Everyone knows this scene all too well. You’re standing and talking to someone, but you really need to go. Or your attention span has waned. Or you’re exhausted. Or the chat has become downright ...

You’re standing in line at the supermarket or drugstore when a stranger speaks up. “Hello, how are you?” the stranger greets you. “Good, and you?” might be your response. Your conversation partner ...

Learn to start a conversation in English with small talk topics. Use observations, work and entertainment to engage and ...

So you stroll into Costco one Saturday afternoon and see someone who looks familiar. Ah, yes, that acquaintance from high school. You have a decent idea of good conversation starters—What’s the last ...

Some professionals shudder at the idea of “small talk,” but it can be a powerful tool for building rapport with people you’re meeting for the first time—and for opening doors at networking events. A ...

Small talk gets a bad reputation. People roll their eyes at it, call it “fake,” or avoid it altogether. But here’s the truth ...

The season of festive gatherings is upon us, bringing with it a special kind of social sport: holiday small talk. It’s that ...

Haupt is a health and wellness editor at TIME. Haupt is a health and wellness editor at TIME. When you have social anxiety, walking into a room full of people can make you feel like every eyeball in ...

ATLANTA — You're standing in line at the supermarket or drugstore when a stranger speaks up. "Hello, how are you?" the stranger greets you. "Good, and you?" might be your response. Your conversation ...