How to Get People Talking: What “Elicitation” Teaches Us About Advanced English Conversation Skills

Elicitation is a communication technique that originally came from the world of intelligence and espionage, but it’s surprisingly relevant to everyday English conversations. The idea is simple: instead of asking direct questions, you make statements that encourage people to share or correct information naturally.

The topic is explored in a recent edition of the Diary of a CEO podcast which you can watch - the section you want is from 52:15-59:27.

In the podcast they explain that when we’re not being questioned, our guard goes down and we often reveal more. For example, saying “I heard Whole Foods employees make $26 an hour” might lead someone to reply, “What? No, I make $17.” No question needed, just a statement that invites a response.

The podcast explains three key elicitation methods: correcting the record (making a statement someone will want to fix), bracketing (offering a range to get a specific answer), and disbelief (showing polite doubt to draw out more detail). These techniques rely on empathy, tone, and subtle phrasing — qualities that define advanced English communication.

For learners, elicitation demonstrates how to sound more confident, natural, and emotionally intelligent in conversation. Instead of asking, “How long have you worked here?”, try saying, “So, you’ve been here a while.” Or instead of “Did you find that difficult?”, say, “I bet that was challenging.” These statement-based prompts sound smoother, less intrusive, and often lead to richer responses.

Ultimately, the lesson is simple: the more sensitive or personal the topic, the fewer direct questions you should ask. Whether you’re chatting socially, networking, or interviewing someone, using elicitation helps you come across as thoughtful, relaxed, and genuinely interested — key traits of an advanced English speaker.

__________

Elicitation is just one of the many techniques that I teach my students to improve their communication in English, so if you are interested to know my training could help your English, then get in contact today!