Small talk

Small talk - polite conversation, usually with strangers

, that passes the time - is annoying to some people, but we all engage in it once in a while. So what are some common topics of small talk in English?

The Weather

I think this is the most common topic. I talk about the weather with people when I don't know what else to say. 😄

Here's a short dialogue that includes some idioms:

-It's so hot today.
-Yeah, it's a scorcher (meaning the temperature is very high).
-I know I shouldn't complain because winter will be here soon.
-You're right, but this heat is ridiculous.

Another common small talk topic is traffic and construction projects. It's summer in the United States, which means it's the season of orange barrels and traffic cones. Everyone bonds over their mutual hatred of both of these things.

[a conversation between two office workers on an elevator]:

-It took me so long to get to work. The freeway was like a parking lot (meaning no one was moving; traffic was at a standstill).
-Oh, yeah?
-Yeah, one lane was closed and I couldn't take the exit I usually take.
-I hate driving on the freeway, so I take surface streets (surface streets are not a part of the freeway system).