Using ChatGPT to Practice Simple Business Introductions and Small Talk

Using ChatGPT to Practice Simple Business Introductions and Small Talk

Introduction

Making a good first impression is essential in any professional setting. Whether you’re starting a new job, attending a networking event, or joining a business meeting for the first time, your ability to introduce yourself clearly and engage in small talk can help build trust and open the door to better communication.

However, for many English learners, these basic interactions can feel intimidating. What should I say? How formal should I be? How can I sound confident and natural in English? These are common questions—and this is where ChatGPT can become a powerful learning partner.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use simple templates to introduce yourself in a business context and how to engage in small talk with confidence. You will also learn how to use ChatGPT as your personal practice tool to correct mistakes, suggest improvements, and even simulate realistic conversations.

Whether you are preparing for a business trip, attending meetings with foreign clients, or simply want to become more comfortable speaking English in the workplace, this beginner-level guide will give you a practical way to start.

Let’s begin your journey toward confident and professional communication—one introduction at a time.

1. Business Self-Introduction

Why Is a Good Self-Introduction Important?

In the business world, your self-introduction is often your first chance to make a positive impression. Whether you’re meeting a new colleague, attending an international conference, or introducing yourself in an online meeting, being able to clearly say who you are and what you do builds trust and credibility.

A clear and polite self-introduction shows confidence and helps others understand your role and purpose. The good news is that most business self-introductions follow a simple format. You don’t need complex grammar—just clarity and tone.

Basic Template

You can begin practicing with this simple and flexible template:

Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I work as a [Job Title] at [Company Name]. I’m mainly responsible for [Your Main Task]. I’m happy to be here today.

Example 1 – Office Setting

Hi, my name is Erika Sato. I work as a sales coordinator at Sunrise Electronics. I’m mainly responsible for handling customer orders and coordinating with our logistics team. I’m happy to be part of the team.

Example 2 – Online Meeting

Hello everyone, my name is James Lee. I’m a software engineer at LumaTech. I’m responsible for back-end development on our web applications. It’s nice to meet you all.

GPT Prompt for Practice

Use ChatGPT to check and improve your introduction:

Can you correct and improve my business self-introduction? Here's what I wrote: "Hi my name is Keiko. I am working marketing in ABC Inc. I responsible SNS and campaign."

ChatGPT Might Suggest:

“Hi, my name is Keiko. I work in the marketing department at ABC Inc. I’m responsible for managing our social media and planning campaigns. Nice to meet you.”

ChatGPT not only corrects grammar, but also adjusts tone and phrasing to sound more natural and professional.

Adding More Detail

Once you’re confident with the basics, try adding one or two more sentences to give more context:

Hi, I’m Haruki Takeda, a financial analyst at Kinjo Holdings. I mainly support the investment strategy team by conducting market research and preparing reports. I’ve been with the company for three years and really enjoy working in this fast-paced environment.

Optional Variations

Here are a few optional expressions you can use, depending on the situation:

• “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

• “I recently joined the company.”

• “I look forward to working with you.”

• “I’m currently based in [City or Country].”

You can ask ChatGPT:

Can you rewrite my self-introduction in a more formal way?
or
Can you make this shorter but still professional?

Practice Task

Now it’s your turn. Write your own self-introduction using the template. Then ask ChatGPT to review it and suggest improvements.

Here's my business self-introduction. Can you give me feedback and make it sound more natural and professional?
"My name is Taro. I work in accounting. I check company numbers and make reports."

Try different versions, and see how ChatGPT helps you refine your English.

2. Business Small Talk

What Is Small Talk—and Why Does It Matter?

Small talk refers to short, casual conversations that help build relationships. In business, small talk often happens before meetings, during coffee breaks, or in online calls while waiting for others to join. It may seem like just “chit-chat,” but it’s actually a powerful tool for connecting with colleagues and clients.

If you avoid small talk because you’re not confident in English, you’re missing a chance to build trust and make a positive impression. Even simple comments about the weather, the weekend, or recent work can help create a friendly atmosphere.

Common Topics for Small Talk

Here are some safe and easy topics to start with in a business context:

• The weather

• The day or week so far

• Weekend plans or holidays

• Work-related events or projects

• Online meeting issues (“Is my mic working?”)

Small Talk Template 1 – Starting a Conversation

A: How’s your day going so far?
B: Not too bad, thanks! It’s been a little busy, but manageable. How about you?

Small Talk Template 2 – Before a Meeting

A: Did you have any trouble joining the call?
B: No, it was fine. Zoom has been working well lately.

Small Talk Template 3 – Monday Morning

A: How was your weekend?
B: Pretty relaxing, thanks. I stayed home and watched some movies. What about you?

GPT Prompt to Practice Small Talk

Can you help me practice small talk in English for a business meeting? Please play the other person and give natural replies.

ChatGPT can act as your conversation partner. You can type your line, and ChatGPT will respond like a real person.

Improving Small Talk with GPT

After your conversation, you can ask:

Can you tell me how natural my small talk sounds?
Can you suggest more polite or professional phrases I can use?

This way, you can make your English smoother and more suitable for work settings.

Advanced Tips: Adjusting Tone

If you’re speaking with a client or senior manager, you might want to be more formal. Try these expressions:

• “How have you been?”

• “I hope your week is going well.”

• “Thank you for taking the time to meet today.”

For more casual settings with colleagues:

• “Busy day today?”

• “Did you catch the game last night?”

• “I need more coffee already—it’s only 10 a.m.!”

You can give ChatGPT a prompt like:

Can you rewrite my small talk to be more casual but still appropriate for work?

Practice Task: Create and Test

Write your own small talk example using one of the templates above. Then copy and paste it into ChatGPT with the following:

Here’s my small talk. Can you make it sound more natural for a business setting?
“A: Hello. B: Hello. A: How are you? B: I’m fine.”

Compare ChatGPT’s response with your version. Keep refining until it feels natural.

Challenge: Use Small Talk + Self-Introduction

Try combining what you learned in the previous sections:

Hi, I’m Yuki from the finance team. Nice to meet you. Busy day today?
Hi, I’m Carlos. I joined the marketing team last week. Hope your week’s going well!

Now practice with ChatGPT:

Can you roleplay a short business conversation with small talk and self-introduction? Please play the other person and reply naturally.

3. Combined Roleplay: Business Self-Introduction and Small Talk (TOEIC Style)

Now that you’ve practiced basic self-introductions and small talk separately, it’s time to combine them into one smooth business interaction. This section uses a TOEIC Part 3-style dialogue to help you apply both skills in a natural setting.

You will also practice listening comprehension with three multiple-choice questions—just like in the real TOEIC test. Afterward, you’ll get a ChatGPT prompt to practice similar conversations yourself.

Sample Conversation

Man: Good morning. I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Alex Chen from the marketing team.

Woman: Nice to meet you, Alex. I’m Naomi Suzuki. I just joined the sales department last week.

Man: Welcome to the company! How are you finding your first week so far?

Woman: It’s been great. Everyone’s very friendly, and I’m learning a lot. How about you—busy week?

Man: Pretty busy, yes. We’re preparing for next month’s product launch. Lots of meetings.

Woman: Sounds exciting. I look forward to working with you on future projects.

Listening Comprehension Questions

1. What department does the man work in?
   A. Human Resources
   B. Sales
   C. Marketing
   D. Accounting

2. What does the woman say about her job?
   A. She’s been working there for two months.
   B. She joined the company last week.
   C. She works in the marketing team.
   D. She’s looking for a new position.

3. What is mentioned about the man’s work?
   A. He’s planning to leave the company.
   B. He is preparing a sales report.
   C. He has a light schedule.
   D. He is working on a product launch.

Answers:

1. C

2. B

3. D

Practice Prompt for ChatGPT

Use the following prompt to simulate your own TOEIC-style roleplay with ChatGPT. You can paste it directly into ChatGPT to start your conversation.

Can you create a TOEIC Part 3-style conversation between two people who are meeting for the first time at work? Include a self-introduction and small talk. Then give me three multiple-choice questions with answers.

Bonus Tip

You can ask ChatGPT to increase the difficulty or add business-specific vocabulary by modifying the prompt:

Can you rewrite the conversation using more formal business English?
Can you make it longer and include more detailed roles and tasks?

This is a great way to prepare for both TOEIC and real workplace conversations.

4. Practice Prompts for ChatGPT

One of the biggest advantages of using ChatGPT for learning English is that you can practice conversations anytime, anywhere. You can ask for corrections, roleplay different scenarios, and even simulate a TOEIC-style test. In this section, you’ll find ready-to-use prompts that focus on business self-introductions and small talk.

Can you check and improve my business self-introduction? Here it is:
“Hi I’m Taro. I do accounting. I write report every month.”

Can you rewrite my self-introduction to make it sound more formal and professional?

Can you make my self-introduction shorter, but still polite and business-like?

Can you help me practice small talk for a business situation? Please act as my coworker and reply naturally.

Does my small talk sound natural and polite? Can you suggest better ways to say it?

Can you roleplay a short business conversation with self-introduction and small talk? Please play the other person.

Can you roleplay a longer business conversation where I introduce myself and ask about your work? Include friendly small talk too.

These prompts give you flexibility and variety in how you practice. The more situations you try with ChatGPT, the more confident you’ll become in real conversations.

5. Vocabulary and Useful Phrases

To sound natural and confident in business English, it helps to use phrases that professionals commonly use. In this section, you’ll learn practical expressions that can be used for both self-introductions and small talk. You’ll also see examples and small notes about usage and tone.

️ A. Self-Introduction Phrases

1. I work as a [job title] at [company name].

   I work as a project coordinator at ZenTech.

2. I’m responsible for [main duty or task].

   I’m responsible for managing client communication and scheduling.

3. I’ve been with the company for [length of time].

   I’ve been with the company for two years.

4. I recently joined the [department/team].

   I recently joined the finance team.

5. It’s a pleasure to meet you. / Nice to meet you.

   (Used at the end of your introduction.)

6. I’m looking forward to working with you.

   (Good for meeting future coworkers.)

B. Small Talk Expressions

7. How’s your day going so far?

   (Polite and friendly—use in any workplace.)

8. Pretty good, thanks. It’s been busy but productive.

   (A common reply that sounds natural.)

9. Did you have a good weekend?

   (Use on Monday mornings to start conversation.)

10. Any plans for the weekend?

(Use on Fridays or casual chats.)

11. Hope your week is going well.

(Good opening line in emails or meetings.)

12. I’m still getting used to everything.

(Useful for newcomers or new roles.)

Variations and Tone Tips

• “I handle client reports.” → More casual than “I’m responsible for…”

• “I take care of HR matters.” → Friendly and conversational

• “I’m in charge of social media strategy.” → Good balance of casual and formal

• “The team has been really supportive.” → Nice for small talk about work environment

• “I work closely with the sales department.” → Use to describe collaboration

✍️ Practice Exercise

Try completing these sentences with your own information:

• I work as a ______ at ______.

• I’m mainly responsible for ______.

• I joined the company ______.

• I’m in charge of ______.

• It’s been ______ so far, but I’m learning a lot.

• I’m looking forward to ______.

Now copy and paste your answers into ChatGPT with this prompt:

Can you check my business English sentences and suggest improvements?

Reminder: Use Natural Phrases

Even if your grammar is perfect, awkward expressions can confuse listeners. Focus on using phrases that sound natural in business settings. With enough practice, these expressions will become part of your daily communication.

6. Summary and Self-Study Plan

Summary

In this lesson, you learned how to introduce yourself and make small talk in a business setting using simple and effective English. You explored:

• How to follow clear templates for business self-introductions

• How to start and respond to small talk at work

• Useful expressions and phrases to sound natural and professional

• How to practice all of the above with ChatGPT

• How to use TOEIC-style conversations for listening and speaking practice

These are essential skills not only for English exams but also for real-life work environments, especially in international teams or cross-cultural business situations.

The key to improvement is consistent practice—and that’s where ChatGPT becomes your best learning partner. With personalized feedback, roleplay functions, and natural language suggestions, you can use ChatGPT as your daily conversation coach.

Weekly Self-Study Plan (15–20 min/day)

Here’s a suggested 7-day plan to build confidence and fluency using what you’ve learned:

Day 1 – Self-Introduction Practice

• Write a self-introduction using the basic template

• Paste it into ChatGPT and ask:

  “Can you improve my business self-introduction?”

Day 2 – Tone & Style Adjustment

• Ask ChatGPT to rewrite your introduction in a more formal or casual style

• Try 2–3 versions and choose your favorite

Day 3 – Small Talk Starter Practice

• Use a prompt like:

  “Can you help me practice small talk before a meeting?”

• Try different topics: the weather, weekend plans, work updates

Day 4 – Roleplay Full Conversation

• Combine self-introduction + small talk

• Use:

  “Can you roleplay a short business conversation with both elements?”

Day 5 – Vocabulary Focus

• Choose 5 new expressions from this lesson

• Write your own sentences using them

• Ask ChatGPT:

  “Can you check my sentences and make them sound more natural?”

Day 6 – TOEIC-Style Listening Practice

• Use the prompt:

  “Can you create a TOEIC Part 3-style conversation with questions?”

• Try answering the questions and then ask for explanation of the answers

Day 7 – Review and Feedback

• Send ChatGPT a full paragraph with introduction + small talk + comment

• Ask:

  “Can you give me feedback and tell me how natural it sounds?”

Final Advice

Don’t aim for perfection. Aim for progress. Even just 15 minutes of smart, focused practice each day can bring huge improvements over time.

Use ChatGPT not just as a tool, but as your partner in learning. With daily feedback and interaction, your confidence in business English will grow faster than you expect.

Let’s continue building your global communication skills—one conversation at a time.