Discourse markers là những từ hoặc cụm từ dùng để nối các ý với nhau. Sử dụng discourse markers sẽ giúp phần thi speaking của bạn trở lên lưu loát và tự nhiên giống người bản ngữ hơn. Thỉnh thoảng discourse markers cũng là cứu cánh để chúng ta chêm vào những chỗ bị ngắc ngứ, tạm thời chưa nghĩ ra ý hay từ để diễn đạt.
Tuy nhiên lưu ý rằng discourse markers sử dụng trong Speaking không giống với discourse markers sử dụng trong Writing. Đặc biệt là tính chất bài thi Speaking của IELTS khá là informal nên các từ như Moreover, Therefore, As a result,… hầu như không phù hợp mà thay vào đó là And, So, You know, Actually, In fact, I mean,… . Vì thế tìm hiểu kỹ về Discourse Markers trong Speaking là cần thiết.
1. Vai trò của Discourse Markers:
2. Các loại Discourse Markers thường gặp:
Có rất nhiều dạng discourse markers và chúng ta sẽ từ từ làm quen với các từ/cụm từ này kèm theo ví dụ minh hoạ.
To add information
And
Ex: Wangari Maathai, the Nobel prizewinner from Kenya who has planted 30 million trees. And by doing so, she has changed the soil, the weather, in some places in Africa, and of course the economic conditions in many villages.
On top of that
Ex: We missed the bus, and on top of that it started raining.
Another thing is
Ex: Another thing is that I like to think about music – it’s weird to say it – as a sport.
Besides that
Ex: The library on 5th Avenue in New York City is one of the best places to do research. Besides that, it has hundreds of the most respected magazines and journals in the world.
Also
Ex: The library on 5th Avenue in New York City is one of the best places to do research. It also has hundreds of the most respected magazines and journals in the world.
Other than that
Ex: We know he lived in Fleet Road, but other than that we don’t know much about him
Next
Ex: Next, we will look at the discourses markers used to change topics.
To continue
Ex: To continue, I will skim over some examples of using discourse markers.
Let me add
Ex: Let me add to this point just a bit.
To grab attention
Now
Ex: Now, this is the picture I want you to focus on.
So
Ex: So, here’s the first story
To fill in the pauses (let me think)
So
Ex: So… we should encourage children to be active in their leisure time
Well
Ex: Well… we all know that technology changes very rapidly.
To make things clear/give more details
I mean
Ex: I don’t like him. I mean he’s a good teacher but I don’t like him because he’s too strict.
Actually
Ex: I got so bored listening to what he was saying that I actually fell asleep half way through his presentation.
In fact
Ex: Before I tell you the ways that you can spend money that will make you happier, let’s think about the ways we usually spend it that don’t, in fact, make us happier.