Have you owned a pet?

All of us love pets, right? Whether it’s cats or dogs or hamsters, all of us have animals that we really like. Pets are great company and the perfect thing to look forward to seeing after a long day. We’ve all had pets, or at least played with someone else’s. We all love talking about our pets too. They’re like a part of the family, and we can’t resist the chance to show them off!

Sometimes though, we all face problems when trying to accurately convey exactly what we’re trying to say.

Read on to learn exactly what to say, to make your conversational partner understand what you love about your pet. Happy learning!

So, let’s start by taking a basic situation that all of us can relate to, and work from there.

*Your friend wants to buy a pet, she’s asking you your opinion on what to buy. You have owned a lot of pets, so you try to give her advice about this*

Read on to find the overall flow, specific vocabulary, phrases, and expressions that can be used for an effective and fluent conversation on this topic. Right below is your guide to having an engaging conversation!

A conversation has specific phases that it goes through. Here is a quick look at we will teach you, to guarantee you a smooth conversation.   

Content : What is it that you are going to talk about?

Use the ‘wh’ questions along with the keywords to help you put together the content.

  1. What pet do you suggest? – Cat, Dog, Hamster etc.
  2. What are the benefits of having that pet? – Easy to train, Doesn’t shed etc.
  3. What are the difficulties of having that pet? – Fussy eater, Scratching etc.
  4. How to deal with the problems? – Training, Providing scratching posts etc.
  5. Where did you buy the pet? – Dog shelter, Pet store, Friend etc.

Choosing Contextual Vocabulary

Choosing contextual vocabulary to suit the scenario you’re talking about can be very important when it comes to giving depth and clarity to what you’re trying to say, as well as piquing your partner’s attention. In this case, you’re talking about your pet.

Listed below are a few words and phrases that could come in handy while elaborating on your pet.

  1. Breed
  2. Train
  3. Feed
  4. Equipment
  5. Exercise
  6. Vet
  7. Check-up
  8. Shedding
  9. Fur
  10. Play
  11. Collar
  12. Treats
  13. Groom
  14. Diet
  15. Play

Similarly. given below are a few descriptive words and phrases that you could use to make your conversation more interesting!

  1. Variety of breeds/Crossbreeds*
  2. Intense training
  3. Particular pet food
  4. Pet-specific equipment
  5. Regular exercise
  6. Monthly vet appointments
  7. Troublesome shedding
  8. Soft fur
  9. Fun to play with
  10. Healthy diet
  11. Necessary grooming
  12. Pet treats
  13. Cute appearance
  14. Breeding of pets
  15. Domesticated animals

Initiate the conversation by mentioning the pet you own

‘I own a dog, his name is Biscuit.’

Talk about what kind of pet you like

‘I love dogs, they’re my favourite animal.’

Talk about why you like your pet/dislike another pet – here are 5 examples of things you could say

  1. Dogs are so compassionate, it’s no wonder they’re called ‘a man’s best friend.’
  2. Did you know owning a cat can lower your risk of heart disease by 30%? It’s scientifically proven!
  3. Having a dog has made my life so much less stressful and depressing.
  4. Buying pet fish have made my kids much more responsible, because I’ve given them the duty to care of the fish. They’re doing a great job of it!
  5. Cats scratch all your furniture and are really difficult to train.

Give your conversational partner some tips on what pet they should get – here are 5 examples of things you could say

  1. You love dogs, right? You should definitely buy one, there’s a dog shelter down the street that houses the cutest dogs ever!
  2. You should give your kids a pet. I recommend fish because they’re very easy to maintain, no hassle, nothing too difficult.
  3. I don’t think you should get a cat, they scratch anything they get their paws on, are really difficult to train and shed excessively.
  4. I had a hamster, they bit easily and were really small which means they kept escaping from their cage. It is not an ideal pet for a child, but that’s just my opinion.
  5. I think you should get a small dog and not a big dog, as small dogs are easier to groom and transport, they also cost less to take care of.

A model answer would be as follows :-

I own a dog, his name is Biscuit. I love dogs, they’re my favourite animal. Dogs are so compassionate, it’s no wonder they’re called ‘a man’s best friend.’ Having Biscuit has made my life so much less stressful and depressing. You love dogs, right? You should definitely buy one, there’s a dog shelter down the street that houses the cutest dogs ever! I think you should get a small dog and not a big dog, as small dogs are easier to groom and transport, they also cost less to take care of.