The document outlines various communicative strategies vital for starting and maintaining conversations, as described by Cohen (1990). Key strategies include nomination, restriction, turn-taking, topic control, topic shifting, repair, and termination, all of which promote effective communication. It emphasizes the importance of adapting language and behavior based on the context and maintaining politeness throughout the conversation.

1. Various Communicative
Strategies

2. Cohen (1990) states that
strategies must be used
to start and maintain a
conversation. Knowing
and applying grammar
appropriately is one of
the most basic
strategies to maintain a
conversation.

3. Nomination
It is employed when you try
to open a topic with the
people you are talking to.
You may start off with news
inquiries and news
announcements as they
promise extended talk. This
could signal the beginning of
a new topic in the
conversation.

4. Restriction
It refers to any limitation
you may have as a speaker.
You are given specific
instruction that you must
follow. These instructions
confine you as a speaker
and limit what you can say.

5. Turn-taking
It pertains to the process
by which people decide
who takes the conversation
floor. There is a code of
behavior behind
establishing and
sustaining a productive
conversation, but the
primary idea is to give all
communicators a chance
to speak.

6. Topic Control
It covers how procedural
formality or informality
affects the development of
topic in conversations. This is
achieved cooperatively. When
a topic is initiated, it should
be collectively developed by
avoiding unnecessary
interruptions and topic
shifts. You can say “Yes,”
“okay,” “go on,” or asking tag
questions to be actively
involved without dominating.

7. Topic
Shifting
It involves moving from one
topic to another. You must
be very intuitive. Make sure
that the previous topic was
nurtured enough to generate
adequate views. You may
say, “by the way,” “in
addition to what you said,”
“which reminds me of,” and
the like

8. Repair
It refers to how speakers
address the problem in
speaking, listening and
comprehending that they may
encounter in a conversation.
For example, if everybody in
the conversation seems to
talk at the same time, give
way and appreciate other’s
initiative to set the
conversation back to its topic.

9. Termination
It refers to the conversation
participants’ close-initiating
expressions that end a topic
in a conversation. Most of the
time, the one who initiated
the conversation takes
responsibility to signal the
concluding cues. You can do
this by sharing what you
learned or complete the
discussion of the topic.

10. If you will be able to use
these strategies well, you will
be good in handling
conversations. You will avoid
miscommunication. However,
you must also consider the
situation. You must choose
your words wisely. What you
say must depend on what the
situation calls for.

11. For example, if you are just
talking with friends, then it is
alright to be casual and when
you start and end the
conversation, you need not be
formal. Meanwhile, if you are in a
formal situation, you must start
and control the conversation with
care. Be polite whenever you can.
You have nothing to lose when
you do that.