Beauty ESL Conversation Questions

If you could change one thing about your appearance, what would it be?
What do you find most attractive in people of the opposite sex?
Would you buy a Barbie Doll for your daughter?
What do you think of tattoos?
Should voluntary plastic surgery be banned?
Can aging be prevented or slowed?
Do you read beauty magazines?
What's your opinion of beauty pageants like Miss Universe?
How have our ideas about beauty changed historically? What does this tell us?
Are people in your country fashionable?
"No Make-Up Day": would this be a good idea?
How important is it for your partner to be beautiful?
What message does the media send to young people about beauty?
What message is more important to send to overweight youth: 'be happy with yourself' or
'lose weight'?
Some airlines and restaurants seem to only hire attractive people. Is this discrimination?
Should it be legal?
Have you ever bought art? What kind of art interests you?

Crime ESL Conversation Questions

Have you ever witnessed a crime?

Do you trust the police to help you when you’re in need? Why or why not?
Have you ever had to use violence to protect yourself?
Does your country have any stupid laws?
Should downloading music (without paying for it) be a criminal offense?
Should smoking be banned from restaurants?
France has banned 'psychological violence'. What do you think this means?
Does your country have many illegal immigrants?
How would you define terrorism?
What were you doing when the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened?
Do you think there is terrorist activity happening in your area?
What is a 'crime against humanity'?
What is 'racial profiling'?
Being a patriot: would you go to war to fight terrorism?
The most wanted: who are the most wanted criminals in your country?
Was the US-lead invasion of Iraq in 2003 an act of terrorism?
Personal rights: A month after 9/11, the Bush government signed a law named the US
Patriot Act. This law allowed the government to closely monitor telephone calls, emails,
and other personal data. Would you support such a law in an emergency?
Have you ever had to take the law into your own hands?
Does your country have jury duty? Have you ever done it?
Is corruption common in your country?
Is it possible to get rid of corruption?
Have you ever bribed someone or been bribed?
Would you commit a crime to save your family?
Robin Hood: is it okay to steal from the rich to help the poor?
What's your opinion of graffiti?
Should people be able to carry weapons?
Does your country need more or fewer surveillance cameras?
Who are the world's worst criminals?
Should hitchhiking be illegal? Have you done it?
Have you ever been the victim of a crime?
What reputation do the police have in your country?
What characteristics should a good police officer have? What characteristics do they often
have?
Should prostitution be legal?
Can criminals such as paedophiles and rapists truly be rehabilitated?

Drugs ESL Conversation Questions

Should marijuana be legalized?

When you're sick, do you use medicine?
What do you think of alternative medicine?
Do you support the use of clinical marijuana?
Is drug use a big problem in your country?
Was drug use a problem in your high school?
Is alcohol worse than many illegal drugs?
Should the legal drinking age be changed?
Should patents held by pharmaceutical companies be bypassed in order to help those in
need (e.g. people suffering from HIV in Africa?)

Education ESL Conversation Questions

Is it easy to get a job after graduation in your country?

Should university education should be free?
How can educators and parents promote creativity in children?
How would you compare the quality of education in your country to other countries?
What makes a good teacher?
Do you prefer public or private schools?
Should evolution or creationism be taught at schools?
Do you have any funny school stories?
Who should be responsible for teaching sexual education to children and teenagers?
Is a university degree enough in your country to get a good job?
Is 'the student life' the best time in people's lives?
Should researchers at universities also be required to teach classes?
What is the most important subject(s) in school?
How does your country's education system rate globally?
Who was your favorite teacher from your school days? Describe him or her.
Should young children be required to learn English? If so, from what age?
How has technology changed teaching methods?
What do you think of home schooling?
Language development: what’s the best way to raise a bilingual child?
Have you ever had a problem with a bully?
Your son has just come home from school. He is crying because a bully at school beat him
up. What do you tell your son?
What are your fondest (best) memories of high school? What regrets do you have?
What classifications of students existed in your high school (e.g. nerds, athletes, etc.)?
Which were you part of?
How would you compare your high school generation to today’s generation of teenagers?
Is there such thing as a dangerous book? Should children be prohibited from reading
certain books?
Has reading made you a better person?
Are girls smarter than boys?
Do you have any tips for giving a successful speech or presentation?

Entertainment ESL Conversation Questions

Who is your favorite celebrity?

What is your favorite movie?
What is your favorite science fiction movie about the future?
Do you prefer to watch TV or use the Internet?
Will TV exist in 20 years?
Do you like reality TV programs?
What do you think of rap music?
Why do many celebrities have drug and alcohol problems?
Do you read tabloid magazines?
What do you think of the paparazzi? How can they be controlled?
What's your opinion of video games? What are the pros and cons of letting children play
video games?

Environment ESL Conversation Questions

Is global warming happening?

What has caused global warming?
Is recycling too much of a hassle?
What happens to recyclable materials after they are picked up from your house?
Should developing countries be required to cut emissions as well?
What is your opinion of nuclear energy? Which kind of energy do you support?
Do you believe overpopulation is a major issue? If so, what can be done about it?
How does overpopulation affect you?
How will the world look in 100 years?
Is it okay to send our garbage into space?
What is your opinion of nuclear energy? Which kind of energy do you support?
Are the rivers and beach areas in your city or town polluted? Would you swim there?
Concerning the production of energy, which is the most important consideration: human
value or environmental risk?
Where do you draw the line between worrying about safety and living your life?
Could you live in an area that could have a natural disaster at any moment?
Family ESL Conversation Questions

What household chore do you despise the most?

Should men and women share the responsibility for housework 50/50?
What are the advantages of raising a family in your country?
What's the best age to move out on your own?
Would you adopt a child?
If you became elderly and alone, would you rather live in a senior citizen's home or with
your children?
Is it common in your country for people to live with their grandparents?
Do you come from a big family?
Is it good or bad to be a single child?
Are you more like your father or your mother?
What do you think of squatting?
How did your parents meet?
Were you ever left alone or lost for a long time as a child? Or have you ever lost a child?
What qualities make a good parent?
What does “alternative parenting” mean? What are some alternative parenting ideas?
If you could choose, would you rather have a daughter or a son?
Do you plan to spend your life savings before you die or leave it for your family?
It is often said that “what a man does in the privacy of his own home is his business.” Is
this true?
Where did your ancestors come from originally? Were they immigrants?
Violence: Is it ever okay to hit a child? What is the custom or law in your country?
Due to population growth and environmental problems, should families have fewer kids?
What is the ideal number of children to have?
Is it better for a child to have one parent or two homosexual parents?
Is it tradition in your culture for women to adopt their husband’s last name? Is this fair?
In your country, are mother’s allowed maternity leave (from work)? What about paternity
leave for fathers?
What is a mid-life crisis? How can one be avoided?
When are children old enough to move out of the house?
What is the best environment to raise a family in (e.g. apartment, village, etc)?
Is there anything funny or different about your family?
Does someone in your family maintain a family tree? How far back can you trace your
family history?
How important is it to you (or your parents) that you pass on your genes, i.e. have
children?

Health ESL Conversation Questions

Are you addicted to anything, such as coffee, tobacco?

Are you afraid of the dentist?
What is the best cure for a hangover?
What is the ideal amount of sleep to get per night? Are you getting it?
Is your country smoker-friendly?
Have you heard of the paleolithic diet? What is it?
Would you rather be anorexic or obese?
What would you do if the doctor told you that you only had a month to live?
Do schools in your countries have cafeterias? Do they serve healthy food?
Does anything run in your family?
What's the best way to lose weight?
Is your country's cuisine healthy?
How are the health services in your country?
Do you support the idea of universal health care?
Is evolution still happening?
If you found an elixir that, once drank, would allow you to live forever, would you drink it?
Do you worry about the safety of the food you eat? What won’t you buy?
Fasting: Some people go without food for a long time to improve their bodies or minds.
Can not eating make your body and mind healthier and stronger?
Is it expensive to get medicine and treatment from a doctor in your country?
Are you a hypochondriac?
What methods are used in your country to prevent pregnancy?
What important factors should a couple consider before having a baby?
Is the “morning after pill” a form of abortion?
Do you believe today’s generation of teenagers are more sexually active than the
generation of 30 years ago? If so, why?
What is something you are not spending enough time doing?
What do you think of vegetarianism? Veganism?
Would you consider being a sperm donor?
What do you think of your country's health care system?
Do you have any allergies?
Do you think our culture is too dependent on medicine?
Have you ever had a near-death experience?
Does everyone have a right to free basic health care?
What would you do if you found an unconscious person lying on the street and there were
no telephones nearby?
Do you know the steps of CPR?
Have you ever given or been given the Heimlich maneuver?
Do you believe people of the same blood-type have similar characters?
Have you ever donated blood?
Do you think technology will help humans live longer and longer?
What is the key to long life?
Should some vaccinations be mandatory? Without exemptions?
What's your opinion of vaccinations?
Would you rather be blind or deaf?
Would you rather be quite short or quite tall? Why?
In what ways, if any, are you superior to a caveman?

Homosexuality ESL Conversation Questions

Is your country gay-friendly?

Does your city have any gay pride events?
Are there any jobs homosexuals should be prohibited from doing?
Do you believe homosexuality comes from genetics or the environment?
Should gays be allowed to marry?
Freud argued that most people have both heterosexual and homosexual tendencies. What
do you think of this?
What would you do if you found out your son or daughter were gay?
Can homosexuality be 'cured'?
Why are some people against gay marriage?
How would you react if your child told you he were gay?

Money ESL Conversation Questions

Do you give money to beggars or homeless people?

What's the best way to invest in your future?
Do you give to charity? Why or why not?
Do you think we will have cashless societies one day?
What qualities make a good salesman?
Do you have any customer service horror stories?
Have you worked in sales before?
Have you ever found a large amount of money on the street? If not, what would you do if
you did?
Why do we use money?
Can you explain "inflation"?
If you were rich, what would you change about your life?
Should the rich pay higher taxes?
Banking: Would banking services improve if banks were made public?
Does everything have a price?

Political ESL Conversation Questions

Have you ever been involved in a protest?

Is Democracy the best political system?
If you had your own island to populate, what rules would you make for the people that live
there?
What is NATO? What is the role of the organization?
Should the right to protest be a universal right?
Can democracy work in the Arab world?
What causes war?
Would you be for a one-child policy for overpopulated countries?
Were there any problems with most recent elections in your country?
Are there many refugees living in your country?
What role should the international community have in Africa?
Do all countries have the right to have nuclear arms?
Should a country's leader to limited in serving for only one or two terms?
Do you think countries should share the responsibility of accepting refugees?
What are the flaws of democracy?
Can democracy work in Africa?
Becoming a martyr: Are there any ideals that you would die for?
What is the best way to protest a government?
If you could rebuild your country, what would you change?
What conditions should be required for people who want to legally immigrate to your
country?
What is your top complaint about your country’s government?
Could anarchism work?
“History Repeats Itself” – do you believe this? If so, can you give examples?
What are the major parties in your country?
Do the majority of adults vote in your country?
Do all countries have a right to possess nuclear weapons?
What does your government owe you?
How can a government create jobs?

Punishment ESL Conversation Questions

What is the purpose of punishment?

What was the worst thing you did as a child? Did you get caught?
How did your parents punish you when you were a child?
How should teachers punish bad students?
What was the worst punishment you received as a child? Was it fair?
Would you rather be dead than spend life in jail?
Should prisoners be required to work?
Can you think of any people who were punished for a crime they didn’t commit?
Is capital punishment (the death penalty) practiced in your country?
Who are some famous people who were executed?
Is it ever okay to hit (or spank) your child?
Do you believe capital punishment makes the public not want to commit crimes?
Should executions be done in public?
What’s the difference, morally, between capital punishment and torture?
Would mandatory military service be a good idea for your country?

Relationship / Love ESL Conversation Questions

What is the best age to begin dating?

How long should a couple date before they move in together?
Why is the divorce rate so high in many countries?
What is the best number of children to have?
Should people have fewer children, considering the world's population and environmental
problems?
Have you ever been on a blind date?
What are your turn ons and turn offs?
Generally speaking, how do you think the men and women of you country are viewed by
foreigners?
What is chivalry? Is it dead?
Do opposites attract? Or do similar people tend to fall in love?
Are caesarian sections becoming more common in your country?
Would you like to know the gender of your child before it is born?
Do believe pheromones for humans exist?
What is a wedding ceremony like in your country?
How has the idea of marriage changed throughout history?
What is your experience with divorce?
What do people commonly do on dates in your country?
Do you watch romantic comedies?
Do fairy tales create unrealistic expectations for people?
Have you ever had a long distance relationship?
What was the worst date you’ve ever had?
Have you ever tried to set up a friend with someone? Did it work out?
What is the ‘right age’ to get begin dating? Get married?
What do you think about meeting someone through a dating agency or dating website?
Do you think it is okay to date a co-worker?
Jealousy: is it possible to control this emotion?
Is society becoming more promiscuous? If so, what factors have caused this?
Do you believe in "the one" (does everyone have a 'perfect match')?
What are the pros and cons of going out with an older woman (or man)?
What do you think of polygamy?
Should the man pay on a date?
My Generation: How would you compare your generation to the current generation of
youngsters? Would you rather have been born now than when you were?
Have you ever said something you wish you could take back?

Science & Religion ESL Conversation Questions

What are some limitations of science?

Is a scientific explanation of life depressing for you?
Have you ever witnessed a miracle or something supernatural?
Do you believe in evolution?
“The Survival of the Fittest”: How important are survival skills in our society? Does the
term “Survival of the Fittest” still apply?
Is Darwin’s “Natural Selection” still happening?
Is artificial insemination against human nature and evolution?
Do you believe in aliens?
Are there any strange religious groups in your country?
Do you think the end of the world is near?
Nature vs. Nurture: Is intelligence rooted in genetics?
Survival of the Fittest: Do you think society would benefit if we let loose a handful of wild
and dangerous animals (e.g. grizzly bears, hippos) into urban areas, e.g. the downtown of
your city?
What would life be like if we succeeded in improving the gene pool by 30%?
Should people be allowed to know what their IQ is?
Thou Shalt Not Lie is the 9th Commandment. Do you agree with it?
Do you believe in the distinction between left-brained and right-brained people?
Do some people, or animals, have a sixth sense?
 CONVERSATION QUESTIONS
BEAUTY AND PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS

 Who do you think is the most beautiful person in your country?

 Who do you think is the most beautiful person alive today?
 Who was the most beautiful person in history?
 Who is the most attractive in your family?
 Does beauty affect one's success in life?
 Is it better to be physically attractive or intelligent?
 Is it better to be physically attractive or wealthy?
 Is beauty related to power?
 Can you think of anyone who is in a position of power that is not physically
attractive?
 Do people spend too much time and money on beauty?
 How much time should be spent on making yourself look better each day?
 Who would you say is beautiful that others maybe wouldn't?
 Do you think people should have cosmetic surgery to enhance their looks?
 If so what is the minimum age when someone should have plastic surgery?
 How popular is plastic surgery in your country?
 What is the most popular feature for cosmetic alteration?
 Do you think self-esteem affects beauty?
 Do you think beauty affects self-esteem?
 How important is beauty in your daily life?
 Have you ever noticed anyone ever feeling pressured to be more beautiful?
 What do you think of the proverb, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder?"
 Do you have any proverbs or idioms from your country that relate to beauty?
 What do you think "beauty is skin deep" means?
 What are some beauty tips that you could share?
 Do you think people with many tattoos can be beautiful?
 How many tattoos are too many?
 Would you ever get a tattoo?
 Do you have a tattoo?
 Do you think people with many piercings can be beautiful?
 What kind of body piercing, if any, do you feel are acceptable?
 What kind of piercing, if any, do you feel are unacceptable?
 What personality trait is the most important for inner beauty?
 How do you define beauty, using your own words?
 Would you ever date someone who was not conventionally attractive?
 What makes one person more attractive than another?
 Do you think people from different countries than you see attractive the same way?
 Is there someone famous that is considered beautiful, that you think is not?
 Are beauty pageants good or bad?
 Should children be entered into beauty pageants?
 Do you think one gender or group worries more about beauty than another?
 Would you want your children to be beautiful or talented?
 What are some of the drawbacks of being beautiful?
 What do you think about plastic surgery?
 Would you ever have plastic surgery?
 If so, what would you change?
 What do you think of celebrities who get plastic surgery?
 Do you think it's necessary to have plastic surgery if you are famous in order to be
successful?
 Do you think skin color affects whether a person is regarded as beautiful or not?
 Do you think that fairer skin makes you more beautiful?
 What are some advantages of being beautiful?
 What makes someone beautiful in your country?