Level 14 discourse markers pdf grammar lesson

English

1. scourse Markers 2

Adverbial expressions

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What are discourse markers?

Words or expressions, often adverbs or
adverbial expressions, which help you
understand:

The connection between what the speaker is
saying and what has already been said.

The connection between what the speaker has
said and what he is going to say now

What the speaker thinks about what he is
saying These presentation will focus on this subject.

3. Talking of...

e Use: to change the direction of the
conversation, but making a link to
what has been said.

e Example:

A: Students should attend as many
lessons as possible, do homework
and study for their tests.

B: Talking of homework, how useful
do you think it is?

4. By the way/Incidentally

« Use: to introduce something you
have just thought of, or to change
the subject completely.

e Example:

So that’s what the plan for the
rest of our lessons. By the
way/Incidenteally, would you
change anything in the way
grammar is taught in this course?

5. Actually/In fact/As a matter
of a fact

e Use: to introduce additional or
unexpected information.

« Example:

A: Did you study the vocabulary list
the teacher give?

B: Actually,/In fact,/As a matter of
a fact, | hate vocabulary lists.
They are stupid and useless.

6. In any case/ Anyway

e Use: to introduce an idea that
what you said before is less
important than what you are going
to say. Also, to return to the main
topic after a digression.

« Example:

There are some things you learn
best in calm, and some in storm.
In any case,/Anyway, | think
learning is a lifetime journey.

7. At least

+ Use: to introduce a positive point
after some negative information.
Also, to make what you just have
said less definite.

« Example:

1) Yes, | failed the test. At least,
I’m absolutely sure | did my best.
2) Education consists mainly of
what we have unlearned... or at
least that’s what Mark Twain used
to say.

8. As | was saying

+ Use: to return to a previous
subject, often after you have been
interrupted.

e Example:
As | was saying, if we don’t have a
whiteboard to use, we’ll have to
do with the projector.

9. On the whole

e Use: to generalize.
e Example:

“Some people will never learn
anything, for this reason, because
they understand everything too
soon.” On the whole, what
Alexander Pope was trying to say
is that...

10. All in all

e Use: to say that you are taking
everything into consideration.
+ Example:

Literal translation and translation
of meaning might both prove
useful depending on the situation,
but all in all, | think that a
translation of meaning is more
suitable when working with
novels.

11. After all

+ Use: to introduce a strong
argument that the other person
might not have taken into
consideration.

« Example:
We should try and study. After all,

the worst thing that can happen is
that we fail the test.

12. Besides

e Use: to add additional information
or arguments.

« Example:

And how is education supposed to
make me feel smarter? Besides,
every time | learn something new,
it pushes some old stuff out of my
brain. Remember when | took that
home winemaking course, and |
forgot how to drive?

Homer Simpson

13. Basically

e Use: to introduce the most
important or fundamental point.

+ Example:
I've always thought my
soundtracks do pretty good,
because they're basically
professional equivalents of a mix
tape I'd make for you at home.

Quentin Tarantino

14. Obviously
e Use: to introduce a fact that is
very clear to see or understand.
« Example:

Obviously, a government can't
get everything 100% right or
wrong. Life’s not black or white.

15. | mean

e Use: to make things clearer or
give more details.

« Example:
He is a good student. | mean, he
goes to the lessons and does his
homework even though he’s a very
busy person.

16. In other words

« Use: to say something again in
another way.

« Example:
Fill my heart with song
And let me sing for ever more
You are all | long for
All | worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words, | love you.

“Fly Me to the Moon” F. Sinatra

17. Otherwise

e Use: to say what the result would
be if something didn’t happen or
if the situation were different.

e Example:

If you love someone, you say it,
right then, out loud. Otherwise,
the moment just passes you by.

Julia Roberts

18. As far as...is concerned/ As
regards.../Regarding...

e Use: to introduce a new topic or
to announce a change of subject.

« Example:

The lack of objectivity, as far as
foreign nations are concerned, is
notorious. From one day to
another, another nation is made
out to be utterly depraved and
fiendish, while ones own nation
stands for everything that is good
and noble.

19. That is to say

e Use: to introduce an explanation
or clarification of a point you’ve
just made.

e Example:

There are known knowns. These are things we
know that we know. There are known
unknowns. That is to say, there are things
that we know we don't know. But there are
also unknown unknowns. There are things we
don't know we don't know.

Donald Rumsfeld (American Politician)

20. On the one hand... on the

other hand
Use: to introduce an explanation
or clarification of a point you’ve
just made.

Example:

The aim of science is, on the one hand, as
complete a comprehension as possible of the
connection between perceptible experiences
in their totality, and, on the other hand, the
achievement of this aim by employing a
minimum of primary concepts and relations.

Albert Einstein

21. Questions?