English Learning for Beginners: Keeping in Touch

Dialogue

Alice: Bob! Is that really you?

Bob: Alice! Wow, long time no see! How have you been?

Alice: I’m great, thanks! You too! How do you usually keep in touch with everyone? My phone is always busy!

Bob: Haha, tell me about it! I mostly text my friends. It’s fast and easy.

Alice: True. I like video calls too, especially with family far away. It’s nice to see their faces.

Bob: Oh yeah, video calls are great! I use them for my sister who lives abroad. We chat every weekend.

Alice: That’s good! Sometimes I forget to reply to messages for days. My friends think I’ve disappeared!

Bob: Don’t worry, Alice, you’re not alone! I once replied to a “Happy New Year” text in February. My friend just sent back a “LOL.”

Alice: (Laughing) That’s even worse than me! I guess we’re both a bit forgetful.

Bob: Maybe we need a personal assistant just for keeping in touch!

Alice: Or maybe we should just make more time. Like, “Hey Bob, let’s grab coffee next week!”

Bob: That’s a fantastic idea! I’d love to catch up properly.

Alice: Me too! I’ll text you later to set a time.

Bob: Sounds good! Don’t forget to send that text, okay? No February replies!

Alice: (Smiling) I promise! It was great running into you!

Bob: You too, Alice! Talk soon!

Current Situation

In today’s fast-paced world, staying connected with friends and family is easier than ever before. With smartphones and the internet, we have many tools at our fingertips. People use different methods to keep in touch, depending on who they are communicating with and how urgent or personal the message is.

• Text messages (SMS/Messaging Apps): This is one of the most common ways to send quick updates, share links, or just say hello. Apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and iMessage are widely used.
• Phone calls: For longer conversations or when you need to hear someone’s voice, a direct phone call is still very popular.
• Video calls: When you want to see someone’s face, especially with family or friends who live far away, video calls (using apps like Zoom, FaceTime, or Google Meet) are perfect.
• Social Media: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allow people to share updates about their lives, see what others are doing, and send private messages.
• Emails: For more formal communication or longer messages, email remains a standard.

Choosing the right method helps us maintain strong relationships and ensures we can catch up and support each other, even when we can’t be together physically.

Key Phrases

• Keep in touch / Stay in touch: To continue to communicate with someone, especially by writing or calling.

  Example: I always try to keep in touch with my old school friends.

• Long time no see!: An informal greeting used when you meet someone you haven’t seen for a long time.

  Example: “John! Long time no see! How have you been?”

• Catch up: To talk to someone you have not seen for some time and find out what they have been doing.

  Example: Let’s grab coffee next week and catch up.

• Text (someone): To send someone a message using a mobile phone. (Can also be used as a noun: “a text”)

  Example: I’ll text you the details later.

• Video call: A phone call in which you can see the person you are talking to on a screen. (Can also be used as a verb: “to video call”)

  Example: We often have a video call with our grandparents.

• Reply (to a message): To answer someone by writing or speaking.

  Example: Don’t forget to reply to her message!

• Set a time: To decide on a specific time for an event or meeting.

  Example: Let’s set a time to meet on Friday.

Grammar Points

1. The Simple Present Tense for Habits and Routines

We use the Simple Present Tense to talk about things we do regularly or as a habit. It’s perfect for discussing how you usually keep in touch.

• Subject + Verb (base form) for I, You, We, They.

  Example: I text my friends every day.

  Example: We chat every weekend.

• Subject + Verb-s/-es for He, She, It.

  Example: She often forgets to reply.

  Example: He usually calls his parents.

• Questions: Do/Does + Subject + Verb (base form)?

  Example: How do you usually keep in touch?

  Example: Does she use video calls?

2. “Let’s” for Suggestions

We use “Let’s” (short for “Let us”) to make suggestions about what “we” should do. It’s followed by the base form of a verb.

• Let’s + Verb (base form)

  Example: Let’s grab coffee next week!

  Example: Let’s catch up soon.

3. Adverbs of Frequency (e.g., usually, often, sometimes)

These words tell us how often something happens. They usually go before the main verb (except for the verb “to be”).

• Subject + Adverb + Main Verb

  Example: I mostly text my friends.

  Example: We often have a video call.

  Example: Sometimes I forget to reply. (Can also be at the beginning or end of sentence)

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the correct key phrase from the list below:

[ long time no see!     catch up     text     keep in touch     set a time ]

1. “Sarah! Oh my goodness, __________!”
2. I promise to __________ you later with the movie details.
3. It’s important to __________ with old friends, even if they live far away.
4. Let’s __________ for lunch next week and talk about everything.
5. We need to __________ for our next study session soon.

Exercise 2: Answer the Questions

Answer these questions about how YOU keep in touch, using full sentences.

1. How do you usually keep in touch with your friends?
2. Do you prefer phone calls or text messages? Why?
3. How often do you use video calls?
4. What is one way you plan to keep in touch more often?

Answers

Exercise 1:

1. long time no see!
2. text
3. keep in touch
4. catch up
5. set a time

Exercise 2:

(Example answers – your answers may vary)

1. I usually text my friends.
2. I prefer text messages because they are quick and I can reply anytime.
3. I use video calls about once a month, mainly with my family.
4. I plan to call my parents more often to keep in touch.