First Impressions

First impressions happen fast and stick with us, whether we’re meeting someone new or walking into an unfamiliar place. These questions work well for practicing past experiences and discussing how we judge people and situations.

Questions are organized by level from beginner to advanced. A printable PDF of all the questions is available at the bottom of the page.

Beginner (A1-A2)

1. Who do you usually meet first when you go to a new place? What do you notice about them?
2. Do you shake hands, bow, or hug when you meet someone? What do most people in your country do?
3. Where is a good place to meet new people in your city? Do you go there often?
4. What are three things you talk about when you first meet someone? Give me some examples.
5. What do you think about when you are about to meet someone new for the first time?
6. Do you like meeting people from other countries? What do you ask them about?
7. What is a polite way to end a conversation with someone you just met?
8. Do you prefer meeting someone at their home or at a restaurant? Why?
9. How do you feel when you are in a room full of people you don’t know? What do you usually do?
10. Can you tell if someone is friendly just by looking at them? What do you look for?
11. Do you act differently when you meet your friend’s parents for the first time? How?

Elementary (A2)

1. When you look at someone, what makes you think they are dangerous?
2. When you look at someone, what makes you think they are untrustworthy?
3. When you look at someone, what makes you think they are intelligent?
4. When you look at someone, what makes you think they are kind?
5. When you look at someone, what makes you think they are crazy?
6. Have you met someone who you hated right away even though you didn’t know them? What was it about them?
7. Do you make first impressions based on what people wear? What do you notice first?
8. Do you smile when you meet someone new or do you wait to see if they smile first? Why?
9. Think about the last time you met someone new. Where were you and what happened?
10. Do you remember names easily when you meet new people? What do you do if you forget?
11. Do you feel nervous when you meet someone important for the first time? What do you do?
12. Are you shy or outgoing when you meet new people? Has it always been that way?
13. Do you judge people by their handshake? What makes a good handshake?
14. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during a first meeting with someone? What made you feel that way?
15. What topics do you avoid when you first meet someone? Why?
16. What is the first thing you notice about a new person? Why?
17. Does someone’s voice affect how you feel about them when you first meet? How?
18. When and where did you meet most of your friends for the first time?

Intermediate (B1)

1. Do you like to meet new people or do you prefer to hang out with people you already know? Why?
2. When are the most important times to make a good first impression?
3. What are the best ways to make a good first impression?
4. What kind of impression are you trying to make with your clothes?
5. Do you try to make a different first impression now than you did in high school? How has it changed?
6. Have you ever tried to make a great first impression but completely messed it up? What happened?
7. What’s the difference between meeting someone online and meeting them in person for the first time?
8. Do you feel more comfortable meeting people at work or outside of work? Why?
9. What do you think makes some people naturally good at meeting new people? What is their secret?
10. Do you think first impressions are usually accurate? How often do they turn out to be wrong?
11. Have you ever completely changed your mind about someone after getting to know them? Tell me about it.
12. Do you think shy people have a harder time making good first impressions? How so?
13. Do you think attractive people have an easier time making good first impressions? What makes you think that?
14. Do you think people should be themselves during first meetings, or should they try to show their best side? Why or why not?
15. How important are first impressions in your culture or country? Is it different from other places?
16. Should people get a second chance after making a bad first impression? Why or why not?
17. How much does someone’s sense of humor matter when you first meet them? Is it a big deal or not really?
18. If someone made a great first impression on you but your friend warned you about them, what would you do?

Upper-Intermediate (B2)

1. In what jobs do people have to make very quick decisions based on first impressions?
2. How have dating apps and social media changed the way people form first impressions compared to meeting in person?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of judging people quickly based on first impressions?
4. Compare how people make first impressions in professional settings versus casual social situations. How is it different?
5. How do first impressions differ across cultures? What might seem polite in one culture but rude in another?
6. Why do you think people sometimes form completely wrong first impressions? What factors lead to these mistakes?
7. How do stereotypes and biases affect our first impressions, and what can people do to recognize and reduce those effects?
8. Some people say you should never judge a book by its cover, but research shows first impressions form in seconds. How do you balance these two ideas in your own life?
9. How does someone’s job title or social status influence the first impression they make? Is this fair?
10. How do first impressions affect hiring decisions? What are the risks when employers rely too heavily on them?
11. Compare how children and adults form first impressions. What do adults consider that children typically do not?
12. In many cultures, a firm handshake signals confidence. What small gestures carry big meaning when meeting someone new in your culture, and how have these expectations changed over the generations?
13. In many countries, people are taught to be polite and hide their true feelings when meeting strangers. How does this cultural expectation help and hurt relationships in the long run?

Advanced (C1)

1. When someone uses makeup, filters, or cosmetic surgery, at what point does ‘improving your appearance’ become ‘pretending to be someone you’re not’? How does this affect first impressions?
2. Wealthy people, celebrities, and politicians often have teams that manage their image. How does professional impression management shape public trust, and where is the line between marketing and deception?
3. Some neighborhoods and workplaces are becoming more diverse while others are becoming more homogeneous. How does the level of diversity in your daily environment shape how quickly and accurately you judge people you meet for the first time?
4. Think about how first impressions work differently in high-stakes situations like courtrooms, emergency rooms, and border crossings. How do the consequences of getting it wrong change the way people judge others?
5. Why do humans form first impressions so quickly despite knowing they’re often inaccurate, and what does this reveal about the evolutionary or social purposes of rapid judgment?
6. How do power dynamics influence whose first impressions are taken seriously and whose are dismissed, particularly in professional or institutional settings?
7. In what ways do economic and class differences shape both how people present themselves in first impressions and how those impressions are interpreted by others?
8. How do different generations approach first impressions differently, and what do those differences reveal about changing cultural values around authenticity, formality, and social connection?
9. In many workplaces, people are told to ‘be yourself’ but also to ‘act professional.’ How do these two expectations contradict each other, and how do people navigate that tension when meeting colleagues or clients for the first time?
10. People often say they don’t care what others think of them, yet most people still prepare carefully before important first meetings. Why is there such a gap between what people say and what they actually do, and what does this tell us about the role of social acceptance?
11. Algorithms on social media and dating apps now decide which profiles you see first, essentially creating your first impressions for you. How does it change things when a machine, rather than chance, controls who you meet and how they are presented to you?

PDF: Download a PDF of all the questions