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moonsongs2007 · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 22

I'm not registered on the other part of the site so thought I'd try to sneak this question on here ...

A piece of advice on the IELTS website for the speaking module of the exam is:

"It's a good idea to learn expressions that help you to keep talking while you think of an answer."

http://www.cambridgeesol.org/teach/ielts/speaking/aboutthepaper/dos_donts_activity_answers.htm

What expressions do they mean? Anyone have any ideas? I'd love to pass them on to my student.

sparks · Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 632

Just memorised expressions which don't really mean anything that you don't have to think about while your saying them. Like "That's a good question.." or "What an interesting topic". Expletives and swear words also work at fillers.

katers · Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Posts: 31

Other ones could include:

Well...
I mean...
I would say that...
It's a difficult question to answer, but...
I suppose it's...

And obviously these ones:
Errr....
Ummm...

When I was teaching English to French people they sounded ten times more convincingly English when they said "ummm" rather than "uuuhhhh boffff" , even if the rest of their English wasn't so good! Just getting the little filler sounds good makes a world of difference.

Katy

sharter · Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 878 Location: All over the place

Erm...I'm a bit nervous. Could you repeat the question please?

Always works, especially if said by blond bombshell fluttering her eyelids.

When I was a Cambridge Examiner I remember one girl getting a great score in the oral because my British Council boss fancied her....I was the interlocutor!!

moonsongs2007 · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 22

Many thanks for your replies. For anyone else who's interested in the subject of hesitation devices, there's a discussion on the topic in episode six of the BBC radio programme, "Better Speaking":

www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/tae_betterspeaking_archive.shtml