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* 3 Asking How Somebody Is

3.1 ï¿½ï¿½When you ask how somebody is in general

How are you doing?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m doing all right.ï¿½>

How are you today?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Not too good. Iï¿½m still sick.ï¿½>

How’s the world been treating you? Listen < – “Outstanding! I couldn’t ask for more.”>

Are you doing OK?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½I have nothing to complain about.ï¿½>

Are you OK?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m great.ï¿½>

How are you feeling?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m fine.ï¿½>

How do you feel?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Pretty good, thank you. What about you?ï¿½>

Howï¿½s my boy?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m OK, dad.ï¿½>

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3.2 ï¿½ï¿½When you ask how things are going

Howï¿½re things?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½How are your circumstances?ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Things are getting tough. But Iï¿½ll survive.ï¿½>

Howï¿½re things going?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Fine. How are things with you?ï¿½>

Howï¿½re things with you?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Things are great!ï¿½>

Howï¿½s every little thing?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Could be better.ï¿½>

Howï¿½s everything going?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ve been keeping out of trouble. How about you?ï¿½>

How’re you getting on? Listen A “How are you managing?” < – “Wonderful! I couldn’t be better.”>

Is everything OK?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½Are your circumstances OK?ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Everything is pretty good.ï¿½>

What have you been doing lately?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Not too much. Just taking care of business.ï¿½>

What have you been up to?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ve been up to no good. And you?ï¿½>

Howï¿½s life?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Life is good. Howï¿½s yours?ï¿½>

Howï¿½s business?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Business is OK.ï¿½>

Howï¿½s work?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Just fine. And yours?ï¿½>

Howï¿½s the family?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½They are fine. Howï¿½s yours?ï¿½>

Howï¿½s the wife?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Sheï¿½s doing all right. And yours?ï¿½>

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3.3ï¿½ï¿½ When you ask about recent developments

Whatï¿½s new?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½What are new developments in the situation?ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Not too much. Things are fine. Whatï¿½s new with you?ï¿½>

Whatï¿½s the news?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Nothing.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Well, no news is good news.ï¿½>

Whatï¿½s happening?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Nothing important is going on around here.ï¿½>

Whatï¿½s up?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Nothing really.ï¿½>

Whatï¿½s cooking?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½What is happening?ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Nothing much. Everything is ordinary.ï¿½>

Whatï¿½s the deal?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½We are working in the garden, thatï¿½s it.ï¿½>

Whatï¿½s the scoop?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½Whatï¿½s the news?ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Have you heard the latest about Kelly and Chris?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½No. Whatï¿½s the scoop?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½They are getting married.ï¿½>

Whatï¿½s going on around here?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½Not much.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Then whatï¿½s that racket?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Oh, our teenage son brought home a group of his friends. They are having fun.ï¿½>

Is anything going on?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½Is there anything noticeable happening here?ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½ ï¿½No. Business as usual.ï¿½>

What else is new?ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½What you have told me is not news, so tell me something really new.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Summer has come.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½What else is new?ï¿½>

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3.4 ï¿½ï¿½When you are healthy and doing well

Iï¿½m doing just fine.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½My health is good and things are great.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you doing?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m doing just fine.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Thatï¿½s great!ï¿½>

Iï¿½m doing fine.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you today?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m doing fine.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m just fine.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m just fine.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m fine.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Are you OK?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m fine.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m doing OK.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½My health is good and/or things are great.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you doing?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m doing OK, thanks.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m OK.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m OK, thanks. What about you?ï¿½>

Iï¿½m doing well.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you doing?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m doing well.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m well.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m well. How about you?ï¿½>

Iï¿½m good.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ < ï¿½Are you doing better today?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m good.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m great.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you feeling?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m great.ï¿½>

Outstanding!ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s life? ï¿½ ï¿½Outstanding!ï¿½>

Wonderful!ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s work?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½ Wonderful!ï¿½>

Awesome!ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s business?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Awesome!ï¿½>

Terrific!ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s everything?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Terrific!ï¿½>

I canï¿½t complain.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½Everything is fine.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½I hope everything is OK with your new job.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½I canï¿½t complain. The pay is good and the hours arenï¿½t long.ï¿½>

I have nothing to complain about.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Are you happy with your life?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½I have nothing to complain about. Lifeï¿½s been good to me.ï¿½>

I couldnï¿½t ask for more.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Are you doing OK?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½I couldnï¿½t ask for more.ï¿½>

Iï¿½ve been keeping out of trouble.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How have you been?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ve been keeping out of trouble.ï¿½>

Iï¿½ve never been better.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ve never been better.ï¿½>

I couldnï¿½t be better.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How do you feel?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½I couldnï¿½t be better.ï¿½>

Things couldnï¿½t be better.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s everything going?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Things couldnï¿½t be better.ï¿½>

Everythingï¿½s coming up roses.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½Everything is splendid.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s every little thing?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Everythingï¿½s coming up roses. Life is great.ï¿½>

Iï¿½m sitting pretty.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½The situation I am in continues to be favorable to me.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you doing financially?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m sitting pretty. I have a job and some savings. My income exceeds my expenses.ï¿½>

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3.5 ï¿½ï¿½When you are generally doing well

Pretty good.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s life?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Pretty good.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m glad to hear that.ï¿½>

I’m getting by. Listen A “I am surviving but things could be better.” <“How is it going?” – “I’m getting by.”>

Iï¿½m just getting by.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s life?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½m just getting by.ï¿½>

Iï¿½ve been getting by.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How have you been?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ve been getting by.ï¿½>

Could be worse.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½My situation isnï¿½t as bad as it might be.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s business?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Could be worse.ï¿½>

Things could be worse.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½re things?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Things could be worse.ï¿½>

Same as always.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s work?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Same as always.ï¿½>

Same as usual.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How has it been?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Same as usual.ï¿½>

So-so.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½I am doing satisfactorily, not too good, but not too bad either.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How has the world been treating you?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½So-so.ï¿½>

Plugging along.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you today?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Plugging along. And you?ï¿½>

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3.6ï¿½ï¿½ When you are not doing well

Not good.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you doing?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Not good. I got sick and they fired me.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Donï¿½t worry. Things will get better.ï¿½>

Not so good.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Not so good. I have health problems.ï¿½>

Not too good.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you feeling?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Not too good. Iï¿½ve got a headache.ï¿½>

Not well.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How are you today?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Not well. I have a cold.ï¿½>

Not so well.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½re things with you?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Not so well. I have financial problems.ï¿½>

Not too well.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How has the world been treating you?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Not too well. I have problems at work.ï¿½>

Not great.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How do you feel?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Not great. I need a rest.ï¿½>

Not so great.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How have you been?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Not so great. Life is a struggle, you know.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Oh, donï¿½t say it.ï¿½>

Could be better.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½My situation isnï¿½t as good as it might be.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s life?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Could be better. Iï¿½ve been unemployed for a few months.ï¿½>

Things could be better.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ (used with could or might)ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½re things?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Things could be better. Itï¿½s very hard to make money these days.ï¿½>

Things havenï¿½t been easy.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How have you been? I heard you had lost your job.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Things havenï¿½t been easy. But I have survived.ï¿½>

Iï¿½ve seen better days.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ A ï¿½Things have been difficult recently. It was better in the past.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s your business?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ve seen better days. Activity is down.ï¿½>

Iï¿½ve had better days.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½re you getting on?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ve had better days. One thing leads to another, you know.ï¿½>

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3.7ï¿½ï¿½ When you have been busy

Iï¿½ve been busy.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½Howï¿½s everything?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ve been busy.ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Thatï¿½s good.ï¿½>

Iï¿½ve been keeping busy.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½How have you been?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ve been keeping busy.ï¿½>

Iï¿½ve been keeping myself busy.ï¿½ï¿½ Listenï¿½ï¿½ <ï¿½What have you been doing?ï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ve been keeping myself busy.ï¿½>

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