IELTS Speaking Exercise:

Connecting Sentences

Discourse markers are words and phrases that help you connect your ideas. Using discourse
markers makes your spoken English sound more fluent and natural – and it may help fill in some
of the “pauses” in your speaking!
There are dozens of discourse markers in the English language, but here are 10 of the most
common, with definitions and examples.

actually
Use actually to make a correction, or to state a fact or reality:
“Do you need to learn Spanish for your trip to Brazil?”
“Actually, they speak Portuguese in Brazil.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that.”

apparently
Apparently is used to say something seems true or is true.
“How come Maria left work early?”
“Apparently her son is sick. I heard her calling the pharmacy to ask if his medicine is ready.”

as for
As for is the same as regarding. It is used to focus attention on the topic you are going to talk
about.
“Before you leave the office, please make 5 copies of the sales report and leave them on my desk
for the meeting tomorrow morning.”
“Sure, no problem.”
“As for the new advertising campaign, we need to get approval from the finance department – so
that’ll have to wait until the end of the month.”

as I was saying
We use as I was saying to get back to the main topic of conversation.
“I heard you’re going away this weekend – where to?”
“Well, after English class on Thursday night, we’re going to catch a late flight to California.”
“We have English class on Thursday?!”
“Yes, remember the teacher changed it from Friday to Thursday?”
“Oh, right.”
“As I was saying, we’re going to spend a few days in San Francisco…”

basically
You can say basically when you are going to say something simple about (or a summary of) a
complex situation.
“Are you still going out with Melissa?”
“No – we broke up a few months ago.”
“Oh, sorry to hear that. What happened?”
“Well, it’s a long story, but basically, our personalities were just too different.”

by the way
Say by the way to introduce new information or a related topic of conversation.
“So how do you like living in New York City?”
“I love it! There are a lot of interesting things to do. It’s a little hard to make friends, though –
there are just so many people.”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll settle in and form friendships with time. By the way, my sister and
I are going to meet some friends at the free concert in the park tonight – want to go with us?”

let’s see
You can say let’s see when you need a moment to think about something (especially after the
other person asks you a question).
“I’m making the reservation at the restaurant. How many people are joining us for dinner?”
“Let’s see… there’s you and me… John, his wife, and their three kids… Barbara and her
husband… and Peter with his girlfriend. That makes eleven.”

I mean
I mean is a very common expression in spoken English. You can use it to clarify your meaning,
to state your ideas in different words.
“What did you think of the movie?”
“Eh, I thought it was so-so. I mean, the story line was interesting, but the acting wasn’t that
great.”

on the other hand

Say on the other hand to introduce an alternate opinion, or a different side of the situation.
“Do you think I should buy a desktop or a laptop?”
“Well, a desktop would be cheaper, and I know you’re on a budget.”
“True.”
“On the other hand, a laptop would be more convenient because you could take it to class.”

speaking of
We use speaking of to link something previously mentioned in the conversation to a new topic.
“Did you do anything special for your birthday?”
“Oh, I just went out for dinner with some friends at a Japanese restaurant – that new one on Main
Street.”
“Really? How was the food?”
“It’s the best sushi in town, in my opinion!”
“Speaking of Japan, my brother’s planning on studying abroad there next semester.”
“Really? Does he speak Japanese?”
“Not yet, but he’s going to learn…”
with regard to; regarding; as regards; as far as ……… is concerned, as for

These expressions focus attention on what follows in the sentence. This is done by announcing
the subject in advance. As regards and as far as………is concerned usually indicate a change of
subject

Examples:

His grades in science subjects are excellent. As regards humanities …

With regard to the latest market figures we can see that ...
Regarding our efforts to improve the local economy, we have made ...
As far as I am concerned, we should continue to develop our resources.
As for John's thoughts, let's take a look at this report he sent me.

on the other hand; while; whereas

These expressions give expression to two ideas which contrast but do not contradict each other.

Examples:

Football is popular in England, while in Australia they prefer cricket.

We've been steadily improving our customer service center. On the other hand our shipping
department needs to be redesigned.
Jack thinks we're ready to begin whereas Tom things we still need to wait.

however, nonetheless, nevertheless

All these words are used to present two contrasting ideas.

Examples:

Smoking is proved to be dangerous to the health. Nonetheless, 40% of the population smokes.
Our teacher promised to take us on a field trip. However, he changed his mind last week.
Peter was warned not to invest all of his savings in the stock market. Nevertheless, he invested
and lost everything.

moreover, furthermore, in addition

We use these expressions to add information to what has been said. The usage of these words is
much more elegant than just making a list or using the conjunction 'and'.

Examples:
His problems with his parents are extremely frustrating. Moreover, there seems to be no easy
solution to them.
I assured him that I would come to his presentation. Furthermore, I also invited a number of
important representatives from the local chamber of commerce.
Our energy bills have been increasing steadily. In addition to these costs, our telephone costs
have doubled over the past six months.

therefore, as a result, consequently

These expressions show that the second statement follows logically from the first statement.

Examples:

He reduced the amount of time studying for his final exams. As a result, his marks were rather
low.
We've lost over 3,000 customers over the past six months. Consequently, we have been forced to
cut back our advertising budget.
The government has drastically reduced its spending. Therefore, a number of programs have
been canceled.
 IELTS Speaking Exercise:
General to Specific
How to go from General to Specific (Great Part 1 and 3 Tip)

Students speak very simple sentence and receive low scores:

For example:

This is job is significant.

My city is exciting to see.
I like to eat hamburgers.
I will go to a university

These answers will get you a Band 4 or Band 5. To increase your score to the next level, you
need to explain WHY. Most students don’t obtain a high score because they fail to explain
WHY. If you explain WHY, the grader will love your complete, well-rounded responses.

"This job is very significant for our business. (a very general sentence)
If you perform this job very well, we will be able to expand into the new regions of the
southeast and this will triple our profits. (a very specific sentence!)

Now let's look at the other three examples. Instead of "My city is exciting to see", could say:

My city, Salvador, Bahia is very exciting to see. (rather general)

Some of the reasons I say this include the fact that we have beaches, a blended culture, and
wonderful night entertainment. (Very specific.)

Instead of saying "I like to eat hamburgers", you could say:

I like to eat hamburgers more than any other food.. (general)

I first discovered hamburgers when a friend took me to McDonalds and ever since then, I take
every opportunity to have one! (specific)

Finally, instead of saying "I will go to a university", you should say something like this:

I hope to go to an American university in the future. (general)

American universities are so much better than what we have in my country because they offer
such a wide range of majors to choose from and at this time I am unsure about what I want to
study! (specific)
 IELTS Speaking Exercise:
Sentence Building
For you to receive a really high score, you have to demonstrate the ability to
build your sentences. Demonstration of this skill is the key to acquiring a great
score for sections 1 and 3 of speaking. In the examples below, I will show you
how to sentence build and make the grader fall in love with your responses. A
“Common Answer” is the typical low-scoring answer that most students provide
and this is something that you can’t do. Note how in “Common Answers”
students repeat the exact language of the question, which you should not do.

Question: Tell me about your family.

Common Answer: I have a brother and sister.
Better Answer: Although most families in Libya have 5 to 6 members, my mother
and father are professionals and because of their busy schedules, they thought that
having 3 children including myself was enough..
Note: This sentence is built to include what is typical in the country, how many in the
family, and why only this amount. This is a solid compound complex sentence.

Question: What is your hometown like?

Common Answer: My hometown is a good place.
Better Answer: Even though most people think that their native city is great,
Salvador Bahia is actually fantastic because we have the best combination of food,
culture and activities. These activities include swimming, hiking, and dancing.

Question: How do you feel about your job?

Common Answer: I feel good about my job.
Better Answer: Most people in the world hate their jobs, but I actually happen to love
what I do. Each day I wake up with a smile because it’s time to travel to work.

Question: What do you dislike about your classes?

Common Answer: I don’t like homework.
Better Answer: All in all, I love my classes, but sometimes our teacher assigns too
much homework. This makes me feel depressed and stressed because I need more
time to practice English in real life situations.
Note: Be sure to explain why you dislike it and use words that express emotion.

Question: What do you want to do in the future?

Common Answer: In the future I want to be an engineer.
Better Answer: When I was a child, I wanted to be a doctor, but as I got older I fell in
love with how things are built and as a result I settled on studying at a university next
year to become an engineer.
Note: Notice how this answer brings up the past to lead into the future. Also note the
“future” language.

Question: What do you do in your free time?

Common Answer: I play soccer.
Better Answer: As a student, I don’t have a lot of time for personal enjoyment.
However, when time permits, I enjoy playing soccer since this is an activity I did a lot
in my home country.
Note: Pay attention to the sentence structure. We have a complex sentence, followed
up by a sentence using a transition word.

Question: Tell me about a typical day in your life.

Common Answer: The typical day in my life is going to school.
Better Answer: On a daily basis, my life happens to be very structured because I am
a student. Take for example yesterday, where I woke up, had a great breakfast,
attended classes until 4 pm, and then went to the library for group study.

Question: What will you do when you go abroad?

Common Answer: I will study engineering when I go abroad.
Better Answer: Going to another country is always exciting. For me, the travel to a
new country will afford me the chance to learn engineering in America, and to
experience the different cultures they have in different parts of the country.

Question: What are some typical jobs that people do in your country?
Common Answer: The typical jobs that people do in my country involve oil.
Better Answer: As a Middle Eastern country, most job opportunities are related to
the oil industry which is the main source of our gross domestic product. These jobs of
accounting, engineering, and consumer sales all feed off the oil industry.

Question: Tell me about a celebration or festival in your country.

Common Answer: A festival that we have in our country is Carnival.
Better Answer: The biggest celebration in Brazil is Carnival, which is a celebration
that involves parades of dance, costumes, and other cultural activities. I absolutely
love this holiday.

Question: Do you like to go shopping?

Common Answer: Yes, I like to go shopping.
Better Answer: I would say that like most women in the world, I also enjoy
shopping. I love to see the new items on sale and to try on all the exciting clothes.
 Speaking Collocations
1. technical problem: a problem involving the way a machine or system works
2. be a big deal: to be a thing considered important.
3. jealousy: the state or feeling of being jealous.
4. centre of attention: a person or thing that excites everyone’s interest or concern
5. flat broke: be completely out of money
6. throw a party: hold/ organise a party
7. give a farewell party: throw a party for someone who is leaving a job, city, etc
8. wolf something down: eat something very rapidly and in very large pieces
9. scrumptious: delicious
10. to come of age: to reach the age when you are legally considered to be an adult.
11. attach importance to: believe that something is important
12. take pride in: To take satisfaction in, be proud of, or highly value something one
owns, has done, or is renowned for
13. end up: to reach a particular place or achieve a situation after other activities
14. on second thoughts: Having reconsidered or revised one’s opinion of something
15. be taken by surprise: to be shocked or startled by someone or something
16. be taken aback: to be shocked or startled by someone or something
17. make one’s way to somewhere: walk or travel to somewhere
18. turn out: to happen in a particular way or to have a particular result, especially an
unexpected one
19. a sense of accomplishment: a proud feeling of having done something difficult and
worthwhile
20. for a while: for some time
21. fresh in one’s memory: remember clearly
22. pull all-nighters: to be awake all night long, especially to study or to complete
something
23. on edge: nervous or worried
24. in hindsight: looking backward, reflecting on the past
25. To get the most out of something: to achieve the greatest output of work, effort,
production, etc., out of someone or something
26. While-collar workers: people who work in offices, doing work that needs mental
rather than physical effort
27. Adjacent to: next to or adjoining something else
28. To boil with rage: To express or feel an intensive anger
29. take up: start doing something
30. to be up to my ears in: extremely busy
31. have a crack at something: attempt to do something
32. sedentary lifestyle: spend a lot of time sitting down
33. get lean: have very little or no fat
34. Laze around: to spend a period of time being lazy
35. Catch up on: learn about something that one missed
36. Binge-watch: to watch several episodes of a television series or programme
37. Shut oneself off: isolate oneself from other people.
38. like the white on rice: close as anything can be
39. inseparable: very close
40. buried in work: very busy with work
41. confide in: to tell something secret or personal to someone who you trust
42. cross-eyed drunk: alcohol intoxicated.
43. to roam: to move about or travel, especially without a clear idea of what you are
going to do
44. in the middle of nowhere: in a place that is remote and isolated
45. shrill scream: a high pitched scream that can really hurt your ears if you’re too close
46. life-changing: having an effect that is strong enough to change someone’s life
47. real-estate agent: a person who sells and rents out buildings and land for clients
48. to make progress: to move forward in one’s work or activity
49. lucrative: producing a great deal of profit
50. arduous: involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring
51. 51. ground rule: a basic principle

52. 52. retrospect: a survey or review of a past course of events or period of time

53. 53. to make the right move: to have a right decision

54. 54. role model: a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated

55. 55. to look up to sb: to admire and respect someone

56. 56. to take different paths: to make different decisions

57. 57. to be highly capable: to perform or show potential for performing at

significantly advanced levels when compared with others

58. 58. to be diametrical to sb/st: to be completely different to sth/sb

59. 59. approachable: easy to talk with; friendly

60. 60. further education: formal education beyond school other than at a
university or polytechnic

61. 61. citywide: including or occurring in all parts of a city

62. 62. bump into: to meet by chance

63. 63. crack someone up: to make someone laugh

64. 64. be in awe: fearful and respectful of someone or something

65. 65. Genre: a particular style in arts

66. 66. Hotspot: a popular and exciting place

67. 67. Dance the night away: to spend the whole night dancing

68. 68. Sing one’s heart out: To sing with great enthusiasm

69. 69. Improvise a tune: to perform without preparation.

70. 70. Vividly remember: remember something accurately

71. 71. coincidental: happening by chance, not planned

72. 72. go – to place: the best place to come

73. 73. caught one’s eye: attract one’s attention

74. 74. warm ambience: warm atmosphere

75. 75. a hideaway: a place you can go to hide or to be alone

76. 76. run away: escape from somebody/ a place

77. 77. the hustle and bustle: noisy activity of a lot of people in one place

78. 78. retain their clients: keep their customers

79. 79. in the long run: a long period in the future

80. 80. Adaptation: the transfer of a written work to a film

81. 81. Hit the big screen: to be shown at the cinema

82. 82. Exceeded my expectations: to be better that expected

83. 83. Cry one’s eyes out: cry a lot.

84. 84. be overwhelmed by something: to get so much of something that it

becomes a problem

85. 85. to live in solitude: to live all alone

86. 86. much less: not to mention

87. 87. heartfelt gratitude: sincere readiness to show appreciation for and to
return kindness

88. 88. back in the day: in the past

89. 89. take one’s eyes off: to cease looking at something or someone

90. 90. now and then: sometimes

91. 91. make my dream come true: make a wish or a dream become a reality.

92. 92. Dormitory: a building for college students to live in

93. 93. A music festival: a community event oriented towards live performances of
singing and instrument playing

94. 94. Swarming with: to be full of something

95. 95. Stuffy atmosphere: an unpleasantly warm atmosphere without enough
fresh air

96. 96. Elaborate on the story: Explain in greater detail.

97. 97. Burst into laughter: A spontaneous and sudden fit of laughter.

98. 98. To be all the rage: to be very popular or fashionable.

99. 99. To be caught up in all this hype: to be involved in a discussion on TV, radio,
etc. (disapproving)

100. 100. To show somebody the ropes: To show somebody how something
is done.

101. Easier said than done: to be much more difficult to do than to talk
about.
102. Misshapen beyond recognition: with a shape that cannot be recognized.
103. In retrospect: Thinking about a past situation
104. An expat: a person living outside their own country
105. A blackout: a period when there is no light as a result of an electrical
power failure
106. The cultural differences: the differences between 2 cultures
107. The language barrier: the difficulties in communication experienced by
people or groups speaking different languages
108. Adore: love someone very much
109. Glorious time: A time of greatness and prosperity.
110. Legends and myths: Traditional stories, usually historical and
unauthenticated (possibly not true).
111. Cultural practice: an action committed by people of a particular culture,
tradition or nationality.
112. To be tied up in something: to be occupied by something/too busy
doing something
113. To pass the exam with flying colors: successfully pass the exam
114. Ease my mind: to relax
115. Well-trodden area: an area with a lot of people traveling
116. Budget friendly: affordable
117. Cost an arm and a leg: very expensive
118. Make a killing: make a lot of money quickly
119. suffer from: be badly affected by
120. excessive: greater than what seems reasonable or appropriate
121. tolerable: moderate, acceptable
122. in full blossom: with the flowers fully open
123. morning chorus: early morning bird songs
124. pilgrimage: a journey to a holy place for religious reasons
125. in the prime of: in the best, most successful, most productive stage
126. susceptible: very likely to be influenced, harmed or affected
127. dictate: decide, determine
128. hassle: irritating inconvenience
129. emphasize: give special importance to
130. voluntary: done willingly
131. turbulent: full of sudden change and confusion
132. dedicated to: working hard at
133. compassionate: feeling or showing sympathy for people who are
suffering
134. be committed to: willing to work hard and give your time and energy to
135. senior citizen: the aged
136. nursing home: a public or private residential facility providing a high level
of long-term personal or nursing care for the elderly
137. rapport: a friendly relationship
138. achievement: a thing that somebody has done successfully
139. To compose: to write music
140. An expat: a person living outside their own country
141. To portray: to describe something or somebody
142. To be hooked: to enjoy something very much
143. To reflect on: to think carefully and deeply about something
144. To be irritated: to be annoyed
145. If my memory serves me right: If I remember correctly.
146. Tolerant: to be able to accept what other people say or do even if you do
not agree with it
147. Calm my anger down: to make me become less angry and more relaxed
148. Charismatic: To have the powerful quality to attract and impress other
people
149. Cool-headed: calm
150. To weigh up the pros and cons: to consider both advantages and
disadvantages
151. To jump to a conclusion: to make a decision too quickly
152. In the trade: To be working in a particular business
153. To be taken aback: To be surprised by something
154. An embodiment of adventure and courage: A person or thing that
represents adventure and courage
155. The most unlikely places: Places that no one would want to visit
156. In awe of: To admire somebody
157. Idolize: Admire, revere, or love greatly or excessively.
158. Renowned: Known or talked about by many people; famous.
159. A great inspiration: Someone that people aspire to be and are
motivated by.
160. Live a miserable life: to have a very unhappy and uncomfortable life
161. A forced marriage: a marriage where the husband and wife are forced to
get married
162. Encounter difficulties and pains: to experience difficulties
163. To the best of my recollection: if I remember correctly
164. An influential person: a person who has a lot of influence on other
people
165. A torrential rain: the rain falling in large amounts
166. The worst- case scenario: the most unpleasant that could happen in a
situation
167. Be as wet as a drowned rat: to be very wet, especially because you have
been in heavy rain
168. Rear-view mirror: a mirror in which a driver can see the traffic behind
169. Skeptical: having doubts that something will happen
170. Humanity: the quality of being kind to people
171. To chill out: to relax
172. Nerve-racking: making you feel very nervous and worried
173. High-end products: products that are expensive and of high quality
174. To relieve everyday stress: to reduce everyday stress
175. To ease my mind: to make myself less worried
176. metropolitan: connected with a large or capital city
177. settle down: start to have a quieter way of life
178. co-existence: the state of being together in the same place at the same
time
179. shrine: a place where people come to worship
180. showcase: present
181. a short stroll from: not far from
182. flicker: keep going on and off as it shines or burns
183. hectic: full of activity
184. irresistible: cannot be stopped or resisted
185. since time immemorial: for a very long time
186. majestic: impressive
187. agriculture: the cultivation and breeding of animals and plants
188. mighty: very strong and powerful
189. discerning: able to judge the good quality of something
190. bucket list: a number of experiences or achievements that a person
hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime
191. criss-cross: mark with intersecting lines
192. gem: a person, place or thing that is especially good
193. To take a stroll: to take a slow relaxed walk
194. To kick off: to start something
195. Mental wellness: the state of being mentally healthy
196. If my memory serves me right: if I remember correctly
197. To put my feet up: to sit down and relax
198. socialize: to meet and spend time with people in a friendly way
199. oasis: an area in the desert where there is water and where plants grow
200. roller coaster: a track at a fairground that goes up and down very steep
slopes and that people ride on in a small train for fun and excitement