Unit 44. Ehm...
Showing that You Want to Continue
Unit 44; Part A
Listen to this short conversation. The lines of six dots (:::) means that the speaker is making the word before the dots longer. A: What did you think of the music? B: Well, it was::: interesting. В needs time to think of the best word to describe the music. Shemakes the word was longer to show A that she is still in theconversation. If she paused for all that time, A might think she wasnot going to answer. |
Unit 44; Part B
We often say noises like ehm to keep our speaking turn while we are thinking of what to say or doing something else. In the example below, В says it to keep his speaking turn while he looks at his watch. A: What's the time? B: Let's see, it's ehm::: nearly seven. Note:You can use noises like ehm to 'buy time" when you are speaking Englishand you need time to think of a word. If you are silent, the otherperson may think you have finished and start talking. | |
Unit 44; Part C
Listen to this conversation. A and В have started a web site and they are thinking of having some music on it. Theyare trying to decide what kind of music to have. Both speakers use(:::) often to keep their speaking turns. Notice how they keep theirvoices on the same level when they say the word before the pause (:::}but their voices go down at the end of their speaking turns (shown witha full stop below). | |
Note: It is very common for speakers to start their speakingturn by agreeing with what the other person said. Look in theconversation above, for example. At the start of their turns, thespeakers use expressions like: Yeah, I know what you mean Yeah, right Absolutely Well, OK. |
Exercises
| Unit 43 Unit 44 Unit 45 | |