go to jail for stealing the money.	1. Mary couldn't be the one who stole the money. 2. Mary couldn't have been the one who stole the money. 3. Mary couldn't possibly go to jail for the crime.	might, may
could conditional of can	1. If I had more time, I could travel around the world. 2. If I had had more time, I could have traveled around the world. 3. If I had more time this winter, I could travel around the world.	1. Even if I had more time, I couldn't travel around the world. 2. Even if I had had more time, I couldn't have traveled around the world. 3. Even if I had more time this winter, I couldn't travel around the world.
could suggestion	1. NO PRESENT FORM 2. You could have spent your vacation in Hawaii. 3. You could spend your vacation in Hawaii.	NO NEGATIVE FORMS
could past ability	I could run ten miles in my twenties. I could speak Chinese when I was a kid. "Could" cannot be used in positive sentences in which you describe a momentary or one-time ability. Yesterday, I could lift the couch by myself. Not Correct	I couldn't run more than a mile in my twenties. I couldn't speak Swahili. "Could" can be used in negative sentences in which you describe a momentary or one-time ability. Yesterday, I couldn't lift the couch by myself. Correct	be able to
could polite request	Could I have something to drink? Could I borrow your stapler? Requests usually refer to the near future.	Couldn't he come with us? Couldn't you help me with this for just a second? Requests usually refer to the near future.	can, may, might

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