If you do this, it will be easy to have a conversation with them.
Offer to do the dishes after the meal (to show them that you are helpful)
If the conversation is dying and you can't think of what to say, ask them what your partner was like as a child.
You need to do some "homework" before you go.
to give reasons for doing something
after adjectives
after a question word, e.g., who/what/how
after some verbs, e.g., need, want, etc.