Learnship 11 - 2023/10/23

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Business Language Coaching - Session 11 - Using Discourse Markers for Cohesive Speaking & Writing(2)

  • learn about discourse markers and how to use them to improve your speaking
  • do some impromptu speaking activities

Starting Point

How did you get on with the exercises on discourse markers? Have you had the chance to practice using a range of discourse markers in your meetings at work?

Matching

In paris, match the pairs of sentences. Once you have matched all the sentences, highlight the discourse markers.

  1. I’m not addicted to social media at all. On the contrary, there are plenty of other things I’d rather be doing with my time.

  2. In addition to being quite stressful, social media can be very time-consuming.

  3. Social media can boost your career prospects. As it so happens, I found my current job via a friend’s post.

  4. I’ve always been an advocate of new technology. Having said that, I do think it has to be used with caution.

  5. It’s true that technology has its downsides. Even so, I know I couldn’t live without it.

  6. Phones are quite expansive. What’s more, they break quite easily.

  7. Technology has many uses in business. Likewise, it has many applications within education too.

  8. Some people are nervous about using it, but by and large, most people are in favour of technology.

  9. I bought the new model on account of its high-quality camera.

  10. I read about the dangers of too much screen time. Accordingly, I now only let my children watch 30 minutes of television a day.

Speaking game

Look at the illustrations on the next page and the list of discourse markers. In your group, take turns in rolling the die and saying the sentence and discourse marker that correspond to the number on the die. Once you use one of the discourse markers, tick it off from the list. Whoever ticks off all the discourse markers first, wins the game!

Remember, the first throw is to help you choose which sentence to say; the second throw is to help you choose which discourse marker to use. Follow the example your teacher gives you.

Topic: Being a YouTuber or a streamer is not believed to be a very stable profession.

  • Accordingly
  • even so

Topic: Many people argue that buying local products supports local communities.

  • on the whole
  • nevertheless
  • on account of

Vocabulary/Notes

  • the butcher
  • gourmet burger
  • merchandise
  • on the contrary; quite the opposite/reverse
  • in addition to; on top of
  • as it so happens; as a matter of fact
  • having said that; admittedly
  • even so; although
  • what’s more; on top of that
  • likewise; at the same time
  • by and large; on the whole; more or less
  • on account of; due to
  • accordingly; so
  • talking of…(change topic while referring to something recently said)