Good Morning

• A common greeting in the early day in America.
• It is used as a substitute for Hello
  -It may be followed by How are you?

Bob says: Good Morning.
Bill says: Good Morning.

Their conversation can end here. They have recognized each other with a friendly greeting and now they can go back to work.

Or they can follow it up with other formal greetings like You have a nice day.

Formal greetings in American English can be confusing because some of them ask questions.

For example:

Bob: Good Morning
Bill: Good Morning
Bob: How are you?
Bill: I am fine, thank you. How are you?
Bob: I am fine also, thank you.

• This is confusing because it asks questions you think they might want an answer to, but actually they don’t want to know how you are, it’s just a formality.
• They answer that they are fine, and ask you how are you. Once again they don’t really want to know, it’s a formality.
• This conversation usually ends here, and both go back to work.
• The asking of this question raises the level of formality a little.
• The level of formality can be raised a little bit more by asking about the families health.

For example:

Bob: Good Morning
Bill: Good Morning
Bob: How are you?
Bill: I am fine, thank you. How are you?
Bob: I am fine also, thank you.
Bill: And how is your family?
Bob: Fine, thank you for asking. How is yours?
Bill: They are fine, thank you for asking.

• Now they can go to work.
• These American English greetings can be confusing, and you have to resist the urge to answer with details about your health. That is to personal, and deemed inappropriate, unless your close friends.

Now you can go to work!
:)