How to Deal with Awkward Silences

We all know what it's like when a conversation dies off and you're left to sit in silence. Thankfully, filling these silences isn't as difficult as it may seem. Read on to learn how to initiate small talk and deal with awkward silences.

• Think of topics ahead of time.

Before attending a social event, think of a few "go-to" topics to jumpstart a dead conversation. This will help you to fill the silences instead of struggling for words in the moment. Recent news, local events, popular books and television shows are all good fallback options.

• Ask open-ended questions.

Ask questions that have more than one possible answer. They help avoid resulting in short response. For example, instead of asking, "Did you like your high school?", you could ask, "What did you like about your high school?"

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As with any good conversation, the biggest key is to listen. If they respond to your question with a short statement such as "Yes"or "No", that might indicate that they aren't comfortable talking about a particular subject. Instead, talk about something that you know they're interested in. For example, "I heard you won your football game the other night. I'd love to hear about it."

• Give a compliment (表扬).

For example, you could say, "I really like your shirt. Where did you get it?" This could move the conversation in another direction while making the other person feel good. Stick to saying nice things if you're trying to make small talk.

A．Keep the conversation flowing.

B．It also allows you to spend more time together.

C．Listen carefully and respond to their reactions.

D．There's only one word to describe it: awkward.

E．This is always a safe bet, as long as it's appropriate.

F．Such questions are likely to get the person talking more.

G．However, avoid some subjects that may cause arguments.