Page 141 - English Vocabualry In Use 3 (Upper Intermediate)

67 Discourse markers in spoken English

A What are discourse markers?

Discoursemarkersareexpressionswhichorganise,commentonorinsomewayframewhatweare
saying.Anexampleiswell.
A:SoyouliveinBoston?B:Well,nearBoston.
Well hereshowsthatthespeakerisawarehe/sheischangingthedirectionoftheconversationin
someway(notgivingtheexpected‘yes’answer).Anotherexampleishowteachersusewordslike
Right andOK toorganisewhatishappeninginaclassroom:
Right/OK,let’shavealookatexercise3.

B Organising a conversation

Herearesomecommonexpressionswhichorganisethedifferentstagesofaconversation.
Now,whatshallwedonext?So,wouldyouliketocometothetablenow,please?
Good,I’llringyouonThursday,then.Well then,whatwasityouwanttotalkabout?
Now then,Iwantyoutolookatthispicture.(said by someone in control of the conversation, e.g. a teacher)
Fine/Great,let’smeetagainnextweek,then,shallwe?(often used to close conversations)

So, where was I?Iwastellingyouaboutmyaunt…(often used after an interruption or to come back to
the main topic or story)

C Modifying and commenting on what you say
Inthesemini-dialogues,theexpressionsinboldmodifyorcommentonwhatisbeingsaid.

A: It’s cold, isn’t it? A: What’s her number?
B: Yeah. B: Let me see, I have it here
A: Mind you, it’s November, so it’s not surprising. somewhere … (a hesitation -
(an afterthought, used like however) gaining time)

A: It’s quite a problem … A: And he said he was go-
B: Listen/Look, why don’t you let me sort it B: Well, that’s typical!
out? (introducing a suggestion / an important A: Hang on / Hold on! Let
point) me tell you what he said!
A: Would you? Thanks a lot. (preventing an interruption)

D Other useful discourse markers

Ican’tdothat.Yousee,I’mnotthebosshere.(explaining)
Hewas,youknow,sortof…juststandingthere.(hesitation)
Hewaswearingthis,kindof/like,cowboyhat.(notsureofthebestwaytosaysomething)
Sothat’swhatwehavetodo.Anyway,I’llringyoutomorrow.(thespeakerthinksthetopiccanchangeor
the conversation can now close)
Itrainedalldayyesterday.Still/Ontheotherhand,wecan’tcomplain,itwasfinealllastweek.
(contraststwoideasorpoints)
Weshouldn’tbetoohardonhim.Imean,he’sonlyachild.(makingclearwhatyoumean)

Ininformalspokenlanguage,peopleoftenusethelettersofthealphabet(usuallynomorethana,band
c),tolistpointstheywanttomake.

STELLA:Whyaren’tyougoingthisevening?
ADAM:Well,a)Ihaven’tgotanymoney,andb)it’stoofaranyway.

Itisoftendifficulttoheartheseexpressionswhentheyareusedinrapidspeech,butwhenyouarein
apositiontolisteninarelaxedwaytosomeonespeakingEnglish(forexample,ifyouarenottheperson
being spoken to, or you are listening to informal speech on radio or TV or in a film),itiseasiertoconcentrate
onlisteningfordiscoursemarkers.

140 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate